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Knowing of the boy’s propensity to rebel, Robert had told Herman to park Bobby’s truck in a locked barn on one of the distant leased ranches, and now they both kept a much closer eye on the keys to the ranch pickups.
But that didn’t mean Bobby would stay out of trouble. “If you violate the terms of your probation, you’ll end up in jail.”
“How could I do anything wrong? I can’t drive. You have me working every last minute here or doing that community service. I have ababysittertaking me to town for that.”
“Don’t you ever,evertalk about Beth that way.” Anger and a wave of unexpected protectiveness burned through Robert’s gut. “After your mom died, she raised you kids and ran this house. You will give her only theutmostrespect.”
Bobby threw up his hands in exasperation—then gingerly lowered them to his sides. “You think I don’t? It’s sure great seeing how little you think of me.”
Robert sighed heavily. “You were going to send away for college information.”
“Yeah.”
“Well?”
Bobby fell silent.
“I figured as much. I had the bookkeeper do some checking. I figure we’ll enroll you at MSU-Bozeman. If you toe the mark, you could get a master’s in animal and range science or applied economics. Either would be good background for operating Walking Stones.”
“But...but Bozeman is only a hundred miles away!”
“Right. You can be home every weekend, studying.” Robert slammed both palms on the table and rose from his chair. “I know about the temptations in college—the parties, the bars. You sure aren’t ready to deal with all that.”
“Are you going to pick out each class for me, too?” Bobby spat. “And choose my clothes?”
Pressure built in Robert’s chest, making it hard to breathe. Turned his knees to jelly.Easy. This is no big deal.He sank back in his chair.You’ll be fine.
After a few seconds he found his voice again. “You have the world at your feet, son. The biggest ranch in the county. One of the biggest, best Angus-breeding programs in the country. Don’t blow a chance most ranchers would kill for.”
Bobby’s eyes narrowed. “It’s always justcontrolfor you. Controlling the land, your livestock, and oh, by the way, your kids. You’ve dangled the ranch in front of Thea, but you never let her have the reassurance of seeing that you even recognize her value. She’s more dedicated thananyone.You drove Cassie and Jolie away. But you aren’t pulling my strings forever.”
“That’s uncalled for. I expect you out on your horse in twenty minutes, checking calves in the north meadow, so maybe you’d better get going before we both say things we’ll regret.”
The triumphant gleam in Bobby’s eyes said it all. “See what I mean? And you don’t even realize what you’re doing. Well, some things youcan’tcontrol.”
“I own this ranch and everything on it. It’s...something to be...proud of.” He might have just wrestled a seven-hundred-pound steer to the ground, for as heavily as he was breathing, Robert realized.Steady. Take it easy.
“You don’t own me. Not Cassie or Jolie either. Ever noticed that Jolie almost never comes home? That Cassie stayed away for years?” Bobby’s voice rose.
“That’s not your business.”
“No? What about family? Being close?Caring?” Bobby launched to his feet. “From what I hear, some carpenter is sniffing around Jolie,” he sneered. “Maybe he’s just another guy after the glorious Maxwell empire, like all those other guys you’ve always checked out and tried to run off. Do you think the girls even know about what you do?”
“Bobby—”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get to work. But I’m not letting you interfere with my life the way you’ve tried to interfere in theirs. If I have to borrow every penny, I’m going to college someplace far away. And when I’m done,thenI’ll decide if I’m ever coming back.”
Bobby’s heavy boots stomped toward the mudroom. The door squealed open, then slammed shut hard enough to rattle the crystal and china in the dining room hutch.
You handled that well.As his breathing eased, Robert rolled the tension out of his shoulders. Then picked up his fork and dug into the—
He froze.
One piece of dry toast. A pile of those no-cholesterol eggs, now cold. A strip of something vaguely resembling bacon that had never been within a hundred yards of hog. And he’d bet his best bull that the coffee cup was filled with decaf.
With a growl of displeasure, Robert stalked across the kitchen and headed for his office.
After shutting the door firmly behind him, he settled behind his desk, grabbed the phone and hit the autodial code for the private home number of the most senior lawyer of the firm representing Walking Stones.
