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The Secret Heir of Sunset Ranch
Charlene Sands
A war hero returns to a secret baby surprise in this Slades of Sunset Ranch novel by USA TODAY bestselling author Charlene SandsBack from his tour of duty, wealthy Nevada rancher Justin Slade gets the shock of his life. The woman who shared his bed eighteen months ago is in his hometown with a son in tow…who looks just like Justin!Katherine Grady is hiding a dark past, but when she realises Justin seduced her under false pretences, she's livid…even if she still finds him as irresistible as ever. Will their secrets keep them apart, or will her hero fight for what's his?


A war hero returns to a secret baby surprise in this Slades of Sunset Ranch novel by USA TODAY bestselling author Charlene Sands
Back from his tour of duty, wealthy Nevada rancher Justin Slade gets the shock of his life. The woman who shared his bed eighteen months ago is in his hometown with a son in tow…who looks just like Justin!
Katherine Grady is hiding a dark past, but when she realizes Justin seduced her under false pretenses, she’s livid…even if she still finds him as irresistible as ever. Will their secrets keep them apart, or will her hero fight for what’s his?

“Justin…”
She had no words and he seemed to understand.
He lowered her down on the bed and held her tightly in his arms. She saw his need, the strength of will he mustered to contain his lust.
Turning his body, he took her face into his hands. “This is how it is between us.”
She searched his eyes for more. Something to say that he trusted her, something to say that she could trust him. There were lies between them, and a son.
“Connor will be part of my life, Kat.” Her heart tripped, seeing such love in his eyes. “If I’m wary and cautious, it’s because I’m not taking any chances when it comes to Connor.”
Kat thought about that a few seconds. “I understand. I’m relieved that you feel protective about him. He deserves…”
“The best in both of us.”
* * *
The Secret Heir of Sunset Ranch is part of The Slades of Sunset Ranch: The sun never sets on love and redemption for these rich Nevada ranchers!
A series available only from USA TODAY bestselling author Charlene Sands and Mills & Boon
Desire
!
Dear Reader,
Welcome back to Sunset Ranch! This time we meet the youngest Slade brother, Justin, a military hero who comes home to Nevada only to be greeted by the biggest surprise of all. Our heroine, Katherine Grady, gets a bit of a shock, too, when she sees Justin in his hometown setting. You’ll meet adorable toddler Connor and feisty aunt Mattie, a woman who has a few secrets of her own. Hopefully these beloved characters will find a place in your heart as you maneuver through the plot twists and turns of the story.
It’s been my pleasure introducing you to Sunset Ranch and those devilishly handsome Slade men—Logan, Luke and Justin. I hope you enjoy their stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Until next time,
Happy trails and happy reading!
Charlene
The Secret Heir
of Sunset Ranch
Charlene Sands


www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
CHARLENE SANDS is a USA TODAY bestselling author of thirty-five romance novels, writing sensual contemporary romances and stories of the Old West. Her books have been honored with a National Readers Choice Award, a Cataromance Reviewer’s Choice Award, and she’s a double recipient of the Booksellers’ Best Award. She belongs to the Orange County chapter and the Los Angeles chapter of RWA.
Charlene writes “hunky heroes with heart.” She knows a little something about true romance—she married her high school sweetheart! When not writing, Charlene enjoys sunny Pacific beaches, great coffee, reading books from her favorite authors and spending time with her family. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter. Charlene loves to hear from her readers! You can write her at PO Box 4883, West Hills, CA 91308, USA or sign up for her newsletter for fun blogs and ongoing contests at www.charlenesands.com.
This book is dedicated to my late father, Charles,
who proudly served in the army during World War II,
and to all the other brave military men and women,
both past and present, who have served or do serve
our country with honor.
Contents
Chapter One (#ue331fc08-6dc6-5c6d-8848-c5a00b3ed470)
Chapter Two (#ueff55d51-f892-5bd0-9c0d-3b34d7133a03)
Chapter Three (#u800d9339-cb27-5b76-a941-88be4c23f2a5)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
One
Justin Slade was home. It’d been three days now.
His Ford F-150 truck barreled down the highway with enough horsepower to match the equine force of Sunset Ranch’s best thoroughbreds, radio blasting Luke Bryan’s latest country hit. It was beat-tapping music. At any other time, Justin would be pounding the dashboard in sync with the rhythm.
But today, he wasn’t enjoying the music, the blue Nevada sky or the morning weather, which was clear and crisp enough to remind him winter was on the distant horizon. His gut churned in half a dozen ways as he faced what he was about to do. The marine in him hadn’t a doubt he was doing the right thing. He had to come clean for Matilda Applegate’s sake and for...Brett.
He punched the off button on the radio and Luke’s voice disappeared.
Appropriate silence filled the air.
A cold shiver of dread hung around him like an invisible cloak, refusing to be shrugged off with upbeat music or good weather. Brett Applegate was dead. It was Justin’s fault, and Brett’s aunt, his only living relative, needed to know the truth.
He pressed his foot to the pedal and glanced around the outskirts of Silver Springs as a sultry female voice on his GPS gave him the coordinates. Gravel spit under his tires. The deserted road narrowed and a knot in the pit of his stomach begged for this to be over. He’d been on dangerous missions in Afghanistan that hadn’t caused him this much anxiety. Guilt and apprehension sucked as constant companions.
Justin popped two antacids into his mouth. He’d been living on the darn things lately.
“In fifty feet, turn right,” the GPS voice instructed.
Justin made the turn and drove his truck down a dusty dirt path that wound its way toward a one-story ranch house matured by frigid winters, hotter-than-hell summers and a string of bad months in between. Seeing Brett’s home in such a state of neglect was a sharp shot of reality, testament to the economic misery the Applegates had suffered over the years. Brett had always said his uncle Ralph would’ve gotten heartsick seeing what had happened to his once-proud home.
As the truck ambled closer, Justin caught a glimpse of a disabled car near the house, the back tire flatter than a flapjack, and a woman bending over, her head deep in the bowels of the trunk. Her jewel-pocketed derriere pointed skyward, drawing his immediate gaze. Hell, it was a beacon for any man in his right mind to stop and help out.
Justin pressed on the brake, keeping his eyes trained on a sight he hadn’t seen in a long time: a gorgeous, perfectly shaped female ass. It was enough to get his juices flowing. Heck, after nine years in the marines, it didn’t take much. But hot damn, the view was fine.
He swallowed and climbed down from the cab of his truck. His boots ate gravel as he neared the back of her car. The woman’s silky blouse climbed her waist while she continued to search the trunk, and his eyes locked on to five inches of soft-as-butter, creamy skin.
“Sweet heaven, what else is going to go wrong?” Her voice flowed over him like smooth bourbon. He grabbed a peek of that exposed skin again.
Man, oh, man.
He cleared his throat. Darn his mama for teaching him gentlemanly manners. Forcing his gaze away from her beautiful bottom, he focused on her curly, platinum-blond hair.
“Excuse me, miss. Can I lend a hand?”
She jerked up and hit her head on the inside of the trunk. “Ow.”
She scowled as her hand went to her head, rubbing away the pain. “Oh, I didn’t see you—”
Their gazes locked. Her hand froze in her shoulder-length platinum locks. Her brows pulled tight and her lips rounded. “Oh.”
She was a stunner.
A twinge of recollection jarred him out of his lusty thoughts.
He remembered those deep jade eyes, that pouty mouth and Marilyn Monroe hair only a few women could pull off. He would’ve bet his last dollar he’d never see her again. And now, here she was...in the flesh.
On Matilda Applegate’s homestead, no less.
He didn’t much believe in coincidences. And this one was too big to ignore. His gut churned again, begging for another antacid.
Maybe he was wrong. It had been over a year and a half ago. Maybe she only looked like the woman he’d met in New York City that one weekend.
Justin removed his Stetson and her eyes flickered at the gesture.
