He wasn’t so worked up that he needed to miss that biscuit before it got too cold.

After he gobbled it down in three bites he went back to the subject.

“Eight years ago I chose a life of me and not us. Yes, we were young. But it was me who was immature. But I’m making a family with her now. I love her. She’s given me another chance. Even after all the junk I pulled before.”

Vaughan looked back and forth between his parents. “I wasn’t ready then. I was selfish. And the cost... I aim to marry Kelly again. This time with all our friends and family present. I want you to see the Kelly I know and I want my family to be respected and welcomed as it is. Which means with Kelly.”

His mother put some more ham on her plate as she eyed Vaughan carefully.

“Are you moving to Gresham permanently, then?” she asked at last. “We’ll see you and the girls even less?”

“Let me answer the second question first. How often you see me and the girls is up to you. I want to bring them here. They want to come here. Kelly thinks it’s important they grow up with a sense of connection to this ranch and to this family. She told me my love for you all was one of the best things about me. And that’s why I can finally stop farting around and get my act together. I’m doing my best to be a person worthy of all three females I live with. That means we’ll split our time between the house in Gresham and the house here around school schedules, dance and music classes, Kelly’s business stuff, the busiest times of year on the ranch and working with the band.”

He ate some more, sipped his coffee. “I didn’t protect her before. I let her take the blame when it was me. I should have, but I didn’t. So I’m doing it now. I’m all for making this work for everyone. But not at Kelly’s expense. Not ever again. I nearly lost her. Another man could have raised my kids. He wanted to adopt them. Wanted her to yank them from me, cut me out and raise them as his own. That’s when she broke the engagement. She told him she’d never separate them from me or my family and that she couldn’t marry someone who thought she should. She doesn’t know I heard it.”

“Well, there are a few issues here, Vaughan Michael Hurley.” His mother got up and went to sit on the couch. “You can clear the table and clean up the dishes when I’m done. But that won’t be for a bit. Put your behind on that couch.” She pointed and Vaughan moved quickly to obey.

His father muttered, “In for it now, boy,” as he passed.

“Let me tell you something. My baby shows up on my doorstep with this, this blonde bombshell who barely spoke and looked at you like you were everything. You tell me you met a few months earlier, got the girl knocked up and got married. I knew nothing about her, or your marriage or the baby until that precise moment. You think that was a good way to start?”

“I think it was how it happened, Mom. What do you want from me?” Vaughan asked.

“I don’t want to have been a person who called Kelly a gold-digging whore with more looks than brains. You lied to me and then you let me act like a bitch to your ex-wife,” his mother said.

“You were a bitch to her before I lied.”

His father’s face darkened. “Do not speak to your mother in that tone or I will make sure it never happens again.”

Vaughan sighed. “I apologize. I’m not going out of my way to be disrespectful. I’m trying to make this a place I can bring my family. And right now I can’t.”

“Which is your own fault,” his father said.

“Most of it, yes. And it doesn’t even matter because the damage has been done and I’m here asking you if you can make an effort to be kind to Kelly so I can bring her back and make her a part of this life, too.”

“You made me into the shrewish mother-in-law.” His mom shook her head slowly. “She was the first and maybe I didn’t react well.” She snorted. “No ‘maybe’ about it. I was defensive and I jumped to conclusions and then when you split it let me project all that at her instead of you. You were a terrible husband, Vaughan. Which means that I was a terrible mother.”

“What?” This was why he’d avoided this topic for so long. He was making everyone upset now. “This isn’t about you being a terrible mother. I’m not saying that. I never would say that. You’re a great mother. But you misjudged her and I let it go on and now that has made a big problem.”

“She hates us.”

“The thing is, Mom, I don’t think so at all. She wants to belong. I can’t do it all, though. Damien, Paddy and Ezra are trying, which is great. But I really need you and Dad to open the ranch and your hearts to her the way you have everyone else. I know it won’t be instant, but it needs to happen or I can’t be here. Do you understand?”

“She’d make you choose?”

“I’m choosing. Me. I’m trying to be a better husband. If you make me choose between Kelly and this family, I’ll choose Kelly and the girls. I don’t want to. I love you. I love this place. I want to raise my kids on this land and with their cousins. But I can’t if my wife is treated differently. Especially over something she never did.”

“You don’t have to choose. We were wrong. We know that. But a lot of things have happened over the years. It’s not going to be immediate, or easy,” his mother said. “Damn it, boy. You know how much I hate being wrong.”