The Bull Rider's Manager (17 page)

Hunter felt like a hand was squeezing his heart. He’d put Kati in this position, counting on a woman who after tomorrow wouldn’t be in her life. He couldn’t make the same mistake again. Kati deserved better.

He cleared his throat. “Don’t I even rate a hello?”

Kati smiled at him, erasing all his doubt. The girl was happy and, by God, he’d do anything to keep her that way. “Hello, Uncle Hunter.”

The teacher came to stand next to Kati. “I’m Mrs. Hannon. We’re so glad to have you visit our class today.”

Barb seemed to freeze so Hunter stepped in. “Kati asked Barb to bring cupcakes, I hope this is a good time.”

The teacher smoothed down Kati’s blond hair. Kati had pulled off the ponytail Hunter had put in her hair that morning. So much for his grooming tips for the second grader. “This is an excellent time. Kati, why don’t you hand out the cupcakes with a napkin while I talk to your aunt and uncle in the hallway?”

This can’t be good
, Hunter thought. But he followed the two women out into the hall.

“What’s wrong, is Kati all right?” Barb’s words rushed at the teacher as soon as the door closed.

“Kati’s fine. Well, at least she’s better than I’ve seen her since the accident. Up until this last week, but she’d been quiet, withdrawn, like she was in some kind of shell. I was going to call you soon and see if you had her in counseling.” She nodded to Hunter. “Her teacher from last year and I are friends. She tells me Kati was a completely different girl before the accident.”

Hunter ran his fingers through his hair. “I know it’s been rough on her. I have her going once a week to a counselor. Do you think it should be more?”

“No, definitely not. Not now. She’s so different since she came back from being sick. Her eyes are bright, she’s talking and reading, and I’ve even seen her eat. I don’t think she’s ever eaten anything in class or at lunch that I’ve seen. Yesterday, I saw her finish her tray.” Mrs. Hannon smiled. “Of course it was pizza day, so that helps our picky eaters.”

“I’m glad to hear she’s adjusting.” Barb’s voice was almost a whisper.

“Whatever the two of you are doing, keep it up.” The teacher held the door open. “Do you want to stay for story time? We’re reading
Alice in Wonderland
.”

Barb shook her head. “I’m due over at the assisted living.”

“I’ve got to get to work,” Hunter said at the same time. He looked at Barb and smiled, then directed his comment to the teacher. “Tell Kati I’ll see her tonight.”

“Okay.” The teacher paused at the door and frowned. “Is there something I should know?”

“Kati’s custody hearing is tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll stay with me, but a maternal aunt is trying to change that.” Hunter put his hand on Barb’s arm. “We’re confident that the hearing is just a formality.”

The teacher looked at Hunter and Barb. Waiting for the next shoe to drop, Hunter thought. Then she sighed. “For Kati’s sake, I hope you’re right.”

When the door closed, Hunter turned to Barb. “That went well.”

“Look, maybe after the hearing I could keep in touch with Kati. Take her out after school a day or so.” Barb looked like she was going to cry.

“That’s not part of the bargain.”

“I don’t want her hurt in this.” Barb looked down at Hunter’s hand still resting on her arm. He’d forgotten it too, and quickly pulled away.

“Barb, we need to talk. I don’t want Kati hurt, either, but … ”

Barb didn’t let him finish. “I’ll be at the courthouse tomorrow at eight.”

Hunter watched as the woman he loved, his wife for the moment, sprinted down the hallway and out the door. She couldn’t get away from him fast enough.

• • •

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Barb muttered as she pulled her car away from the school. How could she have been so stupid? All she wanted to do was drop off the cupcakes, say goodbye to Kati, and after tomorrow, she’d have no ties to Kati or Hunter. Now, she was offering to pick Kati up a couple nights a week? Thank God she hadn’t offered in front of the girl.

She could call Hunter tonight and rescind the offer. Or better yet, tell him after the hearing tomorrow. He would be so happy about gaining custody, he wouldn’t care that she was bailing on him. On Kati.

Back and forth, she played out the best way to cut the strings. Finally as she parked in front of the assisted living home, she’d come up with one surefire way to not get sucked in again. She’d send him a letter. Clean, yet personal. And the best part? He couldn’t watch her with those eyes and make her want to commit more.

