HER CHRISTMAS WISH

The last thing rodeo cowboy Daniel Baron needs is a commitment. After a lifetime of feeling like an outsider among his larger-than-life stepfamily at Roughneck Ranch, Daniel is ready to leave the ring—and Texas—behind forever. Except he can’t stop thinking about the woman he just met—beautiful, bighearted…and pregnant.

Of course Nicole Bennett is attracted to strong, sweet Daniel—he’s pretty much perfect. But he made it clear that he doesn’t want a family, the one thing Nicole’s dreamed of her whole life. Now, just as that dream is coming true, Nicole could lose the only man she wants to share it with…unless Daniel can find the courage to open his heart.

Nicole couldn’t remember the last time her libido was so supercharged.

She was tempted to spend a few more minutes appreciating the handsome picture Daniel made leaning against the wall.

He smiled as she approached. “This is a surprise.”

“Weren’t you expecting me?” she teased.

“Yeah, just not like this. I was thinking the other day that I couldn’t imagine you in jeans.”

“Oh, you’ve been thinking about me?”

Daniel held her gaze. “Yes, ma’am.”

A liquid shiver went through her. Get a grip, Nicole. How could she facilitate a reconciliation between the Baron children and their mother if she was distracted by the way Daniel Baron filled out a pair of Wranglers?

“So. On a scale from one to I-should-just-throw-myself-from-the-truck, how bad do you think today’s gonna be?”

His lips quirked in a half smile. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ll do what I can to make it as painless as possible.”

“You’re a really nice guy.”

“Actually, I’m more of a cranky loner and recovering troublemaker.” His laugh was short and self-deprecating. “Maybe you just bring out my better qualities.”

Dear Reader,

If you’ve read any of my previous books, you probably know I love telling stories about families. So I was excited when the Mills & Boon editors gave me the flattering challenge of wrapping up the miniseries about the huge Baron family—six siblings in all, each with their own story written by a different author.

The unique opportunity to work with five talented authors made this project extra special. Trish Milburn, author of The Texan’s Cowgirl Bride, is one of my dearest longtime friends. Now I’m also fortunate to call Donna Alward, Barbara White Daille, Pamela Britton and Cathy McDavid friends. Everyone was enthusiastic and generous, quick to offer brainstorming assistance and encouragement. Building on their stories gave me wonderful supporting characters to work with!

My book tells the story of Daniel Burke Baron, who feels like an outcast among his stepsiblings, so much so that he shies away from the idea of family or ever having kids. Then he meets Nicole Bennett, a woman who’s compassionate, gorgeous, determined…and pregnant. I hope you enjoy watching their romance develop and rejoining all the members of the Baron clan for Christmas.

Happy holidays,

Tanya

The Texan’s Christmas

Tanya Michaels

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times bestselling author and five-time RITA® Award nominee TANYA MICHAELS has been writing love stories since middle school algebra class (which probably explains her math grades.) Her books, praised for their poignancy and humor, have received awards from readers and reviewers alike. Tanya is an active member of Romance Writers of America and a frequent public speaker. She lives outside Atlanta with her very supportive husband, two highly imaginative kids and a bichon frise who thinks she’s the center of the universe.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

The smell of someone’s take-out food filled the crowded elevator, and Nicole Bennett’s stomach clenched in protest. Seafood. Why did it have to be seafood? Her destination was another five stories up, but when the doors parted at the next floor, she seized her chance to escape. Otherwise, she might make the elevator ride very unpleasant for the other passengers.

Taking deep, cleansing breaths, she headed for the stairwell at the end of the hallway. She’d planned not to tell anyone she was pregnant until after the first trimester, but these attacks of nausea might force her hand. She and Adele had dinner reservations in an hour and a half. How was Nicole going to survive the restaurant if she couldn’t stomach food smells?

Every time Nicole thought about sharing her news with Adele Black, she was swamped with conflicting emotions. Her boss had mentored her since Nicole interned at AB Windpower in college. In the past couple of years, when Adele’s cancer made it impossible to carry out her normal responsibilities, Nicole had been her second-in-charge. The two women had grown very close—closer than Nicole had been to any of her foster moms during childhood.

There was no one Nicole wanted to share her joy with more, but motherhood was a complicated subject for Adele. Decades ago, after her postpartum depression had spiraled out of control, Adele had abandoned her own four children. When she’d asked later for visitation rights, her powerful ex-husband had said the kids were better off without her and threatened to ruin her if she ever contacted them. Adele had changed her name and built a company, but she’d never had a family again. Would Nicole’s news be bittersweet for her?

Then again, since the two women were temporarily sharing the apartment Adele kept near AB Windpower’s satellite office in Dallas, maybe hiding the pregnancy wasn’t practical.

Trudging up the next set of stairs, Nicole weighed her decision. As vice president of operations, she had a lot of responsibility. The company had lost a few employees this year, and she didn’t want to cause her mentor stress about being shorthanded during Nicole’s eventual maternity leave. Nicole had hoped to have a couple of new hires in place before she told Adele. Some strong candidates had sent in résumés, but with Christmas right around the corner and holiday plans scheduled, no one wanted to start until after the first of the year.

And can you blame them? What wouldn’t she give for family plans? For eager kids insisting it was time to get up and see what Santa had left, for siblings and cousins and grandparents sipping coffee in their flannel pajamas and robes?

She still had one last flight of stairs to go when the cell phone in her suit jacket buzzed. Probably Adele, trying to figure out what was taking so long. But to Nicole’s surprise, the name that flashed across her screen was Chris Miller.

Happy holidays, Nic! Any chance you have time to talk this week?

She smiled at the coincidence. Calling her former coworker was actually on her to-do list for tomorrow. Last spring, Chris had been Adele’s top choice to run the Dallas office. Life had thrown him some curveballs, though, and in the wake of finding out he was going to be a father, he’d left the company. Maybe his absence was for the best. Nicole didn’t know how she would have been able to face him regularly while keeping Adele’s secret. Through an odd quirk of fate, the woman Chris had recently married was Adele’s oldest daughter.

If this visit to Dallas went the way Nicole hoped, maybe there would no longer be a need for secrecy. She paused on the landing to text him back.

Great minds think alike! Just got to town & was hoping we could all have dinner one night. I’d love to see Lizzie & the baby.

No answer followed. She chalked it up to either his needing to check with Lizzie about details or being interrupted by their newborn. If Nicole didn’t get a response tonight, she’d phone him in the morning. In the meantime...

She pulled out her keycard and opened the door to the suite. “Hello? It’s me.”

Adele moved into view, carrying a bottle and two champagne flutes from the kitchen area into the living room. “About time, dear! I didn’t want to celebrate without you.”

A grin split Nicole’s face. “You got the results?”

Technically, Adele had already been declared cancer-free in San Antonio, but now that she was feeling well enough to travel, she’d wanted a second opinion from a respected specialist in Dallas. It was as if she’d been too afraid to believe she was in remission—as if, perhaps, she didn’t believe she deserved it. Adele had done a lot of soul-searching during her illness. At her sickest, she’d frequently spoken about the four children she’d left behind.

Lizzie, Savannah, Carly and Jet had been raised by their father, oil tycoon and rodeo legend Brock Baron. When Adele had feared she might die without getting a chance to tell her grown daughters and son that she was sorry or that she loved them, Nicole had urged her friend to contact them. Adele had balked, insisting she’d caused them enough pain already. It was too cruel to pop back into their lives just to tell them she was dying and to say goodbye. But perhaps now...

“Is that champagne?” Nicole asked, hesitating in the foyer. “I, uh, haven’t eaten much today. I’m afraid it might go straight to my head. Wouldn’t want to fall asleep on the cab ride to dinner.”

Adele shook her head. “Like I’m going to put alcohol into my body on top of everything else? It’s just fancy juice. But the exhilaration is real.”

Nicole stepped forward to hug her. Despite Adele’s fragile frame—she’d lost a ton of weight during treatment—there was strength in the return embrace. She’s improving every day. Adele’s graying hair was short and thin, and she still tended to sport shadows beneath her eyes, but she looked nice tonight. The red tunic sweater she wore added some pink to her cheeks. She was a spot of festive color amid the neutral decor. It gave Nicole an idea.

