Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
PRESENT
Owen and I lean against the fence, watching two of my racehorses barrel down the track. Their muscles ripple with every stride, dirt flying up behind them. Owen’s practically vibrating with excitement, gripping the top rail. Only when we’re doing things with the horses do I see him like this; he forgets the rest of the world exists, his problems, even his past has no place here. He’s just a young boy, enjoying his life.
I see myself in him in times like these.
Unfortunately, like all my thoughts lately, the horses today have me wandering back to Kat. Does she still ride? Does Theo? And then the more serious questions that have been plaguing me return. What the hell is going on with her car being seized? Her farmhouse ravaged?
I felt entitled to ask Callum for more details, but he didn’t have any. I tried to figure out a way to maybe ask Ava or Enzo to search a bit deeper, see if anything came up, but that might open a can of worms I’d rather is shut for now. The only option that won’t stir up too much drama is to ask her myself. Maybe I could find something online…
I wish I could get myself not to care, but it’s always been impossible when it comes to her. In fact, for many years I tried to train my brain and heart to hate her for lying. For leading me on.
But I never succeeded. Never could I feel anything but desperate wanting for that woman even after she did me wrong. I was as pathetic as every other rejected human on the planet. Somehow, not being enough for her also made her the only person who could ever validate me.
I tried for years to forget her and to stop wanting her to see just what I’ve made of myself. There were times I wanted to slide into her DMs or find some way to show her what I’ve become. Kat lied about her engagement while letting me fall in love with her; it stole nearly all of my self-esteem for a very long time. But I was determined not to become a bitter man.
So I went to therapy, quietly, in private, without anyone knowing, and eventually, I started to see she was a gift to me. She broke my heart, but equally, nothing spurred me toward my success more than our demise. My anger, my pain, my humiliation… I was so desperate to turn that sense of unworthiness into value. And I did.
I glance around at what I’ve built over the last thirteen years here at Monarch Hills. I’ve been able to help my brothers, too. Thing is, I’m successful in every way a man can be on his own. But some things in life require the love of a woman. I had to leave those things behind because for as much as my past with Kat empowered me to succeed, it obliterated my ability and desire to ever love again.
The horses eat up the track, and the jockeys slow them down.
Owen rests his chin on the fence. “They’re so fast,” he says, his voice full of awe. “Do you think I could ride one someday?”
I grin. “Maybe. But you’ve got to work your way up to that endurance. And those saddles? Believe me when I tell you, a Western saddle feels like a recliner compared with that tiny thing. It’s like sitting on a thumbtack.”
“They stand the whole time anyway.”
“They don’t want to be tweezing leather out of their butts for days.”
Owen laughs, and I treasure it. It’s rare as he’s such a serious boy.
“I stand when I gallop on Hector,” he says.
“That’s a start. Plus, quarter horses are faster than thoroughbreds. Quarter horses have top speeds of fifty-five miles per hour. A thoroughbred can only reach forty-four.”
“Really?”
“When I first decided to breed and train, I couldn’t get the cowboy in me to appreciate thoroughbreds. I tried one out myself and thought, this thing isn’t all that. Why are they so expensive and fancy when my boy Hector could outrun them? But a quarter horse burns out fast. People aren’t interested in a twenty-second race. I’ve learned to appreciate all horses have their beauty about them. Just like people. All are different. Most are worthy.”
Owen lifts his eyebrows. “Most?”
“Pardon my French, Owen, but some people are just straight…” I stop myself from swearing, “dirtbags.”
“Horses, too?”
“Yeah. Even horses. Anyone who knows horses well knows some of them are jerks.”
I get my second laugh of the day just as the morning sun rises above the tree line and warms my face. I shift my baseball hat down slightly to shield my eyes from the blinding light.
We start walking back to the barn to do our chores. Owen’s started to come here before school to muck out the stalls, and I have to say, I’m impressed. That’s what a real cowboy has to do. Some of those cold winter mornings in New Mexico, snow up to our thighs… it wasn’t easy, but it’s necessary. It’s the grit it takes if you want to care for these creatures.
