When Wyatt first arrived in town, he’d stopped by the Lazy S, but the foreman had told him that Jared Trager and his family were out of town. So it looked like he had to wait it out a little longer.
In the meantime, there were other Randell brothers around the area. He’d met Cade already. Would one of them recognize him? Not likely. He’d always been told he looked more like his mother’s family. Dylan and he were fraternal twins, and his brother was the one who resembled Jack Randell.
Wyatt pounded in the nail and Kelly handed him another. Nothing had turned out the way he’d planned. Even with Dylan urging him to let the matter go—to stay away from a man who hadn’t wanted them—Wyatt still found his way to San Angelo. Not only had he come here, but he’d bought the old Randell homestead.
Did he need to belong so badly that he had to buy his old man’s land? Wyatt had told himself over and over it was just a good deal—a great deal. He’d only made a ridiculously low offer and the seller accepted it. How could he not want the place?
He had wanted his own ranch for years. Unlike Dylan, he hated all the travel on the circuit and he’d always wanted to put down roots. A home. The old Randell place might not be in the best shape, but it was his. And with the money he’d saved over the years, from rodeoing and working stock, soon he’d be able to start his business as a rough-stock contractor. Over the years he’d made several contacts in the rodeo business. So once he rebuilt the ranch, repaired the corral and the stalls in the barn, he could begin. He already owned six horses now that a friend was boarding until he had the place ready. One in particular a bucking horse, Rock-a-Billy. He just needed to concentrate on his business.
His attention went to his distraction, pretty Maura Wells. Hopefully by the time he brought his stock here, she and her kids would be long gone.
“That was the best meal I’ve had in a long time,” Wyatt said, scooting back from the table.
“Thank you,” Maura said. “Would you like some coffee?”
“That would be nice,” he replied, smiling at her.
Feeling a little tingle, Maura got up from the table and took two mugs out of the cupboard. After filling them, she walked back to the table. “Cream or sugar?”
“No, just black.” He took a sip. “Good coffee.”
“Thank you,” Maura said again, then was distracted when Jeff dropped his fork on his plate.
“I got homework.” He stood and started out of the room.
“Jeff, you didn’t ask to be excused and I think you forgot about your plate.”
“Can I be excused?” He came back to get his plate and all but tossed it into the sink.
Maura didn’t want to call her son on his rude behavior, but she wasn’t going to let him get away with it, either. She’d talk with him later. Jeff had had these bouts with rudeness on and off since they’d left Dallas…and his dad. Of course, he had blamed their separation on her, but she couldn’t bring herself to discipline him, especially in front of a stranger.
“Mommy, I ate all my green beans. Can I be ’cused?” Kelly flashed a bright smile at Wyatt. “I want to play with my dolly. Her name is Suzy.”
“That’s a nice name,” Wyatt said.
Again Kelly smiled. If Maura didn’t know better she’d say her daughter was flirting with Wyatt Gentry. “Just remember that your bedtime is in one hour and you still need a bath.”
“Can I have a bubble bath?”
Maura was too tired. “Not tonight, honey. Mommy has to do dishes.”
“Why don’t you go on with Kelly? I’ll clean up,” Wyatt suggested.
Maura shook her head. “No, I can’t ask you to do them.”
“You didn’t ask, I offered.” He got up and carried his plate to the sink. “You just need to tell where things are.”
Maura got up, too. “Kelly, you go play, I’ll be up in a while.”
The little girl took off.
“You’ve worked all day, Mr. Gentry. I can’t ask you to do dishes.”
“And you have worked all day, taken care of two kids and fixed dinner. And I thought you were going to call me Wyatt.”
Wyatt closed the drain in the sink and began running water, then he looked in the most obvious place for the soap, under the counter. That was where he found the small off-brand bottle of green liquid. The room might have needed paint and the pine cupboards were scarred, but everything in the house had been cleaned within an inch of its life. He squirted a generous amount of soap in the water, creating bubbles. “I guess Kelly could have helped me and played in bubbles here.”
“The operative word is play,” she said. “She’d make a mess.”
Maura tried to scoot in front of the basin so he would move, but the man didn’t budge at all. She wasn’t comfortable standing so close to him and stepped back.
“You mean like this?” He slashed bubbles at her.
She gasped. “Mr. Gen—Wyatt!”
He cocked an eyebrow, looking far too handsome…and dangerous. A warning went off. She didn’t like the feelings he created in her.
“If you don’t want more of the same, I suggest you head upstairs to help your daughter. Don’t worry, Maura. I can manage a few dishes. But you have a lot more to handle.” He stared at her a moment, then said, “I’m not trying to pry, but in case he shows up one day, is there a Mr. Wells?”
She felt herself tense. God, no. “There is… I mean was, but he’s not in our lives any longer. I’m divorced and I have full custody of the children.”
“The man must have been a fool to let you and the kids go.”
“He had nothing to do with it,” she said. “It was my decision to leave, and it was a good decision.” She felt her anger building and she took a calming breath. “If you don’t mind, I will go upstairs and help Kelly with her bath.” Maura turned and walked out, nearly running was more like it. She never had much experience with men, and definitely not men like Wyatt Gentry.
She’d be better off to stay far away.
After two bedtime stories and a back rub, Kelly finally went to sleep. Maura had gone into her son’s room. Jeff was reading, and he never even looked at her, but with some coaxing, she left with a good-night kiss.
Coming down the stairs, she brushed a tear from her eye, telling herself that although Jeff hated her now, she knew she’d done the right thing leaving Darren. Her ex-husband’s abuse had gotten out of control long ago. Although she’d protected the kids most of the time, she couldn’t stay and watch as Jeff turned into the same type of person. All he ever saw from his father had been cruel and abusive behavior, especially to women.
Worse, Maura knew that if she stayed, Darren would someday kill her. And her kids would be left alone. So she had to do something, even if it meant turning her husband in to the police.
Maura knew it hadn’t been the best thing to steal her children away in the middle of the night, but it had been her only escape, the only way she could leave Darren. After the police took him in, she grabbed everything she could put in the station wagon and got out of Dallas. The small amount of money she’d managed to save only went a little way. And what was she supposed to do for a job and a place to live? She’d gotten the help at a women’s shelter in San Angelo.
Maura