Page 28 of A Reckless Memory

Instant anger sparked inside me. Meg’s parents were pushy know-it-alls. After I’d met them for the first time, I could see why Meg was an ice princess. “The kids are just fine with you.”

“I work a lot, and then there’s Barns—”

“Cody, the kids need you. They need their grandparents to be their grandparents. They don’t need surrogate parents when they still have you.”

“Thanks, Aggie,” he said softly. “But I do have a lot of work and the kids are...a change might be good for them.”

Our roles flipped, however briefly. It was my turn to champion what I thought was best for Cody and less time with the kids wasn’t it. “You guys come out here whenever you want. The house is big enough.”

“Ansen is in the trailer?”

“Across the property,” I assured him. Living in all my old things. A righteous idea during a night out with Sutton was a little sadder in the sober light of day. He didn’t arrive with a trailer of belongings and the back of his pickup box had likely had his personal tack. What did the man own other than that and the vehicle? “Maybe Thanksgiving?”

“I think you should come here for at least Thanksgiving. Barns isn’t doing well.”

Tears poked hot jabs in the backs of my eyes. I should’ve called Daddy Barns like my brother. Then maybe I wouldn’t keep hoping he’d turn into a father figure. “You know what he’s like—”

“Suck it up for one last time. Not for him, Aggie. For you. Trust me. I regret not talking to Mama.”

My throat grew thick. I was the one who talked to Mama. I didn’t know what to think about a world without Daddy. Not having him interfere in my life was different than not having him at all. Could I tolerate one more visit where he didn’t see me? “I’ll think about it. Come out for Christmas, then. Tell your in-laws the kids have plans to sled in my pastures.”

“Their grandparents might storm Buffalo Gully if we don’t go to Helena for Christmas.” His tone was the lightest I’d heard in a couple of months. “I’ll think about it.”

As soon as he said that, I knew I’d go back for Thanksgiving. Maybe I did need to say goodbye to Daddy, so I didn’t hate myself for avoiding him once he was gone. But Cody also needed support, and I might need space from my employee.

Shelby was even letting Ansen brush her now. The others were more curious about him than scared. Each day I witnessed Ansen working with them, earning their trust, I marveled over how he was the right person for them. And then I remembered how at one time, I’d thought the same about him for me.

Six

Ansen

The Purple Petal Bar and Grill was good-sized for a small town like Crocus Valley. Archer said they get a lot of tourist traffic in the summer and that between the coal mine, the refinery, and the coal gasification plant, there were hundreds of workers flowing through the small communities in the area. I could see the whole bar and grill from where I sat with my brother. The bar section was in the center, with high tables and a central counter surrounded by stools. He’d invited me to a place called Rattler’s in Coal Haven, and from Aggie’s property, it was a less than twenty-minute drive, but the likelihood of meeting other Barrons there was too high.

I glanced at the mostly unfamiliar faces. I’d been in town two weeks now, but I hadn’t done much business in Crocus Valley other than buying some supplies. Dr. Jake was at the bar watching a high school football game. He didn’t see me, and I preferred it that way.

I did another scan, searching for faces around my age and a little older. “Do we have any relatives in here?”

“I didn’t see anyone, but the town is probably quiet tonight. Coal Haven’s football team is playing at New Salem. Crocus Valley is at Richardton.”

Which was why he’d suggested we meet tonight. Each town would be cleared out for the away games. “Thanks.”

“I know how weird it is to meet a bunch of family you don’t know.”

“It’s weird meeting the family I do know.” The confession came out raw.

“How long would it have taken you to call if we hadn’t run into each other the day Delaney wanted to make getting goat feed a family event?”

His tone seemed carefully neutral, like he didn’t want to scare me off, so I answered honestly. “I don’t know. Maybe never.”

He nodded like he thought the same. “What really brought you here? Dad and I read all we could, but it sounds like a bunch of horseshit.”

“Horseshit is more useful than what I went through.” I blew out a breath. I wasn’t ready to talk about it. The unfairness of it all only hung in front of me, wrapped like a gift that said, You deserve it. I’d given my jobs my all. The people in my life had barely gotten scraps. Aggie’s words before she left me rang in my head.

One day, Ansen, I hope you know what it’s like to have your entire heart ripped out, to have your passion stripped down and be humiliated in front of witnesses. To lose everything after you already gave up so much because you thought you were going to be happy.

She’d gotten her wish. “I was engaged to Aggie. Her father paid me.”

Archer cocked his head like he couldn’t have heard correctly.

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