“You plan to be in Dallas for at least a couple of weeks, right? What if we...what if we get a Christmas tree?” She felt almost shy making the suggestion. Decorating for Christmas was traditionally a family endeavor.

“A tree?” Adele glanced around the room, as if seeking the perfect place to put one. “Yes, I think so. That’s a lovely idea. We’ll need to buy some ornaments and lights, though.”

“And we’ll have to figure out how to get it up here. I’m sure we can pay for some kind of delivery. I’ll look into options this week,” she volunteered.

“Thank you, dear. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Back at you,” Nicole said, trying not to think about the darkest days when she’d been afraid Adele wouldn’t make it. Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked rapidly. She sometimes wondered, in occasional guilty moments, if she’d decided to have the artificial insemination procedure because she was so aware she might lose the person who mattered the most to her. But she’d assured herself that the decision was not merely a reaction to fear. Nicole had wanted to be a mother as far back as she could remember. Some of her earliest memories were singing to and “feeding” baby dolls.

Granted, she’d thought she would be raising children with a husband, but she was almost thirty and couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone on more than four dates with the same guy. She still hoped to fall in love and marry someday, but it had begun to seem silly to put her dream on hold, waiting for something that may or may not ever happen. She’d always been the kind of person to take initiative.

And sometimes taking initiative meant giving a friend a swift kick in the tush. Accepting her glass of sparkling juice, Nicole said, “Chris Miller texted me on my way up. I’m going to try to see him and Lizzie this week.”

Adele was so still, it didn’t even look as if she were breathing. “Well, naturally. I figured you would.”

Although Adele had refused to contact her children directly during her chemotherapy, she’d sent Nicole to Dallas with a merger proposal between AB Windpower and Baron Energies. Nicole had never believed the industry giant would link themselves with the much smaller alternative energy company, but it had given her the opportunity to meet Lizzie Baron in person, to report back to Adele that her daughter was savvy and kind and on the verge of motherhood herself. During one of Lizzie and Nicole’s meetings, Lizzie had begun cramping and bleeding; it was Nicole who’d driven her to the hospital. Although the women didn’t know each other well, Nicole considered Lizzie a friend.

“And you figured I’d let you in on how they’re doing? Maybe take a few pictures of the baby?” Nicole asked. Despite her loyalty and affection for her boss, she didn’t enjoy feeling like a spy. And she didn’t enjoy lying by omission. “I have a better idea. You should make plans to see them for yourself.”

Reaching blindly behind her, Adele groped for the cream leather sofa and sank onto it. “Surely you don’t think I should call my grown daughter out of the blue and say, ‘Hey, can we grab coffee?’”

“Nothing that glib.” Nicole sat next to her. “Now that your health is better, you should get in touch with them. Adele, you have a second chance. Don’t waste it. I can’t keep stalking them. It’s creepy.”

“It’s not as if I asked you to hide in the shrubbery and watch them through binoculars.” Adele tried to joke about the situation, but her light tone didn’t last long. “What if my reaching out only upsets them? I don’t want to intrude where I’m not welcome. Can you...can you ask Lizzie about me, about whether she’d want to hear from her estranged mother after all this time? I know she doesn’t necessarily speak for all of them, but she’s the oldest. When they were little, her sisters looked up to her. Lizzie might be a good barometer of how they feel.”

Now that Lizzie’s baby was born, conversation about motherhood would be natural. Nicole could ask gentle questions about whether Lizzie missed her own mom. She hoped she’d handle the situation delicately enough; Chris and Lizzie probably weren’t getting a lot of sleep these days. Their emotions could be on edge—to say nothing of Nicole’s own pregnancy mood swings. She’d been a bit of a tomboy growing up and had almost never cried when she fell off a bike or when her foster brothers teased her about being “too short” to play basketball. Yet for the past week, she’d constantly felt on the edge of tears. Was now really the best time to play mediator?

It’s Christmas—the season of miracles. And a miracle may be exactly what Adele and her children needed.

* * *

EVERY TELEVISION CHANNEL seemed intent on reminding the viewer that Christmas was around the corner—classic animated movies, Christmas episodes of popular sitcoms, commercials promising “perfect gifts” for loved ones. Daniel Burke Baron punched the power button on the remote with an internal bah, humbug. Pain made him cranky. While Texas wasn’t known for cold weather, the low temperature tonight was frosty enough to aggravate the lingering ache in his bruised ribs and make his recovering shoulder feel stiffer than normal.

Last month, he’d had surgery after being thrown from a bull in the rodeo ring, and he was damned impatient to get started with physical therapy. He wanted to feel like himself again.

With the television turned off, silence pressed in around him. But it lasted only a moment before a knock resounded through the one-room, remodeled bunkhouse. This building had once been part of a ranch that sold off its acreage to neighboring spreads decades ago. Daniel had wanted something simple, just a comfortable, low-maintenance place to crash when he wasn’t out on the rodeo circuit. It was a few miles from the practice ring and livestock on the Roughneck, his stepfather’s ranch, but lately Daniel had been wondering if he should have struck farther out on his own.

Annoyed with the fresh throbbing in his side when he stood, he answered the door, unsurprised to find his older brother, Jacob.

In lieu of a greeting, Jacob stated the obvious. “You missed Sunday dinner.”

It was traditional for the Baron siblings and step siblings to gather at the ranch on Sunday evenings for a family meal. Those meals had become increasingly crowded lately. Two of his stepsisters had married within the past year. Jet, Carly and Jacob were all engaged. And it wasn’t just spouses or fiancés who’d been added to the mix. Until a few months ago, the only kid under the roof had been Alex, the son of Brock Baron’s third wife. Now the five-year-old was surrounded by new cousins. Daniel had been as stunned as his brother when Jacob discovered in October that he had a toddler son, but in a very short time, Cody had become the center of Jacob’s world.

“Sorry,” Daniel said. “Didn’t quite feel up to it tonight.” If he were being honest with himself, it wasn’t just the shoulder pain that had made him reluctant to go. This was the time of year he always missed his mother the most, and his seasonal melancholy seemed like an ill fit for all the nuptial bliss around the dining room table. Why dampen everyone else’s festive mood?

“Well, Anna sent leftovers.” Jacob held out two Tupperware containers.

Daniel’s mouth lifted in a half grin. He’d always been fond of the housekeeper. She was like him, a member of the household, but not exactly a Baron. Although Brock had adopted Daniel and Jacob after marrying Peggy Burke, he’d never treated them as entirely equal to his real children.

“Thanks. I haven’t actually eaten yet.”

Jacob followed Daniel to the kitchen. “The other reason I stopped by was to let you know I found you a replacement chauffeur for tomorrow.” Ever since Daniel’s accident, Jacob had been driving him to his medical appointments.

“I could drive myself.”

“In downtown traffic? That sling on your arm limits your reflexes and range of motion.”

They might be adults now, but Jacob was still the same protective big brother who’d tried to look after Daniel when their biological father was arrested for embezzlement and sent to prison.

“I feel bad that I can’t reschedule my meeting,” Jacob said.

“Don’t even consider that, not when you worked so hard to get where you are.” After years of Jacob busting his ass to earn their stepfather’s respect, Brock had finally deigned to give Jacob a position at Baron Energies. “Seriously, I’ll survive without the moral support.”

Jacob knew better than anyone how much Daniel disliked doctors’ offices and hospitals, nearly to the point of phobia, but Daniel was almost looking forward to this visit. If all went well, he’d leave the appointment sling-free and cleared to begin therapy.

After sticking one of the containers in the microwave, Daniel went to the refrigerator for a beer. He offered one to his brother. “You have a few minutes to stick around, or does Mariana need your help wrangling Cody into bed?”

Grinning, Jacob reached for the bottle. “The nice thing about time at the ranch is that Cody wears himself out. Lots of space to run around, lots of kids to play with. He was asleep when I dropped off him and Mariana at the house. And speaking of being dropped off...Carly’s going to drive you to your orthopedic appointment. She has a dress fitting four blocks away, so it just makes sense. She’ll come back and get you afterward.”

Carly was the youngest of the Baron sisters and a real spitfire. Barrel racing hadn’t been enough for her; she’d also insisted on trying her hand at bull riding. But lately, her conversations were less about rodeo standings and more about flower arrangements and seating charts. She was getting married at the end of December, just after Christmas.

