A Bride for the Texas Cowboy by Sinclair Jayne

Author:Sinclair Jayne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance
ISBN: 9781951190194
Publisher: The Tule Publishing Group, LLC
Published: 2019-09-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Later that night after a swim and dinner where she and Axel pretended to play nice or at least ignore each other without glowering, Cat finished typing the last of her tasting notes into the computer. Axel, Cruz, and Diego had returned to the house after a short lasso lesson for Diego down at the main stable. Diego was still dancing in his socks, swinging a lariat Axel had given him along with a promise of more lessons.

Cruz ducked smoothly as the lariat swung unevenly close to her. She kicked off her boots.

Axel caught the rope. “Never inside and not when people are standing next to you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You did well. You can keep the lariat and practice on the fence posts along the deck away from people after school tomorrow, and I’ll give you a riding lesson and another lariat lesson tomorrow if your mom agrees.”

Diego grinned and nodded, and Catalina had to tear her eyes away from the sweet scene and stare blankly at her computer. Gone was the hard-ass from earlier today. In place was a kind, patient man; but she remembered that about Axel. He’d been so caring of Aurik and Anders. But he and August had continuously clashed—August constantly pushing boundaries and vying for supremacy.

“Hang it on the hook here,” Axel said.

“Quick bath and bedtime, bud,” Cruz said.

“But I—”

“Quick trip down the hall,” Axel interrupted and seized both Diego’s hands and swung him—socks sliding on the polished wood floor—in a wide figure eight shape. He’d done the same thing on the way to the barn.

Diego leaned back and laughed, and Cruz watched, her eyes brimming with an emotion that hurt Catalina to see. It was almost like looking too long into the sun.

August didn’t say anything, but he watched, wineglass in hand, an inscrutable expression on his face.

“Ready, set, go.” Axel pulled him fast down the hall, Diego laughing the whole way.

“Axel used to do that with Aurik and Anders,” August breathed.

Another stab hit her hard. So much loss in his life, in both of their lives. And now here they were again.

“How was the tasting?” Cruz asked. She’d been planning to do it with August and Catalina tonight, but Axel had bailed with Diego and Cruz had, hesitating just a little, joined Axel and her son.

“Take a load off. Try the Malbec.” August poured her a half glass.

Cruz took the glass, swirled the inky liquid around and around and then breathed in deeply.

“What should I smell?” she asked Catalina.

“What do you smell?”

She sniffed again. “By the way, August, that is not a taste size. You will get everyone at the Bluebonnet Festival smashed out of their minds before the first flight is finished.”

“Didn’t hear you protest,” he said smugly. “And I poured you a glass because I am generous that way. You don’t have to drink it all. Cat spit everything into a red solo cup like a reverse college dorm party. I had a sip of everything and must be out of practice because I feel more than a little buzzed,” he said cheerfully.

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