Cast of Characters

Kate Rebel: Matriarch of the Rebel family.

Falcon: The oldest son—the strong one. Abandoned by his wife, Leah, following the birth of their daughter, Eden.

Egan: The loner. Married to Rachel Hollister, daughter of the man who put him in jail.

Quincy: The peacemaker. In love with Jenny Walker, his brother’s girlfriend.

Elias: The fighter. Falls in love with the daughter of their archenemy.

Paxton: The lover. Never met a woman he couldn’t have, but the woman he wants doesn’t want him.

Jude: The serious, responsible one. Raising his small son alone.

Phoenix: The wild one and the youngest. He’s independent and free until Child Protective Services says he’s the father of a small boy.

Abraham (Abe) Rebel: Paternal grandfather.

Jericho Johnson: Egan’s friend from prison.

Texas Rebels: Falcon

Linda Warren

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Two-time RITA® Award-nominated and award-winning author LINDA WARREN loves her job, writing happily-ever-after books for Mills & Boon. Drawing upon her years of growing up on a farm/ranch in Texas, she writes about sexy heroes, feisty heroines and broken families with an emotional punch, all set against the backdrop of Texas. Her favorite pastime is sitting on her patio with her husband watching the wildlife, especially the injured ones that are coming in pairs these days: two Canada geese with broken wings, two does with broken legs and a bobcat ready to pounce on anything tasty. Learn more about Linda and her books at her website, www.lindawarren.net, or on Facebook, LindaWarrenAuthor, or follow @Texauthor on Twitter.

Acknowledgements

The internet is an invaluable source and I used it extensively to research brain tumors. Some of the personal stories tugged at my heart. A big thanks to the women who were willing to share their ordeal.

A special thanks to Phyllis Phucas, RN, for graciously sharing her knowledge and answering my many questions about preemies.

All errors are strictly mine.

Dedication

I dedicate this book to Elaine Weldon, a faithful reader. She loved my books and would tell anyone who would listen about them. I will miss her shining face at book signings. Soar with the angels, Elaine.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Dedication

Prologue

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

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

My name is Kate Rebel. I married John Rebel when I was eighteen years old and then bore him seven sons. We worked the family ranch, which John later inherited. We put everything we had into buying more land so our sons would have a legacy. We didn’t have much, but we had love.

The McCray Ranch borders Rebel Ranch on the east and the McCrays have forever been a thorn in my family’s side. They’ve cut our fences, dammed up creeks to limit our water supply and shot one of our prize bulls. Ezra McCray threatened to shoot our sons if he caught them jumping his fences again. We tried to keep our boys away, but they are boys—young and wild.

One day Jude and Phoenix, two of our youngest, were out riding together. When John heard shots, he immediately went to find his boys. They lay on the ground, blood oozing from their heads. Ezra McCray was astride a horse twenty yards away with a rifle in his hand. John drew his gun and fired, killing Ezra instantly. Both boys survived with only minor wounds. Since my husband was protecting his children, he didn’t spend even one night in jail. This escalated the feud that still goes on today.

The man I knew as my husband died that day. He couldn’t live with what he’d done, and started to drink heavily. I had to take over the ranch and the raising of our boys. John died ten years later. We’ve all been affected by the tragedy, especially my sons.

They are grown men now and deal in different ways with the pain of losing their father. One day I pray my boys will be able to put this behind them and live healthy, normal lives with women who will love them the way I loved their father.

Chapter One

Falcon: the oldest son—the strong one.

A time to forget...

Eighteen years was long enough to wait for his wife to come home. Today Falcon Rebel would stop waiting.

Every time the phone rang he tensed. Every time the news came on and someone’s body had been found he could barely breathe until he heard the person’s identity. Every time his daughter mentioned her name he searched his mind for reasons why Leah would leave him and their three-month-old baby.

What could possibly justify her actions? It had been a long labor and a difficult birth, and Leah was different afterward. He’d tried talking to her, but nothing worked. She had wanted to be left alone, and then one day he came home to find a note on the bed. It was simple: “I need time. Leah.” No love. Nothing. Just like that, she was gone from their lives.

Standing on his balcony looking out over Rebel Ranch, his eyes strayed to the tall oaks in the distance shading Yaupon Creek. They’d made love there for the first time. She was a virgin and scared, and he had wanted to make it special for her. It had been, but they were just teenagers playing adults. Getting pregnant in high school wasn’t in their plans. They’d gotten married, though, because it was the right thing to do. Leah moved into his room on the ranch and he was sure they could make it. They loved each other.

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. Love didn’t last long when the responsibilities of life took over, and living with family didn’t help. They had no time alone except in his room. The harsh realities of life had hit them hard, but still he was sure they could make their marriage work until he saw the note. Everything ended that day and he grew up faster than he had ever imagined he would.

Raising their daughter without a mother had been the biggest challenge of his life, and then his dad had died and his world had come crashing down around him. By then he wasn’t sure of anything. All he knew was he had to survive for his daughter. And he had to be strong for his mother and his brothers. The responsibility of the ranch weighed heavily upon his shoulders. He’d donned the mantle of head of the family and had never looked back.

With his eyes fixed on the tall oaks, he had to admit forgetting Leah wasn’t ever going to happen. Not until he knew if she was dead or alive.

“Dad!” his daughter, Eden, shouted.

“I’m here.” He stepped back into his room and closed the French doors. His beautiful seventeen-year-old, dark-haired, green-eyed daughter stood in his room with her hand over her eyes.

“Are you decent?”

“Yeah.”

Eden had a habit of running in and out of his room whenever she wanted. About two months ago she caught him shaving in his underwear and it had embarrassed her. He was happy to know she had some boundaries. Leah had been a shy, timid girl, but their daughter was just the opposite.

Feisty and outgoing, Eden never met a stranger. And she had a temper that could peel the paint off the walls. Her teenage years had given him more gray hair than he had really wanted, but she was the light of his life and he couldn’t imagine a day without her. Soon she would go off to college and he would have to let go. He was still grappling with that.

“Grandma wants to know why you’re not down for breakfast. You’re always the first one to get a cup of coffee. Are you feeling okay?” She laughed that funny little laugh of hers. “What am I asking? You’re healthy as a horse.” Then her eyes narrowed as if something could be wrong and she had missed it. “Aren’t you?”

He put an arm around her waist. “You bet, baby girl. Let’s go.”

They walked down the stairs arm in arm. At the bottom Eden said, “Dad.”

“No.”

She stomped her foot and they came to a stop. “Why do you always do that? You don’t give me a chance to say what I want to say.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “I know that tone. You want something that I’m not going to like and you make your voice all sweet and sugary.”

“Can you read my mind, too?”

“Yes,” he replied and walked into the kitchen. “Morning, Mom.”

“Morning.” Kate Rebel handed him a cup of coffee. Dressed in old jeans, boots and a long-sleeved Western shirt, she was ready for a day on the ranch.

“Mom, I can get my own coffee.”

“Who said you couldn’t? There’s scrambled eggs, bacon and biscuits on the stove. We have a full day ahead of us.”

His mom worked as hard as anyone on the ranch. Just once he would like for her to take it easy, but he knew that was out of the question. The ranch and her sons were her life.

He filled his plate and sat at the table. Eden sat across from him, munching on a biscuit.

“Dad, I want to talk to you.”

He took a sip of coffee. “Okay, what is it?”

Eden scooted forward in her chair, her eyes eager. At times when he looked at her, he saw Leah. His daughter definitely favored her mother, but her personality was more like his and that’s what worried him.

