FOURTEEN

 

 

By the time Avery rode home late that afternoon, with the sun low in the sky and wreaking havoc on her sun-sensitive eyes, she’d already decided that she could get accustomed to full-time ranch life. Okay, so maybe she hadn’t actually done any real work other than herding a few calves, but she knew she could get used to it, used to the rhythm of a ranch, the pace of new life emerging with each season. Sure, it was hard work. She saw how some of Chuck’s ranch hands looked when they left for the day, but they also looked satisfied. Especially the women—the cowgirls—looked happy with their day.

Not that Avery was seriously contemplating giving up law, but it was nice to dream about other possibilities. After all, if things didn’t go her way, she wouldn’t have a choice in the matter, and she wanted to be prepared for plan B. Avery was nothing if not always prepared . . . at least that was how she’d thought of herself.

Now maybe not so much.

She hadn’t been prepared for that distraught picture of her mom. Hadn’t been prepared for all the hurt and sadness and confusion it had stirred inside of her. Life had thrown her a curve ball, several curve balls all at once, actually, and she needed to try her best to catch them and toss them back into the universe along with what she wanted to do, not with what someone else thought she should do.

As she approached the Circle Starr stables, English Rose at a steady slow ambling gait, gently rocking Avery to the beat of her thoughts, she focused in on Reese Cooper. Getting to know Reese, the time she’d spent with him, laughing with him, arguing with him, talking, and most importantly, making love to him, had somehow restored her faith in herself.

Reese was a genuinely good man, and a lover like no other. Up until she’d slept with Reese, having sex with a man had been just that, sex. Not much emotion had been tied to the act. Sure she’d experienced some nice moments with the other lovers in her life, but she’d never felt the range of deep passion that she’d experienced with Reese.

Their lovemaking had been so powerful today that again she’d cried, and Reese had been there to tenderly kiss away her tears and shed a few of his own. No other man had caused such emotion to swell inside of her before, and she was certain no other man would have been that caring and understanding when he caught her weeping.

She didn’t know exactly what had brought it on. Perhaps part of it was all the secrecy surrounding her mom. Or perhaps it was simply the way Reese made love to her . . . baring his soul, as if it might be his last time. As if he was a soldier going off to war and they might never see each other again. He was tender when he needed to be and a little rough when she’d demanded more. He knew her nuances, and she knew his. They seemed to know each other’s inner desires without either of them having to say a word.

But most of all, he could laugh when a bee nearly scared her to death and she’d screamed like a schoolgirl until he shooed it away, both of them completely naked, running around in the grass like children.

“Did you have a good ride, Miss?” Jackson asked. He was one of the many stable hands who cared for the horses, and Avery’s favorite. Jackson always wore a smile, and had something kind to say.

He took the reins from her as soon as she dismounted.

“Yes, thanks. The best,” she said as she gave English Rose some loving. The horse responded with nudges and head bobs. The two of them had a real friendship going, and it was moments like these when Avery couldn’t help but think of her beautiful mom, and how much she would have loved English Rose as much as Avery did.

Avery could imagine her mom riding English Rose. She loved to ride. It was the one thing she could do on her own without getting lost. Why that was, Avery didn’t know, but no matter how many hours her mom would go out riding, she always managed to find her way back, and she always looked refreshed when she returned.

Avery would be turning thirty on Sunday, a zero birthday, a birthday that required a major change. It was finally time to know the truth, and from what she could tell, Chuck Starr was finally willing to tell her. She texted him that she would be home for dinner, and would love if he would join her.

She waited for an answer, but none came until she had showered, blown out her hair and gotten dressed. The answer came in the form of a knock on her bedroom door just as she had zipped up a clean pair of black slacks and tucked in a white shirt. Then she slipped the disturbing picture of her mom into her back pocket, intending to confront Chuck with it.

She stepped into a pair of bright pink heels, something she hadn’t worn in weeks. Her feet felt instantly restricted, but they sure looked pretty. As she opened the door, a moment of apprehension gripped at her resolve, but she took a deep breath and steeled her nerves.

“Dinner is almost ready,” Kaya crooned, standing in front of Avery looking somewhat apprehensive, almost as if she knew what Avery was feeling.