“So was dinner conversation all about weddings?” Daniel asked. Next spring, he’d be standing as Jacob’s best man. He should probably come up with some helpful input between now and then.

Jacob frowned. “Actually, when Brock was out of the room, talk was mostly about Delia. I mean, Adele.”

For months now, Daniel’s stepsiblings had been working to find out what happened to their mother, Delia Baron. They’d learned that she’d changed her name to Adele Black and was in fact the CEO of AB Windpower. Now that they knew who she was, they’d been trying to agree on how to proceed. They were troubled by the discovery that she’d been buying chunks of Baron Energies stock. Daniel had the impression that Savannah and Carly in particular wanted to reunite with their estranged mom, but it would be difficult to find a happy ending if she was trying to orchestrate some kind of takeover.

Frankly, Daniel’s adolescence—his father’s arrest and, later, his mom’s death—had left him skeptical about happy endings in general.

Stifling his cynicism, he carried his food to the table and changed the subject to an upcoming rodeo exhibition, a charity event to raise funds for youth programs. If Daniel hadn’t been injured, he would have participated. As it was, he planned to attend to cheer on some buddies and talk others into buying tickets for a good cause.

As they chatted about mutual rodeo acquaintances, Jacob suddenly snapped his fingers. “I’ve been meaning to tell you—Bodie Williams is in town.” Another veteran of the rodeo circuit, Bodie had been a friend to both brothers. He’d never made it as high in the standings as Jacob or Daniel, though, and had quit for full-time ranch work.

Daniel lowered his gaze, feeling suddenly guilty. “Yeah. Actually, he and I caught up at a sports bar Friday afternoon.” Bodie had shown him pictures of the ranch in Colorado where he worked. The Double F was hiring, and Bodie was willing to put in a good word on Daniel’s behalf with his new boss.

If Daniel admitted that he was thinking about leaving, would Jacob support the move or try to talk him into staying? The two of them had always been close. After their mom’s death, they’d shared a kind of “us against the world” bond. But Jacob was raising a son now. He worked for the family company, had been accepted into the fold and would be married by this time next year. His life was moving forward in a clear direction.

Daniel, on the other hand, felt increasingly out of place. For a while, success in the rodeo arena had given him some common ground with the other Barons. But between his injury and the way his siblings had been falling in love left and right...

New Year’s was just around the corner. Wasn’t that a perfect time for resolutions and fresh starts? Maybe Daniel’s fresh start was in Colorado.

Chapter Two

After a morning of phone tag and realizing that her friends were nervous about taking a baby out among holiday crowds, Nicole offered to meet Chris and Lizzie for lunch at their own home. It had seemed like a simple, low-stress solution.

The Millers were both dark-haired and attractive, a well-matched couple. But right now, they both wore similar strained expressions. Nicole sat at the kitchen table, trying not to wince.

“She’s not usually this fussy,” Lizzie said apologetically, pacing laps around the kitchen and trying to soothe the shrieking infant in her arms. “She should be napping, but she’s too tired to fall asleep.”

Chris, who’d been pulling bowls out of a cabinet for their soup, studied his wife with protective concern. “You look like you could use a break. Why don’t you let me take her for a bit?”

Lizzie passed along the pink-clad bundle, then got an oven mitt to lift the hot lid off the slow cooker. The tantalizing scent of homemade ham and bean soup filled the room.

It smelled delicious, but Nicole felt guilty that the two busy parents had gone to any trouble. “I wish you’d let me bring something from the deli.” In the next room, Natalie was still crying, but it seemed less vehement now.

Lizzie shook her head. “The soup was easy, I swear. And I’m not used to spending so much time at home. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the time with my daughter, but I still need to feel useful in other ways.”

During a lull in the crying, they could hear the low murmur of Chris’s voice as he sang to the infant.

Cocking her head, Lizzie paused to listen. “He is so good with her.” There was a wealth of love in her voice. Despite any frustrations like a baby who wouldn’t stop crying or the drastic changes to Lizzie’s schedule, she was obviously happy with her life. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe I’d planned to be a single mother. When I first told Chris I was pregnant, I wasn’t sure how involved he’d want to be—we weren’t exactly together at the time. But now, I can’t imagine my life without him. I don’t know how women do this alone.”

Nicole swallowed hard. Raising a baby on her own was a daunting prospect. But people did it all the time, her own mother notwithstanding. Financially, Nicole was more fortunate than many, and she could afford to hire help. She hadn’t made this decision with the naive belief that it would be easy; she’d simply refused to let fear stop her from pursuing what she most wanted out of life.

“You okay?” Lizzie asked, jolting Nicole from her thoughts.

“Sure. Sorry. Distracted by work stuff,” she lied.

Something shifted in Lizzie’s gaze, as if she were holding back a comment.

“What is it?” Nicole prodded.

“I... Maybe we should wait for Chris to come back. He was going to handle this.”

“Handle what?” Nicole asked, her curiosity now at peak level.

“Part of the reason we wanted to see you was to ask you about...” She sighed. “I don’t want to put you in a difficult position. AB Windpower is your employer. More specifically, Adele Black is your employer. I understand your loyalty is to her.”

There was a shaky, emotional emphasis on the her. Lizzie didn’t sound as if she were just talking about a CEO of another energy company. Oh, God. Did Lizzie know Adele was her mother? Nicole hadn’t been prepared for that. If Lizzie confided in her, should Nicole admit she was already aware of the situation? That she’d known Adele’s relation to the Barons even before meeting Lizzie?

By nature, Nicole was a forthright person. Skirting the truth didn’t come easily to her. Right now, she felt as if she were wearing a blinking neon sign that said Deception! Ulterior Motives! Rising Nausea!

That last part overwhelmed her out of the blue. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply and willing it to pass. “Can you excuse me for a minute? I need to use the restroom.” She fought her instinct to sprint through their house, but only barely. She passed Chris at an impressive speed-walking clip.

Though the baby’s cries had tapered, she was still putting up a fight. As Nicole pressed cold water to her face, she heard another howl. She could empathize. If she had to choose between allegiance to Adele and friendship with the Millers, she might cry, too.

* * *

DR. GREENE, A TALL, slim woman in her fifties, raised her eyebrows above her wire-rim glasses. “You’re awfully tense. Worried about the results of the surgery?”

Daniel shook his head, feeling sheepish. “Medical facilities give me the heebie-jeebies. No offense, Doc.”

“None taken.” She confirmed that he was doing the “passive” exercises she’d recommended and that he could make it through most days without pain medication. “All things considered, you’re healing nicely. But...even with the surgical reattachment of the ligament and the physical therapy you’ll be starting, your shoulder’s stability is compromised. I have a son your age. And if he were in the same situation, I’d ask him to think about quitting the rodeo circuit. Going forward, you’re in jeopardy of reinjuring your shoulder.”

The idea of giving up rodeos wasn’t as upsetting as she might think. Although Daniel had worked hard to earn his ranking—sometimes even beating Jacob, who’d had a real shot at the National Finals—his career path had developed more from his environment than a conscious desire on his part. People called oil the family business, and God knew Baron Energies had made Brock plenty of money, but, until this year, it would have been equally true to say rodeo was the family business.

His thoughts drifted to Bodie’s description of life at the Double F. Daniel enjoyed physical labor. Ranch work would allow him to continue being around livestock without the risks of trying to stay on Brahman or longhorn descendants specifically bred to buck.

Thanking the doctor for her advice, Daniel promised to give it serious consideration. She told him he could pick up the referral paperwork for the therapist at the checkout window, then left him to put his shirt back on. He was glad not to be hampered by the sling anymore, anxious to start PT and rebuild his strength.

When he returned to the waiting room, he spotted Carly in one of the padded seats, idly twisting a blond curl around her finger as she studied a bridal magazine. As he got close enough to see the hot-pink headline, he realized she was looking at a checklist. Damn, there were a lot of items! Surely checklists that detailed were necessary only for royal weddings.

She glanced up with a smile. “All done?”

“Finished and sling-free.”

“Great. Do you mind if we make a stop on the way to your place? I need to swing by the florist and double-check all the arrangements. And corsages. And bouquets. I’d love to get your opinion on them!” She paused, then flashed a mischievous smile at his rising discomfort. “Kidding. Julieta asked me to drop off some assorted baby supplies Chris and Lizzie left at the ranch yesterday.”

