Loving a Lawman (26 page)

Together the two of them walked back to the sprawling ranch house. It was a beautiful structure, though Bryn had been too nervous before to truly appreciate its majestic beauty.

“Let's go into my office where we can talk.” She led the way, then turned back to face Bryn. “I'm Evelyn, by the way. Jake's mother.”

“It's nice to meet you,” Bryn murmured. Southern manners kicked in when all else failed. At least she had called it right. “This really isn't necessary,” she said.

Evelyn ignored her and opened one of the large doors to a leather-and-bronze office complete with a gently worn sofa with a brown-and-white cowhide tossed over the back. Bryn was fairly certain it was the real deal and not a designer version from Pottery Barn.

“Go ahead and have a seat. Grandma Esther went to get us some refreshments.”

“Really,” Bryn gently protested one again. “This isn't necessary. I don't want anything from Jake. I—”

“Sit.” The one word was spoken like a woman who was accustomed to getting her way. Always.

Bryn perched on the edge of the sofa, while Evelyn eased into the overlarge chair behind the desk.

“How did you and Jake meet?”

Bryn shook her head. This was not going at all as she had planned, but then again, what had she really expected? That she could come in, announce that she was having Jake's baby, and they would just let her waltz out the door without so much as a by-your-leave?

A girl could hope.

But when she got back to Georgia, she was having a long talk with Justin about personal boundaries and bad advice. A girl had to depend on her best friend to help her through tough situations. So far, he had encouraged her to latch onto a cowboy—the very same cowboy who'd gotten her pregnant—and then had pointed out his picture in
Out West
magazine, thereby negating her arguments that she didn't even know his last name. That night trivial matters like surnames had never come up.

“I was in Austin in June. I believe Jake was there for a weekend conference. He really didn't tell me.” She shook her head. She was making a mess of this. She stood. “Listen, you don't owe me an apology. I'd rather just be on my way.”

“Carrying my grandchild.”

Bryn made a face. “She sort of has to go with me.” She placed one hand protectively over her growing mound of a baby. No matter how much she watched what she ate, she seemed to be packing on the pounds.

“It's a girl?” Evelyn asked. Her voice was barely audible.

Bryn shrugged. “I just want it to be.”

Jake's mother smiled. “So did I, but I ended up with five boys.”

“Five?”

“I'm afraid so.” But her smile took all the venom from her words. “Jake didn't mean what he said. He . . .” she started, then shook her head. “He had a tough time when his first wife died.”

“He's a widower?” Of course he had been married. The women in Texas knew a good thing when they saw it.

“Cecelia—that was his wife—she died giving birth to their daughter, Wesley.”

He has a daughter?
Bryn sank back to the couch cushion. “I see.”

“He just needs some time to adjust to the idea of being married again. And having another baby.”

“I'm not marrying Jake.” The idea was ludicrous. They didn't know each other. A baby did not a marriage make. “It was a mistake coming here.” Bryn pushed to her feet and slung her purse over one shoulder.

Evelyn was on her feet in a heartbeat. “I told you, Jake didn't mean what he said.”

Bryn pinched the bridge of her nose. “This has nothing to do with what he said. Well, maybe a little, but we don't know each other. We can't get married.”

“You know each other well enough to have made a baby.” Evelyn's words stung with the truth.

“That's not really the point, now is it?”

“Why are you in such a hurry?”

She spun around. Grandma Esther stood in the doorway with the promised refreshments.

“Oh, you know. I'm a busy girl with things to do.”

“If you're going back to Austin, then I hope you'll leave your number and address so we can keep in touch,” said Evelyn.

“I'm not going back to Austin.”

“Your car has Georgia plates,” Esther said.

“That's right. That's where I live.”

“You're from Georgia?” asked Evelyn.

“That's right.”

“You never did answer me,” Esther pressed.

“I have a . . . meeting on the West Coast.” That was a great way of putting it. Surely beat the heck out of “I'm
dumping my baby sister's ashes in the Pacific.” “I'm supposed to be there the day after tomorrow.”

“Then you have plenty of time.” Esther waved away Bryn's protests with a flick of one gnarled hand.

“That's right,” Evelyn said. “You can have dinner and spend the night here.”

“I—”

“We won't take no for an answer,” Evelyn said.

“Besides,” Grandma Esther interjected, “it'll save you the hotel charge.”

Money wasn't an issue. But staying with these people . . . that was. She should get out now while the getting was good.

“Please.” Evelyn's voice was filled with heartfelt emotions. “Please give us a chance. We need to get to know you. After all, you're having my next grandchild.”

She didn't want anything from these people. In fact, if it hadn't been for that blessed magazine, she wouldn't be standing here now. But she had wanted to give them a chance, let them know that in six months' time another Langston was entering the world.

“How do you even know I'm telling the truth?”

Evelyn smiled. “If you weren't and you were just trying to trap Jake into marriage, why would you walk
away?”

A
BOUT THE
A
UTHOR

Amy Lillard
is the author of more than ten novels. She lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with her husband and son.

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