King's Country (Oil Kings #4) - Marie Johnston Page 0,47
grandparents got the land your house is on based on a gamble. Your dad didn’t deserve any hard feelings about that. As for the rest of your land . . .” His dark brows knit together. “I think that a lot of the animosity might have been deserved on the part of the Boyds.”
“You mean how Emilia and DB sold that land to get the money to start their company and made sure to keep the mineral rights so they could then drill on it?”
His mouth tightened. I wasn’t going to apologize for the way I was, and I had no wish to rehash the history between us, but I refused to pretend that my family had been anything less than swindled and that it’d cost us. After the oil booms of the last couple of generations, keeping mineral rights on land sold was becoming standard practice. But selling that land in order to get the money to start a business that would later use those mineral rights to drill on it? Then using that revenue to grow a lucrative empire while inhibiting how much cattle could graze on that land, thereby decimating its value? That was dirty.
He let out a long exhale. “I never heard that part of the story, but after what I’ve seen of Emilia and DB’s business ethos, I can’t not believe it.”
My anger ebbed. He believed me?
Then he went one step further and said, “I also think land shouldn’t have been used in a poker game.” He spread his hands. “But here we are. I enjoy working cattle. I love how it’s become a tradition that brings all my kids together. I came to King’s Creek a day early because it’s too beautiful out to sit in an office. And when I learned Dawson was helping you today, I thought it’d be rude as hell to sit it out. But the truth is, I don’t want to sit it out. I’d like to see the cowgirl you’ve become. Sarah thought the world of you.”
I would not cry. But my chin did an unfortunate tremble. “I thought the world of her.”
“She’d be proud of you.”
My watery gaze shot to his.
He nodded. “You held that place together. I know it was hard on Danny after Sarah died. I know he loved her and thought she was just more proof that the world was out to get him. And I admit, I wasn’t sure what kind of person you’d grow up to be. But Aiden told me how you broke your leg. That wasn’t just about the money you’d have lost if the cow had died. You care about those creatures, just like you’ve been caring for them since you could ride.”
My body was rigid, but I held the tears at bay. My eyes burned.
He tilted his head. “I’m not wrong, am I?”
I sniffed. “You don’t strike me as a guy who’s wrong very often.”
“In business? No. But people are harder to figure out.” He took a step back, giving me space. I’d need a moment before I went into the dining room and pretended I hadn’t just had the most poignant conversation of my life. “People make decisions that can hurt another person when they’re only trying to protect themselves.”
That statement sounded like I’d missed something. I pushed off the sink to give the back of my pants a few minutes to dry. Was he talking about my family, or his?
Dawson
I manned the grill. Beck had stocked the beer fridge I mainly used when my family was around. Beck and Xander stood behind me, chatting about Xander and Savvy’s recent trip to Kosovo to visit friends. Aiden and Kate hadn’t arrived yet, but they’d eat when they got here.
During a break in conversation, Beck peered over my shoulder. “You burning my ribeye?”
I snorted. “Do I ever?” He loved giving me shit while I cooked, but he was always the first in line to eat my food. The guy had eaten in some of the best restaurants around the world, but he loved my cooking. I’d never tell him how proud that made me.
He peered down the driveway. “Bristol’s coming, right?”
“Yes.” I kept the hesitation out of my voice. She’d been quiet while we’d worked side by side today. She’d followed my directions, stayed out of my brothers’ way, and kept her hat low and her head down. “She probably saw how whipped you all are and realized you’re not as badass as the town thinks you are.”