Читать книгу Texas Rebels: Falcon - Linda Warren - Страница 11

Chapter Two

A time to meet...

Falcon glanced at the wagon-wheel clock on the wall. He and his mother handled the books for the ranch, and it took a lot of time. More time than he wanted to spend in an office. He’d rather be enjoying the outdoors.

Five years ago they’d built a new barn and made an updated office upstairs. He could see out over Rebel Ranch, but it wasn’t the same as being out there.

His mother got up from her desk. “I’m going to check on the boys. It makes me nervous when they work so close to the McCray property.”

Falcon leaned back in his leather chair. “I’ll catch up with you as soon as Hancock calls. He wants to schedule a day to pick out the Hereford heifers for his ranch. It shouldn’t take long.”

As soon as his mother closed the door, Hancock called and set a date with Falcon. He hung up and the phone immediately rang again. Falcon answered without glancing at the caller ID. “Hello.”

There was silence on the other end. “Hello, is anyone there?”

“Uh...uh... I...”

The voice was female so Falcon thought it was someone looking for Paxton or Elias, which was a regular occurrence. “You’ve reached Rebel Ranch. Who do you want to talk to?”

“Falcon, this is...Leah.”

A line from an Alan Jackson song ran through his mind: “Where were you when the world stopped turning?” For Falcon, everything stopped at that moment. He didn’t care about a buyer wanting heifers or his brothers facing the McCrays. All he could hear was This is Leah.

He’d waited years for this call and now that it had come he was speechless. His nerves tightened like stretched barbed wire and his emotions were hard to contain. Anger, confusion and curiosity held him in a grip. He sucked air into his aching lungs.

“Falcon, are you still there?”

Her voice was just the same, soft with a Southern lilt. She’d been reared in Alabama and she never lost that cadence in her voice. It was sexy as hell, but today it only annoyed him.

“What do you want?”

“I’d like to talk.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m at the new park in Horseshoe.”

His heart pounded off his ribs in fear. Talking to Leah was the last thing he wanted to do, but she wasn’t far from Eden and he had to make sure she didn’t get any closer. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Hanging up, he took a minute to absorb what had just happened. She was back. Leah was back. It happened so fast he was reeling. There could be only one thing she wanted and that was to see her daughter. And he was going to make sure that never happened. He would not let Leah hurt Eden like she had hurt him. That was his one thought as he ran for his truck.

* * *

LEAH PACED AROUND the park. She couldn’t sit still. Her nerves felt as if they were tied into a big wad, like Christmas lights that could never be untangled. She looked around the park to calm herself. It sported colorful swings, slides, park benches and picnic areas. There was even a water playground for the kids. Water spewed up from several flat concrete fountains you could run through. She’d seen this in Houston and she never imagined they would have one in little Horseshoe, Texas.

Things had certainly changed since she’d been gone. She’d noticed a lot of new storefronts and several old stores had closed. Horseshoe would always be home, though. When she was twelve, her mother had died and she and her dad had moved there to live with his sister. Her dad had thought it would be good for Leah to have a woman around. In ways it had been, but in others it had been debilitating. Why was she thinking about...? A truck pulled up to the curb and her thoughts came to an abrupt stop. It was Falcon.

There was no mistaking him—tall, with broad shoulders and an intimidating glare. She swallowed hard as his long strides brought him closer. In jeans, boots and a Stetson he reminded her of the first time she’d met him in high school. Being new to the school system, she’d been shy and hadn’t known a lot of the kids. It took her two years before she’d actually made friends and felt like part of a group. Falcon Rebel had been way out of that group. The girls swooned over him and the boys wanted to be like him: tough and confident.

One day she was sitting on a bench waiting for her aunt to pick her up. Falcon strolled from the gym just as he was now, with broad sure strides. She never knew what made her get up from the bench, but as she did she’d dropped her books and purse and items went everywhere. He’d stopped to help her and her hands shook from the intensity of his dark eyes. From that moment on there was no one for her but Falcon.

Now he stood about twelve feet from her and once again she felt like that shy young girl trying to make conversation. But this was so much more intense.

