Page 64 of Texas-Sized Secrets

And the care with which William Bryson cupped her elbow and helped her along went against everything Reed knew about his stepfather. When had the man ever shown his wife any kind of love? He’d seemed angry at her and everyone else in the world ever since Reed could remember. Had his mother’s illness changed him? Or was it that he no longer had a ranch to deal with, which gave him the time to dedicate to the woman he’d sworn to love, honor and cherish?

Whatever it was, Reed found his anger toward his stepfather fading. Knowing that his mother would be loved and taken care of made all the difference. The entire reason he’d come back to Prairie Rock in the first place was to make sure she had the care she needed. He hadn’t trusted his stepfather to do it. And William Bryson had proven him wrong.

“Reed?” Mona rested her hand on his arm, her touch light and questioning. “Who are they?”

“My parents.” He pushed to his feet and walked across the floor. “Mom, Mr. Bryson, I’d like you to meet someone.”

His mother frowned at the formal way he addressed his stepfather, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she leaned against her husband and started toward Mona, sitting at the back of the room.

They didn’t get more than two tables deep into the diner, when a keening wail rent the air. Patricia Teague stood up so fast her chair tipped backward and crashed to the floor. She stared at Reed’s mother, her face fading to a sickly green. Then a hot flush of red filled her pale cheeks and she rushed across the floor, pushing chairs aside, her fingers curled into claws. “You! You home wrecker!” She lunged at Reed’s mother. “Bitch!”

William Bryson curled his wife into his arms and Reed stepped between the crazed woman and his mother.

She hit Reed full in the chest with the power of her assault, her shoulder crashing against his ribs.

Reed grunted under the force of the woman’s body, but held steady. “It’s all her fault! Jezebel!” She raised her fingernails to Reed’s face. Sinking one in before he could ward her off. “Get out of my way! Let me at her.”

Reed grabbed her wrists, holding away from his face her sharp-tipped fingernails, stained in subtle pink nail polish and the dark red of his blood.

He turned, with the woman still in his grip, and stared at his mother. “Mother, do you know this woman?”

His mother stared back at Patricia Teague and nodded, tears springing to her eyes. “Yes, I do,” she said in blurred words.

“She should, she ruined my marriage the night before my wedding. She’s a snake! Don’t trust her.” The woman struggled, kicking her pointy-toed shoes.

The woman who, a moment before, had been the epitome of grace and style now spewed venom with every word she spoke. Her carefully coiffed hair shook loose of the pins and fell over eyes quickly filling with tears. “You ruined my life.” She sagged into Reed, tears leaving a trail of mascara down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry for what happened,” his mother said, reaching out for the woman. “But it wasn’t my fault.”

Patricia Teague pulled herself away from Reed. “The hell it wasn’t.” For the first time, she stared up at the man still holding her wrists and her face went ghostly white. She stared from Reed, over her shoulder to Jeffrey Kuhn and back. Then passed out in Reed’s arms.

Chapter Fifteen

When Patricia Teague had flung herself at Reed, Mona came out of her chair and raced across the diner, every protective instinct she had inside hurrying to Reed’s aid.

Not that Reed Bryson needed help. A thin, delicate woman like Patricia Teague was no match for Reed’s hard-earned muscles.

The crazed woman got in only one swipe of her claws across his cheek before he subdued her.

Blood oozed from the cuts, dripping in long red streaks down his jaw. Mona was reaching for Reed’s face with clean napkins when Patricia Teague passed out. She’d been staring into Reed’s face and then looked over at Jeffrey Kuhn. What had she seen that made her turn as white as a newborn sheep?

Mona’s gaze went from one man to the other, a chill creeping across her skin.

Every bit as tall as Reed, Jeffrey Kuhn wasn’t nearly as filled out in the shoulders. Both men had green eyes. Although Kuhn had graying blond hair, he also had a square jawline, just like Reed.

If she wasn’t mistaken, the two men shared a bloodline. A pretty darned close one at that.

“Someone call 911,” Reed called, stretching Patricia out on the floor.

Dee Stacker emerged from the kitchen carrying a worn army blanket and a dusty pillow. She handed the items to Mona, who stood closest to Reed and Patricia.

Mona draped the blanket over the woman and the pillow beneath her head.

“Did you see that?” Catalina nodded toward the door.

Jeffrey Kuhn had just left the diner.

“He didn’t even pay his bill.” She planted her fists on her hips. “That’s okay. I’ll get him next time he comes in.”

---