But today, he only has a half day of school because we’re meeting with the foster company together. It’s not typical that Owen would be here for one of my home inspections. But I suppose the social worker thought she could kill two birds with one stone.
My gut weighs heavy. I don’t get nervous much, but I know even though Monarch Hills looks like paradise, I’m sure I’ll get flagged for a million and one health and safety issues.
“So which horse was the worst one you’ve ever had? What did he do that made him so bad?” Owen asks.
This isn’t a tough question to answer. My Dad’s old horse, Daisy. She hated me. But just then, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out. An unknown number.
“Hold on,” I say to Owen. I swipe to answer. “Santiago Mendez. ”
“Santi, it’s Kat.”
My gut tightens. She called. I told her she could but…
“Hey.”
“I need to go to the hospital in Mount Hamilton…”
Heat rises up my throat, I think about the farmhouse, the car… “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I hurt my wrist. It might be broken.”
Heat creeps up my neck. “How did that happen?”
“It’s a long story. But Julia said there are usually long lines for anything non-emergency at the hospital. Julia is taking me and she found someone to man Heritage, and… she suggested maybe Theo would want to stay behind… with…” she hesitates, “…with you. She said you’re good with kids, and there was stuff for him to do there? I asked him, and to my surprise, he said he’d rather be with you than at the hospital.”
“Oh yeah? A kid would rather play on a ranch with me than sit around breathing in disinfectant and armpits in the ER waiting room? Yeah, that is a surprise.”
A subtle laugh reaches me through the phone, and it feels fucking good. Too good.
“He isn’t quick to trust strangers is what I meant. So… would you be able to babysit this morning? I know it’s a lot to ask.”
My heart skips. I saw the little man taking the measure of me at Julia’s. It warms me inside that Theo’s decided I’m a decent alternative to the ER. But it’s not ideal at all. I like to focus on Owen one hundred percent when he’s around. And I have my appointment with the social worker…
But resistance has always been futile.
“Of course. I’ll wait at the gate.”
I thought Owen was a quiet one and a hard nut to crack, but Theo? He’s a little like a friend of mine from back home—Dash. Not a big talker. Comes across as a lone wolf, doesn’t want to need anybody. But after I encourage Owen to give him a few rides in the wheelbarrow, he’s loosened up, and I have to say, Theo unfurls Owen in return.
The favor ends up being my pleasure. I could get used to this feeling of a little crew. I always imagined myself having a family. Even when my Kat dream hit the hills, I stopped wanting to be a husband but never a dad. Having these two run around, laughing, throwing things at each other? It’s like rewatching the best parts of my childhood. It makes me think of times with my brothers and how important it is for young men to be around other young men. I learned a lot from my brothers.
I wouldn’t be the same without them.
Theo and Owen climb a tree. Owen is higher and offers Theo a hand.
“Are you sure?” Theo asks, extending his hand anyway.
Owen wiggles the hand he’s extended. “I got you. It’s really stable up here. It would be a good spot for a treehouse. Flat. Lots of places to sit.”
Theo takes Owen’s hand, and Owen hoists the younger boy up.
The boys have a lot in common—both are reserved, both struggle to trust.
I know why Owen is guarded, but what about Theo? I would have assumed an only child of Kat’s rich daddy and husband would have ended up silver-spooned, demanding, and confident at least. Theo’s not like that at all. He’s as wary and careful as Owen. Is it his nature? Or did something happen to make him this way?
I check my watch again. It’s getting close to ten, and my social worker assessment is at eleven-thirty. Having Theo here is fun for both me and Owen, but I don’t want the social worker marking down that I have another kid around. I explicitly said there were no kids in my life. I can’t afford there to be any discrepancies on my application. I can’t let anything stand in the way of Owen and me having this chapter together.
They should all really be back before my appointment, but it’s cutting it fine. How would I explain Theo to the social worker? So, there’s this ex-girlfriend of mine who walked into town and needed my help with her kid… Now there would be a kid in the picture and me in a dubious relationship?
The foster application was thorough to the bone. I had to discuss all my relationships. My brothers and dad will be checked out, too, since they live on the premises. I can’t have undeclared people in my life.
