Page 57 of Wrangling a Wild Texan

He shut off the water and dried his hands before he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. “What you did was stupid. And reckless and immature and irresponsible. Youendangered, not only your life, but others’. You’re lucky no one was seriously injured . . . or dead. And when you finally prove to me that you’re mature and responsible enough to get your license and drive—which isn’t going to be anytime soon—you’ll have to get a job and pay for your own insurance. With this accident on your records, it won’t be cheap.”

She looked down at the floor and nodded solemnly. “I know. You probably hate me for embarrassing you in front of the entire town.”

He lifted her chin and looked in her teary eyes. “I don’t hate you, Soph. I love you.” He’d failed to tell his sister how much he loved her before she passed. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake with Sophie. And he wasn’t just going to tell her. He was going to show her.

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her close.

Tears soaked into his T-shirt. “I love you too, Uncle Reid. I’m sorry for how I acted. Not just the accident, but for running away like a little kid when I saw you and Sunny.”

He really didn’t want to have this discussion, but he knew he had to. “I’m sorry you saw . . . what you saw. I don’t want you thinking that it’s okay to sleep around with people. Because it’s not. You should wait to share that with someone you really care about.”

She drew back, her eyes confused. “So you don’t care about Sunny?”

He’d stepped into that one. “I do care about Sunny. But last night was just . . .” Anything but a cheap thrill. At least for him. It had been the most amazing night of his life. He cleared his throat. “It just happened.”

“So you aren’t going to marry her?”

“Marry her? Why would you think that?”

“Because it’s obvious you really like her. You were so sad before and then Sunny showed up and you weren’t sad anymore.She makes you happy. And I wasn’t upset y’all were having sex.” She swallowed hard before she continued. “I was upset because I thought if y’all got married, there wouldn’t be any room in your life for me.”

Reid stared at her. “Why would you ever think that, Soph? You’re my family. There will always be room in my life for you.”

She stared at him. “Mama was your family too and you cut her out of your life.”

He heaved a sigh. “You’re right. I did. And I was wrong. Your mama was . . .” He searched for the right word. Sophie found it first.

“Chaotic?”

He smiled. “Yes. And I have never much cared for chaos. I wanted my life to be nice and neat and calm. I thought if I bought a ranch and lived out in the middle of nowhere with nothing for company but cattle and horses, I could avoid all the drama that comes with people and relationships. But then your mama called. And yes, it was painful to watch her die, but I wouldn’t trade those last few months we had together for all the ranches in Texas.” He reached out and tweaked her nose. “Nor would I trade you.”

“Even though I’m chaotic too?”

“You’re a teenager who just lost her mama and is stuck with a clueless uncle who doesn’t know the first thing about being a good parent. I think it’s understandable that you feel a little chaotic.”

She grinned. “You might have been clueless to begin with, but I think you’re doing an okay job now.”

He laughed. “Thanks. Now you need to go get ready for bed—just in case you change your mind and want to go to school.”

She started to turn, but then stopped. “It’s okay if you have sex with Sunny, Uncle Reid.”

His face heated. “Well . . . I don’t think we need to talk about that.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a kid. I can talk about sex. And you don’t need to worry about me running out and having sex with some boy just because you and Sunny do. I’ve figured out I’m not ready for that. But you’re old and old people should have healthy sexual relationships. It would be weird if you didn’t.” She hesitated. “If you ever wanted to marry Sunny, that would be okay with me too. I like her.”

Reid didn’t know why that made him feel like crying.

“I don’t think me and Sunny are going to work out. She’s not the marrying type. But maybe thisold mancan find someone else to date so his niece doesn’t think he’s weird.”

“They won’t be as much fun as Sunny.”

No, they wouldn’t be. No one was as much fun as Sunny. She was a light.

A light that couldn’t be held.

Once Sophie went to bed, Reid took a long, hot shower and then headed to his own room. He hadn’t been in it since that morning and seeing the sex-rumpled sheets was a sucker punch. All the images of the night before flooded back and he didn’t know how long he stood there staring at the bed before he shook himself and headed to the dresser to get a pair of boxers. On the way, he noticed the kitchen chair . . . and the sketchpad beneath.

Part of him wanted to take a peek inside and the other part wanted to burn it. Maybe he’d do both. Take a peek and then burn it. But when he opened it and saw the sketch Sunny had drawn of him, he was the one who felt burned. It wasn’t the obvious talent of the artist that took his breath away. It was the subject that left him feeling blindsided.

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