Roping Ray Mccullen

Emotions welled in Ray’s throat. Why hadn’t his father told him about this place? About what he was doing?

Because you left and never came back. You refused to talk to him.

And now it was too late.

* * *

SCARLET PARKED AT her rental house outside Pistol Whip, still shaken over the conversation with Ray McCullen. But there was nothing she could do tonight except give him time to process the bombshell she’d dropped on him.

Heart heavy, she let herself inside the tiny house. Although it was small, she had filled it with homey furniture, handmade quilts and crafts from Vintage Treasures, and she’d hung photographs of the farmland where the orphanage was housed on the walls.

She loved the beautiful landscapes and had been excited about Joe’s plans to add a stable and horses so the children could learn to ride. He’d also intended to add farm animals and assign the children chores to teach them responsibility. Working together would make them feel like a real family. God knows, most of them were plagued with self-doubt, insecurities and emotional issues.

She lit a fire in her fireplace, brewed a cup of tea, then grabbed her files and spread them on the kitchen table. She was most worried about one of the preteen boys, Trenton Akers. He was angry and lashing out at everyone, which made it more difficult to find him a forever home.

But there was a four-year-old, Corey Case, who a couple from Cheyenne were interested in. She opened the file on the couple to study their background check, but a noise outside startled her.

She went to the back door and peeked through the window in the laundry room. Wind hurled leaves across the backyard that jutted up to the woods. Night was setting in, the gray skies gloomy with shadows.

Suddenly she heard the doorknob jiggle, and she crept to the back door. A second later, the door burst open and Bobby appeared. He’d always been a foot taller than her, but he’d gained at least twenty pounds, making him twice her size.

Her lungs squeezed for air at the fury radiating from him. Beard stubble covered his face, and he reeked of alcohol and cigarettes. “Hello, sis. We have to talk.”

Scarlet inhaled sharply. “Bobby, you’re drunk. Come back when you’re sober.”

He gripped her arm, then dragged her toward the living room and shoved her against the wall. “No, Scarlet. We’re going to talk now.”

Fear crawled through her. She’d borne the brunt of Bobby’s temper before, and barely survived it.

No telling what he’d do now that Joe wasn’t around to protect her.

Chapter Four (#ulink_a1301964-8210-5de6-b11e-240c376ca051)

Ray reluctantly stepped inside The Family Farm house.

Part of him wanted to deny everything Faye was telling him, go home and forget about Scarlet Lovett.

But he couldn’t forget about her. Not if his father had included her and this other son in his will.

Bobby Lowman—his half brother.

Good God...he still couldn’t believe it. His father had another son. One he and Maddox and Brett had known nothing about.

Maddox and Brett were going to have a fit.

As he scanned the interior of the farmhouse, he couldn’t deny his father’s influence. It reminded him of the house on Horseshoe Creek. Wood floors, sturdy oak furniture, a giant family table in the dining room, a kitchen adjoining it that held another big round wooden table and a butcher-block counter.

Landscape paintings and farm and ranch tools decorated the walls in the hall and the dining room where several kids of varying ages sat eating what smelled like homemade chicken potpie.

A brick fireplace in the dining room and another one in the living room added to the homey feel.

Laughter, chatter and teasing rumbled from the table.

“I told you it was dinnertime,” Faye said. “The kids take turns helping prepare the meal and cleaning up. Their rooms are down the hall. We have a maximum of four children to a room, and in some cases only two. Boys and girls are housed on opposite sides of the main living area.”

She escorted him past the dining room to a large room equipped with several smaller tables and a computer area. “The children attend public school, and after school gather here to do their homework. We have volunteers who tutor those who need it.”

Ray nodded, trying to imagine his father in this place. “My father tutored kids?”

“No, he said schooling wasn’t his forte.”

You could say that again.

“But he helped in other ways. He organized games for the kids, like horseshoes, roping contests and, twice a month, he brought a couple of horses over to teach the children grooming skills and how to ride.”

She gestured at a back window that offered a view of the pastureland. “He planned to build a stable so we could house a few horses on-site. When the older boys discovered his son was a bull rider, they begged him to bring him here to meet them.”

Ray shifted. “That would have required him to tell us about this place.”

Faye’s eyes flickered with compassion. “I never quite understood that, but I figured it wasn’t my place to question your daddy, not when he was doing so much for us.”

Hurt swelled inside Ray. Nice that he’d been a hero for these strangers when he’d lied to his own sons.

A little boy with brown hair and big clunky glasses ran in. “Miss Faye, we’re done. Barry wants to know if we can go out and play horseshoes.”

Faye ruffled the little boy’s hair. “I’ll be right there, Corey. You guys help Miss Lois clean up now.”

Corey bobbed his head up and down, then ran back to the dining room. Ray heard him shouting that they could play once they cleaned up.

Faye squeezed Ray’s arm. “You’re welcome to stay and play a game with the children. They’d like it, especially since you’re Joe’s son.”

Ray chewed the inside of his cheek. The air was suddenly choking him. “I’m sorry, I can’t today. I have to go.”

Faye nodded as if she understood, but her smile was sad. “I don’t know what we’re going to do now without Joe.”

Ray didn’t, either. But it wasn’t his problem.

Was it?

Hell, if his father had made provisions for Scarlet and his illegitimate son Bobby, he’d probably made arrangements to take care of this place, too.

Another thing to discuss with the lawyer and his brothers.

He ignored the chatter and laughter in the dining room as he walked past it to the front door. When he made it outside, he inhaled the crisp cool air, but his stomach was churning.

He checked his phone, hoping Bush would return his call, but there were no messages. He had to find out if Bobby planned to attend the meeting and stake his claim.

Ray gritted his teeth. He’d kept the truth from his brothers long enough. They deserved a heads-up before their world fell apart.