“I’ve been thinking. And don’t get all frowny face until I finish.”

“I don’t get frowny face.”

Eden rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I know you want me to go to Baylor. We visited the university and all, but I’d rather help Uncle Quincy with the paint horses. I love working with them, and why can’t I work on the ranch like everyone else? Why do I have to leave?”

Because I want you to have the best of everything.

Instead of saying that, he took a moment and tried to see this from her point of view. But he hit a brick wall.

“You keep telling me how you’ll be eighteen soon and an adult, free to do what you want, go out with your friends and basically have the freedom that you keep saying I deny you. Well, if you stay here on the ranch, guess who’s going to be watching over you and dictating what you do and where you go?”

“Ah, Dad.”

“You’re going to college, Eden. That’s my bottom line.”

She scooted even closer, her green eyes gleaming. “But listen to what I want to do. Uncle Quincy has this amazing paint. Her name is Dancing Cloud but we call her Dancer. She’s fast, Dad. Really fast. Uncle Quincy put some barrels up and I’ve been barrel racing her. Uncle Quincy says I’m good and that’s what I want to do. I want to stay on the ranch and rodeo like Uncle Paxton and Uncle Phoenix.”

Falcon took a deep breath to keep words from spewing out. He counted to ten before he spoke. “You want to rodeo?”

“Yeah, Dad. I can do it. I’m really good.”

He shook his head, wondering if all parents had this much difficulty understanding their children. Why wasn’t she jumping at the chance to go to college? Wasn’t that every girl’s dream? He had to be careful or he’d lose her in a way he hadn’t even thought about.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” His daughter was impatient.

He could put his foot down and say no, but he had to listen to her ideas. She was older now and he had to learn to be lenient. Or at least try.

“School has just started, so why don’t you get your rodeo card and attend some weekend rodeos to see how you like it and see how this amazing horse does before we go changing plans.”

She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. “I love you, Daddy.”

“Wait a minute. I have some rules.”

She sank back in her chair. “What else is new?”

He ignored the sarcasm. “First, you’re not pulling a horse trailer all over the country. Second, you’re not going alone. An adult has to go with you. I’ll make the first two rodeos and we’ll see if this horse performs like you think she can. You may not even like it.”

“I will, Dad. I know I will.”

He held up a finger. “But I’m still adamant about college. I’m going to insist that you go one year to see what life is like away from home with kids your own age. Deal?”

She thought about it for a minute. “But if I’m doing really good barrel racing why would I want to go to college?”

He cocked an eyebrow and he was sure he had a frowny face.

“All right.” She slid out of her chair. “I know I’m not going to win this one, but you’ll see. I’m going to be the best barrel racer ever.”

His brother Jude, and Jude’s son, Zane, came into the room and loaded their plates.

“Zane, if you’re coming with me to school you better hurry,” Eden said.

Zane stuffed scrambled eggs and bacon onto a biscuit. His grandma handed him a glass of orange juice and he downed it quickly, then followed his cousin to the door.

“I’m in a foul mood so you have to ride in the backseat,” Eden told Zane.

“Eden...”

“Okay, he can ride in the front seat, but he has to be quiet.”

“Eden...”

“Okay. Okay. He can talk, but only ten words.”

“Eden, this is a good way to put a stop to all talk of barrel racing. There’s no need to be rude to Zane.”

Zane winked at him. “Don’t worry, Uncle Falcon. I have so much dirt on her I can make her sweat like a pig.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You know...” Eden grabbed him by his backpack and pulled him out the door.

“Isn’t it great they get along so well?” Jude took a seat across from him.

“They get along fine,” their mother said. “They’re both good kids. Eden’s trying to spread her wings and Zane is a sweet teddy bear.”

“Said like a doting grandmother,” Falcon replied, getting to his feet.

“What’s the schedule today?” Jude asked. “We still have that load of young bulls to go to Dripping Springs and, of course, fences to mend.”

Falcon took his plate to the sink. “You and Jericho can take the bulls and the rest of us can fix the fence on the McCray side. We don’t want one animal to get through. It’s too risky. We work on that fence all the time, but the McCrays always find a way to break it.”

“They only do that to get back at us since the incident with Egan, but I do not want one of you to interact with them unless they go too far, and you know what I mean by that.” Their mother made her views clear and they knew what she meant—to use their own judgment when dealing with the McCrays. But she never wanted her sons to back down and they knew that, too.

Falcon glanced out the window to see his daughter backing out of her parking spot. She was avidly talking to Zane, who had earphones on, blocking her out. They really were good friends, but with Eden’s attitude it was hard to see that sometimes. She was very protective of her cousin, though. His daughter was a typical emotional teenager and her moods changed constantly. There was no way he’d ever be able to forget Leah. He saw her every day in their daughter.

A time to remember...

LEAH REBEL HAD SPENT years trying to deal with what she’d done, but each year a layer of guilt was added to her soul. There was no way to justify her actions, so she lived with an enormous burden of heartache and pain. At times she tried to explain to herself what had happened and she always fell short of making it convincing. If she couldn’t make herself believe she wasn’t a terrible person, how could she make Falcon believe?

It didn’t matter, she told herself. The past was over and she couldn’t go back and change it no matter how many times she wished she could. She had to go forward and that brought her to right now. To have a future she had to face her past. Which meant she had to face Falcon.

She pulled over to the side of the road to calm her nerves. Up ahead was the entrance to Rebel Ranch. It looked the same as it had the day she’d left, except the brown boards that flanked the entrance looked as if they’d just been painted. One summer she and Falcon had painted the boards. It had been fun, just the two of them making extra money during the summer.

They’d fallen in love in high school. The moment she’d set eyes on Falcon she knew she’d never love anyone else. She was young and naive and believed in true love. How stupid could she have been? Love was more than sex and attraction. It took a lot of give-and-take. Leah hadn’t been ready to be tossed into the Rebel family. They’d treated her well, but she was used to a quiet life with her dad and her aunt.

After she’d discovered she was pregnant, Falcon had insisted they get married and they’d moved into his bedroom on the ranch. They’d had no privacy and life became difficult. The only time she had alone with him was in their bedroom. That special time had not given her the security she’d needed, especially with her hormones all over the place.

She wiped her sweaty palms down her black pants. Remembering was like scratching an itch. It only made it worse. And the more she remembered the more she hurt. Over and over the memories flooded her until she felt weak and wanted to turn the car around and drive back to Houston. But it had taken her seventeen-plus years to get to this point and she wasn’t backing out now. No matter what awaited her on the other side of those board fences, she was ready to face it.

Just as she decided to drive forward she saw a red pickup headed for the entrance, dust billowing behind it. She was trapped, and waited for someone to recognize her. The truck rolled over the cattle guard and then stopped. The girl inside was talking to someone in the passenger seat.

Leah held her breath. It was her daughter: Eden. No one needed to tell her that. She just knew. Her heart raced as she tried to see every detail of her face.

The two seemed to be arguing and then her daughter drove on, not once glancing her way. Leah was grateful for the distractions of a teenager. She backed up and then followed the red pickup. This might be her only chance to see her daughter. Not that she would introduce herself—she wouldn’t be able to handle all that emotion. Just looking at her would be enough—for now.

The truck turned off Rebel Road and headed toward Horseshoe. Leah followed the truck all the way to the school. It had been a long time since she’d been there, but it still looked the same. The school was in the shape of a horseshoe with red brick halfway up the front of the metal buildings. Grades one through twelve went here when she was younger and she assumed they still did.