My phone rings, interrupting my worries.
It’s Julia. My chest stills.
“Hey, Jules.”
“Hey. I wanted to let you know Kat sprained her wrist. She’s just signing paperwork, so I thought I’d buzz. It’s nothing too serious, thank goodness.”
I let out the breath I was holding, more worried about her than I’d like to admit. “Good to hear.”
“But there’s something I wanted to tell you…” She sighs on the other line. “Your dad, when he found her, said he’s pretty sure the so-called accident was a setup.”
My dad met Kat? Something about him meeting her has my heart racing back to the past… how proud I would have been to introduce them then…
I dig my fingers into my eye sockets to bring me back to the present. “What did he mean by that? A set up like a booby trap?”
She laughs dryly. “You know him well. Those were his words exactly. There was a wire attached to a piece of wood, and that was propped under a big feed bag in the loft in the outbuilding. I never put any of it there. I never even unlocked the storage building this morning. I gave the keys to Kat, but someone else was in there first.”
My heart leaps into my throat. I’m concerned for Julia, but Kat’s farmhouse being ransacked seems like more of a clue than anything. Julia has no enemies. Does Kat?
Maybe Julia got to the bottom of it while they were waiting. “Who do you think the trap was intended for?”
“I don’t know. I just smell trouble. But putting the farmhouse and this together, I’d say it’s more likely her than me.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“If I have any enemies, they’ve never made themselves known. I tried to get her talking on the way to the hospital, but it was upsetting her, so I let it drop. I think between the accident and worrying about how Theo was doing, her head was spinning.”
I take my hat off, smooth my hair, and turn my cap backward. Kat told Callum her dad didn’t have anything to do with the break-in. Callum texted me saying dusting for prints came up short. Who would be after Kat?
“Why don’t you three stay at the ranch tonight?” I suggest, knowing full well Julia wouldn’t like that idea. Or Kat. What the hell am I even getting myself into?
“Santi, I’m not having some slumber party. I like my bed. Maybe Kat and Theo could, but they’d struggle to get to work with it being nearly two miles away from Heritage. That’s a long walk every day. Unless you bring them.”
Kat won’t take my offer anyway. And it’s not best having them here either. I really can’t do anything strange and unusual in my home knowing there could be another inspection from the foster company. I can’t have two rooms made up for people I haven’t declared live with me.
But there’s no way in hell I’ll sleep tonight knowing someone broke into Julia’s outbuilding intent on damage.
Julia lowers her voice. “What is going on with you two anyway? I haven’t seen that much sexual tension since I watched soaps eating ice cream and pickles.”
I’m glad Julia isn’t here to look me in the eyes. “You’re reading it all wrong.”
“If you say so…” Nothing gets by this woman.
I change direction. “Why don’t I stay at yours for a few days? If that’s all right?”
Another rough sigh reaches my ears. I know Julia doesn’t like a fuss, but it’s for Kat and Theo.
“Fine by me… oh! Gotta run,” Julia says urgently. “She’s done. We’ll be there in about fifty minutes.”
I head to the tree and look up at the boys. “Let’s grab some drinks.”
“Aw…” Owen protests and it’s the first time he’s ever moaned like a child.
It makes me smile.
“Can’t we stay a little longer? Or ride the horses?” he begs.
Theo darts his gaze to mine with a wide-eyed plea, nodding eagerly.
“Another time, boys. Theo’s mom hasn’t given him permission to ride…”
Owen glances at Theo and rolls his eyes. “Insurance. ”
I glow inside at this small display of defiance. It means he’s comfortable. It means he knows even if he gets sassy with me, I’ll still be here.
I reach up for Theo, who puts his hands on my shoulders, and I lower him to the ground.
“Come on. I have sodas and some apples. You must need a snack by now.”
We head back to my house. We throw balls for Keeper and Mila, have some drinks and wait, my heart pounding a million miles a minute.
What the hell is going on? Callum says Kat believes her dad didn’t do it. I know he is not a good man, though, and I wouldn’t put it past him to lie.
