MEET THE FORTUNES!

Fortune of the Month: Graham Fortune Robinson

Age: 32

Vital statistics: Broad shoulders, rugged build and a heart as big as Texas.

Claim to fame: Graham has shunned the family’s multimillion-dollar business in favor of a rancher’s life on the Galloping G. His father would say he has “untapped potential.” Graham believes he is already living the dream.

Romantic prospects: Impossible. He’s crushing on his childhood buddy Sasha-Marie Smith. She has a seven-year-old daughter and is expecting a second one. Did we mention that she is technically still married? Her soon-to-be ex walked out on her and she’s seven months pregnant. He’s sure romance is the very last thing on her mind.

“I’ve never done what anyone has expected of me. I’m a cowboy in a family of computer geeks. I’d rather punch a cow than a time clock. And I’d rather live alone than settle.

So now I’ve finally found my Miss Right. But the timing is absolutely wrong. Sasha has a baby on the way. Maybe she’s still stuck on her ex. And for sure she doesn’t think of me as anything other than a friend. What kind of guy pursues a woman who’s got so much weighing on her slender shoulders?

On the other hand, what self-respecting cowboy can ignore a beautiful damsel in distress?”

The Fortunes of Texas: All Fortune’s Children— Money. Family. Cowboys. Meet the Austin Fortunes!

Wed by Fortune

Judy Duarte

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Since 2002, USA TODAY bestselling author JUDY DUARTE has written over forty books for Mills & Boon, earned two RITA® Award nominations, won two MAGGIE® Awards and received a National Reader’s Choice Award. When she’s not cooped up in her writing cave, she enjoys traveling with her husband and spending quality time with her grandchildren. You can learn more about Judy and her books at her website, www.judyduarte.com, or at Facebook.com/judyduartenovelist.

To Allison Leigh, Stella Bagwell, Karen Rose Smith, Michelle Major and Nancy Robards Thompson. And to the fabulous Marcia Book Adirim, who has those amazing stories of the Fortunes dancing in her head.

Thanks for working with me on the 2016 Fortunes of Texas Anniversary series and for making this book a pleasure to write!

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Endpage

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Graham Robinson had spent the morning working up a good sweat, thanks to a drunken teenager who’d gotten behind the wheel of a Cadillac Escalade after a rowdy, unsupervised party last night.

The kid had apparently lost control of the expensive, late-model SUV and plowed through a large section of the fence at the Galloping G Ranch, where Graham lived. Then he left the vehicle behind and ran off.

Both Graham and the sheriff who’d been here earlier knew it had been a teenager because on the passenger seat a frayed backpack, as well as a catcher’s mitt, sat next to an invitation with directions to a ranch six miles down the road.

Sadly, the same thing could easily have happened to him, when he’d been seventeen. That’s why he and Roger Gibault, his friend and the owner of the ranch, were determined to turn the Galloping G into a place where troubled teenage boys could turn their lives around.

Back in the day, both Graham and Roger’s late son had what Roger called rebellious streaks. Graham’s dad, the patriarch of the famous Austin Robinsons—and an alleged member of the Fortune family—wasn’t so open-minded.

But after Peter’s tragic death, things had changed. Graham had changed. Now, instead of creating problems for others to clean up, Graham was digging out several damaged posts and replacing broken railings.

After he hammered one last nail into the rail he’d been fixing, he blew out a sigh and glanced at the well-trained Appaloosa gelding that was grazing nearby on an expanse of green grass. He’d driven out here earlier in the twelve-year-old Gator ATV, but the engine had been skipping. So after unloading his tools and supplies, he’d taken it back to the barn, where Roger could work on the engine. Then he’d ridden back on the gelding. Hopefully, Roger had the vehicle fixed by now. If not, they’d probably have to replace it with a newer model.

When the familiar John Deere engine sounded, Graham looked over his shoulder. Sure enough, Roger had worked his mechanical magic and was approaching at a fairly good clip.

