Taming a Texas Rascal (Bad Boy Ranch #6) - Katie Lane Page 0,27

and handed it to her. “I think you have a pretty good reason to cry.”

She wiped her eyes before she loudly blew her nose into the toilet paper. “I guess Lincoln told you.”

“Lincoln knows?”

She glanced up. “He’s the one who got the call.”

“The call? What call?” His eyes looked confused. “Lincoln got the call from the doctor?”

Now she was confused. “A doctor?” She shook her head. “No. From the forensics lab about the bone being Sam Sweeney’s.”

He stared at her. “So you were crying about your daddy?”

“What did you think I was crying about?”

“Being pregnant.”

Her eyes widened. “I’m not pregnant. I told you that.”

He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. “Give it up, Maze. I know you lied about starting your period.”

She stared at him in stunned shock. “How did you know that?”

“I overheard Devlin and Dixie talking about you being pregnant outside the bathroom. That’s why you brought up the tough choices bronc riders have to make.” He sighed. “And I get it. You don’t want to have to stop doing what you love to have a kid. Which is why you didn’t tell me. You want to make that choice on your own.”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t. I mean . . . I’m not pregnant. Devlin and Dixie couldn’t have been talking about me. Especially when I haven’t told anyone about our tequila night.”

“So you did start your period?”

“Well . . . umm . . . no, but I—”

She cut off when headlights flashed in the window. Sawyer looked out and cussed. “Shit. It’s Lincoln and Dixie.” He glanced at her. “We’ll finish this conversation later. I mean it, Maisy. Don’t you dare go running off until we’ve had a chance to talk.”

“Fine, but there’s nothing to talk about. I’m not pregnant. And don’t be telling Lincoln and Dixie that I am. Or that I’ve been crying over my daddy. Lincoln worries enough about me as it is.”

Sawyer studied her for a moment before he walked over and took her chin in his hand and gently brushed the tears from her cheeks with his warm fingers. “Okay, I won’t say anything. But there’s nothing wrong with you being upset about your father, Maze.” A rap came on the door, but he didn’t release her chin to answer it. He just looked her with those pretty grayish-blue eyes that were filled with concern. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

With a reassuring smile, he released her and answered the door. Since they couldn’t all fit in her trailer, she and Sawyer went outside to talk. Which worked out much better because in the dark they wouldn’t see her swollen eyes.

Lincoln seemed surprised to see Sawyer there, but Dixie wasn’t.

“Oh, thank goodness you stopped by to check on Maisy, Sawyer.” Dixie give Sawyer a hug. “My husband has no common sense when it comes to dealing with emotional things.” She pulled Maisy into her arms. “I’m so sorry he dropped the information about your daddy on you in a public place. No wonder you didn’t feel good.” She drew back and looked at her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Well, I don’t care if you are fine, you’re coming home with me and Lincoln. And I’m not taking no for an answer. You need to be surrounded by people who love you tonight. Besides, we have the fall festival meeting tomorrow morning and you won’t have to make the long drive into town.”

Since Maisy didn’t have the energy to argue, she nodded. Dixie helped her pack an overnight bag and lock up the trailer. When they got back outside, Sawyer was gone. But Maisy knew he’d be back the following day. He wanted answers for why she had lied to him about her period. And she couldn’t blame him. It looked like it was time to tell him the truth about their tequila night.

She spent a sleepless night on Dixie and Lincoln’s couch, thinking about her daddy and how much Sawyer was going to hate her when she told him the truth. In the wee hours of the morning, she finally fell asleep. When she woke up, it was late and both Dixie and Lincoln had left for work. She found a note on the refrigerator from Dixie telling her to help herself to anything she wanted to eat. Maisy wasn’t hungry. Her stomach was even more knotted today than it had been the night before. So she skipped breakfast and took a long hot shower before she got dressed