Be calm. Be calm. Be calm.

“I’m...I’m glad you came,” she said, trying to maintain her composure because she knew the next few minutes were going to be the roughest of her life.

His eyes narrowed. “What do you want?” His words were like hard rocks hitting her skin, each one intended to import a message. His eyes were dark and angry, and she wondered if she’d made the right decision in coming.

Gathering every ounce of courage she’d managed to build over the years, she replied, “I want to see my daughter.”

He took a step closer to her. “Does the phrase ‘over my dead body’ mean anything to you?”

At his uncompromising tone her courage faltered, but she stood her ground. “I’ve already seen her, Falcon. But I would like the opportunity to visit with her for a few minutes to explain about the past. She has a right to know the truth.”

“Where did you see her? And when?”

She slid her shaky hands into the pockets of her pants. “I was coming to the ranch this morning and then I saw a red pickup with a young woman. I knew it was her, so I followed her to school.”

“You didn’t...”

“No, I didn’t introduce myself. I wouldn’t do that.”

“Really? Like you would never walk out on her?”

She looked him in the eye. “I’d like to talk about that.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Leah. It’s done. It’s in the past and it’s best if you admit that and go back to wherever you came from.”

“It’s not done—”

“It is, and if you get anywhere near her, I will make your life a living hell.”

Her heartbeat stumbled, but she remained steadfast. “You’re not scaring me, Falcon. I’m her mother and I have a right to meet her and she has a right to know that I’ve thought about her every day since the day she was born.”

He threw back his head and laughed a sound that chilled her to the bone. “That’s a good one. If you think our daughter will believe that for a minute, you’re dreaming. My daughter is much smarter than that.”

“I know she hates me and I’m willing to risk her ire.”

“Then you have no idea about your daughter’s personality. She has a backbone, which is more than you ever had, and if you think ‘I’m sorry’ is going to work with her, then you’re sipping something stronger than water.”

Leah’s heart skittered in panic. “I knew your mother would take care of her...”

“I took care of her.” He jabbed a finger into his chest. “She was my daughter and I raised her, not my mother.”

“What?”

“The crib stayed in my room and I got up with her during the night. I changed her diapers. I fed her and took her with me when I went out on the ranch.”

“Why would you do that when your mother was there?”

“Because she wasn’t my mother’s responsibility. She was mine and yours. Since you bailed, there was only me and I wanted to make sure she knew she had one parent who loved her and would always be there for her.”

A moan left her throat and she was unable to stop it. Falcon was never going to understand, and she didn’t know if she had the strength to keep trying to explain.

“Her doctor sent us to a specialist in Austin to find out why she cried so much and after many tests, they found out she had something as simple as acid reflux. With medication, she did much better and was soon able to sleep during the night. But it was rough for a while. The only way she could sleep was on my chest. I was so afraid I was going to roll over and crush her, so I slept lightly and didn’t get much rest. But we got through it. It’s a shame her mother wasn’t there when she took her first step holding on to my finger or when she started running instead of walking, chasing me out the door. She never wanted me out of her sight. I wonder why that was, Leah? Could it be she knew at that early age her mother had abandoned her?”

“Don’t say that.”

He stared at her and she felt as if he was looking right into her soul. If he was, he could see all the scars, all the pain and all the sorrow. But there was no sympathy on his face. She didn’t believe for one minute that this meeting would be easy and she wouldn’t let his words discourage her from seeing her daughter.

“Does the truth hurt?”

Her eyes met his. “Yes, it does. Is that what you wanted to hear? I’ve been hurting for a long time.”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me. I want you out of Horseshoe just as soon as possible.” He swung toward his truck.

“I want a divorce.”

He swung back, his eyes dark and disturbing. She took a step backward.

“That’s the real reason you came back, isn’t it? You’ve found someone and want to remarry.”

“It’s just time to end our marriage.”

He took several steps toward her and she had to force herself not to take another step away from him. “Here’s another saying, Leah, ‘when hell freezes over.’ That’s when I’ll give you a divorce to marry someone else. You have put me through hell and I’m not going to make life easier for you now. So go back to wherever you found what you were searching for. God only knows what that was. I gave you my heart and it wasn’t enough. So if you’re looking for forgiveness, you’re asking the wrong man. I’ll never forgive you for what you did to us.”

