THE COWBOY’S REDEMPTION

After years of girls, beer and a wild life on the rodeo circuit, bull rider Paxton Rebel is done being “The Heartthrob.” His brothers have already settled down and are starting families. Paxton doesn’t really believe he’s meant for love...until he rescues the slight, lovely woman with sea-green eyes on a cold, windy beach.

Remi Roberts can’t trust a charming lady-killer cowboy like Paxton—especially since he’s a Rebel, a family she’s been taught to distrust. She needs to concentrate on recovering from her accident, which is the only thing standing in the way of her adopting the baby girl she adores. Besides, fairy tales don’t exist and bad boys definitely don’t change. Only, this cowboy is determined to prove her wrong...

Cast of Characters

Kate Rebel: Matriarch of the Rebel family.

Falcon: The eldest son—the strong one. Reunited with his wife, Leah, and proud father of Eden and John.

Egan: The loner. Married to Rachel Hollister, daughter of the man who put him in jail.

Quincy: The peacemaker. Married to Jenny Walker, his childhood best friend.

Elias: The fighter. Falls in love with the daughter of his family’s archenemy.

Paxton: The lover. Never met a woman he couldn’t have, but the woman he wants doesn’t want him.

Jude: The serious, responsible one. Back together with his first love, Paige Wheeler, and raising their son, Zane.

Phoenix: The youngest Rebel challenges his own family when he falls in love with the enemy—Rosemary McCray.

Abraham (Abe) Rebel: Paternal grandfather.

Jericho Johnson: Egan’s friend from prison.

Dear Reader,

Texas Rebels: Paxton is the sixth book in the Texas Rebels series. The series is about seven brothers who deal with their father’s death in different ways.

I apologize for the delay of Paxton’s story. Life got in the way of finishing this book. In the spring I had to have unexpected neck surgery and there were complications that required a long hospital stay. I am now back to writing and so happy to have finally finished this book. Thank you for your patience and support!

There are two Canada geese, Henry and Henny, in this story. My husband and I live on a lake in Central Texas and these geese live in our backyard. A bobcat stalks them at night, and he finally got Henny and broke her wing. I wondered when the geese flew away in the winter if Henry would leave his Henny behind. I wanted to see if it was true they mate for life. I watched and watched and was delighted when he stayed. He never leaves her except to fly around the lake in the early morning. A true love story, as is Paxton and Remi’s.

If you’ve read the other Rebels books, you know Paxton is accustomed to getting any beautiful woman he wants. Ironically, he falls for a woman who’s not ready to get involved with anyone. It took a few sleepless nights to pull these two characters together. But like the Canada geese, they’ll find a special love that will keep them together forever.

Until the next Rebel book, with love and thanks,

Linda

PS: You can email me at Lw1508@aol.com; send me a message on Facebook.com/lindawarrenauthor or on Twitter, @texauthor; write me at PO Box 5182, Bryan, TX 77805; or visit my website at lindawarren.net. Your mail and thoughts are deeply appreciated.

Texas Rebels: Paxton

Linda Warren

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A two-time RITA® Award–nominated author, LINDA WARREN has written forty books for Harlequin and has received the Readers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion, the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Book Buyers Best Award, the Golden Quill and the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. A native Texan, she is a member of Romance Writers of America and the West Houston chapter. She lives in College Station with her husband and a menagerie of animals, including a Canada goose named Broken Wing. You can learn more about Linda and her books at lindawarren.net.

Acknowledgments

A special thanks to the ladies who spoke with me about adoptions in Texas.

To Betty Moon for sharing her great-grandson’s heart surgery and adoption.

To Carrol Abendroth, barrel racer, for giving me a glimpse into the rodeo scene.

And to the PRCA and the WNFR for all their information.

All errors are strictly mine.

To my husband, my hero, my Sonny, for keeping me sane this past year.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Cast of Characters

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

My name is Kate Rebel. I married John Rebel when I was eighteen years old and then bore him seven sons. We worked the family ranch, which John later inherited. We put everything we had into buying more land so our sons would have a legacy. We didn’t have much, but we had love.

The McCray Ranch borders Rebel Ranch on the east and the McCrays have forever been a thorn in my family’s side. They’ve cut our fences, dammed up creeks to limit our water supply, and shot one of our prize bulls. Ezra McCray threatened to shoot our sons if he caught them jumping his fences again. We tried to keep our boys away, but they are boys—young and wild.

One day Jude and Phoenix, two of our youngest, were out riding together. When John heard shots, he immediately went to find his boys. They lay on the ground, blood oozing from their heads. Ezra McCray was astride a horse twenty yards away with a rifle in his hand. John drew his gun and fired, killing Ezra instantly. Both boys survived with only minor wounds. Since my husband was protecting his children, he didn’t spend even one night in jail. This escalated the feud that still goes on today.

The man I knew as my husband died that day. He couldn’t live with what he’d done, and started to drink heavily. I had to take over the ranch and the raising of our boys. John died ten years later. We’ve all been affected by the tragedy, especially my sons.

They are grown men now and deal in different ways with the pain of losing their father. One day I pray my boys will be able to put this behind them and live healthy, normal lives with women who will love them the way I loved their father.

Chapter One

Paxton: the fifth son—the ladies’ man

The cowboy’s redemption.

Mother Nature spit out a nasty spray of morning mist along the beach in Port Aransas, Texas. The cool lick of water against Paxton Rebel’s cheeks felt like the touch of a Popsicle. He huddled deeper in his National Finals Rodeo jacket and kept walking.

His cowboy boots made imprints in the wet sand, but the incoming tide would soon wash them away. Nothing in life stayed the same. And today the winds of change blew through his mind with a warning: if you don’t change your ways, it will be the death of you. His head throbbed, his body ached and exhaustion pulled at him as if he was a man twice his age. He was too young to feel this old and worn-out.

But then December had been a month of partying and drinking and celebrating. He and his brother Phoenix had competed in the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas the first ten days in December. Phoenix had won the title in bull riding and Paxton had come in second. Losing to his brother wasn’t a big deal because Phoenix deserved it.

Phoenix had become a father and married the love of his life in Vegas. He was at the beginning of something new. Although he was happy for his brother, he was feeling adrift without his partner. A part of him would miss working together on the rodeo circuit.

He and his brother Elias had continued to party in Vegas and had flown home later with gigantic headaches. They’d helped Phoenix clear some land to build a new home for his family and then there was Christmas with the whole Rebel clan. Paxton and Elias, the remaining bachelors in the family, had partied the New Year in. Waking up in his truck at Rowdy’s Beer Joint, having no idea how the night had ended, was the last straw for Paxton. He knew change had to happen for him.

He’d taken a couple days off from work on the ranch to clear his head and decide his future. Even though it wouldn’t be the same without Phoenix, he planned to ride the circuit another year.

The cold north wind tugged at him and he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. In early January, Port Aransas was almost deserted, but peace and quiet was what he needed to help him make decisions that would affect the rest of his life.

Port Aransas had happy memories. That was why he’d chosen the place to think. When he was a kid, his brothers and parents used to come here for a vacation. Today the scenery was much different with hotels, motels and restaurants that hadn’t been there years ago.

He and his brothers used to race down the beach. Phoenix was barely three, but he always tried to keep up. “Paxton, watch out for Phoenix!” his mother would shout after them. And it seemed like he’d been doing that most of his life. But in reality Phoenix had been looking out for Paxton, pulling him out of bars when things got heated, making sure he stayed off beer on rodeo days and steering him away from girls who could ruin his career. He and Phoenix had always been a team but...

The temperature had been in the sixties earlier, but now the mercury was dropping as a cold front made its way across the Gulf Coast. His cell buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket. Heather? Who was Heather? He read the text: I’m in Killeen. Wanna hook up? He couldn’t remember any Heather. It probably was a girl he had met over the holidays.

He groaned inwardly, not liking that he couldn’t remember. Girls were another problem. They called him “The Heartthrob” on the rodeo circuit. He hated the nickname, but it had stuck. Even the announcers called him that. And he’d gotten into more than one fight when his friends had ragged him about it.

Girls were easy for him, though. They hung around after rodeos and invited him out. They were persistent, but now he planned to be more selective. He would have to cross that line from a wild teenager into adulthood. It was past time. He’d left his twenties behind and now he had to grow up. It might be the hardest thing he ever had to do.

