Taming a Texas Rascal (Bad Boy Ranch #6) - Katie Lane Page 0,45

platter. Sawyer spent a good eight months out of the year traveling to different rodeos. When he’d been home, he’d tried to make up for it by taking Lauren out to dinner and dancing. But he’d never given her the two things she’d wanted most: a stable life and a wedding ring. He’d thought up every excuse under the sun why they couldn’t get married yet.

Maybe that was why Sawyer wasn’t angry with Lauren and why he was still so mad at Mattie. Mattie had found happiness and accepted it with open arms, while Sawyer just kept pushing it away.

His cellphone pinged again. He only sat there for a second before he picked it up and read it.

I can’t do it. I love Lauren, but I can’t marry her if it means never seeing my brother again.

The words knifed right through Sawyer’s heart. He had wanted Mattie to pay for his betrayal, but now he realized he didn’t want his brother to pay for the rest of his life. That’s exactly what would happen if Sawyer made Mattie choose between him and the woman he loved. Maisy was right. Sawyer was lucky to have a brother like Mattie who had always supported him in whatever he wanted to do. It was time Sawyer did the same.

He sat there struggling to find the words to text back. After typing and deleting numerous messages, he decided to keep it simple.

What time is the wedding?

It took a long, anxious moment for Mattie to text back. Had he already broken it off with Lauren? Sawyer would never forgive himself if he had. Thankfully, Mattie’s response finally showed up.

I never meant to hurt you.

Sawyer knew that. But damned if it hadn’t hurt. Although the pain had lessened in the last few weeks, and Sawyer knew Maisy was the reason. He liked being with her. She was funny and witty and never let him get away with anything—like ignoring his brother. If not for her, he wouldn’t be standing there texting with Mattie.

We’re good, Mattie. We can talk more at the wedding. After sending the text, a thought struck him. He had planned to ask his parents for the loan to pay for Angel, but Mattie had always loved horses so he fired off another text. How would you like to give Lauren a horse as a wedding gift?

Mattie quickly replied. I’d love it, but Lauren wouldn’t. She hates to ride. And if you bring a horse to the wedding reception, she and Mom will kill you.

Sawyer laughed. It had been a long time since he laughed with his brother. He texted him back with Angel’s story. After hearing about the abuse, Mattie didn’t hesitate to offer a loan. Pay me back when you can, but you keep the horse. It sounds like you’ve already fallen in love with him.

It was true. Sawyer did have a soft spot for the ornery animal as much as Maisy did. As he said goodbye to his brother and headed out of the barn, he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He didn’t just have a horse. He had his brother back.

Outside the barn, he glanced around for Maisy and saw her in the paddock with Angel. He picked up his hat and started to join her when he noticed Chester and Lucas sitting on the porch.

“So I guess that was Angel’s owner?” Chester said.

Sawyer dusted off his hat and pulled it on before he walked to the porch and climbed the steps. “Not anymore.”

Lucas laughed and slapped Chester on the arm. “You owe me twenty dollars, Chess.”

Chester shrugged. “I’ll gladly lose a bet if it means that city slicker can’t get his hands on Angel again. I’ve never wanted to blow a hole in someone so badly as I did that cartoon character of a cowboy.” He looked at Sawyer. “You should’ve at least punched him in the nose.”

“I got the horse. That’s all that matters.”

“You planning on taking him with you when you go?” Chester asked.

“I’m not leaving. At least not for a while.” For some reason, the thought of not returning to bronc riding right away didn’t make him feel as anxious as it usually did.

“What happened to you being antsy as hell to get back to the rodeo?” Lucas asked.

Sawyer shrugged. “The rodeo’s not going anywhere.”

Chester and Lucas exchanged smiles. “No, I guess it ain’t,” Chester said as he spit a stream of tobacco off the porch. “I don’t guess this