Moments later, the aging rancher pulled to a stop, the engine idling smoothly.

Glad to have a break, Graham winked at his elderly friend. “Did you come out here to check up on me and make sure I wasn’t loafing?”

“I knew better than that. I’d be more apt to make sure you hadn’t worked yourself to death.” Roger lifted his battered black Stetson, then raked a hand through his thinning gray hair.

The fact that he hadn’t returned Graham’s smile was cause for concern. “What’s up?”

Roger paused for a beat, then said, “Sasha-Marie just called. She’s on her way here.”

Graham nearly dropped the hammer he was holding. Roger and his niece had once been close, but they’d drifted apart after her marriage. “Is she still living in California?”

“I don’t think so. But I’m not sure.”

When Sasha-Marie had been in kindergarten, she lost her parents in a small plane crash. Her maternal grandparents, who lived in Austin, were granted custody, but she spent many of her school vacations with Roger, her paternal uncle.

Since Roger and his late wife had only one child, a son who’d been born to them late in life, Sasha-Marie became the daughter they’d never had and the apple of her doting uncle’s eye.

Roger had been proud when she went off to college, but he hadn’t approved of the man she’d met there and started dating. After she married the guy and moved out of state, Roger rarely mentioned her.

Graham hadn’t met her husband. He’d been invited to the wedding, although he hadn’t attended. He’d come down with a nasty stomach flu and had stayed on the ranch.

According to Roger, it had been a “big wingding,” and most likely the sort of elegant affair that Graham’s family usually put on, the kind of function he still did his best to avoid whenever possible.

On the morning of the wedding, as Graham had gone to replenish a glass of water, he’d met Roger in the Galloping G kitchen. Roger had been dressed in a rented tuxedo, his hair slicked back, his lips pursed in a scowl. His job was to give away the bride, but he hadn’t been happy about it.

“This ain’t right,” he’d said.

Graham thought he might be talking about the monkey suit he’d been asked to wear. “You mean all the wedding formalities?”

Roger shook his head and clucked his tongue. “I tried to talk her out of it, but she won’t hear it. Just because she’s gone off to college, she thinks she’s bright. But she’s been so blinded by all the glitz and glamour she can’t see what a louse her future husband really is.”

Having grown up in tech mogul Gerald Robinson’s household, Graham had experienced plenty of glitz and glamour himself. He knew a lot of phony people who flashed their wealth, which was one reason he was content to be a cowboy and manage the Galloping G for Roger.

The other reason was that he wanted to look out for the old rancher and his best interests. That’s why the news of Sasha’s return today was a big deal.

“Is Sasha’s husband coming with her?” Graham asked.

“Nope.” Roger placed his hat back on his head, adjusting it properly and shading his eyes from the afternoon sun.

Graham wondered if the older man would offer up another comment, but he kept his thoughts to himself. That really wasn’t surprising. He’d been pretty close-lipped about Sasha since the wedding, which must have been eight or more years ago. Graham had tried to get him to talk about his anger and disappointment, thinking that might help. But he respected the man’s silence. He also sympathized with him.

After Sasha gave birth to a baby—a girl, if Graham remembered correctly—Roger had gone to visit her in California. He’d not only wanted to see his great-niece, but he’d also hoped to mend fences. Two days later he’d returned to the ranch, just as quiet as he’d been before. Graham’s only clue to what had transpired was the response to his single question about how things went.

“Not well,” Roger had said. And that had pretty much been the end of it.

Graham stole a glance at the man who’d become more of a father to him than his own dad. But then again, they’d weathered Peter’s death together, leaning on each other so they could get through the gut-wrenching, heartbreaking grief.

Bonds like that were strong. And they lasted a lifetime.

Roger stared out in the distance at the two-lane highway that led to the big ranch house in which he now lived alone. Was he looking for Sasha’s car?