More memories surfaced. Falcon and her running to his truck to sneak away for an hour or so. Sitting in the stands, watching him play football and basketball. Wherever he was, she wanted to be. On the weekends, their favorite place was the ranch. They had a special spot on Yaupon Creek hidden back in the woods where they spent many hours making love. A pain shot through her. Why hadn’t their love been enough?

Eden pulled into a parking spot and Leah parked some distance away, just far enough not to be noticed but close enough to see. Looking at her daughter was like looking into a mirror. Her daughter favored Leah, with long dark hair and a slim build. But Leah fervently hoped her daughter had more of a backbone than she ever had.

Eden was talking to the boy and Leah wondered who he was. One of Falcon’s brothers must’ve gotten married and had a son, because he had the dark hair and features of a Rebel. He was maybe ten or eleven. So much had happened since Leah had been gone and she knew she would now be like a stranger to everyone.

Her daughter pulled off her three-quarter-length shirt, revealing a skimpy sleeveless top. The boy pointed a finger at her and Eden said something that evidently was not pleasant, because the boy made a face at her and then ran into the building.

Leah watched as Eden met a boy and they walked into the school together. It was like watching herself. She had done the same thing many times as a teenager. Her aunt believed in modesty and refused to let Leah wear skimpy clothes. The moment Leah made it to school she would remove the long-sleeved blouses.

Kate Rebel must be very strict with Eden. As much as it pained Leah to think it, she knew Kate had raised Leah’s daughter. She couldn’t see Falcon doing it. He was strong, masculine and had a traditional man’s attitude that a woman’s place was in the home.

Kate had finally gotten the daughter she’d always wanted, except Eden wasn’t Kate’s. Eden was Leah’s. But Leah hadn’t been a mother, a real mother, and it was the hardest thing she would ever have to admit. She’d changed, though, and she didn’t know if anyone would believe her, especially Falcon. It didn’t matter whether he did or not. She hadn’t come for forgiveness. She’d come because she could no longer stay away.

She took a deep breath and picked up her phone to call the man she’d once loved with all her heart. She prayed that he would remember some of those times when they had been inseparable. If he’d let himself remember for a moment, maybe he would listen to what she had to say.

But knowing Falcon, he would want her to burn in hell.

Chapter Two

A time to meet...

Falcon glanced at the wagon-wheel clock on the wall. He and his mother handled the books for the ranch, and it took a lot of time. More time than he wanted to spend in an office. He’d rather be enjoying the outdoors.

Five years ago they’d built a new barn and made an updated office upstairs. He could see out over Rebel Ranch, but it wasn’t the same as being out there.

His mother got up from her desk. “I’m going to check on the boys. It makes me nervous when they work so close to the McCray property.”

Falcon leaned back in his leather chair. “I’ll catch up with you as soon as Hancock calls. He wants to schedule a day to pick out the Hereford heifers for his ranch. It shouldn’t take long.”

As soon as his mother closed the door, Hancock called and set a date with Falcon. He hung up and the phone immediately rang again. Falcon answered without glancing at the caller ID. “Hello.”

There was silence on the other end. “Hello, is anyone there?”

“Uh...uh... I...”

The voice was female so Falcon thought it was someone looking for Paxton or Elias, which was a regular occurrence. “You’ve reached Rebel Ranch. Who do you want to talk to?”

“Falcon, this is...Leah.”

A line from an Alan Jackson song ran through his mind: “Where were you when the world stopped turning?” For Falcon, everything stopped at that moment. He didn’t care about a buyer wanting heifers or his brothers facing the McCrays. All he could hear was This is Leah.

He’d waited years for this call and now that it had come he was speechless. His nerves tightened like stretched barbed wire and his emotions were hard to contain. Anger, confusion and curiosity held him in a grip. He sucked air into his aching lungs.

“Falcon, are you still there?”

Her voice was just the same, soft with a Southern lilt. She’d been reared in Alabama and she never lost that cadence in her voice. It was sexy as hell, but today it only annoyed him.

“What do you want?”

“I’d like to talk.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m at the new park in Horseshoe.”

His heart pounded off his ribs in fear. Talking to Leah was the last thing he wanted to do, but she wasn’t far from Eden and he had to make sure she didn’t get any closer. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Hanging up, he took a minute to absorb what had just happened. She was back. Leah was back. It happened so fast he was reeling. There could be only one thing she wanted and that was to see her daughter. And he was going to make sure that never happened. He would not let Leah hurt Eden like she had hurt him. That was his one thought as he ran for his truck.

* * *

LEAH PACED AROUND the park. She couldn’t sit still. Her nerves felt as if they were tied into a big wad, like Christmas lights that could never be untangled. She looked around the park to calm herself. It sported colorful swings, slides, park benches and picnic areas. There was even a water playground for the kids. Water spewed up from several flat concrete fountains you could run through. She’d seen this in Houston and she never imagined they would have one in little Horseshoe, Texas.

Things had certainly changed since she’d been gone. She’d noticed a lot of new storefronts and several old stores had closed. Horseshoe would always be home, though. When she was twelve, her mother had died and she and her dad had moved there to live with his sister. Her dad had thought it would be good for Leah to have a woman around. In ways it had been, but in others it had been debilitating. Why was she thinking about...? A truck pulled up to the curb and her thoughts came to an abrupt stop. It was Falcon.

There was no mistaking him—tall, with broad shoulders and an intimidating glare. She swallowed hard as his long strides brought him closer. In jeans, boots and a Stetson he reminded her of the first time she’d met him in high school. Being new to the school system, she’d been shy and hadn’t known a lot of the kids. It took her two years before she’d actually made friends and felt like part of a group. Falcon Rebel had been way out of that group. The girls swooned over him and the boys wanted to be like him: tough and confident.

One day she was sitting on a bench waiting for her aunt to pick her up. Falcon strolled from the gym just as he was now, with broad sure strides. She never knew what made her get up from the bench, but as she did she’d dropped her books and purse and items went everywhere. He’d stopped to help her and her hands shook from the intensity of his dark eyes. From that moment on there was no one for her but Falcon.

Now he stood about twelve feet from her and once again she felt like that shy young girl trying to make conversation. But this was so much more intense.

Be calm. Be calm. Be calm.

“I’m...I’m glad you came,” she said, trying to maintain her composure because she knew the next few minutes were going to be the roughest of her life.

His eyes narrowed. “What do you want?” His words were like hard rocks hitting her skin, each one intended to import a message. His eyes were dark and angry, and she wondered if she’d made the right decision in coming.

Gathering every ounce of courage she’d managed to build over the years, she replied, “I want to see my daughter.”

He took a step closer to her. “Does the phrase ‘over my dead body’ mean anything to you?”

At his uncompromising tone her courage faltered, but she stood her ground. “I’ve already seen her, Falcon. But I would like the opportunity to visit with her for a few minutes to explain about the past. She has a right to know the truth.”

“Where did you see her? And when?”

She slid her shaky hands into the pockets of her pants. “I was coming to the ranch this morning and then I saw a red pickup with a young woman. I knew it was her, so I followed her to school.”

“You didn’t...”

“No, I didn’t introduce myself. I wouldn’t do that.”

“Really? Like you would never walk out on her?”

She looked him in the eye. “I’d like to talk about that.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Leah. It’s done. It’s in the past and it’s best if you admit that and go back to wherever you came from.”

“It’s not done—”

“It is, and if you get anywhere near her, I will make your life a living hell.”

Her heartbeat stumbled, but she remained steadfast. “You’re not scaring me, Falcon. I’m her mother and I have a right to meet her and she has a right to know that I’ve thought about her every day since the day she was born.”

