Page 95 of On His Ranch

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“So he can come home?” Chase asked, clutching the phone tightly in his hand.

“That’s what the doctor said,” his mother replied, patient as ever even though it was the third time he’d asked.

“When?”

“Oh, in a couple of hours or so.”

“Well, that’s… that’s great news.”

“Sure is. He has a sprained wrist from the fall, but that’s just from the way he landed, and old age, frankly. It could have been much,muchworse.”

“I know.”

“Piper was right to call the police, Chase.”

He stayed silent—he was sure she already knew he disagreed on that score.

“This macho wild-west crap your grandfather and you do—it’s gotta end.”

“What ‘crap’ would that be exactly, Ma?”

“You know exactly what I’m talkin’ about. Look, I get it—you like to handle things yourself. But you know the true mark of a man? Being able to admit when he needs help.”

“Whatever you say, Ma.”

“And as for Piper, if you want to keep her in your life, you better apologize.”

This made his raised brows arch higher. It wasn’t like his mother to give her opinion so freely—not even to him. “‘Scuse me?”

“You didn’t see your face when that police car pulled up. For that matter, did you see Piper’s? That poor girl looked like she wanted to die, and that was before you gave her the sharp side of your tongue. Don’t even try to deny it, I’m sure that you did.”

That and more. Poor girl indeed.

“Thanks for the update, Ma.”

“Wait, Chase. For once, hear me out. All I’m sayin’ is, you’ve got to learn to give, at least a little. And one day, you’re gonna realize there’s more to life than milkin’ cows and breedin’ horses. When that day comes, I hope you’re still young enough to do something about it.”

Huh. First Senior, now Ma?

“If Piper isn’t the one for you, fine. Although I find that hard to believe with the looks you two—”

“The point, Ma.”

“I’ve made it. I know you like to be the ruler of the roost, so to speak, but in love, you gotta make compromises, even if you feel sure you’re right. That’s all I’m sayin’.”

He muttered a goodbye and closed his phone, absentmindedly setting it down on his nightstand. He let out a long sigh as he sat on the bed. It was partly from relief about Senior, and part consternation. The truth was, even if he couldn’t admit it to his mother, he knew she was right. He had been about to deliver the hardest spanking he would ever consider giving when Piper’s words had finally gotten through to him. But he’d been too angry just then, too prideful, to admit it. So he’d left to get alone with his thoughts.

But now that he’d had time to cool off and see straight, he could see what a jerk he’d been. It was true that she’d disobeyed him, gone against a direct order. But he could see now that she’d done it only with the best of intentions. If he was the kind of jerk that would punish her for following her heart, he didn’t deserve her.

Except that hehadpunished her. Now that he’d gotten ahold of himself, he realized that he’d put his desires to avoid police interference ahead of his responsibility to Piper. He’d broken the first rule of being a daddy, which was to put her first. As far as he was concerned, that was damn near unforgivable and his heart squeezed with the pain of it. It made him want to hit something, but he’d done enough damage today.

Now it was time to mend fences—if that would even be possible. The truth was he was a mess when it came to women. It hadn’t always been that way, but ever since…her… he just felt… broken somehow. He hid it with cynicism, rough orders, and confidence. But it was still there, no matter how deep he pushed the feelings down. The fear that he was being taken advantage of.

It’s time to tell her. To explain. It might not make up for it, it might not earn forgiveness… but she has a right to know.

Suddenly, a picture of Piper flashed before his eyes. She had been crying, her eyes red and puffy with bits of hair stuck to her face. He’d left her like that, without a single word of comfort and the memory slammed against him like a physical blow.

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