Once a Father by Kathleen Eagle

Author:Kathleen Eagle
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2010-08-14T16:00:00+00:00

Logan found Hank loading his pickup topper with the tools of the horseshoeing trade, which he pursued in his spare time. Just the hat Logan wanted to find his friend wearing. But the hat on the man he was acquainting with his blacksmith shop in a pickup was even more familiar. Logan had given the hat to his younger son years ago. The brim was crinkled and the crown had been crushed, but it had held up pretty good. Man, if that hat could talk.

Rangy, rugged and built more like a running back than a cowboy, Logan’s son looked nothing like the man purported to be his father. He didn’t look much like his mother, either. He was his own man, come hell or high water. Ethan had explored both.

Hank saw Logan coming and quietly stepped aside.

“Hello, Ethan.”

Ethan nodded. “Logan.”

“You don’t look surprised.”

“Neither do you.” Ethan gave a slow smile and an even slower-in-the-making handshake. “Twenty thousand dollars is a lot of money.”

“Damn right it is. And two years is a long time.” Let it go. Take his hand, and let the rest go.

“I’ve been busy since I got out. Working in a rehab program.”

“How long do you have to rehab?”

“I said I was working. I get paid to work with horses, just like you do.”

“You rehabbing horses, or people?”

“Somebody once told me horses don’t need rehabbing if you start ’em right.”

“I’m just askin’. It’s two different things, but either way…” Studying the scuffed toes of his son’s boots, Logan nodded. “Good for you, either way, Ethan. You’re gonna get into this, then?”

“Thinkin’ about it. I filled out the papers.”

“Have you talked to Trace lately?”

“About a week ago. He’s the one who told me about the mustang challenge.” Ethan’s boot heels scraped the gravel as he shifted his center of gravity from one to the other. “Sounds like he’s doin’ good.”

Eyes focused on distant hills, Logan nodded again. Trace was a good boy. He didn’t come home much, but he always let Logan know where he was. Made a pretty good living as a rodeo cowboy. Took Logan’s expired dream and gave it new life. But this was Ethan. Enough said about Trace.

“Who’s this?” Ethan nodded past Logan’s shoulder and smiled. “She’s looking for somebody. I’m guessin’ it’s you.”

Logan drew a deep breath. He could’ve used a little more icebreaking time with his prodigal son.

“Mary, this is my son, Ethan.” The two greeted each other with a handshake. “Mary and I are in this together. She’s got the horse, and I’ve got all the rest.”

“He’s not always this modest.” Ethan turned on the charm. He’d always had it, and Logan was glad to see that hadn’t changed. “You hooked up with the right man, Mary.”

Mary tugged on the brim of her baseball cap, adjusting it against the sun. “I’m sure he taught you everything he knows.”

“Not quite.” Logan fought the urge to lay his hand on his son’s shoulder. He could just see Ethan shrugging away the way he’d started to when he was about ten.

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