She swallowed the sob in her throat. “Could we talk about that time?”

“The time for talk is over. I really don’t want to hear your excuses. Nothing can excuse what you did to a three-month-old little girl who needed her mother.”

“Falcon...”

“You know how many nights I lay awake with Eden on my chest, waiting for the phone to ring, waiting to hear from her mother, waiting for her to let us know she was okay? The call never came until today, when her mother wants something. How selfish is that? Have a good life, Leah. You will never be free of me.” He strolled off to his truck, his back rigid, his stride rapid and determined to carry him as far away from her as possible.

Leah sank onto the bench because her shaky legs would no longer hold her. She tried to breathe, tried to think and desperately tried not to pass out. She focused on the water spewing up from the pavement. Splat. Splat. Splat. Calming. Soothing. The dizziness eased and she sucked in a deep breath, praying she would never show this weakness in front of Falcon. He said it was over. It wasn’t. She wasn’t leaving Horseshoe until she saw her daughter. Falcon may intimidate her, but he would not break her.

Her rights as a mother had been severed with her callous actions, but her rights as a woman—someone who had learned and grown and fought for a life—would never be severed. Not until she drew her last breath.

* * *

FALCON WAS SO angry his breaths came in gulps. He pressed his foot down on the accelerator and broke the speed limit all the way to the ranch. At the barn, he slammed on the brakes and the King Ranch Ford spun and stopped about three feet from the barn. Dust blanketed the truck. He jumped out and went into the barn to get his horse.

Opening the corral, he whistled for Titan, his black gelding. The horse galloped toward him, eager to ride. Within minutes he’d saddled up and he headed out to join his brothers. He kneed Titan and the horse responded with a speed that always elated Falcon. He rode through the valley and over gently rolling hills as if his life depended on it. In a way it did.

Realizing he was pushing Titan too hard, he pulled up and slid from the saddle. Sinking down by a large oak, he took a moment to collect his chaotic thoughts. How dare she! How dare she come back and demand to see Eden? She had no right and he would never allow her anywhere near their daughter.

He ran his hands down his face and took a long breath, trying not to even think how damn gorgeous she still looked. She could’ve at least put on weight, showed aging on her face or sported a few gray hairs, but she was as beautiful as she’d ever been. And she’d met someone else. That gnawed at his insides. How dare she!

Getting to his feet, he resolved not to let her ruin one more day of his life. He’d spent too many hours thinking about her, but not anymore. He swung into the saddle and rode toward the northeast pasture. From a distance he could see something was wrong. Gunnar and Malachi McCray were on their side of the fence and his brothers on theirs. A heated conversation was evident as Elias waved his arms. Grandpa watched from his horse. His mother wasn’t there, and he wondered why.

Falcon dismounted before Titan came to a complete stop. “What’s going on?”

Elias swung toward him. “They’ve been standing there gawking at us all morning and I’m getting tired of it.” Elias held up his fists at Gunnar. “You want a piece of me, just come across that fence.”

“Stop it,” Falcon said to Elias and moved closer to Gunnar. “Is there a problem?”

“Just want to make sure you don’t cross the line, Rebel.”

Elias pointed a finger at him. “It’s you who’s always crossing our fence lines and cutting them and killing our calves. You’re not brave enough to cross it now, are you?”

“Neither are you,” Gunnar shot back.

It was all the incentive Elias needed as he made to jump over the fence, but Quincy and Egan caught him and pulled him back.

“Let me go. Let me go! I’ll kick his ass.”

“Stop it,” Falcon said once again and Elias quit fighting his brothers.

Grandpa kneed his horse a little closer to the fence. “You know, boy, if brains were dynamite, you wouldn’t have enough to blow your ears off.”

“Grandpa.” Falcon didn’t need his grandfather getting in on the fight, but then his grandpa always loved one.

“Just look around you,” Grandpa said. “We’ve got you outnumbered. What kind of fool would take on this many Rebels?”

