wouldn’t know.”
Eve wondered what Matt and his kids thought when they heard the suppressed rage in Leah’s voice. She glanced toward their end of the table and realized that none of them were paying any attention to King and Leah. Pippa was shooting dark glances at her fatherover the head of Nathan, who seemed oblivious to the sparks flying between father and daughter.
What had surprised Eve about her sister’s response to King regarding the whereabouts of Taylor and Victoria was not the resentment in her voice but the blatant lie. Whether they were traveling or home in Jackson, Leah always stayed in touch with her siblings. That hadn’t changed since Matt’s arrival. Eve wondered what Taylor and Victoria were up to that Leah wanted to conceal from King.
Eve realized that she had no idea where her sisters had gone. With any luck they were off figuring out a way to make Matt’s life in Wyoming hellish enough that he’d be on the next plane back to Australia.
“I found a herd of what appear to be wild mustangs in the north pasture,” Matt said. “Who do I call to have them moved off the ranch?”
Eve was out of her seat before Matt had finished speaking. “Those are my horses! They’re staying right where they are.”
Matt’s eyes narrowed. “What are you doing with a herd of mustangs?”
“Saving them from becoming dog food.”
“I need that land for quarter horse breeding stock I’ve bought. You’ll have to move your animals.”
Eve felt a surge of panic. “Move them where?”
“I don’t care. I just want them gone.”
She looked to her father for support. “Daddy? Are you going to let him do that?”
“Matt can’t very well run the ranch if he can’t make decisions about how to use the land.”
“You said the ranch wasn’t his for a year. He’s acting like he already owns it!”
King blustered, “I had to make a choice—”
“And you chose him.” Eve’s face was hot and her hands were shaking. She felt like throwing something. Screaming. Raging. She felt helpless and hopeless and angrier than she could ever remember being.
Her horses. Her beautiful mustangs. What would happen to them now?
Leah held out her hands in supplication. “Please, sit down, Eve. I’m sure we can work out something with Matt.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.” Matt focused his gaze on King. “Do you want me here? Or not?”
King fisted his hand around his napkin. “Of course I want you here! But I expected—”
“You expected me to coddle those three Brats the way you always have,” Matt said. “I won’t. You’ve given them plenty. I’m sure they’ve got trust funds overflowing with cash,” he said with a sneer. “It’s time they make their own way in the world.”
Eve felt like she was going to vomit. “Is that what you think? That because King Grayhawk is wealthy his daughters must be rich?”
“Yeah. That’s what I think,” Matt said.
Eve gave a harsh, raucous laugh that became a sob. She turned to King, her face crumpling in defeat as she dropped back into her chair. “Oh, Daddy, what lies have you been telling him?”
For the first time, Matt looked uncertain. “I know you set up trust funds for Libby and North,” he said to King, mentioning his sister and brother, Jane Flynn’s other two children. “You never put money away for the Brats?”
King shrugged. “It was never necessary. They’vepretty much taken care of themselves. I bought them whatever they needed and gave them a place to stay.”
“Which you’ve promised to this
prodigal son
,” Eve said, making the expression an epithet.
“Now that you know the truth, Matt,” Leah interjected, “surely you can rearrange your plans.”
Matt shook his head. “My quarter horses are already on the way. They’ll be here by the end of the week.” He focused his gaze on Eve. “You’ve got that much time to move your mustangs out.”
Eve turned to King. “What do you suggest I do, Daddy? Send them to
Eve wondered what Matt and his kids thought when they heard the suppressed rage in Leah’s voice. She glanced toward their end of the table and realized that none of them were paying any attention to King and Leah. Pippa was shooting dark glances at her fatherover the head of Nathan, who seemed oblivious to the sparks flying between father and daughter.
What had surprised Eve about her sister’s response to King regarding the whereabouts of Taylor and Victoria was not the resentment in her voice but the blatant lie. Whether they were traveling or home in Jackson, Leah always stayed in touch with her siblings. That hadn’t changed since Matt’s arrival. Eve wondered what Taylor and Victoria were up to that Leah wanted to conceal from King.
Eve realized that she had no idea where her sisters had gone. With any luck they were off figuring out a way to make Matt’s life in Wyoming hellish enough that he’d be on the next plane back to Australia.
“I found a herd of what appear to be wild mustangs in the north pasture,” Matt said. “Who do I call to have them moved off the ranch?”
Eve was out of her seat before Matt had finished speaking. “Those are my horses! They’re staying right where they are.”
Matt’s eyes narrowed. “What are you doing with a herd of mustangs?”
“Saving them from becoming dog food.”
“I need that land for quarter horse breeding stock I’ve bought. You’ll have to move your animals.”
Eve felt a surge of panic. “Move them where?”
“I don’t care. I just want them gone.”
She looked to her father for support. “Daddy? Are you going to let him do that?”
“Matt can’t very well run the ranch if he can’t make decisions about how to use the land.”
“You said the ranch wasn’t his for a year. He’s acting like he already owns it!”
King blustered, “I had to make a choice—”
“And you chose him.” Eve’s face was hot and her hands were shaking. She felt like throwing something. Screaming. Raging. She felt helpless and hopeless and angrier than she could ever remember being.
Her horses. Her beautiful mustangs. What would happen to them now?
Leah held out her hands in supplication. “Please, sit down, Eve. I’m sure we can work out something with Matt.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.” Matt focused his gaze on King. “Do you want me here? Or not?”
King fisted his hand around his napkin. “Of course I want you here! But I expected—”
“You expected me to coddle those three Brats the way you always have,” Matt said. “I won’t. You’ve given them plenty. I’m sure they’ve got trust funds overflowing with cash,” he said with a sneer. “It’s time they make their own way in the world.”
Eve felt like she was going to vomit. “Is that what you think? That because King Grayhawk is wealthy his daughters must be rich?”
“Yeah. That’s what I think,” Matt said.
Eve gave a harsh, raucous laugh that became a sob. She turned to King, her face crumpling in defeat as she dropped back into her chair. “Oh, Daddy, what lies have you been telling him?”
For the first time, Matt looked uncertain. “I know you set up trust funds for Libby and North,” he said to King, mentioning his sister and brother, Jane Flynn’s other two children. “You never put money away for the Brats?”
King shrugged. “It was never necessary. They’vepretty much taken care of themselves. I bought them whatever they needed and gave them a place to stay.”
“Which you’ve promised to this
prodigal son
,” Eve said, making the expression an epithet.
“Now that you know the truth, Matt,” Leah interjected, “surely you can rearrange your plans.”
Matt shook his head. “My quarter horses are already on the way. They’ll be here by the end of the week.” He focused his gaze on Eve. “You’ve got that much time to move your mustangs out.”
Eve turned to King. “What do you suggest I do, Daddy? Send them to
Similar Books