“Thanks, Kaya, and thanks for the pictures of my mom,” Avery told her.

“My pleasure, but I think I might have stirred up a bees’ nest.”

Avery sucked in a breath as she followed behind Kaya who seemed to be in a hurry to get back to her kitchen. “Why do you say that? Did you get into trouble for it with Chuck?”

“No, ma’am. Mr. Starr never said a word, but he’ll be joining you for dinner tonight, along with your father.”

Avery thought she must not have heard Kaya correctly. Daniel Templeton hadn’t been back to the Circle Starr in years. And he never, ever left Phoenix unless he’d planned it weeks in advance. Kaya had to be wrong.

“Did you say my father is here?”

“Yes.”

“You must be mistaken, Kaya. He’s the lead attorney in an ongoing trial.”

“That may be, but he’s out there drinking a glass of Mr. Starr’s best scotch, waiting to see you.”

At once Avery felt a wave of nausea overpower her. There was absolutely no way Chuck would be allowed to say a word. Her father would never allow it.

She had a strong feeling that was the reason her dad was there. To make sure she remained in the dark, the deep black dark about what happened to her mom.

Or . . . he was there to personally deliver some news about her law firm’s verdict. Perhaps they had reached a conclusion, the only conclusion that was even remotely possible: she’d been cleared of any and all allegations. Her dad wanted to deliver the good news himself. He was like that. Whenever there was something major to tell Avery, he liked to be there for it, and if he could, he liked to deliver the message himself.

He was all about good news.

At least, she chose to believe that at the moment.

Still, she wanted to turn right around and go back to her bedroom, but instead, she slid her hand into her back pocket, pulled out that horrible picture of her mom, and decided that nothing, not even her father’s wrath, was going to stop her from knowing the truth . . . no matter what that might be.

Oh yeah, if anyone was going to stir up a bees’ nest, it was going to be Avery.

Kaya led her into the living room, and there, standing to greet her, was Daniel Templeton, looking somehow older, and as pale as white bread.

Her heart sank.

“Dad, why are you here?” she asked while hesitating in the open doorway to the living room.

“Isn’t that a fine how-do-you-do! Shouldn’t we hug first before you start with the questions?” Her dad still wore his work attire, a brown Armani suit, white shirt, and a striped blue and white tie. His thinning salt and pepper hair had been combed neatly to the right side, and his brown dress shoes had been shined to a high gloss finish, exactly the way he liked them. He and Chuck Starr couldn’t have been more opposite if they had been purposely dressed for a costume party.

“Sure,” Avery said as she walked into her father’s strong arms and gave him a tight hug. Even after what had to have been a long day for him, he still smelled of his musky aftershave cologne.

“I came to see my girl. It’s been over a month since you left and I miss you.” He let go of her and she took a step back. “You look as though Chuck has been taking good care of you.”

“He has, but you look tired, Dad, and a bit stressed. What’s going on? The trial getting to you?”

Now that she stood only a few feet away from her dad, she could see the fatigue in his eyes, and on his face. Something was troubling him, and she had a feeling that something had to do with her.

“Nothing’s going on. Like I said, I missed you.” She knew he was lying. He wouldn’t look her in the eye when he spoke. A sure tell.

“What would you like to drink, Avery? Wine? Scotch? Or how about that brandy you like so much?” Chuck asked, trying his best to be the perfect host in a tense situation. He walked over to the ornate cart Kaya always kept stocked with his favorite liquor and wine, along with ice, the appropriate glassware, napkins, and fancy stir sticks.

“Red wine. Thanks,” she told him, but her gaze remained with her dad. “So, Dad, you drove all the way out here during a high profile trial because you missed me? You’ll have to do better than that. Is it my law firm? Did you hear they’ve come to a conclusion in my case? Is that why you’re here?”

“Yes, that’s part of it,” he said, then sat on the edge of the sofa like he couldn’t commit to fully being seated. He held a short crystal glass with what had to be a couple of shots of single malt scotch. He never drank anything else. “You will be happy to know they have cleared you of all false charges. You’re free to return whenever you’d like. Someone from the firm will be calling you in the morning.”

