Page 18 of Taming His Brat

Charlie realized that money was probably the basis for Vicky needing a place to stay so she took over and paid the bills when they went out. She didn’t mind. She had plenty of money and it’s not like the costs were high for a few shopping trips or restaurants.

Vicky even talked her into taking a trip to the big city for a girls’ day out and they spent the night in a fancy hotel. It had been a lot of fun and they’d both had quite a bit more to drink than they should have in the hotel bar, which left them giggling and hanging onto each other all the way to their room. They stayed up late and told each other stories about their lives.

It was exactly the kind of deep conversation she’d always wanted to have with her mom. On the long drive home the next afternoon Charlie felt completely happy. The short trip had been a real bonding experience, she thought. It was around then that she gave in and started calling her mom instead of Vicky.

She did feel a small pang of nervousness about it. It felt like she was taking down one of her walls and there was a sense of making herself vulnerable. But after getting to know each other so well it seemed rude to continue to call her by her first name.

That trip was a turning point in her relationship with her mother and though Sam continued to look concerned and warn her to be careful, it was obvious he knew it was a losing battle and seemed to take it in stride. He didn’t complain that she was rarely home to make dinner anymore or remind her that doing it had been her idea to start with.

He accepted that she was wrapped up with getting to know her mother finally and didn’t grumble (much) that suddenly he seemed to get very little time with her as a result. But he put his foot down when she started shirking her duties.

She didn’t realize she was in trouble until he stomped up the wooden back stairs of the big house, stormed into the kitchen and glared at her with flinty eyes. “Forget something, Charlie?”

She set down her cup of coffee and frowned as her stomach did the sinking thing. She recognized the expression on his face and knew she’d messed up, but she had no idea what she’d done. “Um… maybe? Why?”

“We were shorthanded today and you were supposed to help with the herds, remember?” One eyebrow went up so high it disappeared under his messy hair.

Damn. She did remember now that he’d mentioned it. She’d just completely lost track. “Whoops. I’m sorry! I can come now.”

“Darlin’ it’s after five, we’re done. I didn’t have time to come over and grab you when we needed you. This is the second time this week and I warned you before, so you know what that means.”

Her stomach did a slow queasy roll and she winced. She knew exactly what that meant, and she wasn’t looking forward to it. She dropped her gaze to the scarred old table and nodded.

“I’ll see you in the barn in fifteen minutes then.”

“Um—is something wrong?”

They both turned to look at Vicky standing in the kitchen doorway. Her mother was frowning as her gaze shifted from Charlie to Sam and back again.

Charlie had somehow forgotten that her mother was there and had just gone to use the bathroom. She was lucky that Sam hadn’t been more explicit with the threat because that was a conversation she wasn’t ready to have with her mother—now or ever.

As it was, she didn’t think Vicky could possibly guess what any of it meant which was a huge relief. “No, mom, everything is fine. I just forgot I was supposed to go out to the winter pasture to help today so I’m going to go help Sam out in a few minutes instead.”

“But we were just going to make dinner … are you sure you have to go? I really hate eating alone,” she said in a sad little voice. She shot a pleading look at Sam. “I’m sure he doesn’t need your help, right?”

Charlie shifted in her chair. “Well, I—” That was how Vicky usually got her to stay later than she’d planned. She sounded so sad to see Charlie go and it made her feel awful so she would put off leaving.

Sam wasn’t swayed by the sad voice and pitiful looks. “Actually ma’am, Idoneed her in the barn. I’m sure she’ll have some time to visit with you tomorrow, but for now she’s got chores to take care of,” he said firmly.

Charlie started to get up obediently; she really didn’t want to get herself in any more trouble. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom.”

The sadness dropped away like a mask and Vicky’s expression turned bitter. “This is ridiculous. A big strong man like you can’t possibly need a lady’s help. And Charlie, you’re the owner. You don’t need to let him boss you around, just because you’re sleeping together.”

Charlie swallowed hard and she sent a pleading look in Sam’s direction, mutely begging him not to start a fight with her mother. “Mom, that’s not how it works around here. And I’m only half-owner. Sam owns the other half and he’s the one in charge, legally.”

Her mother looked just as thunderstruck as she’d felt that day in the lawyer’s office. “What? Jimmy left half tohim? He’s just a worker!” Appalled didn’t even begin to describe her tone.

Charlie winced and looked at Sam. “I’ll talk to her.”

He narrowed his eyes, glared at Vicky and jerked his head sharply. “I’ll see you in the barn. Fifteen minutes, don’t be late.”

She waited for him to go and then turned back to her mother. “Mom, Sam has been the foreman here since he was a teenager. His father was the foreman before that. Jimmy trusted him to run things and … I admit I was upset to find out he’d left things this way, but Sam’s really good at his job, so it’s probably for the best.”

Vicky didn’t seem to be taking in what Charlie had said. Instead, she’d begun to pace back and forth muttering. “I can’t believe your father. It’s one thing to treat me like trash all these years, but I thought he’d at least make sure you were taken care of. I can’t believe he gave your inheritance away to some random ranch hand.”

“Mom, Sam isn’t just some random hand. He’s the best person to run things and dad made sure I was taken care of. Sam just got half the ranch—the house here is mine, and all the stocks and investments. I have more than enough,” she explained. It struck her as funny to be arguing the other side of this.

She was still mad at her father, but she wasn’t going to let Vicky think badly about him. She kept the specific details of the will to herself, but what she’d disclosed was enough to get her mother’s attention.

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