Page 20 of A Reckless Memory

“Not everyone has a close family.”

She flinched. “I’ve hardly talked to Daddy since I left. I’ve seen him once and called a few times, that’s all.”

I closed my eyes. Logically, I knew Barns had ruined his relationship with his daughter by trying to treat her like one of his stock, but the responsibility still rested heavily on my shoulders. “You should visit him if he’s dying.”

“If it goes anything like before, no thanks.” She might think she sounded matter-of-fact, but her words were like armor, like she was protecting herself by feigning nonchalance. “He was enraged when he thought I might’ve gotten engaged to the last guy I was with.”

I ground my teeth together. I didn’t like hearing about Aggie getting married, and I had no business stepping in. “Is that why you’re still single?”

“I’m allergic to getting engaged.”

I snorted. “I’ve developed the same allergy.”

The rest of the drive was in silence. There was only so much rehashing of the past we could do. The hurt that I suspected simmered beneath her skin wasn’t something I could heal. All I could do was not make it worse.

As for our present, I had nothing to offer, and I was working through my own shit. I had done enough to her. I didn’t need to drag her into the muck with me.

She parked in the same spot the truck had been in when I arrived and hopped out. Barking from in the house caught my attention. I glanced at the picture window to see a brown-and-white Australian shepherd pressed between the curtains and the glass.

“Aggie—”

“See you in the morning.” She pushed out her door. “Remember the chickens. Oh, can you haul the feed to the coop? There’s storage in the front for feeders and bags. Put ’em on the pallet to help keep the mice out. The keys to the trailer are hidden under the bottom step.”

She skirted around the front of the vehicle.

I rushed out. “Agatha, is that Tex?”

She stiffened and pivoted on her pert little heel, but her spin ended up being nothing but a tease I greedily took in. “Don’t call me Agatha, and yes.”

Saying her full name was a sure way to make her stop. I’d needed that small win. “You still have my dog you stole?” The absurdity put me dangerously close to laughing. I hadn’t pursued the stolen dog because I knew better than to take on that fight when all of the Knights hated me. I knew she’d be good to Tex.

“I didn’t steal him; he refused to leave my side.” Her lips quirked like she was holding back a snicker. “I hate to break it to you, but he’s become a city dog. That’s why he’s inside. He’ll gallivant all over the county and get run over. He needs to be eased into country life.”

I’d gotten him as a puppy. My first dog as a grown-up. A new addition to the family I had fooled myself I was making. A symbol that said I wasn’t tricking a woman into marrying me so I could get rich and have my own place. Seeing him now was...bizarre. “He’s done okay?”

She tipped her head, and I swear the sun broke through a cloud just to shine on her. “Eventually. He got me kicked out of a few apartments, and I had to fork over a lot of money to kennel him during the day while I finished college, but eventually, I rented a house and gave him some of his own space.” She cast a wistful glance at the dog watching us. “He could’ve used a ranch job. Now I have one for him, but he’s too old and doesn’t have the experience he needs to survive country life. All I can hope is that I can get him used to the animals so he doesn’t erratically try to herd them.”

I didn’t know what about seeing Tex was hitting me in the solar plexus, but I couldn’t quit looking at him. It was like she’d taken a piece of me and cared for it all this time.

“Want me to let him out so you can see him?” She picked at her nails as if her question wasn’t like a peace offering between us. Tex was neutral ground.

Not trusting my voice, I nodded.

A minute later, Tex was sniffing me from crotch to toe and circling me, his tail a whirlwind. I stuffed my hands in his fur. “Looking good, Tex.” Satisfied with what he smelled, he ran to the lawn to do his business. “He’s so much more mellow than when he was a puppy.”

“I’d like to say it’s all my hard work training him, but it’s age. I think he has more than a few good years left, though.”

Because of her. If he’d been with me, he might’ve gotten kicked in the head by a horse, trampled because I was busy working or shot by one of the more ornery bosses I’d had. Aggie did right by him, and he hadn’t made it easy. I hadn’t deserved her then. I’d fooled myself that taking the money wouldn’t hurt her. She grew up working hard, but there was a difference between toiling away while the bank account was loaded and working your ass off while the money you did earn turned to ash and blew away in the wind.

She’d taken my dog and gave him a home. My last ex would’ve tossed him out of a moving vehicle for having the poor luck to be called mine.

The last ten years only showed me I couldn’t pick women and that I couldn’t afford the good ones.

* * *

Aggie

I was curled up in bed, my hair free and trying to frizz after a night of sleep. My knees were propped up, and I draped my arms over them with my phone in my hands.

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