Chapter 17 3 страница

Janna sighed. "We’ve become really good friends. Anyway, it was really quiet in the restaurant, and we overheard this couple at the next table talking. Barbara said she recognized your mother, and there was a younger guy with her we didn’t know."

"It’s hardly news to me that my mother is dating," the young woman sighed. "From what I understand, she never really stopped."

"No, it’s not that. I don’t’ think that they’re dating." Janna took a deep breath, then released it slowly. "She was tearing into the guy because she thought he had something to do with your accident. The way it sounded, he’s working for her."

Seeing the blood rush from Amanda’s face, Martha sat down next to her and grabbed her hand. "What is it, dear?"

The blonde shook her head. "No…she didn’t…"

"No. He said that he didn’t have anything to do with it. But," Janna paused, unsure if she should say anything.

"What? Please, Janna. Just tell me."

"Your mother said that it was more important than ever to get you away from Lex. He told her that he was handling the details right then. Even made some sort of comment that all sorts of things could happen at the ranch, since it was so far from town, and all."

Amanda dropped the phone in shock. Could she really be that cold-blooded? I know I’ve said she would in the past, but still. My own mother? She barely listened as Martha took over the phone conversation.

"No, dear…she’s just a bit shocked, that’s all. Yes, I’ll let her know. Thank you for calling, Janna. Good bye." The housekeeper hung up the phone and sat back down next to Amanda. She waited until the tear-filled green eyes met hers. "Oh, honey."

"My own mother, Martha," Amanda whispered. "Why is she doing this to us?"

Martha leaned forward and pulled the younger woman into her arms. "Sshhh. Everything’s going to be just fine. I’ll give Charlie a call, and let him know what’s going on, okay?"

The blonde head nodded. "That’s probably a good idea. I just wish Lex were back from the barns. She needs to know about all this."

***************

"What in the hell are you doing here?" Lex asked, still holding the pitchfork in a defensive manner. She backed up slightly until she could feel the bales of hay behind her. Guess that’s far enough. I can’t believe this!

The man stepped forward and raised his hat away from his eyes. "That’s no way to talk to me, girl. Now put the damned fork down!" He took several more steps, until the pronged tool touched his chest. "I’m not telling you again." His hazel eyes were tired, and he sported several days’ growth of beard.

Her hands shaking, Lex lowered the implement until the points were on the ground. "Why are you here?" Her legs gave out and caused her to drop down on the hay behind her. "What possible purpose could it serve?"

"You act like you’re surprised. Don’t tell me you haven’t been expecting this visit." He began to walk around the barn, looking around. "Looks like you’ve done pretty good. How much money have you sunk into this place?"

"Enough to turn it around. What do you want?"

He laughed. "You know, I was sure surprised when I came in here last night and felt how nice and warm it was. You treat these damned horses better than you do people." He sat on a barrel on the other side of the room. "But you always did, didn’t you? People didn’t mean that much to you at all, did they?" He reached down into his boot and pulled out a large hunting knife.

Lex jumped to her feet and pointed an angry finger in his direction. "Don’t you be telling me about how to treat people!"

"Sit down! I’m talking to you, girl!" He pointed the knife at the agitated young woman. "You always did fly off the handle." The older man began to clean his nails with the point of the knife. "Maybe someone should teach you some manners."

***************

Martha hung up the phone and turned around. "Charlie said that Janna had already called him. He’s got a couple of men on the lookout for your mother, and the man she’s been seen with. He’s on his way out here now."

"That’s a relief," Amanda sat back in her chair and pointed at her propped up leg. "I really wish there was something I could do, though. I feel completely helpless like this!"

"You’ll have plenty to do, sweetie. If you can keep Lexie even halfway calm, I’ll be impressed." The housekeeper opened the refrigerator and pulled several items out. "Now if that girl would just get back to the house for breakfast, I’d be happy."