Or was he just pondering the blowup that he’d had with her husband? Graham wasn’t privy to all that had happened on Sasha’s wedding day, but he did know that Gabe had, in so many words, told Roger to butt out of Sasha’s life.

So the rift had always weighed heavily on his mind—and it probably still did.

“It’s a good sign that she felt like she could call and talk to you,” Graham said.

“I agree.” Roger heaved a heavy sigh. “She didn’t tell me what brought about the sudden change of heart, but that doesn’t matter.”

“Either way, for your sake, I’m glad she’s coming without her husband.”

Roger snorted. “I always figured Gabe for a fast-talking womanizer who’d end up breaking her heart down the road. But that didn’t mean I didn’t want to be proven wrong.”

“You won’t hold any of that against Sasha, will you?”

“Hell no. I’d never do that. But I’ll tell you, Graham, it hurt like a son of a gun when she left Texas. And while I’m glad she reached out to me just now, I’m leery about pushing myself on her too quickly.”

Whatever had gone down between Roger and the groom at the church had nearly destroyed the relationship Roger once had with his niece.

“How long is she going to be here?” Graham asked. He assumed it’d be for a few days to a week.

“I don’t have the foggiest idea, but I told her she could stay as long as she wanted.”

Sasha had been a cute kid. She’d tagged along after Graham and Peter when they were teenagers, wanting to be included—and being a pest more times than not. She was probably close to thirty now, but Graham would always remember her as a skinny young girl with braces and a scatter of freckles across her nose.

Roger glanced out to the road again, squinting as he scanned the empty stretch of blacktop.

“Do you know what kind of car she drives?” Graham asked.

“Nope.” The older man turned, sporting a wry grin. “I guess it’s pretty obvious that I’m watching for her to arrive.”

“Just a bit.”

When a car engine sounded in the distance and grew louder, both men turned and spotted a white Honda Civic heading down the road. A blonde woman was driving, although the car was too far away to get a glimpse of her face.

“That might be Sasha-Marie now,” Roger said.

It was hard to know for sure, although Roger was clearly eager to have her back on the Galloping G, no matter how short her stay.

“I’ll finish up here,” Graham said. “Why don’t you go back to the house so you can greet her?”

“Nope. I want you to come with me. You can get those tools later. Mount up.”

Graham scanned the fence he’d been working on, realizing it wasn’t going anywhere. And apparently, neither was that Escalade if he enclosed it in the pasture before the owner came to claim it.

“All right,” he said, “but why do you want me to be there?”

Roger scowled and rolled his eyes. “Because I never have been able to keep my opinions to myself. And if I slip up and say ‘I told you so’ or something negative about that jerk she’s married to, I’ll probably make things worse than they already are. So if you think I’m about to blurt out something like that, I want you to give me a wallop upside the head.”

Roger had a point. He was a good man, hardworking and honest to a fault. But he’d never been one to hold back an opinion, no matter how rough it was around the edges. So Graham left his tools near the post he’d just cemented back into place, grabbed the Appaloosa’s reins and swung into the saddle. “Okay, then. Let’s go.”

Neither of them knew for sure if the blonde driver had been Sasha, but on the outside chance that it was, they’d both be welcoming her home.

* * *

Sasha Gibault Smith parked near Uncle Roger’s big white barn, but she didn’t get out of the car right away. Instead, even though she needed to stretch her legs, she remained seated, gripping the steering wheel and studying the ranch she used to love to visit.

She’d started out from Los Angeles yesterday morning and had spent the night in El Paso, but it had still been a difficult trip, one she’d made with her tail tucked between her legs.

She adored Uncle Roger, but whenever she’d gone against his advice, he’d had a habit of saying, “I told you so” or “Dang it, girl. Why don’t you ever listen to me?” And this time, he’d been especially right in his assessment of Gabe Smith.

Needless to say, she wasn’t looking forward to adding any additional guilt to what she already carried, especially now. That was one reason she’d been reluctant to call her uncle until she was only thirty minutes away.

