14. Conner

"What in the hell did you do?" Conner asked when Kelly opened up her hotel room door.

She was staying in the same hotel as he was, in the room right across the hall from him. He was frankly surprised that she hadn't tried to break into his room.

Kelly clutched a towel over her chest, letting some of it fall away, showing almost every bit of skin she had.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she asked. "If you want to come in, I'm sure we'll figure everything out."

She batted her eyelids and let a little more of her towel slip. It barely covered her nipples and the shaved area between her legs.

"You're disgusting and you have absolutely no shame or grace," he said.

"What's the matter? You don't like what you see?" she asked, moving her towel, completely exposing herself to him.

"Pardon the cliché, but I wouldn't touch you with someone else's dick," Conner said.

She gasped. "I can't believe you would say that to me."

"I said it and I meant it. Stay away from Beth and Taryn."

"Ooh. It sounds to me like you guys are a little more than just friends," she said, wrapping the towel back around her.

"What we are or what we aren't is none of your damn business. You stay the hell away from them."

"Or what?" she called. "What's a big cowboy like you going to do to little ole me?"

"Like the saying these days goes, ‘fuck around and find out.'" Conner stormed back to his room, furious.

He couldn't make a complaint to the rodeo commission because he had no proof that she had done anything. The parking lot didn't have any cameras. She was going to do something stupid though, and get caught. He just hoped that neither Beth nor Taryn got hurt in the process.

Conner paced around his hotel room. It was too late to shift and run. He didn't know the mountain well enough. He wouldn't get lost, but there could be ravines or other nasty little surprises in the woods that could be dangerous.

He remembered that he hadn't called Micah.

"It's about time you called," Micah said after they greeted each other. "The last I heard was that you figured out why Beth looked familiar."

"Sorry, things have been crazy. By the time I've been getting back to the hotel room, it's been too late to call. I don't want to wake you up."

"I appreciate that. Sleep is a precious commodity around here these days," Micah said. "What did you find out?"

Conner told Micah about how Matilda had cast a memory loss spell on him so that he forgot about Beth. "I remember standing on the sidewalk, confused. I had no idea why I was there."

"That had to be disconcerting."

"It was," Conner said. "I also found out that I had a daughter. She's ten. Her name is Taryn. Beth said that she found out that she was pregnant right after I left. She is a wolf shifter, as well as a witch."

"Wow. Congrats. That must have been a shocker."

"It was at first, but then I realized that she looked exactly like Mom did when Mom was a little girl, except that Taryn has red hair."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I do know that I want to be a part of Taryn's life."

"Do you feel any of the same love for Beth as you did before?"

"I don't know. I can remember feeling a profound love for her. It's so weird because I remember her. We've made love a couple of times, and I remember how it felt in the past. At the same time, though, it's like she's a familiar stranger." He groaned. "I don't even know how to describe it. I don't know if the intensity of what I'm feeling is real or just memories."

"The good thing is that you don't have to figure it out today. Take your time. Get to know her again. Feelings are going to be different anyway because neither of you are the same people you were eleven years ago."

"You're right," Conner said. "I guess I've felt a little rushed because, in my mind, I'm on a two-week time schedule. However, I don't have to leave with the rodeo. Even if I do, I can always schedule in time to go back to Wyoming."

"Yes," Micah said.

"Thanks for the ear."

"No worries. I can't imagine going through what you've gone through."

"I doubt if it's over." Conner described being thrown by the bull and how Matilda had to have had something to do with it.

"She's dangerous. Watch your back," Micah said. "She's not someone you want to trifle with."

"No, but short of leaving town, there's not much I can do to stop her. I'm between a rock and a hard place."

"It sure sounds like it," Micah said.

They talked a bit about things going on in Angel's Creek and with Micah's family. When Conner got off the phone, he felt a little better because he had the chance to talk to someone about Beth and Taryn, but he was still frustrated that he had no answers.

After a long shower, he put on a movie and fell asleep.

The next morning, Conner called Beth. "I'm bringing over some donuts. Is there any particular kind that you guys like?"

"We both like maple glazed donuts and cherry cream cheese Danishes," Beth said.

Taryn was smiling when he got there. "Mom never lets me have junk food for breakfast."

"Junk food?" Conner said, putting his hand over his heart in mock agony. "How can you call these delicious morsels junk food?"

"Because they are full of sugar and carbs and have no nutritional value in them," Beth said, taking a donut.

"What do you mean? They have flour, eggs, dairy, and other healthy ingredients."

"And sugar, more sugar, and then with some sugar slathered on top." Beth laughed.

"You take the fun out of everything," Conner teased. "If you want, I could take Taryn to the rodeo grounds today, and you can join us later when it's time for the rodeo to begin. We'll hang out at the fair for a while again and see if she can win the rest of the prizes."

Beth nodded. "Sure. I can catch up on some paperwork at the shop."

Conner could tell that his being a part of their lives was just as new to Beth as it was to him. She had to get used to sharing her daughter with another person. That couldn't be easy.