He threw back his head and laughed a sound that chilled her to the bone. “That’s a good one. If you think our daughter will believe that for a minute, you’re dreaming. My daughter is much smarter than that.”

“I know she hates me and I’m willing to risk her ire.”

“Then you have no idea about your daughter’s personality. She has a backbone, which is more than you ever had, and if you think ‘I’m sorry’ is going to work with her, then you’re sipping something stronger than water.”

Leah’s heart skittered in panic. “I knew your mother would take care of her...”

“I took care of her.” He jabbed a finger into his chest. “She was my daughter and I raised her, not my mother.”

“What?”

“The crib stayed in my room and I got up with her during the night. I changed her diapers. I fed her and took her with me when I went out on the ranch.”

“Why would you do that when your mother was there?”

“Because she wasn’t my mother’s responsibility. She was mine and yours. Since you bailed, there was only me and I wanted to make sure she knew she had one parent who loved her and would always be there for her.”

A moan left her throat and she was unable to stop it. Falcon was never going to understand, and she didn’t know if she had the strength to keep trying to explain.

“Her doctor sent us to a specialist in Austin to find out why she cried so much and after many tests, they found out she had something as simple as acid reflux. With medication, she did much better and was soon able to sleep during the night. But it was rough for a while. The only way she could sleep was on my chest. I was so afraid I was going to roll over and crush her, so I slept lightly and didn’t get much rest. But we got through it. It’s a shame her mother wasn’t there when she took her first step holding on to my finger or when she started running instead of walking, chasing me out the door. She never wanted me out of her sight. I wonder why that was, Leah? Could it be she knew at that early age her mother had abandoned her?”

“Don’t say that.”

He stared at her and she felt as if he was looking right into her soul. If he was, he could see all the scars, all the pain and all the sorrow. But there was no sympathy on his face. She didn’t believe for one minute that this meeting would be easy and she wouldn’t let his words discourage her from seeing her daughter.

“Does the truth hurt?”

Her eyes met his. “Yes, it does. Is that what you wanted to hear? I’ve been hurting for a long time.”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me. I want you out of Horseshoe just as soon as possible.” He swung toward his truck.

“I want a divorce.”

He swung back, his eyes dark and disturbing. She took a step backward.

“That’s the real reason you came back, isn’t it? You’ve found someone and want to remarry.”

“It’s just time to end our marriage.”

He took several steps toward her and she had to force herself not to take another step away from him. “Here’s another saying, Leah, ‘when hell freezes over.’ That’s when I’ll give you a divorce to marry someone else. You have put me through hell and I’m not going to make life easier for you now. So go back to wherever you found what you were searching for. God only knows what that was. I gave you my heart and it wasn’t enough. So if you’re looking for forgiveness, you’re asking the wrong man. I’ll never forgive you for what you did to us.”

She swallowed the sob in her throat. “Could we talk about that time?”

“The time for talk is over. I really don’t want to hear your excuses. Nothing can excuse what you did to a three-month-old little girl who needed her mother.”

“Falcon...”

“You know how many nights I lay awake with Eden on my chest, waiting for the phone to ring, waiting to hear from her mother, waiting for her to let us know she was okay? The call never came until today, when her mother wants something. How selfish is that? Have a good life, Leah. You will never be free of me.” He strolled off to his truck, his back rigid, his stride rapid and determined to carry him as far away from her as possible.

Leah sank onto the bench because her shaky legs would no longer hold her. She tried to breathe, tried to think and desperately tried not to pass out. She focused on the water spewing up from the pavement. Splat. Splat. Splat. Calming. Soothing. The dizziness eased and she sucked in a deep breath, praying she would never show this weakness in front of Falcon. He said it was over. It wasn’t. She wasn’t leaving Horseshoe until she saw her daughter. Falcon may intimidate her, but he would not break her.

Her rights as a mother had been severed with her callous actions, but her rights as a woman—someone who had learned and grown and fought for a life—would never be severed. Not until she drew her last breath.

* * *

FALCON WAS SO angry his breaths came in gulps. He pressed his foot down on the accelerator and broke the speed limit all the way to the ranch. At the barn, he slammed on the brakes and the King Ranch Ford spun and stopped about three feet from the barn. Dust blanketed the truck. He jumped out and went into the barn to get his horse.

Opening the corral, he whistled for Titan, his black gelding. The horse galloped toward him, eager to ride. Within minutes he’d saddled up and he headed out to join his brothers. He kneed Titan and the horse responded with a speed that always elated Falcon. He rode through the valley and over gently rolling hills as if his life depended on it. In a way it did.

Realizing he was pushing Titan too hard, he pulled up and slid from the saddle. Sinking down by a large oak, he took a moment to collect his chaotic thoughts. How dare she! How dare she come back and demand to see Eden? She had no right and he would never allow her anywhere near their daughter.

He ran his hands down his face and took a long breath, trying not to even think how damn gorgeous she still looked. She could’ve at least put on weight, showed aging on her face or sported a few gray hairs, but she was as beautiful as she’d ever been. And she’d met someone else. That gnawed at his insides. How dare she!

Getting to his feet, he resolved not to let her ruin one more day of his life. He’d spent too many hours thinking about her, but not anymore. He swung into the saddle and rode toward the northeast pasture. From a distance he could see something was wrong. Gunnar and Malachi McCray were on their side of the fence and his brothers on theirs. A heated conversation was evident as Elias waved his arms. Grandpa watched from his horse. His mother wasn’t there, and he wondered why.

Falcon dismounted before Titan came to a complete stop. “What’s going on?”

Elias swung toward him. “They’ve been standing there gawking at us all morning and I’m getting tired of it.” Elias held up his fists at Gunnar. “You want a piece of me, just come across that fence.”

“Stop it,” Falcon said to Elias and moved closer to Gunnar. “Is there a problem?”

“Just want to make sure you don’t cross the line, Rebel.”

Elias pointed a finger at him. “It’s you who’s always crossing our fence lines and cutting them and killing our calves. You’re not brave enough to cross it now, are you?”

“Neither are you,” Gunnar shot back.

It was all the incentive Elias needed as he made to jump over the fence, but Quincy and Egan caught him and pulled him back.

“Let me go. Let me go! I’ll kick his ass.”

“Stop it,” Falcon said once again and Elias quit fighting his brothers.

Grandpa kneed his horse a little closer to the fence. “You know, boy, if brains were dynamite, you wouldn’t have enough to blow your ears off.”

“Grandpa.” Falcon didn’t need his grandfather getting in on the fight, but then his grandpa always loved one.

“Just look around you,” Grandpa said. “We’ve got you outnumbered. What kind of fool would take on this many Rebels?”

Falcon focused his attention on Gunnar. “We spend more time on this fence than any other on our property because the McCrays are breaking it on purpose. If it’s cut one more time, I’m stringing a hot wire through here. Try cutting that.”

“Hot damn, now we’re talking.” Elias threw back his head and laughed.

Their mother rode up with a picnic basket strapped onto her horse. Evidently, she’d brought lunch. She took the situation in at a glance and asked, “Is there a problem?”

“Yes, Miz Rebel,” Gunnar replied. “You need to teach your boys some manners.”

“My boys have good manners, but I’m not sure about the McCrays, who cause mischief for no reason.”

“Oh, we got reason.”

The situation was getting out of control and Falcon wouldn’t have his mother caught in the middle. She’d been through too much.

“Get on your horses and leave,” he said, pointing at the McCrays. “That’s the last warning.”

“This isn’t the end of it, Rebel!” Gunnar shouted as he mounted his horse. Malachi followed suit.