His cell buzzed again and he looked at the caller ID. Lisa. That name he knew. His ex-fiancée. She’d been calling ever since Vegas but he hadn’t picked up. For a brief moment in time he’d thought he was in love with her. He soon had learned she wasn’t the woman for him, so he couldn’t understand why she was calling him now. And he wasn’t interested in finding out why.

He’d ended his long-time relationship with his high school sweetheart because of Lisa. It was such a messy time with so many hurt feelings. But ultimately, breaking up with Jenny had been a good decision because he’d realized he wasn’t really in love with her. They were just good friends. She’d married his brother Quincy and the two of them were happy and expecting their first child in March. Paxton felt no jealousy or animosity toward them. He had to find his own way now. And it wasn’t in partying or flashy women.

Five of his brothers were married and happy. That left him and Elias searching for something they might never find.

The waves lapped at the sandy shore near his boots and gray clouds hung low on the horizon. It was time to head home. Two days on the coast in winter was enough. He stopped short when he noticed a woman in a hooded blue jogging suit struggling to get to her feet. A yellow Lab stood beside her, as if trying to help. She continued to push in the sand with her right foot and hand to no avail. He rushed forward.

She saw him approach and sank back on the damp sand. “I’m fine,” she said in a raspy voice, a sign she was out of breath.

“You—”

“I’m fine. Really.” This time her voice had a note of anger, and he stepped away, knowing he was invading her privacy and it was upsetting her. Against everything he’d been taught as a kid by his parents, he walked on. Even though he knew the woman needed help, he wasn’t going to push it. But then some things you just don’t outgrow. He looked back and she was continuing to try to stand, holding on to the Lab as if to give her a boost.

He hurried back and held out his arm, almost in her face, and stared at her, just daring her to resist. To his amazement, she didn’t. She grabbed his forearm and pulled herself up. No thank-you. No nothing. She didn’t even look at him.

In the brief moment she had glanced at him earlier he’d noticed her eyes—sea green, the color of the water behind him. Warm. Inviting. Tempting. And angry. Light brown hair peeked out from the hood of her jacket and her skin was pale. Very pale, as if she’d been ill. What was she doing on the beach alone in January? She had that fragile look about her and the jogging suit hung on her thin body.

She turned, the dog at her side, her hand on its collar, and slowly made her way to the hotel behind him. Paxton shook his head. He’d never had an encounter with a woman quite like that. But it was none of his business. He just hoped that there was someone waiting for her in the hotel.

His hand unconsciously went to the spot on his arm where she’d touched him. Even through his jacket and a shirt he could still feel it. She was trembling and trying to hide it as best as she could. What stood out even more was the fact she was scared to death.

* * *

REMI ROBERTS SLOWLY made it to her room and eased onto the bed. Tears trickled from her eyes and she fought hard to control her emotions. Sadie, her dog, jumped up beside her and she wrapped her arms around the warm and solid dog to steady herself. How could she have been so stupid?

Her mother and stepfather had said she didn’t need to go anywhere alone, but had she listened? Of course not. She wanted to be independent again and she wanted to prove that to her family.

She had spent so much time in therapy. She knew she was better and each day she’d grown stronger. Just not strong enough to get up from the ground. She’d adventured outside early to watch the sunrise and then had decided to just sit and watch the morning as it opened like a curtain on a play. What would this day hold? She hadn’t considered how long she’d been sitting on the ground. She’d had so much confidence she could get to her feet. But she hadn’t been able to. She’d tried and tried and still her stubborn left leg would not work. The accident would always be with her and she was fighting every day to get back some of her life.

As she’d struggled to stand, she’d prayed a prince charming would rescue her. Then she’d looked up and seen him. Her heart had jackknifed into her throat. He had to be the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. A lethal grin had tugged at the corners of his perfectly shaped mouth. Beneath the cowboy hat, she’d glimpsed dark hair. His eyes were a rich caramel brown that held a sleepy-eyed allure. His face had to have been chiseled by the hand of God and stroked by the wings of angels. It was perfect. Masculine. Sexy. And sparked a raw earthiness that stirred an awakening in her lower belly.

He was a cowboy.

A lot of girls liked cowboys.

She hadn’t been one of them. And today she wondered why.

She didn’t know what had made her so stiff and unfriendly, but accepting his help meant she wasn’t better. She still needed more therapy, more support from her family. Her life was on hold. And that meant she would lose Annie.

She couldn’t lose Annie.

* * *

ON THURSDAY MORNING Paxton sat with his brothers in the Rebel Ranch office discussing the day’s work. Falcon, his oldest brother, and their mom sat at their desks and the others gathered around, waiting for orders for the day. Even Grandpa was there.

“Leah and John have doctors’ appointments in Houston today and I’ve taken the day off,” Falcon said. Leah, Falcon’s wife, had had a brain tumor when John was born. He was a preemie but no one would guess that today by the rowdy little boy he was. “Justin is sick so Egan is at home taking care of him because Rachel went back to teaching. Phoenix is working on his house. And Jude is helping Phoenix.”

“Quincy is out for the day, too,” his mother said. “Jenny has been put on bed rest and he wants to make sure she’s following rules.”

“Guess who that leaves to handle the feeding.” Elias straightened his hat with a strong hand. “Let’s go, Jericho.” Elias glanced at Paxton. “Are you working?”

His mother raised her head. “I have something else for Paxton this morning, but he’ll join you later.”

“Sure.” Elias slapped Paxton on the shoulder.

Grandpa got to his feet. “I’ll help you boys. I can still ride a horse.”

“We’re feeding cows, Grandpa,” Elias said.

“You don’t think I’ve ever fed cows?”

They were arguing as they went out the door. Falcon followed and that left him and his mother. He knew what was coming. Something in the house needed fixing. He was good at plumbing, wiring, all kinds of contracting work. And he hated it. But sometimes he did what he had to.

He leaned forward in his chair, his hands clasped between his legs. “So what do you need?”

His mother waved a hand. “Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. You know Miss Bertie Snipes?”

“Everybody knows Miss Bertie and steers clear of her. She’s loony as a bat.”

“Now, son, I raised you not to be judgmental or critical. Her son was killed in the marines, her only son, and it changed her. Yes, she’s a little different, and she needs our help.”

That rolled around in his head for a minute, and if it sounded like he thought it did, he was ready to run. “What are you talking about?”

“Quincy usually helps her with her cows since Edgar died, but he’s busy this morning and I thought you would be nice enough to haul her calves to the auction barn in Cameron. If you take the shortcut, it shouldn’t take you long.”

Paxton jumped to his feet. “Oh, no, no!”

His mother took off her glasses and laid them on the desk alongside a picture of his dad and her when they’d first gotten married. His eyes rested on the photo and he couldn’t seem to look away from all the love and the pain that was echoed there and in his heart.

“I don’t want to force you to do anything. So if that’s the way you feel, I’ll haul the calves.”

His mother was a master at playing the guilt card and it was working, like always, making him feel guilty, selfish and self-centered. A bell, like a church bell, sounded in his head. He wanted to change his life and this was where he started. By helping others. But why did it have to be a crazy old lady?

* * *

THIRTY MINUTES LATER he crossed the main highway from Rebel Road to County Road 461. Miss Bertie lived in a small white frame house with black shutters and a chain-link fence. The property was neat and clean and shaded with big oak trees. An Australian blue healer raced around the chain-link fence at the rattle of the cow trailer.

Paxton drove to the back and saw the corral was to the left. A 1990 Chevy truck was parked near the barn and a small SUV was in front of the house. He knew the SUV wasn’t Miss Bertie’s so she must have company. That was good. He could get this over with quickly.

Calves milled around in the corral. That was another good thing. Loading would be easy. He backed up to the wood chute and got out. Miss Bertie hurried from the house with the dog at her heels. A floppy straw hat crowned her head, and she wore a big flannel shirt and baggy jeans stuffed into work boots. In her hand was a shotgun—an old double-barrel. That gave him pause.

“Who are you coming onto my property?” She fired the words at him like bullets.

Guess his mother didn’t call her.

He tipped his hat, refusing to be intimidated by the fire in her eyes. And the shotgun. “I’m Paxton Rebel. My mother sent me over to haul your calves to the auction.”

