The Baby Truth (17 page)

“Are you?”

He looked up to meet her gaze. “I don’t know where that question is coming from. From the very start I’ve wanted you to find the identity of your real parents. I’m just sorry that your mother is gone and you’ll never be able to know her.”

She sighed. “I’m not sure that she and I would’ve ever had much of a relationship, Jett. The past probably would’ve always stood between us. But I’m going to try not to judge her. Especially when I’ll never know what was going on in her life—the troubles she might have been going through. For all we know she could’ve been frightened and running from someone, and left me at the orphanage in order to make sure I was safe.”

“You’re right. We don’t know her circumstances. So I hope you can forgive her. After all, she did carry you for nine months and give birth to you. That has to count for a lot.”

She nodded. “I have forgiven her already, Jett.”

Leaning closer, he asked, “What about me? Have you decided to forgive me?”

Her heart began to thump at a high rate. “You said some unforgivable things to me and Noah. You even fired him. That was—”

“Noah isn’t fired,” he corrected her. “I apologized to him as soon as you two returned to the barn. And fortunately he understood and forgave me for behaving like a jealous idiot. The question now is, do you pardon me for not recognizing days ago how much I love you?”

Doubt and hope tussled inside her as she searched the depths of his brown eyes. This man had stood by her side from the very beginning. She had to believe he would remain there for the rest of their lives.

“Love? Days ago?” she questioned.

Groaning, he plucked the mug from her hands and placed it on the nightstand before he gathered her into the circle of his arms. “Oh, my darling Sassy, when I saw you getting ready to leave it was like someone had stabbed me with a knife. I love you. I can’t let you go. You and the baby mean more to me than anything. I want us to be married. I want the three of us to be a family. A real family with love tying us all together.”

She eased her head back from his shoulder to look at him. “But your marriage to Erica was—”

He cut her off. “Was wrong from the start, Sassy. I didn’t understand what she was going through or why she was behaving so irrationally. All the time I was trying to give her what she needed, I didn’t understand she simply wanted my heart.” With both hands, he gently cradled her face. “I feel guilty about that now, Sassy. But I also feel so very, very blessed that you’ve come along and taught me that love is real and powerful and means more than anything I can buy or touch or see.”

Tears of joy rushed to her eyes. “Oh, Jett, do you really mean that?”

“If you’ll let me, I’m going to spend the rest of my life showing you exactly how much I mean it. Do I get the chance?”

Her soft laugh fanned his face. “Now that I’ve caught my cowboy, I’m not about to let him go.”

Bending his head, he placed a long, tender kiss on her lips.

“Does that mean you’re going to let me lie down beside you?”

Enchanted by the masculine beauty of his face, she traced a finger along the bottom of his lip. “What is Bella going to think if you don’t come out of my bedroom tonight?”

A clever grin twisted his lips. “She’s going to think her brother has finally come to his senses.”

Laughing softly, Sassy scooted across the mattress to make room for him, and once she was tucked into the curve of his body, her cheek resting against his shoulder, she realized her search had ended. She was finally home to stay.

Epilogue

T
en months later, a soft autumn sky shed a hazy light across the open range, coating the purple sage and creosote bushes with a golden hue. As the old work truck bumped over the cattle trail, Sassy clung tightly to the baby in her arms while her husband kept darting surreptitious glances at the two of them.

A few short days after she’d learned she was a Calhoun, their small but beautiful wedding had taken place on the Silver Horn. Like a proud father, Orin had given her away, while Bella had acted as her maid of honor. Somehow Jett had talked Noah into standing as his best man, and a thrilled Finn had been a proud groomsman. In spite of the short notice, Frankie Cantrell and her daughter, Alexa, had flown to Nevada to attend the ceremony and meet Sassy’s new family. Her brothers had told her it was the first time they’d had a party in the house since their mother had died and everyone had enjoyed the celebration.

Six months after the wedding, shortly after the Fourth of July, Joshua Jett Sundell, J.J. for short, had been born. “A little live firecracker” Jett often called their son, and given his bright red hair and temperament to match, Sassy agreed that the moniker was fitting. Right after J.J.’s birth she’d contacted Barry’s father in Colorado to tell him about the baby. Douglas Landers had been very grateful to hear that a part of his son lived on and had come to see the baby a few weeks later. Jett and Sassy had taken an immediate liking to the man and had invited him to come as often as he wished to visit his grandchild.

