Page 12 of His Cowboy Heart

“Just stupid teenage stuff,” I said, slinking my arm around her waist, running my thumb up and down her back.

“So, will you do the project then?” Abigail said, unblinking.

“What project?” My mother said her voice clipped.

“Nanthany says there is a big job coming up in Salishan,” Abigail said. “Apparently Troy offered up a house your family still has there.”

“That’s not exactly how it happened,” I said.

Mother shot me an icy glare.

“Well I googled the area and there are lots of golf courses there,” Abigail said. “Maybe we can go together.”

“No,” I said, my voice coming out louder than I expected.

“All right, no need to shout,” Abigail said, her voice soft. Tears filled her eyes. “I thought if it was so important to you, you’d want to share it with me.”

“It’s not important, I don’t want to share it with anyone and I have no interest in going back there. I wish Nanthany hadn’t told you about it.”

“So, you wanted to keep it secret.”

My mother shook her head and held a fingertip to her brow. It was her I need a martini face. “Darling guests will be here shortly,” she said. “That goddamn place will be the death of me. Troy, just tell Abigail about that ridiculous summer and be done with it.” Mother walked away leaving me standing in the wake of her words.

“Thank you Mother,” I said, talking through gritted teeth. “I didn’t want to keep it secret, Abigail.”

“Which is why you never told me about it,” she whispered. “You know how I feel about secrets. I’m going to go fix my eyes and then I expect you to fix this Troy. You better fucking fix all of this,” she said, spinning on her heels, she left the room.

Mother walked up behind me, ice cubes clanking in her glass. “Tell me you aren’t going back to that place.”

“I just told you both.”

“Promise me.”

“I don’t need to make promises to anyone. I’m not a child, Mother,” I said, feeling exactly like a child.

“You are dodging the question,” Mother said. “That girl loves you and you have clearly hurt her. For God’s sake, don’t tell her she isn’t your first engagement. Make up something about driving drunk, or shoplifting.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“No, I’m practical,” Mother hissed. “Abigail Kingston does not like being second best.”

Mother had a point. The fact I was agreeing with her about the need to tell a lie felt like a moral failure on my part.

“Go make it right. Do not fuck this wedding up, Troy.”

“That’s funny, she just said the same thing.”

“She’s a smart woman. Not like that trash from the summer. You made a fool of yourself.”

“I was eighteen.”

“Exactly. You were eighteen years old and mooning over some ignorant farm girl. You were one bad decision away from throwing your life and this family’s fortune away.”

“Shea was not after our money.”

“You don’t know that,” Mom said. “Thank God that girl threw you over. I know she hurt you but I was never so happy to see you crushed.”

“Your empathy is very touching Marjorie.”

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