“You think this little boy is mine?”

Cole stared at the profile of the child asleep on his aunt’s shoulder. “That’s a pretty serious charge. Do you have some kind of proof?”

Tessa let out a sigh, “None. But I have a DNA kit in my purse. And just to be clear, I’m not accusing you of anything.”

He shook his head. “If your sister didn’t tell you about me, how did you get my name?”

“Her diary. I brought it along and I’d be happy to show you the passage that put you at the top of my list. Later. After I get Joey in bed, maybe?”

Before he could answer, she said, “If I’ve made a mistake, we’ll leave in the morning. No hassle, I promise. I’m not trying to pin Joey’s paternity on anybody. I only want to do the right thing for my nephew. I know what it’s like to grow up without a father.”

Grow up without a father. Something he wouldn’t wish on anybody – especially not a sweet kid like Joey who grabbed your heart with both fists and didn’t let go.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a child, Debra wanted to be an artist. She saved her allowance to send away for a “Learn To Draw” kit, but when her mother mistook Deb’s artful rendition of a horse for a cow, Deb turned to her second love – writing.

Debra’s first published romance novel was released in 2000. Since her first sale, she has tackled many challenging, provocative subjects in her stories: blended families, ageing parents, the death of a spouse, catastrophic illness and divorce, child abduction, fertility issues and adoption. She was recently honoured as Romantic Times BOOKreviews’ 2006 Series Storyteller of the Year.

Dear Reader,

I was born into a family of gamblers. My mother used to say that her father would have bet on whether or not the sun would come up the next day…if he could get the right odds.

When I was invited to participate in a series about a group of friends who get together for weekly poker games, I didn’t hesitate to dust off my pack of cards and jump in. But I knew I needed a refresher course, so I turned to friends Dave and Sandra Meek – and the other players who make up their own kind of “Wild Bunch.” Thanks for letting me leave a few dollars ahead. I also have many fond memories of my parents and their friends gathered around the kitchen table with stacks of red, white and blue plastic chips, the sound of cards being shuffled and the friendly razzing as fortunes rose and fell. I felt exactly the same when the “Wild Bunch” started to come to life. I love these guys, and, win or lose, they’re there for each other.

The decision to set this series in a small town near San Antonio turned out to be most fortuitous for me, since that meant I could call upon friends Karen and Jim Hale for the inside scoop. Karen not only devoted several days to playing tour guide, but she made sure we ate authentic Tex-Mex and barbecue, Boracho beans and Shiner Bock – I can’t wait to return. Karen also proved instrumental in helping me understand what went wrong in Cole’s real estate deal. Thanks again for the grand, Texas-size hospitality.

Debra

Romantic Times BOOKreviews’ 2006 Series Storyteller of the Year

Betting on Santa

DEBRA SALONEN

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my fellow TEXAS HOLD ’EM authors – I knew from the start this wasn’t a gamble, because you’re all the best!

And to Victoria –

for just the right hints at just the right time.

CHAPTER ONE

Thursday, November 29, 2007

“SMILE, SANTA.”

Cole tried. It wasn’t easy with Sally Knutson on his knee and her three cats wreaking havoc on his costume. The gray one was tangled in the glossy white beard, batting at the lush strands. The calico perched on his shoulder had every needle-tipped claw hooked solidly through the red velvet, his undershirt and his flesh. The slightest movement on Cole’s part meant instant pain. The third—the “shy” one—was wedged between its owner’s ample bosom and Cole’s two-pillow padding.

His mother hadn’t said anything about hazard pay when she volunteered him to fill in for Ray Hardy, the man who truly was Santa to most of the citizens of River Bluff, Texas. A fixture at the Congressional Church’s annual holiday bazaar and toy drive, Ray hadn’t missed a night—until he slipped in the shower that morning. Now the man was facing hip surgery.

“Look at the camera, Sugar Baby,” Sally cooed.

Cole assumed she was talking to the feline on his shoulder since Sally was his mother’s age—and about forty pounds overweight, if his aching leg was any indication.

“Any time, Melody,” Cole urged, a bead of sweat threatening to turn into a rivulet down the side of his cheek. Their Hill Country weather had become oppressively muggy thanks to the tropical moisture out in the Gulf. It was almost December, and Cole was ready for some cooling. Especially if he was going to be stuck in a Santa suit for who knew how long.

“Sorry,” the high school senior said, looking up so quickly her green felt hat nearly fell off. “The battery is struggling to keep up. I should have had Dad bring the other rechargeables.”

He wondered if Ray had these kinds of problems, and if so how the man had managed to survive all these years. Not only was Cole’s patience exhausted, his butt was sore. The ornate chair that usually sat behind the pulpit wasn’t made for comfort, he’d decided after the first half hour. But it looked impressive on the raised “snow-covered” dais situated in one corner of the church parking lot, which, with the help of hundreds of strands of twinkle lights, had been transformed into River Bluff’s version of the North Pole.

“It’s green,” Melody said, moving into position. “Look at me, Sal. Say, ‘catnip.’”

The only way to simulate a smile when you were wearing a one-piece beard and mustache was to flex your cheek muscles in an exaggerated grin. Unfortunately, this made Cole’s beard rise, which made the cat on his lap pounce, which spooked the cat on his shoulder.

“Somebody moved,” Melody accused, fiddling with the camera. “Stay put. We have to try another.”

Sally shifted her weight to reposition the cat on his shoulder, and Cole’s ankle twisted slightly. A shaft of pain radiated upward from his old injury. One that had never completely healed right—a legacy of a holiday he preferred to forget.

“Am I squishing y’all, honey?” Sally asked, apparently hearing his swallowed moan. “You need a bit more padding on your tushy, like Ray. Wasn’t it a shame about his fall?”

“Terrible,” Cole said through clenched teeth. “Mom said he’s had a big crowd here every night since the bazaar opened.” And the church’s holiday festival ran through the middle of December.

Sally disentangled the tabby’s paws from Cole’s beard. “True. I was here last night and gave up after about an hour. The girls aren’t patient.”

He could tell. The “girl” on his shoulder was using his costume for a scratching pad. “Um, Sal, could you do something about this one, too?” he said, turning his chin to point.

The “shy” one suddenly took a swipe at his beard, pulling it down a good inch so the attached mustache covered his lip.

“Okay, everybody, let’s try again,” Melody called. “Say Merry Christmas.”

“Murway Kwemat,” Cole mumbled, eyes watering.

“Oh, this is cute, Sally,” Melody exclaimed, studying her camera. “I think it’s a keeper.”

Sally got up, a cat under each arm. She adroitly hopped off the raised platform and walked to where Melody was standing. The third cat scaled the side of Cole’s head, finding purchase in his beard, plush red hat and scalp.

“Ow!” he howled, reaching up clumsily in his oversize white gloves to try to dislodge the beast. “Sally, help.”

She shoved the other two pets at Melody, who dropped the compact digital camera. Melody’s cry was muffled by Sally’s loud, “Ooh, poor Sugar, did you think Mama was going to leave you with the big, mean stranger?”

“Mean? What’d I do?” Cole complained, rubbing his head in a way that made his costume shift back and forth. He had to straighten his beard before he could spit out several cat hairs.

“You’re not a cat person, Cole. Animals can tell.”

He would have tried to defend himself but she didn’t give him a chance, instead hurrying back to where Melody was kneeling over the remains of her camera.

Cole checked his watch. Fortunately, Santa’s booth was due to close in ten minutes. He looked toward the candy-cane gate. Only one person in line. A stranger with a toddler on her hip. By the bemused expression on her face, she’d witnessed the entire spectacle. Cole was glad to have a fake beard to hide behind.

The woman looked to be about his age. Jeans, a belted leather jacket and an oversize purse apparently used to counterweight the toddler on her opposite hip. Cole guessed the boy’s age to be about two.

Not that Cole knew a lot about kids, but he’d learned a great deal after just one night as Santa. For instance, he now knew there was a difference between teething and mere drooling.

“Um…sorry. We’re experiencing technical difficulties,” he said. “Santa left his other—more efficient—elves at the North Pole.”

Melody suddenly burst into tears. Sally gave him a reproachful look that made him feel like a heel, and he lumbered off the dais. The toes of his size-fourteen boots—Ray’s boots—were stuffed with newspaper, which made walking a challenge. Plus, his balance was off because of the lopsided padding across his middle.

“Aw, Melody, I’m sorry. I was kidding. You’re doing great. It’s not your fault the camera won’t work.”

Sniffling, the girl picked up the small silver digital. She pressed what Cole assumed was the On button. Nothing happened.

Melody shook her head. “It’s shot, but luckily the photos I took tonight will be okay. I can take out the memory card and print them on my computer at home.”

Cole said a silent thank-you before looking at the last customer in line. “Sorry about this. We could probably have a new camera by tomorrow. I’d like to tell you the real Santa will be back by then, but I doubt it.”

The woman looked at her son, who didn’t resemble her in the least. The child was a towhead with wavy hair that curled around the collar of his denim jacket. Even in the dim light of the Christmas bulbs looped around the poles, Cole could tell that the boy’s mother was beautiful. Shoulder-length, dark auburn hair pulled off her face with a simple clip. Wide-set eyes that were blue or green—far lighter than he’d expect with her dark coloring.

When she turned to face him, he had a momentary sense of déjà vu. Had they met before? Was she from around here or maybe someone he’d sold a house?

No. He definitely would have remembered a face like hers.