“My, my.” She placed the butt of the gun on the ground and leaned on the barrel, peering at him a little closer through thick glasses. “You’re one of the younger ones, the bull rider who spends most of his life on the road.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Now aren’t you a handsome devil?”

“I’ve never thought about it.”

“Sure.” She slapped a hand on her jean-clad thigh. “It’s kind of hard to think with girls trailing behind you.” She glanced toward the corral and her demeanor changed instantly. “We don’t have time for small talk. Time to get these calves loaded.” She inspected the trailer backed up to the loading chute. “You did that perfectly. Can tell you’re a cowboy.”

Paxton noticed the platform from the corral to the trailer was missing and there was no way for the calves to get into the trailer, except if they knew how to fly. “Ma’am, the ramp is missing from the corral.”

She grunted. “It fell apart years ago. There’s always a way. Haven’t you learned that by now?” She opened the gate and walked into the pen, hollering and shouting until the calves scurried into the chute. They stopped at the trailer.

The dog barked.

“Shut up, Memphis,” she scolded.

Memphis.

Paxton jumped over the fence. It was wobbly. The whole corral looked as if it was going to fall down at any minute. “This is what I was telling you. If—”

She raised the shotgun and fired into the air. Stunned for a second, he was speechless, and then he grabbed it from her hand before she could fire it again.

Yanking the gun from his hand, she said, “Don’t ever take my gun.”

He swallowed hard at the rough words, but he didn’t falter.

“See.” She pointed to the calves that were jumping into the trailer, scared for their lives. “That’s how you get ’em inside. Pull your truck up and I’ll close the gate.”

“Crazy old woman,” Paxton muttered to himself as he jumped over the fence and then pulled his truck forward. Before he could reach the back of the trailer, Miss Bertie had it already closed. But he double-checked it.

“I’ll be on my way,” he said more to himself than to her.

“Now wait just a minute.” She pulled a piece of paper out of her shirt pocket. “There’s four black with white faces, five red with white faces and two scrubby-looking things. That’s eleven.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Did she think he would try to cheat her?

“Gotta watch those people at the auction barn. They’ll cheat you if they can. Keep your eyes open.”

Holy crap. “Yes, ma’am.”

She pulled some money out of her pocket and handed it to him. It was a five-dollar bill. “Take this for gas.”

Was she freaking kidding? Five dollars for a diesel truck wouldn’t get them out of the driveway. But he knew better than not to take it.

“I’ll be on my way.”

She glanced toward the house and then back at him. “Just a minute. I need a favor. A big favor.”

Oh, no. But what did he say?

“I don’t have much time, Miss Bertie. I have to get back to the ranch to work.”

“Ah, don’t give me that.” She grunted again. “It’ll only take a few minutes.”

“Well...” He felt like a fish on a hook and he knew he wasn’t getting out of here without doing what she wanted. He just had a feeling it was going to be something he didn’t want to do.

“When you bring my sales receipt back, I’ll invite you into the house and I want you to meet my granddaughter.”

Oh, crap. She was playing matchmaker. The one thing he hated most in the world.

“She’s been feeling a little down lately and a nice-looking man like you could cheer her up real fast.”

“Miss Bertie...”

But the old woman wasn’t listening. “I’ll introduce you and you can say something like what a beautiful granddaughter I have. That’s it. Just a compliment to cheer her up. You can do that, can’t you, Handsome?”

“I’d rather not.” He figured honesty was the best place to start.

The butt of the shotgun rested on the ground. She lifted it into her hand. “I’d rather that you did. Do you know what I mean?”

No, he didn’t.

“Miss Bertie, I know you’re trying to help your granddaughter, but complimenting her is going to sound fake. It’s not done like that these days.”

“How’s it done, then?”

“With a look. It’s the way a guy looks at a girl or the way a girl looks at a guy to let them know they’re interested. That’s how it’s done. You can compliment someone, but they’ll probably laugh in your face.”

She shrugged. “Who knows how you young folks live these days. You just come into my kitchen and give her the look, and you better do it because if you don’t, I’ll come looking for you. Get my drift?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He climbed into his truck. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you.”

He sincerely hoped this would be their last meeting because he had no intention of returning to compliment her granddaughter. His mother could bring the sales receipt and he’d stay as far away as possible.

Chapter Two

One hour and thirty minutes later Paxton zoomed toward Horseshoe, Texas, and Rebel Ranch. He wasn’t being manipulated by Miss Bertie. But then the seeds of guilt began to play with his mind. His dad had always said once you start a job, you make sure you finish it. He could remember when he was a kid, he and his dad were fixing a fence and it began to drizzle and then it started to sleet. But his dad worked on, saying a man always finishes the job he starts.

If he gave the sales slip to his mother, so Miss Bertie could pick up her check, that meant he hadn’t finished the job. Disappointment would be in his mother’s eyes and in that moment he knew he couldn’t just run away like a little boy. What would it hurt to compliment Miss Bertie’s plain-Jane granddaughter? He’d flirted with more girls than he could remember. One more was a piece of cake.

He turned off the highway onto County Road 461 and drove across the cattle guard, the trailer clanging. The dog raced along the chain-link fence, barking his head off. Paxton stopped the truck at the back of the house and slammed the gearshift into Park. He picked up Miss Bertie’s sales receipt, which had a tag number and a description of each calf, from the console and headed for the back door.

Memphis jumped up and down, barking and wagging his tail, eager to see a person. He had a heck of a time keeping the dog from darting out the gate. A long porch adorned the back of the house with a couple of old rocking chairs. He went up the steps and knocked on the built-in-screen glass door.

“Come on in!” Miss Bertie shouted.

He opened the door and stepped into 1960, or the late 1950s. The floor was yellow-and-white linoleum and the chairs and table were an old Formica set. It reminded him of his grandmother’s old house. Miss Bertie came into the kitchen and this time she wasn’t wearing a hat. Her short gray hair stuck out in all directions. He wondered if she had a brush or a comb.

She winked at him. “Sweetie, come here. We have company.”

“Gran, I’m riding my bike.”

“We still greet company in my house. Get your butt in here.”

Paxton removed his hat, ready to get this over with as fast as he could.

A girl appeared in the doorway in jogging pants and a sweatshirt with the University of Houston on it. She was thin and frail, and her clothes hung on her. Her short light brown hair framed a pretty face. Familiar sea-green eyes stared at him.

The girl from Port Aransas.

She was as stunned as he was, grabbing the door frame for support.

“Remi, sweetie, this is Paxton Rebel. And this is my granddaughter—”

“What are you doing letting a Rebel into your house?” The girl turned on her grandmother.

Miss Bertie shrugged. “I have nothing against the Rebels.”

“John Rebel killed my father. Have you forgotten that?”

Oh, crap. It dawned on Paxton for the first time. This had to be Ezra McCray’s daughter. He’d been younger then and had forgotten a lot of the details. But Miss Bertie’s daughter, Ava, had married Ezra McCray. Paxton knew they had a son, Ruger, but he had no idea they had a daughter.

“Okay, missy, I’m not standing here and letting you paint your father as a saint. He was an evil man and I would have killed him myself, but your grandfather always stopped me. He beat your mother so many times and I begged her to leave, but she was scared to death of him. Everyone in this town was scared of him. And in case you’ve forgotten he tried to kill two of the Rebel boys.”

“I’d rather not talk about this and I’d rather not talk to him.” She nodded toward Paxton.

“Do you know what he’s doing here?” Miss Bertie asked.

“No.”

“He hauled my calves to the auction barn because Ruger wouldn’t. Your brother is under Ira McCray’s thumb and he won’t let him do anything for me. These are the people you’re protecting. People you don’t even know. You were less than two years old when your mother took you to Houston. Later, your mother remarried and Nathan adopted you. Nathan is your father and Ezra is nothing to you.”

“Gran—”

Paxton had had enough. He wasn’t stepping into this land mine. He handed Miss Bertie the papers. “You can pick up your check tomorrow afternoon.” He tipped his hat. “It’s been a pleasure.”

“Wait a minute. I want to look at this,” Miss Bertie called, and he forced himself to stop and turn around. “I have to find my glasses.” She disappeared down a hallway.

Remi stepped farther into the room. “What are you doing here?”

“Your grandmother just told you. I hauled her calves to the auction.”

“There was no need.”

