Page 59 of Wrangling a Texas Hometown Hero

“You want me to take over the ranch?”

He glanced up. “Of course I do. Did you think otherwise?”

“I thought you wanted a man to run it.”

He blinked. “Why in the world would you think that?”

“Maybe because you never acted like your daughters were good enough. All you could talk about was us marrying men who would run the ranch.”

“Because I thought y’all didn’t want to run this ranch. Y’all ran off as soon as you graduated.”

Because Daddy had been so hard to live with. But there was no reason to open up that can of worms. “Well, I want to run the ranch, Daddy. I’ve always wanted to. I just didn’t think you thought I was good enough . . . because I was a girl.”

He stared at her. “Hell yeah, you’re a girl. Which is why I’m so damn proud that you can out-cowboy any man in Texas. All my daughters can and I’ll argue with anyone who doubts it.”

She struggled to believe her ears. Or maybe what she struggled with was her father waiting so long to tell her. “Why didn’t you tell us that sooner?”

“I guess I should have. But words have always come hard for me.”

She wanted to yell in frustration that she had wasted a lot of years on trying to prove herself to her daddy when she hadn’t had to. Of course, she couldn’t place all the blame on him. She should have done what Mrs. Stokes had and grabbed what she’d wanted instead of waiting for it to be handed to her. She had been as stubborn as her daddy by refusing to stay at home and take over a ranch she loved, all to prove that she could make it on her own. All to prove that she didn’t need anything or anyone.

But she did.

She needed the people she loved. It was about time she started acting like it.

“I love this ranch, Daddy. And I love you too.”

She was surprised when tears entered his eyes. “I’m glad to hear it. I love you too, baby girl.”

They didn’t hug, but that was okay. Like Mimi said, they couldn’t all be huggers. They did smile at each other. In her daddy’s eyes, she saw all the love she needed to see.

At that moment, another pair of eyes flashed into her head. A grayish-blue pair of eyes that had held unbelievable pain the last time she’d seen them.

“Oh my God, Daddy. I really screwed things up this time.”

“Now, honey, you didn’t screw anything up. I’m sure we can explain to Reid that we don’t need him any longer. He seems like a levelheaded man who will—”

“No, I’m not talking about taking over the ranch. I’m talking about Jace. I did the worst thing I could have done to him. I love him and I left him. I just lost my temper because I thought he was trying to tell me what to do—but like Mimi said, he just wanted me to be happy—and I yelled and acted like a fool. But worst of all I left him.” She pressed a hand over her mouth. “I left him just like his daddy did.”

Daddy looked more than a little confused. “Well, okay. I can see where that would be a bad thing to do to that boy, but I’m sure it’s fixable. I’ve done a lot of stupid things to your mama over the years, but she always forgives me . . . after I do a lot of begging and pleading and butt-kissing.”

She nodded. “Right. First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll head over to Mrs. Stokes’ and do some major butt-kissing.”

“Tomorrow?” He winked at her. “True Texans don’t put off tomorrow what they can do today.”

Chapter Twenty

When they got to the high school stadium, her sisters and their husbands were already seated in the stands, everyone but Corbin. Knowing how Belle loved her nachos, Hallie figured he was at the snack bar. Daddy had headed there as soon as his ticket had been taken, leaving Mimi, Mama, and Hallie to set up the stadium seats on the row her sisters had saved for them.

She was a nervous wreck about talking to Jace after the game and just wanted to sit quietly and stew in her own thoughts. She should have known better. Her butt had barely touched the cushion seat when Sweetie spoke.

“Why did you break up with Jace? He looked devastated when he showed up yesterday to talk with Decker.”

Hallie turned to her. “He talked with Decker? What did he say?”

“Sweets.” Decker, who sat next to Sweetie, sent her a warning look. “You promised you wouldn’t repeat what I told you.”

Sweetie huffed as she rubbed a hand over her round belly stretching out her Wilder Wildcats T-shirt. “She’s my sister, Deckster. You should know I don’t keep secrets from my sisters.”

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