Kael (Texas Rascals, #6) Read online

  linen suit, Daisy shifted her weight and focused her gaze

  on Judge Crinshaw. Sensing her uneasiness, Kael reached

  over and squeezed her hand. She darted a glance at him

  and found him smiling tenderly.

  That smile was almost her undoing. Daisy’s knees

  knocked together, and perspiration trickled down the hol-

  low of her throat.

  Years ago, when she used to imagine their wedding, she

  had pictured something entirely different. Like every other

  girl who’d dreamed the dream, she’d envisioned the most

  stunning dress of white lace and satin with a mesh veil and

  long train. She’d foreseen the ceremony in a church and a

  dinner reception to follow. She’d pictured scads of guests,

  lots of wedding presents, a large diamond engagement ring

  and a honeymoon trip to Hawaii.

  She was getting none of those things. Neither was she

  getting the most important thing of all—unconditional love.

  Her lip trembled as tears constructed a rampart behind

  her eyelids. Too late for any of that. She had to settle for

  this and hope against all hope that somehow, some way,

  Kael Carmody would come to love her as much as she

  loved him. And if that never happened she could take com-

  fort in the knowledge she’d provided a father for her son.

  “Daisy?” Judge Crinshaw’s voice cut through her flight

  of fantasy.

  She blinked. “Yes?”

  “Repeat after me.”

  Numbly she parroted her wedding vows back to the

  judge. Kael clung fast to her hand but she didn’t dare look

  at him for fear her tears would break loose and tumble

  down her cheeks for all the world to see.

  ‘ ‘Do you, Daisy Anne Hightower, take Kael Jacob Car-

  mody to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

  “I do.” The words echoed loudly in her ears.

  ‘‘And do you, Kael Jacob Carmody, take Daisy Anne

  Hightower to be your lawfully wedded wife?’ ’

  ‘‘I do.” His voice rang loud and true.

  ‘‘By the power vested in me by the state of Texas, I now

  pronounce you man and wife.”

  That was it. In seven minutes’ time they were married.

  Hitched. United, tied together, joined as one. Until death

  do they part, or until Kael decided he was bored with the

  role of husband and father.

  “You may kiss the bride.”

  Daisy turned to face the music, her bouquet shaking cra-

  zily in her hands.

  Kael rested both hands on her shoulders. He stared in-

  tently into her eyes.

  She felt herself falling deeper, harder, faster into the

  mighty vortex of Kael Carmody’s aura. Holding her breath,

  she felt her heart skip erratically as he leaned in close and

  gently kissed her.

  Aunt Peavy applauded wildly.

  Judge Crinshaw congratulated them.

  Travis grinned from ear to ear. “I got me a dad,” he

  said proudly thrusting out his chest.

  “Yes, you do, and I’m delighted to have such a fine

  young man for a son,” Kael said.

  His eyes shone brightly, and Daisy could have sworn the

  man was close to tears. Looking from her new husband to

  her child, Daisy knew she had made the correct decision.

  Travis’s happiness meant far more than her own.

  “Now we can go to the Cub Scout picnic.”

  “And that’s only for starters.” Kael tousled the boy’s

  hair. “There’ll be fishing and swimming and camping

  out.”

  “Wow.”

  Judge Crinshaw smiled and climbed down from the

  bench. “I wish you folks the very best. I can tell you’re

  going to make a great family.” He shook their hands.

  Guilt gnawed at Daisy. Unwittingly the judge had just

  married them under false pretenses. He was under the as-

  sumption they were truly in love and planning a real life

  together. A hollow ache, worse than the pain she’d expe-

  rienced when Kael had left Rascal, sank into her stomach.

  “Daisy.” Kael held his arm to her. Hesitantly she ac-

  cepted it. His grip was warm, strong and reassuring, and

  she was surprised at the comfort she drew from him.

  They walked from the room, Travis and Aunt Peavy fol-

  lowing behind. Aunt Peavy fluttered her hands in the air

  like an excitable bird and talked without ceasing.

  Outside they paused on the courthouse steps and squinted

  against the bright noonday sun. Daisy felt odd, as if she

  were an actress playing the role of dutiful bride.

  “I never thought I’d live to see the day,” Aunt Peavy

  exclaimed with a contented sigh. “Daisy, finally married.”

  “Guess this means you’re my Aunt Peavy, too,” Kael

  said.

  “Oh, yes, please think of me like that, my boy.”

  “Come here, Auntie.” Kael stopped, dropped Daisy’s

  hand and enveloped Aunt Peavy in a bear hug. She giggled

  like a teenager.

  Daisy rolled her eyes. Leave it to Kael Carmody to flatter

  little old ladies.

  “Listen,” Aunt Peavy said, pulling away and digging in

  her purse for a handful of twenties. “I want to do some-

  thing special for you two. How ’bout I pay for your hon-

  eymoon night in a fancy hotel in Corpus Christi?”

  “Why, Aunt Peavy,” Kael said, “that’s a lovely ges-

  ture.”