Amanda laughed. "You know how she gets when she starts messing with her horses. Nothing can pull her away until she’s finished." She pulled herself closer to the table. "If you’ll bring me that bowl, I’ll be glad to mix those ingredients together for you."

The older woman finished measuring the flour and dumped it into the bowl. "Thank you, dear. That would be a big help." She brought the large glass dish over to the table and placed it in front of Amanda. "Here you go. Just let me know when you’re done, honey. I’ll go ahead and start the sausage to cooking."

"Sure, no problem." Amanda glanced at the clock on the wall. I wonder what’s taking Lex so long? She said that she’d be back soon.

***************

"What is it you want? Money?" Lex was becoming increasingly aware of how long she had been in the barn. Amanda’s gonna be coming unglued if I’m not back to the house soon, she worried. "I’m sure I could give you enough to make you leave."

He bristled at the disgusted tone in her voice. "Your brother was right," he growled. "You are a snotty excuse for a person." The man stood up slowly and brushed off his jeans. "Money doesn’t mean anything to me. You’re the reason I came here, you know." He buttoned up his coat and pulled his hat down over his head. "Why don’t we go on up to the main house and finish this up there?"

I don’t want him anywhere near Martha, or Amanda, but we’re not accomplishing anything here. "You still haven’t told me why you’re here. Has this got something to do with Hubert?"

"All in due time, girl. Let’s go. It’s too damned cold to be messing around out here." The man bent down and placed his knife back in his boot. He motioned for her to precede him from the barn. "Hurry up. I’m not getting any younger, you know."

"All right." Lex led the way to the house, taking careful steps to avoid falling. I wonder if there’s some way to get rid of him before Amanda sees him? Damn.

She opened up the back door and stepped inside, hanging up her coat and hat.

"Lex! It’s about time you got back," Amanda’s voice carried from the kitchen. "Come on in here and have some coffee."

Double damn. There goes that idea. Lex turned to the man behind her. "Try and act civilized, will you?" She walked into the kitchen with him close on her heels.

Amanda turned around in her chair to greet her lover. "I was beginning to get worried, honey. What took…?" She stopped when she saw the unsmiling man standing behind the rancher. "Who is…?"

Martha spun around from the stove and froze. The spatula she was using fell loudly to the floor. "Oh, my."

"Amanda, I’d like you to meet Rawson Walters…my father." Lex turned around and glared at the older man. "Dad, this is my fiancée, Amanda Cauble." She got a secret satisfaction at seeing him blanche at her choice of words. He had never accepted his daughter’s lifestyle, and refused to acknowledge that she was gay.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Walters." Amanda reached up and offered her hand to the still quiet man. "Lex has told me all about you."

He accepted the young woman’s hand and shook it firmly. "And you still wanted to shake my hand? You’re a brave woman, miss." Rawson released her hand and pulled his hat from his head. "Mind if I sit down?"

Amanda smiled. "Please, go right ahead."

Lex stood next to Martha, looking as if she would bolt from the room at any given moment. She felt a gentle hand on her back, and turned to smile at the housekeeper. "Big surprise, huh?"

"It sure is, honey. Are you okay?" I’ll chase that man out of here with my broom if he does one thing to upset these girls.

"I’m fine. A bit shocked, but fine. He was in the horse barn – scared the hell out of me." Lex watched as her partner continued to charm the rodeo rider. How does she do that? "I nearly ran him through with a pitchfork," she admitted sheepishly.

Would serve the man right, the way he treated her all those years. Martha patted her on the back. "Well, I don’t see any holes, so you must have done all right," she teased.

"Lex? Why don’t you come over here and join us?" Amanda asked. She knew that her lover was shook up at the arrival of her father, but hoped that her presence could keep Lex a little bit calmer.

The rancher walked unhappily over to the table and sat down next to Amanda, reaching over and grasping the younger woman’s hand. "Here I am." She glared across the table at her father. "Are you ever going to get around to telling me why you’re here?"

"Don’t get sassy with me, girl. I brought you into this world, and I can take you out of it." Rawson leaned forward and pinned his daughter with angry eyes.

