Part 10 (2/2)
Billy threw her bags into the back of the pickup and said, ”Are you all right?”
”Fine,” she said, hiding her shaking hands behind her back.
”Then let's get out of here.”
She let herself into the pa.s.senger side of the cab and buckled her seat belt, which was a good thing, because Billy peeled rubber as he backed out and wheeled the pickup toward the front of the house. He was going dangerously fast as they pa.s.sed the line of stately magnolias that shaded the asphalt driveway. He accelerated to a pace that became dangerous when ten miles later they left the asphalt and hit the dirt roads that led toward Billy's ranch.
”Slow down,” Summer said, both hands pressed against the dash in an effort to brace herself as the truck sailed high after hitting another pothole.
”Have the two of them always been like that?” Billy asked.
”Like what?”
Billy glanced at her but hit another pothole and had to put his eyes back on the road to keep the pickup from careening out of control. ”Have they always been so spiteful toward one another?”
Summer felt defensive and said, ”All parents argue.”
”Your father threatened to kill your mother.”
”They always talk like that,” Summer said. ”It's hyperbole.”
Billy lifted an eyebrow.
”Exaggeration,” she said, explaining the word.
”I know what hyperbole is.”
Summer glanced sideways at Billy. She'd always known he was smart, but she'd a.s.sumed his vocabulary was limited because he'd barely made it through high school. She was going to have to be careful not to insult him that way again. Marriage was becoming a minefield, and she'd better tread more carefully.
”Thank you for standing up to my father,” she said.
”You're my wife.”
She grimaced. ”In a fake marriage.”
”There's nothing fake about our marriage,” Billy said. ”It's as real as it gets... at least for the next two years.”
Except for the s.e.x, Summer wanted to say. But she didn't want to argue. She'd heard enough arguing to last her a lifetime. ”I don't want us ever to argue like my parents,” Summer said. ”Promise me we'll talk things over quietly and reasonably.”
”Fine by me,” Billy said. ”And since you want plain speaking, there are a few things we need to get straight before we get back to the C-Bar.”
”I'm listening.” Summer realized Billy had slowed the truck to a reasonable speed so he could hold her gaze.
”First, I'm going to need your help nursing my mother and baby-sitting Will.”
”I've never done any nursing,” she said. And then, since he was going to find out anyway, she admitted, ”I don't know much about babies, either.”
”You'll learn,” Billy said.
Summer bit her lip, then said what she was thinking. ”Your mother doesn't like me.”
”No, she doesn't,” Billy agreed. ”The two of you will have to make peace.”
”I'm willing. What if she's not?”
”I'll talk to her,” Billy said.
Summer wasn't encouraged, but she said, ”All right.”
”There isn't much to learn when it comes to babies,” Billy said. ”Just keep them dry and feed them and love them.”
”I guess I can do that,” Summer said.
”Emma can keep up with the cooking and housekeeping, and I'll manage the ch.o.r.es around the ranch and see what other work I can get. My rent is paid till the end of the month in Amarillo, but I'll need to get up there one weekend to pack up Will's clothes and my stuff and move it all back here, if it turns out I've lost my job. Meanwhile, it'll be roundup time soon, and I expect I can get someone to take me on as hired help.”
Summer brightened. ”I could do that, too! I'm actually better at ranch work than-”
”I need you at the house,” Billy interrupted. ”Taking care of Mom and Will.”
”But-”
Billy laid a hand on her thigh. The touch felt intimate even though a layer of denim separated his flesh from hers. ”I need your help at home, Summer. I'm trusting you to take care of my mom and my son. Think you can handle it?”
”Sure, Billy. No problem.”
Sure she could nurse a woman who hated her guts. And take care of a baby when she had no idea how to put on a diaper or what babies ate. And ignore his pregnant sister stalking around, cooking and cleaning and glaring at her, since she had no use for Blackthornes.
Summer inwardly shuddered. She felt like telling Billy to turn around and take her home. But the memory of her parents at each other's throats kept her mute.
Maybe, somehow, she could make friends with Billy's mother. And get along with his sister. And she would be more than willing to pour out all the love she had to give on Billy's son.
After all, the whole point of marrying Billy was to prove she wasn't as selfish as her mother. Or as ruthless as her father. She might not have any particular talents, but she was willing to work hard. And she never gave up without a fight.
Surely hard work and determination would be enough to see her through the first few difficult weeks of adjustment. And she wouldn't be doing it alone. Billy would be there beside her at night. They'd be able to talk things over, work things out.
As they drove up to the back door of the Coburn ranch house, Summer looked at the one-story frame structure with a critical eye. She'd never paid much attention to its rundown condition when she'd visited Billy before precisely because she'd only been visiting.
Now she noticed that the wood showed through in several places where the white paint had weathered away. The porch roof canted down on one side, and she remembered the middle step leading up to the back porch was broken. The screen was curled up on one corner of the kitchen door, letting in flies.
Billy pulled up to the back door, but didn't shut off the engine. Summer looked at him and smiled tentatively. ”Nervous?” she asked.
”I'm not coming in,” Billy replied.
Summer felt her heart begin to pound. ”Where are you going?”
”I've got to go to the TSCRA headquarters in town to see if there's any chance I can keep my job. I want you to go on in and get settled.”
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