Avery should have been thrilled with this news. Instead, she didn’t quite know how to react. Especially since it meant leaving Reese behind. “That’s great, Dad. Thanks for bringing me the news.”

“Is that all you have to say? I thought you’d be ecstatic.”

Chuck handed her a generous pour of red wine. It smelled delicious so she took a couple long swallows, savoring the oak and cherry flavors on her tongue. The wine was smooth and expensive tasting, just the way she liked it. She then walked over and took a seat across from her dad in a butter-soft brown leather club chair, sinking back into its comfort. “I am. Of course I am, but I shouldn’t have been put on leave in the first place. I guess I’ll get all the details on how they proved my innocence tomorrow.”

“I think ranch life has gotten under your skin,” Chuck said. “I have a feeling you don’t want to leave.”

“That’s impossible,” her dad said. “Law is in Avery’s blood. She could no more give it up than I could. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”

“I have to admit, ranch life is a lure, but it will be nice to get back to the firm,” she said, but she didn’t believe her own words. Truth be told, now that she’d been cleared, she was relieved, but also confused over her mixed feelings about going back.

“This calls for a celebration,” Chuck said. “It’s about time we had a real hoedown on the Circle Starr, and this gives me a reason to get everyone together for a real good time.”

“It’s really not necessary, Chuck, but thanks.”

“I insist. You don’t have to do anything but show up. I’ll take care of everything.”

Avery knew there was no sense in arguing, so she agreed. But when she turned back to her dad, she could tell he hadn’t yet told her the real reason for his impromptu visit.

“Is there something else, Dad? And please don’t repeat yourself about just wanting to see me. I know you too well for that.”

“Yes there is, but let’s enjoy a leisurely dinner first. I’m starved.”

“I think Kaya outdid herself this evening with some fine steaks and all the trimmings. We certainly don’t want to disappoint her by letting her meal get cold,” Chuck offered. “You know how hard she works. Let’s enjoy our dinner, then we can discuss anything you want, Dan. How’s that?”

And as if on cue, Kaya walked in and announced dinner.

“Shall we?” Avery’s dad said as he stood, then waited for her to take his arm as if this was some sort of formal affair.

Avery hesitated, thinking she wouldn’t budge, but then Kaya turned to her. “I pan-seared your steak in butter and spices, just the way you like it, Miss Avery.”

It was the first time Kaya had used the Miss title. Avery figured whatever was going on, Kaya was trying her best to defuse it so everyone could enjoy their meal. Avery didn’t want to let Kaya down. She stood, took her dad’s arm and they followed Chuck into the dining room, realizing that whatever this was about, it was probably one of those life-changing moments.

She could feel the bees swarming all around them.

 

 

REESE COULDN’T GET the afternoon he’d spent with Avery out of his head. She lingered there like a sunset that lit up the sky with a red flame. He relived every moment of their lovemaking until he had to force himself to stop or he wouldn’t be able to walk or be around anyone. As it was, getting his horse bedded down for the night had taken everything in him to focus on the task, and when he’d finally closed the stall door, he realized he’d left his horse standing outside the stall.

Avery had given herself fully and completely to him once again, only this time she’d really cried, not just a few tears escaping onto her cheeks. It was a moment he would never forget. A moment of pure tenderness and joy that he would tuck away with all the other memories he had of Avery Templeton that were now building up to such a fever pitch that he hated to be away from her even for a few hours.

They’d been like teens sneaking away from their parents to do something naughty, and ended up doing something that had taken him beyond anything he’d ever felt before. The woman was not only someone he admired and cared about, but she did things to him that were downright wicked. It was as if she would try anything, do anything, and all the while she wore nothing but a sly little grin. That beguiling grin told him she knew she was systematically turning him into her personal sex toy.

A role he thoroughly enjoyed.

But all of that aside, he knew he was falling in love with her and unless he wanted his heart ripped out of his chest, he was going to have to think of something to keep her right there by his side in Wild Cross. No easy task, but one that began with negotiating a sound compromise with Chuck Starr.