“Sorry if I startled you, miss.”
Seconds ticked by as she took note of his shiny black boots, new jeans, silver belt buckle and tan shirt opened at the collar. She studied his face and gazed deeply into his eyes. With her hand in her hair, her fingers wove through the silver-blond strands as if she was fashioning some new upswept hairdo. With her arm raised and bent at the elbow, she tilted her head to one side and gave him thoughtful consideration. The move exposed the delicate softness of her throat. A breathless sigh escaped from her mouth.
That bit of body language was unique to the woman he’d known. Sexy. Not forced. Genuine. A jolt hit him smack between the eyes.
It had to be her. He thought back to that night at the Golden Palace Bar.
“I don’t date soldiers,” she’d said as he stood by her table.
He’d taken a seat and smiled anyway. “But you’ll make an exception for me.”
“B-Brett? Is that really you?” The hope in her voice confused him and then another jolt hit. Oh, man, this wasn’t possible. “I don’t understand,” she was saying. “We were told...we were told you were dead. Killed in a gun battle. Oh, my God, your aunt Mattie will be so happy. Was there a mix-up? What happened?”
He pulled oxygen into his lungs, then looked away from her puzzled face and squinted against the bright afternoon sunshine. Jerk. He hated himself for the lie, and for the hurt he’d cause when he told her the truth.
“I’m not Brett Applegate,” he told the blonde.
She pursed her lips and inclined her head, studying him. “But I remember you. Don’t you remember me? I’m Katherine Grady. I go by Kat.”
Hell, yeah. He remembered her. But he didn’t have a clue why the heck Kat was here, looking gorgeous, in front of the Applegate home.
Silently, he cursed the bet he’d made with Brett Applegate. Justin never thought he’d lose an arm-wrestling match to his buddy. He never had before. But damn if Brett hadn’t bested him three out of five times right before they’d been selected to accompany a high-powered general to a three-day summit in Washington, D.C. After they served out their mission, the general granted them weekend leave in New York, before they were to head back to their forward operating base in Afghanistan.
The price of the bet? Reversing roles for the weekend.
They’d emptied the contents of their pockets, and good ole Brett had jumped at the chance to live in Justin’s skin for a few days. He’d waved Justin’s gold credit card in his face and scooped up all seven hundred-dollar bills Justin had dumped onto the bunk. “Gonna have me some fun being you,” he’d said, grinning like a fool.
For his part, Justin had blown Brett’s spending cash on a bottle of house wine at the hotel and afterward Kat had taken him to her tiny fourth-story walk-up. He’d been looking for a good time. He thought she was, too. They’d clicked. And then things got complicated.
“I remember you, sugar.”
Her eyes softened. “No one else has ever called me that.”
Justin winced at the sweet tone in her voice. “My name isn’t Brett. I’m Justin Slade and I live about twenty miles north of here. Brett and I served together on a tour of duty in the marines.”
Her voice dropped off. “You’re Justin...Slade?”
He nodded.
“Sunset Ranch, Justin Slade?”
He nodded again.
“But, we... You told me your name was Brett Applegate. You were a marine heading back overseas. You told me all about this place.... You—”
He grimaced. He was the worst kind of heel. He’d taken advantage of a woman’s trust, something he’d never done before. He swallowed down regret and then softened his voice. “I lied.”
She condemned him with her eyes. He didn’t blame her. It was an idiotic bet and a fool thing to do.
Slowly, her hand went to her mouth. Slender fingers covered her lips. She began shaking her head. “Oh...no. No, it’s not true.”
“Maybe we should go inside the house and talk. I’ll try to explain. Is Matilda Applegate home?”
She closed her eyes and kept them closed as if she were silently praying.
He spoke firmly. “Kat.”
Her eyes popped open and she blinked a few times. She spoke quietly. “We can’t go inside.”
“Why not?”
The front door creaked open and an older woman with hair the color of a sunburst stepped onto the front porch, holding a baby boy dressed in brown corduroy in her arms. The woman moved slowly, but with precision as if she calculated each step she took. Her light blue eyes were the most vital thing about her, painted with black eyeliner and deep-sea blue eye shadow. Blotchy face powder accented rather than hid the wrinkles on her face. But the kindness in her eyes was authentic and aimed straight at him.
“I thought I heard voices. Who have we here?”
The baby took a peek at him and then whipped around to grab at her neck with a death grip, his little legs kicking at her hips. She squeezed him tight, and whispered reassurances in his ear. “Now, now, Connor baby. Don’t be afraid.”
Kat cleared her throat. “Aunt Mattie, this is Justin Slade.”
The woman’s brows drew together as she tried to place him. “Slade? The name sounds familiar.”
“I was a friend of Brett’s. I came here to talk to you.”
* * *
Katherine Grady knew how to handle a lot of tough situations. She’d grown up the only daughter in an abusive household. She’d moved from one women’s shelter to another with her mom, running from a belligerent father and trying her darnedest to keep her mother from falling apart. There was nothing pretty or heroic about living hand to mouth. About never knowing if they’d have to pick up and run or have enough food and shelter for the month.
Kat learned how to survive from early on.
What rattled her more than anything was fear of the unknown. How could she fight something she couldn’t see coming?
This was one of those times.
Usually she hid her emotions well—thanks to all that training from her youth—but right now fear tightened her throat and sped up her heart. Her body shook so hard her knees wobbled. Could it be possible? The man she thought was Brett for all this time was really Justin Slade. Gracious. She couldn’t wrap her head around the bald-faced lie she’d been told. It was a lot to absorb all at once. But Kat’s emotions didn’t matter at the moment. Her concern was for Mattie. The older woman couldn’t afford a setback in her recovery.
Mattie invited Justin inside and he didn’t hesitate to approach the front door. He held the screen open and allowed them to step inside first and then followed behind. The door slammed shut as it was prone to do and Kat jerked, her nerves worn thin by something much bigger than that familiar sound. Funny, how just a few minutes ago, her biggest problem was a tire that needed changing.
But the scene that was about to play out in the parlor of Aunt Mattie’s modest home could very well kill her with grief. Kat didn’t know how to stop it or protect her from the truth.
“Have yourself a seat, son,” Aunt Mattie said. “I’ll take a seat, too, if you don’t mind. Little Connor here is quite a handful, tiring me out. He’s weighing nearly twenty pounds now, isn’t that right, Kat?”
Kat’s stomach ached. She gave a hesitant nod. Justin waited for both of them to take a seat. Kat perched uneasily on a colorful floral chair and Aunt Mattie lowered herself onto her brushed suede recliner that must have once been a lemony yellow. Justin finally sat on the sofa and set his tan felt hat next to him. He kept darting glances at Connor.
“Pardon the mess,” Aunt Mattie said. “Kat here is doing wonders fixing the place up on a scant budget. She’s got quite a flair for it, wouldn’t you say?”
Justin scanned the room politely. Kat wondered if a man’s eye would notice things like handmade pillows in contrasting colors, small scatter rugs that tied the room together and flower vases and pictures placed strategically to enhance the modest three-bedroom home. When Kat had first arrived, with Mattie’s illness sapping her strength, the place had been a wreck. In the two months she’d lived here, she’d managed to stage the living spaces to bring new life to the house. Her arrival, or rather Connor’s arrival, had brought new life to Matilda Applegate, as well.
“Looks nice and homey,” Justin said.
She still couldn’t believe this man sitting here being polite to Mattie had lied to her about who he was. Why?
She understood lies to some extent. She’d had to lie her way out of a few tight spots in her life. She could abide them, if it meant keeping your nose clean or protecting someone you loved. But why would Justin Slade lie to her about who he was back then?
Her teeth clamped down so hard, pain shot to her head. Any second now...
“You say you knew my nephew Brett?”
“Yes, ma’am. We met in the marines. When we found out we were practically neighbors, coming from this part of Nevada and all, we got friendly.”