Midday traffic wasn’t too bad, and the drive didn’t take long.

As Carly grabbed the baby stuff from the backseat, she asked, “Aren’t you coming in? I mean, I don’t expect to be here long, but I was going to take the opportunity to snuggle our niece. Assuming she’s awake.”

He’d already missed a family gathering yesterday. Staying in the vehicle now would be downright antisocial. A few feet from the front door, it became evident that baby Natalie was very much awake.

“Yikes.” Carly grimaced. “Someone’s unhappy.”

Daniel wondered if, among the metric ton of other infant-care paraphernalia, Chris and Lizzie had also purchased earplugs.

Without bothering to knock, Carly opened the door. “Hello?” They found Chris in the living room, pacing with his daughter. “I brought some of the things you guys left at the Roughneck. Any chance there’s something in this bag that will help? Favorite pacifier? Magic wand?”

“I think this’ll be over soon,” Chris said. “She can’t even keep her eyes open. It’s not the most peaceful way to fall asleep, but she’ll be out in another ten minutes.”

Ten more minutes of this? Daniel felt a wave of sympathy for the other man.

Chris nodded toward the kitchen. “Lizzie was just about to fill some bowls of soup if you guys haven’t eaten lunch yet.”

“Thanks, but I had a big breakfast,” Carly said. Daniel could have hugged her for declining the invitation. “But I definitely want to say hi before we leave.”

The first thing Daniel noticed as they approached the kitchen was the warm, savory smell. But that was immediately overshadowed by the staggering tension in the room. Lizzie was standing at the counter, holding a ladle in a white-knuckle grip, her eyes bright with emotion.

Seated at the table was another woman, a beautiful brunette who looked vaguely familiar. But if he’d met her before, why didn’t he recognize her? Short of being kicked in the head by a bull and sustaining brain damage, it seemed impossible any man would forget her. She was stunning, with something indefinably exotic about her appearance. Perhaps her coloring, or the shape of her dark eyes? Her delicate features were balanced by her lush mouth and framed by thick, straight hair that tumbled well past her shoulders.

Right now, however, her lovely features were crinkled into an anxious frown. Were the two women distraught over the baby’s misery, or had he and Carly walked in on the middle of an argument?

“Daniel, Carly.” Lizzie cleared her throat, forcing a smile as she met her sister’s gaze. “This is Nicole Bennett.”

Right! “We met in April,” Daniel recalled, “when you brought Lizzie to the hospital.”

Nicole nodded. “Nice to see you again.”

He would have remembered sooner but he’d been preoccupied when they met, worried about Lizzie. He’d always had a soft spot for the oldest Baron. If anyone could understand Brock’s favoritism of Jet and how it made Jacob and Daniel feel, it would have been her. Although she was the firstborn, Brock often underestimated her because she was female. It had taken the old man’s medical leave from Baron Energies for him to finally trust her with the responsibility she deserved.

Carly straightened, her posture alert. “Nicole Bennett who works for AB Windpower?”

No wonder the atmosphere was tense. Had Chris and Lizzie invited the woman here to ask her about the stock purchases?

Whatever conversation had been taking place, Nicole looked reluctant to continue. She rose from her chair. “I should get back to the office.”

“We haven’t even had lunch,” Lizzie protested.

“I wouldn’t have eaten much anyway,” Nicole said. “My, um, stomach hasn’t entirely settled since the turbulent flight into Dallas yesterday. I don’t blame the baby for having an off day, but I’m not sure this is the best time to talk. It sounds like you and Chris wanted to ask me some questions. Instead of trying to cram everything into my lunch hour, why don’t we get together over the weekend?”

“I’d like to be there, too,” Carly said softly. “Sorry. I realize you don’t know me, but—”

“Actually, I think you should be present for the conversation,” Nicole agreed. “Probably Savannah and Jet, too.”

Wow. Her bravery was impressive. Facing down all the Barons at once was no easy task.

“Are you free Sunday?” Lizzie asked. “You could join us at the ranch.”

Daniel’s eyebrows shot up. Nothing like trial by fire. “What is that, like ten against one?”

All three females turned to him in surprise. Well, he was surprised, too. He hadn’t meant to voice his thoughts.

“Nobody’s ‘against’ Nicole,” Lizzie said, a hint of indignation in her voice. “She’s right, though. We do have some questions for her.” The Baron sisters exchanged glances, then Lizzie added, “But there’s no reason we have to ask them in front of Dad. After everyone’s done eating, he can take the older kids to feed the goats or something.”

“Just text me what time and let me know what I can bring,” Nicole said. “Dessert? A loaf of French bread?”

“Just answers,” Lizzie said, her expression forlorn.

Instead of looking cornered or dreading the inevitable interrogation, Nicole stepped forward and squeezed her hand. “I’ll answer anything I can, I promise. Guess I’ll see all of you this weekend?” She shot Daniel a questioning glance.

Nodding, Daniel had the fleeting thought that maybe his presence would give Nicole a measure of moral support. Ridiculous. She barely knew him. Besides, if she confirmed that Adele Black was in some way attempting to damage Baron Energies, there wasn’t much Daniel could do to stop the outrage headed her way. Watching her leave, he silently wished her good luck.

When he turned back, he found both his stepsisters regarding him with speculative expressions. For the first time since he’d arrived, Lizzie didn’t look upset. In fact, her lips twitched in the beginning of a smile. She and Carly exchanged knowing glances.

And Daniel experienced a stab of foreboding.

* * *

NICOLE MADE A beeline to the small meeting room Adele was using as an office, sparing a moment from her anxiety attack to appreciate that her friend even felt well enough to come into work. There had been times during the past two years when that had been the exception rather than the rule.

Adele glanced up from the spreadsheet printouts she was going over with one of the local employees, her smile faltering when she saw Nicole’s expression. “Everything okay?”

“Absolutely. I just need to run something by you when you have a minute.”

“We were finishing up here.” She smiled at the bearded man who sat next to her. “Nice job. If there’s nothing else...?”

“Nope, we covered everything.” He straightened his Christmas tie and reached for the suit jacket hanging on the back of his chair. It was very warm in here. Adele, who got cold easily these days, had an electric heater plugged in a few feet away. The man nodded politely to Nicole, then headed down the hall.

Closing the door for privacy, Nicole took a deep breath. We have a problem. But she swallowed back the words, wanting to put a positive spin on the situation. Would it really be so terrible if Lizzie had figured out that Delia Baron and Adele Black were the same woman? Whatever mistakes she’d made in the past, Adele was a wonderful person. The Baron siblings deserved to know their mother and vice versa.

The biggest drawback she could see to Lizzie and the others knowing Adele’s identity was that Adele had been robbed of the opportunity to tell them herself. They might question whether she would have come forward of her own volition.

Nicole dropped into a chair, amazed she could be this tired so early in the day. There had been points in her career when she’d worked until ten o’clock at night without even realizing it. Now she felt as if she needed a nap by two in the afternoon. The half dozen pregnancy books loaded onto her e-reader said exhaustion was normal in the first trimester and often passed. Still, she’d feel better if she could get that confirmed from someone who’d been through it recently. She desperately wanted to confide in Lizzie, but it would be wrong to tell her before Adele, who’d known Nicole for so much longer and given her so many opportunities.

“Did you see Chris and Lizzie?” Adele sat forward in her chair, showing her eagerness for any scrap of information about her daughter.

“I did. They invited me to their house, but we cut lunch short. Your granddaughter is even more beautiful in person than in the pictures Chris emailed me.” There’d been a moment when Nicole first arrived, before the crying started, when Natalie had looked so angelic that tears had pricked Nicole’s eyes. “She also has a healthy set of lungs on her. Her resistance to falling asleep made conversation difficult, so we rescheduled for Sunday. But, Adele, I’m afraid Sunday could get a little tricky.”

“How do you mean?”

“Lizzie said she had questions for me, but she didn’t know how to ask because she knows I’m loyal to my employer. To you. She looked...shaken up. And she’s not someone who rattles easily. I think she and Carly and the others may have figured out that you’re their mother.”

So many emotions flashed across Adele’s face that it was almost dizzying to watch. Joy and terror and disbelief and hope. “I don’t know what to say.” She hugged her arms around herself. “I suppose I always knew it was a possibility, but as the years passed, it seemed less and less likely. I wasn’t sure that, after what I did, they’d care enough to look.”

