Second Dance Cowboy (Second Chance) (18 page)

“Of course you’re not.” She blinked. “Can you honestly say that I wasn’t a stand in for Cassie? You came home to get her back, right?”

He couldn’t lie. It’d
only make things worse. “When Deckland told me that Cassie and Dante were getting married, yes, I stormed back, but I can’t say that my purpose was to get her back. When I told her that you and I were in a relationship, I guess I did hope she’d feel a streak of jealousy.” He wanted to explain further but her eyes filled with hurt. He didn’t want to upset her.

“Then how is
it wrong what I said to Dante? Cassie is available now and she certainly believes you two are on the mend. Why would she assume that unless you’ve given her a reason?”

Drama,
when would it stop? “I haven’t—”

“You haven’t what? Used me to get to her?” Her soft voice broke through his annoyance.

A crack of thunder sounded in the distance. “You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying. Let me explain.”

“Explain? The message is loud and clear. I’
m not angry. You’ve inspired me to change a lot in my life and see what I’m missing.”

“
Richie?” The name fell from his lips before he thought it through.

“No,
not
Richie.” She threw up her hands. “It no longer matters. We’ve said what we wanted to get off our chest, except, I know you’re smart man. Although you and Cassie certainly have history, you need to stop allowing her to control your future. Take care, Dillon.”

He watched her walk away and his heart sank. He’d made a mess of things—hell, they both had
.

The screen door
squeaked. Dillon turned as Deckland stepped onto the porch. “Did I hear Peyton?”

Dillon nodded. “
She’s gone now.”

“
You’ve been an arrogant ass here these days, about the same time she stopped coming around. What happened?” Deckland asked.

“It appear
s I’ve screwed up.” He had to take credit for being a jerk.

“
It’s not too late to make things right.”

Dillon shook his head. “
I don’t need any advice, especially from someone who is afraid to fall in love.”

Shrugging, Deckland took a seat in the rocker.
“I wonder what I can offer a woman. Different than fear, Dillon.”

“You’ve never attended a pity party, so don’t start now. You have a heart condition and it’s under control. And I don’t think it has interfered with any of the body parts yet.
Just so we’re clear, your attitude hasn’t been any better than mine.”

“That brings me to something
. I’ve wanted to talk to you about since you’ve been back home.” Concern etched creases in Deckland’s strong features. Very seldom had his brother shown weakness. He’d always been the strong one—grounded and sure. He’d been a responsible adult, took control over the family, the ranch, and never once complained. Dillon had a feeling there was a lot swishing around in his brother’s head now. “Will you be sticking around or do you plan to take off?”

Dillon
scrubbed his jaw. “I’m staying. For good.”

Deckland’s jaw relaxed.
“We’re at two-hundred head of cattle and I’d like to expand by double within a few months. I’ve tossed around the idea of buying Haskin’s property. He’s selling a hundred acres next to us and he’s made us a good offer. However, I can’t do all of it on my own. You learned a lot while you worked the McAllister in Shelby. McGraw knows his ranching. From what I hear, he has done well at the McAllister.”

“He knows the business inside and out.”

“You still working on that recipe for feed that helps with digestion problems in horses?”

“I have it completed, but without the financial backing, it won’t happen.”

“I have an idea. I wonder if McGraw would be interested in joining this endeavor.”

Dillon rubbed his jaw, liking where his brother headed. “Maybe. And I bet Chance Taylor would give it some thought too.”

“Owner of Swift Wind, right?”  Dillon nodded. “You have a foot in. That’s a start. Of course, we’d need the backing of a reputable veterinarian—”

“I know someone. Her name is Leslie
Bakerfield. She’s one of the best vets in Texas.”

“You
had dreams for this place and maybe it’s time you start backing the words with action.”

“Why
aren’t you asking Dante?”

“
I want him to be a part of this, but just between you and me brother, we both know he isn’t ready to settle down with lots of responsibility yet. He’s still led by what’s behind his zipper. For a minute, I thought Cassie would settle him, but she played both of you. I keep hoping he’ll make a turn around and lose the wild side.”

“
Are you buying more horses?”

“
I’d like to. I know you’ve wanted to expand in that area. Are you in, Dillon?”

Dillon swallowed. He had to force the next
words through tight lips. “You haven’t gotten any bad news from the doctor have you? You’re still as healthy as a horse, right?”

Deckland waved a hand through the air. “
I’m fine, but I want the best for this land. We’re lucky. We have the three of us, and dad was only one man. He worked all of the time, leaving mom alone.”

“I know she was lonely. I also remember they’d went through a rough time together, divorce was even mentioned a time or two.
Probably because Dante put them through hell. He was always into trouble.” Dillon laughed.

“
That leads me to my next thought. Have you ever wondered why Dante is nothing like us? I mean, he looks similar, but he has something to prove. He likes living on the edge.”

Dillon eyed Deckland’s profile and
his throat went dry. “What are you saying?”

“
I wonder if he had gotten wind of something when we were kids and it changed him.”

“Spit it out,
Deckland.”

“
I remember once hearing Mom and Dad talking upstairs. Although they were keeping it lowered, I swore I heard her tell him that he shouldn’t be angry because he wasn’t the father. Not too long ago, I asked Aunt Betty, just out of curiosity, what Mom meant. She told me that for a few months, when I was little, Mom and Dad were separated, but she didn’t go into detail. I wanted to ask more, but she seemed uncomfortable.” Deckland stared off into the field. “It’s always stuck with me that maybe Dante had another father.”

A sharp pain shot through Dillon’s chest. “
I don’t know what you’re accusing our mother of, but you better shut your mouth. She’s not here to defend herself and we know she wasn’t a cheat. They argued, but they loved each other.”

