Kael (Texas Rascals, #6) Read online

  “Who’s gonna take care of the farm while you’re gone

  all day?”

  “I don’t know!” Daisy snapped.

  Aunt Peavy got quiet.

  Daisy rose to her feet, went to the sink and patted the

  elderly lady on the arm. “Look, I’m sorry I growled at you.

  This thing with Kael’s got me out of sorts.”

  “It’s okay. I’m just worried.”

  “I know you are.” Daisy gave her a hug. “Don’t fret,

  I’ll take care of things like I always do.”

  Like / always do.

  The phrase echoed in her head. For once, she’d like to

  rest the mantle of burden on someone else’s shoulders.

  How nice it would be to have someone else slip behind the

  reins and take over. Someone like Kael Carmody.

  No! What on earth was she thinking? She couldn’t allow

  that irresponsible man to assume control of her destiny. No

  way. No how. Under no condition.

  And yet some tiny part of her dared to hope. Dared to

  daydream about what might have been or what could be.

  What would have happened if Kael had forsaken the rodeo

  circuit and married her years ago? Would she have become

  a happy housewife and contented mother instead of an em-

  bittered spinster, pouring all her affection onto her sister’s

  child?

  Fool! Hadn’t she learned her lesson? Hadn’t that man

  burned her enough? She was a masochist to even toy with

  the notion of marrying him to resolve her problems. No

  measure of financial troubles could top the difficulties in-

  herent in becoming Kael Carmody’s wife.

  The back door banged closed, jerking Daisy from her

  reverie. She looked up to spy Travis standing in the entry-

  way, tears streaming down his cheeks.

  She flew from her chair to kneel at her son’s side.

  “Honey, what’s wrong?”

  “They sa-sa—” Travis sobbed so hard he hiccuped on

  the sentence. “Said I can’t go on the Cub Scout picnic

  ’cause I don’t have a daddy.”

  Daisy enveloped him in her arms. Seeing him so upset

  wrenched her heart in two. “Shh.” She patted his back.

  “Take a deep breath and calm down.”

  Travis obeyed, his heavy sigh sending a shudder through

  his entire body. He swiped at his eyes with the back of his

  hand.

  “Better?”

  He nodded, but a forlorn expression clouded his face,

  letting Daisy know it was definitely not better.

  “Who told you you couldn’t go to the Cub Scout pic-

  nic?”

  Travis rolled the hem of his shirttail between his fingers

  and studied his feet. “Scott Standish and Tommy Martin.

  They said only boys with daddies could go.”

  Daisy forced her teeth together, biting down on her an-

  ger. It wouldn’t be the first time kids had taunted a child

  because he was different.

  “How come everybody has a daddy but me?” Travis

  raised his hazel eyes and stared at her. Accusing eyes that

  looked just like Kael’s.

  But you do have a daddy, you do, you do.

  The words reverberated in Daisy’s head. Was she wrong,

  after all, for wanting to wait before letting Kael tell Travis

  the truth?

  “How about if I go with you to the picnic,” Daisy said,

  avoiding his question.

  Violently, Travis shook his head. “No,” he insisted,

  “it’s gotta be a dad.”

  Daisy rocked back on her heels. Father-son picnic in-

  deed. Didn’t the people who organized these things realize

  what they were doing to children without fathers?

  “Maybe Kael could take you.”

  Travis gave her a dubious look. “He’s not my dad.”

  Her spirits plummeted. It was painfully obvious Travis

  needed a father. She’d been aware of it for some time.

  “He would be if your mama married him,” Aunt Peavy

  said, putting in her two cents worth at exactly the wrong

  time.

  Travis perked up. “You’re gonna marry Kael?”

  Daisy shot Aunt Peavy a withering glance before return-

  ing her attention to her son. “Honey...”

  “Oh, Mom, please, please.” He pressed his palms to-

  gether in a prayer. “Kael is so cool, and I need a dad real,

  real bad.”

  His hopeful request swept over her more relentlessly than

  the ocean’s tide. How could she even consider denying him

  his father?

  Shame blazed a path through her conscience. She’d

  charged Kael with the offense of selfishness when in fact

  she was the selfish one. Daisy had allowed her own nega-

  tive feelings toward Kael to get in the way of what was

  best for Travis.

  Every child deserved a mother and a father.

  But didn’t that child also deserve a mother and father

  who truly loved each other? Didn’t he deserve more than

  parents locked in a cold marriage of convenience? Al-

  though she still loved Kael with a passion that would never

  die, he’d hadn’t once mentioned love when he’d asked her

  to marry him. If his actions seven years ago were any proof,

  he didn’t know the meaning of the word.

  “Mom?” Travis laid his hand on her shoulder and

  peered at her. “Are you okay?”

  Daisy blinked and stared back at the child who was as

  much a part of her as if he’d sprouted from her own womb.

