Second Dance Cowboy (Second Chance) (19 page)

“Do I need to say the words, Dillon?” The catch to her voice warned that she was holding back a sob.

He swallowed a bitter taste. “My mother and your husband? They had an affair?” The words almost choked him.

“I don’t like to use the word affair.
Ned and Bessie’s relationship began with loneliness. Once they realized the mistake they’d made, they couldn’t turn back. Although Ned told me everything, Bessie couldn’t bear to tell John the truth, and because I still loved her, even though she’d betrayed me, I didn’t want to see her hurt. I stayed quiet. Ned quit his job at the ranch and we went on as if nothing had happened.”

Guilt sped through him.
How could his mother do this? “I’m sorry this happened.”

“Thank you, dear.
” She leaned forward and patted his knee. “We thought that would be the end of it. It was only the beginning. Several months later, Bessie found out that she was pregnant. She knew John couldn’t be the father. Broken and scared of losing her family, she couldn’t think straight.” Her gaze grew dark. “She pleaded with Ned and me to go along with her plan. Caught in my desire to have a child and wanting to do right, I agreed that I would take the baby when he was born. I’d always wanted a child. Ned and I had been trying for years, with no luck. If our plan worked, John would never have to know.”

“How could he not know?” Dillon asked.

“When she could no longer hide the fact that she was pregnant, she left John. He’d begged her to stay, but she knew she couldn’t. He’d realize the truth and she believed she’d lose him. She came here and stayed hidden for five months. I took care of her through the pregnancy. When the baby was born, we were all so happy. The little innocent child made all of my pain of the past fade.” Her hand dropped from his knee.

“I’m getting more confused. You never had a child.”

She nodded. “I did for a short time. I loved him like he’d come from my womb. For six months I was his mother.”

“What happened?” He leaned closer.

“Bessie couldn’t live with the fact that she’d given up her son. She fell into a deep depression and eventually she told John the truth.” Tears dripped from her eyes, filling each groove of her wrinkled skin. She wiped her eyes delicately. “John and Bessie showed up on my doorstep, asking for the baby. They would raise him as their own. I’d pleaded with Ned to do something, after all, he was the child’s father, but he turned his back. He loved the child, but guilt plagued him. My heart died that day, and as much as I loved Ned and my sister, I could never find it in myself to forgive them for the betrayal. I was left with an open wound, raw and painful.”

“
How awful for everyone involved.” Dillon could see the pain etched in his aunt’s face.

“Th
e stress became too much for Ned after that day. He got sick and he passed away.”

“And my dad forgave my mom.
” He barely felt the vibration of his cell in his front pocket. He guessed it was Deckland.

“
John was a kind and fair man. He loved your mom and wanted her to get better from the depression. He accepted the son as his own, and like I said, he’d never made differences. Fortunately, the son was the glue that brought your family back together.”

Dillon scanned the room for pictures of Ned because he couldn’t remember what he looked like. “Does Dante know any of this?” The words fell from his lips. How could he tell
Dante?

“The baby your mother had with Ned isn’t Da
nte.” Bettie’s voice unnerved him.

He turned
his chin. “Then who?” Truth spilled into his heart. He knew the answer.

“My dear boy, you are the son.”

He jerked back. “You’re telling me that I’m not my father’s son?” Pain ripped through him. Memories of his dad holding him, singing to him, taking him fishing and teaching him to ranch. Everything he’d ever learned had come from his father.

“Don’t say that, Dillon.
John is your father, just as much as he is Deckland and Dante’s father. He was a special kind of father because he chose you when he could have walked.”

He jumped to his feet
, needing distance. “I can’t believe you’re defending him. They mistreated you! Ad they lied to me!” He took a step toward the door, feeling dizzy.

She stood up, taking a
step toward him, but she didn’t make a move to touch him. “You were innocent in all of this. Every adult in your life has played a role in letting you down in one way or another, but trust me when I say this, we did all of it because you were special to us. You were a miracle. You are more like John than Deckland or Dante.”

“I had a right to know the truth.” He threw open the door and
dashed toward his truck. He climbed behind the wheel and blindly pulled out onto the country road. His aunt’s words played through his mind. He searched for solace, but he couldn’t think clearly.

He stopped at the fork in
the road. Turning right would take him back to the ranch. He couldn’t face anyone right now. Not Deckland, and certainly not Dante. He turned left, not caring where the road ended as long as he had time alone. 

CHAPTER TWELVE

“WHAT? HE JUST
took off without a word?” Peyton stared across the table at Deckland and Bettie who looked shocked. Uncle Marty was sitting quietly next to Peyton.

Bettie
wiped her tears with a soiled tissue. The older woman hadn’t stopped crying since she’d arrived. Peyton grabbed the tissue box from the shelf and handed it to Bettie. “I can’t blame him for being upset, but I just couldn’t lie to him. Not look in his eyes and tell him an injustice.” Bettie’s ragged sigh bounced off the walls.

Deckland shook his head. “
It’s not your fault. I mentioned the subject. Hell, I had no clue that I was right, yet so wrong. I shouldn’t have said anything.” His shoulders slumped.

Peyton placed her hands palm down on the table. “If you both look at
the bigger picture, it’s no one’s fault. Everyone made a decision out of love for someone else, mainly for Dillon. I can understand why he’s hurt, but he’s levelheaded. Once he absorbs the truth, he’ll see why.”

Bettie
sniffed loudly. “I see your point, I just feel horrible. That’s why I talked Deckland into coming here to speak to you.”