“I have a camera. If you wouldn’t mind, I could take Joey’s photo with you and have a copy printed later. I’d still pay, of course.”

He liked her. Firm, direct and businesslike, but feminine, too.

“Um…” He looked around for someone to ask if there were rules against do-it-yourself photography, but Sally had moved off to pack her cats into their lavish pink leather carrier. Melody was on her cell phone, no doubt complaining to her dad, Cole’s poker buddy, Ed, about Santa’s lack of empathy with her broken camera. Cole’s mother was probably helping at the refreshment booth where a few stragglers still lingered. “Why not?”

The woman set down the boy—Joey, she’d called him—and dug a camera out of her bag. It was much more elaborate than the one Melody had been using.

“I’m going to take your picture while you sit on Santa’s lap, sweetie,” she said in a soft voice, as she led Joey to the platform and waited while Cole climbed into his chair. “Can you do that for Auntie Tessa?”

Auntie?

Cole settled back against the wide, hard throne, subtly shifting his padding to make room for the boy, who didn’t look too sure about this whole thing.

“Hi, there, Joey. How are you tonight?”

The boy’s big blue eyes grew even rounder and he appeared to be holding his breath. Cole had wanted kids, had imagined raising a boy just like this one. But Crystal had insisted they weren’t ready. “We need to establish ourselves financially first,” she’d said.

What she didn’t say was if that didn’t happen she’d kick his butt to the proverbial curb faster than a Texas tornado could demolish a mobile home.

He refocused his attention on the child on his knee, his uninjured left one this time. The boy was a featherweight compared to Sally, and Cole bounced him reassuringly, picking up speed as the child’s bottom lip started to curl outward.

“Um…what kinds of toys do you like, Joey? Trains? Bob the Builder? I’m a builder. Um, in the off-season,” he added, feeling like a complete idiot. “How ’bout a bike? I mean, trike. Would you like a tricycle for Christmas?”

Joey opened his mouth but no words came out. Cole was just happy the kid wasn’t bawling his expressive blue eyes out. Cole looked at the aunt for help and found her squatting a few feet away, snapping shot after shot.

“Smile, Joey. Your aunt looks like a real professional. I think she’s done this before.”

“Less bouncing, please.”

Cole felt his cheeks heat up. Duh.

He used this gloved finger to turn Joey’s chin his way. Giving the kid his most friendly, concerned smile, he said, “Just tell me what you want, Joey.”

“Mommy,” the little guy said.

Then, a second later, he threw up. All down the front of Cole’s brilliant white beard, red suit and wide black belt.

Chaos ensued.

Women appeared out of nowhere. Like an old-time magician, Joey’s aunt produced a plastic container filled with wet wipes from her purse and started cleaning the child up. Cole’s mother, whom he hadn’t seen since she helped him get into the bulky red suit, dashed to his side with a towel.

Joey sobbed.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” the woman said, comforting Joey after thrusting a glob of wet towelettes into Cole’s gloved hands. “It’s okay, sweetie. It’s not your fault. I should have known we were trying to squeeze in too much.” She rocked the child back and forth.

As his cries subsided, she apologized to Cole. “I’m so sorry. The minute Joey spotted you he wanted to see Santa, and I thought it would be great to take a photo back to my mother. She’s with my sister. Joey’s mom. Who’s in the hospital,” she added under her breath.

“How sad,” Cole’s mother said. “There’s no good time to be sick, but it’s especially difficult during the holidays. Is it serious?”

The woman nodded, her lips pressed together as if fighting any outward display of emotion. Big Jim would have approved. His ex-father-in-law had once advised Cole that the key to selling real estate was to never let anyone past the outer wall. “Never let people know you’re emotionally invested. Show them your soft underbelly and they’ll gut you.”

Cole had been gutted—once.

He slid carefully off the chair and, as discreetly as possible, shook his beard into the towel his mother was holding.

The woman noticed, and immediately stooped to collect her purse, which she’d dropped to the pavement. “I’ll pay to have the suit cleaned.”

“Oh, don’t fret,” his mother said. “Don’t think for a minute this sweet child is the first to ever throw up on Santa. Ray—our usual Saint Nick—could tell you stories that would curl your hair.”

“I think I nailed him when I was six or seven, right, Mom?” Cole asked. “And I still got a train set that year.”

Before she could reply, the jaunty jingle of a cellular ring tone chimed. The stranger reached unerringly into an outer pocket of her Coach bag—one of his ex-wife’s favorite brands—and pulled out a high-tech-looking phone. Cole had always had the most up-to-date gizmos on the market when he’d been a Realtor. Connectivity meant opportunities. Opportunities meant money. Now, he didn’t even have a landline to his house.

“Excuse us a minute,” he said, nodding toward his mother to take their cleanup efforts behind the dais.

Tessa watched him amble away with a graceless gait that didn’t match his youthful voice. She knew by the musical tone that the caller was her mother. She also knew what Autumn’s question would be— “Did you find him? Did you find Cole Lawry?”

Tessa could have answered, “Yes, Mom, I’m looking right at him.” But that would have revealed more than she was ready to discuss in such a public setting. She flipped open the phone. “Hi, Mom. How’s Sunny?”

“The same as when you left. The doctor still hasn’t been in and nobody will tell me anything, but that’s not why I called. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry I lost my temper. I know you’re doing what you think is best and maybe you’re right. If that man is Joey’s father, then I guess he should be informed about Sunshine.”

For the second time in five minutes, Tessa had to fight back tears. What’s wrong with me? A delayed reaction to everything that had happened, she figured, including the tense drive over the same road her sister had been traveling when she crashed her rental car and wound up in a coma.

“It’s okay, Mom. We’re both dealing with a lot.”

Understatement of the year.

“Have you found him yet?” “Yes, but we haven’t had a chance to talk. Too much going on. He’s playing Santa at a holiday bazaar.”

“How did you find that out?”

“Joey and I stopped at a café and I asked our waitress about Cole Lawry. We left the car at the diner and walked the couple of blocks here.”

“Must be a pretty small town if everybody knows everybody. So you talked to him? Do you think he’s the one?”

Tessa glanced toward the ornate chair where she’d openly studied the man playing Santa Claus. “He’s wearing a white beard and has a couple of pillows stuffed around his middle, Mom. It’s kinda hard to tell what he looks like. But he has blue eyes.”

Intriguing blue eyes.

“Oh,” Autumn said. “Where is he now?”

“Probably changing clothes. Joey threw up on his lap. Too much excitement, I think, although he might be coming down with something.” She put the back of her hand to her nephew’s forehead. “He feels slightly feverish.”

“Oh, my poor bubba. Can I talk to him?”

Tessa lowered her purse to the ground again, then stood Joey on his feet. She knelt in front of him. “Grams is on the phone, sweetie. Wanna tell her good-night?”

He nodded and took the phone from her.

Knowing how short his attention span was and that he tended to drop things he no longer wanted, Tessa hovered over him. The tiny respite gave her mind a chance to weigh the pros and cons of continuing her plan or trying to come up with an alternative.

She looked around the church parking lot. The people who had been wandering among the booths when she and Joey first arrived were mostly gone. Only a few cars and trucks remained. A dozen or so women chatted in small groups, some calling out to each other as they carried stock to their minivans. Tessa couldn’t see any children.

That made her realize how late it was. She looked up and saw that the stars were out. “Damn,” she muttered.

Her rental car was three blocks away and the town didn’t look as though it had made streetlights a priority.

“O…kay,” Joey said in the singsong way that meant he was done with whatever it was he’d been doing. He opened his hand.

She caught the cherry-red phone inches from the pavement, her heart racing. This was her most immediate and tangible connection to the real world. The flight to Texas had been awful—made worse by the fear that her sister wouldn’t be alive when they got here; spending hours in a hospital watching Sunny confined to a bed, wires and machines attached to her body, was too scary to be real. Her cell phone, laptop and Black-Berry were Tessa’s touchstones of normalcy.

She decided not to call her mother back to say goodbye. Instead, she’d phone from the motel. She’d booked the place online and used her credit card to pay for it, so hopefully they were holding a room even though she was late checking in. Pocketing the phone, she stood and held out a hand. “I guess we’d better head back to the car, pal. It’s getting dark. Maybe we can see Santa another time.”

Joey looked toward the dais just as a lean man with sandy-blond hair and broad shoulders emerged from behind the curtained area. Santa’s changing room, she assumed. Instead of a red suit, he wore jeans, thick-soled work boots, a gray T-shirt and zippered sweatshirt with the sleeves pushed back on his well-muscled forearms. The sweatshirt bore a logo she couldn’t make out.

“Oh, good, you’re still here,” he said, jogging toward them. His smile struck her as friendly and real. He seemed nice. Too nice to be the recipient of the news she was there to deliver.

“We were just leaving. It sure gets dark fast around here.”

“Yeah, I know. Mom said she thought she saw you walk up. Are you staying nearby?”

“The Trail’s End Motel. But we walked here from the diner. The waitress said it was only a couple of blocks away, but they were really big blocks.”

He gave her a rueful grin. “Yep, this is Texas. Everything’s bigger. I’m guessing you’re not from around here.”

“Oregon,” she said, watching for some kind of reaction.

“Wow. Long way from home. Can I give you a lift to your car? River Bluff isn’t exactly famous for its sidewalks.”

