I noticed Dad’s shoulder sag from the corner of my eye. I had to force myself to keep a smile on my face.
“Sorry, sugar. You’re right,” Dad said, raising his hands. “Don’t tattle on me.”
Cleo bumped her shoulder into his. “I’ll keep your secret, but only if you made those mini pies I love so much for dessert.”
“Of course. Wouldn’t want to disappoint my girls.” He pushed up from the table and walked back into the kitchen. Those pies were another of my dad’s secrets from mom and yet another thing we’d keep between us.
The room was silent as he walked away, but it didn’t stay that way very long. “I don’t understand what just happened,” Ellis said, looking around the table. “What was wrong with asking him about the future of the clinics?”
“Let’s just have a good night,” I murmured, picking up my wine glass. I took a long sip, hoping my answer would be enough.
It wasn’t.
Ellis turned toward me, lowering his voice. “How else am I supposed to talk to him about this shit? He rarely comes into town anymore and never returns my calls.”
That was news to me. I didn’t know Ellis had ever been in contact with my dad, especially not about ranch matters.
“Why are you calling him?” I asked. “He isn’t even your client yet.”
“But he will be. My father wants to ensure his clients have a smooth transition whenever he retires.”
“I think the lady is trying to politely ask you to stop pushing the subject,” Lincoln said, narrowing his eyes at Ellis.
“And I’m not retired yet,” Charles said, cutting in. He shifted in his seat, offering an apologetic glance toward the table.
Ellis didn’t listen, he kept pushing. “I don’t see why this is an issue. Don’t you handle his schedule now? Maybe you could?—”
Bishop slammed his fist on the table, making everyone jump. “What part of we don’t talk about business on nights like this,” Bishop began, motioning toward the table, “do you not understand? This right here is family time. We come together and talk about our week and the good going on in our lives, and then we go home.”
Bishop had never liked Ellis. I wasn’t sure what happened between them, maybe he just hated his guts.
“The ranch making money directly affects you, doesn’t it?” Ellis shot back. “It pays your salary and keeps a roof over your head. I’d say that’s an important topic of conversation.”
“Yeah, but we aren’t concerned with money,” Lennox interrupted, sitting back in her chair. “And tonight isn’t about anything other than eating good food with the most important people in our lives. So, maybe you should learn some social cues before I?—”
Ellis shook his head, preparing to say something else, but Dad walked in with freshly warmed pies he’d made over the weekend. “Who’s ready for dessert?”
After two helpingsof Dad’s apple pies, it’d taken every bit of effort I had to pull myself from my seat at the table to walk Ellis out while our fathers walked around the yard.
The moment I opened the door, I was hit with a blast of Texas heat. God, it never cooled off here in the summer. Our days consisted of temperatures in the high nineties and low hundreds. In the evening, it was rare to dip into the eighties at all.
The silence between Ellis and I was awkward. I didn’t know what to say that hadn’t already been said. His hands were stuck inhis pockets, and he only pulled out to twirl his key ring around his finger.
I hated those fucking keys.
“Thanks for coming out tonight,” I said, rocking back on my heels the best I could. Before we walked out the door, I’d slipped into the boots nearest the door. They were big and worn, so they were likely Bishop’s or Dad’s.
“Of course,” he said, his tone sharp. “Wouldn’t have wanted to miss being berated by your family.”
“What?” I asked, laughing.He was joking, right?Things had gotten tense, but berated was a far reach. If anything, he only had himself to blame for what had happened.
Ellis crossed his arms. “The security of not only your future, but the future of this ranch should matter to you.”
I blinked in surprise. “I’m not sure why you think I don’t care? Ellis, we just asked not to talk about it tonight. Why are you mad about that?”
He just turned his head and locked his jaw. “Maybe coming out here was a mistake.”
“Maybe it was,” I said, crossing my arms. “Especially if you’re going to act like this.”