“Oh, and who was going to do it? You?”

“I could have.”

“I don’t think so. You have a hard time standing and you’re pale and thin.” The moment the words left his mouth he knew they were not something you’d say to a woman. And he was right. Her sea-green eyes simmered with anger.

She moved closer to him. “I’m fine. Do you hear me? I’m fine.” She wagged one long finger in his face. “I’m fine.”

He did the only thing a red-blooded cowboy could do. He bit her finger.

She jumped back, holding her finger. “You bit me!”

“I’m going to keep biting you until you admit the truth.”

“You...you...stay away from my grandmother.” She turned and hurried into the living room.

“A thank-you would have been nice!” he shouted to her back.

Miss Bertie walked in and glanced at him, then to the empty doorway. “Is that part of the look?”

Paxton swung toward the door. “No. It’s goodbye.”

He shoved the shift into gear, backed up and left the crazy ladies behind. He was sticking his nose into something that didn’t concern him and he had no desire to get to know Ezra McCray’s daughter.

* * *

REMI SANK ONTO the sofa, fuming. How dare he stick his nose into her business? She curled her hand into a fist, still feeling the warmth of his lips and his teeth against her skin. That strange gesture had awakened something in her that had been dormant for a long time—the need for male companionship. But not him. He was arrogant and rude and...

Gran sat beside her. “What’s the matter, sweetie?”

“Nothing.” She tried to hide what she was feeling, but feared she failed.

“What did he mean about a thank-you?”

“Nothing, Gran. He’s just an arrogant jerk.”

“Oh, I thought he was a very handsome young man. If I were your age, I’d be batting my eyes at him and smiling as sweetly as I could.”

“You would not. Things were very proper back then.”

Gran let out a big laugh and slapped her leg with her hand. “Oh, sweetie, men and women are men and women at any age. Now your grandpa, he was quiet and shy. I had my work cut out for me because I had him picked out for a long time. We were at a school dance, and when it was time for the girls to choose their partners, I chose him. When they shouted to change partners, I didn’t let go and said, ‘I’d rather dance with you.’ He said, ‘I would, too.’ And from that day on we were a couple.”

“That’s so sweet, Gran.” How she wished it could be that simple today. But she had too much on her mind to even think about getting involved with someone. Not that he was interested in her. He’d said she was pale and thin. Pale and thin? As much as the words made her angry, she knew they were true. Would she ever be strong enough to be able to adopt Annie?

She rested her head on her grandmother’s shoulder. “I wish I had lived in your time.”

“No, you don’t. You’re struggling right now, but life will turn around for you. Have you called your parents?”

“Yes. I think they were camped out in my apartment waiting for me to come home.”

Gran stroked Remi’s hair. “They just worry about you.”

“I know, but the accident happened in October and I’m strong enough to live in my apartment again. I wish they would understand that.”

“When you’re a mother, you’ll understand those feelings.”

Remi sat up. “I was so devastated when my lawyer called and told me not to go to the hospital anymore to see Annie. The adoption process is in full swing and other couples will be ‘visiting’ with her, as CPS puts it. When I heard that, I ran like I always do, as if I can outrun my fears. But I have to face that I might not get Annie because of my health. That’s so unfair.”

“Yes. But you said your interview and the visit to your apartment went well, so don’t lose hope.”

Remi scooted to face her grandmother. “Dad and Mom moved my bed over and we were able to get Annie’s baby bed that Holly and I had bought into the room, and the changing table. A small chest for her clothes fit in there, too. It looks really nice and I was happy the room was big enough. I wish I had had time to get a bigger apartment or maybe a house.”

Gran patted Remi’s leg. “Love is all that counts.”

Remi prayed that was true. “In the fall I go back to teaching and I have to find a really good day care for Annie.”

“Now don’t go putting the cart before the horse. Let’s get over this hurdle first.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Remi lay back on the couch and raised her left leg. “Time for stretches. Push my leg as far back as you can.”

Gran got to her feet. “Oh, Lordy, I hate doing this. I’m afraid I might hurt you and that’s...”

Gran’s voice faded away as Remi’s thoughts turned to Paxton. How odd it was that they’d met on a deserted beach. She’d been running away from her fears. She wondered if he had been, too.

* * *

PAXTON DROVE STRAIGHT to the equipment shed to park the trailer. His mother’s truck was still at the office so he jumped back into his truck and headed there.

He took one of the leather chairs in front of her desk. She glanced up from the ledger she was writing in. There were several computers in the office, but his mother liked to do things the old way. She wrote things down in the ledger to keep track of cattle and horses and sales and payments.

“How did it go?”

He removed his hat and laid it on the desk. “I didn’t know Miss Bertie had a granddaughter—a granddaughter who is Ezra McCray’s daughter.”

His mother’s eyes opened wide. “Remington is here? Bertie must be pleased.”

“Remington is her name?” For some reason he found that a little strange. The name didn’t fit the feminine woman he’d met.

“Yes, but I think she’s called Remi. Ezra named his children Ruger and Remington, after guns. He was one crazy man.”

He didn’t want to push his privileges as her son, but he had to know. He leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees. “I don’t understand this relationship you have with Miss Bertie. Her daughter was Ezra McCray’s wife. And Miss Bertie’s much older than you.”

She slowly closed the ledger and then glanced at him, her brown eyes dark and serious. “You see, son, Bertie and I have something in common. We both hate the McCrays.”

“Yeah. She made that clear.”

“To be honest I never thought I’d be friends with Bertie. I met her at one of the Elvis get-togethers some ladies have in town. We found we had a lot to talk about. Bertie and Edgar were devastated when Ava married Ezra. They eloped and they both were of age so there was nothing Bertie or Edgar could do but watch their daughter be brutalized by that horrible man. Time after time Bertie reported Ezra to the sheriff, but Ava would never testify against him.”

Paxton listened, and even though it was something he didn’t know, what caught his attention were the Elvis get-togethers. “You go to Elvis parties?”

His mother lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, with the sheriff’s mother, Mrs. Peabody and several other ladies. We have a good time. We play poker, listen to music, eat, drink a few beers and talk about the latest gossip in Horseshoe.”

“You drink beer?” All his life he’d never seen his mother drink any type of liquor, especially after what had happened to their father. She was against drinking, but she never told any of her sons to stop. They were grown men and she mostly tried to stay out of their lives.

“Is that against the law?”

“No. I’m just surprised.”

“You know, son, I’m entitled to get out every once in a while. I enjoy spending time with women with similar interests. We’re talking about visiting Graceland in the summer and I’m thinking of going. We need a driver, though. Are you available?” There was a smile in her voice, and he knew she was teasing him.

He shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to say no, but he would rather have his teeth pulled than drive several old ladies to Graceland. Being a dutiful son, he replied, “If you need me to.”

His mother laughed, and he realized he hadn’t heard her laugh in a long time. She spent all of her time worrying about the ranch and her sons. If she wanted to drink beer and visit Graceland, who was he to judge?

“Don’t worry, son. I’m the youngest in the group and I can drive us.”

“Are you sure?” He’d try to work it into his schedule if his mother needed him.

“I’ve hauled cattle all over this country and I think I can get us to Graceland.”

“Okay.” He stood and pulled five dollars out of his pocket and laid it on the desk. “From Miss Bertie for gas.”

“I forgot to tell you about that. I’m so glad you didn’t refuse it.”

“Mom, the woman was standing there with a shotgun in her hand. I wasn’t going to refuse too much.”

“I’m proud of you, son. You’re turning into a nice young man. I’m glad you put all that Lisa business behind you.”

Lisa? He still hadn’t called her, and that was the old Pax, avoiding a confrontation. To be the man he wanted to be, he had to call her and break it off—for good.

He turned to leave the room, but something in him needed to know. “What happened to Miss Bertie’s granddaughter? She looks ill.”

“I believe she was in a motorcycle accident.”

“Motorcycle? I don’t see her as a motorcycle chick.”

His mother lifted an eyebrow again, which all of her sons knew well. It meant she was either disappointed in what they’d done or what they’d said.

He tried hard not to fidget. “You know what I mean. Piercings, tattoos and leather. This girl is very slight and I can’t see her riding a motorcycle.”

“It was the boyfriend’s, I believe.” His mother studied his face and he wanted to squirm again. “Why are you so interested in Remington?”