As for the Calhoun family, since the night Bart had revealed the truth about her parentage, many changes had taken place. Bart was learning he couldn’t earn forgiveness from anyone by making demands or threats. Amazingly he was beginning to soften somewhat and seemed to be trying to loosen the tight rein he’d tried to keep over everyone on the Silver Horn. As for Orin, Sassy was growing closer and closer to her father. The more time she spent with him, the more she understood that his brief connection to Marcia Stapleton had never been planned. With Claudia shutting him out, he’d been in a lonely and vulnerable state and Marcia had recognized him as easy and wealthy prey. And from her brothers’ reactions to learning about their father’s indiscretions, she could see they also understood how it had happened. The only question left was why Marcia had cut all ties to Bart, but the fact that she was dead and gone made that part of the puzzle seem insignificant now.

Pulling her thoughts back to the present, Sassy asked, “Exactly where are you taking us, Jett? It’s almost supper time and Bella is cooking pork chops. They’ll be cold before we can get back.”

“Don’t worry,” he assured her. “This trip will be worth eating a cold chop. I promise.”

With a good-natured roll of her eyes, she kissed her son’s cheek. “J.J., I think your daddy has something on his mind that he’s not telling us.”

Jett chuckled. “Actually, I do have something on my mind. I’ve been thinking about the ranch and how well it’s been doing. Cattle prices are up and it’s time we started expanding and adding to the herd. I was talking to our neighbor, Jim Flores, the other day and he hinted that he might be willing to sell some of the land that adjoins us.”

“That sounds exciting. When do we start?”

Smiling smugly, he said, “Oh, how about as soon as we top this next rise?”

Sassy was trying to figure out what he meant by that, when the trail took them over a low hill and there, spread across the range in front of them, was a huge herd of Black Angus cattle nipping at the dried autumn grass.

Her mouth flopped open as he braked the truck to a halt. “Where did those come from? I didn’t know you bought more cattle! There must be fifty or sixty head out there!”

“Exactly one hundred. Orin thought that would be a nice round number.”

“Orin? What’s he got to do with this?”

She shifted in the seat so that she was facing him and he automatically reached to take J.J. from her. As he settled the baby in the crook of his arm, he said, “Those cattle are a gift to his first and only grandson and to you.”

Slapping a hand over her gaping mouth, she stared out the window. The herd represented a small fortune.

“Oh, Jett, this is too much.” Ever since Bart had revealed the truth about her parentage, Sassy had refused to take anything from the Calhouns. She’d even had Jett write up a document stating she wouldn’t receive money or gifts from the family, but Orin had torn up the paper, just as she’d torn up Bart’s check. It was all about what was behind the giving, she realized. And accepting Orin’s gesture of love was far more important than proving she wasn’t a gold digger.

“According to Orin it’s not nearly enough. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t show up with more gifts in the coming months. He can see his daughter is becoming a fine ranch woman and that makes him very proud. It makes me very proud, too,” he added.

Reaching over, she squeezed his knee. “All those years I worked as a maid I used to dream about what I’d like to be if I ever got the chance to go to college. But I could never think of one thing that I could really connect to. I thought I lacked ambition or something. ’Cause what I always enjoyed the most was going down to the barns and spending time with the cows and horses. Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing after all.” She shot her husband an impish grin. “Now that I’m married to a rancher.”

He grunted with amusement. “If I remember right, you once called me a lawyer disguised as a cowboy. I guess I’m a bit of both.”

“You’re a very fine lawyer, too,” she said with obvious pride. “That’s why you’re getting more clients every day.”

“Well, I never expected to build a clientele overnight. And since I only work in town three days a week, that makes building my private law practice a slow process. But the clients are beginning to come.”

Her expression turned serious. “Are you sorry you agreed to stay and work as the Calhouns’ lawyer the other two days of the week? I know how much Orin and my brothers wanted you to still be a part of the Silver Horn. And, to be honest, so did I.”

“I’m not sorry about anything, Sassy. With you as my wife I feel like I’m part of the Calhoun family, too. When Orin begged me to stay on, I couldn’t refuse him. And with Bella helping me with the Silver Horn projects, the workload there is much lighter now. But branching out with my own law office has given me a new sense of purpose in my legal work.” He reached across the seat and patted her cheek. “Let’s get out and take a closer look at the cattle. We can always put those chops in the microwave.”

Laughing, she agreed, and they left the confines of the truck to walk closer to the grazing cattle.

Standing close to Sassy’s side, and with their son snuggled against his chest, Jett pointed toward the herd.

“Look at the cows, J.J.,” he said to the boy. “By the time their babies have babies you might have a little brother or sister. What do you think about that?”