Connor was beginning to relax. He turned around in Mattie’s arms and plunked his little bottom down in her lap. Tears welled in Kat’s eyes. This was a special moment, a brief but monumental span of time when Connor’s sweet brown eyes locked onto Justin’s for the first time. The gravity of the moment sent Kat’s mind spinning.
Her son meeting his father.
“Oh, look, Connor’s warming up to you. This is Brett’s boy. Going to have his first birthday before you know it.”
Kat lowered her eyes, the weight of the situation crashing down on her shoulders. She had to think fast. To find a way to protect Mattie.
“He’s your boy?” Justin asked her.
“Yes.” Kat rose quickly and moved over to Mattie. “Let me take him, Aunt Mattie. Your arms must be tired from holding him most of the morning.”
“Kat was trying to fix the flat,” Aunt Mattie explained to Justin. “The roads here are murder on the tires, you know. My arms are getting a bit tweaked. I’m not as young as I used to be,” she said as she handed Connor over carefully. “Though there’s nothing in this world better than holding our little Connor.”
The baby was on his best behavior, not fidgeting as he was prone to do when he was around strangers. Connor clung to Kat’s neck and she kissed his soft little cheek before turning to face Justin. “Aunt Mattie is recovering from a heart attack. She took the news of Brett’s death very hard.”
Aunt Mattie interjected, “I think I would’ve died, if it hadn’t been for Kat and Connor showing up when they did. That little boy was like an angel coming down from heaven to save my life.”
Justin rose. His gaze switched back and forth from Connor to Kat. The suspicion she’d known would come lit up his eyes. “Brett never said he had a son.”
Aunt Mattie chimed in. “That’s because Brett never knew about Connor. Kat came here looking for Brett, to finally tell him about his baby. But it was too late for Connor to meet his daddy. Kat’s been living here, taking care of me ever since.”
Justin’s eyes rounded on her. ”You never told Brett he had a son.”
The lines around Aunt Mattie’s eyes crinkled with worry. “Oh, dear. Did I say something wrong?”
“No, it’s okay, Aunt Mattie,” Kat told her softly. “Justin was a friend of Brett’s. He might as well know the truth.” She stared at Justin, hoping to get her point across. Now that it had sunk in that she’d been deceived, she didn’t want to transfer the damage to Mattie. Her emotions rolled through her like a tornado, but she kept up appearances rather than hurt Mattie Applegate any further. “I met Brett in New York and we spent time together. After I learned I was pregnant, I tried to reach him overseas. But I never heard back from him. So, I stayed in the city and worked, raising my son until...well, until the day I decided to come to Nevada to try to find Brett here.”
Justin glanced at the little boy in her arms and then focused back on her.
Kat stilled her frustration at the man who’d deliberately lied to her. She continued quickly, “I didn’t find Brett, but I found Aunt Mattie.” Kat turned to face the older woman. “Meeting Connor was the best medicine for her. Her health has improved so much even her doctors can’t believe it. Isn’t that right, Aunt Mattie?”
Aunt Mattie leaned forward in her recliner, nodding and making the sign of the cross across her chest. “It’s a miracle, is what it is. Connor is a gift from God.”
Justin squeezed his eyes shut for a second and then glanced at Connor with a proprietary look that curdled Kat’s stomach. “He is at that.”
The older woman began to rise. “Where are my manners? Would you like some pie? I can my own peaches and Kat made peach pie this morning. We’ll put on a pot of coffee, too. And then we can talk more about Brett.”
“Sorry, I can’t,” Justin said firmly. “Please don’t get up. Thanks for the offer, but I’m short on time today.”
Mattie’s face crumpled with disappointment. “You’ll come back, though. I’d like to hear about your friendship with Brett.”
Justin stared at Kat, condemning her with a solemn look. At least he caught the gravity of Mattie’s situation and kept his lips buttoned. Kat was thankful for that. “I promise I’ll come back.” He walked over to Aunt Mattie and lowered down on one knee to gently take her hand. He focused his full attention on the seventy-year-old woman who had raised Brett Applegate since the age of five, after his folks were tragically killed by a deadly storm.
“That’s good.” Mattie’s blue eyes glowed with warmth. She looked twenty years younger with that twinkle. “I’m very happy to meet one of Brett’s friends.”
“Nice to meet you, too, ma’am. Brett always went on and on about his aunt Mattie. Why, I’d say Brett’s talk about your peach pie got all the men in our unit longing for a piece of that pie.”
“Oh, that’s nice to hear, son. Next time you come, I’ll be sure to serve some up to you.”
“Will do. I’ll be by again before you know it. We’ll have that talk about Brett.” Justin grabbed his hat and walked to the door, glancing Kat’s way with a pointed look. “Kat, if you come outside to lend a hand, I’ll change that tire for you.”
“Isn’t that nice,” Mattie said, settling back in the recliner.
Kat forced a smile. The authority in his voice told her the marine sergeant wasn’t one to mess with. But the more she thought about Justin Slade lying to her, the more she couldn’t tamp down a surge of anger. She wanted answers. “I’ll be right there.”
Once Justin left the room, she kissed Connor’s cheek and placed him in the play yard that sat three feet away from Mattie’s chair. Connor sank his butt down and immediately picked up a Baby Einstein musical toy. He pushed the button, something he’d just learned to do, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” rang out to placate him.
“I’ll watch him,” Aunt Mattie said.
“Thanks. I shouldn’t be long.”
Mattie peered outside the window with a thoughtful expression. “He seems like a nice young man.”
Kat practically choked out her agreement. “He does seem so.”
Then she walked outside to confront Justin Slade.
She had no doubt in her mind the fudge was about to hit the fan.
* * *
Justin set the jack on the ground and began hoisting up the underbelly of Kat’s ten-year-old Chevy. Kat kept a safe distance away, watching him work with rolled-up sleeves, his face tight, sweat beading on his forehead.
Looking at him now, she took a subjective view of what had happened in New York and understood why she’d broken her rule with him. Normally, she didn’t date soldiers or any other man who might drag her down to the ditch she’d clawed her way out of. She was heading to the top and nothing would stop her. She’d gone the poor man’s route once before with a young man, and that had gotten her nothing but grief. But Brett...or rather Justin, had had enough charm to persuade her to make an exception. She’d been so lonely, so desperate for a true friend. And he’d been that for two solid days. She’d opened up to him about her life and the recent loss of her mother. He’d listened. He’d understood. He hadn’t pressured her for sex. He hadn’t made a move on her that first night. He’d slept on her tiny living room sofa without complaint. They’d toured the city on a dime, and had laughs. The whole time, Kat knew the weekend was going nowhere. There wasn’t enough charm in the world to get her to give up her dream. She wasn’t going to fall for some down-on-his-luck and out-of-money hog farmer.
With the jack in place, Justin fastened the wrench he’d found in the trunk over a lug nut on the wheel. The nut refused to budge and Justin dug his heels in, determined. Corded muscles in his forearms strained and bunched with each powerful jerk he gave the wrench. A vein popped from his neck as he put the full force of his body behind each counter-clockwise turn. After he managed to loosen the first lug nut, he sat back on his heels, wincing against the afternoon sunshine, and then shot her a glare. “Is Connor my son?”
“Shh,” she said, glancing at the front door. Hopefully, Mattie was dozing. “Don’t let Aunt Mattie hear you.”
Justin fastened the wrench to the next lug nut and turned it sharply to the left. The nut released. “How many men did you sleep with before and after you met me?”
One other, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. She was certain Brett Applegate was Connor’s father...or at least the man she’d thought to be Brett. “You lied to me. You told me you were Brett.”
Justin finished removing the nuts from the wheel and rose, his grim expression aimed straight at her. He approached, taking slow predatory steps. “Just how hard did you try to reach Brett Applegate after you got pregnant?”