  “No,” Daisy replied adamantly.

  Kael and Aunt Peavy both stared at her.

  “Goodness sakes, child, let me do something nice for

  you for once,” Aunt Peavy chided.

  Daisy shook her head. “There’s not going to be a hon-

  eymoon.”

  Disappointment etched Aunt Peavy’s kind face. “No

  honeymoon? Ah but sweetie...”

  Kael cocked his eyebrow. “Daisy, it’s rude to refuse a

  gift.”

  Yeah. Just what she wanted, a night alone with Kael

  Carmody in some romantic honeymoon suite. She knew

  what ulterior motives lurked up his sleeve. Well, she was

  having none of it. They had an agreement. This marriage

  was in name only.

  “There’s too much work to be done on the farm. I don’t

  have time for frivolous things like a honeymoon.” Then,

  before Aunt Peavy or Kael could protest further, Daisy took

  Travis’s hand and started across the street to where Kael’s

  pickup truck was parked.

  “That’s right, Miss High-and-Mighty,” she heard Kael

  mumble. “Keep your guard up. Don’t dare let anyone get

  close enough to care about you.”

  Bristling at his accusation, Daisy halted in the middle of

  the street, mindless of the oncoming traffic that had to brake

  for her. She glared at Kael. “I tried trusting someone once.

  Remember?” She looked down at her son. “We both know

  how that turned out.”

  “Daisy,” Kael said, stalking over to grab her elbow in

  a viselike grip. “Get out of the street.”

  A car hom blared loudly, and the driver shook his fist at

  them.

  “Oh, my. Oh, my,” Aunt Peavy exclaimed, still perched

  on the courthouse lawn. “Somebody
’s gonna get run

  over.”

  “Mom,” Travis said, his eyebrows bunched together in

  a worried expression. “Are you and my new daddy having

  a fight?”

  “No, Travis, we’re not having a fight,” Kael said. He

  ushered Daisy and Travis to the curb before going back

  across the street to collect Aunt Peavy.

  All resistance left Daisy’s body. She had to start con-

  trolling her responses to Kael Carmody, especially in front

  of Travis. She shouldn’t allow the man to affect her the

  way he did.

  Travis and Aunt Peavy chattered on the way home, re-

  lieving Daisy from the responsibility of carrying on a con-

  versation with Kael. For that, she was grateful. She sat qui-

  etly, seat belt girded around her lap, the bridal bouquet still

  clutched in her lap.

  An inexplicable sadness settled over her. This was her

  wedding day. She should be deliriously happy. Instead the

  future loomed murky and uncertain. How long could this

  last? When would he grow tired of his impersonation of

  husband and father and hit the road? Worst of all, how long

  before Kael eroded her hard-line defenses and she allowed

  him into their marriage bed?

  Daisy bit down on her knuckle at the thought. She

  peeked over to see Kael leaning down, listening intently to

  what Travis was telling him about the father-son Cub Scout

  picnic.

  Father and son. Heads together, bonding at last, after

  seven years apart. Gulping, Daisy realized she was a little

  jealous at the closeness they shared so quickly. Travis was

  so starved for male attention he’d taken to Kael immedi-

  ately. And Kael, well, she never would have suspected he

  could be so good with kids.

  The scent of roses and carnations hung in the air, re-

  minding her of what had just taken place. A wedding. Like

  it or not, they three were now legally a family. She had to

  find some way of dealing with that fact.

  “Daisy?”

  She raised her head. Kael dangled the truck keys from

  his finger. His tone was kind, tender and touched her more

  than she dared to admit.

  “Huh?”

  “We’re home.”

  She glanced around to see they were indeed back at the

  farm. “Oh.”

  Aunt Peavy and Travis had already gotten out of the

  vehicle and were making their way inside. A sense of panic

  washed through her.

  They were alone. Together. She and Kael. Mr. and Mrs.

  Carmody.

  “Let’s take a walk,” Kael suggested.

  “I don’t want to.”

  “We need to talk.”

  There was a pleading in his eyes she’d never seen before.

  Despite her resolve, she felt her heart thaw a little.

  “Okay,” she acquiesced, letting him help her out of the

  car. His touch, as always, was disorienting. He looped his

  elbow through hers and guided her down the driveway to-

  ward the honey house.

  “You’re still very angry with me,” he stated, the spring

  breeze lightly ruffling his hair as they walked. His tangy

  cologne mixed with the smell of honeysuckle growing

  along the fence row and teased her nostrils.

  “I don’t know if angry is the right word....”

  “You’ve never forgiven me for what happened.”

  “Why should I?” she asked, the old familiar hurt stab-

  bing her fresh and new.

  “Because it was a long time ago. Because I’m damned

  sorry for all the suffering I thoughtlessly put you through.”

  She looked into his face. Gone was the cocky, self-

  assured Kael of old. The man walking beside her was con-

  trite, apologetic.

  “It’s a lot to ask.”