J.J. was looking around him with wonder and Sassy knew that years from now, when he was old enough to appreciate the story, his parents would tell him about the day he first became a real cattleman.

“I don’t know what J.J. thinks about that idea,” Sassy said with a naughty grin, “but I think we need to go home and talk about this in the bedroom. Between the sheets.”

“And in my arms,” Jett added.

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her lips. When he lifted his head, Sassy sighed with contentment. “You know, we’re making this ranch into a mighty fine place.”

His smile full of love, he touched a fingertip to the end of her nose. “A mighty fine ranch. And the home I always wanted. Our home.”

An overflow of emotions suddenly glazed her eyes with tears. “Oh, Jett—”

“Aw, honey, what’s wrong?”

She smiled through her tears. “I’m just thinking back to when I first came here to Nevada. I was pregnant and so alone. Now I have you and our son. And I’m so happy.”

With the baby’s cheek resting against his, he used his free arm to curl around her shoulders and draw her close to his side. “Before you came, my darling wife, I thought I had all I needed. But you showed me that a man doesn’t have anything until he has love.”

* * * * *

Will all those Calhoun boys stay single?
See what happens to Rafe in
HIS DESERT LILLY!

Keep reading for an excerpt from A BREVIA BEGINNING by Michelle Major.

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Chapter One

T
he street was deserted in the early-morning hours. Sunlight slanted over the roofs of the brick buildings as Lexi Preston huddled on the front stoop of a dark storefront. She rested her head in her hands and watched the wind swirl a small pile of autumn leaves. The air held a chill, but it felt good after being stuck in her car for the last day and a half.

Almost six months had passed since she’d set foot in Brevia, North Carolina. She couldn’t imagine the reception she’d receive, but was desperate enough not to care. Her eyes drifted shut—just for a minute, she told herself—but she must have fallen asleep. When she blinked them open again it was to the bright sun shining and someone nudging a foot against hers. She scrambled to her feet, embarrassed to be caught so off guard.

“What the hell do you want?” Julia Callahan’s voice cut through the quiet.

Lexi backed away a few steps. Yes, she was desperate, but Julia had every reason to hate her. Still, she whispered, “I need your help. I have nowhere else to go.”

Julia’s delicate eyebrows rose. Lexi wished she had the ability to communicate so much without speaking. She could almost feel the anger radiating from the other woman. But Julia’s furrowed brow and pinched lips did nothing to detract from her beauty. She was thin, blonde and several inches taller than Lexi. The epitome of the Southern prom queen grown up. Lexi knew there was more to her than that. After all, she’d spent months researching every detail of Julia Callahan’s life.

“You tried to take my son away from me.” Julia shook her head. “Why would I have any inclination to help you?”

“I made sure you kept him in the end,” Lexi said, adjusting her round glasses. “Don’t forget I was the one who gave you the information that made the Johnsons rescind their custody suit.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Julia answered. “It doesn’t explain why you’re on the doorstep of my salon. Or what kind of help you need.”

Lexi crossed her arms over her chest as her stomach began to roll. She should have stopped for breakfast on the way into town. “They found out it was me,” she continued. “Dennis and Maria Johnson fired my father’s firm as their corporate attorneys. Several of their friends followed. We lost over half our business.”

Her voice faltered as memories of her father’s rage and disappointment assaulted her. She cleared her throat. “In response, my dad made a big show of humiliating me in front of the entire firm. Then he officially fired and practically disowned me.”

Lexi had worked for her father’s firm since she graduated from law school six years ago. Following in his footsteps, doing whatever he expected, had been her overriding goal in life. She still lived in the apartment he’d paid for since college. Her eviction notice had come two days ago.

She drew a steadying breath. “He said he regretted the day I’d come into his life. That I’m nothing more than...”

“Your father is an ass.” Julia’s clear assessment almost made Lexi smile.

“True,” she agreed, blinking against the sudden moisture in her eyes. “But he’s all I have. Or had.”

“What about other family?”

“I was adopted when I was six. I was in the foster-care system and barely remember my biological mother. My dad never married. He was an only child and my grandparents died years ago.”

“Friends?”

“I have work acquaintances, country-club cliques and clients. I’m not very good at making friends.”

“It’s probably hard to be a backstabbing, underhanded, slimy lawyer and a good friend at the same time.”

Although the words hurt, Lexi couldn’t help but hear the truth in them. “I guess.”

“Sheesh. That was a joke.” Julia stepped past her and turned a key in the front door. “Lighten up, Lex.”