He slid his arm around her and said, "Don't worry. I promise that I'll take good care of our daughter."

She smiled weakly at him and nodded.

Taryn made a beeline for Pegasus when they got to the rodeo grounds, while Conner checked on Zephyr.

"How's it going?" Gideon asked. "That was a hell of a tumble you took yesterday."

"Yes, it was. I'm okay, though. I was a little bruised up last night, but they healed overnight."

"I've never seen anything like it before in my entire life."

"That makes two of us. And I hope that I never experience anything like that ever again. I think that Beth's mother may have had something to do with it."

"That's not good. What else is she going to do?"

"I don't know," Conner said. "I guess it would be too much to ask for her to just decide to leave me alone."

They watched Taryn put a blanket on her horse and use the fence rails to mount him. One of the other people opened the gate for her. The two of them trotted in the pasture, moving as one.

"She's a natural with horses. I guess she comes by it honestly since her father is so good with horses."

"What do you mean?" Conner asked, startled.

"Don't give me that," Gideon said. "I've known the truth for a while. Your daughter looks exactly like you. The child may as well be wearing a sign."

They both turned when they heard a loud gasp behind them. Kelly was staring at them, her eyes wide.

"I guess it's a good thing that I wasn't trying to keep it a secret," Conner said. "Because now everyone who cares to listen is going to find out."

"She will spread the word, that's for sure."

"And she is likely going to cause even more trouble for Beth and Taryn. I'm pretty sure that Kelly was responsible for Beth's four slashed tires last night."

"What can she possibly hope to gain by doing something stupid like that?" Gideon asked.

"She wants to drive Beth away so that she has a chance with me, even though I've told her a hundred times that I'm not interested in her."

"People like that don't get the message, do they? That's why they have enough material for a long-running series such as Stalkers."

"Ugh," Conner said. "I don't want to be the subject of a true crime show."

Gideon laughed and said, "Well, if you keep annoying witches, you can have your pick of a true crime show or a paranormal show."

"I'll pass, thanks," Conner said, shaking his head.

"What are you going to do about your new family? Are you going to keep traveling with the rodeo or are you going to settle down?"

"I don't know. I haven't had time to sort things out yet," Conner said.

"You'll figure it out. I have faith," Gideon said. "My wife is joining me for a few days. She just pulled into the parking lot. I'll see you later."

Taryn rode back into the corral, and he helped her brush the horse before they took off for the fairgrounds.

"What do you want to ride first?" he asked.

"The Ferris Wheel."

"What if I'm afraid of heights?"

Taryn laughed and grabbed his hand, tugging him. "We talked about that yesterday. The best way to conquer your fears is to face them head-on. You didn't die while riding the Tilt-A-Whirl. You aren't going to die on this ride."

"You're bossy."

"I know. Everyone tells me that."

The line for the ride was short. Conner wasn't really afraid of heights and enjoyed the view of the fairgrounds from up high.

"I told you that you would be just fine," Taryn said. "How about the loopty loop now?"

Heaving a huge, exaggerated sigh, he said, "Fine, but don't blame me if your breakfast decides to pay a second visit."

"I promise."

They were at the back of the line when Kelly came up behind them, seemingly out of nowhere.

"How sweet, seeing a father out with his little girl," she sneered.

"What do you want?"

"I never would have guessed that you are a dad. You never acted like one. You're always traveling around with the rodeo. I'm amazed that you have any time at all for your child."

He felt Taryn tense up next to him. Conner wondered if she had some kind of witch's trick she could do like throw balls of fire at someone. While Kelly deserved it, he didn't want Taryn to do anything out of anger.

"I don't guess that my ability to be a father, or lack thereof, is any of your concern. She is not your child, I am not your father, and we are not a couple."

"Negligent fathers are the worst. My father was never around. I think I only saw him two or three times. I've always resented him," Kelly said.

"That sounds like a you problem," Conner said.

"You're going to be just like him," Kelly said.

"That's not your worry. Please leave us alone," Conner said. "Don't make me call security."

"You should walk away now before you hurt her," Kelly said.

"What is her deal?" Taryn asked.

"Somehow, she thinks that if I'm single, then she can be my girlfriend."

"Yuck," Taryn said. "How did she even know that you're my dad?"

"She overheard Gideon and me talking this morning. He figured it out because you look like me."

"Yes, I do," Taryn said. "She reminds me of bullies at school. Eventually, she'll get bored picking on you and find someone else to annoy."

"I hope you're right, Kiddo," he said.

They had a great time the rest of the afternoon. That evening, he was watching Taryn barrel racing when a voice he hadn't heard for eleven years jarred him.

"Did you enjoy your little ride yesterday?"

"Not particularly," Conner said. "I take it that was your doing?"

"Yes, and if you don't stay away from Beth and Taryn, worse things will happen."

"They are my family," Conner said. "I can't walk away from them."

"Then whatever happens is on you," she said as she slithered away.