Roughneck Cowboy by Marin Thomas Page A

snapped his fingers. “Juanita’skids are grown. She’d be willing to stay overnight or keep Charlie with her at her place if we’re both on the road at the same time.”
    â€œWhat about Matt and Samantha? Shouldn’t you discuss this with them?” He didn’t want Matt accusing him of mooching off their father.
    â€œI’ve never asked for my children’s approval before and I won’t start now.”
    Travis wasn’t all that bothered by his siblings’ lukewarm reception. They had every right to be protective of their father. Travis would have felt the same way about his mother if Matt and Samantha had shown up unannounced on their doorstep. Travis was more concerned with Charlie and how she’d adjust. Overwhelmed by the turn of events, Travis said, “I’ll think it over.”
    â€œWhat’s to think over? I’m giving you a chance of a lifetime.”
    Dominick shuffled papers and straightened items on his desk—all businesslike—but Travis sensed a vulnerability in the old man he hadn’t noticed before. If he wasn’t mistaken, he swore the job offer was Dominick’s way of trying to make up for years of not being there for Travis.
    Father-son relationship aside, Travis was dying to prove that he was more than a roughneck. That he was capable of handling the job at Cartwright Oil.
    Don’t forget Charlie.
    Relocating to the Lazy River would allow his daughter a chance to be part of a larger family, which would help her cope with the grief of losing her grandmother. Christmas was right around the corner and he and Charlie wouldn’t have to celebrate alone. Besides, workingfor Dominick would enable them to spend more time together.
    And there was Sara. If he could sway her to negotiate a business deal with Dominick, he’d earn a few brownie points. No one had ever accused Travis of turning down a challenge. “I’ll give you an answer soon.” He got up from the couch.
    â€œI understand learning about me after all these years is a shock, but I have a lot of questions about your relationship with my mother.” Travis opened the door, then paused. “Don’t assume those questions will go away if I decide to work for you.” He shut the door before Dominick had a chance to respond.

Chapter Four
    â€œH ow come I’m gonna go to school here?” Charlie asked as Travis drove into Tulapoint Monday morning to register her for school.
    The Cartwright siblings and their families had departed the Lazy River Ranch yesterday afternoon, leaving Travis plenty of time to consider Dominick’s offer to work for him. When Travis woke this morning, he’d phoned the rig manager on the Hoover Diana. After explaining the situation to his boss, Travis had been assured that if things didn’t work out in Oklahoma, he’d have a job waiting for him back in Houston.
    With his boss’s blessing, Travis decided to take the position at Cartwright Oil. He eagerly awaited the opportunity to show his father that, although he was a lowly roughneck, he possessed his fair share of business acumen. He decided the best way to demonstrate his talents was to persuade Sara Sanders to sell the Bar T to Dominick.
    â€œYour grandfather wants us to move to the Lazy River.” Travis broke the news to his daughter. “I’m going to work for his company.”
    â€œGrandpa’s got a rig in the ocean?”
    Charlie’s quick acceptance of Dominick as hergrandfather amazed Travis, because he still struggled to make the connection between the word dad and Dominick. “Your grandfather’s rigs are on land in Oklahoma and Arkansas.”
    â€œWhere’s Arkansas?”
    â€œThat way.” Travis pointed east out the windshield. “I’ll be checking the wells and helping to fix problems that crop up.” He had never held a job where he told others what to do—he’d always been the