Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Monty almost dropped the towel. “You want to use my name?”
“Yup.”
“I’m honored, sport, but there are so many other great names. How about Levi, or Ranger, or hey, Domino might be great for an Appy. Or Chief, since these horses were bred by the Nez Perce.”
“I like Monty.”
He didn’t know what to say. The kid had caught him flat-footed. He’d love to know how Zinnia felt about this turn of events. He’d been so stunned he hadn’t thought to check her reaction.
He did that now, and she looked unfazed. He didn’t believe that for a minute. She’d clearly had time to compose herself.
“Fred and Ginger are settled in.” Graham appeared in the doorway to the stall. “How’s everything going?”
“Just dandy. Tex has informed us of the name you two picked out.” He studied the guy’s expression and took note of the twinkle in his eyes.
Graham held up both hands, palms out. “It was Tex’s idea. He started asking questions about you, so I gave him a little background, told him about Laughing Creek Ranch and the Bridger Bunch. At the end of that, he announced his decision.”
“It’s a cowboy name.” Tex picked up his stool and disappeared. Then he popped up over the wall from his new perch. “For a cowboy’s horse.”
“What’s this I hear?” Marigold walked into the barn bringing the distinctive aroma of brownies. She came over to stand next to Tex’s stool. “You’ve finally settled on a name for your horse?”
“A great name. Monty. You bringed us brownies?”
“I did. Are you naming your horse after our new friend here?” Her voice quivered as if she might be trying not to laugh.
“Yup.”
“Catchy.”
Evidently nobody was willing to talk the little guy out of his choice. Sounded like it had been a long road to get to this point and the happy smile on Tex’s cherubic face was touching as hell. Time to accept this gracefully and hope the kid changed his mind later.
He sucked in a breath. “I think it’s very cool. I’ve never had anybody named after me. Thanks, Tex.”
“You’re welcome. Want a brownie?”
“Sounds awesome.” He glanced toward Zinnia. “Let’s go eat brownies and give Speckles some room to roam.”
“I’m in.” She placed a kiss on her mare’s nose. “I’ll be close by, pretty girl.”
Picking up his jug, Monty followed her out of the stall.
As he put it down next to his case, Marigold caught his gaze. “Any thoughts on when it will happen?”
“Likely in the next few hours, but I can’t pinpoint it any better than that. At least we got her tail wrapped. Now we wait.”
“Can I pass out brownies?” Tex slid off his stool and reached for the container.
“Only after you wash up, buddy.” Marigold lifted it out of reach.
“That goes for the rest of us, too,” Graham said. “You guys go ahead. I’ll fetch a couple of hay bales so we can sit.”
“I’ll help.” Monty tucked away the scissors and tail wrap before catching up with Graham as he headed toward the rear of the barn.
When they were far enough from Marigold, who’d perched on Tex’s stool to wait, Graham lowered his voice. “Sorry about the name thing. I can tell it threw you.”
“A little.”
“I tried to convince him it’ll be confusing, but he said it wouldn’t be since you’re Mister Monty and his horse will be just Monty.”
“And it’s always possible he’ll change his mind.”
“Wish I could agree with that. But he’s a stubborn little cuss. Once he grabs onto something, he holds on for dear life.”
“You mean like renaming himself Tex?”
“Exactly.” Graham met his gaze. “Reminds me of you at that age, hell-bent on being called Monty.”
“But I didn’t change the whole thing. I only shortened the one I had.”
“Your dad kept using Montgomery, though.”
“Talk about stubborn. At first I was mad, but then I let it go.”
“He didn’t tell you why he was doing that?”
“No. Thought about asking. Never did.” Something in Graham’s expression made his gut clench. “Do I want to know?”
“Um….”
“Am I named after someone special, like Tex, and nobody told me?”
“Nothing like that.” He frowned. “Doggone it. Shouldn’t have brought it up. I figured he’d told you.”
“Well, now you’ve gotta tell me. You can’t just leave me hanging.”
“Guess not.” He sucked in a breath. “Emily loved the name, started using it the minute the doc said she’d have a boy. She predicted you’d end up with a nickname, but she’d still call you Montgomery. Your dad used it to honor her memory.”
Because she’d died giving birth to him. Graham’s words bounced around in his chest, eventually gathering into a tight ball of anger. He’d learned how and when she’d died when he was seven, old enough to ask for details.
He’d gone to Raquel, the only mother he’d ever known, curious about the pretty blonde woman in the picture he’d been given many years before. He’d instinctively trusted her with his questions. In answering them, she’d soothed his distress and relieved his natural but misplaced guilt.
But she hadn’t told him this, likely because she’d rightly decided it was up to his dad. Had she urged her husband to explain himself to his son? Probably. “He should—” He paused to take a breath. “He should’ve told me.”
“Probably couldn’t figure out how. Especially after time went by.”
Graham’s gentle tone helped, but damn it! All those years…. “I suppose.” Staring at his fists, he slowly unclenched them.
“Listen, I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay.” Monty squeezed Graham’s shoulder. “I’m glad you told me.” Not ready to meet the guy’s sympathetic gaze, he glanced down the aisle. “Zinnia and Tex are coming out of the tack room. We’d better get a move on.”
“Yessir.” Graham grabbed the top hay bale.
“Maybe I should start using it.”
“Don’t know if I could make the switch.” He swung the bale to his shoulder. “Want me to try?”
He sighed and shook his head. “It’s been too long.” He grabbed a hay bale. “I sure hope Zinnia explains things to Tex before it’s too late.” And why was he worrying about something that was none of his damn business?
“Your story would probably help make that point.” Graham turned and headed down the aisle.
Hoisting the bale to his shoulder, he followed. “Feel free to tell her.”
“Not mine to tell.”
The irony of that wasn’t lost on him. He was his father’s son when it came to emotional conversations. On top of that, sharing a piece of his personal history with Zinnia would draw them closer together, something he’d been planning to avoid.
He considered his options as he walked toward the little group, people he’d only met today. Three strangers, really.
Except he’d done a lousy job of maintaining his distance from that spunky crew. Zinnia and Marigold were amazingly resilient considering they’d lost both parents and it looked like Tex’s dad had flown the coop.
Even if he took his mom’s advice and accepted payment for monitoring the birth of Speckles’ foal, that transaction wouldn’t do the trick. This situation was already more than a job.
Big surprise, he’d become invested in helping to create good outcomes for everyone, especially Zinnia. So far he’d been able to keep his libido in check, though.
Having Tex around made that easier by reminding him a kid was a huge responsibility—one he wasn’t looking for.