She hadn’t gone into detail about why she was coming back to Texas. Nor had she apologized for anything she or her now-estranged husband had done to hurt him. She’d merely asked if she could stay with him on the Galloping G for a while.

Before answering her question, he’d had one of his own. “Is Gabe coming with you?”

She’d said no, that it was just her and Maddie, and left it at that. She hadn’t been ready to tell him any more over the phone.

“Stay as long as you want,” Uncle Roger had said. “The city isn’t a good place to raise a child.” At that point, he’d paused, maybe rethinking his response. “I mean, city life is okay. Lots of cultural stuff and shopping, I suppose. But the fresh air and sunshine will be good for Maddie.”

Bless his heart, Roger was the gruffest yet kindest man she’d ever known. And she was looking forward to mending their relationship, something she should have done a long time ago. But Gabe had made it so difficult. He’d made everything difficult.

She glanced into the rearview mirror to the backseat, where Maddie dozed. Her seven-year-old daughter was the only good thing that had come of her relationship with Gabe, so how could she regret marrying him?

But still, why hadn’t she listened to Uncle Roger when he warned her about him?

Because she’d been dazzled by Gabe’s charm and enamored with the very idea of love, that’s why. She’d lost her parents when she was young, and all she’d ever wanted was to create a family of her own. But that dream had certainly backfired on her.

She’d been a fool not to see the truth. Gabe hadn’t been capable of loving anyone but himself. And the fact that she’d signed the prenuptial agreement he’d said would appease his wealthy father only made it worse. What would Roger have said to that?

She could only imagine. She placed a hand on her growing baby bump, which had made it more difficult to reach the gas pedal, as well as the steering wheel, since she was merely five foot two, anyway.

The second pregnancy not only had led to her and Gabe’s split, but had also complicated things. Gabe, who hadn’t really wanted to have kids, would have to provide financially for both of them. His family came from money, so that hadn’t bothered him nearly as much as the idea of coming home day after day to Sasha and the kids.

In fact, once Maddie was born, he began spending more and more time at the office. Sasha tried not to resent his time away from home since he’d said he was doing it for them, that he was only trying to be a good provider for his family. And maybe that was true. But she’d soon realized that Gabe was a quitter. Whenever something didn’t go the way he liked it, he’d move on to another job.

The poor baby she was carrying, another little girl, hadn’t asked to be brought into the world. But Gabe had barely gotten used to having Maddie. So when he found out Sasha was expecting again, he packed his bags and moved out.

It’s not like she had intended to get pregnant this time. In fact, she still marveled at how it had even happened, since she and Gabe were so rarely together.

But none of that mattered. Her only priority now was her children. Come hell or high water, Sasha would do everything in her power to provide her daughters with love and security. And what better place to do that than at the Galloping G?

She just hoped Uncle Roger would agree. Her heart told her he would, but she’d never know until she broached the subject.

Again, she glanced in the rearview mirror. She didn’t want to wake Maddie from her nap quite yet. The little girl hadn’t felt comfortable in that motel room last night and had taken a long time to fall asleep. So to provide Maddie a few extra minutes to snooze in comfort, Sasha lowered the power windows to allow the afternoon breeze to blow through the car. Then she pulled the key from the ignition and placed it in her purse.

Before she could open the driver’s door, a John Deere Gator drove into the yard, followed by a cowboy on horseback.

The man driving the Gator was Uncle Roger. And the cowboy...?

A Stetson shielded his face, but not his broad shoulders and rugged build. When he tilted the brim, she recognized Graham Robinson, and her breath caught.

His saddle creaked when he placed his hands on the pommel and leaned forward, checking her out without the hint of a smile. But she wasn’t smiling, either. Talking to Uncle Roger would be hard enough without an audience.

What was Graham doing here? Hadn’t he kicked his cowboy stage by now? Shouldn’t he be working at Robinson Tech, raking in the dough and living the fast-paced urban life he’d been born into?