"Give me a break. My MOTHER brought me into this world, old man. YOU were just a sperm donor."

The slap was unexpected, and it knocked the chair that Lex was sitting in to the floor.

"You watch your mouth! I won’t have my daughter talking like a common street thug!" Rawson rose from his chair and stood over the prone woman.

He was suddenly pushed away by Martha, who had a large frying pan in her hand. "Don’t make me use this on you, Mr. Walters. You leave my girl alone."

"YOUR girl? You’re delusional, woman! You’ve always treated Lexington like your own. That’s probably what’s wrong with her!" The ex-rancher raised his hand as if to strike Martha, as well.

"Stop it!" Amanda tried to stand up, but was gently held down by pressure on her shoulders from behind. She turned around and saw a grim-faced Travis, who had seen the whole thing.

"That’s more than enough, Rawson," he commanded quietly. "You raise your hand to another woman in this house, and I’ll personally throw your sorry hide out of here." Travis pushed by the angry man and helped his granddaughter to her feet. "Are you okay, honey?"

Lex rubbed her jaw, which sported a red and swollen knot. "Just ducky, Grandpa." She stepped past him and glared down at her father. "If you EVER even THINK about hitting Martha again, I’ll kill you," she threatened in a low voice. Pushing by the smaller man, Lex walked over and stood behind Amanda, placing her hands on the blonde’s shoulders. "There’s a guest room across the hall from the master bedroom. You’re welcome to stay there for the night, but I want you out of our house by tomorrow morning." She silently helped Amanda into the wheelchair and wheeled her from the room.

Rawson turned around and stared at Travis. "I see you’ve finally won. You’ve poisoned my own flesh and blood against me, old man."

Travis put his arm around the housekeeper and led her to the table, helping her gently into a chair. He turned his attention back to the other man. "You did that yourself, years ago. I’m just very thankful that Martha raised Lexie, not you." He watched as the younger man stomped from the room. "I will never know what my daughter saw in him," Travis muttered.

***************

After Lex helped Amanda to the bed, she began to pace the room. "Why now? After all these years, why did he suddenly decide to come back?"

"Lex, come here." Amanda raised one hand and beckoned to the frantic woman. "Please?" She waited patiently until her lover crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. "How’s your face?" She tried to reach out and touch the reddened cheek, but Lex pulled away.

"It’s fine. Don’t worry about it." Lex didn’t feel like being comforted. She felt like climbing the stairs and giving her father a dose of his own medicine, which made her even madder. Why do I let him get to me that way? He’s always been able to hit the right buttons with me.

Amanda wrapped her fingers around the rancher’s arm and pulled her closer. "Hey." She couldn’t remember ever seeing her lover like this. The look on Lex’s face was beginning to scare her. "Honey?"

Lex shook her head to clear it. "Hmm?" She blinked several times, and realized that Amanda was trying to talk to her. "I’m sorry, sweetheart. Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"

"I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about."

"What’s to worry? I’m just trying to decide whether or not I want to go upstairs and throw my father through a window – nothing serious," Lex answered sarcastically. "When I saw him raise a hand to Martha, I honestly wanted to kill him." She tried to stand up, but was pulled back down onto the bed by Amanda’s strong grip. "God." Her whole body began to shake as she lost her composure and began to cry.

Pulling her lover forward, Amanda stroked the dark hair as Lex’s face burrowed into her chest. "Let it go, love," she murmured, slowly rocking back and forth. A knock at the door finally forced them apart. "Come in," Amanda requested hoarsely.

"Is everything all right in here?" Martha asked as she stepped into the room. She held a small icepack and carried it over to where the two women were. Her sad brown eyes tracked to Lex’s as she placed it on the rancher’s face. "That’s going to leave a bit of a bruise, I’m afraid."

