Page 9 of Cowboy Wolf's Secret Baby

Taryn grinned evilly at her mother. “I have an idea. You should get a broomstick and fly with me.”

Beth playfully swatted at Taryn. “Get going.”

The clear waters of the creek captured Beth’s attention. She stared down into the water absentmindedly, enjoying the purity of the water, trees, and nature that flourished around her. She shook her head when she remembered the conversation that she and Lyla had yesterday.

“If he truly loved you that much, Mama’s spell wouldn’t have touched him.”

“Her spells are strong enough to scramble anyone’s brain, including yours and mine,” Beth protested. “She doesn’t mess with you because you are following in her footsteps. The woman leaves me alone because she is afraid that someday she will go too far and I will snap.”

“Everyone knows that you are a goody-two-shoes. You would never hurt anyone, no matter what.”

“What’s a goody-two-shoes?” Taryn asked.

Beth squealed and jumped. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. And quit eavesdropping on my conversations with myself.”

“You were broadcasting,” Taryn said. “I’m pretty sure that anyone with any kind of ability to telepathically communicate heard you.”

“Ugh,” Beth said.

On the way home, Taryn studied her mother. “You were thinking about my dad again, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“If he’s so awesome, why isn’t he around?” Taryn asked for the hundredth time.

“It’s complicated,” Beth patiently explained again. “He didn’t have a choice when he left. He didn’t know I was pregnant.”

“You could tell him now.”

“I wish I could. He would be an incredible father.”

“Why won’t you tell me what happened?”

“I will when you’re older.”

Taryn crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m ten and very mature for my age.”

“Yes, you are. Maybe I’m not ready to talk about it.” Beth decided that it was time for a subject change. “We need to get you home and ready for tonight. It’s the first night of the two-week rodeo challenges and the state fair. Are you ready?”

“Pegasus and I will win every time,” Taryn said.

“I know you will,” Beth said with a grin.

Beth nearly had a heart attack the first time that Taryn brought up the subject of getting a horse so she could learn to barrel race and do breakaway roping. Her best friend, Jenna, had a horse, did breakaway roping and barrel racing. Jenna just happened to know where Taryn could get a well-trained horse.

It turned out that Taryn was a natural. She placed in almost every competition she took part in. “I was thinking that I could start with the bull riding.”

Beth’s heart nearly stopped. She knew that the younger people rode bull calves and it wasn’t as dangerous as riding the one-ton bulls that Conner rode, but the thought of seeing Taryn’s broken body lying on the ground made her sick. Then, she thought of something.

“I don’t think that you could do the bull riding. It would roll over for a belly rub as soon as you got near it.”

“Not if I told it to buck like normal.”

Beth hung her head and groaned.

Matilda walked in the front door right after they did.

“Mother, don’t you ever knock? This is my home.”

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