The Secret Truth at Dare Ranch (20 page)

It
took every ounce of strength she had to keep her voice steady. She flicked her
gaze away from Mitch's face and focused on a wrench lying on the garage floor
to keep from looking at him. "You can of course see Dani whenever you'd
like. I would never try to keep you from your daughter.” She had to get out of
there before she scattered into a thousand pieces. Lexie turned and started
walking away then stopped and looked at him over her shoulder. Hurt hammered
through her. "Goodbye, Mitch.”

# # #

Mitch
stormed inside the house with the intention of washing the grease from his
hands and found his father putting some sandwiches together in the kitchen. When
he slapped the swinging door with his hand leaving a black smudge his father
turned and raised a brow then went back to making sandwiches. Mitch noticed the
window by the breakfast table was open an inch or two which meant that his
father had heard some if not all of his conversation with Lexie.

Oh
to hell with it. He stomped through the kitchen to the laundry room and
scrubbed his hands. When he came back in the kitchen his father sat at the
table munching his sandwich. His father shoved one of the chairs out with his
foot and slid a plate loaded with a sandwich and potato salad toward Mitch. "Take
a load off. After the hide Lexie just stripped off you I suspect you need it.”

His
father poured him a glass of iced tea from a pitcher sitting on the table. Mitch
slumped into the chair, picked up the glass and sucked down a long swig. He
huffed out a breath when he finished and set the glass back on the table with a
snap.

"You're
my son, Mitch and I'd give my life for you if I had to.”

He
paused for a moment and the warmth of his words sunk into Mitch and gentled him
somewhat.

"But
right now I'm ashamed of you."

Mitch's
head popped up at the shock of his father's words. "Ashamed? What the hell
for?"

"For
betraying Lexie."

Mitch
slapped a hand down on top of the table. "Christ, I didn't betray her.” He
rose abruptly from the table, stalked across the room then spun on his heels. "Harlen
jumped the gun in telling her about the loan being paid off. Besides, I did the
right thing. She still has the house, the horses and fifty acres to do with
what she wants."

His
father turned and looked at him. "Come back and sit down."

Reluctantly,
Mitch walked back to the table and sat down. His shoulders slumped and he laid
a hand on the table and played with the edge of the place mat. "Parker's
memory will live on. There was no failure here. Everybody wins.” He cut his
gaze up to his father. "Don't you see?"

"No,
I don't and neither does Lexie."

"Thanks
for the support," he said sarcastically.

Mitch
moved to rise from the table when his father grabbed his arm in a tight grip. "You'd
better keep your butt glued in that chair, boy."

Mitch
jerked his arm away and stared at his father as he clamped his lips together. "Fine.
Say your peace."

Judson
loosened the vice like grip he had on Mitch's arm and moved his hand away. He
rolled his shoulders as if to relax them. "It's time to set the record
straight on something.” He glanced at Mitch then down at the half-eaten
sandwich on his plate. "You're angry and you're hurting. I can understand
those feelings. I had 'em plenty when Parker was killed and when your mother
walked out.” He stopped, took a sip of iced tea then looked back at Mitch. "Mason
took the land back from us and now you've taken the land from Lexie. Now the
ranch has once again torn a Dare and a Quinn apart."

Mitch
shifted in his chair. The truth hurt and the sincerity of his father's words sliced
into him a bit more where Lexie had left off. "Only because Lexie has a
head like a cement block. She can't see what's best beyond the tip of her nose.
All she sees is that damn land."

"Maybe
because that land is all that's held her together these past few years. You need
to look at what is, boy. You're the one who can't see beyond the end of his own
nose."

Mitch
clenched his teeth together so hard they hurt. "I can see just fine."

"Do
you remember when I told Mason the accident that killed Parker was my
fault?"

He
frowned at his father. "Of course I remember. What's your point?"

"My
point is that it seems the Quinn's and the Dare's have always ended up at odds
with each other.” His father lifted his eyes and gazed out the window. "We
started out as friends. We spent holidays together; we told each other our
dreams, our secrets and even our fears.” He looked back at Mitch. "You
said you didn't understand why Mason hated you so much because of your
friendship with Parker. It's time you did."

"What
do you mean?"

Clouds
had blocked the sun and now a cold breeze blew in through the window. Mitch
reached over and pulled down the sash.

"The
day Parker died I hadn't been anywhere near that truck."

"But
you said--"

"Let
me finish," his father said impatiently. "I knew what Mason would do
if he knew the truth about what really happened so I fabricated that story
about me being in the truck. The truth is Lexie used the truck to drive up to
the Puma River to collect some water. She needed some for a science project she
was working on at school."

Mitch
leaned back in his chair while his mind spun. "Lexie used the truck? Are
you saying--"

"When
she got out she must not have set the brake right. Who knows? The gears in that
old truck were tricky at best and unreliable at worst."

Pain
squeezed around Mitch's heart as disbelief ran through him in a scalding river.
"Lexie caused the accident?"

"I
couldn't stand the thought of that girl having to live the rest of her life
with the guilt of knowing that she was responsible for the accident that killed
her brother. Not to mention what Mason might have done.” He rose from the
table, took his plate and emptied the rest of the sandwich into the trash. He
laid the plate in the sink and leaned against the counter. "If he had laid
a hand on that girl I would have had to kill him."

The
shock of his father's revelation made him feel numb.   "I don't ever want
her to know. She would never get over it."