Dropping off a plate of cupcakes at the nurses’ desk, she took a few and headed to her mom’s room.

“Mom?” She knocked quietly and peeked her head in the room.

Her mother was sitting on the couch, going through the photo album again. When she heard Barb’s voice she looked toward the door. “Barbara?”

Barb swept into the room, her plastic smile already at full power. Her mom looked confused, tentative. “I brought you a treat.”

Lorraine smiled, and patted the couch. “Come sit down. Where’s that granddaughter of mine?”

Barbara let her smile drop for just a second as she sat next to her mother, placing the small tower of cupcakes on the coffee table. She took her mother’s hand. “You know she’s not really your granddaughter, right?”

“You’re married to her uncle. That child has no one but the two of you. So no matter what, she’s my granddaughter. Just the way it needs to be.” Lorraine pointed to the coffee carafe siting on the table. “You want coffee? There are some extra cups over on the bookcase.”

Barb winced but stood and grabbed a cup. Pouring the coffee, the smell of dark roasted beans filled the small room. She topped off her mother’s cup, then slipped back on the couch. “What if I wasn’t married to her uncle anymore?”

Her mother gave her a sharp look. “Barb, I may be confused most of the time, but right now, I’m in my right mind. I wonder if you are.”

“If I am what?”

“In your right mind? I’ve never seen you so happy as when that young man walked in here the other day.”

Barb started to say her mom was wrong, but Lorraine made a shushing noise.

“Let me finish. I haven’t been the best role model for the way a woman should get by in this world. After your dad died, I didn’t want to commit again, to anyone. I didn’t want to lose someone I cared about again. So I kept it casual. And that was my loss. Mine and yours. I should have married again, lived a full life. If I’d known my brain would betray me, that I would be the one leaving, I might have made a different decision.” Lorraine paused, tears filling her eyes.

“You did what you had to do.” Barb patted her hand. “I don’t blame you for anything. Besides, you’re getting better. Stronger.”

“Calm before the storm, we both know it.” Lorraine swallowed. “Don’t regret your life, Barb. And if you run away from this man and his little girl, you’ll regret it. I can see it in your eyes. You’re in love.”

Barb winced. Her mom was right. She was in love. With both Hunter and Kati. With what could be their life. But what her mom didn’t know was that the life was just a shell. A storefront window display of what a marriage should be. She might have bought the fantasy, but as soon as the hearing was over tomorrow, Hunter would be handing her the annulment papers and a pen. She handed her mom a cupcake and then took one for herself. “Even if you’re right, I can’t change what’s happening. Contracts have been made, and now I just have to live up to my part of the deal.”

Her mother didn’t respond.

Barb looked up and watched Lorraine take a bite of the cupcake, seeming to enjoy the chocolate on chocolate taste.

When she’d finished, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and took a sip of coffee. Then she turned to Barb. “Sometimes, what you think must happen doesn’t. And sometimes, what you want to happen, does. You need to open yourself up to the positive, Barb. Believe in your marriage. A little girl is counting on you.”

“And sometimes, what you want is out of your reach.” Barb’s voice cracked.

Her mom pulled her into a hug. “I’m here for you. Believe, honey, believe.”

Barb set her jaw, not wanting to cry. She melted into her mom’s arms and just stayed there. Drinking in the smell of her perfume, of her shampoo. Trying to seal this memory in her mind forever.

“I’ll try. I’ll really try.”

“I’ll pick you up from school right after lunch. So meet me in front right at one. Your teacher knows about the hearing.” Hunter sat a bowl of chocolate covered cereal in front of Kati. “You want some orange juice?”

“Yes, please.” Kati took a big bite of the cereal, the milk already taking on the chocolate from the flakes. “The kids in the class loved Barb’s cupcakes. Even snotty Sara. She never likes anything.”

“I’m glad. Barb will be glad too. Make sure you thank her when you see her today.” Hunter stared into the open refrigerator. Barb. After today, her part of the agreement would be done and he’d have to sign the annulment papers that sat in his briefcase. The woman had spent less than a week in his house and only one night in his bed, yet he could see her everywhere. He grabbed the juice container and poured Kati’s glass.

“Next weekend Claire is going to start training me for competition. Do you think I’ll have to jump?” Kati’s mind had wandered to a new topic, thank the lord.