“I’m not.” That was the truth. He was just...curious.

“We just went through this with Phoenix and Rosemary’s relationship. Even though I have accepted Rosie, I wouldn’t like to see another of my sons getting involved with a McCray.”

“Whoa.” He held up a hand. “There’s nothing like that going on. She’s not my type. When she found out I was a Rebel, it was like opening a freezer. Rest assured there’s nothing going on. I was just asking.”

“Are you sure?”

“Mom.”

She got up and walked around her desk to stand in front of him. She lightly touched his face. “I don’t think you realize just how handsome you are. This girl is very vulnerable right now and I wouldn’t like to see you hurt her in any way. Not that you would intentionally because I know you, and you have a big heart when it counts.”

He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with his mother. Avoiding a deep emotional conversation was his top priority when talking to his mother. He didn’t know what else to say, except the truth.

“Okay. I promise I won’t hurt her. I don’t see how that can happen since I’ve only had one conversation with her. And believe me, I’ll never forget that she’s Ezra McCray’s daughter.”

Chapter Three

For the next couple of days Paxton helped on the ranch and worked on his rodeo schedule. He and his friends had ridden in a rodeo in Louisiana and at the Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo. It was now February and he decided not to ride in as many rodeos as he had before. He was getting older and it had taken a toll on his body, so he would ride the big rodeos for the money and for a chance to make it to Las Vegas.

After a hard day of working cattle, he showered and sat on the sofa still going over his schedule. He lived with Jericho in the bunkhouse and they got along well. Jericho never caused trouble and was a good friend to the Rebels.

His brother Egan had met him in prison when Egan had been unjustly accused of a crime. He saved Egan’s life and they’d become fast friends. For saving her son’s life, their mother had offered him a job on the ranch and he had gladly taken it. He’d grown up on the streets in Houston and had been involved with gangs. But today he was a changed man and the Rebels trusted him completely.

They took turns doing chores around the house. Tonight Rico had kitchen duty. Since they used paper plates for convenience, it was mainly pots, pans and utensils. Pax looked up from his phone and thought he’d talk about something that had been on his mind. He could trust Rico not to say anything.

“I had this strange encounter with a woman.”

Rico folded a dishtowel and laid it on the counter. He was well over six feet tall with long hair tied into a ponytail at his neck. A scar was slashed down the side of his face that made him a little off-putting to most. His nationality was a mystery, but Egan had said he was part white, Mexican, black and Indian. He was an intimidating figure.

“You can forget it if you’re asking for advice. I don’t know a thing about women. I don’t think any man does.”

“No, I don’t want advice. I met this woman while I was in Port Aransas. She was sitting on the beach and couldn’t get up so I helped her and that seemed to make her mad. She didn’t even say thank you. It was very clear she was ill, but she kept insisting she was fine. Then I went over to haul Miss Bertie’s calves and found out she’s Miss Bertie’s granddaughter. And Ezra McCray’s daughter.”

“Man, don’t you see the sign? Stay Away is blinking in front of you.”

“I know. I know. I’m not interested in her or anything. I’m just curious as to why she won’t admit she’s ill.”

“What does it matter?”

Paxton shrugged. “There’s just something about her.”

“Oh, man, don’t you have enough girls chasing you around the rodeo circuit instead of getting involved with someone who’s gonna upset your mother?”

“I already told Mom about her.”

“What did she say?”

He cleared his throat. “Stay away from her.”

“Exactly. Listen to your mother, that’s all I’m going to say.”

They heard a little voice they knew well—Jake, Phoenix’s almost-three-year-old son.

A light tap sounded at the door and reminded Paxton of a rat scratching in a wall. He jumped up and yanked open the door. “Boo,” he shouted. Jake stumbled backward, giggling. Then he ran into Paxton’s arms, and Paxton swung him up into the air.

“You ’cared me.”

He noticed that Jake only had underwear and boots on and it was cold outside. “Where’s your clothes, buddy?”

Phoenix and Rosie, who were standing in the doorway, came inside. “Tell him, son.”

Jake looked down at his underwear. “I got underwear like Daddy’s. I’m a big boy.”

“We’re potty training,” Rosie said. With her red hair and sweet personality, Rosie was a gorgeous woman.

“I wasn’t aware Phoenix wore SpongeBob SquarePants underwear.”

“Don’t start.” Over the years, he and Phoenix had teased each other a lot, but of the two of them Phoenix was always the big jokester.

Paxton hugged Jake again. “I’m proud of you, buddy.”

Jake hugged him back. “Me big boy now.” Jake noticed Rico and held out his arms. Rico took him. “Lookie, Rico.” Jake pointed to his underwear.

“I see, big boy.”

Jake smiled. “Gotta go show Grandma.” He wiggled down and ran to Phoenix.

“We have to put on your coat,” Phoenix said.

“He wouldn’t wear his clothes.” Rosie helped Jake with his coat. “He wants everybody to see his underwear.”

Jake waved goodbye and Phoenix closed the door.

“Do you ever think of having kids, Rico?”

“Nah. I’m content the way I am.”

“I always thought I wouldn’t want kids. They’re a lot of work, but every time I hold Jake I get this feeling that it would be great to have a kid.”

Rico sank into his recliner. “That shouldn’t be much of a problem for you.”

“I want to fall in love first.”

Rico clicked on the TV. “Now that could be a problem.”

“You don’t think I can fall in love?”

“I think this discussion has gone on long enough.” He turned up the TV, and Paxton walked into his room. His cell buzzed with a message. He looked at the name. Lisa.

It was time to cowboy-up and do the right thing—the mature thing. He touched her name and her cell rang. She answered right away.

“Oh, teddy bear, I knew you’d call. I knew you’d realize we belong together.”

“No, that’s not why I’m calling.” He took a deep breath. “I thought you would get the message if I didn’t answer your calls, but evidently the message has eluded you. When we broke up two years ago, it was final. It’s still final for me.”

“I know I was a bitch back then, but I’ve changed and I know what I want. I want you in my life.”

“I’m sorry, Lisa. That’s not going to happen.”

“Have you found someone else?”

He started to lie and put an end to this. But again, that would be the old Paxton and he was working very hard to change his bad habits. “No. It’s just the way I feel. Please don’t call me again.”

“Paxton, baby. You don’t mean that.”

“Goodbye, Lisa. I wish you the best.” He clicked off and blocked her number from his phone. It was over and it wasn’t as bad as he’d thought it would be. Maybe he should buy some SpongeBob SquarePants underwear, too.

* * *

THE NEXT MORNING in the office, Falcon was doling out orders.

“Mr. Busby wants ten heifers. He picked them out two days ago. Elias was with me so he’ll remember which heifers to load.”

“What?” Elias sat up straight in his chair.

“Those heifers we looked at the other day with Mr. Busby. Did you lose your memory?”

“Oh, yeah. Got it.” Paxton knew Elias and he knew every cow and calf on the ranch. He was just jacking with Falcon. Elias leaned over and whispered loudly to Paxton, “All heifers look alike, right?”

“You’re an idiot.”

Their mother’s cell rang before Falcon could figure out what Elias was saying. She clicked off and looked at Quincy. “That was Miss Bertie. She wants to know if you can help her with a cow whose udder is too big for the calf to suck. It was born last night and she’s wants to get it to the pen, but the cow keeps charging her.”

“I don’t mind helping Miss Bertie, Mom,” Quincy said. “But I don’t want to get too far away from Jenny. Her dad and sister are over there now and she made me leave the house for a while. I want to be nearby in case she goes into premature labor.”

Paxton stood. “I’ll go.”

Everyone, including Elias, who had his hat pulled over his face and was teetering on the two back legs of his chair, looked at him. Grandpa’s mouth fell open and everyone seemed to be speechless.

“What? I can’t be neighborly and helpful?”

“It’s just something we’ve never seen before,” Egan said.

“Kind of like Phoenix doing a full day’s work. It’s just something you don’t see too often.” Elias was always cruising for a fight, but today he wasn’t going to get one.

Phoenix threw his arm around Elias’s shoulders. “And like Elias being stone-cold sober all day.”

“Enough with the joking around.” Falcon frowned. “We have work to do. Paxton will help Miss Bertie and the rest of you will saddle up and bring those heifers to the corral to load. Elias and Jude will deliver them. After that, there’s feeding to do.”