Not that he hadn’t practically lived on the Galloping G during the summers when she used to come and visit. Graham and her cousin Peter had been best friends—and almost inseparable. Then, after Peter died, Graham had practically moved in.

She’d had a huge crush on the older teenage boy back then, but he’d only considered her a kid and a nuisance. In retrospect, she could understand why. He’d had his choice of high school girls. Why would he take a second look at her?

Besides, he and Peter were always talking about parties and all the places local teenagers hung out. Once she’d even heard them mention something about skinny-dipping with a couple of cheerleaders. So, no, Graham had never looked at her as anything other than a pesky little kid.

Uncle Roger approached first, which didn’t surprise her. He was, after all, the one she’d come to see.

She tore her gaze from Graham, a wealthy man by all rights who appeared to be more comfortable on horseback than in a snazzy BMW, something he could well afford to buy. At least, he’d never been without a wad of cash in the past. His dad owned a big tech company and had been loaded. He probably still was.

When Roger reached her car, Sasha was reluctant to get out. She hadn’t told him about her pregnancy, although he was about to find out.

He took off his hat, revealing more silver in his hair than the last time she’d seen him. His face had weathered, too.

Her heart cramped at the thought that she and Gabe might have contributed to the signs of age.

“How was the drive?” he asked.

She lifted her hand to her eyes, blocking the glare from the afternoon sun. “It was long. But not too bad.”

Uncle Roger took a peek into the backseat. “Looks like Maddie dozed off. You gonna wake her up?”

“I hadn’t wanted to. She didn’t sleep well last night. We stayed in a roadside motel, which had a truck stop next door, so it was pretty loud outside. But she’s been eager to get here. And to meet you. It’s all she could talk about.”

As Uncle Roger studied her sweet, dozing daughter, Sasha stole another glance at Graham. He was dismounting now.

The years had been good to him, and as he swung a muscular leg over the saddle, all those girlish feelings returned tenfold. For one crazy, thoughtless moment, that silly crush she’d once harbored came rushing back full force and nearly stole her breath away.

She’d never met a man who could hold a candle to Graham in looks. In fact, if she weren’t seven months pregnant and still—at least, legally—married, she’d be a goner.

Well, that wasn’t true. She was older and wiser these days. And she’d learned the hard way that no man was perfect. Besides, she’d be swearing off romance and concentrating on her children for the next couple of years.

“You gonna sit in that car all day?” her uncle asked.

No, she wasn’t about to do that. And while she wasn’t eager to reveal her condition to either Roger or to Graham, she opened the door, grabbed her purse and slid out of her trusty Honda Civic.

The moment she did, Uncle Roger let out a slow whistle. But it wasn’t Roger’s reaction that concerned her now. For some dumb reason, she looked straight at Graham and waited for his response.

* * *

The first thing Graham noticed when Sasha got out of the car and stepped into the afternoon sunlight was that she was no longer the cute little tomboy he remembered. She was a stunning blonde and absolutely beautiful.

But damn. She was also pregnant. And while he was no expert, from the looks of it, she was about ready to deliver.

Were women in her condition supposed to travel, especially on long road trips?

Roger stepped away from Sasha’s car, then strode toward Graham and reached out his hand. “Gimme those reins. I’ll take care of your horse.”

What the hell? And leave Graham to make small talk?

He would have objected and insisted on putting the horse away himself, but Roger was probably afraid to stick around any longer for fear he’d say something to screw things up before he got a chance to take Sasha’s luggage inside. Speaking of which...

“Let me get your bags,” Graham said.

“They’re back here.” Sasha, with the strap of her purse over her shoulder and her hand perched on her belly, rounded the car and opened her trunk.

She hadn’t brought much, just two suitcases, so maybe she didn’t plan to stay long.

“Is this it?” he asked.

“I...uh...” She gave a shrug. “I shipped everything else.”

Everything? What all had she thought she’d need? Was she going to move in?