His
father strolled back to the table and sat down. He laid a hand on Mitch's arm. "I'll
take it to my grave. The ranch was given and taken away; Parker was given to
Mason and taken away. You and Lexie were gifted with a child only to be torn
apart.” He squeezed Mitch's arm for emphasis. "And now the land has been
taken one last time only it has been taken from the Dares. Now there's
something you can do to put Parker's tragic death behind us--once and for all."

# # #

Exactly
twenty-four hours had passed since her showdown with Mitch. Lexie had been
stewing about it ever since. And he didn't even come after her when she left. Just
as well. It was time they both got on with their lives.

She
slammed a fisted hand against the top of the breakfast table's surface. Damn
him for making her miserable. He never even said he was sorry. He just stood
there all righteous as if he'd done something wonderful. A gust of wind pushed
against the kitchen windows and made Lexie smile in spite of her misery. At
least she still had the house and some of the land. It was better that nothing
at all she supposed.

Didn't
matter, their relationship was over after all. If it was over why did her heart
ache in her chest like an old injury? She rubbed a hand over it and glanced at
the phone willing it to ring. Why didn't he call and tell her it wasn't over? Because
he was a stubborn pig-headed fool. Well, she could be just as stubborn, she
thought as she speared a piece of salad with a sharp jab of her fork.

After
lunch she'd go for a long ride alone over the ranch before Dani got home from
school. She just needed some time to absorb all that had happened in her life
in a very short period of time. She'd lost the war with Mitch and in the
process she'd fallen hopelessly in love with him.

The
doorbell rang. Her heart nearly stopped. Toby barked and scrambled from his
spot at her feet, his feet sliding over the floor as he fought to gain his
footing. She patted her mouth with her napkin and pushed from the chair. Was it
Mitch? What would she say to him? What would he say to her?

Toby
ran ahead of her to the door. Lexie squared her shoulders and peered through
the sidelight. Instead of Mitch, she saw Tommy Flowers standing on the porch. She
felt relief and disappointment at the same time. With a smile, she opened the
door and swung it wide. At her feet, Toby wagged his tail in a rapid swish and
whined. "You must have heard the news," she said.

Tommy
leaned over, gave Toby a rub then straightened. He drew off his hat and held it
by the brim between his fingers. "I did but that's not the only reason I'm
here.” His brown eyes shone with concerned. He turned the hand around and
around in his hands and gave her a slight smile.

"Come
in," Lexie said. "Can I make you a sandwich? I was just having a bite
to eat."

He
stepped over the threshold. "No, I'm meeting Emily in a little while at
the cafe.” His voice sounded quiet and reserved. He was always so upbeat and
his eyes lit up whenever he mentioned his wife or she walked into the room. This
mood was unlike him and a little unsettling.

He
followed her into the den and they sat down. He laid his hat on the coffee
table. Sunlight danced in through the bay window and made a puddle on the rug. Toby
settled there tucking his hind legs under his small body and resting his head
on his front paws. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

Tommy
remained quiet just tapped his fingers nervously on his knee and glanced around
the room. The clock on the mantel ticked slowly and seemed to punctuate the
silence. "Are you all right?" she asked wondering why he was here.

He
threw her a quick glance, then looked away and cleared his throat. "Lexie,
I'm not sure where to begin," he said in a soft voice but there was an
underlying intensity that had anxiety growing like an icy ball in her stomach.

"The
beginning is always good," she said hoping to get a smile out of him and she
wasn't disappointed.

He
turned his head and gazed at her. "You look like your mother," he
murmured. "I suppose I've told you that many times, haven't I?"

Uneasiness
crept up her spine and made her muscles tense. Lexie nodded. "Yes, but I
don't think that's why you're here."

Tommy
leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs then sat back again. "I
need to tell you something important but first I want you to know how sorry I
am that you've lost most of the ranch.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. "If
there had been any way that I could have helped you I would have. I hope you
know that."

She
laid her hand on top of his and gave him a light pat. "Of course I do. I'm
fine, really.” Lexie attempted a smile. "For Dani's sake I'm going to try
and make it an adventure. I'm sure that once we get used to the idea of a
hospital being right outside our window everything will be okay again...maybe
even better.” Then why didn't she believe it?

He
nodded and his lips curved in just a hint of a smile. "You always did look
on the sunny side. That's just one of the things I've always admired about you.”

A
sense of warmth and gentle surprise suffused her at his words. "That's the
nicest thing anyone's ever said to me," she said in a low voice breaking
with emotion. His expression sobered and a frown creased his brow as he looked
at her. "I mean every word. I hope you believe me."

The
distress in her stomach grew colder, harder. "Of course I believe you.” What
was he leading up to? Suddenly a startling thought ripped into her brain. Lexie
turned and gripped his arm. "You're not sick are you? Or Emily for that
matter?"

He
shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that."

Lexie
leaned back against the sofa with a heavy sigh. "Thank goodness, you had
me worried for a minute.” She raised a hand then let it fall again. "Whatever
it is it can't be all that bad."

Tommy
pressed his mouth into a grim line. "I should have been there for you,
Lexie. I'm sorry," he said in a voice filled with longing and regret.

She
studied him, a man she'd known all of her life and her heart swelled with love
and respect. "I know you would have helped me with the financial burden if
you could have."

He
looked away rubbed a hand over his chin and down his neck before settling his
hands back in his lap. "That's not what I mean," he said quietly.

Lexie
tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. "Okay... what do you
mean?"

He
swiveled on the sofa and settled his gaze on her. "When Parker was just a
little boy, your mother and father started having marital problems."

Lexie
wasn't surprised at his statement. Parker had told her some good stories about
their mother but also about how unhappy she was.