Faith in the Cowboy (Taming the Cowboy) (15 page)

“Time off for good behavior.”

She had no doubt of that. Miguel had a way of making people see a version of him that didn’t exist, at least not beyond the surface. Even his mother was fooled, but maybe she more than most wanted to see that in her son.

Suspicion arose in her head as she remembered seeing his doppelgänger at the rodeo. “How long have you been back?”

“Long enough to know there’s a new man in your life.”

Her whole body tensed. He knew about West? How much? She pushed the concern aside and reached a hand to her daughter.

“Then you know today is my day with Emily. I’ll have her back here at three.”

He tightened his hand on Emily’s shoulder, and the girl’s eyes went wide. Teresa swallowed, determined not to let her daughter see her fear, to see her anger.

“I thought I might come with you.”

“You aren’t invited.”

“A shame, since my mother has legal custody.”

“There’s a hearing in three weeks. That may change.”

He yanked Emily back to him, eliciting a mewl of protest from the girl as he leaned forward to thrust his face into Teresa’s. “You think the courts are going to give her to a homeless whore? You did me a big favor, Teresa, sleeping with that cowboy. I have pictures now to show the judge just who is an unfit parent. In fact, I wonder if I should let you take my daughter at all. Who’s to say you’re not going to meet up with him?”

Teresa’s face flamed even as her head spun. Had she made a huge mistake by falling into West’s bed? Had she lost her daughter because of it?

“He’s gone. He’s left town. He’s not coming back. It’s just going to be me and Emily today.”

“Then he won’t mind if I join you on your picnic.”

The old Teresa quailed at the thought. New Teresa wanted to kick her ass. She squared her shoulders. “I mind. I want the day with my daughter.” Especially since his mother had taken her away, and Miguel was threatening to take her away for good.

“I’ll just follow you, then.”

“You’ve gotten good at that.”

He smirked. “Talked right to your cowboy a time or two.”

A chill went through her, but she refused to let him see it. Instead, she held a hand to Emily, who took it, a little tighter than usual, and came with her down the steps and to the car.

“Has he been here long?” she demanded of her daughter, then softened her tone. “He’s staying with you?”

Emily nodded, her gaze on her hands in her lap. “That was the only reason Grandma let me go with you, because he could follow and make sure you brought me back.”

Teresa’s stomach clenched. She’d thought her lawyer had had something to do with that decision. She pulled into the parking lot of a dollar store and pulled out her phone.

“Who are you calling?” Emily asked, a touch of panic in her voice.

“My lawyer.” She hated saying even the word in front of her daughter, hated causing Emily any more trauma over this divorce. She wished she had some privacy to make the call, but felt Mr. Richaud should know right away. She filled him in as quickly and discreetly as she could, then hung up, put the phone away, and headed out on the road leading to the lake.

Miguel wasn’t going to spoil her plans.

At least this time she knew he was there, sitting in the parking lot. She hoped he was starving as they ate their chicken salad sandwiches and chips and dip and cookies. After they cleaned up, they walked along the edge of the lake, watching the boats go by. The wind off the water carried a bit of a chill, but Teresa was reluctant to leave, though she knew she needed to get Emily home by three.

On the walk back to the car, Emily slipped her hand into Teresa’s, a gesture that filled her heart. She wanted to hug her daughter, but wasn’t sure Emily was ready for that. One step at a time, back to normal.

As they walked past the car where Miguel sat, she ignored him and climbed into her own car. She and Emily sang to the radio on the way home, the way they used to. When Teresa pulled up in front of Layla’s house, Miguel’s car behind her, not even trying to disguise the fact that he followed, Teresa tensed all over again. She couldn’t let her baby girl go in that house without some assurances.

“If he does anything, anything at all that makes you uncomfortable, makes you scared, makes you nervous, you call me. All right? No matter what time. I’ll be here.”

Emily just frowned and opened the car door. Before Teresa could get out, Miguel was there, taking Emily’s hand.

“Did you have a good time, Em?” he asked in a tone Teresa had never heard him use before.

Her daughter went tense and nodded, then pulled away and ran toward the house, not even looking over her shoulder. Layla waited with the door open.