He lifted both bags from the car, and she shut the trunk. As he carried the suitcases to the front porch, he stole a peek at the lovely blonde.

Somewhere along the way, she’d shed the braces. And in spite of her obvious pregnancy, she’d blossomed into a shapely woman, one he found incredibly attractive. His heart rate had escalated to the point he felt what could almost be classified a sexual thrill just looking at her.

What did that say about him? What kind of man found a pregnant married woman so appealing?

He wasn’t going to stew about it. Instead he shook off the question, as well as any answer he might be able to come up with. He was just surprised to see her and how much she’d changed, that’s all.

“Is your daughter going to be okay in the car?” he asked.

“I’m only going to leave her in there for a minute. I thought I’d put my bags into the room where I used to sleep. But maybe I’d better leave them in the living room until Uncle Roger tells me where he’d like us to stay. I didn’t mean to be presumptive.”

“I’m sure it’s fine to put everything in your old bedroom,” Graham said, leading the way.

As far as he knew, Roger hadn’t changed a thing since Sasha was last here, the summer of her junior year. He’d wanted things to stay the way she’d left them. But after her high school graduation, she’d stayed in Austin to prepare for college.

So she could easily see that the room with lavender walls, dotted with posters, still bore evidence of the teenager she’d once been.

Graham placed the bags on the bed, which boasted a white goose-down comforter.

Sasha set her purse on the antique oak dresser, then thanked him for his help.

“No problem.”

They merely stood there, caught up in some kind of weird time warp. Then she nodded toward the doorway. “I’d better go wake up Maddie.”

Graham followed her outside, watching her walk, the hem of her yellow sundress swishing against her shapely calves. From behind, he’d never have known she was expecting a baby.

When they reached the front porch, she paused near the railing, took a deep breath of country air and scanned the yard. “I’ve really missed this place.”

Roger would be glad to know that. It would make it easier for them to put the past behind them.

“It’s been a long time,” Graham said, finally addressing the elephant in the room. “How’ve you been?”

“All right.” She turned to face him and bit down on her bottom lip, as though things might not be “all right.” But if that was the case, she didn’t mention it. “How about you? I see you’re still hanging out on the Galloping G.”

“I live here now. In the foreman’s quarters. I guess you could say I’m your uncle’s right-hand man.”

She pondered that bit of news for a moment. “I guess some things haven’t changed.”

Actually, she was wrong. A lot had changed, and there were more big changes coming down the pike.

“So, how’s your family?” she asked.

“Same old, same old.” It was a stock response to keep from going into any real detail. Sasha didn’t know that he’d never been close to his father—and even less so now that he’d chosen not to work at Robinson Tech, like most of his other siblings.

When she nodded, he offered a more interesting response and something she might soon hear from the neighbors. “My brother Ben and my sisters Rachel and Zoe have gotten married recently. And my brother Wes is engaged.”

“That’s nice,” she said, providing her own stock response. “How recently?”

“All within the last six months.” Then, for some damn reason, he added, “We might also be taking on a new last name.”

Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Since it was too late to backpedal now, he continued with the unsettling truth. “Apparently, my dad was once a long-lost black sheep in the Fortune clan. His name was Jerome, not Gerald.”

Graham decided not to mention that Ben and some of his other siblings had taken on the Fortune name. But he wasn’t about to do that, especially when his father refused to admit the connection.

“Wow,” Sasha said. “And you never knew?”

“No, Dad kept that a secret from us, along with other things.” Graham wasn’t about to go into all that. Not now, anyway. Maybe not ever. He wasn’t particularly proud of the fact that his old man, a guy most people considered a quirky tech mogul, had eight legitimate kids, as well as who-knew-how-many illegitimate ones.

“How do you feel about that?” she asked, easing close enough for him to catch the faint hint of her orange-blossom scent.

He blew out a sigh, hoping to eliminate the taunting smell, as well as his lingering concerns of being a shirttail relative to such a famous family. It didn’t work in either case.

