AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Now, why did youreallystop by?” She settled into the chair next to his, in front of her desk.
He jerked a shoulder. “To see your place?”
“Wrong answer. What’s up?” For just a moment his teenage bravado slipped, and she saw a hint of confusion and fear sweep across his face. “Is Dad being hard on you?”
“That wouldn’t be anything new,” he said bitterly. “I’ve tried. Honest, I’ve tried so hard after everything that happened last fall. But me and Thea could kill ourselves over that ranch, and nothing would ever be good enough for him.”
Jolie reached out and laid a hand on his knee, quietly encouraging him to continue.
“If I never saw another cow again, it would be too soon.” He shrugged. “And now I’m stuck, without wheels, and—” He fell abruptly silent.
“And?”
Not meeting her eyes, Bobby launched himself out of his chair. His fight-or-flight reactions were apparently well-tuned—he was definitely fleeing now. “I’ve gotta go, or old man Bishop out at the county fairgrounds is gonna be real angry.”
She followed him to the back door. “Is this your first day of your community service?”
“Yep, and then there’sjustnine hundred ninety-one hours to go.” He stopped at the door, his hand on the knob. He didn’t turn around. “I...heard Mandy Wheeler is staying with you.”
Jolie edged forward to partly block his exit, hoping he wouldn’t leave. “That’s right. She’s a friend of yours, isn’t she?”
All of the fire seemed to drain out of him as he leaned his forehead against the door. “Yeah, I guess.”
Youguess?Jolie bit back the first scathing comment that came to her mind. “I understand her father confronted Dad at Thea’s wedding.”
Bobby closed his eyes. “Yeah.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“No...yes...I don’t know.”
“You know she’s pregnant. Her father says the baby is yours.”
A scowl darkened Bobby’s face.
Jolie stared at him. “You think she’s causing trouble foryou?”
He didn’t answer.
“Bobby, I’ve got a young girl at my cabin right now who is scared, hurt, and angry. She’s facing a tough situation with a lot of courage but no support, and you don’t want totalkabout it? Does she deserve this?”
When he didn’t answer, she continued. “You know what kind of man Abe Wheeler is. Heforcedher to reveal the name of the baby’s father.”
Bobby’s head bowed.
“Now she’s refusing to confirm it, even though she needs and deserves financial support during her pregnancy, because you hurt her so badly when you told Dad the baby isn’t yours.”
Bobby gave a harsh laugh. “Dad—”
“Yourdad may be full of fire and brimstone, but he sure doesn’t lay a hand on you. She’s had to leave home because hersdoes.Abe’s determined to make her cooperate so he can try to go after Maxwell money. Think about what that means.”
Muscling Jolie aside, Bobby tried to jerk the door open. She stopped it with her foot.
“I don’t know anything anymore,” he said miserably.
“I’ll help you with details. Mandy is now homeless, thanks to you. She wants to leave Montana for good, which means you might never see your child.Ever.If she disappears, we can’t hope for DNA testing, and the Maxwell lawyers won’t arrange any financial support without proof. Your child could grow up in poverty, for all you know. Do you care?”
He took a sharp breath. “I’d just had a few drinks that night. Now my best friend might never walk again, and his family lawyers are like vultures, circling over the kill. My girlfriend got pregnant—” He swallowed hard. “How was I to know that this would all happen?”
