Arguing with Her Billionaire Cowboy - April Murdock Page 0,5
riding lessons, and had land set aside for feed and crops. The two of them could split up the work evenly between them easily. He’d overreacted. He could see that now. But there was no going back. He’d win this thing and keep Kate on. He’d prove them all wrong.
AJ wandered along the Texas trails, putting off the time when he’d have to turn back. He didn’t want to face his parents or Kate at the moment. He didn’t want to know what exactly would be in store for them in the coming weeks.
But at some point, even he had to face the music. He’d made his bed. As the sun moved lower in the sky, AJ finally turned Duke down the trail that would lead home. By the time he arrived back at the stable, the property was quiet. The ranch hands had left for the evening and the horses had been moved to another pasture for grazing.
His childhood home was lit up from within as dusk settled on the property. AJ climbed down from Duke and led him to the stable for a brushing and feeding. Knowing his mother, AJ figured she’d either be livid for making them wait or she’d have given up on him long ago.
With the saddle and blanket removed, AJ set to work grooming his favorite horse. He glided the brush along the horse’s hair until it glistened. Horses were easy. They took a lot of work, but at least they were consistent. Duke was one of the only horses who didn’t get skittish with anyone. His temperament was one of the reasons AJ recommended his parents use Duke as a stud.
AJ offered Duke a carrot from a feed bag hanging beside the stall and closed the door. When he turned, he yelped. Kate was leaning against the doorway, her arms folded and a scowl on her face.
“If you tell someone you’re going to be here, then be here.”
His stomach dropped. So, his mother had waited. “I’m sorry.”
She straightened, blocking his path. “Don’t tell me sorry. Tell your mother—and your father, for that matter. They’ve been waiting for a good hour.”
Raising his eyebrows, AJ glanced over her shoulder to the house. “They know they can eat if I’m not home in time.”
Kate released a harsh breath. “You’re dumber than you look, AJ. You’ve been gone for a month doing who knows what, and now that you’re home for good, they want to spend time with you.”
Guilt twisted his stomach, and he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Not only that, but they said they’ve figured out how we’re going to compete for Terry Hill.”
AJ lifted his gaze from the ground to meet hers. He pursed his lips and nodded. Kate turned around and led the way to the main house. AJ’s gaze trailed down her slim figure and his mouth went dry. She wasn’t the little girl who’d followed him around as he played with his friends anymore.
He’d been so irritated earlier, he hadn’t stopped to really look at her. No wonder his parents wanted her to be part of the ranch. She was strong and capable. She didn’t shy away from hard work and it showed. This might be harder than he originally thought. Kate really wouldn’t give in easily.
They entered the house and the smell of country fried chicken wafted over him. His favorite. That knot of guilt twisted tighter. He should have been home sooner. AJ rounded the corner to the dining room to see his parents sitting at the table with empty plates. He removed his hat and placed it on a chair.
AJ glanced at Kate, who smiled at him as she took her seat beside his mother. He settled down in the seat beside her and leaned in closer to her, whispering, “I thought you said they’d waited for me.”
She lifted a glass of water to her mouth and whispered back, “They’re still here, aren’t they? I never said they didn’t eat.”
“I can warm your plate for you, dear.”
AJ’s eyes shifted to his mother. “No thank you, Mom. I can do it.” He grabbed his plate and left the room.
Chapter Four
Kate watched AJ leave and snickered. She almost felt bad for the way he looked when she told him everyone had waited on him. But then, it wasn’t all wrong. They had given him a good twenty minutes before digging in. Eating cold food was a pet peeve of Hazel’s and if AJ wasn’t going to be punctual, he could