Had they gone searching for their mom, or had it been more of an accidental discovery? Considering Adele’s name change, the latter seemed unlikely.

“You know you’re one of the most important people in my life,” Nicole said, “professionally and personally. But I care about Chris and Lizzie, too. I don’t want to lie to them.” Last spring, she’d respected Adele’s wishes, surreptitiously gathering information to assure Adele her kids were thriving, because she hadn’t seen the point in upsetting a pregnant Lizzie with news of a mother who was wasting away from cancer. But circumstances were different now.

“You want to tell them who I am on Sunday. Or, if you’re right about them knowing, confirm it?”

“That’s one option. The other is that perhaps you could get in touch with them yourself before then,” Nicole said gently.

“Oh, I don’t know. I...” It took her a few seconds to compose herself enough to continue speaking. “You described Lizzie as ‘shaken up.’ Not hopeful or wistful. She may not want to hear from me. And could you blame her? Walking away from those kids was a terrible, terrible thing.”

“You had extreme postpartum depression,” Nicole said. “You weren’t entirely in your right mind.”

“Which is why I met with their father later and asked for visitation rights.”

Which he’d ruthlessly denied. Brock was a powerful, unyielding man with enough money to fund a team of lawyers. Instead of drawing her children into an ugly legal battle, Adele had left them in peace to bond with their new stepmother.

“I didn’t fight hard enough for them,” Adele said, her voice low and full of shame. “I could have reached out to them once they were no longer minors, but...how could I face them after all that time? How can I face them now?”

“For what it’s worth,” Nicole said, “if my own mom tracked me down, I’d want to see her. I’d like to think I’ve forgiven her for doing what she thought was in my best interest.”

Gina Marie Bennett, a pregnant teenager, had angered her parents by not putting her baby up for adoption. As soon as she turned eighteen, they kicked her and Nicole out of the house. Two years later, burdened with a drug problem and a malnourished toddler, Gina Marie had sought refuge in a church during a devastating thunderstorm. For a decade, Nicole had bounced between foster care and an intermittently sober Gina Marie.

Her mother hadn’t shown up for a scheduled visit on Nicole’s fourteenth birthday. Nicole had held out hope that her mother would eventually return, that they could be a family. But she’d never seen her mom again. When Nicole was sixteen and living in a different home, she received a forwarded Christmas card with no return address. In it, her mother had written that her beautiful daughter deserved a better life than a druggie could provide. Gina Marie had loved her enough to get rid of her, but not enough to stay clean for her.

Now, looking at Adele, Nicole’s eyes misted. What a pair we are. One woman who had been dumped by her mom and another who’d walked away from her kids. It didn’t take a psychology degree to see how they’d helped fill certain holes in each other’s life. But maybe Adele didn’t have to settle for a stand-in daughter. Her biological children had never been more in reach.

“If nothing else, you should tell them you’re sorry,” Nicole added. “It would be good for them and for you.”

Adele bit her lip, unconvinced. “I don’t want to clear my own conscience at the expense of upsetting them. I know I’ve already asked far more of you than is appropriate, but can you do me one more favor? When you see them on Sunday, let them know I’m in Dallas, that I’d give anything to see them. But the choice is theirs. If they prefer, I can fade away like I was never here.”

Nicole had been Adele’s emissary in hundreds of professional situations. She had mixed feelings about serving that role in this capacity, but if there was any chance she could help reunite a family...

“Okay.” She prayed that she was right about Lizzie and the others wanting a second chance with their mother. If not, Adele would be crushed.

Meanwhile, since Nicole was being so vocal about her friend coming clean and sharing her secrets, maybe it was only fair she take her own advice. “Just so you know, there’s one other thing I want to discuss with Lizzie on Sunday. But I can’t imagine telling her—or anyone else—before first telling you. I’m...”

The word was momentous. She paused, struck anew by the magnitude of her choice. Happiness spread through her, a buzz of warmth and excitement. “I’m pregnant.”

Adele’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“So, I guess it’s safe to say you weren’t expecting that?” Nicole’s queasiness and unusual lack of energy would have eventually given her away, but since she’d been in Dallas for only a day, there hadn’t been enough opportunity for Adele to notice yet.

“N-no, definitely not! I have to admit, I’ve worried at times that taking such good care of me didn’t leave you any room for dating. I—”

“The only ‘date’ involved in conceiving this baby was the cozy night I spent sitting by the fireplace and reading donor files. Well, and the day I had the procedure done, of course.”

“Procedure? You were artificially inseminated?” Adele’s shock didn’t seem to be abating.

“Why not?” Was there a touch of defensiveness in her tone? She dropped a hand to her still-flat abdomen. “I don’t know what the future has in store for me, but I know I’m ready to be a mom. Guy or no guy in my life, I want this.” Unlike Nicole’s younger self, this baby would never, ever feel unwanted. He or she would be completely secure in Nicole’s love. “Be happy for me?”

“Of course I am, dear!” The confusion and surprise in Adele’s expression faded. “You’re going to make a wonderful mom. And if there’s anything I can do to help along the way, to repay you for—”

“There’s nothing that needs repaying,” Nicole insisted. Taking care of Adele hadn’t been a selfless act. It had allowed Nicole to feel as if she had some measure of control, even if it was only an illusion. Watching her friend go through that terrible illness had been wrenching, but it would have been even worse if Nicole had felt useless. Cooking Adele doctor-recommended foods and coaxing her to eat had made Nicole feel like a member of the team, as if she was doing her part—no matter how small—to help beat back the cancer.

“A baby.” Adjusting to the idea, Adele grinned delightedly. “You do know that, as honorary grandmother, I’m going to spoil the kid rotten?”

“I’m sure she, or he, will learn a lot from you. God knows I have.”

There was no question that Adele would make a wonderful honorary grandmother. But Nicole hoped that by the time her child was born in seven and a half months, Adele would already have plenty of practice with her other grandchildren.

Chapter Three

There was a certain kind of soreness Daniel found gratifying—the kind that came from a challenging workout or staying out all night dancing with pretty ladies. As he exited the therapy building Thursday afternoon, he felt sore but upbeat. His physical therapist had not been what he expected. A gorgeous redhead, Sierra Bailey had a face like a porcelain doll and the soul of a drill sergeant.

After explaining the pendulum exercises she wanted him to do at home, she’d warned, “I’ll know if you don’t do them. And there will be hell to pay.”

He believed her. He also believed she was eminently qualified to whip him back into shape. The plan was to start with a regimen that increased his range of motion and flexibility. Strength would come later. Sierra had told him that once he’d regained enough mobility, she’d add biceps exercises. He couldn’t wait to feel like his old self again. He might even spend some extra time at the Roughneck so he could use the ranch’s heated pool for some of his exercises.

As he turned onto the sidewalk that cut through the medical complex toward the parking lot, he spotted a dark-haired woman coming from the other direction. She had a hand against her midsection, and his first thought was that she might be in pain. Then the wind tossed her hair back, away from her face. Nicole Bennett? Unlike the tension he’d glimpsed in her face the other day, now she wore a dreamy expression. She radiated a serenity he wasn’t sure he personally had ever experienced.

“Nicole?” he called.

She looked up, startled. He felt a twinge of guilt for disrupting her moment of peace. “Daniel.” Her voice was breathier than he remembered.

“Did you have an appointment here?” He circled his finger, indicating the horseshoe cluster of buildings that housed medical professionals ranging from orthodontists to podiatrists. Didn’t Nicole live in San Antonio? It seemed odd she would have a doctor in Dallas. Not that it was any of his business.

“Oh.” She blinked. “I, um...”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry. I was just surprised to run into you. I was meeting with my physical therapist for the first time.”

Nicole cocked her head, studying him. “Chris mentioned you were hurt bull riding. Was it bad?” Her dark eyes were still roving over his body, ostensibly checking for injury, but his hormones didn’t seem to care about the platonic reason for her scrutiny. Awareness simmered through him, clouding his thoughts to the point where he could barely remember her question.

“Whoops.” She dropped her gaze. “Guess I’m the one prying now.”

