I didn’t know the extent until much later.”
Austin’s leg began to ache, and he went to sit down at the table. He offered his father the other chair. “I wish I had known. I could have spent more time with her.”
Neal sat down. “You know your mother. She didn’t want you boys to make a fuss or disrupt your lives.” His gaze went to Austin. “It’s the way she wanted it, son.”
Austin stiffened at the word son again. He was troubled that his father had suddenly remembered him as his child. “I’m sorry I didn’t get back to the funeral last year. I was in Australia competing. By the time I heard the news, it was too late to come back in time.”
His father raised his hand. “It’s okay, son. Your mother knew you loved her. She was proud of you.”
“I know Leslie was my stepmother, but I always thought of her as the real thing.”
“She felt the same way about you boys, too.”
Austin felt the old bitterness surface. “Yeah, she didn’t question our choices like you did.”
The old man cringed. “I know. I had to be right about everything, and look where it got me. I pushed you boys so hard I ended up driving you away. If there was a way I could change those years, I would. I’m most sorry for letting my job be my top priority.” Those blue eyes met his. “I had sons and a wife who needed me at home. I apologize to you, Austin. You deserved a father to be there for you. I know I can’t ask you to forget, but I was hoping while you’re here you’d let me come by occasionally.”
Austin felt a sudden weight on his chest. He didn’t want to feel anything. He’d left home all those years ago to not deal with this man. So why now did he want the man’s approval so badly? “I guess I wouldn’t mind that.”
Two days later, after forty-eight hours off from the center and from Austin, Erin was ready to go back to work.
Or was she?
She’d planned to catch up on all the sleep she’d lost, grocery shop and clean her apartment. Sleep had eluded her, but her one-bedroom apartment looked pretty good. Her cupboards were stocked with food, but she had no appetite. As a nurse, she knew better than to let herself get run-down, especially holding down two jobs.
In a few weeks, if everything went as planned, she’d be beginning her hormone shots. She needed to be at her best, and not spend her time thinking about a man who’d be gone from her life as soon as he could stand on both legs. And seeing how hard Austin Brannigan worked during his therapy, it would be soon.
She drove her van along the highway, then took the exit to the Circle R Ranch. How had he done without her? Even though he had a fill-in therapist, she still worried about him.
Better question, why was she letting this bull rider get to her? Never before had she allowed anything personal to happen between her and a client. Even during all the months Jared had been overseas, she’d never thought about another man.
Now she’d been spending her time looking up the rodeo cowboy on the internet. He was the face of the pro circuit with all his ads. Anything from cowboy boots to tight fitted jeans. And there was no doubt the man photographed well. That didn’t mean he wasn’t arrogant and a womanizer. She needed to stay away from him, outside of her job, of course. She had her future all planned out, and it didn’t include another male. No, thanks. She’d been there.
She smiled as she drove up to the house and shut off the engine. Unless, of course, her baby was a boy.
The front door opened and she saw Austin. She climbed out and started to greet him when he stopped her.
“Where have you been? You’re late.”
She glanced at her watch. Maybe by a few minutes. “So dock my pay.” Even in his fitted T-shirt and gym shorts, he wasn’t so appealing at the moment. “Since when are you so anxious to start therapy?”
He shook his head. “I’m not. I just need something to distract me. And that therapist you sent me was a joke.”
“Jason? You know he trains pro athletes? He volunteers at the center and was doing me a favor. What did you say to him?”
Austin stepped aside and let her into the house. He hated that he took his frustration out on her. “Nothing. Okay, maybe he wasn’t so bad.”
“Not so bad? He should be the one who’s handling your therapy.”
He didn’t want anyone else but Erin. “No. You’re the one I hired. We have a contract.”
“I know we have a contract, but if you keep yelling at me, you aren’t going to like where I shove it.”
Austin had to fight to keep from smiling. Damn, he’d missed her these last few days. Her freshly scrubbed face, sassy ponytail and sexy body in those tights. He quickly pushed aside his wandering thoughts. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. It’s just that it’s been so boring around here.”
She set her bag down. “What about your family? Haven’t they been over to see you?”
He groaned. “All the time. It’s great, but I feel like I’m about to crawl out of my skin.”
She smiled. “Okay, how about this? We play hooky this morning, but only for about an hour.”
He liked the sound of that. Miss Innocent Erin was stepping over the line. Okay, he was ready. “What do you have in mind?”
“Let me make a call first.” She dug out her phone and punched in some numbers as she walked out of earshot. What was she up to? He didn’t have to wait long, because she came back to him in a minute.
“Go put on a pair of sweatpants and a jacket.”
“Why?”
She frowned. “You’re on a need-to-know basis.” She motioned for him to go. “Just do it.”
Austin wasn’t used to taking orders, not for a long time, but he was willing now if it got him out of the house. Using the walker, he made his way down the hall and dug through his limited supply of clothes. Maybe he could get Cullen to do a little shopping for him. He finally found a pair of sweatpants, and with a pair of scissors, he cut open the left leg to fit over his cast. Excited to get out of the house, he grabbed a hooded jacket, zipped it up, then headed out to the living room.
Erin had put on an oversize sweatshirt. “Ready?”
“You bet,” he said and followed her to the door, grabbed a straw cowboy hat off the hook, then continued on.
Outside he was met by the bright sunlight. He tipped his hat lower and saw the golf cart headed their way.
“Hey, bro,” Cullen called as he parked and got out. “I hear you’re being a real stinker.”
He couldn’t deny he was disappointed to see Cullen. “Not any more than any other day. Are you our chauffeur?”
His
