Last Chance Texas, page 15
“I’m dead serious about this, Kelsey—”
“No, Dad, please don’t do this.” Her tone was one of pleading now as she jumped from the sofa, backed up several feet, and began glaring at him. “When I was in Alpine I got to know Nathan very well.”
“How well?” Brian felt his eyebrows arching as he stared at his daughter.
Kelsey hung her head and began tracing the rim of her beer can with an index finger. “It doesn’t matter, Daddy. Not really. Since he doesn’t want children, I’m not interested in him.”
“You talked about having children with this man?” Brian didn’t even try to hide his shock.
“It just came up, Daddy. And when I realized Nathan doesn’t want kids, I dumped him.”
“Good on you, Pumpkin. Glad you’ve got your head screwed on straight. There are plenty of fine men out our way. No need to get involved with some backward hick from West Texas.”
Kelsey shot him an angry look, so Brian decided to hold his tongue about this Wainwright guy. “Come on, Dad. You don’t need to make Nathan out to be the village idiot because he’s not. He’s highly educated. In fact, he’s a large animal vet.”
“He’s trying to steal your land.”
“Yes. He is.” There was pain in his daughter’s voice, and as a father, he suspected there was much about Nathan Wainwright his daughter wasn’t telling him. Still, she was all grown up now, capable of making her own decisions. And as much as he wanted to protect her, he needed to let her fly.
“I can’t stop you from going out to Alpine, Kelsey. But I’ll be paying you a visit from time to time.”
“Rachel will be out there a lot of the time. She’s met someone.”
“Musta been one hell of a trip!” When Kelsey laughed so hard at his comment that she snorted, Brian breathed a sigh of relief. The old Kelsey was back.
“I’d better go, Daddy. I’ll be leaving for Alpine in a couple of days. If you and Mom want to drop by once I’m settled, that’d be great.”
“After she’s over her hissy fit.”
“Yeah, that.” Kelsey smiled and wrinkled her nose.
Brian reached over, giving her another hug. He could tell from the way she sighed, coming here to share her news had proven difficult. He hoped his daughter knew what she was getting herself into. He’d known enough single mothers to know it’d be a long haul. Still, Kelsey had always wanted children. And losing that baby nearly five years ago had just about done her in.
He felt a rush of adrenalin as her news sank in. Within a year, he and Eleanor would be grandparents. It’d all work out. Somehow. It just had to.
By the time Kelsey stood up to leave, Eleanor still hadn’t come to her senses. Brian walked his daughter to her car, reassuring her that the decision she made about the baby was the right thing to do. Going out to West Texas again, well, that was another matter.
They hugged one last time before she climbed into her car. He thought of that commercial where the dad watches his little girl at the steering wheel, and by the time he hands her the keys to drive, she’s turned into a young woman. He choked back his emotions, wondering when he’d be able to think of his little girl as a grown-up.
Kelsey rolled down her window and motioned him over. “Daddy - go get Mom. I can’t bear the thought of leaving without saying goodbye.”
He nodded and smiled, pleased that Kelsey was reaching out to her mother. “I’ll be right back, Kelsey—wait here.” He raced back into the house to find Eleanor—grateful that, once again, his daughter was extending the olive branch.
~ ~ ~
Eleanor barely set foot outside when Kelsey strode up the sidewalk. “Mom, I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye. I know you’re upset with me for springing the in vitro on you like this, but I hope you’ll keep an open mind.”
Eleanor opened her arms and Kelsey ran up to her, hugging her tightly. She stroked her daughter’s hair, just as she’d done countless times during Kelsey’s childhood. Despite her reservations, she’d support her daughter’s decision about the in vitro.
“Oh, Kelsey, I know I can be a tough old bird at times.”
“That’s not true, Mom. Stop being so hard on yourself.” Kelsey released her after she spoke and began smoothing Eleanor’s hair. Kelsey touched Eleanor’s cheek and stroked it with the pad of her thumb. “You look tired Mom. Is everything okay?”
“I just need time to process everything, honey. To be honest, I’d planned on becoming a grandmother in a more traditional way.”
Kelsey smiled weakly, but when she spoke, there was resolve in her voice. “I’m thirty-six, Mom. I’m not going to meet my prince charming and live happily ever after. I need to do what I can to create my own happiness. More than anything, I want a child. All I’m asking is that you accept and support my decision.”
“I always take a while to come to terms with things, Kelsey. You know that about me. But I promise to do my best to get used to the idea. It may take some time, but I promise you that your father and I will always be here for you.”
“I love you both so much. You’re the best parents in the world.” Kelsey squeezed her so tightly she nearly lost her breath. As they hugged, Eleanor felt her opposition to the idea fading. Her daughter would be the most amazing mother in the world. Did it really matter how she went about it?
“I should probably head back inside.”
“It’s so good seeing you and Daddy again. I promise to drop by more often.” Kelsey released her grip and began walking toward the vehicle again.
“Be sure and text your dad or me when you get home, honey.”
“I will, Mom. Love you both.” Kelsey climbed into her car and fastened her seat belt. As she waved goodbye, Eleanor sighed.