“I think Chuck and I are finally going to reach an agreement,” he told his family as they gathered around the kitchen table for dinner, his mom in her favorite chair at the head of the table, with Reese getting ready to sit next to her on her right. His dad’s chair still remained empty at the other end of the table. “Our ranch will keep its brand, but we’ll be under the umbrella of Circle Starr Enterprises so all our financial worries will be gone.”

He wanted to try this on with his siblings first. There were deeper compromises in the paperwork that had to do with Reese’s monetary compensations and that of his siblings, but he thought he’d start with the basics.

“What the heck does that mean?” Hunter asked as he plunked himself down in his chair and snatched two thick slices of bread from the basket in the middle of the table.

“It means we’ll be able to pay off all our loans, make all the repairs we need, and increase our herd,” Reese said, smiling over at his mom. “Circle Starr will pay for everything. Mom and I will be signing the agreement in a couple days. Of course, they’ll need your signatures, too. Most of the changes will go into effect immediately, and some will take a few months. Considering where we are now and where we’ll be once we sign, I think it’s the best thing for the Cooper Ranch and our family.”

No one spoke and instead took their seats in silence. Reese figured they needed a few minutes to absorb what he’d said. Plus, he knew everyone couldn’t wait to dive into their mom’s feast.

She had outdone herself with homemade bread, a beautiful beef roast, an assortment of cooked fresh vegetables, baked Idaho potatoes and two pies waiting on the kitchen counter to be served for dessert. It was perhaps the perfect dinner after a perfect day.

Reese felt truly blessed, and said a silent prayer of thanks.

“I’m glad you’re home, Mom,” Reese told her as he took his seat, then pulled his chair in closer to the table. He couldn’t wait to dig in. “We’re no good without you.”

He reached over and lovingly rubbed his mom’s back and shoulder. “Love you, Mom. Thanks for this.”

“You’re welcome, son,” she said, her eyes moist. Reese knew their argument was finally coming to an end. He could no more remain angry with his mom than he could hold back the sunshine. They would find a way to work through this, that he knew for certain.

“I’m sure we’re all glad to see that you and mom have made peace,” Chase began, as he spread butter on a slice of bread. Everyone at the table agreed with a nod or a smile. “But it doesn’t change my feelings about Chuck Starr. This agreement you’re eager to sign affects all of us. Shouldn’t we know exactly what it says?” His voice seemed unusually gruff, a hostile attitude dominating his normally quiet nature. “I’d like to see the paperwork before you sign anything, just to make sure the rest of us aren’t getting screwed.”

Chase sat directly across from Reese, the same place they’d both sat in since they were kids. Hunter sat next to him, Draven next to Reese, and Shiloh next to Draven with an empty chair across from her for a guest, which they rarely had. They were a family of routines and rituals, and their dad’s absence at the head of the table had broken their routine and caused strife in the family. Reese knew nothing would ever be the same now that their dad was gone, but he hoped that an influx of money would ease everyone’s worry about losing the family ranch.

“Chuck’s lawyers are working up the new documents,” Reese told Chase, trying his best to assuage any brewing doubt. “We made some changes today. As soon as I get the new paperwork, I’ll read it over and make sure everything Chuck and I talked about is in there. Our family attorney will go over it as well. I promise, no one will get screwed. You’ve trusted me to run this ranch for the past fifteen or so years. Why wouldn’t you trust me with this deal? Why the hostility? I thought everyone would be all for this. It means less work for us, and a whole lot less worry.”

“You know how Dad felt about Chuck,” Hunter said, as he filled his plate with steaming potatoes and sliced meat. Hunter usually avoided anything green. “We never thought in a million years you’d settle for anything Chuck has to offer. The man found a way to buy the Stanfords’ ranch right out from under them when all they needed was a little more time to sell more of their livestock. And what about the Brannons’ ranch last year? Chuck pretended to be their friend and lent them money, then as soon as they couldn’t make a payment, he foreclosed on their land. Did you forget these things?”

“Number one, I’m not settling. This merger will benefit all of us. And number two, we’ll be able to keep our ranch.”

“How?” Chase asked in a demanding voice. “How exactly do we keep this ranch? Dad left the ranch to you and mom. Seems to me, the rest of us get nothing but a roof over our heads . . . if we decide to stay.”