A voice in her head warned against hopping into a car with a stranger, but she made a snap decision. “Sure. Thanks.” He was the man she’d come here to find. Although he didn’t know that or he might not have been quite so kind and generous. “I take it you’re off duty?”

“Till six-thirty tomorrow. The regular you-know-who broke his hip. I’m a last-minute replacement.”

Tessa was touched by his acknowledging Joey’s presence, although she could tell Joey wasn’t paying attention to either of them. When the little boy ran out of steam, he had a tendency to drop, wherever he was.

“Is your car nearby?”

He pointed to a dust-coated silver Forerunner parked a couple of yards away. It was one of the last vehicles left in the lot, which was probably quite big when it wasn’t filled with a holiday bazaar and a fake North Pole.

“Hey, Joey, can I carry you? Your aunt looks like she’s ready to call it a day, too.” He looked at Tessa before holding out his arms to her nephew. “Um…not that you aren’t beautiful. Just tired,” he stammered. “I’ll shut up now. My sister, Annie, says I only open my mouth to switch feet.”

Tessa laughed. “It’s okay. I’m not offended. Joey, sweetheart, can this nice man carry you?”

He shook his head and plastered his body to her leg. Tessa leaned down and picked him up. Joey shyly buried his face in the crook of her neck, refusing to even acknowledge Cole.

“No problem. I’ll open the door for you.” He started away, then stopped and reversed direction. He held out his hand. “I’m Cole Lawry, by the way.”

She couldn’t quite manage to shake his hand, but she wiggled her fingers. “Tessa Jamison. This is my nephew, Joey Barnes. His mother—my sister—is Sunny Barnes.”

He repeated the name, his expression thoughtful. “Why does that sound famil—” His eyes widened. “Do you mean the same Sunny who used to work at BJM Realty?”

Tessa nodded.

“Are you kidding? I haven’t seen her in a couple of years. And you said she’s in the hospital? What happened? Is she going to be okay?”

Too many questions to answer while holding twenty-five pounds of dead weight. “Can we talk in the car?”

“Oh, of course,” he answered. “I’m sorry. You just took me by surprise.” As he hurried ahead of her, she noticed a slight hitch to his gait. A few seconds later, he was helping her into the four-wheel-drive vehicle.

“Can you hop up on the seat with him in your arms? How ’bout if I hold your purse?”

She shifted Joey to the right so she could extend her left arm. The relief was tangible as he slid the strap from her shoulder. “Thanks.”

“No problem. What do you have in here? Gold bars?” he asked, jiggling the bag with exaggerated effort.

“Spoken like a true nonparent. I was the same until Joey came along. Now, I have a standing appointment with a chiropractor every two weeks.”

He wedged the bag on the floor behind the seat. “Good to know. I’m going to be an uncle in a few months. My sister is expecting her first child.”

“Will this be your mom’s first grandchild?”

He nodded. “She’s over the moon.”

“That was my mother on the phone a minute ago. She and Joey are really close. She’s with Sunny at the hospital.”

He moved in to steady her as she settled into the passenger seat. She could smell peppermint on his breath. From the candy canes he’d been giving out, she guessed.

“Thanks,” she said, pulling up her legs. The interior of the truck appeared much cleaner than she’d expected.

He grabbed the door but didn’t close it. His sandy brows came together in a pensive frown. “Just out of curiosity, how’d you happen to wind up in River Bluff tonight?” Before she could answer, he said, “Oh wait, you’re probably headed to the commune. That’s where Sunny was living when I met her. What’s the name of her friend? Andrea… Emily…”

“Amelia,” Tessa supplied.

“Right. It’s only a few miles south of here. I could draw you a map.”

Tessa looked at him. She was too tired to get into this, but putting things off had never worked for her in the past, so she took a deep breath and said, “I do want to see Amelia to tell her about Sunny, but that’s not the reason I’m here. I came to River Bluff looking for you.”

“Me. Really? Why?”

“Because I need to know if you’re Joey’s father.”

CHAPTER TWO

COLE STRUGGLED TO make sense of what she was saying. Me? A father? To Sunny’s kid? But in order for that to be true, he and Sunny would have had to make love. Which they never did. Right?

He shivered as a thought occurred to him. There was that one night when he and Sunny had bumped into each other at the bar. A low point in his life when he’d tried to drown his troubles. He’d been too drunk to drive home. Sunny had been a friend, she’d put him up for the night. But nothing happened. He was sure of it. Almost positive.

“You think this little boy is mine?” he asked, staring at the profile of the child asleep on his aunt’s shoulder. “That’s a serious charge. Do you have some kind of proof?”

She let out a long sigh and shook her head. “None, but I have a DNA kit in my purse. And, just to be clear, I’m not accusing you of anything. Sunny came back to Texas to confront Joey’s father, but before she could talk to him—or tell me the man’s name, she rolled her car. She’s in the hospital in San Antonio in a coma. Her prognosis is… guarded.”

He didn’t like the flat, defeated way she said the word. “I don’t know what to say. Your sister was so bright and bubbly. The hospital…a coma….” He shook his head. “Wait. If she didn’t tell you about me, then how did you get my name?”

“Her diary. I brought it along and I’d be happy to show the passage that put you on the top of my list. Later. After I get Joey in bed, maybe?”

Cole hesitated. He wanted this cleared up as soon as possible and was curious as hell about what Sunny had written, but he hadn’t been kidding when he said she looked exhausted.

She took a deep breath and let it out then said, “If I’ve made a mistake, we’ll leave in the morning. No hassle, I promise. I’m not trying to pin Joey’s paternity on anybody. I only want to do the right thing for my nephew. I know what it’s like to grow up without a father.”

Grow up without a father. Same as Cole. Something he wouldn’t wish on anybody. “Where’d you say you were staying?”

“The Trail’s End Motel. We haven’t checked in, but they should be holding a room. I paid for it online with my credit card.”

“You should be okay. Things are slow this time of year and I know the desk clerk, Barney. How ’bout if I drive you there, then go after your car?”

He closed the door without waiting for an answer. By the time he started the engine, she had her eyes closed. Her chin brushed the top of her nephew’s head when they hit a pothole.

Even driving slowly, it only took a few minutes to reach the small, cottage-style motel across the street from the Medina River. He pulled up to the office and parked.

Tessa lifted her head.

“Wait here,” he said in a low voice. “I’ll get you registered.” He opened the door and got out but returned a second later. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I forgot your last name.”

“Jamison.”

“Got it. I’ll be right back.”

He dashed into the overly heated reception anteroom. As expected, the man behind the counter was hunched over his computer and barely glanced up—until it hit him that the person resting his elbows on the counter wasn’t a tourist.

“Cole. What the heck are you doing here?” Barney asked. “You know we don’t rent rooms by the hour.”

“You’re quite the joker, man, but no, that’s not why I’m here.”

“Are you gonna invite me to the poker game? You could have called. You didn’t need to stop by.”

Cole glanced out the window at the woman who was watching them. “You’re holding a room for a friend. Tessa Jamison. She said she put it on her credit card. If you give me the right price, then I’ll guarantee you a spot at the table.”

Barney returned to his computer. “I was wondering what happened to her. She’s a friend of yours?”

“Yep. Her and her boy. They stopped by the holiday bazaar and we got talking.”

“Is she staying just the one night?”

Cole had no idea. She’d suggested they talk in the morning, but he had to work. Maybe she planned to stick around, but with Sunny in hospital, more than likely she’d be heading back to the city right away.

“She’ll let you know in the morning. Her kid is asleep and I told her people in this town don’t stand on protocol. That’s not a problem, right?”

Barney frowned. “Are you trying to get me fired?”

“Your mother wouldn’t do that to you, Barn, and you know it. Besides, it’s almost Christmas.”

Barney snickered. “I heard about you playing Santa. Not exactly type-casting, was it?”

“I’m gonna be an uncle in a few months. I’m thinking of this as on-the-job training. Come on, Barney, what’s a little paperwork among friends?”

It took some more wheedling, since Barney insisted he needed her photo ID and vehicle license number, but Cole finally got a room key. He hurried back to the car and hopped in. “Straight ahead. Number five. I’ll pick up your car while you put Joey to bed.”

“Are you sure? We can walk to it in the morning. You seem to favor one foot. I hate to put you out.”

Shit. She’d noticed his limp. I must be more tired than I thought. Usually, his ankle only bothered him after a long day of car-pentry. Of course, today he’d worked all day then bounced little kids on his knee for a couple of hours. “I’m fine. Occupational hazard.”

He parked in front of the small cabin. A rustic overhead fixture gave off just enough light for him to see the lock. He opened the door then stepped inside to turn on the light. He waited while she laid the sleeping child on the double bed.

She carefully removed the toddler’s jacket and shoes before pulling the covers over him. Standing, she arched her back slightly and let out a sigh. “I didn’t realize how heavy he could get. I’m not sure I would have made it if we’d had to walk. And he’s a real bear when you wake him up to put him into his car seat.”

“No problem. If you give me your key, I’ll run after your car. Make and color?”

She sat on the bed closest to the door and opened her purse. “White Toyota Camry. With a baby seat in the back. Please don’t wreck the car. I had to sign a waiver that said only I would drive it.”

“It’s five blocks. I guarantee it’ll be fine.”

“But they’re big, Texas blocks,” she said, dropping the keys into his outstretched palm.

He saw a sparkle of humor in her eyes that surprised him—and made him even more curious about her. He was beginning to see a bit of Sunny in her.