Kat visibly shook at his tone. He was determined to get to the truth. She wanted that, too, but protecting Aunt Mattie came first. “We can’t talk about this here. You saw Aunt Mattie. That woman has been through enough heartache in her life. Her heart is frail. I’m convinced she’ll have another setback if she overhears any of this conversation.”
He stared at her with the full force of his dark brown eyes. Connor’s eyes. As if reading her thoughts, he spoke with a rasp in his voice. “That baby has my eyes and dark hair.”
It was true. Connor looked enough like Justin to make those comparisons.
“Shh, Aunt Mattie loves Connor. He’s given her new life. We can’t...we can’t have this conversation right now. If you’re truly a friend of Brett’s you know how much he loved her. He wouldn’t want her getting hurt. And that’s exactly what would happen if you—”
Justin took the hint and spoke more quietly now. “I don’t plan on hurting Brett’s aunt. But if that boy is my son I have—”
“Please...” Her nerves raw, she glanced at the door again. “Don’t you get it? I’m not going to talk to you about this here.”
“We’re gonna have this conversation, Kat. Meet me at seven at my house at Sunset Ranch. It’s twenty miles west of here.”
Kat’s body shook. She couldn’t go to the Slade house. Showing up on Sunset Ranch would only complicate matters. And she wasn’t going to tell Justin why just now. “I can’t.”
A vein throbbed against the side of his throat, looking ready to burst. “Why not?”
“I’ll meet you somewhere else. Someplace neutral.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m listening.”
“There’s a little café in Silver Springs called Blossom. Do you know it?”
“I’ll find it. I’ll meet you there at seven.”
“Eight. I have to put Connor to bed first. I read to him every night and we have a routine. He’s a pretty good sleeper. It’ll be easier on Aunt Mattie if he’s already in bed when I leave.”
Justin’s eyes softened at the mention of Connor’s sleep habits and for a second or two, she felt a sense of relief that her son’s daddy wasn’t lost to him forever. Then, Justin turned a sharp eye on her once again. “If you’re not there, I’ll come looking for you.”
Really? Did he think she’d run out on him? “I’ll be there. I want answers, too.”
“You’ll get them.” Dismissing her, he turned around and walked back to repair the flat.
Her heart beating like crazy, she walked into the house. Mattie was indeed dozing. Thank goodness. Little Connor took one look at his mommy, rose onto his knees and then hoisted himself up by the wall of the play yard. He stood on planted feet, holding on tight to keep his balance. His eyes sparkled with pride over his newest accomplishment and Kat beamed with love and that same sense of pride.
Your daddy is alive, Connor.
He’s also rich and powerful.
The implication made her dizzy. But Kat couldn’t think about all of that now. She had Mattie’s welfare to consider. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Matilda Applegate would suffer heart failure if she learned the truth about Connor. Kat couldn’t let that happen. Mattie didn’t deserve any more heartache in her life. There was a tipping point, and this was it. Kat would do everything in her power to protect her. With her flamboyant red hair, and sweetly feisty spirit, the older woman had touched something fierce and protective in Kat.
She picked up Connor from the play yard and hugged him to her chest, stroking his soft dark curls.
It was only minutes later, after she heard Justin drive off, that she could finally breathe evenly again.
Two
Justin ground his teeth together as he drove off the Applegate property. Shell-shocked wasn’t a strong enough term for what he was feeling right now. He’d come to spill his heart and guts out to Matilda about how Brett had died, and instead discovered he had a son—an adorable dark-haired, brown-eyed boy.
His son.
His mouth twisted. He had to be careful. He didn’t know anything for sure right now. The boy may or may not be his child.
But he did remember Kat. So many things about her. He remembered her beauty, her creamy skin, her pretty green eyes and the way she accepted him inside her body with tight, wet, welcoming heat. Though he’d spent the weekend with her, they only had one night of sex. That one night made up for the prior eight months he’d gone without. Once they got going, there was no stopping them. She’d had no boundaries, no fussy little complaints, no inhibitions when they were together. Her only rule was that she didn’t want any entanglements afterward.
She’d spelled it right out.
She didn’t want a relationship with a soldier or a farmer.
In other words, he was good enough to bed, but that’s where it would end.
Justin had gotten the message loud and clear and after leaving her without so much as exchanging phone numbers or addresses, he’d also understood better what Brett Applegate was up against with the fairer sex.
Eight o’clock couldn’t come fast enough for him.
He downed two more antacids and pushed the button to lower the windows. Damn that fool bet. Reversing roles hadn’t been one of his wisest moves, but now a child’s life was at stake. If Connor was his, then he would move heaven and earth to make up for lost time with his son.
Stepping on the gas pedal, he peeled down the road. During scorching hot summers in Afghanistan he’d picture himself whipping down the highway with the sun at his back and the cool wind blowing his hair in ten different directions. Like now. He’d daydreamed about coming home to Sunset Ranch and working alongside his brothers, too. He’d clung to those thoughts as he battled both enemy and unyielding climate.
Justin pulled into the parking lot of the Amber Pail, a hot spot for Douglas County locals and a place he probably should avoid. But it was early yet and he needed to kill some time and think without his family around. He climbed out of his truck, plopped his hat on his head and kept his sunglasses on. He strode toward the entrance to the bar and had nearly made it inside, when a man’s voice boomed out behind him.
“Justin Slade...tell me you’re not planning on drinking alone.”
Justin turned to find Sheriff Robbie Dunphy striding in his direction. Justin had gone to high school with the sheriff’s younger sister, Tiffany. “Hey, Robbie. How’s it going?”
Robbie strode up to face him on the sidewalk. He filled out his tan uniform, the buttons on his shirt ready to pop. He stood head to head with Justin, and as usual had a smile on his face. He hardly fit the bill for a stereotypical hard-nosed lawman. “I got no complaints. How about you? You acclimatin’ to being home again?”
“I’m getting there. Nine years is a long time to be away.”
“I got to thinkin’ you might just make a career of soldiering, with you getting the Congressional Medal of Honor and all.”
Justin clamped his teeth together. The medal was a source of pride to him but at the same time, it reminded him of his failures. He didn’t think of himself as a hero, but as a soldier who’d done his job. Brett’s death had hit him hard, and he’d decided when his last tour of duty was up that he was through with the military. “At one time, I thought the same thing. But looks like I’m home to stay now.”
“Well, good.” Robbie gave him a congenial slap on the back. “Come on, then, and let me buy you a welcome home drink. Amber’s still here, working her ass off and brewing the best ale in the state. You gotta try her latest concoction, something she calls Nevada Punch.”
What the hell. He couldn’t very well insult the sheriff and tell him he wanted to drink alone. Maybe some hometown company would keep his mind off of troubling thoughts and help him pass the time. “Sure thing, Sheriff.”
They sat at a table right smack in the middle of the darkened tavern. It was a throwback to the sixties, with dim yellow lights reflecting off a long mahogany bar. The second his butt hit the padded vinyl seat, Amber came striding over, her teased brown hair as big as ever, swept up in the back with bobby pins and a little black bow.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Justin Slade.” She gave him a motherly kiss on the cheek.
“Hi, Amber.”
“I do believe this is the first time you’ve been in my bar legitimately.”
“Wasn’t old enough before I left for boot camp.”
“I know it, but you’ve been here dozens of times. I used to open the back room up for my son and the rest of you boys to play pool. You remember that, don’t you?”
He nodded, thinking back on that time. “I’ll never forget that trusty old pool table.” He’d lost his virginity on that pool table with Betsy Ann Stankowski when he was sixteen.
“I’m not hearing any of this,” the sheriff said, leaning way back in his chair.
Amber waved him off. “Robbie, don’t tell me you didn’t know about the boys coming here. You didn’t make any noise about it because your little sis would tag along with them sometimes, so don’t you get all high and mighty now. For pity’s sake, I never gave any of the kids liquor.”
The sheriff shrugged off her reprimand. “Who’s getting high and mighty? I’m here to buy Justin a drink. What’ll you have, boy? Want to try you some Nevada Punch?”