But would he break into her house? Into Julia’s outbuilding? For what reason? Control over something. Paul had Kat trailed when we were together. It was embarrassing how much he knew about us when we thought our entire love affair was private.
But why would Paul want to hurt her?
An hour later, there’s a knock at my door.
It’s Julia and Kat. Trailing not far behind them are Ava and my dad.
“Kat!” my dad calls as he rushes up the stairs. “How did it go?”
Shit.
Now my dad is on a first-name, nosy-ass basis with Kat. That’s all I need. He’s going to be all up in my business, and worse than that, something unsettling stirs in me.
I told Kat so much about my dad back in the day… I wonder what she thinks of him now. And him of her.
“It’s all fine,” she answers, then glances at me, almost like she’s reading my mind. “We met at Heritage this morning. ”
I lift a brow. “I gather.”
But my gaze lands on her wrist, wrapped in bandages, and my blood starts to simmer.
I should have been at the damn hospital. I should have seen what the hell was going on at Heritage. I hate being out of the loop, especially when it comes to her, even though I don’t belong in her orbit anymore.
Ava appears beside my dad like she’s been summoned by some town gossip bat signal. She and my old man are like Scooby-Doo and Shaggy with this shit. They probably spent the whole day texting about the new girl in town and whatever the hell was uncovered at Heritage.
I cut Ava a glance. Not you, too, Nancy Drew.
But the truth is, I shouldn’t be surprised. Ava collects people. Maybe because she spent most of her life without any. Her only friend before Enzo was Anton, and he’s a lot older than her. She’s got an old soul, but she carries it with sunshine.
Still. Even for Ava, she seems… invested in Kat.
She touches Kat’s arm gently. “Luis told me what happened. Are you okay?”
Kat looks a little overwhelmed by all the attention. She doesn’t realize this is Echo Valley yet—if you stay here long enough, you don’t just get a community. You get an entire town breathing down your neck.
I rake a hand through my hair, glancing at the assembled crowd on my porch. “Well, if this isn’t the definition of a surprise party, I don’t know what is.” I push open the door. “Might as well come inside.”
My eyes flick to my watch. The social worker will be here in twenty minutes.
No time for this .
I shift my attention to Kat. “I need to talk to you. Alone.”
Her gaze flickers to Theo, who’s playing cards with Owen on the couch.
Theo glances up, noticing his mom. “Is it all okay? Like you thought?” he asks.
Kat puts on a small smile. “No biggie. Just a sprain.”
Theo relaxes. “Cool.”
His focus drops back to his cards, and Kat follows me toward my study, but her gaze lingers on Theo like she’s seeing something new. Maybe she didn’t expect my babysitting to go this well.
I close the door behind us and toss my cap onto the desk. No point in wasting time. “What the hell is going on?”
Her eyes widen. I can see her debating whether to let me in.
“I wish I knew,” she mutters.
“Tell me straight.” I cross my arms. “Is your dad messing with you?”
She’s caught off guard. “No. Why would you think that?”
I don’t want to tell her Callum tipped me off. The last thing I need is for her to double down on keeping things from me.
So instead, I say, “I know how your dad is.”
She stiffens.
Yeah, I know that man. Maybe even better than she thinks I do. Her father has no place in this town.
“I called him,” she says, voice tight. “Asked him if he had anything to do with the break-in at the farmhouse, and he said he didn’t. I believe him. Why would he lie?” She lets out a slow breath. “He’d tell me the truth because he knows there are no repercussions for Paul Castellanos. ”
Her back hits the door, and for a second, we’re young again, under our tree, talking about her shitty dad.
Her lips press together. That same lost expression tugs at her features. The same one that used to make me want to steal her away back then.
It makes me want to steal her away now.
I shove that thought down but I can’t help my gaze falling to her chest. Her long, dark hair paints over the curve of her breasts, breasts that challenge the stretch of her shirt.
Coming in here was a bad idea.
I grind my molars and refocus. “If it wasn’t your father, is it something to do with the FBI and your car being taken?”