He pocketed the keys and left. His ankle was sore—he could tell it was swollen—but he needed this time to think.

Sunny. A sweet kid who drifted through his life right at the exact moment when the proverbial shit hit the fan. He’d helped her out of an uncomfortable situation, found her a job and a place to live. She’d repaid the favor by listening to his ridiculously stupid tale of love, loss, greed and corruption. She’d seen him at his lowest. She’d offered friendship and a shoulder to cry on one night. That was all he remembered them sharing—even if he had woken up in her bed the next morning.

“Why didn’t you talk to me about this, Sunny girl,” he muttered, trying to coax a clear memory from the haze. He’d blocked out a lot about that time.

The memories scattered the instant his phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket, pausing to check the caller ID. Annie. Two years his senior. Friend, mentor, nag, sister.

“Hey, Anster. Everything okay with junior or juniorette?”

“Yes, the baby is safely on board. That’s not why I called.”

Annie and her husband, Blake Smith, who was one of Cole’s closest friends, had overcome separation, a miscarriage and Annie’s second marriage. Finally, things seemed to be working in their favor. She was happily—healthfully—pregnant.

“Good. Then I’ll get back to you later. I’m busy.”

“Oh, please. How busy can you be? Mom said you just left the bazaar. This isn’t San Antonio, where you actually have to deal with traffic. Although it doesn’t sound like you’re in your truck. Where are you?”

“Getting gas,” he lied. “Why’d you call?”

“I saw Jake today. When I asked him about the Card, he kinda gave me the brush-off. Have you heard any more about what he intends to do with the place?”

The Wild Card Saloon had never been the most popular bar in town as far as local women were concerned. Partly because the original owner, Lola Chandler—Jake’s mother—had been beautiful, independent and seemingly content to raise her son on her own.

Sadly, Lola passed away when Jake and Cole were in junior high. Her brother, Verne, stepped in to take over the bar and give Jake a home—of sorts—but Jake took off as soon as he turned eighteen. No one had heard from him again until Blake tracked him down to break the news Verne had died and to invite him to the wedding in Vegas. Now he was back in town riding a pricey Hog.

“Are you asking as a reporter for the paper? What makes you think I’d know anything?” Cole asked, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. Annie wasn’t the only one Jake had snubbed since his return.

“Because the two of you were thick as thieves in school.”

“Yeah, well, times change, as they say.”

Annie made a huffing sound. “Men. What’s so hard about sitting down face-to-face and starting a dialogue? Maybe he’s waiting for you to come to him.”

“Yeah? Then he can wait till hell freezes over.” Cole had reached Main. Only one car was parked on either side of the street for three blocks. A white compact. Clearly a rental. “In the meantime, I don’t give a damn what he does with the Wild Card. I’m hosting next week, in case your husband didn’t mention it.”

Between Verne’s death and the big storm that took off part of the roof, the regulars had been forced to find other places for their weekly poker game.

“You don’t even have a table.”

“I will by then. Listen, Spunky, if that’s all you wanted, I gotta go. See you later.” He knew she hated that nickname. Which was why he used it. Gave her something else to stew about.

He turned off the phone and picked up the pace as he headed toward the Longhorn Café. At least Tessa had had the good sense to pick Ed Falconetti’s place for dinner. For a guy from New Jersey, Ed was one heck of a cook—even if his hot dog dinner hadn’t appeared to settle well with Joey, Cole thought with a smile.

Joey. Was there even a remote chance he was Cole’s child?

His ankle gave slightly and a shaft of pain radiated upward, making him stumble. His recovery was graceless, but Tessa’s rental car was close enough to grab, so he didn’t go all the way to the ground. As much as he would have liked to blame his sore leg on Sally and her cats, he knew the underlying cause.

He pushed himself upright and used the key to unlock the driver’s-side door. The sooner he got back to the motel and had a talk with Tessa Jamison, the sooner they could clear up this matter. He had a feeling once she heard his story—and learned about his father—she’d pack up her genetics test and leave.

TESSA PACED about the room the way she did the night before a big presentation. Her business partner, Marci, liked to tell prospective clients that Tessa lived and breathed planning and organization. True. But what had proven a boon to their thriving consulting firm wound up being something Alan, her boyfriend of two years, apparently had felt threatened by.

“Marci may let you run the whole show, and Lord knows your sister and mother never complain about you micromanaging their lives, but I’m a man, Tessa. At least throw me a token bone before you plan every detail of our life.”

She’d considered therapy after they broke up, but ultimately decided there was nothing wrong with wanting to be successful and working hard for fixed goals. Her long-range planning included a college fund for Joey and retirement security for her mother, not something Autumn was likely to create for herself. If a man felt threatened by Tessa’s drive and ambition, then she didn’t need him in her life.

Some people probably considered her materialistic, but Tessa refused to apologize for surrounding herself with nice things, name brands and designer clothes. She loved driving her BMW SUV into her reserved parking space and taking the elevator to her apartment…fourteen floors above the street where she’d once panhandled for change while her stepfather played his guitar. Until he became too sick to hold a chord.

Maybe Alan would have understood if she’d told him the whole story, but there were parts of her past she didn’t talk about. To anybody.

She hadn’t dated since Alan. The idea seemed so pointless. Men either didn’t get her or felt threatened by her drive and success. She imagined she’d scare the wits out of Cole Lawry. Not that he was someone she’d ever consider dating. From what she’d learned about him on the Internet, he was a man who had had it all, then lost it.

“How does someone go from successful businessman to part-time carpenter and volunteer Santa?” she murmured, conscious of her nephew asleep a few feet away. “Honestly, Joey, I hope he’s not your father. You deserve better. He seems like a nice guy and all, but what kind of role model would he be for you? Not as bad as Zeb, of course.”

She pushed the thought of her stepfather away.

“Focus. Focus on the task at hand,” she ordered. “If Cole Lawry isn’t the one, then what next?”

At a soft knock on the door, she hurried across the room to unlock the extra bolt and open the door. “That was fast.”

“Small town. I’d have been here sooner, but my sister called to talk about one of my poker buddies who’s back in town and might be reopening his mother’s old bar.”

“Poker?”

The word tripped something in her memory. When Sunny first returned home from Texas, she went on and on about how much fun she’d had playing in a bar tournament. “I won fifty bucks my first time out,” she’d bragged.

When Tessa asked how much it cost to enter the game, Sunny had admitted the fee was twenty-five. “But I still came out ahead, Tess. And I had a lot of fun playing. So don’t give me a hard time about something you’ve never tried.”

Never would try.

He dangled her keys from the end of his index finger. She couldn’t help noticing how rough and callused his hands looked. “I locked the car. Do you need anything out of it? Your suitcase or diaper bag?”

“I’ll get it later.” She motioned at the small round table near the window. “Tell me about poker,” she said, stalling. Why? She didn’t know. Unless he had a gambling problem that might play a factor in Joey’s future, if he turned out to be the one. “Sunny came home hooked on the game. She made it sound like an organized sport.”

He pulled out the lone chair and sat. “I’m not surprised. Texas Hold ’Em is pretty popular around here. Some friends and I have had a game going since high school. My sister labeled us the Wild Bunch because we used to play in the back room of the Wild Card Saloon.”

“And you still get together?”

“Once a week. Although now Annie calls us the Not-So-Wild Bunch.”

She smiled because he smiled, but she couldn’t get her head around the dedication and commitment required to keep a game going for so long. A card game, of all things. “What about after high school? Didn’t some of you go to college? Or get jobs out of the area?”

“Yeah, that happened, of course. Brady had a football scholarship and played in the NFL until he got injured. Luke was career military. They’re both home now, but even when they were gone, the game went on. Since I was living in San Antonio, I usually managed to come back once a week to play with some of the old-timers.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “I take it you don’t play.”

“You mean gamble? No. I work far too hard for my money to just throw it away.”

“Too bad. New blood is always welcome.”

His tone was light but the arch of his brow suggested he was put off by her statement, which had probably come off as judgmental. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her purse onto her lap.

“Okay, let’s get this over with.” She dug into the main compartment until she found the plastic bag that contained her sister’s diary. “I should warn you up front that my sister has a unique way of journaling. It’s hit-and-miss. Kinda like reading a jigsaw puzzle,” she said, holding up the bulging book.

“Then how did you decide to contact me?”

She removed the well-worn journal from the plastic bag. The cover was faded black silk with a Chinese design of white and pink lotus flowers in gold thread. All four corners were frayed, the stitching along the binding tattered and torn. Bits and pieces of paper stuck out at odd angles. “I’ve marked a couple of spots. If I can find them.”

“What’s all the other stuff?”

“Junk. A horoscope here. Fortune-cookie proverb there. Recipes ripped from a magazine. Photos of people I’ve never met. Even a grease-stained menu from a fast-food restaurant. Things that mean nothing to me but probably have some significance to Sunny.” She couldn’t help seeing her sister, small and lifeless.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and frantically flipped pages until she found the spot she was looking for. “Here it is. The entry isn’t dated but it says, ‘I met my first real-life Texas hero today. His name is Cole Lawry. I have a feeling he’s going to play a huge role in the story of my life.’ Then she drew four curlicue hearts beside your name.”

“Four hearts? Let me see.” He took the book from her and studied the page she’d marked with a newspaper clipping Sunny had saved that showed Tessa and Marci opening their new office. Small-business Consultants Go BIG, the headline read.

