The Marriage Season by Linda Lael Miller

Author:Linda Lael Miller [Miller, Linda Lael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Western, Contemporary, Fiction, Western Romance, Romance, Small-Town, Marriage Pact, Wyoming, Business Woman, Single Father, Boys, Sons, Nephew, Husband
ISBN: 9781460381809
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 23280204
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2015-05-26T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

TATE HAD TO ADMIT he was apprehensive about the evening. Ridiculous? Yep. He was a grown man, and he was hardly a failure.

But Tripp was right; his father had some sort of agenda.

They were seated at a big round table next to a window with a view of the Tetons. The boys sat there, feet dangling, remarkably subdued. His father, formal as always, wore the usual tailored suit, and Bex was stunning in her fitted dress. Even before the drinks were delivered—red wine for the adults, lemonade for the boys—his father hinted at why he’d decided to make the lengthy drive over.

“I want to go look at the ranch tomorrow. How are you planning out this whole venture?”

Yes, he definitely wanted to get a hands-on interest. The question was whether to decline or accept.

“If you’d like to look it over, that’s fine.” Tate’s response was cautious. “I’m trying to decide on the size of the barn now that the house is close to completion.”

A waitress came by to take their order. All three of the boys chose chicken fingers and french fries. Bex asked for the special, a duck breast with a red wine and plum sauce, and he did, too. His father predictably ordered a steak and then immediately returned to the conversation.

“I suppose, since you’ve chosen to go in this direction, we should make sure it’s a success.”

The hint of disapproval was still there, but Tate ignored it. When he’d elected to play soccer instead of football in high school, they’d had this same conversation. Switching from chemical engineering to aviation in college hadn’t met with approval at first, either, but few things did in his experience, so he’d found a balance between annoyance and amusement, and accepted that this was his father. It was how he operated, and Tate’s self-esteem no longer suffered when his judgment was questioned.

He just hoped Bex could weather the storm known as Randolph Calder. There were times it required a life vest, a rain slicker and tying yourself to the mast.

She said with endearing loyalty, “It’s a beautiful piece of property, and the house is going to be gorgeous. Plenty of room for the horses, and a great place to raise the boys.”

His father transferred his attention to her. Tate took a hearty sip of wine—he was limiting himself to one glass—and braced himself for the coming lecture.

“Breeding horses is not an occupation, it’s a lifestyle,” he began. “They require constant care. It’s not a matter of just showing up for work. The mares drop foals at all hours, and only some are viable as riding stock. There are stud fees and vet visits. A contagious illness, if it isn’t caught quickly, can wipe out a stable. I’m not even going to go into how often they need to be fed, have their stalls mucked out and so on. Plus, training needs to be done by someone who really has a handle on it. You can’t sell an ill-mannered horse.”

Bex didn’t blink.

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