The Maverick Meets His Match (Hearts of Wyoming Book 2)(38)

She shot him a self-satisfied smile, but her leg jiggled. The woman could be goddamn infuriating. And Mitch sounded like a saddle bum. How could she compare Ty to him?

“What’s this really about, Mandy? I didn’t initiate the contact with Kendall. Yet you seem intent on making me pay for her contacting me.”

She scrunched down in her seat as if she could hide that tall, nicely curved body of hers, and her brows knit together in a frown. “Are you sure you can break it off with her? I mean, you guys obviously have been going out, and this, this marriage is a little hard to explain.”

“I won’t have any problem breaking things off with Kendall.” Or the three other women he dated when he was in their city. It was only six months anyway. He’d never admit it to Mandy, but she was right. They were trophy girlfriends. Though he doubted they would appreciate that description.

He’d intended to call the women and tell them he’d be involved in a business deal for the next six months. It wasn’t exactly a lie, just not the whole truth. He wasn’t dating any of the women with an eye on the future. If they didn’t want to wait, he’d no doubt find other willing females when the time came. Somehow that thought wasn’t as comforting as it should have been.

“So can I assume you won’t be seeing Mitch, or anyone else, either?”

He knew little about the tie-down roper except JM hadn’t thought much of him. And the guy hadn’t won much, according to the Professional Rodeo Rider Association site he’d checked. Yet it was probable they would run into him on the circuit.

“I said I won’t, and I won’t.” She lifted her chin up as if daring him to say otherwise.

Feisty woman. But he believed her. One thing he’d noted right off about Mandy. She didn’t fabricate. She came right out and told you what she thought, whether you liked it or not, whether you wanted to hear it or not.

“You want children?” That was one thing he hadn’t expected her to say. Or that she wanted a man in her life. She was an independent sort, like him, and she’d certainly given him the impression she liked it that way. Domesticity and Mandy was a new thought.

“What?”

“You said you wanted to marry and have children.”

She stared at him like he’d grown another head. Seemed like a reasonable question to ask one’s wife.

“Of course I want children.”

“I thought you just wanted to run Prescott.”

Her brows drew even closer together. “If a man said he wanted to run a company, would people think he didn’t want to have children as a result?”

The tone of her voice had changed to a higher, louder pitch. He’d ticked her off. He hadn’t meant to. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“You shouldn’t have been surprised.” She had a point. “How about you? You want to become a dad anytime soon?”

His first impulse was to say no. But lately, since JM had gotten sick, he’d been thinking about kids. Having them. Raising them. Maybe. But if he did, he’d have to think about settling down and getting a wife. And he hadn’t met a woman yet who seemed a good fit. They all seemed to care a lot about looking good and not much about doing good.

“Maybe.”

“Now I’m surprised. You don’t seem like the family-man type. I had you pegged for a confirmed bachelor.”

He stiffened at her verdict. It was hard to hear that judgment from someone else, even if he’d said it about himself many times. He really didn’t have a clue how to be a father. A good father. He’d been on his own too long. But people change. Could happen to him. Maybe.

“Seems we are both into stereotyping people. But it’s not worth arguing about, since whether we want kids or not isn’t going to affect this marriage.” But it was a provocative thought. Making a baby. With Mandy.

She nodded her agreement and turned her face toward the window.

She seemed more relaxed now than when they took off, when he was afraid she was going into panic mode, with her eyes clamped shut and all the deep breathing she’d been doing.

In profile, her patrician features were highlighted, like those high cheekbones, that straight nose. And then there was all that wavy hair spilling over her shoulders and down her back. She’d have beautiful children for sure.

“So that leaves just us, right now, this moment. And I say we make the best of this situation and enjoy the time together irrespective of the decisions with the business. I promise it will be enjoyable, Mandy.”

She didn’t respond. Instead, she kept her head turned toward the window.

Well, she might be able to avoid the topic, but she couldn’t avoid the nights.





Chapter 9


“Ben.”

Ty watched Mandy enthusiastically greet the middle-aged cowman who rose from behind his desk as they entered the small, paper-cluttered office in the back of the Abilene rodeo fairgrounds. The two exchanged hugs, and Mandy went right to work, asking after wife and kids and the cattle business as well as talking about the heat already roasting Abilene.

Ty waited for his introduction, feeling an unaccustomed awkwardness. He’d donned a white shirt and black jacket for this meeting, but he would have been right at home if he’d worn the T-shirt. Ben was dressed liked he’d just stepped off the ranch, in denims, a plaid shirt, and dusty cowboy boots.