He read the passage, which continued on from what she’d read aloud with a dozen or so lines filled with flowery words like magnanimous and gentlemanly. The first time she’d read the excerpt, Tessa had wondered if her sister had copied them from a thesaurus.

He let out a soft whistle. “Well, that’s weird. It doesn’t exactly say anything about having sex, does it?”

She got up and leaned close enough to point out the last line. It was written in teal-colored ink, where the rest of the passage was in black. “I believe she added this later. It references your giving new meaning to the word friendship.”

He frowned. “That could mean anything. No attorney in the world would base a paternity suit on something this flimsy. Did my ex-wife put you up to this?”

“I beg your pardon?” She pulled back sharply, bumping into the bed.

He ran a hand through his hair with an air of frustration. “Crystal’s convinced I have some hidden assets stashed away that she somehow managed to miss when she was taking me to the cleaners. Maybe if I rolled over at the threat of a paternity lawsuit, I’d—”

She snatched the book out of his hand and pointed to the door. “I want you to leave. Now. Forget the DNA sample. Joey doesn’t need a man like you for a dad.”

He blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I made a mistake by reading more into those four little hearts than my sister intended. She’s never been a very good judge of character, but she definitely blew it with you.”

“Hey. Wait. Back up. I’m sorry. I lost it there for a minute. You’re not working for Crystal, are you?”

“I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

“Of course you don’t.” He shook his head. “God, I am such an idiot. My sister says I tend to think the world spins for my benefit. She blames herself because she babied me after our dad commit—died. I apologize.”

Tessa took a deep breath to get her temper under control then she walked to the door. “No. You were right the first time. The mistake was mine. My mother tried to warn me. We argued before I left the hospital today. She said this was Sunny’s business and I’d only make things worse by sticking my nose in it. But I’m not the kind of person who can just stand around doing nothing.” She closed her eyes and without meaning to, added, “Watching my baby sister slowly slip away.”

Cole’s ankle began to throb—the way it did when he was upset or pissed off. And at the moment he was thoroughly disgusted… with himself. He had nothing but good memories of Sunny—even though, at the time she worked in his father-in-law’s office, his life had been in chaos.

He stood up but didn’t move to leave. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I blew it a minute ago. My only excuse is that my ex-wife is a piece of work and I could see her doing something like this right before the holidays. Can we start over?”

She shook her head. “There’s no reason to talk about this. Unless you actually were involved with my sister.”

He gently urged her back to the bed. Once she was sitting, he returned to his chair. “Sunny and I were friends. I helped her out of a tight spot when she was staying at the commune up the road. She wasn’t happy, and she didn’t seem to have any options. I gave her some.”

“What kind?”

“A job. A place to live. I advanced her some money, which she paid back. Your sister was—is—a nice person. I hope she pulls out of this.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that, but I guess I need to be blunt. Did you or did you not have sex with my sister?”

CHAPTER THREE

“SHE WHAT?” Annie shouted. “A complete stranger shows up at your Santa gig and accuses you of fathering some kid you’ve never seen or heard of? That’s, like, the most insane scam I’ve ever heard.”

Cole looked at his sister and wished he’d listened to his gut and gone home instead of swinging by Annie’s house. They were sitting on cheap plastic lawn chairs on her front porch, with a citronella candle burning on the low table between them. “It wasn’t like that, Annie. She’s not a scam artist.”

“You’re right about the artist part. That would imply she was good at this, but she is a scammer, Cole. That’s a person who tries to take advantage of someone else. Someone good and kind and sweet. That’s you, Cole. A born sucker.”

He stood up. “I am not.”

She had that know-it-all big-sister look on her face that he hated. She held up her index finger. “One word—Crystal. Now, there was a player. She took you for nearly everything you worked your ass off to get.”

He dragged the chair a foot or so away and sat again. His sister was too good at reading him. “She was my wife. Trust is one of your marriage vows, remember? Okay, forget it. I didn’t come here to talk about me and Crystal. I thought you might have some suggestions on how to help Tessa and her nephew. If I’m not the boy’s father, then she still needs to find out who is.”

Annie looked at him shrewdly. “There was something in your voice when you said the word if. Is there a possibility you could be the kid’s father?”

“Like I told Tessa…almost none.”

She barked out a laugh. “That’s like being almost pregnant. Speaking of which, want to go inside for my latest craving? Bananas and capers on saltines.” He made a gagging sound. “No? Well, go on then. What happened?”

“A month or two before Sunny left, I got drunk at the Oasis. Remember that bar down the street from the office? It’s also right around the corner from the apartment build ing Sunny was managing. She found me crying in my tequila.”

“Over Crystal? Damn, that woman had her head screwed on backward. All she ever cared about was looking beautiful and being seen by all the right players as she drove around in her fancy car. You are so lucky to be done with her. So, anyway, this Sunny chick shows up and…”

“We talked. And she tried to dance with me…. Until it was obvious I couldn’t walk, much less dance. She took me back to her place.”

“Her one-bedroom apartment.”

“I slept on her couch.”

Annie looked at him, but didn’t say anything for a minute. “Well, someone doesn’t get pregnant by association. If you have any doubts about what happened, there must be more to the story.”

“I woke up the next morning in her bed. Alone. She was at work. I don’t remember getting into her bed. I don’t remember having sex with her—I’m sure I didn’t. You know me, Mr. All About the Vows.”

She went over and put her arm around him. “I do know you, and I’m sure you’re right. Sharing a bed isn’t the same as swapping genetic material. So, there really isn’t a problem, right? You told the Oregon sister that you weren’t the daddy and sent her back to San Antonio—where she should be, by the way. I mean, who leaves the bedside of her comatose sister to hunt down some lead from a diary?”

Cole gave her a look he knew she’d understand.

“What? You think I’m being judgmental?”

“She’s doing what you would do. She and her mother can’t both be in Sunny’s room, because one of them has to keep the kid busy. How do you entertain a toddler in a strange town?”

Annie’s eyes went wide. “You like her. And feel sorry for her.” She stepped back, a hand at the small bulge in the waistline of her brightly flowered cotton pajama bottoms. “No, Cole. No. This isn’t a hawk with a broken wing. Or a three-legged cat. Or a cowardly dog who barks at his own shadow. You’ve got the biggest heart in Texas, but you can’t save everybody who falls into your life with a sad story. Didn’t you learn your lesson with Crystal?”

“I learned a lot of lessons from Crystal, but this isn’t the same. Tessa doesn’t want anything from me but a little swab of DNA, and frankly, I’m not worried about that. If it turned out the kid—Joey, his name is Joey—is mine, then I’d be okay with that. Your baby would have an older cousin.”

“That’s not how it works, Cole. You don’t just open your mouth and give them spit because they ask. First, you protect yourself. You call a lawyer and—”

“My lawyer won’t talk to me until I pay off my bill.”

“Oh, stop. You’re being obtuse. This is your future, Coley-boy, and I’m not going to let some stranger trash it when you’re just now getting back on your feet. I’ll go see her in the morning and—”

Cole recognized that particular tone. He called it her crusader voice. He took Annie’s shoulders in his hands and made her look at him. “No, you won’t. She’s going back to San Antonio in the morning, and I told her I’d come see her at the motel where she and her mother are staying. I want to visit Sunny. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that there’s a beautiful young woman who might be dying. The rest of this will shake out. Got it?”

Annie closed her mouth in a pout that her husband claimed to find endearing but Cole knew meant trouble. “I’m going home now, Annie. Leave it alone. Promise?”

He squinted at her sternly until she nodded, but he had an uneasy feeling she was going to spend the rest of the night figuring out a way around her promise.

“Where’s Blake, by the way?”

“Had an early meeting. Decided to stay in the condo.”

Annie and Blake were still working out the logistics of their complicated lives, but Cole had no doubt they’d figure it out eventually. They loved each other and that was what counted.

“Your ankle’s bothering you again, isn’t it?”

“Nothing an ice pack and a couple of painkillers can’t handle.”

She frowned. “Cole. When are you going to see that orthopedic specialist I recommended?”

Never. “I’m busy. I have to work, remember?” He could tell from the concern in her eyes that she didn’t buy his excuse for a minute. She knew the circumstances around the injury. She knew too much. “I’m leaving now.”

She followed him to the edge of the porch and watched him walk to his car. “You have a right to live without pain, Cole. Dad would hate it if he thought you were suffering because of him.”

He pretended not to hear. Nobody could say what Tim Lawry thought, and the man sure as hell wasn’t here to set the record straight.

TESSA AWOKE at dawn and managed to work a good hour at her laptop before Joey woke up. She and Marci had rewarded themselves with a month’s vacation each to celebrate

A.R.E. Consulting’s successful year. Marci and her husband had spent November in Scotland and England. Tessa had planned to use a few of her abundant frequent-flier miles to head to Hawaii the first week in December then return home to paint her spare bedroom. That had been before she got the call about Sunny. Autumn and Tessa had had to pack up and leave so quickly Tessa hadn’t been able to clear everything off her calendar. She’d rescheduled her final couple of follow-up appointments during an extralong, weather-related layover in Denver, but she hadn’t gotten a chance to firm up her first-of-the-year contact list before she left town.

A.R.E. was an acronym for what Tessa and Marci believed was an ongoing process needed to keep any business—big or small—solvent, growth oriented and viable. Assess, Reassess and Evaluate. Their partnership was a perfect model. Every quarter, they set aside one afternoon to go over their records and reports. As she often told clients, “Taking a cold, hard look at your company can save a lot of heartache down the road.”