“I doubt it.” She huffs, crossing her arms. “There’s a fraud investigation. Apparently, my late husband was cooking the books, so all our assets are frozen.”
Then, something shifts in her expression. A thought clicks into place.
“My dad did accuse me of blowing the whistle, though…”
I frown. “Why would he say that?”
She stares at the wall behind me, deep in thought, unraveling something I can’t see.
“It was weird,” she says slowly. “But maybe… I don’t know. Maybe someone at the company thinks I know something I shouldn’t?”
Fuck.
This could be big. Ava and Enzo need to be looped in. Callum’s team is stretched thin, and I trust them, but this? This is the kind of thing that needs resources. Intel. Strategy.
Kat shakes her head, as if trying to clear it, and changes the subject. “Thank you for watching Theo. He seems like he’s having a good time with Owen. Julia mentioned there would be another boy here. I didn’t know you had a son.”
“He’s not my son,” I say automatically. Then the truth slips out before I can stop it. “I’m trying to become his foster parent.”
She blinks, startled. “That’s… wow. I don’t even know what to say.”
“There’s nothing to say,” I mutter, shifting my stance. Because that’s not why I brought her in here. A rough sigh leaves my lips. “I’m staying over at Julia’s tonight.”
Her brows knit together. “Santi?—”
“Something’s not right about what happened today. We don’t know what the hell is going on, and you could have been seriously hurt.”
“I don’t need you looking after me.”
But this time, she doesn’t mean it. I see it in her eyes, fear still lingering from earlier.
“I’m staying,” I say simply. “That’s final. I already told Julia, and she agreed.”
She scoffs. “Of course she agreed.”
Her arms cross over her chest. A defense. A deflection.
The gesture draws me straight back to the past. I loved this about her. She used to smell as sweet as musky rose but had the bite of a jalapeno.
I cock my head. “I think what you mean to say is thank you.”
She rolls her eyes toward the ceiling. “You still think highly of yourself, I see.”
I take two slow steps closer, closing the space between us and cage her in with my arms. My breath ghosts over her skin. “And why shouldn’t I?”
She swallows, but just as quickly, she recovers. “I guess we just don’t share the same moral compass, Santi. ”
It’s a gut punch.
Before I can fire something back, my phone buzzes.
I glance at the screen. The front gate. The social worker is here.
“Get it,” she says, brushing past me. Her body glides against mine, just the briefest touch, but it’s enough.
Enough to light me the fuck up.
I exhale, hard. Why does she still get such a rise out of me?
I answer the call, gripping the door handle. “Let her in.”
I should walk away from her problems. Walk away from her.
But deep down, I already know—I won’t. And that right there? That’s a problem.
Because this isn’t like before. Back then, it was just me. Just a broke kid with a dream and a girl who made the whole damn world shine. If I got reckless, if I made the wrong move, it was my future I was gambling with.
But now?
Now, there’s Owen. A kid counting on me to give him a home. A judge dissecting every part of my life, deciding if I’m stable enough, steady enough, good enough.
And Kat?
Kat is a goddamn hurricane in the middle of my already unstable life.
She pulls me under, drags me back to who I was, to a time when all that mattered was passion and love and chasing something wild. But wild doesn’t get you custody of a kid who’s already been let down. Wild doesn’t get you chosen.
I should keep her the hell away from me. Remind myself that what we started under that tree all those years ago is done. That I don’t have space for her in my life, not when I’m already hanging on by a damn thread.
But that’s the thing about Kat.
She’s always been the exception.
I grip the door handle tighter. The cool weight of it presses against my palm, grounding me, keeping me from doing something reckless.
She’s still standing there, watching me, reading me like she always could. The way her lips part slightly, the slow rise and fall of her chest—I can see the battle warring inside her, too.
And damn if it doesn’t make me want to slam her up against the wall and lose myself in her.
But I can’t.
Not now. Not ever.
I drop my head. “I’ll be late tonight and I’ll be quiet. Don’t wait up.”
I open the door and step out, but as I walk away, I feel her in my blood, my bones—a memory I never buried deep enough.
That night at Julia’s, she cuts me open all over again.
This time, with the truth.