“That’s not exactly true, son,” Reese’s mom countered. “This ranch has always belonged to this entire family. Reese and your dad ran it. It’s been that way ever since Reese was sixteen. Nothing has changed and nothing will change.”

“Is that in writing somewhere, because so far, I haven’t seen it.” Chase pushed his chair out. “Seems to me that Dad left everything to someone who isn’t even his blood. And now Chuck will get exactly what he’s always wanted . . . this ranch. And it’s all because his newfound son is willing to betray the family that raised him, and loved him as their own.” He turned to his mom, his face softening, but his chin still firm. “You betrayed us, Mom, you and Reese. And now the one thing that our dad fought to keep his entire life will be handed over to Chuck Starr without any of us having a say in the matter. Hell, you’re handing this land over when you don’t even have all the results back from what the hell is lurking under this ranch. Dad ran all those tests for a reason. He suspected something. Maybe that’s why Chuck Starr is so eager to help out. Did you ever think of that? Did either of you stop to think that Chuck is just using you to get at what’s under our land? This entire negotiation with that bastard just kills me, and I want no part of any of it.”

Chase stood, and tossed his napkin on the table.

Reese stood so quickly that his chair fell backwards. Then both Hunter and Draven stood, looking as if they were ready for battle.

“What the hell do you take me for, Chase? I might be a lot of things, but I’m not a fool. You know what, maybe you should just leave,” Reese said, angrier than he’d ever been at Chase. He really hadn’t expected his normally quiet brother to be so blunt, so verbal about what had happened.

“Oh, I intend to, and I have no intention of returning as long as the Circle Starr’s brand is anywhere near this ranch.”

“Don’t say that, Chase,” Catherine said. “This is your home.”

“Not anymore,” he said, then he stomped out, with Draven and Hunter following close behind.

Catherine called out for Chase to please stop, but he ignored her and kept walking.

“I don’t understand,” Catherine said as her eyes welled up. “Why would he react like that?” She looked up at Reese as tears soaked her cheeks. “You’re his brother. What’s wrong with him? He knows you would never do anything to hurt our family. He knows you’re acting on our behalf. I don’t understand.”

“He’s just worried, Mom,” Shiloh told her as she folded her hands on the table after she’d pushed her own plate aside. “We all are.”

“But there’s nothing to be worried about,” Reese said. “You know I wouldn’t do anything that could jeopardize our ranch or our family. I’ve always looked out for us, and always will.”

Shiloh took in a deep breath, then quickly let it out. “You’re allowing our ranch to become part of Circle Starr. I know you have your reasons, but Dad would have never let that happen.”

“This ranch is a heartbeat away from foreclosure,” Reese countered. “If you have a better idea, please let me know, because up until this moment, you’ve cared more about your jewelry than this ranch. You haven’t done any work on it for more years than I can count. Hell, you don’t even help out on our roundups anymore. So why do you suddenly care so much?”

She pushed her chair out, and stood, her face stained with outrage. “Because it’s my home. It’s where I live. Where I grew up. I love this ranch.”

“Then why don’t you start acting like it?” Reese shot back, angry with the whole lot of them for drawing conclusions that weren’t founded in facts. Emotions had brought this family . . . this ranch to where it was today. The entire family ran their lives on emotions and those emotions had blinded them from the truth. The ranch was failing, had been failing for a very long time and the only way to save it was an influx of money. Why couldn’t they see that?

Shiloh stared at Reese for a moment, then she said, “If you’ll excuse me, I’m not very hungry.” She stepped away from the table, pushed her chair in, and followed her brothers.

“Sweetheart, wait!” Catherine called after her, but Shiloh ignored her and kept walking.

Reese plopped down hard in his chair, just as his mom sprang up and ran off in the direction of her bedroom, obviously upset with the dissent among her children.

As Reese sat there, now completely alone, surrounded by what was possibly the best meal to be laid out in front of him since his dad passed, he couldn’t help but think that no matter what happened next, his family would never be the same again.

 

 

KAYA HAD OUTDONE herself with dinner. Everything was perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. The woman could open her own restaurant tomorrow and triple the amount of money she made working for Chuck.

