Page 48 of Silent Deception
She was nothing like the harridan Kristin had imagined, and now the stories she’d heard rang false. What could have happened to make her leave three children behind? It had been a terrible loss for them then and it was too late to erase the pain now, but someday they all needed to learn the truth.
* * * *
ON FRIDAY, RYAN MADEit till noon before his knee ached too much to sit at the desk any longer...and the prospect of practicing catches and kicks with the two little hooligans made his shoulder throb in anticipation. Regretfully he dialed the number of the clinic.
Max—the nurse who looked as if he could take down the Mafia single-handedly—answered with a cheerful hello, then Kristin came on the line a few minutes later.
“That should work out well,” she said after he explained the reason for his call. “This is Ted’s weekend for Cody. He and his wife are coming at five, so we would’ve been cutting it a little close, anyway.”
“Good, then.” Though Ryan couldn’t imagine what Cody—or anyone else—would do during an entire weekend with Ted. “I hope they have fun.”
The brief silence at the other end of the line spoke volumes. “I know they’ll take good care of him, that he’ll be safe. It’s not a weekend each month that I look forward to, though. I think Cody would rather be here, and the place will be lonely without him.”
He should have murmured something appropriate and then hung up. Instead, he found himself holding the phone a little tighter. “So what do you do when he’s gone?”
“Read. Clean. Now, I’ve got bedrooms to paint and stalls to clean. The excitement is beyond imagining, don’t you think?”
“Definitely beyond.” He cleared his throat, “I...I’m going to a rodeo this evening. Garrett just took off with his buddies because he entered in the bull riding tonight. I told him I’d be there.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“More than painting? You’re sure welcome to come along.”
“Um...are Trevor and Valentina going, too? The kids?”
“Just me. Trevor’s delivering a show mare to some customers in Houston. His family is going along.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you need the extra time at home, and—”
“No—wait. I’ll go. I haven’t been to a rodeo in years. It sounds great. What time are you leaving?”
“Rodeo starts at seven. I figure it’ll take an hour or so to get there and find the rodeo grounds.”
“And then you’ll want good seats,” she teased. “Near the chutes, where all the cowboys eat dirt—except your brother, of course.”
“Especiallymy brother. Sooo...five-thirty? Your place?”
“Deal.”
After he disconnected, his initial elation faded to much cooler realization.
He found himself looking forward to playing football with the boys because it meant he’d get to see her for a few minutes almost every day. She still appealed to him in every way—even more than she had when they were college kids. He’d firmly ignored the urge to ask her out, though, knowing it would create unnecessary complications.
And now he was taking her out on a date. Of sorts.
What on earth had he been thinking?
* * * *
WHAT ON EARTH WAS Ithinking?Kristin paced her living room after Ted picked up Cody.I can call Ryan and say I’m sick. Or that I’ve got to...do errands. Or that the horses escaped and I’ve got to chase them down.
But they were lies, and she’d learned long ago that she was a terrible liar.
She would go on this...this date. She’d be friendly, congenial, and appreciative. And then she’d never make the mistake again.
There was too much history between them...too many old feelings lurking just below the surface. Clint’s opinion didn’t matter because she already knew that falling for Ryan would set her up for heartbreak, and the last time had been hard enough.