Tessa and Marci had already set the date for their fourth-quarter review. December twenty-sixth. The day after Christmas. Tessa had planned to have her January clients in the queue, contracts in hand, but now it appeared Marci would have to handle January.

The least Tessa could do was provide a nice, neat contact sheet, complete with payment schedule. If each of these potential jobs panned out, she and Marci would be looking at doubling their income over the year before.

Unfortunately, the contact list was quite spread out geographically. Las Vegas. Baltimore. Anchorage. Houston.

“Houston.” She closed her eyes and tried to picture a map of the state of Texas. She’d been to Dallas twice, once to attend a small-business seminar and a few years later to teach a workshop at the same seminar. She had a vague recollection that Houston was farther south and east.

“I wonder how far Houston is from here—”

Why? Because if she were in the state on business, she’d have an excuse to look up Cole Lawry again?

Her eyes blinked open and she quickly closed her program and logged off. Ridiculous. Wouldn’t happen. Ever.

She stood up and stuffed her lightweight VIAO into its carrying case. She’d already wasted way too much time going over every aspect of their meeting. The compassionate way he’d handled Joey’s vomiting. His pique when he thought she was a stooge working for his ex-wife. The dichotomy of his upper-body strength juxtaposed with his slight limp.

He was intriguing, but so not her type.

“Stop it,” she muttered. “I don’t do intriguing, remember?”

She didn’t normally talk to herself, either.

She nestled the computer in a spot in her suitcase and zipped the bag shut, not caring how noisy she was. It was time for Joey to wake up. After she got him dressed, she would settle her bill then they’d walk someplace for breakfast. Maybe the same diner they’d eaten in the night before. With any luck, they’d be on the road by ten.

“Joey—” She gently touched the child’s shoulder. Some mornings he woke up swinging, duking it out with imaginary villains. Sometimes he’d cry for five or ten minutes, as if his whole world were ending. When he woke up on his own, he tended to be happier.

“Mommy,” he cried, eyes squeezed tight, arms out.

“Oh, honey boy, I’m sorry. It’s me, Auntie Tessa. Come here, love. Let me hold you till you wake up.”

He sobbed against her shoulder, but only for a few seconds. Blinking sleepily, he mumbled, “Brecky?”

Sunny’s word for his favorite honey-sweetened cereal. Tessa had learned not to leave home without it. It dawned on her that he must be famished since he’d lost his dinner on Santa’s lap. She fished a small bag out of her purse.

“Sure. You can nibble on some while I get you dressed, then we’ll go have some pancakes. Or eggs. You can pick, okay?”

The morning sped past, the way time does when you’re dealing with a toddler. The older woman behind the desk of the motel had been perfectly agreeable with Tessa leaving her car while they went to breakfast. The slight overcast of early morning had given way to bright sunlight and Tessa regretted leaving her sunglasses in the rental.

By the time they got back to the motel, her head was pounding. Fortunately, whatever had caused Joey’s upset stomach the night before hadn’t returned. Still, she bought an extra package of wet wipes at the drugstore, just in case.

“Come on, sweets, we have to get going. Grandma is waiting for us.”

“Uh-uh. Play more.”

She’d promised him ten minutes in the sandbox at the playground across the road from their motel. That had been a good half an hour ago.

Not that she blamed him. She wasn’t in any hurry to get back in the car, either. There was something very peaceful and uncomplicated about this town, she decided, staring at the leafless trees standing guard over the aquamarine-colored stream. The Medina River, the motel woman had called it, but it wasn’t a river like the ones in Oregon.

Oregon. A world and a half away.

Home.

But was it home without her mother and sister? There had been times growing up when they hadn’t had a roof over their heads, but Tessa had always had her family.

“Okay, sweets, time’s up. We gotta go see Grandma.”

Joey let out a squeal and took off running as fast as his pudgy little legs would carry him. Laughing, Tessa chased him, stealthily herding him closer to the parking lot. When he realized his mistake, he started to pitch a fit, but Tessa scooped him up in her arms and tickled him until he was laughing again. “Grandma, Grandma, Grandma,” she repeated as she tucked him into his well-cushioned car seat.

He wiggled like a newly caught fish as she tried to clip the two ends of the belt together. “Hold still, kiddo. You’ve already broken most of my nails. There,” she exclaimed triumphantly. “Here’s your juice cup and your tractor.”

Once he seemed content—for the moment, at least—she closed the door. Her purse and the bag from the pharmacy were on the front passenger seat. She reached through the open window to get her sunglasses. As she searched for the case, she heard a horn honking and glanced up to see a woman with long curly hair round the corner on a bicycle.

The driver of the car yelled something Tessa couldn’t make out then kept going as the bicyclist careened into the motel parking lot.

“Goodness. Automobiles think they own the road, don’t they? Oh, hello. I was hoping I’d catch you,” the stranger hailed as she came to a stop a few feet away. She quickly hopped off the bike and engaged the kickstand. With an efficiency that bespoke years of practice, she whipped off her backpack and snatched out a slim, lined notepad before approaching Tessa with her free hand extended. “I’m from the local paper. I thought maybe we could do a piece to rally some support for your predicament.”

Tessa shook her hand, but not because she wanted to. “My predicament? You mean my sister’s accident? Well, thank you for the offer, but I’m not interested. How’d you hear about us?”

“Small town. Strangers in our midst. Word gets around.” She held up her notepad. “This won’t take long. I promise. Just a quote or two. People tend to be generous at this time of year.”

Tessa was definitely put off by the woman’s persistence, plus Joey wasn’t a patient waiter. “Thank you, but no. We’re doing fine. Sunny’s hospital bills are being covered by health insurance and there’s really nothing anyone can do at the moment.”

“Are you religious? We could organize a prayer chain. My mother’s church would be all over that.”

Religious? Does going to sleep at night praying that you’ll have food to eat the next morning count? “I appreciate the thought, but we’re not members of a church. We’re private people, and I’m sure my mother would be uncomfortable with anything intrusive.”

That seemed to have the desired effect. The reporter stopped scribbling and lowered the pad to stare at Tessa a moment. Then, in a stern, serious voice, she said, “You don’t think accusing a person of fathering a child he’s never heard about qualifies as intrusive?”

Tessa looked at her more closely, noticing details she’d missed. Like the subtle bulge at her waistline that said she was several months pregnant. “You must be Cole’s sister.”

“You’re right. I am. My name is Annie Smith. Cole came to see me last night. He told me about your accusation.”

“Well, get your facts straight. I didn’t accuse him of anything. I’m just trying to find out the truth—for Joey’s sake.” At that moment, a loud wail emanated from the car. Tessa turned to the backseat window. Joey had kicked off his shoes and was jamming his feet against the passenger-seat headrest. Obviously, he was fed up with being locked in his car seat while his aunt was standing around talking.

She felt Annie’s presence and turned to face her. “We have to go. I promised my mother I’d be back in San Antonio for the second shift of visiting hours. The nurses have been extremely conscientious, but it’s exhausting for one person to be there 24-7.”

Annie moved closer to the window and Tessa had to restrain herself from pushing Cole’s sister away. What if he was Annie’s nephew, too? The idea made her light-headed. She’d honestly never extrapolated the family factor. Joey’s father would have a family of some kind, maybe even additional children who would be Joey’s half siblings.

“What a cutie.” Annie wiggled her fingers against the window. “Look at that blond hair and blue eyes. I used to know a kid with the same blond hair and blue eyes.”

Tessa took that to mean her brother.

“Well, if you ever met my sister, you’d know Joey looks just like her. Now, if you don’t mind, we need to leave. When you see your brother, tell him…never mind. I’ll tell him myself.”

She got in the car and drove out of the parking lot without looking back, her heart beating double time, palms damp against the steering wheel. She didn’t appreciate having Cole’s sister imply that she had some kind of ulterior motive.

She remembered all too well what it was like to have people make assumptions about her—assumptions that were only true because of circumstance. Once she’d been old enough, she’d been able to change circumstance.

Annie Smith was wrong. Tessa didn’t want anything from Cole. Not his money, if his ex-wife had left him any. Not his busybody sister publicizing their plight. And definitely not his DNA.

She had one stop to make before returning to San Antonio. Sunny’s friend Amelia had been responsible for inviting Sunny to Texas in the first place. According to Sunny’s journal, Amelia had been there when Sunny met Cole Lawry for the first time.

With luck, Amelia would not only provide third-party confirmation that there was no way in hell Cole could be Joey’s father, but she’d be able to give Tessa a lead on the other two names that appeared in the journal. Mr. Big and someone Sunny called the G-man.

CHAPTER FOUR

COLE GLANCED AT his watch. Time seemed to be crawling. He’d come to work two hours early to make up for an afternoon of wages he planned to miss, but even so, the morning just wouldn’t end.

Maybe he was tired. After leaving Annie’s, he’d worked around his place until nearly one. His mind had refused to shut off thanks to the minute-by-minute replay of his encounter with Tessa. And sleeping pills weren’t an option. He’d relied on them too much when he lived in San Antonio and had thrown out every OTC package and prescription before moving back to River Bluff. Instead of tossing restlessly until dawn, he’d turned his attention to hooking up the sink in the guest bath.

One more thing to check off the list, he thought, grabbing his tape.

He measured the placement for the next stud then reached for the precut two-by-four. He had to use his hammer to knock it into place, then he grabbed the pneumatic nail gun.

