“Jane is wonderful and kind, but she wasn’t always so sweet. In fact there were a few times I’d lock myself in the bathroom and cry until I couldn’t see straight.” She pulled off her sandals and set them to the side.
“Oh, so then we’re not on an island?”
She smiled. “Nope. Happens to most parents of teens. It gets better. I promise. That is unless you screw up majorly and Livvy runs away and joins the circus.”
He felt an invisible punch in his gut. “Circus? Is that even possible?”
“Jane used to threaten me almost every single day. She watched a movie where a teen boy ran away from home and joined. Thankfully, she didn’t see the plan through. Unfortunately, she’d said some rather rotten things during that time. I wasn’t at my best either.”
“Where was your husband?” That word ‘husband’ burned his tongue and anger tumbled down his spine. Who had she married? He flicked at the corner of the label on the bottle hoping she gave him a window into her life after she left Cooper’s Hawk.
“Well…” She swiped the palms of her hands together and sighed. “He was building his career. In his defense, he certainly has made a name for himself but somewhere along the line he’d given up a lot to gain clientele.”
“Did he cheat?”
“Yeah, he did. With his assistant.”
“One of those, huh?”
“I wish them the best. I don’t hate him I just don’t want him, thankfully.”
“You sound like you’re handling things like a trooper.” He respected that, although for the life of him he couldn’t see why a man—any man—who had a woman like Mindy Sage would want, or even look, at another woman. She had the brightest smile and eyes, and certainly was one of the smartest women he’d ever met. Her ex must be a real idiot.
“It took me some time to get here. I’d be lying if I said I’d handled the divorce like a champ. Okay, enough about my sad, sad past. From what Livvy said, Melody hasn’t visited in a long time.” She turned slightly, facing him, lifting her hair off her neck.
The bull frogs sounded in the distance and the crickets tweeted. It was a nice, comfortable night. He felt the tension leave his muscles as they sat there together, drinking a beer.
“So she told you, huh? Livvy doesn’t usually talk about her mom to anyone especially anything negative. You must have left a lasting impression.”
“Your daughter is amazing.”
“I wish her mother thought so. I’m not saying Mel doesn’t love Livvy, but she took off years ago to follow a dream of becoming an actress in Hollywood and she never came back.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It was bound to happen.”
“So, big question. Why haven’t you remarried?”
He laughed then chugged the rest of the beer. “Who’d want this old bear?”
“You can’t tell me that you don’t have a line of women in Cooper’s Hawk who’d love to take your last name. What happened to all those followers of the football running back that stole so many young hearts?”
“Those young hearts are now women with logical heads on their shoulders.”
“You’re being modest.”
“Seriously, I was grounded after my daughter came. I guess that’s the best way to describe things.” Although the word grounded was a bit exaggerated. “I’ve dated some but Livvy and I are a package deal.”
She brought the beer to her lips, sipped, then set the bottle between her legs. “Kids change us. Make us better.” Something flashed over her face, as if she blocked her emotions from showing. “Jane made me a mommy and it’s the best job ever.”
“About the property. I’ve been thinking over your proposition.”
She smiled. “Really?”
“Don’t get excited. I didn’t say I would agree.” He hated to see her frown, but he needed to be truthful. “Have you spoken with Rusty about what you want?”
“He doesn’t see my commitment, I guess.”
“Okay, but have you listened to his side of things. Maybe he’s right.”
“You keep asking me but honestly I don’t need his permission.” Her voice was as fragile as frozen lace and through the sliver of light from the moon and stars he could see the heat in her irises. “I’d like for him to sign over the rest of Sage Ranch to me.”
“And?”
“It’s in deliberation.” Her sigh seemed like a muffled cry.
“You really haven’t given any of us reason to believe you truly want the house and land.”
She propped her elbow on the step and pressed her cheek against her palm. “He should have never sold it to you, at least not before he spoke to me first.”
He blinked. “We’ve accomplished that already. Just so we’re clear, how long since you visited last?” He knew the icy blast would come but it came much quicker than he expected.
Her pink tinted lips twisted. “Of course you’re on his side on this.”
“I’m on no one’s side,” he confirmed. “I own my share. I have nothing at stake here. I’m only telling you what you need to hear.”
She dropped her hand away from her face, astonishment causing her eyes to widen. “Shouldn’t you be working less instead of more? Can you handle this farm and Sage Ranch?”
“I have it covered.”
“Oh do you? Livvy told me you work all the time.”
“That’s a low blow,” he muttered.
“What is it you’re worried about when it comes to me and the ranch?”
“That you’ll leave or not take care of it, not the way it deserves. But that’s your choice. Do what you need to do.”
“I need to prove to Daddy that I can handle my share.”
“Better start crackin’.”
Agitated, she took the space between them in two sashays, then tilted her hip. He lifted his gaze up her amazing legs, firm breasts,
