judgment.
Finally, she stripped off her fancy gown, kicked off her shoes and pulled on an old pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Maybe it would help the chill gripping her body.
Light taps sounded on her door and she heard Reenie call, “Amy? You okay, sweetheart?”
“Yes. I’m coming right now.” She pulled the door open and looked into Reenie’s concerned face. “Let’s go sit down and talk. I only want to get this out once.”
“I made you some hot tea. Go sit down with Matt and I’ll bring it to you.”
But even the hot liquid couldn’t ease the chill that settled in her bones. Not looking at either her brother or sister-in-law, she gave them the basic details, what little she knew. Then waited for their reaction.
“And who told you this?” Matt wanted to know. “Let me guess. None other than Cade Hannigan.”
“So what? Buck didn’t deny any of it when I asked him.”
“You asked him at the dance? Tonight?”
She nodded. “As soon as I found out.” She stared into her teacup, miserable and sick at heart. “He didn’t deny any of it, Matt. I hate to admit it, but I guess you’re right after all where my judgment and men are concerned.”
“Amy.” He sat next to her on the couch, took the cup from her and held her hand. “Look at me. There’s a world of difference between Buck Montgomery and Cade Hannigan.”
“So you didn’t know all this about him?” She looked up in time to catch her brother exchanging a glance with Reenie. “Wait, wait, wait. You did know? And you didn’t tell me? My God, Matt. You even pushed me to go out with him.”
“Because I like him and he’s a good man.”
“But you got upset when I spent the night with him.”
“I admit I was a little nervous when you went from one to sixty in the relationship without taking a breath. But I had a different reason for cautioning you to take it easy. I just didn’t know, after what happened to him, if Buck could handle a relationship. If he’d let his past get in the way. What if he walked away from you after you’d already gotten deeply involved with him? And gave you no explanation?”
“Then you should have told me yourself. Or insisted that he tell me in the beginning. I’m not a child and I’m not stupid. I’m a big girl. Really.”
“Yeah, you are.” He looked at his wife. “Reenie, put some coffee on, would you?” He took his sister’s hand. “And Amy? I want you to listen to everything I’m going to tell you before you say another word. Buck Montgomery has made himself into a fine man. I admit I wanted you to take things slow with him, but I’d never have encouraged this if I thought he was bad for you. If he’s really what you want, then listen carefully to what I have to say.”
Another hour had passed before Matt finished telling her the entire story, beginning with Buck’s upbringing and his determination to compete on the rodeo circuit. He didn’t spare Buck at all, but he was very specific about what had been done to him, especially the fake rape charge.
“He made a very deliberate choice to clean up his life,” he said. “To become respectable. A solid citizen. And make a new life for himself. I never would have invited him to the house if I believed otherwise.”
“Matt knows he should have clued you in, but he’d made Buck a promise. He kept urging the man to tell you himself.” Reenie took her hand. “Buck was just so afraid you’d break it off with him after you heard the story.”
“So Buck didn’t trust me to believe him and Matt was stuck in some stupid brotherhood code of honor.” Amy jumped up and began to pace. “He foolishly thought he could bury this and it would never come back to haunt him, right?” She stopped and glared at Matt. “But the past never goes away.”
“Okay.” Matt rubbed his jaw. “I agree that if Buck wasn’t going to tell you himself, I definitely should have.”
“Then you had no right to criticize me for getting involved with
Finally, she stripped off her fancy gown, kicked off her shoes and pulled on an old pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Maybe it would help the chill gripping her body.
Light taps sounded on her door and she heard Reenie call, “Amy? You okay, sweetheart?”
“Yes. I’m coming right now.” She pulled the door open and looked into Reenie’s concerned face. “Let’s go sit down and talk. I only want to get this out once.”
“I made you some hot tea. Go sit down with Matt and I’ll bring it to you.”
But even the hot liquid couldn’t ease the chill that settled in her bones. Not looking at either her brother or sister-in-law, she gave them the basic details, what little she knew. Then waited for their reaction.
“And who told you this?” Matt wanted to know. “Let me guess. None other than Cade Hannigan.”
“So what? Buck didn’t deny any of it when I asked him.”
“You asked him at the dance? Tonight?”
She nodded. “As soon as I found out.” She stared into her teacup, miserable and sick at heart. “He didn’t deny any of it, Matt. I hate to admit it, but I guess you’re right after all where my judgment and men are concerned.”
“Amy.” He sat next to her on the couch, took the cup from her and held her hand. “Look at me. There’s a world of difference between Buck Montgomery and Cade Hannigan.”
“So you didn’t know all this about him?” She looked up in time to catch her brother exchanging a glance with Reenie. “Wait, wait, wait. You did know? And you didn’t tell me? My God, Matt. You even pushed me to go out with him.”
“Because I like him and he’s a good man.”
“But you got upset when I spent the night with him.”
“I admit I was a little nervous when you went from one to sixty in the relationship without taking a breath. But I had a different reason for cautioning you to take it easy. I just didn’t know, after what happened to him, if Buck could handle a relationship. If he’d let his past get in the way. What if he walked away from you after you’d already gotten deeply involved with him? And gave you no explanation?”
“Then you should have told me yourself. Or insisted that he tell me in the beginning. I’m not a child and I’m not stupid. I’m a big girl. Really.”
“Yeah, you are.” He looked at his wife. “Reenie, put some coffee on, would you?” He took his sister’s hand. “And Amy? I want you to listen to everything I’m going to tell you before you say another word. Buck Montgomery has made himself into a fine man. I admit I wanted you to take things slow with him, but I’d never have encouraged this if I thought he was bad for you. If he’s really what you want, then listen carefully to what I have to say.”
Another hour had passed before Matt finished telling her the entire story, beginning with Buck’s upbringing and his determination to compete on the rodeo circuit. He didn’t spare Buck at all, but he was very specific about what had been done to him, especially the fake rape charge.
“He made a very deliberate choice to clean up his life,” he said. “To become respectable. A solid citizen. And make a new life for himself. I never would have invited him to the house if I believed otherwise.”
“Matt knows he should have clued you in, but he’d made Buck a promise. He kept urging the man to tell you himself.” Reenie took her hand. “Buck was just so afraid you’d break it off with him after you heard the story.”
“So Buck didn’t trust me to believe him and Matt was stuck in some stupid brotherhood code of honor.” Amy jumped up and began to pace. “He foolishly thought he could bury this and it would never come back to haunt him, right?” She stopped and glared at Matt. “But the past never goes away.”
“Okay.” Matt rubbed his jaw. “I agree that if Buck wasn’t going to tell you himself, I definitely should have.”
“Then you had no right to criticize me for getting involved with
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