Falcon focused his attention on Gunnar. “We spend more time on this fence than any other on our property because the McCrays are breaking it on purpose. If it’s cut one more time, I’m stringing a hot wire through here. Try cutting that.”

“Hot damn, now we’re talking.” Elias threw back his head and laughed.

Their mother rode up with a picnic basket strapped onto her horse. Evidently, she’d brought lunch. She took the situation in at a glance and asked, “Is there a problem?”

“Yes, Miz Rebel,” Gunnar replied. “You need to teach your boys some manners.”

“My boys have good manners, but I’m not sure about the McCrays, who cause mischief for no reason.”

“Oh, we got reason.”

The situation was getting out of control and Falcon wouldn’t have his mother caught in the middle. She’d been through too much.

“Get on your horses and leave,” he said, pointing at the McCrays. “That’s the last warning.”

“This isn’t the end of it, Rebel!” Gunnar shouted as he mounted his horse. Malachi followed suit.

“It never is.”

The McCrays rode away and Falcon spoke to his brothers. “Let’s get back to work.”

“What caused this?” His mother wanted to know.

They all looked at Elias.

“They’ve been staring at us all morning and I got tired of it.”

“Son, it takes a strong man to walk away from a fight.”

“Well, I’m not one of them.”

“Sadly, that’s true.”

“Ah, Mom.”

“Try to use a little discretion, please.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Elias hung his head.

“Now, let’s have lunch,” his mother said, and they all gathered under a big oak. For September, the heat of summer still lingered and they were glad for the breeze that cooled their sweaty skin.

Grandpa leaned against the oak, his hat on the grass. “Did I ever tell you boys about the time I took on six men and lived to tell about it?”

“Abe, please, let the boys rest before they go back to work.”

“You’re one bossy—”

Falcon cleared his throat and Grandpa’s attention was diverted. His mother and grandfather had never gotten along and after his father’s death their relationship had taken a turn for the worse. He spent half his time trying to cool their tempers. Grandpa was long-winded and loved to talk and his mother hated it. He wondered what it was like to be part of a normal family. His thoughts swayed to Leah and he immediately pushed them away. He couldn’t think about her now.

With lunch over, his mother packed up and headed back to the ranch with Grandpa. Of course, they wouldn’t speak. Once they reached the ranch, Grandpa would go to his house and his mother would go to hers. Yep, that was the Rebel family.

“I’m working with Quincy,” Elias said. “Egan hums now and it annoys the crap out of me. Happyitis has gotten to him.”

Egan caught Elias around the neck. “I’ll sing to you, then.”

“Falcon!” Elias called as Egan dragged him toward the Polaris Ranger loaded with supplies.

It was good to see Egan happy. He’d found happiness with Rachel and they had gotten married in July. After he had been wrongly sent to prison they’d worried he would never find his way back to any type of life. All it took was a woman who loved him to bring him out of the darkness.

Quincy picked up his hat from the ground. “A couple more hours and this fence should be fixed for good.”

Falcon stared at his brother. They were fourteen months apart and similar in size and looks, except Quincy had his mother’s softer personality. Falcon had inherited the roughness of his father.

“Stop putting ideas into my daughter’s head.”

Quincy frowned. “What?”

“You know I want her to go to college. What’s all this about her barrel racing?”

“Do you ever listen to Eden? She loves this ranch and she doesn’t want to leave. Any idea of rodeoing was strictly hers.”

Falcon glanced off to the hot noon sun. “I know. I just want her to be a normal teenager instead of always hanging around this ranch with her uncles. I want her to be a girl.”

“Well, then, you shouldn’t have raised her as a boy.” Quincy slapped him on the back. “But don’t worry, those girl genes are there. Give her time.”

“I want her to experience life away from here, but it scares me to death that I’m going to lose her. I know that sounds crazy.”

“You sound like a father. Just listen to your daughter. That’s all you have to do.” Quincy walked off to join Egan and Elias.

Everyone always called him strong, but Falcon didn’t know if he was strong enough to deal with the Leah situation. The underlying fear he was going to lose his daughter to her mother was something he couldn’t shake.