  Suddenly she knew what she had to do, even though it

  meant eating crow and swallowing her pride. She had to

  go to Kael Carmody and tell him she’d changed her mind.

  “May I speak with you a moment?”

  Kael glanced up from where he sat on a work bench in

  the bam, sharpening his mother’s kitchen knives. He was

  surprised to see Daisy Hightower standing in the doorway,

  the afternoon sun slanting her shadow across the hay-

  strewn floor.

  “Sure,” he replied, setting the whetstone aside. “Come

  on in.”

  She hesitated, hung at the door like a puppy on a leash.

  Even from the distance of ten feet he could smell her

  honey-flavored aroma—rich, amber, sweet. Slim-cut blue

  jeans hugged her narrow hips. She wore a gray oversize

  T-shirt that should have camouflaged her breasts instead of

  accentuating them as it did. Kael caught his breath and

  battled the emotions rising inside him. The woman grew

  more tempting every day.

  She kept her hands clasped behind her back and avoided

  meeting his gaze head on. “This isn’t easy for me.”

  “What isn’t?” Nonplussed, he cocked his head and stud-

  ied her. Her cheeks were pink, but the rest of her face was

  so pale her freckles stood out prominently.

  “Saying what I’ve got to say to you.”

  He ignored the chugging sensation in his belly and patted

  the bench beside him. “Have a seat.”

  “I’d rather stand.”

  Kael shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

  She twisted her fingers into an anxious knot and bounced

  on the balls of her feet. “I’ve reconsidered.”

  He froze, not quite certain he’d heard her correctly.


  She cleared her throat.

  “Reconsidered what?” he asked, feeling as if he were

  gingerly stepping over invisible land mines.

  “You know.”

  “Tell me, Daisy.”

  She let out her breath, stuffed her hands in her pockets

  and made it a point to stare at the empty horse stalls along

  the back wall. “Your offer. I’ve reconsidered.”

  “What offer is that?” It wasn’t kind of him, but he

  couldn’t resist baiting her. Kael experienced a fluttering

  sensation as if a basketful of doves had been let loose deep

  inside him. What had happened to initiate this turn of

  events? Whatever caused it, he was grateful.

  “Why do you have to be so difficult?”

  “It’s not often I see the proud Miss Daisy Hightower

  grovel, I must admit I’m enjoying it immensely.” Kael

  folded his arms across his chest and grinned.

  “Oh, forget it! I should have known you’d be a jerk.”

  Daisy spun on her heels.

  “Whoa!” Kael leaped up, all smugness gone, and

  dashed across the floor to grab her arm before she got away.

  She twisted in his grasp, her skin burning his fingers.

  Kael gulped but held on.

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  He felt her muscles relax. She tossed her head and sliced

  him a saucy expression. A look that made him want her all

  the more.

  “Shall we start over?” He raised an eyebrow, worried

  now that his teasing had made her change her mind.

  “All right.”

  “You’ve come to accept my marriage proposal?”

  She nodded, but she appeared none too happy about the

  prospect. “Yes, but I want it understood this is strictly a

  marriage of convenience. I’m only agreeing to this arrange-

  ment for Travis’s sake and because I’m in desperate need

  of money.”

  He studied her face, searching for the smallest sign of

  emotion. A twitch of her eye, an upturned smile, anything

  that would tell him she harbored feelings for him. But

  Daisy Hightower had schooled her emotions for too many

  years. Kael could read nothing in the impervious mask she

  presented.

  “I guess I can appreciate where you’re coming from.”

  “You’d better. I’m marrying you for your money and

  for my son. Those are the only reasons.”

  “So you said.” Kael narrowed his eyes. He didn’t want

  her to know her statement had just ripped his heart from

  his chest.

  “You seem awfully accepting about this.”

  “I want us to be a family. That’s all that matters.”

  Daisy wrinkled her nose in frustration. “You do com-

  pletely understand that this is a marriage in name only,

  don’t you?”

  “What are you getting at?” He leaned closer, and she

  took a step backward.

  “There’ll be no consummation of the marriage vows.”

  “You mean you won’t let me make love to you.”

  “That’s correct.” She held her head high, her shoulders

  straight and her lips pressed into an unyielding line, but

  despite her hard-line stance Kael knew he wasn’t imagining

  the red flush creeping up her neck. Daisy was embarrassed.

  Kael stuck his tongue in his cheek to keep from grinning.

  Fueling her anger at this point would be detrimental to his

  case, and if she even suspected he found her amusing, she’d

  turn tail and flee. It had taken a lot for her to come to him

  and belatedly accept his proposal. He knew exactly how

  much pride it had cost her, and he wondered what catalyst

  had induced her abrupt change of heart.

  “Well?” she demanded, drawing herself up to her full

  five foot four inches. ‘ ‘Is it a deal?’ ’

  “Marriage in name only?” Kael fingered his jaw.

