The Maverick Meets His Match (27 page)

“You’re serious,” Cat said when she stopped laughing.

“Yes. Look, when six months is over, I may be left with nothing. No business, no job, no legacy.”

“But rich,” Libby reminded.

“I think I need a beer after that news,” Cat said, getting up and going to the fridge. She turned back to Mandy. “Want one?”

Mandy shook her head. Cat retrieved the beer and settled back down next to Jake.

“Money isn’t everything. At least not to me.” For Ty it was everything. “Family, my friends, the people who work at Prescott, those are the reasons the company means so much to me. I will lose that if the company is sold. I want something equally special to replace that.”

“But why a baby with a man you don’t…” Cat glanced at Jake. “You know.”

“Because I may never find a man to marry. Odds haven’t been in my favor.” She thought back to Mitch and, unfortunately, several others. “If he sells the company, then at least I’ll have the baby. And the money to raise the child properly. And if he doesn’t sell it, I’ll have double the happily ever after.”

“And what does Ty say to this?” Libby asked.

“I haven’t asked him yet.” Mandy let out a sigh. “I wanted to run it by you guys first to see if I am crazy. Cat, you’re a single mom, and Libby, you’re a mother-to-be. I figured you would know if I’m nuts or not.”

“A child is a big step, Mandy. A lifetime commitment.” Cat smiled at her son who, at that moment, looked up. His ketchup-smeared face beamed as he held up a picture of some mythical figure of a man with streaks of red crayon running through it. “That’s very good. Now eat some of your hot dog.”

“I want to give this to Mandy,” he said.

Cat dutifully tore the page out of the coloring book, and Jake then handed it to Mandy.

“Thank you, Jake. I’ll treasure this picture. It’s going up on the refrigerator as soon as I get home.” Of course, it would have to be the hotel’s mini fridge. At the moment, her life felt very small.

“I’ll make you another,” he said cheerfully. “Do you like orange?”

“I love orange.” Mandy couldn’t resist. She reached over and tousled his hair. He beamed again. “And I love you.”

“I love you too, Mandy,” he said, never losing eye contact with the coloring book.

“That’s what I want, Cat. What you have and Libby is going to have. And I can provide for a child. And with Tucker and Harold around, my child will have men who love him or her.”

“Babysitters.”

“What?” Mandy asked, not sure she heard correctly.

Cat shrugged and took a sip a beer. “That’s what you are going to need. Babysitters. Preferably family. I don’t think anyone ever tells you just how much time and attention our little folks need. Not that it isn’t rewarding. It most definitely is. But relatives willing to babysit—especially if you are going to run the ranch or another stock company—is a must if you are going to be a single mom.” She looked over at Libby. “And even if you aren’t.”

“Chance’s mother is ready to move back to Wyoming for this child,” Libby said. “And my dad, believe it or not, has offered.”

“How does Chance feel about his mother moving?” Chance hadn’t been on good terms with his mother until Libby had stepped into the picture.

“He’s okay with it. A little concerned given her past, but willing to give it a go.”

“My mother has been asking me about grandchildren since I graduated from business school. Did I tell you that she’s going to be marrying Harold soon? They haven’t set a date yet. I think they are waiting until this six-month thing is past. Apparently, they have been sneaking around for some time.”

“How do you feel about your mother remarrying?” Libby asked.

“I love Harold. He is completely different in temperament from my father but a wonderful man. My mother and Harold are surprisingly cute together.”

“Well, they are certainly old enough to make their own decisions, and so are you, Mandy. If you think you can handle a child, go for it. But do you think Ty will agree?” Cat asked.

“That is the million-dollar—or more—question,” Mandy said. “That, and how to approach him.”

“You want to have my baby?” Ty felt the air drain out of his lungs like a tire with a massive leak. Mandy sat across from him in the pub-like restaurant near their hotel, looking perfectly normal, and tempting, in a silky red camisole and a pair of washed-out jeans, but she’d just said the darnedest thing.

