Page 34 of A Baby for the Texas Cowboy (The Texas Wolf Brothers #3)

She sipped at the water, without looking at him. Tinsley brought her a glass of pinot blanc. “You’ll like the crispness and subtle fruit of this wine,” Tinsley said, sounding a little robotic and Anders winced.

He felt torn in two. He wanted to support Tinsley, but he was angry and hurt that she’d lied to him. Sure not all families got along. But to deny their existence after he’d felt like they were finally making progress as a couple was a blow. It was hard to sit there and say nothing.

What else would he learn today about the mother of his child? About the woman he’d held in his arms every night he’d been back home in Last Stand for the past month?

“I can’t believe it,” Tinsley’s mom said.

“Rejecting the son of a governor for this…this…” she waved wildly at Anders and the tasting room “…this half-life.” She’d finished the water and she grabbed almost desperately for the wine.

She drank it down like she had the water and put her glass down with a sharp thunk.

“You’re not getting any money, not a penny.” Her mother stood.

“I don’t want your money or Daddy’s,” Tinsley said.

“I don’t need it, and I’m pleased John is married to a woman who suits, and that they have two healthy children.

I’m happy he’s following the path he wants.

I’d never interfere with that. I’m happy here,” Tinsley said.

“I’m happy.” Her voice changed, almost sounded surprised.

“How that could be true I’ll never understand.”

“You never understood me. Never. And I tried, Mom. I did try.”

“Not hard enough.”

“Ma’am,” Anders said, taking Mrs. Underhill-Whittaker’s hand in his as gently as he could when he didn’t feel gentle at all. Too many questions crawled around his brain.

“Stop ma’aming me,” she snapped and tugged her hand free.

“Can I drive you somewhere, Mrs. Underhill-Whittaker?”

“No. I have a driver.” She glared at Tinsley, and Anders. “And I don’t expect to hear from either of you about—” her eyes dipped briefly to Tinsley’s abdomen “—anything again.”

Anders, who could barely remember his mother but had heard nothing but beautiful and sweet memories and stories about her, could hardly wrap his head around a mother behaving like this toward her only daughter. Rejecting her and rejecting her grandchild.

It made his head hurt and pulverized his beliefs about women, mothers, his “perfect wife list,” and the life he’d hoped to build with Tinsley to dust beneath his boots.

Tinsley’s mother stood up, brushed imaginary dirt from her coat and headed out the door just as several couples walked in, laughing. She walked through them as if they were invisible; one of the men hurried to hold the door open for her.

Tinsley looked like she was going to be sick.

“Why don’t you sit, and I’ll see your mother out.”

Tinsley winced at the words.

Anders hurried outside, but Tinsley’s mom was already being helped into a dark town car. She didn’t look at him as the chauffeur shut the door.

He watched the car drive away down Main Street. Now what? He turned to return to the tasting room, his earlier good mood totally evaporated. Tinsley had followed him outside.

“Any other surprises for me?”

“No. Yes. Anders, I don’t even know anymore.”

He strode up to her. “You lied to me about your parents being dead.”

She nodded, swallowed. Her arms crossed over her chest, and then with an effort, she unfolded them and held them to her sides.

“I didn’t exactly lie, but I didn’t tell you the truth. I have no excuse, Anders. I have spent five years running from my past, trying to rebuild myself and my confidence and figure out who I am and who I want to be.”

“I can’t have lies between us, Tinsley.”

“I know. I don’t want any lies either. I grew up with lies. I was engaged to lies.”

“We are having a child. I want to raise that child with love and acceptance, and to believe in themselves.”

“Me too,” she said quickly. “I never had that.”

That much was true. But he couldn’t quite bring himself to let it go. But he should, shouldn’t he? Tinsley deserved his loyalty, but he deserved hers.

“Your family is so warm—your brothers, Cruz and Catalina, they have welcomed me. They are excited about the baby. Even Diego.” Her voice rose and then was choked off by a sob.

She sucked in a shaky breath. “All I’ve heard about your mother is how loving she was, how wonderful, how gentle and kind, and I never had any of that.

None of it. I’m afraid I don’t know how to be like that. ”

The sense of betrayal cut deep, but even through that he felt her pain.

“You already are, Tinsley.”

She gnawed on her lip and watched as the town car disappeared down the road.

“But I have to have honesty from you,” he said.

“If you’re scared, you come to me. If you’re unhappy, you take it up with me.

If I upset you, you tell me. If I piss you off, you kick my ass and let me know what’s wrong.

No more silence. No more secrets. And until you can promise me that, we have nothing to say. ”

“Anders,” she whispered.

“Think on it. Take your time. I want to be upfront with you. I want us to marry. I want us to live on the ranch in the house with my brothers or a house we build for ourselves if that’s what you want.

I want us to communicate our feelings, our thoughts and our goals.

I want honesty and fidelity. But if you don’t want that, if you can’t come to me and promise me that and mean it, then we have nothing.

We can go your route and figure out a custody arrangement. ”

She stared at him like he was a stranger. He felt like he was—to her and her to him.

“I have to get to the airport. I have to be lasered-focused this week. I don’t want to talk about what happened today. I don’t want to talk until after the finals and you know what you want.”

She nodded and wrapped her arms around herself again. He hated leaving her like this. Hated it. But he had a final to win, and Tinsley had a decision to make.