Page 49 of Her Cowboy Baby Daddy
“I...” Her mom cleared her throat. “I wanted to let you know that I am booking a cruise and will not be continuing the island tour with John-Paul.”
John-Paul, not Jean Ralphio.
“What happened, Mom?”
“Nothing? Everything?” She sniffed. “I’m fine. In fact, I’m looking forward to getting onboard theSeabreeze Star.”
“Kind of a rapid change of plans.”
“But necessary.” Hayley was about to ask why, when Reba added, “I just wanted you to know where I am. I’ll text you the cruise information.”
“I appreciate it, Mom.” She hesitated, then asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Her mom’s voice sounded stronger. “I’m looking forward to some time alone.”
Hayley wondered if she needed to be concerned about that, since she’d never known her mom to want time alone.
“Call me if...” Hayley cleared her throat. “Call me.”
“I will. Thank you, sweetie. I’m... doing well.” She sounded almost surprised.
“Glad to hear it, Mom. And I mean it—call me if you need to talk.”
After Reba ended the call, Hayley sat for a moment. Her mom was approaching fifty. Could it be that she was now looking for something other than a guy to share her life with?
The ‘looking forward to time alone’ comment gave Hayley hope in that regard. She didn’t want her mom tobealone; she just wanted her to have that capability.
*
Spence was puttingaway his equipment when Hayley’s truck pulled into the Lone Tree Ranch. He hadn’t gotten as far as he wanted on the pipe corrals, having had to stop to help Ash with a tractor problem, but he’d made headway. He set his gloves and goggles on the tailgate of his truck, then crossed the drive to help her unload.
“Good sale day?” he asked after opening the topper door. There were empty flats and the canopy cover she used to keep the sun off, but only a few plants.
“An excellent day,” she said. “If I keep this up, I’ll have my greenhouse paid for in five or six years.” She gave him a smiling glance, but it faded a touch too soon, leaving her with a pensive expression as she reached in to pull out the flat of plants.
“Is everything okay?”
Not a question Spence asked often, because he was a believer in people asking for opinions rather than offering unsolicited input, but there was something about her expression that caused his protective instincts to kick in.
“With me, it is.” Her voice was muffled as she pulled a second flat of plants from the truck. “My mom called and gave me another reason not to believe in happy endings.”
“Trouble in paradise?”
“Maybe a little.”
Spence pulled the folded canopy from the truck. Together they walked to the shed where she stored the canopy and extra flats, then continued on to the greenhouse where she put the plants back to continue growing for next week. By the time they closed the greenhouse door, it was obvious that Hayley had nothing more to say.
He didn’t want to press her, but if there were things—
“I’m fine,” she said, as if reading his thoughts. “I think my mom might be fine too. She left what’s his name—or vice versa, I don’t know—and is now taking a cruise alone.”
“Think she’ll end it alone?”
Hayley pressed her lips together, but couldn’t stop a weary smile from forming. “No,” she said as she gave him a sideways look. “My mom will probably leave the ship engaged.”
“Come on,” Spence said with a gentle smile before jerking his head in the direction of the corrals. “I’ll show you what I got done. I’m a day behind, but...”
“If you get anything done, it’s more than I had.”