“Relax, Dilly. Bettie told me they were only a hair’s width away from signing
divorce papers during the separation.”

“Are you
suggesting that they separated because of another man? And there were many times I felt like I didn’t belong—that something just wasn’t right. Doesn’t everyone?”

“
I guess.” He shrugged. “Maybe he’d heard something he shouldn’t have. Wouldn’t that get under your skin, wondering who you belonged to?”

“Or maybe you’re looking for excuses to justify his behavior?” Dillion
snorted.

“I don’t see this as justifying anything. I’m just saying what I heard.”

Dillon opened his mouth, but slammed it shut. The more he watered the thought, the more it grew. When they were younger, he’d teased Dante, telling him that he was adopted. Guilt charged through him. A sudden need for understanding shot through Dillon. “Wouldn’t they have told us?”

“Hell, I don’t know. Maybe they thought it didn’t matter.
In the scheme of things, it doesn’t. We’re brothers. That won’t change.”

The pain in Dillon’s chest didn’t lesson and he couldn’t stop the spinning wheel. “They wouldn’t have betrayed us, right?”

“It wouldn’t really be a betrayal though. Let’s assume Mom had an affair, got pregnant and Dad agreed to take the baby as his own. What good would come of telling Dante, or any of us? To continue with the sham, they’d want the biological father to never know the truth, right?”

“Why are you telling me this?” Dillon’s heart pounded. He loved his brothers, both of them
. He didn’t think he could take any more disappointment from the people he cared for.

“I guess I’ve carried it around for a long time.”

Squeezing the arms of the chair, Dillon’s knuckles ached. He trusted Deckland’s gut. Although his brother had lived with the question needling him all these years, Dillon couldn’t. “There’s only one way to find out.” He jumped up and headed for his truck.

“Where you going?
” Deckland yelled out to him. “Don’t do this…whatever it is you’re planning to do.”

“I’ll be back.” Dillon waved as he pulled away from the house.

Shadows were on the
horizon by the time he reached Aunt Bettie’s. The lights were on in the window and he saw her car in the driveway. Knocking on the door twice, she answered. “Well, what a great surprise.”

As a kid, he
liked coming to his aunt’s house. She always had ice cream and gum. He realized he hadn’t visited in a long time, leaving a trail of guilt. Although in good health, she wasn’t getting any younger and he loved her. She used to tell him all sorts of stories. “Are you busy?” he asked.

“Not
too busy for my favorite nephew.” She closed the door behind him. “Come in, come in. Make yourself at home.” She led him into the living room. Puzzle pieces were scattered on the coffee table and a half-full glass of wine sat beside the chair. “Have a seat. I still have the cozy chair.” She referred to the worn and tattered chair that he loved to sit in and watch TV.

He sat in the old
recliner and memories flooded him. He couldn’t count how many bowls of ice cream and pieces of licorice he’d eaten right here. “I’m sorry I haven’t stopped by sooner,” he said.

She shook her head. “No worries. What young person wants to visit an old woman? You’ve heard all of my stories at least twice.
I’ve grown boring these last few years.”

“
You could never be a bore. In fact, I’ve heard you have a boyfriend.”

Her wrinkled
cheeks turned pink. “Marty and I have gone to lunch a few times. It seems we have a lot in common, but saying he’s my boyfriend would be farfetched.”

“I’m happy
for you, no matter what you two are doing. I need to ask you a couple of questions. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but you are mom’s sister and I think she told you everything.”

“Well, every girl likes
to keep a few secrets.” She giggled. “Would you like a glass of sweet tea? Just how you like it, extra sweet with lots of ice.”

“May
be later. Deckland told me that Mom and Dad separated before I was born.” He needed answers, and sooner the better.

The wrinkles around her eyes deepened as s
he relaxed onto the couch. The clock in the corner chimed seven times, sounding loud in the small room. “It’s been many years and my mind’s rusty.”

“
Or maybe you don’t want to talk about it.”

“No one can change the past
,” she said.

He cleared his throat. “
But maybe some answers are needed.”

“I guess.”
She played with her pearl necklace. “I think I get what you really want to know. I knew one of you boys would eventually get wind of a rumor and come asking, although I did expect it to be Dante. After all, he was always the one who asked the questions. He’s always had a void in his heart.”

His throat tightened. “Then it’s true.”

“I’m going
to explain and you’ll listen, with a promise to keep an open mind.” Her tone left no room for argument and he nodded. “First, let me just tell you that your father and mother loved one another, and they loved each of you boys all the same. Your father was a rancher and you know how a man’s land can keep him busy. Ask Deckland, I’m sure he’ll agree. Like many ranch wives, they spend a lot of time alone. I loved my sister, but Bessie was needier than most. I’d warned her that life as a rancher’s wife would be hard, but she loved John. When they met, he swept her off her feet with his good looks, charm and drive. She had blinders on, I think they both did.” She laid her hands in her lap and sighed, as if her thoughts transformed into the past. “My husband worked for your father on the ranch. My Ned was also very handsome.” Her bright smile lit her eyes, yet it soon fizzled. “I don’t know how it started, but I do know when it ended.”

“How what started, Bettie?” he asked.

“He came home one hot summer’s evening and spilled his guts. He begged that I forgive him. I loved him with all that I could imagine, so I did.” A tear slipped down her creased cheek. She wiped the moisture with the back of her hand.

Dillon
searched for tissues and found a box, handing her one. He brought his fingers to his temples and rubbed, attempting to get a grip on what she was telling him. “What are you saying?”