Page 7 of Christmas with the Cowboy
“Let me guess. He got more hard noes.”
“Hard as I could make them. Carter was not happy.” The fierce expression on Daniel’s face shifted as if he was wondering why, at this point in his life, he was stuck fighting a battle he hadn’t started.
“If he planned to build a cabin and wanted occasional access, that would be one thing, even though I don’t like him. But”—Daniel tapped the hammer into his palm again—“from our discussions, I was given to understand that this is something major, because Carter can’t help but brag a little. He didn’t say it, but it was obvious that there would be a ton of traffic across our fields and I’m not having it. For one thing, I like my peace and quiet. For another…well, I don’t know why Davis left Carter the land, but I do know that if he kept Carter’s greedy hands off it for years, he had his reasons.”
Spite, Reed guessed. Why else hold on to a piece of land he never once visited after his father’s death? And speaking of spite…
“You think that Carter is doing this adverse possession thing just to piss you off because you said no?”
“I think he plans on doing a lot of small shit. I think he wants me to go broke on lawyers so that he can make an offer on the south fields that I’ll eventually have to take.”
Reed let out a low whistle as he leaned back against the workbench and studied the concrete floor in front of him. “That’s very possible.”
“Reed.”
He glanced up.
“We’re not going to die the thousand deaths over this. We’re going to take things as they come. One thing I learned from my dad is to not panic about eventualities.”
“Does Mom know about this?”
“I don’t keep anything from your mother, except the occasional cigar.”
“Then why did Mom hire Trenna when her dad is stirring up trouble with us?”
Daniel cocked an eyebrow in the same way Lex had, making Reed rethink his hypothesis of his daughter practicing in the mirror.
“We have nothing against Trenna,” Daniel said. “She practically raised herself while Carter was off making money, and it doesn’t sound like they’re on the best of terms right now.” He gave a soft snort. “Can’t blame her there. I wouldn’t talk to the prick if he were my father.”
Reed hesitated, then said, “You know, Dad…your language needs to be more PG around Lex.”
“I know,” he said without looking up. “I won’t slip.” He gave Reed an amused look. “Besides, she knows what an asshole is.”
“Yeah. But she doesn’t need to hear it from her grandparents.”
“By the way, your mom didn’t know that you and Lex were moving back so soon when she asked Trenna to help with her project.”
“Neither did we.” He and Candice and Gregg had hoped to have a family Christmas with Lex, but had to change plans when the facility had an early opening. “It’s no big deal. People work around their exes all the time. Hell, we’re talking teen romance here.”
And even though he kept saying it wasn’t a big deal, seeing her had been a shock, as had his gut-level reaction to her. She’d been startled to see him—that had been obvious—but she hadn’t appeared to be gut-punched the way he’d been.
He hadn’t expected to feel so…much…upon seeing Trenna for the first time in forever. The impact had been immediate and strong. Too strong. He didn’t know what to make of it. It was like some teenage version of himself was finally getting what it had long wanted—more time with Trenna Hunt.
Wasn’t going to happen.
Reed unfolded his arms and took hold of the workbench on either side of him. “It’s no big deal.”
As soon as he said the words, he realized he was repeating himself and wondered who he was trying to convince more, his dad or himself?
It was stupid that meeting his high school flame after this amount of time could shake him up so badly. But it had. And he had to make damned sure that his intuitive daughter didn’t clue in on it.
“Let’s look at the bright side to all this—thanks to Carter, you and I have a common enemy and are less likely to kill one another.”
“We are not going to kill one another even if Carter isn’t stirring up shit.” Daniel’s dark look shifted into a rueful smile. “I promised your mother that there’d be none of that. I imagine you might get the talk, too. If we don’t behave, she’ll have our asses.”
“Heaven forbid,” Reed muttered. When his even-tempered mother was finally justifiably pushed over the brink, there was hell to pay.
Daniel pushed back his hat. “Ready to go to work?”