His brothers filed out of the office. Falcon followed, still dishing out orders. As Rico passed Paxton, he slapped him on the back. “Didn’t see the sign, did you?”

No one heard Rico but Paxton. He knew he was acting out of character, but he was going to get her sea-green eyes out of his head. One more encounter should do it.

“Want me to go with you?” Grandpa asked. “I’ve known Bertie all my life and she’s a handful. Always was. In school she was tough as leather and still is. But boy, she could dance the soles right off her shoes.”

“I got it, Grandpa, but thanks.”

Grandpa slowly pushed to his feet, and Paxton noticed, maybe for the first time, that Grandpa was slowing down. It was hard to see someone you love getting older, but Grandpa had so much vinegar in him he was going to last a long time.

“Good. I’m going over to see Jenny.”

“Abe, don’t you think you bother them enough? Let Jenny rest.” It was well-known that their mother and grandfather didn’t get along and it was a strain on all of them, but somehow they managed to live on the same property and keep the anger from boiling over. It had to do with their father’s death. They blamed each other when the only person to blame was John Rebel himself. Paxton didn’t want to think about his father and quickly switched his thoughts to the conversation at hand.

“I can visit Jenny anytime I want.”

“Suit yourself.”

Grandpa stomped out.

His mother glanced at him. “Thank you, son, for helping. I appreciate it. You might take a horse. Bertie doesn’t have one anymore.”

“I will.”

“Son?”

He turned back.

“This isn’t about the granddaughter, is it?”

He looked into his mom’s worried eyes and something like fear uncurled in his stomach. “Why are you so worried about me and Remi?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. You’re just so charming and girls fall for you.”

He didn’t know what to say to that, but he was old enough to make his own decisions, even though it might disappoint his mother.

Chapter Four

When Paxton crossed the cattle guard with the trailer clanging behind him, first thing he noticed was Remi standing at the edge of the corral. She seemed to be holding on to it, huddled in a blue coat with the hood over her head. Much as the first time he’d seen her. Her dog was at her feet.

In the distance near a pond he could see Miss Bertie with a stick in her hand trying to shoo a red-and-white-faced cow with a baby calf toward the pen, but she wasn’t having any luck.

He parked the truck and got out. Remi came toward him, holding on to the dog’s collar. It hit him for the first time that she used the dog for balance.

“Could you please help my grandmother? The cow is going to hurt her and she won’t listen to me. She’s so stubborn.”

He tipped his hat. “It must be genetic.”

“What do you mean by that?” Her eyes narrowed.

He unlatched the trailer gate with more force than necessary and then pulled the ramp down so he could unload Romeo. A few years ago Falcon had bought several young geldings and Egan and Jude had broken them. They both had a soft voice that animals reacted to. Paxton liked the chestnut-colored horse with a white blaze on his face and had asked to keep it. Phoenix had named it Romeo and it had stuck. He had turned out to be a great quarter horse.

Paxton placed his boot in the stirrup and swung into the saddle. Mostly, he was avoiding answering her question. “Whatever you want it to mean,” he replied, and rode toward Miss Bertie.

* * *

“HOW RUDE.” REMI watched him ride away and had the urge to throw something at his straight back. But her temper soon cooled as she continued to watch him. He had to be the most handsome cowboy she’d ever seen. The most handsome man, too. He was rugged, strong and charismatic in a way she couldn’t explain because most of the time she just wanted to smack him. Maybe because he reminded her of things she’d forgotten—the touch of a man, the feel of a man’s hands on her body and a masculine scent that took her away to a beautiful place. It had all been snatched from her and she would never...

She shook her head. What was she doing? She couldn’t go back so she had to go forward. But just looking at Mr. Paxton Rebel made her aware that she was still very much alive.

He rode up to her grandmother and they were talking, but it seemed more like they were arguing. Her grandmother waved the stick at him and then stomped to the corral with Memphis on her heels. Remi’s eyes were glued to the cowboy and she wondered what he’d do to get the cow in the pen.

He removed a rope from the saddle horn and made a large loop. Swinging it above his head, he rode toward the cow, yelling, “Hi ya! Hi ya!”

The cow threw up her head, refusing to budge. He popped her with the rope and she spun in a circle and tried to charge him, but once again he stung her with the rope. The cow licked the calf and slowly started walking toward the corral. Halfway there she turned and tried to charge the horse, but the cowboy used the rope to guide the cow toward the open gate that Gran was holding.

Once the cow and calf were inside, Gran closed the gate, and the cowboy dismounted and jumped across the fence as if it was no more than a twig.

Gran shook the stick at him. “Let me tell you something, sonny boy, no man tells me what to do.”

“Yes, ma’am.” His voice was laced with sarcasm, but Gran didn’t seem to notice. She was intent on doing things her way.

“Good. Now let’s take care of this cow. Remi, open the chute.”

What! To do that she would have to climb over the fence and she knew she couldn’t. What did she do?

She looked up and stared into the cowboy’s dark caramel eyes and saw his concern for her.

“I got it. I’m closer.” He marched over and opened the chute, inches away from her.

“Thank you,” she breathed hoarsely.

“Aw. The lady knows the words.” The corners of his mouth turned into a smile and it was lethal to her emotional state. Her heart raced and her hands were clammy. Suddenly, she was hot. She pushed the hood from her head and unbuttoned her coat. She’d never had this experience before and she rather liked it. Only for a moment. She couldn’t be attracted to Paxton Rebel.

“Are you gonna help me or what?” Gran shouted.

In minutes they had the cow in the chute, and Paxton shoved the little calf in butt-first so he was facing the udder. It was swollen and the teats stuck out filled with milk.

Gran had a stool and a bucket and began to milk the cow. It sounded like rain on a tin roof. Paxton slid into the chute with the calf. Once the teats were smaller Paxton pushed the calf’s face toward the udder. The little thing searched for food, but still wasn’t latching on.

Paxton looked at her. “Reach in and pull a teat toward his mouth.”

“Huh. Okay.” She reached into the space between the boards and found a teat. It felt like a tight rubber glove filled with water.

“Squeeze it into his mouth,” Paxton said.

“I don’t know how to milk.”

“Just squeeze it.”

She did and milk squirted onto the calf’s face and he stuck his tongue out. She squeezed it again, and he caught the teat and began to suck.

“He’s sucking!” she shouted, excited. The calf was in full control so she let go and stroked his head and back. “He’s so cute. His red hair even has a curl to it. I think I’ll call him Curly.”

“We’re not naming this calf,” Gran snapped. “You don’t name animals you plan to sell, and this one will be sold in the fall to help pay taxes.”

“Oh, Gran.”

Gran stood, shaking her head. “City girls. You just can’t change ’em. Now I’m going to the house to fix lunch. We’ll have hot biscuits and gravy and fried chicken. Remi, help Handsome finish up. There’s square bales in the barn. Give her enough to keep her happy.”

Paxton opened the chute and the cow backed out, the little calf following her, eager to suck.

“It’s barely nine o’clock. Why is she fixing lunch so early?” He leaped over the fence and stood next to her, within touching distance. The cold air was suddenly warm. Too warm.

Her throat went dry. “She, uh, has to kill a chicken first and take the feathers off and whatever.”

“You’re kidding. Nobody does that anymore. I remember my grandma doing that when I was kid, but I thought these days everyone got their chicken at the grocery store or already fried at the chicken place.”

“Gran does everything from scratch, the old way.”

“Well, I don’t have time to stay for lunch. I have work to do at the ranch.” He started toward the barn and then stopped. “I thought you were supposed to help.”

“Oh, oh.” She walked toward him, holding on to Sadie, not knowing what she could do to help him.

Paxton nodded toward the dog. “You use her for balance, don’t you?”

She refused to answer as she followed him into the barn. A pungent hay scent filled the air. He cut the strings on a bale and gathered a block in his hands.

“I’d ask you to carry this, but I know you can’t.”

“You don’t have to be mean about it.”

He sighed. “I’m not. I’m just curious as to why you don’t want your grandmother to know you’re not as strong as you should be.” He walked out of the barn with the hay and she followed more slowly. Leaning on the fence, she watched as he laid the hay on the ground. The cow immediately began to eat.