“It never is.”

The McCrays rode away and Falcon spoke to his brothers. “Let’s get back to work.”

“What caused this?” His mother wanted to know.

They all looked at Elias.

“They’ve been staring at us all morning and I got tired of it.”

“Son, it takes a strong man to walk away from a fight.”

“Well, I’m not one of them.”

“Sadly, that’s true.”

“Ah, Mom.”

“Try to use a little discretion, please.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Elias hung his head.

“Now, let’s have lunch,” his mother said, and they all gathered under a big oak. For September, the heat of summer still lingered and they were glad for the breeze that cooled their sweaty skin.

Grandpa leaned against the oak, his hat on the grass. “Did I ever tell you boys about the time I took on six men and lived to tell about it?”

“Abe, please, let the boys rest before they go back to work.”

“You’re one bossy—”

Falcon cleared his throat and Grandpa’s attention was diverted. His mother and grandfather had never gotten along and after his father’s death their relationship had taken a turn for the worse. He spent half his time trying to cool their tempers. Grandpa was long-winded and loved to talk and his mother hated it. He wondered what it was like to be part of a normal family. His thoughts swayed to Leah and he immediately pushed them away. He couldn’t think about her now.

With lunch over, his mother packed up and headed back to the ranch with Grandpa. Of course, they wouldn’t speak. Once they reached the ranch, Grandpa would go to his house and his mother would go to hers. Yep, that was the Rebel family.

“I’m working with Quincy,” Elias said. “Egan hums now and it annoys the crap out of me. Happyitis has gotten to him.”

Egan caught Elias around the neck. “I’ll sing to you, then.”

“Falcon!” Elias called as Egan dragged him toward the Polaris Ranger loaded with supplies.

It was good to see Egan happy. He’d found happiness with Rachel and they had gotten married in July. After he had been wrongly sent to prison they’d worried he would never find his way back to any type of life. All it took was a woman who loved him to bring him out of the darkness.

Quincy picked up his hat from the ground. “A couple more hours and this fence should be fixed for good.”

Falcon stared at his brother. They were fourteen months apart and similar in size and looks, except Quincy had his mother’s softer personality. Falcon had inherited the roughness of his father.

“Stop putting ideas into my daughter’s head.”

Quincy frowned. “What?”

“You know I want her to go to college. What’s all this about her barrel racing?”

“Do you ever listen to Eden? She loves this ranch and she doesn’t want to leave. Any idea of rodeoing was strictly hers.”

Falcon glanced off to the hot noon sun. “I know. I just want her to be a normal teenager instead of always hanging around this ranch with her uncles. I want her to be a girl.”

“Well, then, you shouldn’t have raised her as a boy.” Quincy slapped him on the back. “But don’t worry, those girl genes are there. Give her time.”

“I want her to experience life away from here, but it scares me to death that I’m going to lose her. I know that sounds crazy.”

“You sound like a father. Just listen to your daughter. That’s all you have to do.” Quincy walked off to join Egan and Elias.

Everyone always called him strong, but Falcon didn’t know if he was strong enough to deal with the Leah situation. The underlying fear he was going to lose his daughter to her mother was something he couldn’t shake.

Chapter Three

A time for little girls...

Falcon tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Leah’s face and he knew she wasn’t going to give up on seeing their daughter. She could easily go to the school and meet her afterward. All his threats didn’t mean a thing. He stood to lose everything he loved.

His thoughts tortured him and he got up. Slipping on his robe, a melancholy smile touched his lips. No one, except his mother, wore a robe before Eden was born. With a little girl in the house, they couldn’t walk around in their underwear. A lot of things had changed with the birth of Eden. She’d been the light in John Rebel’s eyes. He would hold her at night while watching television until she fell asleep and then Falcon would put her in her crib.

After his father’s death, Eden would wander around the house calling, “Papa!” She was only four but she missed her grandfather. At the memory, Falcon’s chest ached. He missed his dad more than he could ever explain to anyone. He blamed himself for not doing more to help his dad to stop drinking. But after killing Ezra McCray, John Rebel had demons that only he could face.

Falcon headed downstairs to get Leah’s number off the landline. Everyone used their cell phones these days and there was only a landline in the den, the kitchen and the office. He didn’t turn on a light because he didn’t want to disturb anyone. The kids had school tomorrow and they’d been in bed for over an hour. The moonlight shone through the windows as he made his way down the stairs.

In the den, he searched the caller ID and found the number. He could see fine by his cell phone as he added Leah to his contacts. To get what he wanted he’d have to give a little, but his top priority was protecting Eden, and that included from her mother.

It was after eleven and he hesitated to call her now. It could wait until morning. He heard a noise and a click. Someone was coming through the back door very quietly. He tensed. Everyone was in bed. Who was it?

He waited and saw a figure tiptoe across the den to the staircase. No mistaking the person. It was his daughter. She’d snuck out. How often did she do that? He trusted her and that trust was severely shaken.

He clicked on the desk lamp.

Eden swung around, her eyes huge in her startled face. Her hair was tousled and her blouse was opened slightly, revealing her breasts. Anger surged through him but he managed to control it.

“Oh... Dad. You scared me.”

“I bet. Where have you been?”

“Um... I...um...”

“Come on, think of a good lie, something you can get past your ol’ dad.” He got up and walked through the house to the dining room. Peeping through the blinds, he could see taillights come on as a vehicle neared the cattle guard.

“Who’s that leaving?”

She made a face. “Okay, you caught me.”

Falcon walked back to the desk and sat down. “Who did you sneak out to see when I thought you were safely in bed?”

“Well, now, don’t freak out.” She moved closer to the desk.

“I don’t freak out.”

“Yeah, I know. And that’s really weird, Dad. Everyone freaks out every now and then.”

He couldn’t, not when he had the family and Rebel Ranch on his shoulders. He had to be level-headed and rational at all times.

“I’m almost at the edge so you better start talking.”

She ran her fingers over some papers on the desk. “Well, Dad, it was Brandon.”

“The boy with the tattoos, the earring and the motorcycle?”

“Yeah.”

Falcon bit his tongue because if he ever needed a clear head, he needed it now. “Why did he come this late at night?”

“Just listen, please.”

“I’ll try.”

“I like him and we talk a lot in school. Today he asked me to go out on Saturday and I said I couldn’t because I was going to be practicing with Dancer. Then I had a class with Kyle Weatherford and he said he had tickets to see Luke Bryan in Austin and wanted to know if I’d like to go with him. I said I would love to see Luke Bryan, and Brandon heard me and got his feelings hurt. But he didn’t hear the rest of what I said to Kyle. It was the same thing I told Brandon—I couldn’t go because I had other plans. I couldn’t find Brandon to explain.”

She sighed. “This is a long story. Are you sure you want to hear all of it?”

“Every word.”

“Brandon texted me about ten and wanted to know the real reason I wouldn’t go out with him and I explained what happened. He said he wanted to talk to me and I said we could do that tomorrow. Then he said he was at the cattle guard and wanted to talk now. So I put on my clothes and met him outside. It’s as simple as that.”

Falcon leaned forward, proud of himself for remaining calm. “From the looks of your hair and your blouse, I’d say things got a little heated.”

“Oh, Dad.” She came around the desk and sat on the edge and he noted she had on her bunny slippers. “I don’t want to talk about this with you. It’s boy stuff.”

“You’ll soon be eighteen years old, a woman, and I realize that. I just have one question. Are you having sex with Brandon?”

She hung her head. Her hair covered her face and he couldn’t see what she was thinking. “No. He wants to, but I’m nervous.”

