Read Online The Bridal Path: Danielle by Sherryl Woods - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sherryl Woods
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were wide with the wonder of it all. “I want to grow up and live on a ranch just like Three-Stars.”
Slade winced. His son could have done exactly that had Slade made peace with Kevin and Timmy’s grandfather. He tried to imagine what his son would think of him if he knew Slade had walked away from such an opportunity, if he guessed that his father had shunned the very life-style that had so entranced Kevin on their outing with Dani to her family’s ranch. This was precisely the outcome he had feared when she had first suggested the visit.
Slade glanced at Timmy, who was curiously silent. “What about you? Did you have a good time?”
“It was okay, I guess,” Timmy said.
The lack of enthusiasm was such a contrast to Kevin’s delight, so at odds with Timmy’s usual exuberance, that Slade was instantly on the alert. Something had clearly happened to his older son on that visit to the ranch.
“Did you go for a horseback ride?” he asked, trying to tread carefully on tender young male pride as he sought answers.
“Yeah.”
“It was awesome,” Kevin chimed in. “I rode this palomino pony named Buttercup. It’s a sissy name, but she was a great horse.”
“And you, Timmy?”
The question was greeted by absolute silence, until Kevin finally ventured, “Timmy fell off his horse.”
Timmy’s face contorted with anger. “You weren’t supposed to tell,” he shouted at Kevin as he shoved back his chair and ran from the room.
Guilty tears welled up in Kevin’s eyes. “I promised I wouldn’t tell,” he admitted to Slade, “but he didn’t have to go and get all crazy. He didn’t get hurt or anything. It’s not like you’re going to say we can never go again, right?” Worry creased his brow. “You won’t, will you?”
“Of course not,” Slade said at once. “But I’d better go talk to him. Finish your dinner, okay?”
Kevin stood up, too. “Maybe I’d better go and tell him I’m sorry,” he said stoically.
Slade scooped up his youngest and hugged him. For all of the boyish squabbling in which he and Timmy engaged, they were fiercely loyal. Of the two, Kevin was by far the most compassionate. Guilt radiated from every pore over hurting his much-idolized big brother’s feelings.
“You can apologize later,” Slade told him. “Let me see him alone for a bit. I’ll bet I can get him back in here in time for dessert.”
Kevin’s expression brightened. “Is it one of Dani’s pies?”
“The rest of the apple pie,” Slade confirmed. “Now eat your vegetables.”
Kevin’s eyes narrowed. “Will Timmy have to eat his, too?”
“Yes, Timmy will have to eat his, too, if he wants dessert.”
With Kevin grudgingly forcing down the cooked peas and carrots, Slade took his time climbing the stairs. He could just imagine Timmy’s humiliation at having fallen from the horse in front of Dani. His pride would be in tatters.
With the injury to Timmy’s ego so fresh, Slade doubted anything he could say at this point would make a difference, but he had to find some way to convince Timmy that falling from a horse wasn’t the end of the world. He had to do a far better job than his own father had done at explaining that not everyone was suited for ranch life.
He knocked softly on Timmy’s bedroom door. He could hear muffled sobs inside. Doubting that Timmy would willingly admit him, Slade opened the door, crossed the room and stood over the huddled figure of his boy.
“You okay?”
“I’m going to kill the squirt,” Timmy managed to choke out between sobs.
Slade held back a smile, then sat on the edge of the bed. Timmy instinctively scooted closer without looking up at him.
“I don’t think killing him will be necessary,” Slade told him. “Kevin feels really bad that he tattled on you, but he was right to do it this one time, you know.”
Timmy lifted his tear-streaked face and stared with openmouthed astonishment. “You said tattling on people is practically a
Slade winced. His son could have done exactly that had Slade made peace with Kevin and Timmy’s grandfather. He tried to imagine what his son would think of him if he knew Slade had walked away from such an opportunity, if he guessed that his father had shunned the very life-style that had so entranced Kevin on their outing with Dani to her family’s ranch. This was precisely the outcome he had feared when she had first suggested the visit.
Slade glanced at Timmy, who was curiously silent. “What about you? Did you have a good time?”
“It was okay, I guess,” Timmy said.
The lack of enthusiasm was such a contrast to Kevin’s delight, so at odds with Timmy’s usual exuberance, that Slade was instantly on the alert. Something had clearly happened to his older son on that visit to the ranch.
“Did you go for a horseback ride?” he asked, trying to tread carefully on tender young male pride as he sought answers.
“Yeah.”
“It was awesome,” Kevin chimed in. “I rode this palomino pony named Buttercup. It’s a sissy name, but she was a great horse.”
“And you, Timmy?”
The question was greeted by absolute silence, until Kevin finally ventured, “Timmy fell off his horse.”
Timmy’s face contorted with anger. “You weren’t supposed to tell,” he shouted at Kevin as he shoved back his chair and ran from the room.
Guilty tears welled up in Kevin’s eyes. “I promised I wouldn’t tell,” he admitted to Slade, “but he didn’t have to go and get all crazy. He didn’t get hurt or anything. It’s not like you’re going to say we can never go again, right?” Worry creased his brow. “You won’t, will you?”
“Of course not,” Slade said at once. “But I’d better go talk to him. Finish your dinner, okay?”
Kevin stood up, too. “Maybe I’d better go and tell him I’m sorry,” he said stoically.
Slade scooped up his youngest and hugged him. For all of the boyish squabbling in which he and Timmy engaged, they were fiercely loyal. Of the two, Kevin was by far the most compassionate. Guilt radiated from every pore over hurting his much-idolized big brother’s feelings.
“You can apologize later,” Slade told him. “Let me see him alone for a bit. I’ll bet I can get him back in here in time for dessert.”
Kevin’s expression brightened. “Is it one of Dani’s pies?”
“The rest of the apple pie,” Slade confirmed. “Now eat your vegetables.”
Kevin’s eyes narrowed. “Will Timmy have to eat his, too?”
“Yes, Timmy will have to eat his, too, if he wants dessert.”
With Kevin grudgingly forcing down the cooked peas and carrots, Slade took his time climbing the stairs. He could just imagine Timmy’s humiliation at having fallen from the horse in front of Dani. His pride would be in tatters.
With the injury to Timmy’s ego so fresh, Slade doubted anything he could say at this point would make a difference, but he had to find some way to convince Timmy that falling from a horse wasn’t the end of the world. He had to do a far better job than his own father had done at explaining that not everyone was suited for ranch life.
He knocked softly on Timmy’s bedroom door. He could hear muffled sobs inside. Doubting that Timmy would willingly admit him, Slade opened the door, crossed the room and stood over the huddled figure of his boy.
“You okay?”
“I’m going to kill the squirt,” Timmy managed to choke out between sobs.
Slade held back a smile, then sat on the edge of the bed. Timmy instinctively scooted closer without looking up at him.
“I don’t think killing him will be necessary,” Slade told him. “Kevin feels really bad that he tattled on you, but he was right to do it this one time, you know.”
Timmy lifted his tear-streaked face and stared with openmouthed astonishment. “You said tattling on people is practically a
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