“No, that’s okay. I...” Got distracted. By her eyes. Maybe best not to say that to a near stranger. “My injury was bad enough to need outpatient surgery. I consider myself lucky. Could have been a lot worse. Brock’s living proof of that.” It was ironic, given their many differences, that he and his stepfather had this one thing in common—being knocked on their butts by an ornery bull.

“When I visited Dallas in April, he was in a wheelchair. He’s better now?”

“He’s back on his feet, but I don’t think Julieta’s going to let him enter any more senior rodeos.”

“What about you? Do you plan to get back in the saddle?”

“I haven’t made up my mind, but...probably not.” It was easier to admit that to a virtual stranger than his rodeo-centric family. “I enjoyed competing. I love winning. But I’m ready for something new. I’ve been thinking a lot about my future lately, trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up,” he joked. “Sometimes you reach a point when it’s time to take the next step in your life, you know?”

“I do.” Something flickered in her eyes, and she took a deep breath, as if trying to steady herself.

“Are you okay?” He wouldn’t be surprised if the idea of facing all the Barons this weekend was giving the poor woman an ulcer.

“Absolutely. But I should be getting back to my office.”

“Right. See you Sunday.” He lifted his hand in a brief wave, but it quickly became apparent that, although they’d been coming from opposite directions, they were both headed to the same section of the parking lot. The silence between them as they fell in step frayed his nerves.

He couldn’t help feeling as if Nicole was headed into the lion’s den on Sunday. Growing up on the ranch, he’d had Jacob as an ally. He wanted Nicole to feel she had someone in her corner, too.

“I realize it’s not my place to say this,” he began, “but there’s some history between your employer and the Barons. I don’t want you to be caught in the middle. Adele Black, she...” Now what, genius? The rest of his unfinished sentence was a Pandora’s box he shouldn’t open.

“Adele is their mother,” Nicole said quietly.

His shoulders slumped in relief. “You know.” If it was information she already possessed, then he hadn’t crossed any lines by addressing the subject.

She nodded. “And now you’ve answered my question about whether or not Lizzie and the others know. I was already planning on having a very candid conversation with them, but it’s nice to have an idea of what I’m walking into.” She was back to studying him—this time, searching his gaze with naked curiosity. “I’m surprised you brought it up, though.”

So am I. He’d made it a policy to stay out of discussions about Brock’s first wife. But he hadn’t wanted Nicole to show up at the ranch unprepared. Did that make him disloyal to his stepsiblings? “Well, the Barons can be intense. They—”

“They? Not ‘we’?” She gave him a teasing smile. “Aren’t you a Baron, too?”

“On paper.” Daniel had wondered more than once if his mom had asked Brock to adopt her boys to provide another layer of insulation between them and convicted felon Oscar Burke. No one at their new school would dare bully a Baron. “I mean, my brother, Jacob, and I are technically Barons, but we weren’t born into it. Lizzie and Carly and the others are great. But as kids, with immature sibling rivalry and the awkwardness of meshing two households...”

“I get it. I was a foster kid and lived with some nice families through the years. But even with the ones I felt closest to, they weren’t really my family.”

Hearing about her upbringing made him feel ungrateful. At least he and Jacob had always had a home, always had each other. Who did Nicole Bennett have?

She stopped next to a compact car that sported a decal logo for a well-known rental company. “This is mine, temporarily anyway. Thank you for looking out for me.” She surprised him by reaching out, squeezing his forearm gently. At her touch, a rush of endorphins replaced his earlier soreness. He didn’t know which he was enjoying more—the contact between them or the way she was looking at him. Her admiring expression did more to make him feel like a badass than any rodeo buckle he’d ever won. “I’m glad you’ll be there this weekend, Daniel.”

Something shorted in his brain when she said his name, and he heard himself ask, “Would you like a ride? Sunday, obviously. Not now.” What are you doing? He lived five miles from the ranch and had been trying to stay out of his siblings’ investigation of their mom. So why was he volunteering to go completely out of his way to pick up Adele’s second-in-command?

She chuckled. “Is this because you feel sorry for me?”

“No, ma’am.” If she thought pity was the only reason a man would want to spend time with her, she clearly didn’t own a mirror. “I, uh, wasn’t supposed to drive much after my fall, so I’ve been having to rely on volunteer chauffeurs. It feels so good to be in the driver’s seat again, I’m looking for excuses to get behind the wheel.” Thank God Jacob couldn’t hear him now. He’d never let Daniel live down such a lame excuse.

“Plus, GPS isn’t always reliable out in rural areas,” he continued, powering through the embarrassment. Rodeo taught a man to hang on tight and keep going. “If you ride with me, there’s no chance of getting lost, with the added bonus that you know there’ll be a friendly face as soon as you arrive.”

“I’d like that.” She met his eyes, and color tinged her cheeks. “I’d like that a lot.”

They exchanged phone numbers and she typed the address where she was staying into his contact list. Daniel climbed into his truck, whistling under his breath and unable to remember the last time he’d been so eager for one of the weekly family gatherings.

* * *

“YOU ARE A bad influence,” Nicole chided, leaning back in her chair. “We should be at the office.”

Adele grinned. “I notice you didn’t let guilt stop you from enjoying that giant cinnamon roll.” It had been Adele’s idea to sneak away from work early and window-shop at the extravagant Galleria. They’d covered much of the first two floors before Adele’s energy began to flag. Nicole had suggested they get a snack and watch the ice skaters on the rink below. Amateurs wobbled around the edge of the oval while a few standouts in sparkly leotards and skirts executed athletic spins in the center.

Truthfully, Nicole probably should feel guiltier about leaving the office. She’d already missed an hour that morning when she’d interviewed the new OB. Thinking about how Adele had gotten a second medical opinion here in Dallas, Nicole had realized she should probably get a backup obstetrician. Since traveling wasn’t generally prohibited until the last trimester, she might spend a good chunk of her pregnancy here. It would be smart to have someone local who knew her history. She’d liked Dr. Davis and had scheduled an ultrasound with him for next week. She couldn’t wait to see the first sonogram photograph, even though she knew the earliest pictures weren’t discernible as babies.

“Thinking about the baby?” Adele asked.

“How’d you know?”

Adele looked pointedly at Nicole’s stomach, where her hand rested. “A lot of pregnant women fall into the unconscious habit of doing that. As if we need some way to commune with the babies before we can feel them moving, as if it makes them more real somehow.”

Even knowing Adele’s history, it was still difficult to remember sometimes that she’d gone through four pregnancies.

“So everything went all right at the doctor’s?” Adele asked.

“Fine. He didn’t examine me today. This was more of a quick meet and greet to fill out all the paperwork and make sure I was comfortable with him. You’ll never believe who I ran into—Daniel Baron.”

Adele blinked. “At the OB-GYN’s?”

“No. Outside. It’s the same health-care complex where he has physical therapy. He mentioned you, confirmed that the Barons know you’re their mother.”

Adele nodded, unsurprised. After Nicole’s suspicions earlier in the week, Adele had discovered her children had definitely been searching for her. She’d even touched base with an old friend, Genevieve Lewis in Lubbock, who said Carly Baron came to visit, asking questions about her long-lost mother.

Swirling her straw around in what was left of her lemonade, Nicole recalled the unexpectedly protective tone in Daniel’s voice. I don’t want you to be caught in the middle. She was touched that he cared. Since Nicole had learned young that people in her life were temporary, she’d spent a lot of years looking out for herself. She wasn’t used to feeling as if someone had her back—especially someone she hardly knew.

In fact, she wasn’t sure which she found more charming, that he’d gone out of his way to prepare her for a meeting with his family or how he’d stumbled over asking if she wanted to ride with him. Daniel was very tall, with a chiseled jawline and natural swagger. The man routinely dealt with two-thousand-pound bulls, yet she had the power to fluster him? Heady thought. It made her feel as if they were even for that moment when they’d first shook hands last spring and she’d barely been able to remember the word hi.

Adele stared across the table, her expression shrewd. “Maybe you should tell me more about this Daniel.”

“With the way you’ve tried to keep up with the Barons over the years? You probably know more about him than I do.” Even though Daniel wasn’t related to the others by blood, Nicole was sure her employer would have wanted at least some data on the guy who’d grown up with her children. “I’ve only seen him on a handful of occasions.”

“Still, I’ve always respected your instincts. First impression?”

