Promise Broken (The Callahan Series) by Mitzi Pool Bridges

Mom’s brother, Raymond. Uncle Raymond, this is Phyl Leander, our ranch hand.”
    “You’re kidding? Women in the military—women astronauts—women doing ranch work. Is there no male bastion left sacred anymore?”
    “Careful, Raymond.” Mom laughed. “Your prejudice is showing.”
    Raymond ignored the comment. “Where are you from, pretty lady?”
    Phyl’s face turned pink at the question. Donovan couldn’t help but wonder why. The question wasn’t that intrusive. But there was no denying that she didn’t want to answer.
    “Why are you here?” Donovan asked his uncle, diverting his attention away from Phyl. “You don’t visit that often.”
    “Just passing through. I’ve been wandering the state to see where I’m going to settle down now that I’ve retired. Think it’s going to be San Antonio. When I saw the crowd at the auction barn, I figured you’d be here.”
    “I’m glad you did. And I’m glad you’re settling down close by,” Mom said. “We’ll see you more often now.”
    Inwardly, Donovan groaned.
    Raymond looked at his watch. “Time to hit the road. I have an appointment with a realtor in a little more than an hour.”
    He said his goodbyes and hurried away.
    Donovan’s glance went to Phyl. She visibly relaxed as his uncle left. What was going on with her?
    It had taken more than a little persuasion to get her to come today. Was she just shy around strangers? He hadn’t seen that trait before. But before coming she’d put on her usual baseball cap, added a pair of large sunglasses, and wore an over-sized man’s shirt that looked vaguely familiar. Was she trying to hide her appearance? He supposed it worked. To the casual observer she would look different. Not to him. He could pick her out of a crowd simply by the way she moved.
    Pushing Phyl’s hand away, Mark let out a howl of indignation when she attempted to wipe chocolate off his face from the ice cream he’d eaten earlier.
    Donovan bit back a chuckle as Mark made another stab at independence. His mother wasn’t ready. Silently, he cheered for the kid.
    Mom linked her arm with his. “You did good, Don.”
    The “aren’t you glad you’re back” part went unsaid. He looked around at the familiar setting, surprised to realize how right it felt.
    Dugan spotted them, waved. “Sorry I’m late. How’d it go?”
    “Great,” Mark piped up. “They bought every one. Donovan’s rich.”
    Donovan and his mom laughed. Phyl watched with amusement.
    “You don’t know much about ranching yet, Mark. When you do, you’ll realize how little profit there is in it,” Phyl told him.
    “But you like it,” Dugan reminded her.
    “Always have,” she agreed.
    “Me, too,” Mark said, wiggling in next to Donovan.
    Donovan shoved Mark’s cap down over his eyes. With a laugh, Mark pulled it straight again.
    “Since we’re in town, why don’t we stop at the discount bookstore, Mark. Maybe we can find a couple of books you haven’t read,” Phyl suggested.
    “I’m going to do a little shopping of my own,” Nellie said.
    “Wanna come to the station, Don?” Dugan asked. “I have a couple of things I need to take care of, then we can grab a burger at Molly’s.”
    “If it’s okay with the ladies. I can drop this check at the bank, and meet you there.”
    His mom nodded. “I’ll meet up with Phyl and Mark when I’ve finished, then we’ll get our own lunch. How does that sound?”
    In agreement, they went their separate ways. Donovan watched as Phyl pulled her cap down lower on her face, adjusted the large sunglasses he realized were his mother’s old ones. Strange.
    “She’s pretty,” Dugan remarked.
    “Who?”
    “The one you’re staring at.”
    “I’m watching Mark. The kid is getting to me. He wants to go wherever I go, do what I do.” In truth, the kid reminded Donovan of himself at that age.
    “I know you. You like to do things your way at your own speed. Is he driving you crazy? If he is, just say so. Phyl