Tyler (Riding Hard Book 4) by Jennifer Ashley

Author:Jennifer Ashley [Ashley, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JA / AG Publishing
Published: 2017-04-18T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Tyler knew what his mother meant, but he kept the banter in his voice. “I’m not stepping aside for Ross. He can’t have everything just because he’s the baby.”

“Not my point.”

Tyler gave up. He turned to gaze at the rolling hills behind the ranch, the sky dark blue with dusk.

“You mean I should let her live her own life,” he said, and shook his head. “You didn’t see those goons in the bar where she worked. This Elijah is bad news—and I’m not saying that because he kicked the shit out of me. I’ll do anything to keep her from him. If her ex-husband is anything like him—she doesn’t need him finding her either. I want her away from him. From both of them.”

“Why?”

Tyler snapped around to see Olivia watching him with calm blue eyes. Folks in town said that the Campbells’ father, Dale, had been a wild charmer, but he’d fallen hard for the quiet young woman with beautiful eyes, who’d graduated high school at the top of her class.

Olivia still had beautiful eyes, and age had only made her wiser. She’d thrown herself into raising her boys and helping troubled teens—everyone speculated she did so to keep her mind off her grief at losing her husband.

But Tyler knew that this was just who she was. She’d loved his dad to distraction, but Olivia Campbell was her own woman.

“What do you mean why?” Tyler asked. “I’m worried about her. Just like you worry about the kids who come out here to work with horses and escape their pasts.”

“Not the same, and you know it.” Olivia gave him a severe look. “You can’t smother her, Tyler. That’s part of what she’s trying to escape. We can offer her help and support, but ultimately, it’s her decision. You have to let her make it.”

“You mean stop being a high-handed dick?” Tyler usually wouldn’t use rough language around his mother, but the subject was too touchy for restraint.

Olivia didn’t flinch, used to working with teens who liked the F word. “Exactly. She’s terrified, and with good reason. Let her calm down and settle in before you frighten her with your well-meaning intentions. And you didn’t answer the question.”

His mom’s quiet look unnerved him. “Which question?” Tyler pointed at her. “See, this is why we’re scared to talk to you. We always have to figure out what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean. Why are you so concerned about her? A lot of people you meet have problems. Are you going to let them all move into your apartment and get them jobs at the ranch?”

“Why do you think?” Tyler jammed his arms across his chest. “She’s hot.”

His mom wasn’t having that. “Your one-night stands are famous, Tyler. I’ve never yelled at you about them, because I understand grief and pulling away. It’s a hard thing to feel, a hard thing to get past. I know you well enough to see that the way you look at this woman is different. And I like her.

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