At some point, Kelsey would have to know the truth about Mimi. The secret they’d kept from her would eventually leak out. But, for now it could wait. Kelsey had a lot on her mind right now. Yes, it could wait.
~ ~ ~
Elizabeth Wainwright grimaced as she watched Nathan trudge up to the front porch. She’d called him under false pretenses, insisting she needed help clearing out her attic. While he’d agreed to drop by, he’d made a point of telling her over the phone he didn’t have much time to spare.
Opening the door, she held out her arms for a hug. When he simply gave her a peck on the cheek, she realized her request had annoyed him.
“Mom, I’m already behind on some errands. I’ve got to deliver some hay to the Randalls and pick up that dewormer for the horses.”
“This won’t take long. I just have a few things I thought you might want. I’m going to have the Salvation Army pick up some of this, but I . . .” She felt herself stop mid sentence, unable to continue. When she held out two flannel shirts her husband, Matthew, had worn threadbare, she choked on her words. “Daddy loved these. He never could get rid of something you gave him. Remember when you gave him these for his birthday?”
“Yeah, I do.” Nathan’s gray eyes glistened as he reached out, running a hand across the row of buttons on one of the shirts. “Dad was one helluva guy, wasn’t he?”
“So are you, son.”
Nathan looked away, a sign he wasn’t all that comfortable having this conversation. “I don’t consider myself half the man Dad was.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“Ma, I really don’t have much time. We’d better get going on cleaning out the attic.”
She touched his arm gently. “I’m afraid I’ve called you here under false pretenses.”
“Just why did you call me out here if it wasn’t to clean out the attic?”
“There’s a nice lady from church I want you to meet. She’ll be here in an hour. I hope you don’t mind.”
His eyes blazed, a clear indication he was furious with her for playing matchmaker, just as she suspected he’d be. “You never give up on this, do you?”
“She’s just the loveliest woman, Nathan. I wish you’d give her a chance.”
“I will not.” He flopped down on a chair, straddling it. His mouth twisted into a scowl, and he was gripping the back of the chair so tightly she feared he’d break it.
“You’re not meeting people, son. You work twelve hours a day and have little time for fun. That’s not natural. No wonder you’re not meeting eligible women.”
“For your information, I did meet someone.”
When she opened her mouth to respond, he scowled and began raking his hands through his hair. “I shouldn’t have told you that.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“Don’t get your hopes up, Mom. It didn’t work out. But at least I’m trying here. So you can stop worrying about me. I’m nearly forty-three. I can take perfect care of myself.”
“Let’s back up for a minute, Nathan. You said you met someone and it didn’t work out. What happened?”
She waited several seconds for Nathan to answer her question. He busied himself with the buttons on his father’s flannel shirts, twisting them. The man could be a complete mule at times.
Aware her son would need a great deal of prodding, Elizabeth did her best to weasel the truth out of him. “Son, why didn’t it work out?”
“Because it just didn’t.” Nathan looked away, and when she saw the muscles in his neck tighten, she realized how upset he was. He’d always gotten that same angry expression when he was a kid, the look that told you to back off.
“It didn’t work out because the woman I met is Mimi O’Leary’s niece. That’s why.”
Elizabeth gasped at the news. Of all the people to meet, her son had finally run into some of Mimi’s kin. Her heart skipped several beats as she considered how thrilled Mimi would have been at the prospect of the young people getting together.
But her excitement was squelched by Nathan’s next remark. “Her name is Kelsey. Kelsey Malone. To tell you the truth, I kind of liked her—until I found out she’s trying to claim Mimi’s land.”
“You’ve been keeping that property up for years, Nathan.”
“Apparently, that doesn’t matter to her.” Nathan’s gray eyes clouded as he spoke, and Elizabeth wondered if his feelings toward this woman were stronger than he cared to admit.
“How could she possibly have rights to that property after all this time? Why Mimi’s been gone for nearly five years.”
“Because Mimi willed it to her, that’s why. Why the hell Mimi would give ten acres away to someone who couldn’t care less about living here escapes me. Why would Mimi go and do that?”
“You’re cursing a lot, son. This isn’t like you.”
“Sorry.”
“I’m sure Mimi had her reasons.”
“Well, I’m not about to give up that land without a fight. I can tell you that much.” He was glaring at her, as though angry she might be siding with Mimi. She waited for him to continue. But instead, he stared out the kitchen window, a clear indicator he was done talking about it.
“How are you going to stop Kelsey from getting the land?”
“It won’t be as hard as you think, Ma. I’ve been paying the taxes on the property for almost five years. I also paid some back taxes that Mimi owned. In a few months I’ll own it. Kelsey apparently isn’t taking the Squatter’s Rights law very seriously. Of course, that’s to my advantage. The less she knows, the better my chances are to get the property.”
“Nathan, isn’t that stealing?”
Her comment seemed to send him over the top. Thrusting the flannel shirts back in her arms, he bolted from the chair and began racing toward the door. “I’m done talking about this. I’m a grown man, and I don’t have to defend what I’m doing to anyone.”
