Page 447 of Conveniently Wed
For months now, he had both loved and hated this man. This brother. They worked so well together, it was unfathomable they had this unvoiced monstrosity between them.
All spring they had labored side-by-side in the birthing and nurturing of the new foals, the groundwork training, and the breaking in of some of the finest stock yet to grace the ranch. The operation ran seamlessly.
Josiah should be on top of the world. Instead, his life was crumbling. Everything that gave him purpose—wife, dream of family, hope of an heir to pass on his legacy—was gone. What was the point?
He had to hand it to Colby. He had a knack for the training. His gentle dance of halter, then saddle, then the weight of hisbody came naturally. Horses loved and trusted him, much like Josiah’s wife. At the mere thought, his hands clamped down on the fence rail so tightly, splinters pierced into the flesh. Fury filled his head and rippled down. He had to get away from the man or bust him in two.
“I’m heading to the house.” Josiah plunked his cowboy hat back on his head.
“I thought we were going to work Victory next. You said you wanted to take charge of the colt.”
Josiah turned and waved toward the horse. “All yours.” As he walked away, he couldn’t help mumbling. “Everything that matters will soon be all yours.”
“Josiah.” Jeb called out.
Josiah turned to see Katherine’s pa barreling toward him. The last thing he wanted was a conversation with anyone, especially his father-in-law. He had to cool down.
“Do you have a moment? There’s some things I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time.”
“Can it wait?”
“I’m afraid not. It concerns Katie’s childhood. She’s going to ask you if it’s all right she travel to Richmond with her mother and sister. After I explain, you’ll understand why you have to keep her here.”
Josiah intentionally missed the supper hour that evening. He didn’t want to run into Katherine for a myriad of reasons, the biggest being the need to remain far from her lure. He should never have touched her. What a fool. She haunted him enough in the day. With a mere unlocked door between them at night, he was going crazy. One minute he wanted to squelch all feelingsand end his tortured marriage. The next, he craved anything she was prepared to give.
He slipped into the kitchen for the meal Delilah kept warming on the stove and slid into a chair at the table.
“Josiah.”
He started at the sound of Katherine’s voice and looked up to see her across the room. She must’ve been waiting for him.
“I need to talk to you when you’re done eating.” Her hands fidgeted with the front of her dress, clenching and unclenching the material. At what point had she reverted back to being uncomfortable in his presence? Why did it matter?
He swallowed his bite and forked another. “Go ahead.”
“Amelia and Ma are going to Richmond to meet Grandmother and Grandfather Brunson.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“I’d like to go with them. I told Ma you wouldn’t care, but she insisted I ask you.”
“What makes you think I wouldn’t care?”
Her face blushed beet red. “What I meant to say is that you’re always working, and you wouldn’t mind if I were gone for a few weeks.”
“I mind.”
Her hands lifted to her hips as she approached until she stood a mere foot apart. Judging by the color of her cheeks and the jut of her chin, her temper was about to flare.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“It means just what I said. I mind.” He was frustrating her, but he cared more than she would ever know. He cared that soon she’d no longer be his wife and he’d spend a lifetime missing her. He cared that she had more in her past than she could imagine. He cared that her parents, rather than face the truth, had lied to her for years. He shouldn’t care, not with the paperwork he had sent away for, but he did.
The heat of her stare bore down as he shoveled his food in.
“Please.”
He raised his head to a set of dejected iridescent eyes.
