Pretend Mom Read Free

Mom and the boys
are. Is there something wrong? Is that why you came? What's been
going on?"
    "Wrong? No, there's nothing wrong,
really. Although I suspect Emily needs to talk with you. But,
they're fine. The boys would have come with me, but they're both in
summer school. Not much new to tell in town. A few moved off to
better careers, like you. A few married. I'm surprised you haven't
asked about Kevin."
    "I'm sorry." Dixie swallowed. He
mentioned Kevin so casually, yet Dixie knew Mike was anything but
casual about his brother. She wasn't prepared to talk about Kevin
right now, and especially with Mike. "I was waiting for you to tell
me." She didn't want Mike to know she was rattled.
    It was all too awkward a moment. Mike
couldn't possibly know what she was feeling about Kevin after all
these years. Just because he was opposed to them getting together
so long ago didn't mean he still felt the same. Maybe he had
mellowed. Maybe he wanted to tell her.
    "And how is he?" She tried not to sound
too interested, yet she couldn't stop fidgeting with her hands, and
he glanced down at them as she spoke.
    "He's doing great, actually. He's
running for senator now. He's happy."
    "I'm glad," she said, only to see
Mike's brow arch arrogantly. The thought of Kevin running for
senator startled and pleased her. She had known Kevin would do
well. No wonder Mike was so anxious to keep her away from him. It
wouldn't do for a senator to be seen with a wild-looking rock star.
Even she could imagine the headlines that could cause.
    "Are you?"
    "Happy? Of course. But I want you to
know I don't intend sitting here and talking to you about Kevin."
Her outburst cost her what little leverage she had. He was prepared
for a battle, by the look on his face, so she changed direction.
"So, you were elected to come and get me?"
    "Something like that."
    "I'm a little surprised you had the
time. I mean, as I recall, you had a good size ranch to
run."
    "Still do. But I attended an auction in
Mesquite and have to pick up that bull I mentioned earlier. Like I
said, we'll be stopping on the way home, if you don't
mind."
    "You're breeding cattle
now?"
    "Just started."
    Naturally, he hadn't come all this way
just to pick her up, she thought. "I hope picking me up wasn't too
much out of the way for you."
    "No," he winked. "Not
really."
    Dixie looked away again, unable to
assemble her thoughts. Mike was just too disturbing.
    But, despite her efforts to ignore him,
she found herself curious about Mike. What had happened to him in
all these years? Had he married? Did he have a houseful of kids?
Their eyes met and she looked away hurriedly. Looking into those
intense, tawny eyes was a little too disturbing. She'd have to
change the subject completely. Mike Dalton was affecting her
strangely.
    "Poor Mom, she really has to stay after
Tom and Will to keep them in school. I wish it came easier for
them. They hate it. I remember her promising Dad they would finish
school even if they were twenty-five when they did."
    "She's got her hands full with that
promise."
    "I can hardly wait to see them. It's
been so long."
    "Too long!"

CHAPTER TWO
     
    The old home-place lay sprawled among
the rolling hills of an east Texas meadow. Towering cottonwoods
whispered the music of the wind like chimes. Wild buttercups grew
in the meadows. An old two-story frame house stood majestically in
the background. In the distance an occasional sunflower peeped over
the horizon, stretching itself towards the morning sun. It was a
serene place. It was home, and Dixie quickly realized how much
she'd missed it. Born here, she felt her roots stirring old
memories.
    After a wonderful day with her family,
and Emily reassuring her they would talk later, Dixie began to feel
at home again.
    Finally left to her solitude, she
wandered near the well-manicured grounds of the cemetery down the
road. She'd been afraid of this particular cemetery for years. The
tall cottonwoods spread a mighty shade over the