Carpentry had been his first job out of high school. On-the-job training with a framing company working on custom homes for BJM Reality. That was how he met his future wife. Big Jim McNally’s daughter, Crystal. Hot. Gorgeous. Spoiled.

But for reasons he never completely understood, she picked him and the whirlwind began. He should have known better. He knew better now.

“Yo, Cole,” Ron said, tapping Cole on the shoulder. “Your phone is ringing. Third time in ten minutes.”

Cole turned to face his boss. Ron Hayward, whose red hair, freckled nose and boyish grin had earned him constant comparisons to a certain child actor growing up, now looked more like a young Andy Griffith than Opie. He pointed to Cole’s Carhartt vest on a stack of wallboard.

Cole dropped his hammer handle-first into its holder on his tool belt and tugged on the plastic tie that kept him from losing his earplugs when they weren’t in his ears. “Sorry, boss,” he said.

Who? he wondered. Tessa? He’d left her his cell number the night before in case anything changed in Sunny’s condition.

Frowning, he picked up the phone and scrolled down to view his missed calls. Brady Carrick, NFL wide receiver turned cardsharp turned horse trainer. Luke Chisum’s number came up second. Cole was relieved to have his friend, career army, back and out of harm’s way. The last number belonged to Blake Smith, his brother-in-law. Three of the five Wild Bunch brethren all calling within fifteen minutes of each other?

“What the hell could be so important?” he muttered, hitting Blake’s number first.

“A kid, Cole? You have a kid?”

Cole’s expletive made all of his fellow workers stop what they were doing and look at him. Muttering, he walked down the plank ramp to the ground. “She promised to keep that between us.”

Blake laughed. “Your sister is a reporter, Cole. It’s in her blood. And, for what it’s worth, I’m pretty sure she hasn’t told your mother.”

But she would. Eventually. Cole swore again. The problem with living in a small town was nobody respected your boundaries.

“So, you called to give me a hard time about this?”

“No, actually. I just did that for fun. I called because I heard something I knew would interest you. It’s about Jake. Turns out you’re not the only one with a secret.”

“This particular secret isn’t mine. At least, I don’t think so. Although Mom would point out that this is the season for immaculate conceptions.”

His brother-in-law roared. “Well, until we learn otherwise, can I call him Cole Jr.?”

“Tell me why you called or I’m hanging up.”

“Spoilsport. Okay. You know Jake’s been low-key about what he’s been doing since he left town, right?”

Yeah. So low-key he’d never even found time to drop by and say, “How y’all doing?” “You’re not going to tell me you found out he’s been in jail the whole time, are you?”

“Nope. Just the opposite. I bumped into a guy at a meeting yesterday who said he knew Jake from his dealings with a West Coast company called TellMell.com. I checked on the Internet last night and sure enough, Jake’s name is at the top of the masthead of one of the hottest stocks on the market.”

“You’re shittin’ me. Why wouldn’t he say something?”

“Ask him. I called the company this morning figuring there might be more than one Jake Chandler in San Diego, and the receptionist said Mr. Chandler was on an extended leave of absence. Apparently, he’s taking care of personal business in his old hometown in Texas.”

Cole couldn’t believe it. And he was pissed.

A voice in the distance called Blake’s name.

“I gotta run. Big meeting. Talk to you later. Let me know what Jake has to say. If he’s not strapped for cash then why the hell won’t he fix up the bar? The game just doesn’t feel the same at someone’s house.” He paused. “Have you got a table yet?”

“I’m working on it.”

“Work fast. The game is Wednesday.”

They said goodbye and hung up. Cole stood for a moment trying to digest the news. Jake. Rich. Successful. The freakin’ Harley he was riding should have been their first clue, Cole thought, disgusted.

Was he upset because his former best friend didn’t bother telling him he’d beat the odds and come out on top? Damn right. But considering the way Jake left town—under a cloud of suspicion, accused of setting a mysterious fire—he supposed he couldn’t blame his friend for not being in a hurry to talk about his life.

Still, they’d shared a lot back then. Apparently not so much anymore.

“Everything okay?” Ron asked when Cole went back inside.

“Yeah. Just some of the guys checking to see if I was still hosting the poker game next week.”

“Right,” Ron said. “Bet that means you’d like the table delivered ASAP. How ’bout after work?”

Ron’s wife was getting a new dining room set for the holidays and she’d offered to give Cole her old one. “Can’t today. I’m filling in for Ray Hardy at the North Pole tonight, and I have to run to town first. Do you mind my taking off after lunch?”

“Sure. No problem. Wanna do it tomorrow?”

Saturday. He’d planned to get up early and try hanging a door in the bathroom. “Perfect.”

“I’ll even deliver it, if you’re sure I get to play.”

Cole cringed inwardly but kept a smile on his face. He liked Ron. He was an okay boss but a lousy poker player. The last time he’d joined the game, he’d walked away the big winner. From foolish bets spurred on by too much alcohol…on hands that should have gone bust. His poker pals didn’t suffer fools gladly, but sometimes this was the price you paid having an open game in a small town. “Absolutely.”

“So, now that you’re getting into this Santa gig, you’re gonna be looking to find a nice girl and have some kids of your own, huh? My wife’s cousin is available. Not bad. Got some extra junk in her trunk, if you get my drift, but she can cook.”

Cole called upon his Realtor-speak to distract Ron and end the conversation. He wasn’t looking for a new wife. He wasn’t in the market for a family. If a child suddenly landed in his life, he’d deal with that. But at the moment he had his hands full just taking care of himself and his dog, a one-bark wonder who was afraid of his own shadow, but did a whole-body wag when Cole pulled into the driveway. He made a mental note to be sure Pooch had food and water before heading into SA. “AMELIA, IT’S SO GOOD to see you. You look wonderful.”

The young woman threw open the door of the small, white, box-shaped home.

“Tessa,” she exclaimed. “What a lovely surprise. Come in.”

From the outside, the house appeared identical to the other five homes grouped around an open common area where a wooden swing set and bright plastic slide shared space with a dozen or so trees no taller than Tessa.

“I hated to drop in without calling first, but…”

“No phone. I know. The price we pay to live apart,” Amelia said, ushering Tessa into the living room. Two curious little faces peeked around the cased opening leading to the kitchen.

Tessa shifted Joey on her hip and looked at the young woman who had been Sunny’s closest friend in high school. Amelia looked older. Matronly almost. Her drab brown linen skirt reached midcalf and was topped by a bulky knit sweater that hid any hint of her figure. Angled across her torso, an African batik-print cloth held an infant, barely visible near her breast.

“You have a new baby,” Tessa exclaimed.

“A week old today. I wrote Sunny. Didn’t she tell you?”

Clearly Amelia hadn’t heard. “Amelia, Sunny’s been in an accident.”

Amelia let out a small cry. “Is she okay?”

Tessa sat down on the worn, brown-and-gold plaid couch and set Joey on her lap. Hugging him lightly, she said, “Sunny flew to Texas last week and her rental car went off the road. It flipped several times and, although she was wearing her seat belt, she still suffered serious head trauma. She’s in a coma at the University Hospital in San Antonio.”

“Oh, dear heaven, no.”

At their mother’s cry, two young children, probably three and five, rushed into the room. Joey pushed her arms away to stand up. He hadn’t known many playmates in Oregon but wasn’t shy as a rule. Amelia collected herself and within minutes of introducing the children, Hosaih and Remata, the three were playing in the far corner of the room around a plastic box filled with toys and books.

“What’s the baby’s name?”

“Bayal…. He came early. Our midwife was afraid he wouldn’t make it. She wanted us to go to the hospital, but we put our faith in his life force, and he elected to stay with us.”

Amelia moved aside a bit of cloth so Tessa could see the sleeping child’s face. “He’s beautiful. I’m so happy for you all. Is your husband here? Sunny said he’s a very nice man.”

Amelia smiled. “He is. We’re happy. I wanted Sunny to like it here, but I guess what’s right for one person isn’t necessarily good for another. She was bored and frustrated almost immediately.”

“I’m trying to put together all the pieces of what happened while she was in Texas. She wasn’t herself when she came back. Less open. Secretive.”

“Sunny?” Amelia exclaimed. “You’re kidding.”

Her expression grew thoughtful then she motioned for Tessa to follow her into the adjoining kitchen. With a quick look at Joey, who was tentatively adding a block to the pile the other children were stacking, Tessa followed.

“Your son looks more like Sunny than you,” Amelia said, putting a kettle of water on the stove.

“That’s probably because he is Sunny’s.”

The kettle crashed on the burner. “He is? Sunny had a baby?”

Tessa watched Amelia do the math in her head. Her eyes opened wide. “She got pregnant while she was in Texas.”

A statement, not a question.

“Who’s the father?”

“That’s partly why I’m here. Sunny wasn’t happy in Oregon. At first, Mom and I thought she was suffering from postpartum depression, but the longer it went on, we finally figured out that she was pining for the man she loved back here. We tried to get her to talk about him, but she’d never tell us his name.”

“Oh, dear.”

Tessa sat down at the table. How much to confess? Do I tell her I’m to blame for what happened? “I…urged her to come back and confront Joey’s father. I told her it wasn’t fair to Joey to go through life not knowing.”

Amelia filled a plate with cookies stacked on a cooling rack—the delicious scent Tessa had smelled but couldn’t quite place. Amelia set them in front of her. “Of course you did. You’re the only one who could really understand what that not knowing was like. I remember.”

