Abiding Love by Kate Welsh

trust your judgment again.”
    “Your brother’s very angry and it makes me uncomfortable and unsure. I also left out that he annoys me and I don’t even know why. Between nerves and annoyance, every time we meet, I say the opposite of what I want to say. In the two conferences we’ve had, I didn’t just fail to say all I should have. Out of the blue he made me mad, and then, instead of continuing to cower like a ninny, I lost my patience altogether and said things I shouldn’t ever say to a student’s parent. Which, of course, made him mad. I’m just lucky he didn’t complain to Mr. Harper.”
    Beth nodded and started her mount forward again. Once again Xandra kept pace with her.
    “Something else I remember about Adam is that he fights his own battles. I don’t think life as a SEAL has changed that too much. He’d never go to your boss and endanger your job unless you hurt Mark, so I don’t see that happening.”
    About ten minutes later when they topped a hill overlooking an imposing home, Beth pulled to a stop and pointed. “That’s Boyerton. I was so shockedwhen Adam told me he was the one who’d bought it. The first question I asked was how on earth he could afford it.”
    Xandra stared off into the distance at Boyerton and suppressed a shiver. She had never seen brick and gray stone look so cold and dour. No wonder Mark called it a mausoleum. Her first question would have been, why would Adam buy it? “Everyone wonders,” she said instead. “I’m sure he was paid well enough as a SEAL, but rumor has it your parents’ estate went for more than four million dollars.” Xandra grinned. “With that kind of money on the table, I just might enlist.”
    Beth laughed. “Actually, it was four-point-two million. And Adam paid cash under the guise of a corporation he uses for investments.”
    “You mean he hid his identity from your parents? Wouldn’t they have given him a better price if they knew it was him? Surely they wouldn’t still carry a grudge because he didn’t go to the college they wanted him to.”
    “Don’t kid yourself,” Beth said. “My father would have refused to sell to him, unless, of course, he thought he could hit Adam up for money and still keep Boyerton.”
    “I still think Navy life is looking pretty good—or at least lucrative.”
    A look of pride took over Beth’s pretty features. “Mark isn’t the only Boyer who’s positively brilliant. Adam invented some sort of goggles the U.S. troops use for night warfare. One of the things he did withthe money the patents brought him was invest in the businesses retiring SEALs wanted to start.”
    “I take it those were wise investments.”
    Beth grew thoughtful. “Apparently, but I get the idea he didn’t do it for the money. Some of those men retired because they were injured. He wanted to make sure they had a good life and that their new dreams could come true.”
    “What a shame he can’t give his son the same kind of break.”
    Beth whistled. “He really has put a burr under your saddle.”
    “There I go again.” Xandra groaned and squeezed the bridge of her nose. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I said that. I don’t even think he’s particularly hard on Mark. And I’m sure he wants Mark to succeed at whatever he chooses to do but…”
    “You remind me of myself when I first met Jack.” Beth chuckled. “I’ll tell you all about our stormy beginning sometime. But right now I think you need a good hard ride to get rid of some of that tension. You’ll be sorry tomorrow, but tonight you’ll sleep like a baby. Race you to the barn!”
    Xandra stared after Beth. Beth and Jack? There was absolutely no comparison between a newly wedded couple and Adam Boyer and herself. None at all. The very idea was preposterous!
    Fly Boy took off into a full gallop, almost unseating her. It was a quarter horse trait that Jack Alton had warned her about. After a moment’s anxiety,though, she found it exhilarating and