Now, as Avery, Chuck and Avery’s dad, Daniel, took their seats in the living room once again, Avery had only one thing on her mind. “Now, are you going to tell me why you’re here, Dad?”

“I couldn’t very well miss my baby’s thirtieth birthday, now could I?”

“It’s your birthday?” Chuck asked. “I knew it was coming up, but I’d lost track of when it was exactly. Why didn’t you tell me? Now we really need to celebrate!”

“It’s not for a couple more days. And I don’t intend to make a big deal about it,” she lied. She intended to make a very big deal about it. She intended to begin to learn everything there was to know about her mom’s disappearance.

“You’re turning thirty. That’s a big deal in itself,” her dad said.

Chuck poured scotch into a fancy glass and handed it to her dad. Then he poured two brandies, handed one to Avery without asking . . . which she gladly accepted . . . sat down in his favorite club chair and swirled his brandy in its snifter, allowing the aroma to permeate his senses.

Avery was well aware of the fact that this birthday had a deep meaning. She didn’t quite know what to expect, but she knew her life would change because of that zero attached to that three. It seemed inevitable, and at this point in her life, she welcomed the alteration.

“Maybe so, but I still don’t want to make a big deal out of it.” She sipped her brandy. The smooth liquid warmed her as it went down, almost calming her.

Or was she feeling more relaxed because she knew what she had to ask, what she had to know. She felt her body ease into the chair.

“Tell you what,” she said. “We can celebrate my thirtieth tomorrow with an early morning ride. Mom would have liked that.”

That was the first time she’d brought up her mom to her dad in years, and Avery felt good to reference her, almost emboldened by it.

Daniel threw back his scotch, then carefully placed the glass down on the coaster on the side table next to him. “Now that you’ve brought up your mom . . .”

Avery immediately went on defense, cutting him off. “This thing you have about not talking about Mom has to end, right here and right now. I don’t know why you tried to expunge her from my life, but it didn’t work and now, more than ever, I want to know about this picture and the date stamped on the edge.” She pulled the photo from her pocket and tossed it on the coffee table in front of both men. “Tell me now, or I swear I’ll start my own investigation, and believe me, you don’t want that to happen.”

Avery’s insides shook from the power of her statement, from finally standing up to her dad and from demanding he break his silence. She stared right at him, refusing to turn away.

“That’s why I’m here. Chuck called and told me that Kaya gave you the box of pictures of your mom, but I didn’t know that picture was part of it.”

“It wasn’t. I found this on Chuck’s floor in his office.” She turned to Chuck. “Maybe you want to start this thing off. What the hell is this picture all about? That date stamp is two years after you both said my mom had died. Obviously she hadn’t. And don’t even try to tell me that date stamp is wrong because I can easily authenticate it.”

Chuck didn’t respond. Instead he looked to her dad for an answer. Her dad ignored Chuck and eyed his own now empty glass as if he expected it to refill itself. When it didn’t, he looked crestfallen as he met Avery’s gaze.

“There’s a simple explanation,” her dad said, then glanced over at Chuck as if he needed his approval on what he was about to say. Chuck gave him a slight nod, and Avery knew her dad was hiding something . . . something he was having a hard time revealing. “And I’ll get to that in a moment. But first, I’ve had all the legal documents drawn up that concern your mother’s estate. After all this time, I’m sure you’ll agree that what I’m proposing is for the best for everyone involved. All you have to do is sign the paperwork and nothing will change, except that now your mom will be well taken care of for the rest of her life, thanks to Chuck’s generosity.”

Avery felt certain she hadn’t heard him correctly. That perhaps he’d garbled his words . . . your mom will be well taken care of? “Could you please repeat that? I don’t think I heard you correctly.”

The back of Avery’s neck felt as if it was in a vise. She tried to soothe it with her hands, but it felt like tense ropes rather than soft flesh and muscles.

“I know this is tough for you to understand, but I had my reasons, and now, under the circumstances, I have no choice but to tell you the truth before you hear it from someone else.” His face took on the graveness of his words, almost as if he was about to tell her something dreadful. Something that might hurt her so deeply that she might not recover.