At her pitiful voice, all this anger left him. Now he had to be a father, and this part of parenting scared the crap out of him. “Why?”

She flipped back her hair. “I don’t want to be like my mother and get pregnant in high school. I want to make better choices and I want to be in love.”

Damn. He must’ve done something right. She was saying everything he wanted to hear. “Your mother and I were in love. I want you to know that.”

“Then why did she leave?”

“I can’t speak for your mother, but the pregnancy was rough on her and she had problems afterward. Problems I should have been more aware of. I regret that now.”

“If she loved us, she would’ve come back.”

“Oh, baby.” He pulled her onto his lap as if she was three years old. “She did love us.”

“No, she didn’t.” Eden snuggled closer into him. “Do you ever wonder if she’s alive?”

“Yeah.” She is. How do I tell you that? He thought it best to change the subject for now.

“So, do you love this Brandon?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes I like it when he touches me and other times it makes me feel uncomfortable.”

“If it makes you uncomfortable—”

“It’s just... I like kissing him and all, but when it gets really heavy, I get nervous and scared and that’s when Brandon gets mad.”

“Don’t ever let a boy pressure you into sex.”

“Did you pressure my mother?”

It was on the tip of his tongue to lie, but since his daughter was being so honest he had to do the same. “Yes.”

“Why do boys do that?”

“It’s hard to explain, baby, especially to my own daughter. Why don’t I make an appointment with the pediatrician and you can ask her these difficult questions. I’m sure she would be happy to go over this with you.”

“The pediatrician? Dad, seriously? I’m seventeen years old and I know about the birds and the bees. Remember we talked about it when I got my period and you took me to see the pediatrician then so she could explain intimate stuff that made you sweat?”

He remembered it vividly and he had been sweating bullets.

“I know about sex. My friends and I talk about it all the time. Kelley and Michelle are on birth control, but I’m not ready for that. Sex...well, it just makes me nervous.”

“You can talk to Rachel or Lacey. They’re in the family now.”

“I don’t need to talk to anyone. It’s about me and the way I feel.”

“Grandma is always here if you need her.”

“Dad, Grandma would really freak out.”

Falcon smiled. “Grandma’s a little old-fashioned, but I’m sure she would answer any questions you have.”

“Forget I said anything,” she mumbled.

“When it comes to boys, I want you to be very sure of what you want. I know most girls your age are sexually active, but you have to understand, as your dad, I’d rather you waited until you’ve found someone special.”

“I’ll probably die a virgin.”

He squeezed her. “I doubt that.”

She rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. “Daddy, I don’t want to go away to college. I want to stay here with you, Grandma, Grandpa, the uncs and Zane.”

At that little-girl’s voice, Falcon knew he’d failed as a parent. He’d protected and sheltered Eden, as his mother and brothers had. Now she was afraid to leave the nest.

“Is this what barrel racing is about?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Baby, just about every kid wants to go to college. It’s lots of fun, I’m told. Parties, staying up as late as you want, being an adult and making your own decisions.”

“Kelley is going and so is Michelle. They can hardly wait.”

Besides her conflicting thoughts about sex, something else was holding Eden back, keeping her from enjoying these years.

“What is it, baby? Why can’t you enjoy this with your friends?”

“Because...because when I go, you’ll be all alone.”

“What are you talking about? My brothers, Mom, Grandpa and Zane are here and enough work to keep me busy for the rest of my life.”

“But it’s always been just you and me and when I graduate, I won’t be here anymore in case you need me.”

“Eden, baby, that’s what life is about—changes. Nothing stays the same. I want you to grow up, be independent, but most of all I want you to be happy. And maybe every now and then you can come visit dear ol’ dad.”

Eden giggled and then became silent. “Do you remember that book you bought me when I was a kid about a genie granting wishes? I wanted to find a genie in a bottle so she could grant me my wish, and my wish was that my mother would come home.”

A lump clogged Falcon’s throat. He should tell her about Leah. Eden needed her mother now more than ever. But he had to be sure of Leah’s motives.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we could pick a time in our lives that we were happy and we could live in that moment forever? Do you know what time I’d pick?” She twisted her head to look at him.

“I have no idea.”

“It would be when I was little and Papa was alive. I know some people say I can’t remember because I was too small, but I do. I can remember the sound of his boots on the tiled floor when he came home and him shouting, ‘Eden. Where’s my Eden?’ I can remember the excitement in my chest when I heard his big voice. I’d shout, ‘I’m here, Papa,’ and run to meet him. He’d grab me and throw me in the air and hold me up until I could almost touch the ceiling. Then he’d sit me on his shoulder and I felt on top of the world. I was happy and Grandma smiled a lot then and all the uncs were in good moods. But then he died and everything changed. No one seemed to be happy anymore. I don’t like change.”

She rested her head on his shoulder again and they didn’t speak for a moment. It was uncanny how she remembered that. It happened just the way she’d said. His father had so many people who loved him. Why hadn’t he fought to live instead of giving in to the liquor? Sometimes that angered Falcon. And saddened him, too.

His dad had been the strongest man Falcon had ever known. But he also had his weaknesses and Falcon became very aware of them after the shooting. His dad would work all day on the ranch and then after supper he would retire to his room with a bottle of Scotch. He would drink until he passed out. That was the only way he could sleep.

When Eden was born, his routine changed and Falcon had hoped for better things. John Rebel would spend time with his granddaughter, but as soon as she’d go to sleep, he’d go to his room with a bottle. One morning his mom had found him on their deck with an empty bottle in his lap. He had died sometime during the night. It was a shock to everyone. John’s sons had thought he was invincible and could beat anything. But they’d been wrong. Admitting that had taken more courage than any of them thought they’d had. Life after their father hadn’t been easy.

“What time would you choose to live in, Daddy?”

“Eden, that’s silly.”

“No, it isn’t. I told you mine and now you have to tell me yours.”

He didn’t have to think about it. “I’d choose that time when your mom and I were teenagers and it was just the two of us. The world ceased to exist. We lived just for each other.”

“See, that’s what makes me nervous. You and my mom were so in love, but it wasn’t real. It only lasted for a little while. How do you know if it’s real? I don’t want to get hurt like that—like she hurt you.”

“Oh, baby girl.” He hugged her. “There are no guarantees in this world. You just have to go with your heart. I don’t regret one moment I spent with your mom. She gave me you.”

“Ah, Daddy, you’re gonna make me cry.”

“One day you’re going to meet a guy, and you’re going to feel a special connection like you’ve never felt before. I can’t explain exactly what it is, but you’ll know when it happens. He’ll be all you ever think about and when he touches you, you won’t be uncomfortable. It’ll be natural and everything will fall into place. Love is something you have to work on. Both parties have to work on it, not just one. A lot of things can go wrong. If the relationship falls apart, it’s the way it was meant to be. You can’t beat yourself up. You have to live in the moment. Remember that genie thing and all. Very few people get it right, Eden, but we all play the game because it’s worth it.”

She kissed his cheek. “I have the best dad in the world. Sometimes he’s grouchy but I still love him.”

“Love you, too, baby girl. Now you better go to bed. You have school tomorrow.”

She got up from his lap and stood there in tight jeans and bunny slippers. A woman, but the little girl was hanging on with all her might. Falcon would miss that little girl. But he was looking forward to getting to know the woman. She had values and principles and he hoped he had something to do with that. He knew in his heart that whatever she had to face down the road, she had the strength to do it. Even meeting her mother for the first time.

“You know what, Dad?” she said walking toward the stairs. “I’m going to barrel race, go to college and have sex.”