Lex smiled and covered the older woman’s hand with her own. "It’s okay, Mada. Doesn’t even hurt," she lied. Her jaw ached, but the pain was nothing like the pain in her heart. "Are you okay? I’m sorry about earlier in the kitchen. I should have never…"

Martha fought back her tears. "Oh, baby. You have nothing to apologize for. I was so proud of you." She looked over at Amanda, who had a loving smile on her face. "How are you doing, honey? You look a bit tired."

"I was. But stretching out on the bed has helped." Amanda wanted to try and lighten things up a bit. "At least now I know where Hubert gets his charm from," she joked.

The rancher laughed. "Isn’t that the truth? I always thought I was the odd one, being around those two so much." She grinned at the older woman standing next to the bed. "Guess I turned out the way I did because of you." Lex watched as a deep blush covered Martha’s face. "I’m probably the only hell you ever raised, huh?"

"You were a handful at times, that’s for sure," Martha reminisced. "But you were basically a good child, even when your wild streak showed through."

Amanda patted the bed on the other side of her. "Why don’t you sit down with us for a while, and tell me some stories?" She grinned at Lex, who looked nervous. "Aw, c’mon. You couldn’t have been that bad, could you?"

"Umm…I’ve got some things I need to check on," Lex stammered, wanting to get out of the room before Martha started her tales. "You ladies go ahead and chat for a bit." She leaned down and kissed Amanda lightly on the lips. "I’ll be back in a little while." The tall woman jumped up from the bed and practically raced from the room.

"Chicken," Amanda yelled after her. She turned to Martha and they both burst into laughter.

***************

Rawson stood in the middle of the guestroom and looked around. This used to be Lexington’s room. At least, part of it was. Sure made a lot of changes around here. He had first gone into the master bedroom by mistake, and seeing the dresser and bed missing from the room had worried him. Then he remembered the young woman downstairs in the cast, and realized that his daughter had temporarily moved the bedroom downstairs. She seems like a nice enough kid, although I don’t know what she sees in my daughter.

He walked over to the window and looked outside. "The land hasn’t changed much," he murmured.

"That’s about the only thing that hasn’t," a voice called from the doorway. Rawson turned around and saw his daughter standing at the door, her arms crossed over her chest. "I see you found the guest room okay."

"I did. You sure changed up the place since I’ve been gone." He motioned to the sitting area. "Want to try again?" He walked over and sat down in one of the chairs, waiting to see if the young woman would take him up on his offer.

Lex sighed, but stepped purposely into the room and sat across from her father. "Okay. So talk." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs, trying to appear nonchalant.

He studied her for a long moment. "You’ve put on some weight," he commented. "Gotten taller, too."

"I grew up."

"Yeah, I guess you did at that." Rawson tried to find in her face the young girl that he had left so many years before. She doesn’t even really look like Victoria, anymore. Well, she does, but it’s not as noticeable. The woman sitting before him was stronger, more tan, and carried a quiet dignity that had been missing from the teenager he remembered. "You look good, Lexington." Except for the bruise on her jaw that I gave her. I never could control my temper. I’m so sorry, girl.

Having never heard a compliment come from her father, his comment startled her. "Umm, thanks. Martha’s taken really good care of me." She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. "I don’t want to hear another nasty remark about her, do you understand? She’s the only family I ever really had."

The rodeo rider nodded. "I guess I deserved that, didn’t I?" He looked down at the floor and sighed. "I know I wasn’t much of a daddy to you, girl, and for that I’m truly sorry."

"Why?" Lex’s voice cracked on the single word. "Was I such a terrible person? What made you decide that I wasn’t worth loving?" The question had been on her mind for as long as she could remember. Hoping she’d finally get an answer, Lex waited until his tired hazel eyes raised and met her gaze.

"I…" Rawson began to speak, but choked on the emotion in his throat. "I always loved you," he rasped. "I know I never did show it much, and I never could bring myself to say it. But I have always loved you, Lexington." He silently cursed the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. "I didn’t know anything about raising a little girl. And then, when you got older, you reminded me so much of your mother, it nearly killed me."