  “You can’t hold a grudge for the rest of your life, Daisy

  Hightower Carmody.”

  Daisy Carmody. It had a nice ring to it. Too nice to suit

  her.

  “Oh, no?” she said.

  “You’re only hurting yourself in the long run.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “You’re turning into a sour, bitter woman. Is that the

  way you want to spend your life?”

  His words hit her hard. They were too true. Daisy ducked

  her chin, stared down at the dry, yellowed grass.

  “Haven’t I paid enough for my sins? I’ve missed out on

  seven years of my son’s life,” Kael continued.

  “I did agree to marry you. That’s a start, isn’t it?” she

  pointed out, eager to show him she wasn’t completely

  heartless.

  He stopped walking, cupped her hand in both of his.

  “Then let’s make this a true marriage, Daisy. Let’s try to

  make it work. For the sake of our son. He needs parents

  pulling together to make a real family. Can you do that?”

  “What do you mean by a ‘true marriage’?” She raised

  her chin and bravely met him head-on.

  “I mean a marriage in every sense of the word.”

  “I’m sorry, Kael, I don’t think I can give you what

  you’re asking.”

  “Why is that? Because you’re afraid to be loved, both

  emotionally and physically.”

  “I’m not afraid!” Daisy denied, but her voice warbled,

  contradicting her words.

  “I think you are.”

  “Since when did you become an expert on my feel-

  ings?”

  “Since the first time I kissed you.”

  “Ha!”

  “Scoff if you will, but you hold your true emotions in

  check on purpose. You get mad in a desperate attempt to

  hide the fact you’re terrified of life.”

  “Me! Terrified of life? Who’s the one who stayed here

  and assumed responsibility for your son? Who ran off to

  play cowboy?”

  “Stop playing the martyr, Daisy. It’s been your favorite

  part to play, but the reality is you threw yourself into hard

  work to keep from facing the truth. You stayed, but it’s

  because you were too scared to do anything else. Too

  scared to even make love to me. That’s why you don’t want

  me in your bed. Not because you’re mad, but because

  you’re just plain chicken.”

  “That’s a load of baloney!” she denied hotly.

  “Is it? Then explain why you’re still a virgin at age

  twenty-six when most women are married with children.

  You’ve made it clear enough it isn’t because you’ve been

  pining away for me.”

  Her face flamed. How had he known? Mortified that he’d

  guessed her secret, Daisy tried to pull away from him, but

  Kael clung tighter to her hand.

  “No, ma’am,” he said sharply, “you’re not storming off.

  You’re going to stay here until we hash this out between

  us.”

  “Let me go,” she wailed.

  “Daisy, it’s okay to be scared. All you have to do is

  admit it. You don’t have to hide anything from me, sweet-

  heart.”

  “Don’t call me that.” Even her tone sounded panicky,

  essentially confirming his allegations.

  “Why not? You’re my wife.” He stroked her arm and

  sent goose
bumps fleeing down her spine. “A man’s sup-

  posed to say nice things to his wife.”

  Wife.

  The word should have pleasant, happy connotations, in-

  stead it felt like a noose. Tight and getting tighter, the

  higher his hand caressed.

  No! She wasn’t ready. Wasn’t prepared to assume this

  new role he’d assigned to her.

  “Please,” she said weakly, “I can’t.”

  “Can’t or won’t?”

  She jerked away from him, and this time Kael let her go.

  Daisy turned and ran as fast as she could. Kael’s laughter,

  harsh and mirthless, rang out mockingly behind her.

  “Face it, Daisy Hightower, deep down inside, you’re

  nothing but a coward!”

  Several weeks passed after the disastrous confrontation

  on their wedding day. Kael spent most of his spare time

  with Travis. They attended the father-son Cub Scout picnic

  and had a blast. They climbed trees together, skipped stones

  over the stock pond and rode horses. They played catch in

  the backyard, went to the movie matinee on Saturdays and

  attended church services on Sunday mornings. Like a wa-

  ter-starved plant, the boy soaked up Kael’s attention.

  To Kael’s surprise, he experienced none of the negative

  emotions he’d once associated with parenthood. He never

  felt burdened or crowded or trapped. Desperate to make up

  for those lost seven years, each minute with his son was a

  shining moment of joy, even when they did nothing more

  than watch television together.

  Travis asked a million questions about his life on the

  road with the rodeo. While Kael was thrilled to relate his

  adventures to the inquisitive child, he was not in the least

  inclined to return to the life that was so quickly fading into

  the background.

  Why had he resisted settling down for so long? Why had

  he ever imagined that fatherhood would be a death knell to

  his own youth? Why had he been looking for love and

  acceptance on the rodeo circuit, when it had waited for him

  here in Rascal all along?

  Kael puzzled over the questions. The happiness bull rid-

  ing had brought to him paled in comparison to the intense

  euphoria that shivered through him each time he studied

  his son.

  Except for his relationship with Daisy, life had never

  been so full and enriching.

  Daisy Hightower, however, was another story. Things