“There’s no rush on the last part. Take your time and make your dad happy.”

She laughed and ran up the stairs. Falcon stood with a weary sigh and clicked off the lamp. He had a big decision to make, but he knew he’d already made it. Eden deserved to know her mother. Or at least to meet her. He wouldn’t keep that from her.

Falcon headed toward his mother’s room. She hadn’t gotten up with the noise or the light and that bothered him. Her door was slightly ajar and he peeped in. She was curled up in the bed. Evidently, she’d heard them and gone back to bed, not wanting to interrupt.

On the way to his room, the responsibilities of life hit him. He had to make right decisions for everyone, but most of all for Eden.

In his room, he sat on the bed and took his cell out of the pocket of his robe. It was after twelve and Leah was probably asleep. He’d call tomorrow. But something in him couldn’t wait.

It was answered almost immediately. “Falcon.”

“Yes. We need to talk.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Have you told Eden?”

“No, I want to be sure of your motives and I want answers. I want to know where you’ve been all these years and why you couldn’t pick up the phone to call your family. I want every damn detail, Leah. You’re not seeing your daughter until you give me those answers.”

“I’m not asking anything of you. I just want to see my daughter for a few minutes. You don’t have to grill me for that.”

“A few minutes? That’s all your daughter means to you? A few minutes?”

“Don’t make this difficult.”

He gritted his teeth. “You have a whole new life planned and your daughter doesn’t fit in. Is that it?”

“It’s too late, Falcon. Can’t you see that?”

“No. All I see is a selfish woman thinking only of herself.”

There was complete silence on the other end.

“Leah?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say. Eden is seventeen years old and I can’t just suddenly become a mother. I’m sure she doesn’t want that and I’m sure she hates me by now. Just let me have a few minutes and I’ll disappear out of your lives.”

“Oh, it’s easy for you to disappear. Why don’t you try staying for a while and facing your responsibilities?”

“When can I see her?” she asked instead of answering.

“Not until we talk. Where are you staying?”

“At a hotel in Temple.” She gave him the name and room number.

“I’ll be there at ten in the morning,” he said, and clicked off. She wanted to bend him to her will, but that wasn’t happening. He’d allow the few minutes she so desperately needed with her daughter. Not for Leah, though. For his daughter. Eden deserved at least that much. But he would never give Leah a divorce to marry someone else. That would be his ultimate revenge.

Chapter Four

A time for truth...

Falcon woke up at 5 a.m. and the morning seemed to drag. He had to call Eden three times before she got up. The late night had caught up with her. After all the craziness of the morning, one thought kept him focused: it was time to talk to Leah.

Rebel Ranch was getting ready for the fall roundup and he really needed to be home. His brothers gave him a funny look when he said he would catch them later. Of course, they had questions. Falcon was always on top of everything that happened at the ranch, but today he wasn’t in the mood to tell them about Leah. That would come later. His mother must’ve sensed his mood, because she didn’t ask questions. He was grateful for that.

At nine o’clock he was finally on his way to Temple. He called Leah to tell her he would be there early. She said she would order coffee and he started to tell her not to bother. But he might need something strong to get him through the morning.

The hotel was one of the nicer ones in Temple. He walked to the elevator and went up to the third floor. It didn’t take him long to find her room. He knocked and it opened almost immediately.

He paused at the sight of her in a slim-fitting black dress and a red belt circling her tiny waist. Her dark hair hung to her shoulders in a tousled style. On her feet were strappy high heels. This wasn’t the Leah he knew in jeans and sneakers. This woman was a stranger to him.

She held the door wider. “Come in.”

He followed her into what was obviously a suite with two rooms—a living area and a bedroom.

“Have a seat.” She motioned to the sofa.

The room was stylish with ornate furniture, and he’d guess it had cost a bundle to book. How could she afford this? Obviously her life had been good and for the first time, he realized that the young girl he had married had long been gone in more ways than one.

He sat down and placed his hat beside him. She stood a few feet away, looking as beautiful as he’d ever seen her. If he didn’t know her so well he would think she was as cool as a winter breeze, but he recognized the tension in her body and the nervousness in the way she kept glancing toward the door.

“Where have you been for over seventeen years?” He didn’t see any reason to postpone the inevitable. A knock at the door stalled her answer.

A waiter brought in a carafe of coffee and a teapot. That puzzled him, but not for long. She poured a cup of tea for herself.

“You drink tea now?”

“Chamomile. It helps me to relax.” She handed him a cup of coffee and then she stirred her tea.

He held the cup with both hands and forced himself to calm down so he wouldn’t break it into a million pieces. “Where have you been, Leah?”

Taking a seat in a wingback chair, she replied, “It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got time.”

She took a sip of tea and placed the cup back on the tray. “I...I don’t know where to start.”

“How about the day you left.”

“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “I was up all night with Eden. I couldn’t get her to stop crying and I was so frustrated and felt helpless as a mother. When you held her, or Kate, she would stop, so there had to be something wrong with me. I thought I was hurting her in some way.”

“That’s crazy.”

She glared at him. “Are you going to make snide comments or are you going to listen?”

“I’ll listen.”

“I never told you about my mother. It was difficult for me to tell anyone.”

“You said she died in an accident when you were twelve.”

“Yes. A terrible accident. See, my mom was bipolar and she would go into these violent rages that were hard to deal with.” Leah reached for her cup and took a swallow. “When she was in these rages, she always wanted to hurt someone, and I was always around so it was usually me. She broke my arm, my ribs, my collarbone and gave me more bruises than I can remember. I finally learned to hide from her and that was probably the only thing that saved my life. My dad just worked more and more. One day a guy cut her off on the highway and she followed him to a gas station ranting and raving. He pulled a handgun from the glove compartment and shot her. She died at the scene.”

Falcon was stunned and his heart ached for that little girl who grew up so afraid. He never knew she suffered like that. It was probably the reason she was so shy and quiet.

“Why couldn’t you tell me that?”

“I don’t know.” She placed the cup back on the tray. “I just wanted to forget it and start a new life in Horseshoe. You see, I didn’t want to remember I had that kind of mother. But when Eden wouldn’t stop crying I thought I was hurting my child like my mother had hurt me. That day when she cried and cried, I had this urge to put my hand over her mouth to stop the crying. As soon as the thought entered my head, I knew I had to get away. I just had to get out of the house for a couple of days to prove to myself that I wasn’t a terrible person.”

“Leah...”

“Eden finally went to sleep. I went downstairs and told your mother I was going out for a while and for her to listen for Eden. I got in my car and drove away.”

“Where did you go?”

Leah looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. “I was going to my cousin’s in Houston. I thought I could stay there until I got my head straight.”

“I called Nancy and she said she hadn’t heard from you, in case you’re planning to lie. I called her for six solid months and every time she said the same thing—she didn’t know where you were.”

“I never made it to her house.”

“What happened?” A sense of dread came over him. He had the same feeling the day he’d heard his dad screaming for their mother. Falcon had been feeding the horses when his dad had raced toward the barn with a bloody Jude and Phoenix in his arms. Whatever Leah had to say, he knew it was as bad as what had happened that day. Instinctively, he tensed as he prepared himself to listen to the rest of her story.

“I drove to Austin, to the bus station. I left my car about a block away. I’m not sure why I did that. It’s not clear in my head why I didn’t just drive to Nancy’s. But I think I was afraid you would come after me and make me go back when I wasn’t ready. I really needed some time.”

“The police called the next week and I picked up the car. There was no trace of you and the police concluded that you just wanted to get out of an unhappy marriage.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“What was it like?”