  “You’re asking a lot from a red-blooded American male.

  You expect me to spend the rest of my life without sex?”

  The pink blush on her face darkened to brilliant scarlet.

  “I...I...er,” she stammered.

  Her hesitancy told him she hadn’t given the issue much

  thought from his viewpoint. Suddenly Kael knew without

  a doubt that Daisy was still a virgin. That realization cre-

  ated a soft, melting sensation inside his chest. She’d saved

  herself for him, after all these years.

  A knot of emotion lodged in his throat, surprising Kael

  with its intensity. He had an irresistible yearning to swing

  her into his arms, bury his face in her hair and tell her

  exactly how much he loved her. But Kael was terrified of

  scaring her away.

  “Well?” He arched an eyebrow.

  “You can have your own...er...private life.”

  “You’re giving me permission to sleep with other

  women?” It was mean to tease her, but Kael couldn’t resist.

  “Since it won’t be a real marriage in the carnal sense of

  the word, then you’re free to do what you like in that area,

  yes.”

  He noticed Daisy’s breathing was ragged, her pupils di-

  lated. He wanted to tell her that no other woman on the

  face of the earth could ever tempt him to break his wedding

  vows to her but something held his tongue. Because of what

  had happened with Rose, Daisy still did not trust him. No

  matter what he might say, he could only prove himself over

  time.

  “All right.”

  “You do agree?” her voice came out high and squeaky.

  “Yes.”

  “That’s good then.” She stuffed her hands in her back

  pockets and nodded her head, but she looked less than

  pleased.

  “So no lovemaking between us.”

  “None.”

  “Never?”

  “Ever,” she replied firmly.

  “If that’s the way it’s gotta be.” Kael shrugged. He con-

  sented to her stipulation, even though he had no intention

  of honoring it. He had to get Daisy to marry him, no matter

  what it took. Once they were actually married, however, all

  bets were off. By hook or by crook, she was going to be

  his bride. In every sense of the word.

  “That leaves one other provision.”

  “Let’s hear it.” Kael waved an expansive hand.

  “We don’t tell Travis you’re his biological father.”

  “Wait a minute, I can’t agree to that.”

  “Please let me finish.” Daisy frowned. “We won’t tell

  him for now.”

  Kael shook his head. “No. I don’t like this. Why wait?”

  “I think he needs time to get used to the idea of having

  a man about the house.”

  “Why can’t that man be his father?”

  “You’re a stranger.”

  “I won’t be for long.”

  “He’s only seven years old,” Daisy argued. “He won’t

  understand the complexities of his conception. I haven’t

  even told him that Rose was his biological mother.”

  “We don’t have to tell him that.

  “What are you going to tell him when he asks why you

  waited seven years to come back into his life?”

  Twisting his face in thought, Kael paused to consider her

  wisdom.
‘ ‘When would we tell him?’ ’

  “When the time is right.”

  Kael mulled over her suggestion. He saw no value in

  waiting, but Daisy was the boy’s mother. She knew Travis

  better than he did. Still, it would be hard not telling his son

  the truth.

  “Besides,” Daisy said, reeling in a heavy sigh.

  “Besides what?”

  “We really don’t know how long you’ll be able to stick

  with this marriage. If you get tired, and wanderlust hits,

  it’ll be easier for Travis to accept your departure if he

  doesn’t know you’re his real father.”

  “Do you really believe I’d walk out on you?”

  “You did it before.”

  “No, Daisy, that’s not true. Back then, we had not com-

  mitted ourselves to each other. This time it’s different. This

  time it’s for keeps. I have no doubts about my own serious

  intentions. What I want to know is, are you up to the chal-

  lenge of becoming my wife?”

  Chapter Seven

  Three days later Daisy and Kael stood before the justice

  of the peace at the Refugio county courthouse with Travis

  and Aunt Peavy serving as witnesses. Kael’s parents were

  in New York City on business and hadn’t been able to

  attend. It was just as well, Daisy decided. She was nervous

  enough going ahead with this arrangement without all the

  normal wedding fanfare.

  Kael had bought her a bouquet of pink roses, red car-

  nations and white baby’s breath. Although she’d protested,

  the gesture had touched her. Even though this was a mar-

  riage of convenience, Kael was obviously serious about his

  intent.

  At least for now, she reminded herself. Anybody could

  stay in one place for a few months. What happened when

  those months turned to years, and the years turned to de-

  cades? Would Kael remain at her side or would he quickly

  grow bored in Rascal and leave her stranded? And if by

  some miracle he did stay longer, what would happen in

  nine or ten years when Travis left home and there was no

  longer a reason for them to stay married?

  Daisy swallowed hard and pushed those disturbing no-

  tions aside. If she entertained these kinds of thoughts for

  very long she’d chicken out of this artificial marriage for

  sure.

  Smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her cream-colored