The Secret Truth at Dare Ranch Read Online Free Page B

"Lexie was adamant. She told me she wanted you to succeed
and—”
    A
fresh wave of irritation rippled down Mitch’s spine. He waved a hand through
the air. "She already gave me that song and dance. I want to know why you kept my daughter’s existence a secret from me."
    Judson
tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at Mitch. "Watch it, boy. I’m still
your father.”
    He
huffed. “I meant no disrespect, but I’m not a kid anymore, Pop.”
    Judson
huffed. “I knew how impossible it was for you to stay in Chimney Rock after
everything that had happened. You needed to put the past behind you and make a
life for yourself."
    Bafflement
twisted through Mitch. "I deserved to know I had a daughter!" He shot
up from the glider and paced over to the porch screen where rain pattered with
a soft ticking noise against the mesh. Pictures flashed in his mind. The shape
of Dani's face and the color of her eyes. Pain stabbed him deep inside as his
heart broke. God, she looked just like him and he never knew about her until
today.
    His
father strolled to his side. The rain fell harder now, blurring the grass and
trees in a watery curtain. He listened to the wind whistle around the house. The
sky had turned darker and the deeper shadows echoed his misery.
    "I
realize that now. I’m sorry."
    Mitch
whirled. "You’re sorry?"
    His
father gripped his shoulder and gave him a light squeeze. "I can't change
what happened. I wanted her to tell you, but in the end it was up to her. I
didn’t have the right to go behind her back."
    Mitch
shrugged out of his hold. "Don’t talk to me about rights. The fact is,
Pop, what you and Lexie did was wrong."
    He
frowned. "You're as unforgiving and willful as I used to be. Let me give
you some advice. Forgive her. Don’t keep prodding or she and Dani will walk out
of your life for good."
    Judson
moved to his chair and sat down. Without another word, he reached for his
tobacco and pipe. Mitch stared at it.
    "Don't
say anything. I need a smoke right now."
    He
filled the bowl of the pipe, lit it and inhaled several puffs. The rich, sweet
fragrance of the tobacco drifted out into the rain scented air. "Your
mother never wanted to live in the high country."
    Mitch
remembered a time when he was young that his parents seemed distant. Their
words had been loud, harsh, even cruel.  Words he wished he'd never hear again.
He didn't know what was wrong. For a while, he thought whatever had happened
had been his fault, but after a time his parents stopped fighting and a cool,
polite distance settled between them.
    His
father looked down at the pipe in his hand. "She was a city girl. I
convinced her to give the mountains a try, but she was never happy here. She
begged me to move back to Denver and try the city, but I planted my feet and
refused."
    "That's
why she left?" Mitch asked. "I never really knew.” After their
divorce, Mitch still saw his mother on weekends, holidays and spent extra time
with her in the summer but it was never the same. He missed having her around
and listening to her gentle understanding of his problems.
    "I
loved her very much, still do, but I never even tried to see her side of things.
It was always me, what I needed and wanted.” He laid down his pipe and looked
at Mitch. "I know Lexie hurt you but try and understand why she kept Dani
a secret."
    She’d
wounded him all right. Lexie had skewered him all the way to his soul. Mitch grabbed
his jacket from the back of the glider. "I need to get out for a while."
    Aggie
trotted over and bumped against his hand asking to be petted. He smoothed a
hand over her head.
    "Try
to find a way to forgive her," Judson pleaded. "She's been through a
lot in her young life already. Don't add to it by ripping at her."
    His
emotions bubbled to the surface. He shrugged into his jacket. "She’s had
her say. Now it’s my turn."

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
    Shaken
by Mitch's unexpected visit and bone tired from working since dawn, Lexie