“I’m
not sure there’s anything I can do. I’m not Dillon’s favorite person at the moment.” She fidgeted with the silver ring on her right hand, rolling and sliding it on and off her finger.

“If any of us can reach him
, it’s you.”

Peyton held B
ettie’s gaze. “There’s so much that you’re not aware of—”

“Of
course. The young think the old folk know nothing, but we’re smarter than given credit for. Right, Marty?” She winked at him.

“That’s rig
ht.” It was the first time Marty had spoken.

“Anyway, I saw the way he looked at you at the fish fry.
” Bettie patted Peyton’s hand. “His feelings were obvious. I’m not sure if he’s a prideful ass or he’s afraid of getting his feelings hurt. Out of all my nephews he’s the most stubborn, but he also has the deepest of emotion.”

“Thanks, Auntie.” Deckland’s bottom lip puckered
dramatically.

Bettie
turned and squeezed his shoulder. “Each of you have your own set of qualities. You, my dear boy, are a natural leader and very powerful, more than you know.” His lips returned to normal and he seemed satisfied.

“Do either of you know where he’s gone?” Peyton asked, clasping her hands in her lap.

“I think I do,” Deckland said. “We have a cabin a few hours away. He loves it there. It’s close to the water and he can do all of the fishing he likes. He’s probably there now, sulking over a boat load of fish.”

“Do you t
hink he’d see me if I went?” She would never rest knowing that Dillon was hurt and alone. He may not want to see her, but she had to try.

“Listen, Peyton—”

She met her uncle’s protective gaze. “It’s okay. If things were different, wouldn’t you want Dillon searching for me?” After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded. “Okay then,” she said to Deckland, “can you give me directions?”

“Sure,” he said.

“And Uncle Marty, I need you to watch Ollie. Okay?”

“Of course, sweetheart.” He patted her hand.

“I’ll stay and help,” Bettie offered.
Marty’s smile widened.

“All three of us will,” Deckland added.

“You won’t have to worry, young lady,” Marty said.

Several hours into her trip
, Peyton checked the written directions and sketched map Deckland had drawn for her. Her GPS sucked. She’d followed it here most of the way, but once she reached the middle-of-nowhere, it went bonkers and started spewing out deception. Deckland’s directions weren’t much better. His scrawled writing hurt her eyes and the map didn’t do much good when she had no clue where the landmarks were located.

Crumbling the useless paper, she tossed it aside and
decided to stay on the gravel road until she came to a gas station.

Shutting off the A
/C and rolling down the window, the breeze billowing through her hair relieved some of her stress. She’d driven to the boondocks. She didn’t even know if she was still in Texas, although she hadn’t seen a state line marker. The last thing she wanted to do was turn around and go back.

She needed to see him.

During the drive, she’d prepared what she’d say to Dillon. He may send her away, but she’d take the chance. She loved him, even if they wouldn’t have a future together, and she wanted to help him.

Dishonesty
had a way of seeping into reality, no matter how hard people tried to cage the truth. Although she could see why his parents had kept the secret, still, someone was bound to get hurt.

She’d almost made the same choice for Oliver, not telling Richie about their son. Would Oliver had held it against her?

The sun was setting and her irritation grew. Would she ever find the cabin?

Reaching int
o her purse, she dug out her phone and read the screen. “No service. Oh, that’s just great.” Stretching out her arm, she held the phone closer to the window.

Up ahead, a sign came into view. “Beaver Pike.”
She remembered seeing the road on Deckland’s map. Relief bubbled inside of her and she realized Deckland’s directions would be handy after all. Keeping an eye on the road ahead, she reached to the bottom of the floorboard for the crushed paper.
Damn, why did I have to toss it?

She could feel it at her
fingertips…so close…she had it in her grasp…

And then a
flash of white appeared in front of her.
A dog.
She jerked the wheel to the right, and then to the left, slamming on the gas.

This wouldn’t end well for her.

****

Dill
on stomped into Doctor Henshaw’s office. The bearded doc was slumped over a patient. “Where is she, Danny?”

Doctor Danny
Henshaw looked up and pointed down the hall. “Back room.”

“Thanks.” The door was open and he stepped into the sanitary examination room. His jaw automatically
clenched, and when he heard teeth crack, he took a deep breath. Peyton was asleep on the table and her breathing was soft. “Peyton?”

Her lashes fluttered against the top of her cheeks. Her lids slowly opened and her
gaze met his. “Dillon?” One corner of her lips lifted.

“What the hell were you thinking?”

She brought her head up from the pillow. A dark bruise surrounded her left eye and a small cut crossed her cheek. The suspicious moisture developing in her eyes made his protective side blossom and his anger bud. “Let me guess, this was Deckland’s fruity idea. I’m going to kick his ass when I get home.” Her bottom lip trembled. Her emotions ripped through his chest and his fury died under the spell of one beautiful woman.

“We we
re worried about you,” she said as she sat up, hanging her legs off the side of the table.

He
forced his breathing to even out as his adrenaline stopped pumping. “Doc Danny told me what happened when he called. Why would you swerve to miss an animal?”

Her mouth opened slightly. “
Because it’s instinct.”

“You’re
never supposed to swerve. Damn!”

“Relax
, Dillon. I got lost and I wrecked my car in the ditch. The last thing I need is to hear your complaining.”

“You should never have come here.”

“I have the right mind to call a cab and go back home.”

“You’re not thinking because
, if you were, you’d remember where you are. The last time I saw a taxi out in these parts old man Juniper had bought one from a company that was going out of business.” He dropped his fists to his hips. “It’s not you I should take my anger out on. It’s my blabber mouth brother who can’t seem to keep his nose out of my business.”