She loved watching him. His actions were effortless and she knew the muscles beneath his winter coat had to be custom-made from hard work. Gran had said that he was a bull rider. To do that he had to stay in shape and just looking at him she knew that he did.

A honking sound echoed through the landscape and Remi looked up to see Canada geese landing on the pond. “Look, geese.” She slowly headed toward the pond and Paxton caught up with her.

“What’s so special about the geese?”

She sat on the small weather-worn bench Gran had put there to sit and feed the geese and ducks. Paxton sat beside her. Maybe just a little too close. Hay, milk and the musky scent of male surrounded her. She didn’t know why she was so aware of him and she had to stop torturing herself.

“It’s nice out here by the pond,” he said.

Large live oak trees shaded the pond on the right, their heavy branches just inches from the water. The air was fresh and invigorating. A peacefulness came over Remi.

“Yes, it’s nice.” Her eyes met the caramel sweetness of his and she knew she was fighting a losing battle.

Finally, he asked again, “What’s so special about the geese?”

She pointed to two geese on the other side of the pond. “That’s Henry and Henrietta, otherwise known as Henny.”

“It looks like one of them has a broken wing. It’s almost dragging the ground.”

“That’s Henny. Gran said a bobcat attacked her, but she managed to get away. She can’t fly anymore so this is home now. Gran was worried Henry would fly away and leave Henny here by herself, but Henry has never left her side. Canada geese mate for life. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Unbelievable.”

She scooted a little farther away from him. He was so close she was feeling breathless. “Yeah. It would be nice if humans could get it right, but there’s more divorce now than ever.”

“Mmm.” He leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees. “I don’t want to be nosy, but what happened to you?”

“It’s a long story.” She ran her hand down the thigh of her jogging pants and wondered if he was someone she could confide in.

“I got time.”

“You said earlier you had to work,” she reminded him.

“Aw, that’s just to get away from Miss Bertie. She’s a character.”

“Yes, but she can be lovable, too.”

“I’ll take your word for that.”

The geese squawked on the pond, flapping their wings and ducking their heads into the water. It was peaceful and comforting and she felt as if they were the only two people in the world.

“So what happened?” He was prodding her, but in a nice way.

“My parents are very protective of me. It’s smothering sometimes. I wasn’t even two years old when my mom left Horseshoe and she didn’t come back for a whole year. Gran came to see us in Houston and she complained all the time that it was ridiculous Mom couldn’t bring me to visit her. Eventually we started visiting, but we never left the ranch. I guess my mom was afraid of running into Uncle Ira. They had a big fight over Ruger. It even went to court, and since Ruger was eleven, the judge let him decide where he wanted to live and he chose my uncle. My mom was devastated. I’ve called Ruger many times and he’s always tells me to stay away. He’s my brother and I’d like to have some sort of connection with him, but Uncle Ira controls him.”

She took a deep breath and realized she was rambling on like a girl on a first date.

“So your relationship with your brother and the rest of the family is strained.”

“Yes, you could say that.” She watched the geese play on the water. “My mom remarried two years later, and Nathan Roberts adopted me. He’s the only dad I’ve ever known. My mom refuses to talk about Ezra McCray. Everything I know I’ve learned from Gran and she tends to exaggerate. I do know he wasn’t a very nice person, though, because he beat my mother.”

“Everything I’ve heard is bad, too, so maybe you were better off not knowing him.”

She turned to look at him. “Does it feel strange for you and me to be talking?”

“No. Why?”

“Your father killed my biological father.”

“That could be a stumbling block, but it was a tragedy and it’s in the past. That’s the way I look at it. I mean, I didn’t kill your father and you didn’t kill my father. I think it’s time for everyone to move on.”

“Yeah.” She kicked at the grass with her sneaker. “It’s hard sometimes and I know my mother thinks about it constantly. She hates visiting Horseshoe, but I’m happy she allowed me to come and stay with Gran during the summers. I’m glad I know my grandmother, even if she’s a little eccentric.”

“Is that what she is?” His lips twitched into a smile and she found herself smiling back.

“Yes, she is, and she likes you, so count that as a blessing.”

“It’s hard to believe Miss Bertie and my mom are friends. I didn’t even know about the Elvis club.”

“I think it’s nice to stay young in your heart.”

“Mmm. I think the feud is fading in some ways.”

“Why do you say that?” she asked.

“My brother Phoenix married Rosemary McCray in December.”

“Gran told me and I thought it was awesome. She also said that Uncle Ira had disowned Rosemary.”

“Yes. He married her off to a man twice her age and he abused her. Finally she had the courage to get out and make a life for herself, and still Ira wouldn’t accept her back into the family.”

“She’s my first cousin and I’d love to meet her. Gran said I have lots of cousins and I haven’t met any of them.”

“I can tell you for certain that Rosie—that’s what everyone calls her—would love to meet you. She’s that kind of person, sweet, loving and giving. And beautiful.”

“Do you have a crush on her?”

He laughed out loud and the sound echoed through the trees. The geese squawked and flapped around in the water at the interruption. It was in the forties, but his laugh warmed her through and through.

“The Rebel boys made a pact a long time ago to stay away from each other’s girlfriends. Actually, it was something our father told us to do—to never go against our brothers.”

He scooted on the bench to face her. “I think you’re avoiding telling me what happened to you. You’ve talked around it, but you haven’t actually said why you’re so weak.”

She clasped her hands in her lap. “Maybe because it makes me sound impulsive and immature.”

He poked a finger into his chest. “You’re looking at Mr. Immature.”

“I can’t believe that. You always seem so confident and in control.”

“Oh, man, I used to think that way, too. There’s nothing like being knocked off my pedestal. I’ve led a pretty selfish life riding the rodeo circuit, drinking and partying. And then there were the girls.”

“I can imagine.”

“Okay, don’t get snotty. What I’m going to tell you is going to change the way you think of me.”

“How do you know I think about you?” She blinked. “Oh, you think I might have a crush on you because every girl you meet does.”

He frowned. “No, it’s not that. It’s about immaturity. My immaturity.”

She settled back and listened.

“I had this high school girlfriend and we dated for years and then I started riding the circuit and we didn’t see each other that often. And then there were a lot of girls all chasing after me. I cheated on Jenny and slept with other girls. I felt bad about it and told her and you know what she did?”

“I don’t have a clue.”

“She forgave me.”

“She must really love you to be that forgiving.”

“I lost my father about the same time Jenny lost her mother and we had a connection because of that. We consoled each other and cried together, but it wasn’t love. Jenny and I were just best friends. I met this actress in Los Angeles and I asked her to marry me. And I didn’t tell Jenny. She was devastated with the news. I was a jackass because I couldn’t tell her the truth.”

“You’re a jerk.”

His eyes crinkled mischievously. “Oh, but this has a happy ending.”

Was he married? She hadn’t even thought of that. She’d swallowed hard. “She forgave you again.”

“No. There’s just so much a woman will take and Jenny had reached her limit. My brother Quincy was there to console her.”

“I thought you said the Rebel boys didn’t—”

“Yeah, but in this instance it was right. They fell in love, and when I found out, I acted like a fool and hit Quincy. Now, if you knew Quincy you’d know he has a soft heart, but he wasn’t going to walk away and let me have Jenny. The truth is Jenny didn’t want me anymore and I realized I didn’t want her, either. We just kept holding on to that relationship for some reason and it wasn’t working. We both knew that and we finally said goodbye. Quincy and Jenny got married and they’re expecting their first child in March.”

The relief she felt at his words was insane. Why would she care that he wasn’t married? She couldn’t imagine any woman giving up Paxton, though. He was just too charming and handsome. But what woman enjoyed being cheated on? Remi certainly didn’t. Her dream man was a cad. And a Rebel.

He leaned closer. “So, you see, I win on the immaturity thing, but I’ve turned over a new leaf and I’m trying to make better decisions for the future. Do you think a bad boy can change?”

She met the gleam in his eyes with a strength she didn’t know she possessed. There was something about the mischief deep in his eyes that changed her whole way of thinking. But she had enough sense not to let it show.

“No.”

Chapter Five

The word slid across Paxton’s cheek like a chunk of ice. Cold. Cold. Cold. The woman didn’t have a sense of humor.

“Hey, I was just kidding.”

“I wasn’t.” The temperature of her voice dropped another degree.

