Taming a Texas Rascal (Bad Boy Ranch #6) - Katie Lane Page 0,58

him like we did. All she had was a fantasy about her daddy being this handsome cowboy her mama fell in love with. That, and she didn’t have any real proof until recently that he was gone. I think getting a grave marker for him is a good thing. Even if you don’t find the rest of Sam’s bones, I think we should plan a funeral for him. I think Maisy needs that to finally let go.”

“I agree.” Lincoln paused. “It sounds like things have changed between you and Maisy. Are you sure you don’t love her?”

“I don’t know if it’s love, Linc, but it sure feels like it.”

“And does she feel the same about you?”

“I hope so. I damn well hope so.”

There was a pause before Lincoln spoke. “I hope she does too, Sawyer. I didn’t see it before—I guess because I was so worried about Maisy getting hurt. But after seeing you together these last few weeks, I realize how perfect you two are for each other. Not just because you’re both bronc riders, but also because you complement one another. You need a strong woman who gives it to you straight. And Maisy needs a good man who won’t stifle her feisty nature, but at the same time will give her a shoulder to lean on when she needs it. You’re a good man, Sawyer. I’d be damn happy if the man I see as a brother and the woman I see as a sister ended up together.”

Relief filled Sawyer. Lincoln’s approval meant a lot to him. “Thanks, man. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

After hanging up, Sawyer headed into town. As soon as he pulled into the Lucky Lane Trailer Park, he spotted Maisy’s airstream. Dixie’s SUV was parked in front right behind Maisy’s truck, so Sawyer had to pull in on the other side of the road and walk across. The door of the trailer was open, and as he neared he could hear Dixie talking through the screen door. And just like the night at Cotton-Eyed Joe’s, what she was talking about had him freezing in his tracks.

“You can’t tell Sawyer the truth yet, Maisy. All the boys can’t get together until Wednesday night and we can’t chance him leaving. And I don’t know why you have to tell him at all. Once you go to the doctor and Sawyer finds out you’re not pregnant, what difference does it make if you lied about having sex with him on your tequila night?”

He blinked, wondering if he had heard Dixie right. Maisy confirmed it.

“It matters to me. I’ve been riddled with guilt ever since he jumped into the arena and kept me from getting stomped. If I had told him he’d passed out before we had sex, he wouldn’t have gotten the last concussion. Before I leave town tomorrow, I have to tell him the truth.”

Sawyer didn’t know what punched him in the stomach more. The fact that Maisy had lied to him or the fact that she was leaving. Both hurt like hell and proved that Maisy cared nothing about him. Having sex with him in Dallas had just been a whim. Or maybe a challenge. Maybe she’d just wanted to prove she could get him into bed. Now that she’d accomplished her goal, she was done with him.

Well, he wasn’t done with her.

Without knocking, he pulled open the screen door and stepped up into the trailer. Dixie and Maisy were sitting at the table. They both looked up in surprise.

“Well, hey there, Sawyer,” Dixie said with a bright smile. “We were just talking about . . . the fall festival rodeo.”

“Funny,” he said, “that’s not what it sounded like to me.” He looked at Maisy. “It sounded like you were talking about how Maisy here played a real funny joke on me. Only I don’t think it was so funny.”

Maisy’s face turned red as Dixie tried to explain.

“Now, Sawyer, before you get all mad at Maisy, you should know that I’m the one responsible for keeping the lie going. Maisy wanted to tell you, but I talked her out of telling you the truth until the intervention.”

He stared at Dixie. “What intervention?”

“The intervention to keep you from going back to saddle bronc riding.” Dixie’s green eyes turned sad. “Maisy told us all about what the doctor said and all your friends here in Simple refuse to let you go back to rodeo without a fight. Maisy only went along with the plan