Elizabeth gasped at the rude remark and took her son to task. “Nathan Wainwright! Don’t you dare use that tone with me! Now I generally side with you because you’re my son, but in this case, I’m not sure how I feel about what you’re doing. Your father would never have done this-taken the land from someone else. You were raised better.”
“I told you I’m nothing like Dad. Quit putting me up on a damn pedestal. I can’t live up to your expectations. Hell, I can’t even live up to mine.”
Elizabeth looked over at the son she and Matthew had raised. A son, up until now, she’d been enormously proud of. But right now, the way he was handling the O’Leary property deeply disappointed her. Sure, he could justify it because he desperately needed the money to send Maura away to college. But knowing Nathan, he’d hate himself in the end for taking what wasn’t his.
When he let himself out, she didn’t try to stop him.
Chapter 12
As Nathan tossed several extra bales of hay in the bed of his pickup truck, his head pounded. Nothing like hard work to get your mind off things. Hopping up onto the truck bed, he began stacking the hay in piles.
Nothing seemed to be going right. It’d been several days since he’d had words with his mom. Although he’d phoned her several times to apologize for losing his temper, she wouldn’t pick up. But then, she was a Wainwright. They always took their sweet time to finish stewing over something.
He’d been angry when his mother had practically jumped to Kelsey’s defense - but not angry enough to tell his mother his suspicions.
It was common knowledge that a trucking company was actively seeking some land out here. He fully suspected Kelsey might have already gotten in touch with them about selling them the ten acres - acres that back right up against one of his pastures. If that happened, it would wreak havoc on his farm. The crazy hours trucking companies often kept, coupled with the noise and disruption would make his life miserable. He’d end up selling the family farm, and that would beak his mother’s heart.
But as much as he’d wanted to give his mother that bit of information, he’d stopped short, unable to bear the devastated look on her face once she found out. He couldn’t shield her from the truth forever, but if he could postpone it for even a small window of time, he’d do it.
Springing from the truck bed, he sprinted back into his house to try and convince the dog to go with him to the Randalls.
“Hey Gypsy,” he said, patting the lab’s head as she lumbered over to greet him. “Wanna go with me to the Randall’s place? I’ve got more hay to deliver.”
The canine wandered back to her dog bed and flopped down.
Apparently not.
“Oh, all right. Stay here then. Get your beauty rest.” It was a joke, really, since the dog would’ve slept all the way to the Randalls anyway.
Stepping back outside, he wandered back over to the truck and jiggled the door handle. Getting in, he started the engine. He reached over and flipped up the volume on the radio, trying to drown out his troubles.
The drive went quickly, and before long, the Randall’s place loomed in the distance.
He’d barely pulled up to the house when Irene, dressed in a skirt and apron, raced up to him. As he climbed out of the truck, he noticed that the expression on her face spelled trouble. Her ordinarily enormous smile was missing, her mouth twisted into a look that resembled anguish.
“Nathan. I can’t talk any sense into that husband of mine. He’s been lightheaded all afternoon. Can you take a look at him?”
One of the drawbacks of being in the medical field.
“Irene, come on. I work with animals, remember?”
“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.” As he looked into her troubled eyes, he realized she was scared to death.
He thought of his dad who’d ignored the warning signs-the same signs Warren sometimes displayed. Like Irene, Nathan’s mother had begged Matthew Wainwright not to ignore his symptoms-the dizzy spells, the blinding headaches. Looking back, they should have insisted he get medical attention. In the end, a massive stroke had taken him. No second chances-just a conscience riddled with guilt for not having paid more attention.
Irene’s blue eyes pooled as she placed a hand on his arm. “Please, son. Won’t you just take a look?”
He’d check Warren. What harm could it do? Besides, Irene wouldn’t leave him alone until he agreed.
“Sure. I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I’ll do what I can.”
They’d barely started toward the farmhouse when Jessica raced out to meet them. “Granddaddy’s real sick.”
He stared down at the girl as her lower lip began quivering. He recalled Kelsey’s comment about Jessica being wise beyond her years and realized she’d been spot on. Clearly, Jessica understood the severity of the situation. Understood that things weren’t right.
Nathan followed them into the living room as Jessica led the way.
The television was blaring as Warren lay propped up on several pillows.
“Aw, these dang women. They’re a bunch of worry warts.” He was laughing nervously, his voice weak as he tried to bolster everyone’s spirits.
As Nathan knelt down beside his patient, he noticed how red Warren’s face was. In spite of how worried he was becoming, he did his best to sound calm. “Never hurts to check, Warren.”
“Check what? I’m fine. Just a little tired. Nothin’ a good night’s sleep won’t cure.”
But as Nathan made a quick study of Warren Randall, he realized Irene hadn’t been exaggerating.
Warren lay with one arm draped over his head, shaking it as though perhaps trying to shake out the numbness.
“Irene. Will you run upstairs and get that blood pressure kit? The one with the cob webs on it.” He was trying to inject humor into a frightening situation, but the truth was it was easy to see that Warren was not a well man.