“I loved you with all my heart, but I couldn’t deal with the baby and the crying and the fear that I was going to hurt her. Living with your family didn’t help, either. It was overwhelming.”

He swallowed, knowing part of her problem was his fault. “What happened next?”

“I took the bus to Houston fully intending to go to Nancy’s. The pay phone was broken at the bus station and the guy said there was one at the convenience store across the street. It was raining and I waited for it to let up before I ran down the street, but it started pouring again and I could hardly see. The light was yellow and cars were stopping so I darted across the intersection. One car didn’t stop and it hit me. I woke up a year later.”

“What?” The dread in his stomach became a burning ache and permeated his body. He felt as if he was on fire.

“Most of that time is a blur, but Miss Hattie...”

“Who’s Hattie?”

“Hattience Thornwall, but everyone calls her Hattie. She’s the lady who hit me. She was seventy-five years old and felt guilty over what had happened. Her car hit me and knocked me into the intersection, where another car ran over me. I had two broken legs, my chest was crushed and I had severe head injuries—the side of my face slid on the pavement, ripping away the skin and part of my ear, and one eye bulged out. Once in the ER they worked on my chest and my head, the most life-threatening injuries.”

Falcon stood up, needing to move as his emotions swamped him. “Why didn’t someone call me? I’m your next of kin.”

“Someone stole my purse at the scene and no one knew who I was. I had no identity. I was Jane Doe number seventy-two.”

“In this day and age there had to have been some way to identify you! What about your wedding ring? Our names were engraved on the inside.”

“I was told they cut it off my swollen hand and it must have gotten thrown away by mistake. The authorities ran my picture in the paper, but no one came forward. The picture was after the accident and Miss Hattie said I probably didn’t look like myself.”

“You talk of this woman with fondness and she caused you all this misery.”

“Yes, it’s a little confusing, but it was part my fault, too. Please listen to the whole story.”

He sat down again, unable to do anything else.

“They didn’t expect me to live, and the hospital had to get a court order to take me off the ventilator. Miss Hattie fought this, but she lost. They removed it and were shocked when I could breathe on my own. Since they didn’t know who I was and I had no insurance, they moved me to an indigent hospital. After many weeks, I was still unconscious, so they prepared to put me in a state institution. Once again Miss Hattie objected to this. She had me moved to a private facility and she paid the bills.”

“That was generous.”

“Yes, the nurses said she visited at least three times a week and always brought fresh flowers for my room. One year and two days later I opened my eyes and the first word I said was Eden. I had no idea who she was or where I was and I quickly drifted into a deep sleep again. I kept waking up, confused and disoriented. The nurses said I kept calling for Falcon and asked who he was. I had no idea, but I knew he was important to me.”

A catch in his throat kept him from responding.

“Little by little my memory started to come back, but my muscles had atrophied and I couldn’t even feed myself. I was totally helpless.”

“If you knew your name, why didn’t someone call me then?”

“My memory didn’t come back all at once. Bits and pieces came to me and it was five years before I could put all those pieces together. In the meantime they had to concentrate on my legs because they didn’t operate on them at the time of the accident. They were more concerned about my chest and my head and they didn’t think I would make it anyway. Nor did they think I could live through the surgery. Anyway, I had several operations on my legs. It was a long road to recovery. Miss Hattie hired therapists and they worked diligently with me to teach me to use my muscles and legs again. And David repaired my face.”

“David?” By the tone of her voice he knew this man was special to her.

“He’s Miss Hattie’s son and a plastic surgeon. It took numerous skin grafts but he did an amazing job. He even repaired my ear.”

Falcon looked closely at her face and saw the beautiful woman she’d always been. There was no way to tell she’d been through such a horrific tragedy. There were so many questions in his head that he didn’t even know where to start. The anger that he carried through the years wasn’t there anymore. All he felt was empathy for what she’d been through.

“When did you realize you had a husband and a child in Horseshoe?”

She glanced down at her hands in her lap. “It was probably about six years before I had the full picture.”

“And yet, you didn’t call home or ask anyone else to. You let us believe the worst.”

She kept staring down at her hands. “I know it’s hard to understand. But I woke up a completely different person from the shy, timid Leah that you knew. I always had this feeling that no one loved me until you filled that empty place in me. But then I met Miss Hattie and David and they loved me unconditionally. After two and a half years in the facility, Miss Hattie took me home to her house and hired a nurse and a therapist for me. I was on a walker and I couldn’t believe that she cared that much about me. We became the best of friends.”

“You had a family in Horseshoe who loved you.”

“I know,” she murmured, still looking at her hands. “After my memory came back, a day didn’t go by that I didn’t think of you and Eden, but I had so many health problems and I didn’t want to be a burden to you. I kept thinking once I got better I could go home. The surgeries to my face took a long time and it took forever for me to regain my strength. Each day was a struggle and I didn’t want to put the responsibility on you and your family.”

He stood up again as emotions hit him like a slap in the face. Why couldn’t she come home? He didn’t understand that. “When we got married, the vows said in sickness and in health. Did you forget that?”

She looked at him for the first time. “I caused all this misery to myself because I didn’t have the courage to care for my child. I ran away instead. That’s all on me and it was hard to live with. I didn’t want to come home until I was fully well. But then things happened.”

“Like what?”

“Miss Hattie had a stroke and I couldn’t leave then. She’d been so good to me and I had to stay to help her. She took care of me and I had to take care of her. She was the loving mother I never had. And David and I grew closer. He was just as nice and loving as his mother. I never had that kind of love in my life.”

It finally dawned on Falcon. “Oh, this David is who you want to marry. This David is why you want a divorce. This David is why you have finally come home, only to leave again. That’s not fair to Eden and it’s not fair to me.”

“I know, that makes me a really bad person. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m not asking to be a part of your life again. I’m only asking for a few minutes with my daughter.”

“What will that help, Leah? She’s seventeen and dealing with all kinds of conflicting emotions. I can tell you she will not understand, so why put her through this?”

She stood, her eyes a wave of frosty green. “I’m prepared for that. I can’t go forward with my life until I talk to her.”

Looking at her expensive clothes and artfully made-up face, he had to ask, “Your life is good, I take it.”

“Yes. I took some business courses and I work in David’s office.”

“How nice. Doesn’t Miss Hattie need you?” He couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of his voice because the anger was starting to come back like a tidal wave and he couldn’t stop it. He had to wonder if she thought he had nerves of steel and he could take all this with a smiling face and have-a-good-life attitude. He was far from feeling that.

“Miss Hattie died a few months ago and she left me her house and many good memories.”

His gut clenched. Didn’t they have good memories? Was that what she was implying? He drew a heavy breath. Almost eighteen years and he remembered everything, even things that hurt. But it was clear that she didn’t. The thought caused an unsettling emotion—green-eyed jealousy.

“I guess you share this house with David?”

“No. He has his own place. David and Miss Hattie saved my life and we became a family. They spent so many hours helping me to get well and to live a full life. I never knew anyone could be so loving and giving. I know you don’t like to hear that, but it’s the truth. I didn’t mean for this to happen. It just did and we both have to move on now.”

He wasn’t going to go gently into this divorce. No way. He wasn’t built that way. “Do you think it was easy for me, Leah, raising a baby? And then my father died and I had to take over the running of the ranch while taking care of a four-year-old. There weren’t enough hours in the day, but Eden was always my top priority.”

She gasped. “John died?”

“Yes, four years after you left the ranch. It was hard on all of us, but especially for Eden because she loved her Papa.”

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