The least I could do now was protect her from seeing her mother this way. Elise and I had barely been in recovery for a year when Penelope was born. We both wanted kids, but after a traumatic birth led to an emergency surgery and postpartum depression, it didn’t take long for her to relapse on painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs. I tried everything in my power to help her, to love her, to be there for her, to take on the load of parenting duties, but it wasn’t enough. Instead, I failed her, and in turn, I failed our daughter.
“Penn’s coming with me,” I growled, leaning my weight against the door.
She scoffed. “Like the bunkhouse is any place for a child.”
“I’m working on that,” I snapped.
Now that Jude and Romy had just moved into the house they’d built on the ranch, the double-wide was now available. My employer, Chuck Larsen, offered to let me move in there, but I didn’t think it was fair to take it since I wasn’t family. I assumed his daughter Lina would want it. But now I was seriously considering it.
“I don’t want her around that Larsen slut, either.”
At her insult, my hand reflexively balled into a fist and smacked the door hard, causing Elise to jump. But now she seemed more alert.Thank God.
“Don’t fucking talk about her.”
Elise quickly regained her composure, her lips curving into a knowing smirk. Damn her! I was really trying to stay levelheaded, but she always found a way to snake those emotions out of me.
“Looks like she’s more than just some ass, isn’t she?” She clicked her tongue at that.
“Isaid, don’t fucking talk about her.” The words came out a whisper in my attempt to keep my anger in check, knowing Penelope could come around the corner at any moment. But there was venom laced with every syllable, and I hoped she heard it as the warning that it was.
“Fine.” Elise threw up her hands in acquiescence. “You’re a testy asshole this morning.”
“Just tell Penn I’m ready to go.”
She unfolded her arms, holding out her palm, and let out a deep sigh. As if she was the one who was on the verge of losing her temper.
I rolled my eyes, stuffing my hand in my pocket to pull out the folded check to give to her. “This is for her new boots and school lunches. Nothing else.” The fact that I even had to say that was frustrating as hell.
She swiped the check from my hand and shoved it into her back pocket without a reply. “Penn!” she called over her shoulder. “Your dad’s here.”
“Daddy!” I heard her sweet voice cry from down the hall. The sound of her pudgy little feet pattering across the carpet tightened my chest.
Elise finally widened the door, letting me have a clear view of five-year-old Penelope running toward me. Her dark-blonde pigtails bounced as she ran, her toothy grin brightening her round face. I crouched down, spreading my arms to catch her. I was barely a foot off the ground when she launched herself into my embrace, nearly knocking me over as I scooped her up into my arms. My heart immediately felt calm and centered, the anger and frustration with Elise melting away after just a moment with my daughter in my arms.
“Do we get to see the horsies today?” she asked, pushing off my shoulders to peer into my face. Her brow pinched in a quizzical look, but her hazel eyes shimmered with hope.
“That’s the plan, princess. You could help me dish out the flakes, too.” She was my best little helper, mucking stalls and doling out their feed.
“Mushu’s my favorite.”
I grimaced hearing the name of Lina’s barrel racing stallion. “He’s not there today, princess, but there are plenty of others that need your snuggles.” Lina was back out on the circuit, but ever since last August, she’d made a concerted effort to avoid me at all costs. Even when she was home, she was out dating every Tom, Dick, and Harry or hanging out at her cousin Jude’s place.
“Have her back by dinnertime. It’s a school night.”
I side-eyed Elise. She looked like she was two steps away from falling over asleep. “I’ll feed her and make sure she’s back for bedtime.”
Elise sighed and shrugged, obviously exasperated with me but too strung out to care. “Fine. Just call me when you’re on your way.” Her words came out slurred.
I looked past her down the hall, expecting to see her fiancé walk by, but it was nothing but a dark family room. I hated the thought of my daughter being around him. Being alone with them. He better fucking hide because if I ever caught him around Penn or anyone I cared about again, he was going to be a dead man. I gave one last glance at Elise before grabbing my daughter’s hand and adjusting her little cowgirl hat so it sat just right atop her head.
“You ready, princess?” She giggled and clapped her hands together while doing a cute little dance at my side.I guess I had my answer.
With Lina going backand forth while on the local rodeo circuit, I half expected to see her truck and trailer blocking my parking spot beside the stable when I pulled in. When she wasn’t avoiding me these days, she was blocking my truck. I’d gotten used to parking in a ditch on the dirt road and walking to the bunkhouse because of her.
She’d been a pain in my ass since Day One when I arrived and pulled into Thornbrush Ranch for my new job.
Another truckand trailer pulled in as soon as I stood waiting to meet my new employer, Chuck Larsen. Leaning against my door, I could see there was a woman with a long, brown braid behind the wheel. She looked awfully familiar.