“Sure do.”
“It’s on the house,” Amber said. Then she pointed at the sheriff. “And your favorite iced coffee since you had the good sense to bring Justin in.”
“Thank you, kindly,” Justin said.
“You got a heart of gold, Amber Louise.” Robbie sent her a grin.
She lifted her brows at the sheriff dubiously before she turned to focus on Justin. “It’s the least I can do for you. Why, you’re a hero, saving five lives like you did. You make us all proud.”
Though he was uncomfortable with the praise she lavished on him, Justin thanked her. She meant well. Everyone meant well, but he didn’t want free drinks, or meals on the house, or reporters poking around Sunset Ranch, hoping to get an interview with the hometown hero.
What he wanted was time to adjust to being home.
Kat Grady had thrown a wrench into those plans, pronto.
Amber served the coffee to the sheriff and her specialty beer in a tall pilsner glass. Justin brought the glass to his lips and took a gulp of the dark, rich ale. “This is pretty good,” he said to the sheriff.
“Hits the spot, doesn’t it? So what are your plans now that you’re back home? Planning on working on the horse farm with your brothers?”
“Don’t rightly know yet. Those two have the ranch running smooth as silk.”
While overseas, he’d given it a lot of thought. He loved the land and raising horses, but when he’d returned home three days ago, he wasn’t sure where he fit in the well-oiled machine Sunset Ranch had become. Logan and Luke had been at it a long time, and they had the running of Sunset Ranch, the lucrative Slade horse farm, and Sunset Lodge, an upscale version of a dude ranch, down to a science. Sure, Justin could work with them but not out of necessity. They didn’t really need him.
And since Brett’s death, Justin had been bouncing something around in his head that wouldn’t roll away. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him.
But first, he had to deal with fatherhood.
He glanced at his watch. He had four more hours before his meeting with Kat.
“Well, if you’re of a mind at all for public service, let me toss this suggestion out at you,” the sheriff said. “There’s a county commissioner’s seat opening up next month. You’d be perfect for the job. Why, with your background, you’d have pull and influence enough to get a lot of things accomplished. Could do a lot of good for the citizens of Douglas County.”
Justin couldn’t believe his ears. “What?”
Sheriff Dunphy’s eyes shone bright as he nodded encouragement. “Jeff Washington, our county assessor, well...he and I were talking about the vacancy and the upcoming special election yesterday. Your name came up first thing.”
Justin began shaking his head. “I’ve been home three days, Robbie, and my name’s coming up for a special election?”
“Well, no, not exactly. Your name came up because we’ve got to clear a date on our calendar. The county’s planning on throwing a parade in your honor.”
Caught off guard, Justin felt the blood drain from his face. He kept his mouth from dropping open, just barely, as humbling astonishment rolled through his gut, making him ready to pop a few more antacids. “I...don’t know what to say. A parade?”
Wasn’t that sort of thing reserved for Olympic champions and, well...Santa?
The last thing Justin wanted was a parade. He didn’t deserve the adoration of the entire county. He’d barely made it home in one piece mentally, and the word hero was reserved for soldiers much braver than he’d ever been.
“Yes, we’re all excited about it. But it’s gonna take a while to pull it off. Douglas County wants to welcome their hero home in style. We’ve got three high school bands practicing, a news crew alerted and the county’s Women’s Association and the Boy Scouts working together to build you a float.”
Holy crap.
A thought flitted into his head and he turned a suspicious eye on the sheriff. “You didn’t just bump into me today, did you, Robbie?”
“Of course I did. I would never abuse my authority by having patrol cars give me your location or anything.” The sheriff’s wry smile said the exact opposite.
Robbie was a sly one, not as Gomer Pyle–ignorant as he had people believing.
Amber strolled over, carrying a tray with two dishes of fried chicken, potatoes and gravy. She set the plates down on the table and smiled at him. “Here you go, Justin. Meal’s on the house, too. It’s my way of saying thank you for your service to the country.”
Robbie Dunphy rubbed his hands together, peering at his plate with boyish glee. “Looks delicious, doesn’t it, Justin?”
Justin stared at the food for a second and then raised his eyes to Amber, who patiently waited for his approval. “Sure does, Amber. Thank you.”
“And while we’re eating,” Robbie said to Amber, “Justin’s gonna think about becoming Douglas County’s new district commissioner.”
“That’s wonderful. Well, you two take all the time you need.”
After Amber walked off, Justin finished his ale and leaned forward in his chair. “Robbie, I know you mean well, but I’m not ready to make any decisions about my future just yet. The one thing I do know is that I’m not a politician. No way. No how.”
He didn’t want a parade in his honor, either, but Justin couldn’t bring himself to call it off. There were already too many people involved. Douglas County had been good to the Slades over the years, and Justin wouldn’t insult the citizens by telling them he’d rather be face-to-face with a rattlesnake than sitting on a float, waving to people who’d come out to pay him tribute.
* * *
It wasn’t until he pulled through the gates of Sunset Ranch that Justin’s muscles began to relax. Spirited mares and stallions dotted the pastures along the drive toward the house. The acreage was fertile here, the soil nurtured by runoff from the Sierra Nevadas and rain plentiful enough to keep the pastures green most of the year. Justin inhaled the scent of alfalfa and manure, of leather and earth, as he approached the one-story Slade house and parked the truck.
He’d always loved his childhood home and since returning he felt a greater appreciation for the freedoms and privileges life brought to him. He’d been in hellholes, seen danger and atrocity at its worst and survived, though not without some painful internal scars. The place he’d come from in the Middle East seemed far removed from life on Sunset Ranch.
Off in the distance he spotted two riders and immediately recognized one as his brother Luke. The woman riding beside him was his new fiancée, Audrey. The two had recently become engaged and were due to have a child of their own.
With Luke engaged and Logan’s wedding fast approaching, Justin felt like a fifth wheel already. And he’d only been home three days.
He climbed down from the cab and gave a wave to Ward Halliday, who was standing next to his car over by the main corral. The ranch foreman had welcomed Justin on his first day home with a manly hug, making no mention of his war hero status. He’d only wished him well and told him he’d missed him. Justin appreciated how perceptive the man was not to make too big a deal out of things. “How’s it going, Ward?”
“No complaints,” he called out. “Molly’s got beef empanadas waiting for me at home.”
“Sounds good. Tell her hello.”
Ward nodded. “Stop on by sometime. Molly would love to see you.”
“I will.”
Justin climbed the steps of the house and walked inside. From the foyer, he could see Logan leaning against his office door down the long hallway. He was drinking liquor from a tumbler and nodded for Justin to join him. “About time you showed up, little bro. I’ve been fielding your calls all day. Come take a look.”
Justin’s boots clanged against the stone floor as he made his way toward the office where Logan conducted Sunset Ranch business. Logan worked at the house, while his fiancée, Sophia, worked at Sunset Lodge. The two were planning a big blowout of a wedding. But they’d waited for him to come home; Logan had asked him to be his best man on his first day back.
Luke, too, had decided to wait so that Justin could be in attendance before tying the knot with Audrey.
“Want a drink?” Logan asked.
“No, I’m good.” He glanced around. Today, just like the other days since his arrival, he felt his father’s presence in the room despite Logan’s efforts to remove all traces of Randall Slade. Some things just died hard, he thought as he plunked down into a black leather armchair.
Logan sat down and faced him from across his desk. “You might, after you see these. You have seven phone messages flashing on the machine, and Ellie took all of these from the house phone.” Logan handed over a stack of notes. “Looks like you have at least three messages from Betsy Ann Stankowski alone.”
Justin’s head shot up. “You don’t say.”
Logan gave him a knowing smile. “Maybe she wants to pick up where you left off before you enlisted.”