Ty swiped a hand across his forehead. It had suddenly gotten hot in the busy dining room. He’d anticipated a few different reasons for Mandy asking to have dinner alone with him on that Monday, since the preliminary report on the valuation of the company had just come in. Ty had given the analysis a quick scan. The figures looked reasonable, and unfortunately, there appeared to be a case for selling the business at the right price. He wasn’t eager to make that argument to Mandy like he had been just a week ago. It would likely cause a permanent freeze in their relationship, just when things seemed to be heating up.

But a baby wasn’t even in the top ten of discussion topics. This had to be a joke, only Mandy looked as serious as a judge about to give out a life sentence.

“Hear me out, is all I ask,” Mandy said as she took a sip of sparkling water. The tables were made of the same golden wood as the walls and the bar that squatted at the far end of the dining room packed with families. It was cozy and homey in a most uncomfortable way.

He’d finally gotten her in bed for some pretty spectacular sex, and now she wanted to have a baby together?
Stunned
didn’t begin to describe how he felt.

“I’m listening,” he said, surprising himself. Was he listening? He shouldn’t be. No one knew more than him that he wasn’t cut out to be a father. Just like he wasn’t cut out to be a husband. Or part of a team. He knew he worked best alone. Hadn’t he spent seven years in the land development company pretending to be part of the management team, knowing they didn’t want the truth they paid him to uncover? Grappling with corporate politics that forced facts to fit predetermined scenarios had vanquished any qualms he may have had about going into business for himself—by himself. He was an outsider, a maverick. He liked it best when he depended on no one but himself.

And no one depended on him.

“Really? Because the look on your face says you’ve already decided no.” She cocked her head, those sparkling green eyes full of doubt.

“I’m just surprised, is all.”

“Well, actually, so was I when the thought first popped into my head. I mean, it’s bad enough that you’re part of Prescott now. Having a child together will make you part of my life forever. But when I thought about it some more, the pros outweighed the cons.” She leaned back and peered at him from under those thick lashes of hers as if she was still trying to weigh those pros and cons.

“I’m the con, I take it.” Why did that thought disturb him so much?

“Well, yes, I guess you could say that.” She smiled from her eyes as well as her lips, and the warmth of that smile took some of the sting out of her words. “But you’re less of one than I may have thought just a bit ago.”

“How so?” Should he be encouraged by that?

Her gaze shifted away from him, toward the wider room. “I guess I see you more as a person.”

“What the hell did you see me as before?”

She gave a demure chuckle. “You really don’t want me to answer that, do you?”

He was offended. “Of course I want you to answer that.”

“I don’t want to insult you. The fact I want to have a baby with you now should really be seen as a compliment.”

“I want to know. How did you see me before?”

She sighed. Closed her eyes and opened them again. Played with the fork that sat upon the white paper napkin.

He waited. He wanted to know.

“As the devil.”

The devil?

She looked up and caught his eye. Shook her head. “Not really, but, well, you seemed so unfeeling. So by the book. So…cold.”

Cold. Wasn’t the first time a woman had called him that, so why did it slice through him with the sting of a razor blade this time? “And now?”

She cocked her head and shrugged. “Well, when it comes to the business, maybe still.” Her brows knitted together, and Ty knew she was thinking about the prospect of selling. No help for that. But then her brows relaxed. “But on a personal level, not as much.”

“Why?” Something was driving him to push for a response, in a vague hope she might have some insight into why people always thought of him that way. And why she didn’t now—so much.

Her eyes moved about the room as if the answer was on one of the walls. “Maybe knowing more about you. Maybe seeing you in action, working, with your family.”

What had she been able to see? At the ranch, she’d spent a few minutes getting acquainted with his niece, meeting his brother, seeing where he’d come from and knowing it wasn’t exactly a Norman Rockwell family portrait.

“You are going to help Trace, right? And Delanie.” Her tone held both hope and censure.

“I’ve already set up the account for the money he needs. Should be more than enough to hire a housekeeper, enroll Delanie in preschool, and pay for an attorney. And a psychologist.” Ty could only hope there hadn’t been any long-term damage. “As I mentioned, Trace could also use some beeves to strengthen his herd. He lost quite a few in the last drought. If you and Tucker agree, I was hoping…” He didn’t get the words out of his mouth and she was nodding.