He has incredible green eyes. “I think he has a strong sense of justice, a desire for things to be fair. When Lizzie invited me to the ranch, he objected that they were ganging up on me.” Integrity was a good quality, but she wondered how he coped when life was so often unfair. She knew his mother had died when he was still relatively young. And now his rodeo career may be ending right when he was in his prime.

She also knew, from the way he talked about the Barons as “they,” that he felt a little like an outsider, but she kept that observation to herself. It was a feeling she’d experienced far too often in her own life. Her first real sense of belonging had come from her promotions at AB Windpower and the connection that had grown between her and Adele.

“I so appreciate the chances you’ve given me,” she said. “Obviously we still have tons of time before I’ll need maternity leave, but I want you to know I plan to come back as dedicated as ever.”

“First of all, I never gave you anything you didn’t earn. As for as the other part... Your job’s not going anywhere, and I hope you stay on in a full-time position for years to come. But having a child changes you.” Adele glanced out across the skaters, as if she were trying to hide the sadness in her expression. She couldn’t disguise the regret in her voice. “Sometimes in ways you never could have predicted or would have believed of yourself.”

* * *

THE LONGHORN SALOON was doing a thriving business on Friday night. Daniel stepped inside with his brother, wondering if they’d be able to find seats. Jacob waved to someone in the crowd then turned to tell Daniel, “Jet’s got us a table already.”

Daniel tried not to let his surprise show on his face. He hadn’t realized Jet would be joining them.

Jacob paused midstride. “You don’t mind that I invited him along, do you?”

Mind? No. But it was a sign of how things were changing, of Jacob’s growing ease with their stepsiblings. Good for him. Jacob was a hell of a big brother, and he’d fought hard to reach his current state of acceptance and happiness.

“I mentioned it to him before we left the exhibition,” Jacob said. They’d passed Jet at the rodeo fund-raiser earlier in the evening.

“It makes sense to get Jet’s input,” Daniel said casually. “Luke will be his brother-in-law, too.”

As the best man for Luke and Carly’s fast-approaching wedding, Jacob was supposed to plan the bachelor party. Carly had made laughing threats about what she would do to them if there were strippers involved. Jacob had been thinking in terms of an upscale gambling night with pretty card dealers at the poker and blackjack tables. They were here tonight to brainstorm specifics.

They passed the long bar, with its mirrored wall reflecting the usual crowd on the dance floor and people gathered around the mechanical bull in the corner. One of George Strait’s slower songs played on the jukebox, and Daniel found himself randomly wondering if Nicole Bennett liked to dance. It wasn’t the first time she’d drifted through his mind since their encounter yesterday.

In fact, he was finding it difficult not to think about her. The executive was beautiful in a different way than most of the women he knew—he couldn’t quite picture her in boots and jeans—but her allure went beyond physical. She was smart, sharp enough to work her way to an impressive position for a woman under thirty. Daniel knew that Jacob and Lizzie had busted their respective asses to get Brock to increase their responsibility at Baron Energies, but that kind of success had to be even more difficult when you didn’t have a powerful name or family business.

The table Jet had secured was tall and narrow. It was awkward for three men to try to fit around, but Daniel was grateful to have any spot on such a popular night. They ordered a pitcher of beer and chatted about the event they’d just left. From the curious looks both men cast in his direction, he guessed they were silently speculating on whether he’d be returning to rodeo. It was only part of how he made a living, of course. He had also invested in a friend’s stock contracting, breeding animals for rodeo, and Daniel stayed busy on the side training horses, although his injury had temporarily limited him to more of a consulting position. He liked everything he did well enough, but there was still a niggling sense of disquiet. As if he hadn’t yet found the right fit.

Eventually, the subject turned to Luke and Carly’s wedding. “Luke warned me from the start that there would be a lot of details,” Jacob said. “This is Carly’s big day, and she’s nothing if not strong-minded.”

Jet and Daniel both grinned at that. When the Burke boys had first moved to the ranch, Daniel had gone through an ill-advised period of getting into trouble. While Brock’s aloofness had made Jacob work all the harder to be the best at everything, Daniel had taken the juvenile approach that if the old man wasn’t going to like him anyway, Daniel might as well live down to his low expectations. Whereas Savannah was likely to shake her head at his transgressions and turn a blind eye—as long as he wasn’t physically endangering himself—and Lizzie, always more responsible than her years, would scold like a miniadult, Carly was busy getting into her own scrapes.

She was a different woman now. He wasn’t sure if it was solely the result of mellowing with age or the contentment that came from her relationship with Luke.

“I think all the wedding talk is making Mariana even more anxious for the spring,” Jacob added, looking eager himself. He and Mariana were planning a longer engagement than Luke and Carly, but no one could doubt that they were every bit as much in love. “Although, it’s hard for her, knowing Leah won’t be there to see it.”

Mariana’s sister—Cody’s mother—had died tragically young. Daniel thought his siblings were brave, rushing headlong into new commitments when family so often equaled loss. Who should know that better than the Barons, after they’d been abandoned by Delia and then lost their stepmother?

Jacob clapped Daniel on the back. “I know it wouldn’t be the same for me if you couldn’t be there.”

Naturally, Daniel had agreed to be the best man, but he felt like a bit of a fraud. Maybe the job should go to someone like Jet or Luke, someone who genuinely believed in marriage. Or maybe Daniel should warn Jacob that he was thinking of relocating. Obviously, Daniel would travel from any corner of the earth to be at his brother’s wedding, but it might be easier for someone local to handle the wedding-related tasks. Then again, nothing was definite yet, and when the time came to tell Jacob he might be leaving, it should be a one-on-one conversation, not something shared in a noisy bar.

They discussed where and when they could hold the bachelor party and the potential head count. The bride and groom definitely didn’t want the festivities to be the night before the wedding; Carly said she wanted guests to have plenty of time to recover from any hangovers. Jacob made some notes on his phone about equipment they’d need to rent and staff they’d need to hire and said he’d talk to Luke about getting a guest list on Sunday.

“About Sunday.” Jet tilted his cowboy hat back on his head. “I understand Lizzie and Carly invited Nicole Bennett to join us.”

“The woman who works for Adele?” Jacob asked.

“Right, the one who took Lizzie to the hospital that time,” Jet said. “Cute, from what I recall.” He said the words matter-of-factly with no personal interest. These days, he had eyes only for Jasmine Marks.

“Cute?” Daniel echoed in disbelief.

“You don’t think she’s attractive?” Jacob asked.

On the contrary. Daniel thought cute was far too girlish and tepid to describe her. “I...”

“Do you realize,” Jet said, suddenly solemn, “that Nicole has spent more time with my own mother than I have? I’m torn between resenting her and wanting to ask her a hundred dumb questions, like what’s Delia—um, Adele’s—favorite movie or country singer.”

“It’s not dumb to want to know more about your mom,” Daniel said. The holiday season intensified how much he missed his own mother, and he couldn’t help empathizing with the ache in Jet’s tone. “But as far as the resentment goes, I hope you won’t take Adele’s mistakes out on Nicole.”

Jacob’s eyebrows shot up, and the questioning look he gave Daniel over his mug of beer made Daniel realize how protective he’d sounded.

Jet frowned. “Of course not. I have three sisters. They’d hog-tie me and have me beaten if I was rude to a woman. Jasmine wouldn’t stand for it either. Speaking of which...” He checked the time and threw a five-dollar bill on the table. “I have someone waiting for me at home who’s a lot prettier than either of you two.”

As their stepbrother blended into the crowd, Jacob returned to the topic of Nicole. “How well do you know Nicole Bennett?”

“She’s practically a stranger.” It was the truth. There was no rational reason for him to have been so concerned about her when he’d found her upset in Lizzie’s kitchen. And there was just as little reason for him to have been so happy to see her yesterday.

“Uh-huh.”

For the slightest second, it was on the tip of Daniel’s tongue to ask what it had been like when Jacob met Mariana, what his first impressions had been, if he’d had any inkling of what she might come to mean to him. Then again, on the day they’d met, Jacob had just been hit with the bombshell that he was a father. So that had probably been uppermost in his thoughts at the time. Plus, Mariana—whose own father had used the rodeo as an excuse to be a deadbeat dad—hadn’t exactly approved of Jacob’s lifestyle.

And yet somehow they worked through all of that.