“I’ll see you later,” Miguel told her, and closed the door.

Teresa refused to let the shiver of apprehension run down her spine as she drove off.

*****

On the drive back to the ranch, she opened and closed her fingers on the steering wheel, debating whether or not to go to the rodeo. She was to go on her own, since Grace and Noah had left with Liam, and would be traveling with him for a couple of weeks. Grace had said she wanted to do that while Noah was still young, since she wouldn’t be able to do it once he was in school.

As much as Teresa wanted to see West, Miguel’s words rang in her ears.
You think they’re going to give her to a homeless whore?
The homeless part didn’t bother her. She was saving money and she was working summer school. She’d be able to afford an apartment by summer. But she wasn’t a whore.

Sure, she hadn’t had feelings for West when she went to bed with him, other than lust, but that had quickly changed despite her best efforts to keep her heart detached.

But her connection to him could cost her Emily. She had to end it, had to prove to the judge she was a fit mother. And she owed it to West to do it in person.

She returned to the ranch, eerily quiet and empty without Grace and her family. Staying out here alone would scare the hell out of her, especially knowing Miguel was free. She grabbed her overnight bag since it was a two and a half hour drive each way, and headed out, trying not to let her fears of losing Emily for good swamp her.

The rodeo venue was bigger than the last one, with a real parking lot leading up to the open stadium. The clang of metal gates in the back rang through the evening air, along with the sound of animals and shouts. She pulled her phone out of her pocket as she locked her car and called Grace to find out where she and Noah were sitting.

When she walked into the stadium to find her friend, she caught sight of West on the walkway, leaning on the rail of the arena, talking to another cowboy. As if he sensed her, he turned, straightened and smiled right at her. With the make-up, he didn’t look like himself. She startled, and was caught off-guard when he looped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, kissing her and eliciting whistles from the surrounding cowboys.

She kissed him back before she could stop herself, then put her hands against his shoulders and broke the kiss. “Hi.”

He looked into her eyes and frowned, tilting his head. “Are you okay?”

She wanted to lay it all on the ground, but he needed to focus or he could be hurt. The conversation could wait. “Long day. I need to go find Grace.”

He pointed, his hand still on her hip. “Right up there.”

Grace waved, grinning, and Teresa broke away from him, not looking back even though her heart ached, knowing this would soon end, trying not to think about how she would recover. Why had she let herself fall for him, when all along she knew she’d lose him? She climbed the steps and joined her friend.

“Are you okay?” Grace asked, her brow furrowed.

Teresa lifted a hand to her face. “What is wrong with me that everyone’s asking me that?”

“You look—more stressed than normal.”

Teresa waved a hand as Noah launched himself across Grace’s body to hug her. She opened her mouth to tell Grace she’d tell her later. Instead, she said, “Miguel was at Layla’s when I went to get Emily.”

“What?” Grace’s outraged shriek drew the attention of several nearby onlookers. “He’s out? And no one told you?”

Teresa pulled Noah into her lap, needing the comfort of his little body snuggling against her. “Apparently he’s been out for a while. He followed us to the aquarium the other day, and to the lake today. He told me that being with West was going to cost me Emily.” She barely choked out the last words past the fear that lodged in her throat.

“Oh, honey, that’s not true!” Grace gripped her arm. “They’ll never take her away from you and give her to an abusive father.”

Teresa drew in a deep breath and let her gaze drift to the dirt arena, not yet churned up by horses’ hooves. “Except he didn’t hurt her, only me. And they wouldn’t necessarily give her to him, but leave her to his mother.” She lowered her head to her hands. “I have to end it with West. Miguel said he’d tell the judge I was a homeless whore for being with West. I can’t risk it. I need my daughter back.”

“Oh, Teresa.” Tears filled Grace’s eyes. “Wait. Talk to your lawyer before you make a decision like that. He’ll tell you Miguel is full of...it.” She glanced quickly at her son before she made the last-minute substitution.

Teresa shook her head. “I can’t take that chance. He’ll understand. It was never supposed to be anything but fun anyway.”