“I wasted so much time, so many day dreams creating my real father.” Someone who wasn’t a dissipated, drug-addict musician. “I couldn’t stand the idea of Joey having to go through the same thing.”

A hissing sound pulled Amelia back to the stove. Moments later she returned with two cups of hot water. Each contained an unbleached muslin bag filled with fragrant herbs. “So…you’re wondering if I can shed any light on this mystery man.”

Tessa nodded. “I have Sunny’s diary, but it hasn’t been a lot of help. You know how… convoluted she could make things.”

Amelia chuckled softly. “Always. I once asked her why she didn’t write things down in order as they happened, and she said, ‘Where’s the fun in that? If I ever look back at my life, I don’t want it to read like some boring textbook.’”

Tessa had heard that before, too. A creative trait Sunny had inherited from her father, Zebulon Barnes. Poet, musician, troubadour, troubled human being. A sweet, ineffectual man who gave up on his dreams way too easily and took his family down with him.

“Do you have any idea what happened to Sunny after she left here?” she asked.

Amelia was silent a moment. “She went to San Antonio with Cole Lawry. He was the Realtor handling the purchase of a piece of land for us. He said he could get her a job answering phones at his office. He was a nice man. I didn’t think he was trying to…I guess they say ‘put the make’ on Sunny, but you know how beautiful she is. Men can’t help themselves.”

Something in her tone made Tessa wonder if Amelia’s husband had fallen for Sunny’s charms. That could explain why Amelia hadn’t known about Joey. Her sister might have been embarrassed to return any correspondence.

“I met Cole Lawry last night,” she said. “He seemed genuinely upset about her accident. He admitted that he and Sunny were friends, but when I asked him to take the paternity test, he said he had to think about it.”

“Cole? He was our go-to guy. Never pussyfooted around with our land deal. I wonder what happened to make him change?

The baby made a mewling sound and Amelia adjusted the tie to give him access to her breast. She smiled beatifically as the baby nursed. “I guess I shouldn’t think too badly of him until we know the truth. He went out of his way to help the Spirit of Harmony families buy the adjoining farm. We never would’ve been able to do it without him.”

“He said he’s not a real estate agent anymore. I gather he’s divorced.”

“That’s unfortunate. I hope Sunny didn’t have anything to do with that. I mean…since I introduced them and all.” Her hand popped up to cover her mouth and her cheeks turned apple red. “I shouldn’t have said that. The poor girl is fighting for her life and I’m thinking the worst. Just because she wasn’t happy here doesn’t mean she wasn’t a good person.”

Their conversation ended when Amelia’s husband returned, hungry and obviously not pleased that a hot lunch wasn’t waiting for him on the table. Although Amelia invited her and Joey to join them, Tessa declined. “We need to get back to check on Mom and Sunny.”

“This is one of those rare times when I hate not having a phone. Will you let me know what happens? I’d like to help any way I can. If you need someone to watch Joey for a few days, he’d be very welcome here.”

Tessa was touched. “If the prognosis changes for the worst, I might take you up on that. Mom can’t spend the whole day with Sunny then watch Joey while I take a shift. She’s just too drained. Thanks for the offer.”

She and Joey left a few minutes later, and as she drove back to the city, she thought about Cole. Who was he? Santa? Nice-guy Realtor? Good Samaritan? Or someone very skilled at playing whatever role was handed him?

He’d told her he wanted to see Sunny today. If he showed up, she might be able to draw a more reliable conclusion about the real Cole Lawry.

CHAPTER FIVE

TESSA WAS READING a book to Joey when the door to the motel suite opened. Her mother rushed inside, letting her bag fall to the floor. Her lovely silver hair, windblown and free of its usual braid, flew about her face as she hurried to the wing chair where Tessa and Joey were sitting.

“You’re here. I was so worried.”

“I called Sunny’s room as soon as we got to town, but you didn’t answer. Is everything okay?”

Autumn’s eyes filled with tears, but she nodded. Dropping to her knees beside them, she held out her arms to Joey. “Hello, sweetheart, Grandma missed you something fierce. Do you have a hug for me?”

Joey threw himself into Autumn’s arms and the two rocked back and forth. Joey wasn’t nearly as demonstrative with Tessa as he was his mother and grandmother.

“Any change?”

Autumn looked over Joey’s shoulder. “Not really. Another specialist came by this morning. They were worried about her kidneys. I guess they changed her medication and fixed whatever was causing the problem. My head felt like it was going to explo—” She stopped speaking and faked a smile for Joey’s benefit. A moment later she added, “I went for a walk. I just couldn’t breathe inside that building anymore.”

Tessa reached out and touched her mother’s shoulder. “It’s not easy seeing someone you love in a hospital bed.”

“Especially Sunny. This would make her crazy.”

Autumn smoothed back her grandson’s hair. “So, tell me all about your great adventure, Joey boy. Did you get to see Santa?”

“Sanna,” Joey said, looking around excitedly.

Tessa picked up her purse and poked through it until she found her camera. “I think I got a couple of shots before…um… Joey had an upset stomach. As I said, we didn’t stay long. They’re not great, but one or two might be worth printing.”

She turned on the power and tapped the control button back to the image she wanted. “See?”

Autumn held the display at arm’s length. “I don’t have my glasses, but…oh, yes, there you are, Joey. With Santa. Very nice.” She handed the camera back to Tessa. “I’d like to look at them later. Do you have any of you-know-who?”

“No. The situation didn’t exactly lend itself to that kind of thing. But he said he wanted to visit Sunny today, so you’ll get to meet him.”

“Are you serious? He’s coming here?”

She’d known her mother wasn’t going to be thrilled with this news. Tessa stood and walked into the kitchen area to put away the few groceries she and Joey had picked up on the way into town. “Cole said—and Amelia confirmed—that he and Sunny were friends. He helped her get a job and find a place to live.”

Her mother didn’t reply, but a few seconds later Tessa heard the chatter of a children’s video, and her mother joined her.

“I bought more water. Do you want one?” Tessa offered.

“Yes, thank you. I keep forgetting to drink.”

“You’ve always been a stickler for staying hydrated.”

“I think my brain is only working at half speed. Every time I step through the doors of that hospital, I feel like I’m going into a parallel universe.”

Tessa cracked open a bottle, too. They moved to the small dinette table under the window. In the distance, she could see the lush green hills that had surprised her when she first saw them. Where was the flat, austere desert she’d expected? The terrain was so different from Oregon. Open and expansive with a sky that went on forever.

“Mom, I have a couple of things to tell you, and I think we should talk now, even though I can tell you’re tired.”

“Worn down is not the same as tired. I took a pill last night and slept very well, but I woke up feeling as though I’d hiked a dozen miles or more.”

Tessa nodded.

“So, you might as well get it over with and tell me.”

“I don’t think Cole Lawry is Joey’s father. He has blue eyes and light hair, but he just isn’t Sunny’s type.”

“Did he deny the possibility that he could be Joey’s father?”

“Not exactly. At first, he thought I was scamming him.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. As if you’d do something like that. If he’s not the one, then who is?”

“I don’t know. I thought I’d call the office where Sunny used to work and see if anyone remembers her. There are only two other names on the list. Maybe Mr. Big or the G-man is someone she worked with.”

She took her phone from its slot in her purse and punched in the number she’d gotten from the Internet. A woman answered on the second ring. “BJM Realty. How may I direct your call?”

“My name is Tessa Jamison. My sister, Sunny Barnes, used to work for your company. Is there anyone I can talk to who knew her? I believe she was hired by Cole Lawry.”

“Mr. Lawry no longer works here.”

“Yes, I heard that. But maybe there’s someone else who knew her. This was two years ago or so.” Tessa gave the woman the address of the rental property Sunny had managed.

“Oh. Is your sister the pretty blonde from out West?”

“Yes. She’s from Oregon. Did you know her?”

“No. Sorry. That was before I started here, but I saw a photograph of her at a staff party. She’s really beautiful.”

“Thank you. Yes. Um…she was in a car accident last week. She’s in a coma, and I’m in town trying to piece together what happened. I thought she might have contacted some of the people she used to know. The only person I can remember her mentioning is Cole Lawry.”

The line went silent a moment. “Oh, you poor thing. This must be so tough on y’all. Most of this happened before I came to work here, but from what I’ve heard, Cole left not too long after your sister quit. He’s very much a persona non grata around here, if you know what I mean. Messy divorce with the boss’s daughter.”

Tessa blinked. His ex-wife was his boss’s daughter? “Oh? From what Sunny said, he seemed like such a nice man.”

“Well, I guess that depends on who you’re talking to. Big Jim—he’s our head honcho—is probably the one to ask about your sister ’cause nothing happens in this company that he doesn’t know about. But I’d leave Cole Lawry’s name out of the conversation if I were you. This is Texas, and blood is a lot thicker than marriage vows, if you get my drift.”

“Is…um…Big Jim there? Can I talk to him?”

“Sorry. He’s in Dallas at the moment. Do you want me to take your number? He usually calls in for his messages.”

Tessa thought a moment. “We’re at the hospital a lot, so I’ll try back. Thanks for your help.”

“You’re welcome, and I’ll be saying a prayer for your sister, too. Bye, now.”

Tessa closed the phone and gave her mother a condensed version of what the receptionist had told her. “Do you suppose Big Jim is Sunny’s Mr. Big?”

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