He studied her face, the tight lips and the frosty eyes. “You really believe the guy who helped you to your feet in Port Aransas is a bad guy?”

“I think you’re a charmer and a ladies’ man.”

“Listen, I know I’ve lived a rough life, but I’m trying to change. I would think you’d at least give me the benefit of the doubt.”

“What does it matter what I think? We’ll never see each other again.”

She was right. What did it matter?

“You’re right. We’re two strangers talking, but I’ve been doing most of the talking. You’ve talked about everything except what happened to you. What happened?”

She wrapped her arms around her waist as if to ward off the memories.

“I know it was a motorcycle accident.” He didn’t know why he was pushing it, but he wanted her to talk and share something about her life.

Her eyes were enormous in her pale face. “How do you know that?”

He saw no reason not to be honest. “My mother told me.”

“You asked or was it a topic of conversation?”

He rubbed his hands together. “I asked because I was curious as to why a girl stubbornly refuses to admit she’s not completely well.”

She pulled her coat tighter around her. “You know, you’re very pushy.”

“And charming.” He smiled his best smile and her lips twitched. Maybe she did have a sense of humor.

“Mmm. It’s a long story and you said you have to get back to work.”

He stretched out his legs and crossed his boots at the ankles. “I’ve decided to take some time.”

“You’re not going to stop, are you?”

“Probably not.”

“Since you were so nice opening the chute and helping me in Port Aransas, I’ll tell you. But I want you to know I’m not completely stupid. I had my phone and was going to call the hotel to ask for help.”

“That’s good to know.” But his guess was she would have struggled for hours before doing that.

“I told you my parents are very protective. They don’t seem to think I can live my life on my own and I’ve tried hard to be independent. I have my own apartment, a good job, and I don’t take any money from them. But they still can’t help trying to take care of me.”

She shoved her hands into her pockets as if the next part was difficult. “I was dating this guy, Chuck, and my parents didn’t like him. We were arguing about it one day at my apartment when I was getting ready to go out with him. Finally, I ran out the door and jumped on the back of his motorcycle and we sped off—to hell.”

She drew a deep breath. “Riding away I felt selfish and immature like a fifteen-year-old. Instead of talking to my parents like an adult, I was running away. I wanted to go back and apologize. That’s when I smelled the pot. I asked Chuck to stop so I could get off. He just laughed.”

She took another quick breath. “It started to rain and the motorcycle hit a patch of oil and hydroplaned. All I remember was the screaming and the pain. I woke up in a hospital a week later with my Mom, Dad and Gran around my bed. They looked so worried and I didn’t understand what was going on for a second and then it all came rushing back.”

He waited for her to continue, but she didn’t. She seemed locked in that moment as if she was reliving all the pain and he hated now that he had pushed her.

“You don’t have to tell me anymore,” he said quietly.

She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I just have these waves of thinking maybe I do need my parents to watch over me. And then I remember I’m a grown woman and I can’t stay their little girl forever. I have to live my own life even if I make big mistakes. And I’m paying for that mistake.”

She took a moment. “When I learned about my injuries, I couldn’t believe it. I had a broken collarbone, a fractured arm, my ribs were fractured. There were internal injuries, too. But the worst injury was to my left leg. The motorcycle landed on my leg, burned and crushed my knee. The surgeon wanted to amputate above the knee and my father, who’s a hospital administrator, called in a more qualified orthopedic surgeon. He did a total knee replacement and ran a rod up my thighbone and into my shinbone to hold the knee in place. It worked and I’d never been so happy in my whole life.”

She paused again. “A lot of the muscle above my knee was gone and we waited to see if more tissue would grow back. Some did. They did skin grafts to help close the wound. Then I had to wait for the wound to heal. After many weeks, they finally stood me up. It was painful, but I made myself do it. Every day I got a little better and I kept hoping I would one day be back to normal. I’d gotten a miracle and I was grateful for that. I knew my leg would never be the way it was, but at least I had my leg. I will never be able to wear a bathing suit or high heels or shorts again, though.”

“Does that matter?”

She lifted an eyebrow. “To an almost-twenty-eight-year-old woman it does. But I can’t go back and change things so I have to accept the way things are.”

He reached out to touch her cheek. She didn’t pull away or seem infuriated that he dared to touch her. It was just an impulse and in her eyes he saw she understood. “I think you’re awesome with or without high heels or skimpy shorts.”

“You’re flirting.” Her lips turned into a refreshing smile.

“Yeah.” He sat up straight. “I’m a master at that.”

“Mmm.” A flurry of honking made her look toward the pond, where the geese were beginning to fight. “Henry’s letting them know he’s boss.” The geese flapped their wings, batting at each other like boxers, stirring up the water.

Paxton watched them for a minute, until Henry swam to shore to sit near Henny. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve had to go through.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, not looking at him.

“I’m still curious about a couple of things. Why are your parents so protective of you?”

“When my mom left Horseshoe with me, she was so afraid Uncle Ira would try to kidnap me because he refused to let Ruger go with us. I think she still fears one day he’ll take me away from her like he did my brother.”

“After all these years, I doubt it.”

“My mom and I don’t talk about it anymore. She gets so upset as I don’t agree with her point of view. I didn’t live through all the pain and I tell her all the time that I’m an adult now and I can stay or go anywhere I want.”

“Good for you.”

The wind had picked up and again she gathered her coat closer around her. “Did I answer all your questions?” she asked mischievously.

It was good to see her in a better mood and her smile was infectious, making him forget what he wanted to ask her. Almost. “No. I still don’t understand why it’s hard for you to admit you’re not completely well.”

She shifted nervously on the bench. “I told you it was a long story.”

“I’m listening.”

“My best friend was Holly. We went to grade school and high school together, but we went to different colleges and lost touch for a while. She got married and I was dating. After college I started applying for jobs, and I got one at a small private school as a pre-K teacher. It was ironic that Holly was also a pre-K teacher in that same school. We were so excited to see each other again and became inseparable. Her husband was in the marines and was gone all the time. We spent most evenings together going over our classroom plans or going out to eat or walking for exercise. I helped her decorate a nursery and she was ecstatic that Derek was going to come home for the birth.”

Remi took a long breath. “When I was in the hospital, she came every day to see me. I went home the day before Thanksgiving and she still came all the way out to my parents’ house to visit. Then one day she didn’t come. I thought she had to run errands or something. The next day she didn’t come, either, and I asked my mom to check on her. My mom and dad walked into my room and I knew something was wrong by the expressions on their faces. My mom said Holly had died.”

She bit her lip and then continued. “Derek had been killed on his last mission in Afghanistan. When Holly got the news, she collapsed and went into labor. There were complications after delivering the baby, and she died. But then there was the baby. She was going to name her Anne, and call her Annie, after her mother, who had passed away when Holly was ten. The baby—” she took a gulp of air “—had a congenital heart defect that required surgery. I was there every day for Annie because I knew Holly would want me to be. I sat in a chair by her incubator and talked to her and told her about her parents and how much they loved and wanted her.”

She gulped another breath. “Then one day a lady from Child Protective Services came to speak to me. She said since they couldn’t find a relative to take Annie, she’d become a ward of the state and they were putting her up for adoption. At that moment I knew I wanted to be Annie’s mother. Holly would have wanted that and I told the lady so. I contacted an attorney and filled out the appropriate forms, but my attorney told me not to get my hopes up because CPS was going to look at everything, especially my health. I would have to be completely well and able to care for Annie. The only problem was Annie got well before I did. I’m still in therapy and I didn’t want anyone at the hospital to know that. So I say I’m fine. I have to be. I can’t lose Annie.”

Paxton now understood and wanted to take her in his arms and hold her. He’d never seen such a fighting spirit in one person. Not only was she fighting for herself, but for a little girl who needed a home.

Before he could say anything, she started speaking again. “They’ve started the adoption process and my lawyer got a call from CPS. They asked for me to stay away from the hospital for a few days because couples were going to be visiting with Annie. You see, Annie already knows me and she gets excited when she sees me.”

“Can’t they see that?” he asked.

“It doesn’t matter. I have to be healthy to be a mother, as I’m told. I’m doing everything I can to make that happen, but I’m so afraid they’ll give Annie to someone else.”

He leaned forward, his eyes on her. “Are you prepared for that?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m not. I know in my heart that Annie belongs with me.”

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