Justin balked at that. Logan had caught them fooling around behind the barn once and when questioned, Justin had confessed Betsy Ann had been his first. His older brother had told him point-blank not to mess around with girls on the ranch or anywhere else. He was too young to know what he was doing and there could be consequences to pay. Yeah, well, years later, he hadn’t taken that advice with Kat, and as a result, he’d fathered a child. Maybe. “Betsy Ann and I were over way before I left town.”
“You mean, you actually listened to me?”
Justin clucked his tongue. “Now why would I do that?”
A smile spread across Logan’s face. “I didn’t think so. Betsy Ann teaches grammar school and I hear her students love her. She’s also made a name for herself as the president of the Douglas County Women’s Association.”
“Seriously?” Betsy Ann would always be stamped in his memory for granting him those painfully awkward, profound and awe-inspiring sixty seconds on the pool table. “She always did like school.”
“Three messages in one day,” Logan said. “She sure wants you for something.”
Justin didn’t think Betsy Ann had any lingering feelings for him. She’d dumped him like a hot potato in their junior year for some older guy. He’d bet fifty bucks that he knew what she wanted from him. If she was president of the Women’s Association, then she was calling about the parade. Justin didn’t want to open up that can of worms with his brother now. He had enough to contend with.
He scanned over all the messages scribbled down on notepaper, tossing them down one after another onto the desk. At some point he’d have to call these people back, but he wasn’t going to do that today.
Logan spoke up. “Let me know if I can help. You shouldn’t be bombarded by everyone you’ve ever known in a fifty-mile radius on your first week back.”
“Thanks, but I’ll take care of it.”
“I also gotta tell you Luke shooed two reporters off the property this morning after you left. They want interviews with Sergeant Slade.”
Justin jerked his head back and forth. “Man, I didn’t think my homecoming would cause such a stir.”
“Be patient,” Logan said, leaning back in his chair. “You coming home a war hero is big news around here. Everyone wants a piece of you.”
“Tell me about it. Robbie Dunphy cornered me today. He’s got some wild ideas about my future. Don’t even ask.”
Logan’s eyes lit with understanding. “Okay. Listen, Sophia wants to have you over to the cottage for dinner tonight. It’ll be quiet with just us, Luke and Audrey. No phone calls. No one barging in or cornering you.”
The cottage had been Sophia’s home when they were growing up. She’d lived there with her mother, Louisa, who managed the lodge. But when it came out that Louisa and Randall Slade had been lovers, the whole thing went bad and Louisa packed up Sophia and left Sunset Ranch. Recently, because Randall had put Sophia in his will, she’d returned to the ranch for her inheritance and Logan had fallen in love with her. “Sounds good, but I can’t make it. Tell Sophia I’m sorry. I have a...something to do tonight.”
Logan’s brows lifted. “A female...something to do?”
Justin glanced away. His brother was too damn perceptive. “Let’s just say, it’s important. I’ll tell you about it once I figure it all out myself.”
“All right, but you know that Luke and I are here if you need us. We have your back.”
“I appreciate that.”
Justin left Logan’s office and walked to his bedroom in the opposite wing of the house. Baseball trophies from his Little League days sat next to a smattering of CDs and DVDs from his teen years on a bookshelf. Textbooks were stacked one on top of the other, and his old dial-up computer that deserved a spot on Antiques Roadshow was stored on the lower shelf. Justin grinned at the old thing, thinking how far technology had progressed since his childhood. When he’d arrived home, he made a vow to tackle this room and get it up to speed ASAP. But he hadn’t brought order to the chaos yet. There was something mildly comforting in having things as they were...at least for a little while longer.
His brother Luke had seen fit to order the only new item in the room, a king-size bed to replace the single he’d had since he was a boy. When he sat down, the firm mattress supported his weight and he smiled as he stared directly across the room at the walk-in closet that had once doubled as a fort, a secret hideaway and an imaginary campground.
For the past nine years, he’d gotten used to close quarters with only the essentials of everyday life. Just a short time ago, his entire personal space on the outpost could fit inside that walk-in closet.
He closed his eyes for a moment. An image of Brett appeared. He couldn’t force it from his mind.
He was holding Brett’s limp body. His face was streaked with blood, clear blue eyes suddenly wild in the face of death. Crimson puddles pooled over Brett’s belly. Justin’s hand pressed down on the bloody seepage.
“Get out of here. I’ve lost this bet.”
“Hang on, buddy. Stay with me, Brett. Brett.”
Eyes devoid of life stared back at him. His friend’s warmth turned to ice.
Justin lay there with him, clinging to his body.
Shedding tears.
Justin snapped his eyes open. His body jerked involuntarily and he bounded from the bed. He paced, pounding the floor with his boots, back and forth, back and forth, with his head down. Tremors made it hard to breathe. His heart raced.
Brett’s bloody face remained.
He’d died four months ago and for all those months, the grief and guilt had been eating at Justin.
He forced his mind to turn to something else.
Connor’s chubby cheeks and vivid dark eyes filled his thoughts. Images of the little boy, so small yet so mighty, slowed his racing pulse. His breaths came easier now.
Connor.
Justin thought of the boy with proprietary pride.
He had to find out for sure if the boy was truly his son.
* * *
“I’m going in to kiss Connor good-night,” Kat whispered to Aunt Mattie from outside the bedroom door. “He’ll most likely sleep through the night. Thank you again for watching him.”
Aunt Mattie gestured with a wave of the hand. “Don’t you worry about a thing. You have a nice visit with Cecelia now. Doris is coming for a cup of tea. We’ll watch out for our little boy.”
Kat tiptoed into Brett’s old room—which she now shared with her son—and made her way to the snow-white crib on loan from one of Matilda’s neighbors. She smiled at the sight of Connor asleep atop baby-blue sheets with cartoon monkeys printed on them. “You be a good baby now. Sleep tight,” she murmured, placing an air kiss over Connor’s cheek. “Mama loves you.”
She lingered there a few extra moments, watching him breathe, in and out, his plump baby chest rising and falling. This little person, cozy in a terry-cloth sleeper decorated with brown footballs, filled her world with joy. She’d never get over the miracle of her unexpected but cherished son. It was hard to leave him, if even for a short while, but this meeting tonight had to happen.
Kat hated lying to Aunt Mattie. But she couldn’t think of any way around it. At least a lie didn’t feel so much like a lie if there was some truth in it. So Kat had told Matilda she was picking up a check from Cecelia Tilton for the baby clothes she’d put on consignment at her boutique. A month ago, when Kat had mentioned Babylicious, her budding online store featuring the fashionable and affordable baby clothes she designed, a very gracious Cecelia had offered her a place in her shop to help promote her work. Cecelia’s home wasn’t far from Blossom and this afternoon Kat had phoned the woman to make the arrangements.
Her conscience continued to nag her as she left the house and headed to Cecilia’s. But half an hour later, as she drove away from the shop owner’s home with a small check in hand, she felt a little better. Three hundred and forty dollars would go a long way in helping Mattie pay for her medications.
Kat shelved thoughts of business as soon as she pulled up to Blossom. Her heart in her throat, she shook off tremors of doubt, straightened her frame, held her head high and walked into the deserted café. Blossom was known more for their savory hot breakfasts and so-so lunch salads. Not too many patrons dared their blue plate specials at this hour of the evening.
Kat spotted Justin sitting in a corner booth with his head down, looking impatiently at his phone. Her tremors took on a different character as memories rushed in of that weekend she’d spent with him. She’d let down her guard for two days with a hot, charming, understanding man, who’d left his indelible stamp on her. She’d thought about him for weeks afterward but had convinced herself he wasn’t right for her. He hadn’t been enough. She’d wanted more out of life than he could offer. They’d ended things civilly with no illusions of anything else developing between them.
On a steadying breath, Kat lifted her chin and ventured farther into the café. But a piece of broken grout between the floor tiles trapped her four-inch heel, throwing her off balance. Flailing her arms, she managed not to fall flat on her face. But darn if the perfectly dignified entrance she’d plotted in her head wasn’t shot to hell.