The young woman bit her lip to keep from crying. "Do you know how long I waited to hear that from you, Dad?" She stood up and crossed the room to the window, looking out at the bleak winter landscape. "I spent most of my life trying to be good enough for you. I thought that if I was smarter, or stronger, or the best at everything I did, that you’d love me." She sniffled, but refused to turn back around. "Nothing I did ever pleased you. And when I needed you the most, you left me."

Rawson’s heart broke at the pain he had caused his daughter. He could see by her stiff posture that she was trying to control her emotions. "I don’t know what to say."

"I went through my life thinking that I had no family. My grandmother died thinking that I hated her!" Lex spun around and pointed an accusing finger at the silent man. "How could you do that to me? How could you lie to a little girl, telling her that her family was dead? You bastard!" She started to leave the room, but Rawson jumped up and grabbed her arm.

"Listen to me!" He spun her around, fearful of the look in his daughter’s eyes. Rawson quickly released the hold he had on Lex’s arm. "Please."

Looking as if she wanted to hit him, Lex nodded. "All right. Go ahead." She retreated back to her chair and sat down, looking at the floor.

Scrubbing a shaky hand down his face, Rawson walked over to his chair and sat down. "I was afraid," he admitted quietly. "Afraid that if you knew Victoria’s parents, you’d want to live with them."

"What did it matter? You didn’t want me around anyway," Lex argued. "At least that’s how it felt to me." She watched in surprise as a tear fell from her father’s eye, and he wiped it away angrily.

"You were the only link I had to Victoria, Lexington. You were a miniature version of her, with my mouth and attitude. As much as it pained me to see you, I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you." He looked into her eyes. "I’m sorry, girl. I never meant to hurt you."

Lex felt her anger dissipate. Sitting in front of her was an old man that she really never knew. "I believe you. I don’t know if I can ever forgive you, but I believe you." She stood up and walked to the door. "I’m not the little girl who would do anything for her father’s acceptance, any more, Dad. I’ve finally found someone who has shown me what love is all about." Lex started to close the door behind her and stopped. "You’re welcome to stay as long as you want." And with that the door closed quietly.

Rawson watched his daughter leave. I think I blew it, Tory. He cradled his face in his hands and wept for his loss.

Chapter 20

"I’m sorry, Liz. This woman leads a charmed life, and she has too many friends with the local law enforcement." He pulled out a fat envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to the fuming woman. "It’s all there, but you can count it if you want."

Elizabeth took the offering. "Don’t I mean anything to you? You promised to help me!" She allowed the fake tears to spill from her eyes. "I must have my daughter back with me."

The handsome man ran a gentle fingertip down her cheek. "C’mon, babe. We both know that it was just sex. Good sex, but only sex." He smiled. "You are a little hellcat in bed, that’s for sure."

"Well, I’ve had better," she retorted. "My pool boy showed more enthusiasm."

He laughed. "I’ll bet. But how many years ago was that?" He caught her hand before she could slap him. "Tsk, tsk. That temper’s gonna get you into trouble, sweetheart."

"You bastard."

"How did you know?" the man joked. "Anyway, I’ve got to run. There’s a plane to Europe that I’ve got to catch, and I’ve got a bit of a drive ahead of me." He walked over to the door and opened it. "Give it up, Liz. Your daughter is happy, and you’ve got more money than you’ll ever know what to do with. Go buy yourself a boy toy and have a good time." His laughter followed him down the hallway.

She slammed the hotel room door closed. "Coward!" she yelled.

"How am I supposed to get my baby back, with that woman still around?" Elizabeth ranted, throwing her glass of wine against the wall. "I suppose I’ll have to take matters into my own hands," she murmured. Smiling at the red stain as it dripped to the floor, she laughed. "Of course! I don’t know why I didn’t think about that before! It’s just so simple!"

Elizabeth tapped a blood-red nail against her front teeth as she worked out the details in her mind. "Yes…that will work beautifully." She grabbed her purse and left the room.