“I already spoke to Tuck, so anything Trace might need.”

“I’ll make sure it’s a decent deal for both sides, if you trust me to make that deal.”

She waved her hand as if money, or trust, didn’t matter. But Ty knew money and trust always mattered.

“It will probably be about fifty heifers, more or less,” he continued, happy for the temporary change in subject to give him time to process exactly what she was asking. “You’re running about thirty-five hundred of the Angus on the ranch now, according to the last count.” He’d made sure they had taken a count for the ranch analysis, which wouldn’t be ready for another few days. They had done the company analysis first, since that was the crucial one.

“He’s family, Ty. We help family.”

“He’s
my
family though.”

“Right now, that also makes Trace and Delanie part of my family.” She said the words matter of factly, but the sentiment caught him off guard. “We can do the roundup Wednesday, if you like. Tucker will be home because of the Cheyenne rodeo coming up, and there might be a few others who can help. Everyone likes a roundup. We can host a barbeque afterwards.”

Sounded like she’d already been thinking about it and had it all planned out. That was Mandy.

“I’ll let Trace know and see if that will work for him.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking very pleased with herself. “Now about the baby.”

The baby
? As if it had already been decided?

“Why a baby? Why now? And why me, beyond the notion you see me as a person?”

She shrugged again. Played with the knife this time. Before she answered, the waitress came and deposited before each of them a square white plate piled high with various types of lettuce, some cranberries, walnuts, and other salad fixings for their starter salad. They both waited for the waitress to depart before digging into their food.

“I may not get another chance.” Her voice was low and oddly fragile sounding.

“To get married?”

She nodded.

Mandy Prescott? Single forever? “Why would you think that? You’re a beautiful woman. You’re smart. Ambitious. Determined.” She was ten times more interesting, and complicated, than the women he usually dated.

“And I seem attracted to the wrong types of men.”

He frowned, hoping she was referring to that no-account tie-down roper.

“How so?” He stabbed some lettuce and savored the tangy flavor of balsamic vinegar that greeted his taste buds.

Her one shoulder slid up. “The men I’ve dated tend to be good-time Charlies. In it for fun, not commitment.” She dipped the fork into the salad but didn’t spear anything.

“Date other men.” Seemed simple enough. “There must be lots of good men, good ranching types, who’d make fine husbands and fathers. I’ve seen them at the rodeos.” Unfortunately, the thought of Mandy with any of them didn’t sit well with him. She deserved someone who would appreciate her.

“They are already married. The good ones anyway. And besides, they aren’t looking for wives that are on the road thirty-five weekends a year running a business.”

“That’s why selling would be a good thing. Free you up to pursue a personal life. Did you know your mother wouldn’t object if Prescott was sold? She told me so.”

Too late, Ty realized he’d blundered by bringing Prescott into the conversation, as Mandy took a deep breath, and her nostrils flared. He’d poked the bear.

“We’ve had this conversation. What I want is to run Prescott Rodeo Company. And have a baby. Every stock contractor I know is married and has a family.”

And they were all men, though Ty knew he didn’t have to say it. The defiant lift of her chin said that was her whole point.

“And if I say no? Because I can tell you, having a family is not something I’ve thought much about and am not sure I want.”

“You didn’t want to be married and run a stock company, I’ll wager, but here you are.”

He took a forkful of salad, buying some time. They ate in silence for a few moments. He needed time to think. What exactly would it mean to become a father, especially since he wouldn’t be married to the mother? At least not long enough to see the child born.

“Why haven’t you ever wanted a family?” she asked. Mandy was never one to let a comment pass unremarked upon. “It isn’t natural, you know.”

“Why isn’t it natural? Maybe if more people followed their own inclinations instead of what the world expected of them, we’d have a lot fewer dysfunctional families.” Like his had been.

“We’re hard wired to procreate. That’s why the sex drive is so intense. And I can attest that yours is pretty damn strong.” She looked at him from across the table, her eyes dancing in the low light.