“So I did hear you accurately? My mom will be well taken care of? But that would mean . . . Oh, my God!”

Avery sucked in a breath, and clasped her hand to her mouth. Her entire body seemed to want to close down. Her head swirled, as tears fogged her vision. She could no more fathom what she knew now to be true, than she could fathom the moon losing its glow.

Avery rose to her feet and began pacing the living room, not quite sure what to think or how to think . . . stunned, came to mind, along with complete contempt for her father and for Chuck who had conspired to keep this information from her. How could they have done this? Why would they have done this?

“It’s not what you think. Let me explain,” her dad said while Avery circled the room, trying to accept the concept that her mother was still alive. That she lived somewhere and hadn’t even bothered to try to contact her in all this time. The concept didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be real. Avery knew her mother had loved her. Why would she have abandoned her? How could she have abandoned her? It didn’t make sense. Her dad must have done something horrible or, worse, maybe Avery had done something to send her away. Was that possible?

“Avery, please take a seat and let your dad explain,” Chuck insisted, but Avery couldn’t stop the emotion that gripped her . . . the sobs that ripped at her heart.

It couldn’t be possible. None of it was possible. Her mother was dead. Her dad had told her this time and time again. She’s up in heaven with the angels, he’d told her when she’d wake up screaming for her mom in the middle of the night. She’s always with you, he’d told her on countless occasions when Avery would want to know why she couldn’t see her. It was just her time, he’d said when Avery would ask him why did she die, a hundred times in a row.

Avery continued to pace the room, trying to recall that last summer with her mom once again. She’d gone over and over it in her mind for most of her life. There wasn’t any indication that her mom wanted to leave. On the contrary, her mom had wanted nothing more than to stay right there in Wild Cross, on Chuck’s ranch, with Avery.

This was all coming at her too quickly. The disturbing picture she’d found in Chuck’s office of her mom, the box of pictures left outside her bedroom door, Kaya’s mysterious response to questions about her mom. All of it. And now her dad admitting that her mom had been alive for the last twenty years, it was just too much.

A myriad of emotions overtook her. She took some calming breaths and tried her best to regain some composure while her body tried its best to explode into a million tiny pieces. “So, all this time . . . she’s been alive? My mother didn’t die? You lied to me? You both lied to me and let me believe that some terrible accident took her away from me?” She was trembling now, ravaged by the pain of their senseless deceit. “I was just a little girl, a little girl who needed her mother. How could you keep this information from me when you knew how much I missed her? How much I wanted to see her? Tell me you’re both not that cold-hearted.”

“I was trying to protect you.” Her dad said the words, but they didn’t ring true. She could see that now. Could hear his lies in his voice . . . see it on his face. She forced herself to stop crying. To pull her thoughts together. To stand up to her dad, to Chuck, to their horrible, unforgivable behavior.

“Protect me from what? From crying myself to sleep each night? From wishing I could be with her? From praying for her to come home every night for almost five years? From feeling incredibly lonely? Just what were you protecting me from, because learning that my mom was actually alive during all of that sure doesn’t seem like a lot of protection. It seems more like purposeful torture. Where is she? I want to see her.”

“That’s the problem, Avery. That’s why I tried to protect you.”

“There isn’t anything that she could have done, short of murder, that I wouldn’t have forgiven her for. Just tell me where she is so I can go to her. Now. Tonight.”

“It’s not like that.”

“What? Did she run away with the circus? Is she running a call-girl service? Is she in prison? Is she a man now, because I really don’t care about any of that shit. She’s my mother.”

“Just tell her, Dan,” Chuck said, his voice cold and calculating.

“Yeah, just tell me, Dan. I can take it. You’ve toughened me up to withstand almost anything. I’m stronger than you think. I won’t break. You’ve seen to that.”

Her dad took a deep breath, looked down at his empty glass again, but this time, Chuck responded by getting up and pouring him a generous shot. She waited while her dad drank most of it, then he said, “Your mom won’t know who you are, Avery. She doesn’t have the mental capacity. She has always been right here in Wild Cross. She’s a resident of Bell House.”