“He’s good for you.” Grace squeezed Teresa’s arm. “I haven’t seen you this happy since I’ve known you. Please reconsider.”

More than anything, Teresa wanted to reconsider. More than anything, she wanted a future with West, or as much of one as she could squeeze out. Grace was right. He made her happy. But she could never be fully happy until she had her daughter back. “The whole drive up, I argued with myself. I have to do this. She has to come first. She has to know she always comes first.”

“She’ll never know how to value herself if you don’t value yourself. She’ll never know what real love is unless she sees a good example.”

Teresa shook her head. “I don’t think we have the happy ending kind of thing you and Liam have.”

“You’ll never know if you end it tonight.”

Teresa pulled away, fisting her hands in her lap until her short nails dug into her palms. She would never know, but she couldn’t risk it.

The rodeo began and Teresa was occasionally distracted by the excitement of the competition, but her stomach was tight with dread at what she needed to say to West.

She didn’t see him now. She scanned the arena—and jumped to her feet, her legs shaking.

“What is it?” Grace demanded, as the bronc event was about to start.

“Miguel is here.”

“Here?” Grace stood, too, and the people behind them shouted a protest.

Teresa didn’t take the time to point out the arrogant ass smirking up at them. Instead, she stormed down the stands to where he stood on the stairs leading to their seats. Miguel’s lips spread in an evil smile as she approached. She let her temper take charge and she grabbed his arm.

“What are you doing here?”

“What? I just wanted to see the appeal of your cowboy.”

“And see what else you could use against me.”

He stroked a finger down her cheek. “You make it so easy.”

“You need to leave.”

He spread his hands. “It’s a public venue. I bought a ticket.”

She rocked back on her heels, unsure of what to do next. She looked up and saw West on the far side of the arena, frowning at them. Shit. She didn’t want to draw his attention and distract him from his job. She held out her hand to tell him to stand back, which he did, but she could see impatience tighten every line of his body. She did see a security guard nearby, near the chutes, and headed down the bleachers toward him, not sure what she was going to say, but determined to handle this on her own.

*****

West watched from the far side of the arena as the dark-haired man grabbed Teresa’s arm. Shit. He knew that guy. It was the man who’d told him he had a nice family when they’d all been at the aquarium. Was he following them? Hell, was it Teresa’s ex? Rage blew through him as the force spun her around, and he was across the arena, shouting her name and climbing on the rail, itching to get his hands on that son of a bitch.

She broke away from the man and sliced a hand through the air, telling West to stay out of it. She motioned instead to the security guard at the corner of the arena, who came running over. As West watched, helplessly, tension vibrating through his body, Teresa spoke to the guard, her shoulders tight, her gestures pleading. Miguel, meanwhile, was relaxed as he tried to sweet-talk the guard. Then Grace came down from her seat, Noah by the hand, and started talking to the security guard, too. Miguel remained calm during it all, and behind West, the bronc event started.

Grace waved a wild hand at the arena, and the security guard glanced toward the arena. Then whatever Grace and Teresa said had the security guard taking home of Miguel’s arm and guiding him away from the women. The two women stood to watch, arm in arm, and West could see how upset Teresa was from here. He wanted to go to her. As if she sensed him watching her, she looked at him and waved to tell him she was okay.

Bullshit
. But he had a job to do. He blew her a kiss and before he turned back to the arena, he made damned sure Miguel was out of sight, away from her.

“You okay?” Ray, his partner in the arena asked, a crease between his exaggerated eyebrows.

West nodded once, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder to make sure Teresa was back in her seat and safe. He had a few minutes before the first bull rider came out. He needed to focus.

He got back to his seat on the railing just as Liam sprang from the chute. He admired his friend’s technique as the younger cowboy rocked back and forth on the bronc, his heels scraping the horse’s withers in time with the bucks. Damn, Liam made riding a bronc look like he was sitting in a rocking chair.

Once the buzzer rang, the riders rode along side Liam. He swung onto the back of one horse and slid down the other side while the other rider led his bronc away. Liam unlatched his helmet and lifted it in the direction of Grace and Noah.