A lump formed in her throat. She hated deceiving these people.
Slim turned his attention to Ty. “Just treat her right. I’ve known Mandy since she was a babe in her mother’s arms. She deserves the best.” He extended a weathered and calloused hand to Ty, who shook it and nodded, but he didn’t say a word back to the man. Slim ambled away, head down.
“We’ve had some contestants pull out, so I need to review the horses that are going to be turned out tonight.” What she really wanted to do was escape Ty and avoid any more scrutiny from the men.
“Mandy, we had to tell them.”
“I know. I’m not suggesting we didn’t. It just isn’t easy playing a role in front of people who deserve honesty.”
“Would you rather we told them the truth—that we married just to fulfill JM’s will?”
She raised her chin. “Maybe.”
He caught her wrist and raised her hand to his lips, giving her palm a little kiss. “In six months, it will all be worth it.”
She tugged her hand away, annoyed at the flush of warmth that filled her. “It better be.”
Tomorrow she’d be flying back to Wyoming, sleeping in the same bed with him, fighting biology, and wondering if she really wanted to win.
Chapter 12
Ty swiped the phone closed, feeling an all-too-familiar irritation. He looked out the window at the tarmac puddled with water from the showers that had come through earlier. Mandy had flown back from Washington with him through a late-afternoon shower, and once Ty landed the plane, she’d headed for the ladies’ lounge. At least she hadn’t lost her lunch this time.
Why his brother had called now, asking to see him after all these years, was a mystery that wouldn’t be solved until he went out to the old ranch. It had to be a humdinger of a reason if he’d condescended to call Ty after all this time. Trace Martin was as proud as they came, and asking his little brother to do anything for him meant a heap of swallowing.
“What’s wrong?” Mandy asked as soon as she came out of the ladies’ room. He must have carried some of his shock on his face. “Kendall isn’t here again, is she?” she said, looking around.
The color was back in her cheeks, unless that was some makeup magic. And her eyes were brighter. Given time, he’d bet she’d like flying. And maybe even him.
“My brother called.” And that in itself should be enough of an explanation.
“Trace?” she asked. It was obviously a rhetorical question since he only had one sibling and Mandy knew it. “Did he find out about our marriage?”
Ty hadn’t thought to inform his brother. Not that Trace would care what happened or didn’t happen to Ty. They’d long ago realized they didn’t see things in the same light, but not before a whole lot of bad feelings had been conjured up.
“No. But he’s asked me to come out to the ranch. Today.”
Both of her eyebrows peaked.
“I can drop you off at the hotel and then swing by the old place.”
“I’d like to go.”
Explaining Mandy and his six-month marriage to his brother would just stir up old grievances. Trace had resented Ty’s relationship with J. M. Prescott, not to mention the scholarship, since the day Ty had found out he’d won.
“Are you sure you’re up for it? Don’t you want to relax, take a bath, get the ball rolling for our next rodeo in Utah?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine. Besides, I’m interested in meeting Trace. And seeing where you were raised.”
“Why?” he asked, digging for the keys in his pocket.
She shrugged. “Curious, is all. You used to talk about him in the old days.”
That was then.
He didn’t want her to come, but he didn’t have the stomach to fight over it. Or explain his reluctance. He needed to save all his fortitude for the meeting with his brother. Besides, having her along might serve to keep tempers in check. Or give her a cautionary sample of what was left of his dysfunctional family. He picked up their bags and started walking toward the exit door. “If we don’t have to go into the whole will thing with him, you can come.”
She skipped a step to catch up to him. “Why? You don’t want him to know we are married?”
“I don’t mind if he knows we’re married. No doubt he’s heard it, or will soon enough, given he lives in the same county.” Ty pushed the building’s door, held it open by the metal rail so she could exit, and then continued walking. The scent of freshly laundered air did nothing to soothe the scrubbed-raw emotions washing over him.
“Then what?”
“It’s the six-month part I’d appreciate you not revealing.” He spotted his car, hit the starter button on the remote, and strode to the passenger’s side as the engine came to life. When he turned to look at her, her cheeks had flushed, and her mouth was open.