***************

Rawson had been at the ranch for three days before he admitted the reason for his visit. Everyone was sitting at the kitchen table, trying to get up enough energy to leave the table after a huge lunch. Martha stood at the sink washing dishes, listening with half an ear to the conversation behind her. Amanda had complained about not being able to help, so Lex stood up and began to bring dirty dishes from the table to the sink.

"You never did say what brings you back this way," Travis probed. He and Rawson had come to an uneasy truce the day before, and he was curious as to why his son-in-law had returned after so many years.

Lex stopped clearing the table and stood nearby. "I’m a bit curious, myself," she muttered. She shook her dark head, then continued to carry dishes to the sink. "Probably after money, as usual," she grumbled to Martha, who swatted her on the rear.

"Hush up! You show respect, young lady, or I’ll take a spoon to you!" The housekeeper looked over her shoulder to make certain no one at the table was listening. She reached up and gently grasped the younger woman’s chin, forcing the blue eyes to look into her own. "Lexie, I know you’re carrying around a load of hurt, but you need to let it go. Try to enjoy the fact that your daddy is back, and leave the past where it belongs."

"I’ll try, Mada," Lex promised," but that’s a lot to ask of me."

Martha caressed the tall woman’s cheek. "I know, baby. But you’ve got a really good life now. Don’t let the bitterness ruin that."

Lex nodded. "I won’t. I can promise you that."

"Good girl. Now get back over there and keep Amanda company. I think she’s chompin’ at the bit to be up, herself."

"Yes, ma’am." Lex kissed the older woman on the forehead and stepped away from the sink. She resumed her place at the table and draped her arm across the back of Amanda’s chair.

Rawson looked at the expectant faces around him and sighed. "I reckon you all deserve to know why I’m here," he sighed. He locked eyes with his daughter. "I hate to admit it, but money was part of the reason."

Lex quirked one eyebrow. "Part of the reason? There’s more?" She flinched as Amanda poked her in the ribs.

"I’m sure what Lex meant to say, was that she’s glad you’re back, no matter what the reason." Amanda turned her head and glared at her lover. "Right, honey?"

"No, she didn’t; I think she said what she meant to. But thanks for trying, Amanda," Rawson interrupted. "Yes, I’m low on money, again," he admitted. "But I also realized about a month ago just how much time had passed since I’d seen my kids, and I missed them."

His daughter laughed humorlessly. "Gee, it only took you, what, eleven years to figure that out?" Lex stood up. "Give me a break! After all this time, and you just now missed us?"

Amanda grabbed her arm. "Sit down, please?" She waited until her partner was seated, then tried to keep the conversation going. "Have you seen Hubert yet?"

The older man shook his head. "No. I didn’t know exactly where he’d be, but I knew that Lexington would still be here at the ranch."

"You made sure of that, didn’t you?" Lex accused. "Placed the responsibility for it, and everyone involved here solely on my shoulders."

"I knew you could handle it, girl. Never any doubt in my mind." He sat back in his chair.

Lex clenched her fists under the table to keep her control. "You never even asked if that was what I wanted, Dad." She calmed somewhat when she felt Amanda’s hand grasp her leg and squeeze gently.

He waved his hand in the air. "You didn’t know what you wanted, Lexington. I spared you the trouble of trying to figure it out for yourself. You’d have come back, eventually. Ranching is in your blood."

"Maybe. But it would have been nice to be given a choice. Not just waking up on my birthday to find you gone, and the papers to the ranch on the table." She glared at her father. "And the fight with Hubert afterwards almost put me in the hospital."

Travis had sat quietly through the whole exchange. "He hurt you?"

"Yeah. He said that I tricked Dad into signing the papers, and proceeded to beat the crap out of me. Martha heard the noise and came running, and whacked him with a cookbook until he ran." Lex smiled at the memory of the large man being chased from the house with the fiery housekeeper screaming after him.