her touch. “I’m going to see if I can straighten this out. I’d appreciate it if you’d keep the past to yourself. Telling Mattie will only hurt both our relationships.”
“You haven’t told her, then? Bad move, Gil.”
He pointed his finger in her face. “I’ll tell her when the time is right. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep your mouth closed.”
FORTY-ONE
MATTIE HITCHED THE LEATHER CINCH TIGHT AGAINST TULIP’S belly.
How could Jenna do this?
And Gil — would he really try to convince his father to sell? She considered their conversations in the past when Gil mentioned this very thing. But she thought he’d changed . . .
“We need to talk.” Gil strode toward her in the barn.
Mattie grabbed a bridle from the hook on the wall. “I can’t believe my sister’s doing this. How can you even consider going along with her suggestion? I thought you cared for me.” She placed the curb bit in Tulip’s mouth and pulled the headpiece over the mare’s ears.
Gil rubbed his jaw. “I do care for you, but it’s not my decision to make.”
“You said yourself, you wondered if your dad could handle ranch work anymore. His attack last night gives you the perfect excuse to take action.” She handed the reins to Gil so she could retrieve Dusty from the round pen. “I almost wonder if you and Jenna didn’t plan this entire scenario.”
“Don’t be stupid. That’s ridiculous and you know it.” He followed her outside.
She noted the tired lines on Gil’s face and regretted her words. “Even if you weren’t involved, it’s obvious Jenna had this planned from the start. She admitted she knew about John’s health problems. I’d guess that’s why she agreed to attend our cousin’s wedding. It sure wasn’t because they were close.”
Mattie opened the gate and guided the woven halter over Dusty’s nose, careful of his healing wounds. “She probably had ulterior motives for coming to visit me too.” That Jenna used her in such a way irked Mattie to no end.
Gil dropped Tulip’s reins to the ground and came to Mattie’s side. He clutched her elbow and urged her to look at him. “Your sister’s been gone a long time. I’m sure she misses you.”
Mattie broke from Gil’s grasp and snapped the lead rope to Dusty’s halter. She led the chestnut gelding to where Tulip waited. “If that’s true, she has a funny way of showing it.”
“Where are you going?” Gil turned to her, his wide shoulders slumped.
With reins in hand, Mattie hiked her foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over the saddle. Jenna would likely think it rude of Mattie to leave, but right now, she didn’t care about propriety. And she refused to be burdened with what Gil may or may not be thinking. “Horses I understand. But you and Jenna are too complicated for my simple mind. If you’re here when I get back, okay. If not, okay.”
Not wanting to give Gil a chance to reply, Mattie clicked Tulip into a walk and brushed past him with Dusty trailing behind.
She didn’t glance back. No way would she turn and look at him. It made her heart ache to leave with their relationship in such a mess, but to continue this conversation would only end in one of them saying something they’d regret.
As she headed for the pasture her willpower caved, and she peered over her shoulder. Her breath caught in her throat.
Gil had already left.
GIL WALKED TO THE HOUSE AND NOTICED JENNA’S RENTAL NO LONGER parked outside the barn. “She didn’t stick around long,” he said under his breath, then rubbed Hank behind the ears and whistled for the beagle to follow. The old dog had taken to the pup about the same way Gil had taken to Mattie.
He prayed the ride in the pasture would cool the doc down so that when she returned they could talk. Jenna’s visit had stirred up a nest of bees worse than any he’d seen in a hayfield, and although he knew better, a part of him saw the logic in exploring the woman’s offer on the ranch. After all, his dad just had another attack. What future could the Lightning M hold for the man in his current state of health?
Gil rubbed the muscles in his neck, the tension in his shoulders as tight as a cord. He needed sleep. Then he might be able to think clearly and deal with Mattie’s temper. As he neared the house, he met Jake coming out.
“I