Maybe the trick was wanting it enough to make it work, but Daniel was still surprised by their optimism. Both Mariana and Jacob were children of divorced parents, both had experienced the various ways people who mattered could be ripped from your life.

Jacob pulled out his wallet. “We should probably head out, too. I’m sure other people would appreciate the table.” He grinned. “And Jet’s not the only one with someone pretty waiting up for him.”

* * *

NICOLE FROWNED AT her reflection. Was it her imagination, or was her cleavage a lot more noticeable than it should have been in the V-necked sweater? She was tempted to pick another outfit—which she’d already done twice. She was going to have an emotional conversation with Adele’s children today, and Nicole felt most self-assured in her suit jackets and skirts. But those seemed like ridiculous attire for a family afternoon at the ranch.

She’d shimmied into her favorite pair of jeans, wondering how much longer they’d still fit, and pulled her hair into a ponytail that gave her a more casual appearance. She didn’t want to look stiff or as if she were trying too hard. Then again, a little makeup couldn’t hurt...

Adele knocked on the bathroom door. “You okay? I can bring you some ginger ale or crackers if your stomach’s bothering you.”

“My stomach’s fine.” Nicole cracked the door open and gestured toward the discarded tops on the bathroom counter. “I’ve been in here so long because I keep changing my mind about which shirt to wear. It’s early enough in the pregnancy that changes to my body are probably mostly in my head, but nothing feels entirely comfortable right now.”

“And you think that’s because of the pregnancy?” Adele looked upward with feigned innocence. “Not, say, because of a certain rodeo cowboy with a ‘strong sense of justice’?”

Nicole scowled. “You’re mocking me at a time like this? Do you know how nervous I am about facing your family?” The weight of the responsibility, to paint her mentor in a sympathetic light, was crushing. “I really wish you were coming with me.”

“I’m not the one they invited.” There was a hollowness to her words, and Nicole heard the echo of fear, the worry that Adele would never be welcome.

There was a buzz as Nicole’s phone vibrated on the counter, making her stomach pitch and seize. Maybe she should have taken Adele up on those crackers.

“That’s Daniel.” Nicole picked up her phone, scanning his message that he’d parked and was waiting downstairs. “I told him to text me when he got to the building and I’d meet him in the lobby.” It seemed plain wrong for him to meet Adele before her own children were given the chance.

Emotion shone in Adele’s damp eyes. “I shouldn’t be putting you through this. Especially in your condition. I—”

“You didn’t know I was pregnant when you asked me to go to the ranch today. Now, suck it up.” Nicole gave her a tremulous smile. “Only one of us can be a wreck at a time.”

“I suppose it would be pointless to tell you to have fun?”

“Probably.” Nicole tossed her cell phone and lipstick into her purse, checking to make sure she had plenty of peppermints. Sometimes sucking on them helped quell the nausea. Talking to Lizzie and the others would be awkward enough without Nicole having to bolt for the restroom midsentence.

“You have a bit of a drive between here and the ranch,” Adele reminded her. “At least try to enjoy Daniel’s company on the way.”

At the mention of Daniel’s name, Nicole’s stomach somersaulted again. But this time the sensation wasn’t unpleasant at all.

Chapter Four

Since Nicole’s sense of smell was on hyperdrive lately, she avoided the elevator except for when she was simply too fatigued to take the stairs. The convenience of riding down wasn’t always worth being stuck in an enclosed space with the Gardenia Perfume Woman on the fifth floor or Eats a Ton of Garlic on three. Today, the stairs also gave her an excuse to burn off some nervous energy.

She spotted Daniel, leaning against the wall by the elevator banks, before he saw her. Last time they’d encountered each other, he’d been leaving physical therapy and was dressed like someone going to the gym. Today he wore dark jeans, a white button-down shirt and a cowboy hat. She was tempted not to make her presence known and spend a few more minutes appreciating the picture he made.

Get a grip. Adele was counting on her. How could Nicole facilitate reconciliation between mother and children if she was distracted by lust-addled pregnancy hormones and the way Daniel Baron filled out a pair of Wranglers?

Taking a deep breath, she approached him with the same composure and welcoming smile she would have used when greeting a businessman. “Hi.”

He whipped his head around. “Nicole.” One eyebrow lifted. “This is a surprise.”

“Weren’t you expecting me?” she teased.

“I was expecting Nicole Bennett, executive. I’ve never seen you out of your work clothes.”

She did a double take at his phrasing—and at the idea of Daniel seeing her out of her clothes.

“I mean, I’ve only ever seen you in your professional wardrobe,” he backpedaled. “I was thinking the other day that I couldn’t imagine you in jeans.”

“You’ve been thinking about me?” She wished she hadn’t asked the impulsive question. What if it led to awkwardness on their long drive?

But he held her gaze, not looking the least discomfited. “Yes, ma’am.”

A liquid shiver went through her. He’d joked about not knowing what he wanted to be when he grew up. He should look into narration or recording books on tape. People would pay good money to listen to that low, rich voice.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

Anywhere you want to lead, cowboy. Wow. The pregnancy books really didn’t do these hormone surges justice. Nicole couldn’t remember the last time her libido had been so supercharged.

It occurred to her that maybe she should enjoy the sensation while she could. She rarely dated now, and she didn’t imagine potential suitors would be lining up at her door once her pregnancy became visibly obvious. And after the baby was born? As the single mother of an infant, Nicole suspected she’d be too tired to indulge an active sex drive.

She definitely had some challenging months ahead of her. But for right now, a hot guy with a smile that stole her breath was opening the door for her. The sunshine outside only added to her upbeat mood.

“What a gorgeous day.” She fished in her purse for a pair of sunglasses as they crossed the parking lot. “I’m supposed to pick out a Christmas tree this week, but weather like this makes it feel more like spring than December.”

“Definitely a lot warmer than it was last weekend,” he agreed, unlocking his truck door. “Christmas tree shopping, huh? So you aren’t headed back to San Antonio soon?”

She shook her head. “The plan is for me to spend most of December here.” After Chris Miller had turned down the chance to run their Dallas office, choosing instead to resign, she’d been running double duty. “We’re working on an exciting project out of our Dallas location, making the final plans for a sizable wind farm that will create new jobs.”

Her enthusiasm for the project helped her get through the afternoons when pregnancy fatigue tried to sabotage her. “Squaring away the details and handling press coverage will keep me busy for the next week or so. After that, I’m theoretically free to return to San Antonio, but the office is dead the week of Christmas. It makes just as much sense to stay here and spend my holiday with Adele.” Assuming the grown Baron children agreed to meet with their mother. If not, Adele would probably retreat to San Antonio for a bleak yuletide.

Daniel tilted his head, regarding her with curiosity as she fastened her seat belt. “You’re going to spend Christmas with your boss?”

“She’s more than an employer,” Nicole said. “She’s like family.” Was it an insensitive claim, given how much time Adele had missed with her own family? She sighed, hoping that before the day was over she found the words that would help make up for the lost years, the pain Adele had caused her loved ones. “On a scale from one to I-should-just-throw-myself-from-the-truck, how bad do you think this is gonna be?”

His lips quirked in a half smile, but rather than make a glib reassurance, he took the time to think it over. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ll do what I can to make it as painless as possible.”

“You are a really nice guy.”

His laugh was short and self-deprecating. “Actually, I’m a cranky loner and recovering troublemaker.” He gave her an appraising look. “Maybe you bring out my better qualities.”

* * *

AS DANIEL MADE the last turn before they reached Roughneck property, Nicole was surprising him with the revelation that not only did she own boots and jeans, she’d once mucked stalls.

“One of the foster homes I lived on was a tiny farm—some vegetable crops, two horses and a chicken coop. All of us kids had chores. I can’t say I much cared for cleaning out the stalls, but I did enjoy riding Grey. Of the two mares, she was the one deemed more suitable for beginners. She didn’t go very fast, but she was sweet.”

“Do you still ride?” he asked, wondering if a visit to the stables was in order this afternoon.

She gave a quick shake of her head, her ponytail swinging lightly behind her. He liked it better when she wore her hair down. With nothing to detract from her face, it was too easy to get distracted by her eyes. Or her lips. “Not for years.”

“I’d be happy to give you a refresher,” he volunteered. “We’ve got a range of horses at the ranch, including some with gentle temperaments.”

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.