Justin saw the whole thing.
As she walked closer, he took in her clothes with his piercing gaze. She wore stretch blue jeans and a billowy white top tucked under a cropped jacket. A sterling silver rope chain made of entwined oblong circles dangled from her neck. On her wrist she wore a matching bracelet.
The clothes were her own designs and had been rejected by every major fashion house in New York City.
“You’re late,” Justin said, rising from his seat.
“Babies aren’t predicable. It always seems to take longer than you think to put them down to sleep.”
He gave her excuse some thought. Then his lips thinned. “I wouldn’t know.”
Oh, boy. Kat got it. He wasn’t happy about the circumstances, but then neither was she. If they were going to accomplish anything, they would have to agree to civility. By this time of night, after a day of taking care of a baby and an aging woman, Kat was pooped and not up to verbal sparring. “I can leave and we can do this another time...when your attitude is better.”
Justin swore under his breath. His mouth clamped down and he sent her a long thoughtful look. Then like magic, his demeanor changed before her eyes. His body visibly loosened up, as if on command, and he gave her a reluctant but gracious smile. “You’re right. I apologize. Please sit down so we can talk.”
Accepting his apology, she dropped into a cushioned seat facing him and set her purse down beside her. As she looked across the café table, a quick zip of awareness caught her off guard as she really, really studied Justin’s handsome face.
My God...Connor looks exactly like him.
Yes, their hair and eyes were the same color, but Connor shared Justin’s wide full mouth, too, and a deep dimple that popped out on the left side when they smiled. She couldn’t begin to count how many times she’d kissed that disappearing dimple on her baby’s face. Their skin tones were smooth and olive and she imagined Connor would easily tan golden-brown just like Justin when he got older. They shared the same hairline that cut a neat straight line across their forehead. Connor would have the same arrow-sharp nose, too, when he grew up.
Her son’s adorable baby features were a precursor to Justin Slade’s adult appearance.
His brows furrowed. “Who’s watching the baby?”
“Aunt Mattie and Doris Brubaker are with Connor.”
She went on to explain, “Doris is a neighbor. We’re friends, and I asked her to stay with Aunt Mattie until I got back. They’re having tea and I don’t want to impose on them any longer than necessary.”
“Okay. Let’s get on with it, then. Ladies first.”
“You told me you were Brett Applegate. I want to know why you lied to me.” Then she added, “I would appreciate the truth.”
“Just remember that when it’s my turn to ask questions.”
A waitress wearing a snappy blue outfit and white tights showed up at the table with a notepad. “Hi, I’m Toni, and I’ll be serving you tonight. Have you looked at the menu yet? Just so you know, the blue plate special is—”
“Decaf coffee for me,” Kat said. Her stomach knotted at the thought of food. “That’s all I’d like.”
“I’ll have the same,” Justin said, nodding to the young girl. “Thank you.”
“No cherry pie or apple cobbler?”
They both shook their heads. “Okay, I’ll be back with your coffee in a sec.”
Kat watched the waitress walk away and then turned to Justin. “You were about to tell me why you lied to me that weekend.”
The muscles in Justin’s face pinched tight, a distant look in his eyes hinting at regret. “I lost a bet.”
Kat blinked. “You lost a bet? What does that mean?”
He leaned forward, his elbows flat on the table. The material of his navy shirt pulled taut across his broad shoulders, and it wasn’t hard to remember what he’d looked like with a shirt off. She could almost feel the sensation of touching his golden skin and ripped muscles under her fingertips now. “It means Brett beat me at arm wrestling. Best of five.”
Kat didn’t like where this was going. “So?”
“So, I made this stupid bet with him, because I never thought I’d have to pay up. He was egging me on in front of my men until I finally thought, what the hell. I’d never lost a match to Brett before. If he won, I’d have to trade places with him the next time we had time off. We’d switch wallets—and the cash and credit cards inside—and assume each other’s identity with...” Justin’s lips snapped shut. He ran his fingers over his mouth and winced.
Kat caught on. “With women?”
He gave her a slow nod.
“So, the weekend you spent with me was to pay off a bet? You used me...lied to me...had no intention of ever telling me the truth?”
Something hard flickered in his eyes. “I didn’t use you. If you remember correctly, I didn’t pressure you for anything. And you made it clear you wanted no ties to a hick from a small town, remember? We didn’t exchange so much as cell phone numbers when I walked out your door.”
That was beside the point. He’d been amazing that weekend and by the time the second night rolled around, Kat couldn’t imagine not sharing her bed with him. He’d been compassionate and kind and patient and just what she’d needed at that moment in her life.
Maybe he’d assumed more than Brett’s identity that weekend; maybe Justin had taken on Brett’s personality, as well. That weekend helped heal some of her old wounds. She’d needed a strong shoulder and an understanding heart. It hadn’t been all fun and games between them, it had been unexpectedly more. “I’d put it a little gentler than that, Justin. But yes, it’s true. I couldn’t get romantically involved with a man that wouldn’t—”
“Serve your purposes?”
She tried harder to explain. “Didn’t fit into the life I wanted. Don’t forget, you lied about who you were and that might have altered my decision about the weekend.”
“You mean if you’d known I was a loaded Nevada rancher, you might have taken me to bed one night sooner?”
Her cheeks burned. His accusation was a hard slap to her face. He wasn’t going to get away with it. “You have no right to judge me. You have no idea who I am and what I’ve been through. I didn’t ask you to come over to me at that hotel bar.”
“Why wouldn’t I want to meet a beautiful woman? It was obvious you were waiting for someone. You kept checking your watch. I figured some jerk stood you up. And I was right. He didn’t give a crap that your mother had recently passed away, did he?”
That jerk had been Michael Golden, the heir to the entire Golden Hotel chain. It was a blind date. Later, she’d found out from her friend that he’d been called out of town suddenly and hadn’t gotten word to her. She’d been waiting for him more than an hour when Justin strolled up to her table.
The waitress walked over and set their coffee cups down. Taking one look at the intense discussion at the table, she lowered her voice. “I’ll be in the back if you need anything else.”
Justin gave her a sharp nod and she strode away.
Steam wafted up from Kat’s ceramic mug of decaf and she moved it out of her line of vision. “I told you that night, I didn’t date soldiers.”
“We told each other a lot of things.”
“But what I said to you, what I confessed during those two days that we were together was the truth. You can’t say the same, can you?
He pursed his lips and hung his shoulders. “No.”
She leaned back in her seat and stared at him.
He stared back. “I’d like to know something. How hard did you try to find Brett?”
Her lids lowered. “I wrote to him and he never answered back. I don’t know if he ever received my letter.”
“One letter was all he was worth to you?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“We were stationed in a forward operating base in Delaram, the third battalion of the 4th Marines. I know I mentioned that.”
“All I heard you say was Afghanistan. I didn’t want to know the details. I didn’t remember anything else. It doesn’t really matter now. Clearly, it wasn’t Brett I slept with that night. It was you. But I didn’t know that because you lied about your identity.”
Justin shook his head. “I didn’t know we’d conceived a child.”
“Obviously,” she said. “I wasn’t planning on having a child, either, but I wouldn’t trade having Connor in my life for anything.” A surge of emotion brought tears to her eyes. “My son is everything to me.”
When she’d finally looked Brett’s family up and come to Silver Springs to do the right thing, Aunt Mattie had given her the news of Brett’s death. Brett had died in action, and Kat couldn’t help but think if she’d tried harder to find him, he wouldn’t have taken chances. Maybe he wouldn’t have died at all and maybe Mattie Applegate’s heart wouldn’t have been broken. Now Kat understood that wasn’t the case at all because if her letter had reached Brett, he would’ve put two and two together and shown it to his buddy. He would’ve known the baby she carried wasn’t his but Justin’s.