“Probably not for a couple years.” Hunter sat the glass on the table. “I’ll talk to her Saturday about what you should expect. That way you don’t have to worry about anything, just riding.”

“Mom said never worry today about tomorrow.” Kati didn’t look up from her bowl.

“Good advice.” Hunter sank back into his chair.

“Is Barb coming back?”

Hunter sighed. “I don’t know.” He watched Kati drink the chocolate milk out of her bowl, then finish off the juice.

“My dad left once,” Kati said.

Hunter frowned. He hadn’t known his brother had left his perfect family alone even for one night. “He did?”

Kati nodded. “A few weeks before the accident. Mom and him were yelling about some girl at his office. Mom started crying and locked herself in her room. Dad got on his motorcycle and left. I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”

There was more to this relationship thing with kids around. Hunter hadn’t realized how much they understood. Bringing Barb home had been a mistake.

Wrong
, a voice in his head corrected him.
Letting her leave had been the mistake.

He shook the voice away and focused on Kati. “Were you scared?”

“Kind of. Most of the kids in my class have two sets of parents. Sara says you get more gifts that way. But I wanted Daddy to come home. And he did.” Kati slipped off the seat and gave Hunter a kiss on the cheek. “I’m leaving for school. Maybe if you ask real nice, Barb will come home too.”

And maybe pigs would fly.

“Remember, I’ll see you right after your lunch period. Make sure you bring home your work so you don’t get behind.” Hunter watched Kati as she walked to the front door, Bella in tow. She leaned down and hugged the little dog, whispering something in her ear. Then she waved and left.

How had his life changed this much? How’d he gone from playboy about town to father of the year in less than six months? Having Barb around was like playing house except they were both grown up and could indulge themselves in other activities. Too bad she didn’t want the life he was offering. He took the dishes to the sink and rinsed them, slipping them into the dishwasher.

One more hurdle and he could claim the father of the year trophy. All he had to do was make sure the judge granted him full custody over Kati.

Then his real life could begin.

• • •

Barb walked up the courthouse steps. “Just get through today, and tomorrow you can fly out to Cody, Wyoming, and forget this chapter of your life ever happened.”

A lady walking next to her turned and stared.

Barb pointed to her Bluetooth. She could get away with talking to herself like a crazy person since she’d bought the earpiece. Even if she didn’t point it out, people would glance and then go their merry way, convinced that the woman with the shopping cart wasn’t a crazy person let loose in the latest round of budget cuts at the state hospital.

The lady blushed and sprinted up the stairs.

OMG, she thought she was eavesdropping. Priceless.
Barb thought about the romantic comedy movie marathon, half gallon of vanilla almond surprise in the freezer, and a bottle of her favorite white zinfandel chilling in the fridge. She was going to head directly to her favorite Chinese restaurant for take-out when she left here, then lock herself in the bedroom for a mammoth size pity party. She’d allow herself twenty-four hours, no more. Once the clock chimed three
P.M.
tomorrow, she would be over Hunter Martin.

And if she wasn’t? “Fake it till you make it” was one of her favorite quotations.

Barb thought she was going to have to do a lot of faking for a while.

She took the stairs up to the third floor where the family judges had their courtrooms. Turning left down the hall, she saw Hunter and Kati sitting outside a courtroom on a bench. Kati looked at her and sprinted to meet her.

“Barb, I’m so glad you’re here. You should come home. Uncle Hunter’s very sad. He cries every night now.” Kati glanced at Hunter. “But don’t tell him I told you. He might get mad.”

She was an amazing manipulator for seven. Barb had to give that to her. “I won’t say a word. But I’ve got to head to Wyoming this weekend. The boys kind of took a play day last weekend and they need me to whip them in shape.”

Kati giggled. “I don’t think you’re big enough to whip a bull rider. Especially Jesse. He’s pretty tall.”

“You know what they say, don’t you?”

Kati frowned. “No?”

“The taller they are, the harder they fall.” Barb put her arm around the little girl. Kati she would miss. A lot.

“That’s not what they say.” Kati giggled again.

“It’s not? Well, there’s no way Jesse Sullivan is getting the best of me. He’ll be on that bull Sunday and winning if I have to tie him to the saddle.” Barb smiled at Hunter who had stood to greet her. “Are we early?”