“It’s been a lot for me to take in,” he admitted. “So now my life on the Galloping G holds an even bigger appeal than it did before.”

“I can imagine. News like that would be...stunning. How do your brothers and sisters feel about it?”

“Actually, some of them hope it’s true. But the others aren’t too keen on it.” Graham, of course, was on the not-exactly-pleased side of it.

He paused for a beat, realizing Sasha didn’t have siblings—or even a cousin any longer. So he didn’t want to sound as though he resented having a big family. “I suppose you can never have too many relatives. It’s a cold world out there, so the more people who have your back, the better.”

Instead of smiling or commenting, Sasha just stood there as tears welled in her eyes.

Uh-oh. He hadn’t meant to trigger her sadness. Was she missing Peter? Her parents?

She swiped below her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I’m sorry. Just the result of my pregnancy hormones at work.”

That made sense. And it made him feel a lot better about setting off her tears. “How far along are you?”

“Seven months.”

“Your husband must be thrilled.”

Sasha glanced down at her sandals and didn’t speak or look up for several beats.

He must have put his foot in his mouth again, although he had no idea why. Was she unhappy about the baby?

“I’m sorry if I was out of line,” Graham said.

Sasha shook her head. When she looked up and caught his gaze, her eyes were glossy. “Gabe and I...split up.” Her hand again went to her belly, caressing the mound where her baby grew. “Actually, he left me.”

Graham couldn’t imagine what would cause a man to walk away from his family when his wife was pregnant. He’d never met Gabe Smith himself, but Roger had. And the old rancher’s opinion of the guy was enough for Graham to believe the worst about him.

He’d never reveal that to Sasha, though. So he said, “That must be rough.”

“We’re doing okay. And on the upside, I’m now able to come visit Uncle Roger. Maddie is excited to see a real ranch—and horses.”

Before Graham could respond, a little girl sidled up between them. She stuck out her hand to Graham and smiled, revealing a missing front tooth. “Howdy. Put ’er there, cowboy!”

He was captivated by her happy expression, by the long blond hair and bright blue eyes, so like her mama’s.

What kind of man would leave such an adorable duo? Not that Graham had ever had any reason to admire Gabe Smith. But surely he’d come to his senses and chase after them.

For some strange reason, that thought caused his gut to clench, and he found it nearly impossible to speak. He did, however, reach out and take the child’s little hand in his.

“You must be Maddie,” he said.

“Yep.” The girl stood tall, a big ol’ grin stretching across her face. “And you must be Uncle Roger.”

Chapter Two

Apparently, Maddie had awakened from her nap and gotten out of the car on her own. And while the little girl had no way of knowing who Graham or even Uncle Roger were, the idea that anyone could possibly confuse the two men brought a smile to Sasha’s lips.

She placed her hand on the top of her daughter’s head, her fingers trailing along the silky, pale strands. “This isn’t Uncle Roger, Maddie. It’s his friend Graham.”

As the child cocked her head and scanned the handsome man from his dusty boots to his black hat, a grin dimpled her cheeks and lit her eyes. “So you’re a real cowboy, just like my uncle?”

Graham smiled. “I reckon you could say that, Miss Maddie.”

The girl laughed. “Can you say something else cowboy-like?”

“Honey, Mr. Graham isn’t here to entertain you.” Sasha straightened and turned to the handsome man. “She’s a big fan of horses and all things Western.”

“Then this visit to the Galloping G should be good for her,” Graham said.

Yes, it would definitely do her daughter good. Sasha hoped it would do the same for her. She had some healing to do. She also had a relationship to mend. So why couldn’t she seem to turn and walk away from the sexy cowboy who was so good with her daughter?

She glanced toward the barn, where Uncle Roger had disappeared.

“I love horses,” Maddie said. “Especially real ones.”

Graham chuckled. “A girl after my own heart. Have you ever ridden a real one, Maddie?”