Lexi followed her into the empty salon, the emotional roller coaster of the past week finally sending her off the rails. “Are you kidding?” she yelled. “I just told you that my life is destroyed because I saved you and your son. I have nothing. No job. No home. No friends. No family. And you want me to lighten up?”

Julia flipped on a bank of lights and turned. “Actually, I want you to tell me how I’m supposed to help. Other than playing the tiniest violin in the world in your honor. I appreciate what you did for me. But we both know you put me through hell trying to give custody of Charlie to my ex-boyfriend’s family. That doesn’t exactly make us long-lost besties.”

“I want a fresh start.”

“So make one.”

“It’s not that easy. As ridiculous as it sounds, I’m twenty-seven years old and my father has controlled every aspect of my life. Hell, he even handpicked a personal shopper to make sure I always projected the right image. The image he chose for me. Since the moment I came to live with him, I’ve wanted to make him happy, make him believe I was worthy of his love and the money he spent on me.”

She ran her hands through her hair and began to pace between the rows of styling chairs. “I’d never done anything without his approval until I gave you that file. I don’t regret it. You’re a great mother and I feel awful about my part in the custody suit.”

“You should,” Julia agreed.

Lexi sighed. “If I could take it all back, I would. I know it was wrong. But helping you cost my father a lot. I thought he’d understand and forgive me.”

“He still might.”

“I don’t know if I want him to. At least not on his terms. I don’t want to be the same kind of attorney my dad is. I don’t even know if I still want to be a lawyer. I need time to breathe. To figure out my next move. To make a choice in life for me, not because it’s what’s expected.” She paused and took a breath. “I thought maybe you could understand that.”

Julia studied her for a few moments. “Maybe I can.”

Lexi swallowed her embarrassment and continued, “If I stay in Brevia for a few weeks, I could figure out my options. I don’t want my father to find me. I don’t think he’s going to forgive me, but I do expect him to come looking. He likes the control and he’s not going to give that up so easily.”

She patted her purse. “I have five hundred dollars in cash. I don’t want to use credit cards or anything to help him track me. Not yet.”

“You’re kind of freaking me out. Is he dangerous?”

Lexi ran her hand along the edge of a shelf of styling products. “Not physically. But I’m not strong enough yet to stand on my own. Who knows if I’ll ever be. But I want to try. I liked Brevia when I was here. I admire you, Julia. Your fierceness and determination. I know you have no reason to help me, but I’m asking you to, anyway.”

“And you couldn’t have called on your way?”

“I’m sorry,” Lexi said quickly. “I wasn’t thinking. I just got in my car and started driving. This was the only place I could think of to go. But if you—”

Julia held up a hand. “This is probably more of my typical bad judgment, but I’ll help you.”

Lexi felt her knees go weak with relief. Julia Callahan was her first, last and only hope. She knew her father well enough to know he was punishing her. That when he felt as if she’d been gone long enough to learn her lesson, he’d pull her back. In the past, Lexi would have been scrambling to find a way to return to his good graces. Something had changed in her when she’d chosen her act of rebellion. From the start, she’d known he’d find out, and she’d understood there would be hell to pay. She also believed it couldn’t be worse than the hell she called a life.

“Thank you,” she whispered with a shaky breath. “I promise I won’t be an imposition on your life. I could answer phones or sweep up hair—whatever you need.”

“A job?” Julia looked confused. “I thought you needed moral support. You’re an attorney, for Pete’s sake. Why do you want to sweep the floors of a hair salon?”

“I’m licensed in North Carolina to practice, but if I register with the state’s bar association, my father will find me. I told you, I need time.”

“I’m going to make coffee. I need the caffeine.” The stylist looked over her shoulder at Lexi. “Have you had breakfast? We keep a stash of granola bars in the break room.”

Lexi followed her to the back of the building. “A granola bar would be great. And I really will help out with anything you need.”

Julia poured grounds into the coffee filter and filled the machine with water. She turned back to Lexi, shaking her head. “We start renovations next week on the salon’s expansion. I can’t hire anyone right now.”

“I get it. I appreciate the moral support. I guess.”

“No wonder your father can manipulate you so easily. Your emotions are written all over your face. You need to work on a tough exterior if you want to do okay on your own. Fake it till you make it, right? I thought lawyers were supposed to be excellent bluffers.”

Lexi slid into one of the folding chairs at the small table. “I’m not much of a bluffer. That’s why I was usually behind the scenes. I’m good at details and digging up dirt.”

“Yes, I remember,” Julia answered drily.

“Do you know anyone who’s hiring in Brevia? Just temporarily.”