It was a sad set of circumstances and she’d lived with the guilt of not trying to find Brett sooner. But in the end, she had done the right thing. “I know there were some things I could have done differently. I...didn’t.” She shrugged a shoulder, not knowing what else to say. “I just didn’t.”
Justin peered deep into her eyes. “There are things I would’ve done differently, too, had I known. Tell me one thing. Do you believe that Connor is my son?”
She didn’t hesitate. She’d always known exactly when she conceived her little boy. “I know he is.”
For a moment tears welled in Justin’s eyes. The hard planes of his face softened and his shoulders fell with relief. As he took it all in, he began nodding and Kat saw his expression transform suddenly. Determination set his jaw. “It’s been a year and a half.”
“Yes. Almost.”
He blinked and then blew breath from his lungs.
Just then the waitress walked into the room and said, “I’ve got to start closing up, but you can finish your coffee. Don’t mind me.”
She glanced at the two cups that had gone untouched and then looked away.
Justin pulled a twenty out of his wallet and set it down on the table. Then he rose to his full six-foot-two height and reached for Kat’s hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Where?”
“Doesn’t matter. We need to finish this conversation.”
Reluctantly, she took his hand and let him lead her out of the café.
Three
His hand across her lower back, Justin guided Kat out of the café. Darkness and the chilly night air surrounded them and Kat shivered. “Get your coat,” Justin said.
“I didn’t bring one. Why, where are we going?”
“For a walk. Give me a second.” He marched to his truck, ducked inside the front cab and came up with a leather bomber jacket. It was worn, its soft leather cracking a bit and the lambswool lining thick enough to warm a body in a snowstorm. “This will do,” he said. “You gotta know these nights get cold.”
“I didn’t think I’d be spending a lot of time outside this late.”
“It’s not late and we’ve hardly gotten started.”
He wrapped the jacket around her shoulders and she fit her arms through the sleeves. The jacket was two sizes too big for her, the shoulder seams going partway down her arms and the hem nearly touching her knees. Watching her platinum curls bounce off the collar, he gripped the lapels and drew her closer. Her eyes, big and green and surprised, snapped up to his. She was unique, a throwback to a classic fifties movie starlet with that ice-blond hair, an innocent expression that proved deadly and a luscious mouth painted pink and rosy.
“Warm enough?”
She glanced at his mouth for a split second, a tempting little look that pulled his groin taut.
“Uh-huh.”
He hesitated to let her go.
Moments ticked by as they stared into each other’s eyes. His grip tightened on the fabric, his knuckles grazing her torso just an inch from the two full ripe breasts that had given him a sliver of heaven once. He hadn’t forgotten.
He heaved a big sigh and let go. Immediately, she tugged the jacket tight across her chest and crossed her arms.
Justin put a hand on her back again, guiding her down the street. “When I drove up, I saw a town square. There’s a gazebo we can use. Or we can just sit in my truck with the motor running and the heater on.”
She shook her head at that notion and he was glad of it. Kat warm and comfy in the cab of his truck wouldn’t serve either of them well. The last time they’d been alone together in close quarters they’d had a marathon of combustible sex. Justin still felt the pull of attraction to her, but the stakes were too high now for any wrong move.
They walked south with light from the streetlamps leading the way. A few people were out for a brisk stroll, and Justin and Kat both smiled cordially or nodded their heads in greeting while they pressed on. The gazebo was visible in the distance, marking the center of the town square. They walked past park benches and down a garden path until they reached it. Luckily, they had it all to themselves.
Justin led her to a wooden bench that was painted white and she sat down. Behind her, past the lattice, flood lamps lit the surrounding shrubs, giving off enough faint light so that they could see each other’s faces. Justin paced for a second, pulling in his scattered emotions.
“Tell me about Connor.”
Kat’s face beamed immediately and her voice took on a whimsical, loving tone. “He’s an amazing little boy. He was born healthy and strong. His Apgar rating was ten.”
“What’s an Apgar rating?”
“It’s a test they do at birth, named after the doctor who invented it. It measures things like heart rate and breathing and muscle tone. Ten is the highest score a baby can get.”
Justin nodded. Unfamiliar pride pierced his heart.
“When I brought him home from the hospital, he took to breast-feeding right away. He’s a good eater and a pretty sound sleeper. You have to know a few little Connor tricks to get him to take a nap and I’m learning just like he is, every day.”
“What kind of tricks?”
“Well, first I give him a bottle. And then I sing to him. If that doesn’t work, I show him a Sesame Street video clip on my phone. He’s crazy about some of the characters. And once he’s mellow, I hum to him, some of his favorite baby tunes. When I get him to sleep, sometimes I just watch him breathe and thank my blessings for him every minute of every—”
Kat stopped talking abruptly. “I’m...sorry.”
Regret pumped through his veins. “So am I.”
“It’s done, Justin. We can’t change the past.”
“I’ll never get those months back, Kat. I lost all that time with Connor.”
Sympathy settled in her eyes. “I know that. I can’t imagine what that’s like. But if you had known, it’s not like you would’ve seen Connor that much. You were serving in the military.”
“That’s not the point. He has a family here and I would’ve done what I could to spend time with him. To acknowledge him, even if I couldn’t watch him grow. But that’s all going to change starting right this second. I’m going to be a major part of his life now. He’s going to know I’m his father.”
“No, Justin.” Kat’s green eyes sharpened. “You can’t do that to Mattie. It’ll kill her. If you take that baby away from her, she’ll die. I swear to you, she’ll go into cardiac arrest.”
Justin took a step back, noting the warning in her voice. Was she serious or overstating the facts?
“You have no idea,” she continued. “When I got here two months ago, she’d just been released from the hospital. She’d had a major heart attack after she learned of Brett’s death. She had no reason to live. She’d lost fifteen pounds, and as you can see, she’s a small woman to begin with, and she didn’t want any part of rehab. She was living in the house alone. I saw the hopelessness in her eyes, Justin. It reminded me, of...well, of my own mother. When I told her my story, about how I met Brett and conceived his child, she...she made a remarkable comeback. In just the few months I’ve been here, she’s put on weight and her whole outlook has changed. Her heart is still damaged and she has to take it easy, but the doctor has told her over and over that our little Connor is her antidote to heart disease. You have to believe me. You cannot tell that woman that Connor isn’t Brett’s son.”
“That’s hardly fair, Kat. I’ve already missed out on so much with Connor. And it’s not fair to the boy to deprive him of his real father.”
“Do you want to be responsible for putting Aunt Mattie back in the hospital...or worse?”
Damn it. His gut told him Kat was telling the truth. The blow was hard to take. He didn’t want to deny his son a father a second longer. But he’d seen Matilda Applegate with his own eyes. She was frail and weakened. She certainly looked older than her seventy years in body, but when her gaze lit on Connor, it had a youthful spirited glow. He hated to admit it but that woman’s life revolved around that little boy.
Every day of Justin’s life, Brett’s death gnawed at him. He’d vowed that once he returned home, he’d come clean and speak with Brett’s aunt. Telling Mattie the truth about Brett’s death would go a long way in clearing his conscience. It had taken Justin three days to build up the courage to visit the woman and he’d been prepared to lay it all on the line. But now, as he studied Kat’s determined expression, the set of her delicate jaw and the plea in her eyes, he was boxed into a corner. “I don’t want to hurt Mattie Applegate.”
“Then...don’t.”
“I want to know my son.”
“You will. I promise.” Her voice held conviction.
Justin stared at her. A promise from Katherine Grady? Could he trust her? The fool in him, who saw her as a beautiful, sexy, desirable woman, wanted so badly to believe her, but he couldn’t chance it. The stakes were just too high. He had every right to know his son, to learn Connor tricks and comfort him when he was tired and grumpy. He wanted to bond with him and give him fatherly love.
Justin stepped closer to her. She smelled like gardenias, fresh and fragrant and distinct. Her light springtime scent contrasted sharply with the time of year, the chill in the air. “What are you suggesting?”

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