Page 23 of Beau
“It’s all right, Colt. I understand,” Katie said, then wrapped her arm around Taylor’s shoulder. Obviously she liked her, that there was a friendship there of some kind.
“Rod Severs,” Taylor explained. “He wanted me to win the barrel racing competition and Lainey, well, you’re so good.” The look she gave me was equal parts admiration and shame. “You’re the only one who stood in my way. I’m never going to be as good as you, but he had his eye on that prize no matter the consequences.”
Colt tipped his chin down. “You’re sayinghedrugged Lainey’s horse?”
Taylor’s gaze flicked to mine again, then nodded. “And hit Mr. Wilder on the head since he was there.”
Colt looked at me. “He tried to keep you from competing the previous night, which would have disqualified you, and that didn’t work.”
Taylor nodded. “I think that’s exactly it. He stepped things up.”
“He had his friend Gil keep Lainey occupied the night before?” Beau asked her. His arm around my waist tightened, as if trying to keep anyone from pulling me away from him. As if Gil were here in the hospital room.
Her eyes got fearful and she turned to face Katie directly. “God, Gil. I know him. He’s a creep. Rod didn’t say who, but it makes sense. I didn’t know about any of this. I swear. I’d never want to hurt a horse, and Lainey could have been hurt, too.”
Not to mention Pops getting clobbered.
“How is it you didn’t know about this if you’re his girlfriend?” Colt asked.
“Was. Definitely past tense. I dumped his ass when it all came out last night.” Taylor lookeddown at her feet. “I thought… he was sweet. Said all the right things. We first met in May when he got the job here in town after his semester ended. He was actually a nice guy for a while. Until he wasn’t.”
Colt gave a little growl. “He ever hurt you?”
She shook her head slowly but still wouldn’t meet his eyes. She wiped her face, probably another tear. Pretty much, guys could be dicks and she’d believed in one when she shouldn’t. Perhaps even gave the asshole her heart, too.
“No. Not physically. But when he found out the size of the cash prize winning the barrel race… he threatened me. Said I had to win.” She visibly swallowed. “I didn’t think that meant hurting people. Like having Lainey kidnapped or Mr. Wilder hospitalized. And Junior.”
She lifted her chin, turned to Pops and went to the foot of his bed. Studied what her ex had done to him. The beeping machines. “Mrs. Wilder, ma’am. I’m… I’m so sorry that your husband was hurt because of me. While I can’t make him better, I can come to your ranch and work to pay off your hospital bill, although that will probably take a really long time. Katie knows I’m good with horses and I’m a guide for tourists atWild Wild Wilderness so I know my way around a ranch.”
Ma gave her a kind smile, all things considered. “Honey, I’ll hear none of it. You were a victim in all this, too, it sounds like. You’ll come to dinner when he’s home. Bring your dad. How is he?”
She gave a careless shrug. “He’s… okay.”
“You have your mother’s chili recipe?”
I only saw the back of Taylor’s head, but by her silence, it seemed Ma had stunned her. “Um, probably in some kitchen drawer.”
She nodded. “Then when Mr. Wilder’s home, you’ll bring the recipe and we’ll make a big pot together.”
Ma was too nice. How could she just… let her join us for dinner when her husband of over thirty years had been hurt because of her, even tangentially?
“Ma might be square with a pot of chili,” Colt cut in, his voice not soft like Ma’s. “But I’m not.”
Taylor spun around. Put her hands together and started wringing them. She looked between Katie and me. Back and forth. “I swear I didn’t know until last night.”
“What happened last night?” Colt asked.
“I was in the staging area when it wasannounced that Lainey had dropped out. I didn’t think anything of it, other than wonder why. After I competed, and won, Rod came over and spun me around, then took the cash the organizers gave me, waved it in the air. He was so pleased, it felt good. I thought he was proud of me.” She paused, then frowned. “He didn’t care about me, he was pleased with theeasymoney, as he worded it and stuffed it in his pocket. Said his plan worked. I asked him what he meant and–”
She put a hand over her face for a moment, then looked at Colt. “Have you ever dated someone who turned out to be a real bad choice?”
Colt’s lips thinned, then nodded.
I could relate to that, too. Before Beau, my ex had totally ghosted me. I never knew why Chris had been such an asshole, but Taylor knew why hers was. I wasn’t sure which was worse.
“Well, hindsight’s twenty-twenty, or whatever. At first it was just verbal meanness. Saying hurtful things to me. Making me feel bad. Telling me I should be upset that everyone was taking what belonged to me. My job, first place, all that. It was like I was entitled to it instead of earning it. That there were easier ways to get what I deserved. I don’t stand for that.”
Katie patted her on the shoulder.
