Page 41 of Wrangling a Wild Texan

He laughed. “I remember that. She once tried to give me blond highlights and I ended up with red-striped hair. Although all my second-grade friends thought it was cool.”

Sophie giggled. “I would have liked to see that. But, unlike Mama with hair, you’re good at ranching.” Her smile faded. “Me and Mama ruined your ranch dream, didn’t we? That’s why you were so mad at me.”

He started to deny it, but then realized Sophie was too smart for that. “I did blame you and your mama, but the truth is that y’all weren’t to blame for me not getting a ranch. I didn’t have nearly enough money saved up to buy a ranch and probably never would have. And that’s okay because everything turnedout in the long run. I’m doing what I love to do.” He winked at her. “And now I get it to do it with my niece.”

“But this ranch isn’t yours.”

“True, but neither are all the headaches and bills.”

She smiled sadly. “Mama hated paying bills. Which probably explained why we kept getting kicked out of our apartments. The longest we stayed in one place was after you showed up.”

He struggled with how to reply without casting a bad light on Bree. “Your mama was a free spirit. She liked going wherever the wind blew her.”

“It blew her a lot. I don’t like being blown around.” She glanced over at him. “I like staying in one place.”

He knew she wasn’t just making small talk. She was asking for something. Something he was going to try his damnedest to give her. “Okay then. We’ll stay put for a while.”

“But what if you lose your job here? Mama had trouble keeping jobs.”

The question broke his heart. “I’m not your mama, Soph. I’m not going to do anything to lose my job. And I’ll make sure you don’t have to change schools again until you head to college.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“I’m not just doing it for you, Soph. I like staying in one place too.”

She smiled. “I guess we’re two peas in a pod.”

He smiled back. “I guess we are.”

A sassy sparkle entered her eyes. “Race you back to the house!” She took off at full gallop.

He easily caught up with her and pulled ahead. No one liked to win if they thought people let them. But when the barn came into view, he eased back just enough to let her horse beat his by a nose. It was worth the bright smile she flashed when they reached the barn.

“I won!”

“You sure did!” Mimi called from the porch. “I witnessed it with my own two eyes. Now y’all come and get some egg salad sandwiches and sweet tea.”

Sophie didn’t have to be asked twice. She was headed for the porch before Reid could even dismount. After he took care of the horses, he followed.

The Holidays’ porch was always decorated for the upcoming holiday. Darla Holiday loved holidays, which was why she had named all her daughters after the holiday their birthdays fell on or around. Something Reid hadn’t figured out until Jace had called Hallie by her given name, Halloween, and all hell had broken loose. In February, the porch had been covered with hearts and cupids. In March, shamrocks and leprechauns. Now, it was decorated for Easter with a flowered wreath on the door, ceramic bunnies and chicks lining the windowsills, and a basket of dyed colored eggs sitting in the center of the table Sophie and Mimi were sitting at . . . and Corbin.

Reid didn’t know when Corbin had joined the lunch party, but he wasn’t too happy about it. He’d always been uncomfortable around his head boss. After kissing Sunny twice, Reid was even more so. He quickly made up an excuse for why he couldn’t stay.

“Thanks for the lunch invite, Ms. Mimi, but I need to go check in with Hallie. We’re suppose to move the south herd to get them ready for branding.”

“That will have to wait until tomorrow,” Mimi said. “Hallie’s a little off her feed today.”

“Is she okay?”

A smile stretched across Mimi’s face. “Right as rain. Now come take a seat, Reid. I already made you a plate.” She stood. “I’m gonna go make some more iced tea.”

With no other choice, besides being rude, Reid took off his hat and climbed the steps. Corbin and Sophie seemed to bein deep conversation about something. Reid didn’t pay much attention to what they were saying until he’d taken a seat and picked up his sandwich.

“. . . I still don’t get it, Corbin,” Sophie said. “What did your mama and daddy’s fighting have to do with anything?”

Reid’s eyes widened and he quickly swallowed the bite of sandwich he’d just taken. “I don’t think you should be asking such personal questions, Soph.”

“That’s okay,” Corbin said. “It’s a good question. One I’m not sure I have a good answer for.”

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