The Horseman's Son Read online

  “Just some bruises,” Dylan assured him.

  The doctor grunted. He paused as if waiting for Dylan to change his mind. A couple of seconds later, Dr. McGrath huffed again and headed out.

  “You should be examined,” Collena insisted. “Just in case.”

  Dylan pushed himself away from the wall and walked to her. Slowly. Almost cautiously. He eased down on the examining table beside her. “I’m so sorry.”

  Collena blinked and tried to brace herself for more bad news. “For what?”

  “For Millie.”

  “Oh.” That. She shrugged and realized she should have anticipated that he would react this way. “What Millie did wasn’t your fault.”

  “But it was. I should have figured it out before she attacked us.”

  Even though it was painful, Collena managed a smirk. “You don’t have ESP.” She pressed her fingertips over his mouth when he started to say something else.

  “Millie’s in jail?” Collena asked, sliding her fingers from his mouth to his chin. She held the touch a moment longer before she dropped her hand back into her lap.

  “Yes. Hank called me on the way over. The sheriff’s going to transfer Millie to a psychiatric hospital in San Antonio as soon as the paperwork is done.” He paused. “Millie confessed everything.”

  That included the murders of Dylan’s sister and fiancée. Dylan would probably still blame himself for that, as well. It would take time for him to heal. Far more time than it would for her superficial wounds.

  Would he allow her to help him heal?

  Perhaps not.

  Collena hated to think of the future. Even though it certainly looked rosier than it had just two days ago. Curtis Reese was no longer around to try to claim custody of Adam. Rodney Harmon was dead. And Millie, the person who’d made Dylan’s life hell for years, was in custody and would be locked away for the rest of her life.

  Still, there were so many things left unsettled between them.

  What the heck were they going to do now?

  Collena made eye contact with Dylan, but he looked away. He scraped his thumbnail over her plastic hospital bracelet. “Hank told me that Millie admitted to the threatening phone call and to putting the newspaper outside your door.”

  “So it was her and not Rodney,” Collena said under her breath. “I thought he might have been the one to make the call.”

  The silence returned. It was filled with tension, on her part anyway. Dylan seemed to be in a dark mood. Since the danger was over, she had to wonder if she was the reason for his state of mind.

  “It’ll be okay,” she assured him.

  Now, his eyes came to hers. Oh, they were intense. Something was obviously on his mind, and Collena thought she knew what it was. Instead of putting him through the agony of how to say what he wanted to say, she decided to get everything out there so they could hopefully deal with it.

  “We can start fresh,” Collena began. “Without the threat from Curtis, we can get—” She stopped when she heard a wonderful sound coming from outside the room.

  It was Adam, and he was chattering.

  “I had Ina drive Adam here for a short visit,” Dylan explained, standing. “I thought he’d cheer you up. Are you up to seeing him?”

  “I’m always up to seeing him. But I’m not the one who needs cheering up.”

  If he heard that last part, he didn’t react to it. Dylan opened the door and motioned for Ina to come inside. She was holding Adam in her arms. But not for long. Adam immediately reached for Dylan, and he took the little boy and brought him to the examining table.

  “Hi,” Adam greeted. And he almost got the “h” sound in there.

  Despite the twinge of pain it caused her, Collena grinned from ear to ear. She’d never grow tired of this precious little boy. Just seeing him made all the pain worth it.

  Dylan sat next to her again so that Collena could kiss Adam’s cheek. Unfortunately, Adam wasn’t interested in the kiss. He was interested in the now-cleaned bullet slice on Collena’s forehead. Adam frowned and tried to touch it, but Collena took her son’s hand instead and kissed his fingers one by one.

  Adam laughed.

  “Ruth called on the way over here,” Ina said, walking closer. “Hank and she are leaving town. Once they’re settled, she’ll give you a call, but she wanted you both to know she’s real sorry for what happened. She didn’t know what Millie was up to, and Ruth hopes one day you’ll be able to get past all this hurt. She’s gonna try to get past it, too, and start seeing a doctor again.”

  Collena was about to suggest that Dylan call them, especially since neither Ruth, nor Hank appeared to have been involved in Millie’s criminal activities. But maybe it was best if they had some time apart.

  “We’d better not stay much longer,” Ina said, eyeing the wound on Collena’s head. “Besides, I need to get this little one back. He’s probably wanting some breakfast by now.”

  Collena grabbed one last kiss from Adam, and Dylan did, as well, before Ina whisked the baby away.

  “Breakfast,” Collena repeated. “Maybe if this wound gets stitched up in time, we’ll be able to make it back to the ranch before Adam’s morning nap. It’d be nice to spend some quiet time with him.”

  He nodded. That was it. His only reaction. Which brought her back to what they’d been discussing before Ina and Adam arrived. However, Dylan spoke before she could continue.

  “A fresh start, you said before Ina got here.” He paused a moment. “I think that’s a good idea.”

  She was afraid of that, but Collena had no intention of holding him to the vows they’d made in desperation. “I can start the paperwork.”

  His eyebrows lifted, and he studied her. “What do you mean?”

  She had to clear away the lump in her throat first. Mercy, this wasn’t easy. “There’s no need for you to stay married to me. We’ll work out a custody arrangement with Adam.”

  Dylan just stared at her.

  “And I was thinking about moving to Greer,” Collena continued. “That way, I’ll be closer to Adam.”

  His stare turned to a scowl. “You call that a fresh start?”

  “Why, what did you have in mind?”

  He looked on the verge of answering her. But he didn’t say a word. Instead, Dylan leaned in, cupped her chin gently and kissed her. Even with all her aches and pains, it was potent.

  “I like your plan better than mine,” she let him know.

  “That wasn’t a plan. That was foreplay.” He shrugged. “But we’ll have to wait for you to mend before we carry that any further.”

  Collena disagreed with another kiss, one that left her breathless.

  “Will you marry me?” Dylan asked with his mouth still against hers.

  That left her breathless, too.

  “We’re already married,” she pointed out.

  “We entered into an arrangement for Adam’s sake. I don’t want that now. I want more. A lot more.”

  Collena felt her heart swell. “How much more?” she whispered.

  “I want everything. You. Adam. A marriage. A real family. Maybe even more kids.”

  Now, she was breathless and speechless, and all those aches and pains seemed to melt away.

  “Well?” Dylan prompted. “What’s your answer?”

  As if trying to convince her, he kissed her again.

  But Collena didn’t need convincing. “I was ready to say yes the minute you kissed me.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  Ah, this was easy. Collena didn’t even have to think about it. “Because I’m in love with you. Because you’re Adam’s dad. And because you’re great in bed.” Despite the light comment, she had to blink back tears. Happy tears, though. “What about you? Why did you ask me to marry you?”

  “Because I love you.”

  That was it. Nothing more. And Collena realized that was the only thing she needed to hear.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-1420-4

  THE HORSEMAN’S SON
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  Copyright © 2008 by Delores Fossen

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