A slow smile spread across Julia’s porcelain features. “Now that you mention it, I do know about an available job. One of the waitresses at the local bar had twins last night. They came about a month early and were practically born in the back of Sam’s police cruiser.”

“Are you thinking I’d make a good nanny?”

“I wouldn’t wish that job even on you. I’m thinking you’d make a perfect cocktail waitress.”

“I don’t drink,” Lexi said quickly.

“You have to serve the drinks. Not guzzle them yourself.”

Lexi unwrapped the granola bar Julia handed to her, her empty stomach grumbling in anticipation. “I don’t like those types of places.”

“I don’t like exercise,” the other woman countered, “but I still run five days a week.”

Lexi closed her eyes for a moment. Julia’s quick wit and no-nonsense attitude were what she’d initially found so fascinating. Almost a year ago, Lexi and her father had been hired by their longtime clients Dennis and Maria Johnson to investigate Julia’s life so they could try to take custody of her young son away from her. The boy’s biological father was the Johnsons’ son, Jeff.

Lexi knew if you threw enough money at a problem, it likely went away. But Julia had kept fighting. Sure, she had her problems, but Lexi had never seen someone stand up to people with so much power. Julia might have been faking her confidence some of the time, but it had made Lexi realize she didn’t have to be her father’s puppet forever.

Even if she owed him everything, didn’t she still deserve to make choices in her own life? To live life on her terms? She had to at least try.

“Could the work last six weeks?”

“I think so. Amy is going to have her hands full, but I know she doesn’t want to lose her job. She works at night, so she’ll be able to manage around the babies once she gets back on her feet.”

“It sounds good, although I don’t have any experience as a waitress.”

“Are you a quick learner?”

Lexi swallowed. “I made it through law school at the head of my class. I’m not sure how that applies to waitressing, but it’s all I’ve got.”

Julia watched her for another moment. “Are you sure you want to do this? It would be easier to go groveling to Daddy and beg him to give you back your cushy little life.”

Lexi stood. “I want a real life.”

“I know how that feels. I’ve got a place you can stay while you’re in town. Let me text my receptionist to come in early, then we can get you settled.” Julia took out her phone and began punching the keypad. “No offense, but you could use a shower and change of clothes.”

Lexi looked down at her wrinkled pants and the stain of coffee on her collared button-down. “I stayed at a cheap motel off the interstate last night,” she admitted. “The bathroom creeped me out too much to use this morning.”

“Clearly.” Julia finished her text, then grabbed a set of keys from a hook behind the door. “Are you ready?”

“As much as I appreciate your help, I can’t possibly impose and stay at your house,” Lexi argued.

“No doubt. You can have my apartment. With everything happening so quickly, I’m still on the lease. I’ve been subletting it to Sam’s dad, but Joe and my mom got married a few weeks ago. The place is empty.”

“Two family weddings in one year. Congrats, by the way.”

Julia smiled. “Thanks. It’s been a whirlwind but I’m happy.”

“Your relationship with Sam really started as a fake arrangement to help with the custody case?”

“It did, but then it became so much more.”

Lexi thought for a moment, then said, “I guess you could say that I’m partially responsible. Without the custody fight, who knows if or when you two would have gotten around to figuring out you’re perfect for each other.”

Julia laughed out loud. “Don’t push your luck. I said I’d help you. I’ll make sure you get the job, and sublet my apartment to you. I’ve got another three months on the lease. But as far as figuring out your life and growing a spine when it comes to your father, that’s all you.”

Lexi wondered if she’d ever be able to loosen her father’s hold. In the past she hadn’t realized how bad she wanted that. Now she did, and if this was her only chance to make it happen, she wasn’t going to blow it.

She nodded, her throat tight with emotion. “I’m going to give it my best shot.”

* * *

Scott Callahan heard the crash as he took another deep swallow from his glass of whiskey. He glanced toward the back of the bar as he jiggled the glass, determined to loosen every bit of liquor that clung to the melting ice.

“Sounds like she broke another one,” he said to the waitress who brought him a third round. His instructions upon his first order were clear: as soon as his glass was empty, he was ready for another. No questions asked and there’d be a hefty tip at the end of the night. When Scott drank, he did it fast and he did it alone.

In his case, misery did not love company.

“New girl,” the waitress answered. “The absolute worst I’ve ever seen.” She put the fresh glass on the table and picked up his empty. “Julia vouched for her, but it’s like she’s never even held a tray. Luke is desperate for the help. Hell, he’s desperate for a lot of things. But I don’t know if we have enough glasses in the back to keep her around much longer.”