“No, not yet. But I have a pretend saddle I put over the back of our sofa at home. And I play like I’m riding that.”

Graham glanced at Sasha as if questioning the truth of Maddie’s statement.

So she smiled and nodded. “Maddie would ride that towel-draped leather sofa all day if I’d let her.”

The little girl lived and breathed horses. And, apparently, she admired the men who worked with them. So, if Sasha wasn’t careful, her daughter would pester poor Graham and Uncle Roger to death.

Hoping to defuse what could be an awkward situation, she addressed her daughter. “Mr. Graham has a lot of work to do, honey. And the sooner we let him get back to it, the better.”

“That’s not a problem,” Graham said. “I really don’t mind taking a break. In fact, if Maddie wants, I can take her around the Galloping G and show her what a ‘real cowboy’ does all day, including a broken fence I need to repair.”

“That’s nice of you,” Sasha said, “but it isn’t necessary. We just got here and should probably settle in. Besides, Maddie needs to learn a little patience.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Graham said. “While you two unpack, I’ll go pick up my mess in that south pasture. When I get back, I can give you that tour.” Then he winked at Maddie. “Your mom can come, too.”

Sasha probably ought to tell him no. She had a lot to talk over with Uncle Roger. But she couldn’t very well have that kind of a heart-to-heart until later this evening, after Maddie went to bed.

For the third time since arriving—or maybe it was the thirty-third—she turned her gaze on Graham, who’d grown an inch or two taller and filled out nicely. He wore a gray T-shirt that didn’t mask the muscles in his broad chest. His biceps, which had never been small, now bulged, straining the hem on his short sleeves without any effort on his part.

He still bore the scar on his arm from a riding accident he’d had years ago, a jagged mark left from a barbed-wire fence. But like everything else about him—his hat, his jeans, his smile—he wore the cowboy image well.

She’d always admired Graham and found him attractive in more ways than one. He was—or at least used to be—a straight-up guy. And in spite of the money his family had, there were no pretenses about him, no games. He said what he meant and meant what he said.

Graham was nothing like Gabe, which made him even more appealing now. And that was a good reason for her to steer clear of him. Besides, she was a pregnant single mother. And she’d arrived at the Galloping G with way more baggage than the suitcases she’d brought in the trunk of her car. Certainly way more than a man like Graham would want to deal with. He’d always had a way with the ladies—or at least the girls in high school. So she assumed that he was a free-wheeling bachelor with his pick of willing women.

Yet she found herself nodding in agreement. “Okay, a tour of the ranch sounds fun. While you’re going to get your tools and whatnot, Maddie and I will unpack.”

Graham lobbed her a crooked grin that nearly stole her breath away. But how could that be? She wasn’t a love-struck kid anymore. And she’d experienced far too many of life’s realities to even entertain thoughts of ever having a crush—childhood or otherwise—on anyone.

Yet as he turned to walk away, her heart fluttered and her pulse rate spiked, suggesting he still had the ability to send her sense reeling with a simple smile.

* * *

By the time Graham returned for his tools in the pasture, the sheriff had come back and stood next to a tow truck, pointing out the SUV that had caused all the damage.

The officer left the driver to his work, then approached Graham. “We’ll have that vehicle out of here shortly. The owner has already been informed and has contacted his insurance company.”

Graham nodded. “I’m assuming his son was driving?”

“Yep. But from what I understand, the boy lost his license and will be grounded for the rest of the summer.”

“I can understand that.” Graham could also understand the appeal of an unsupervised teenage party. He’d certainly attended more than his share of those.

But as an adult, he knew the dangers of drinking and driving, no matter what age one was.

After the sheriff left and the tow truck drove out with the SUV, Graham picked up the tools and supplies he’d left in the south pasture and took them to the barn. He hated to leave the repair work on that downed fence unfinished, but he’d do it for Roger. Fortunately, they didn’t have any horses grazing out there now. But they would, once his friend Chase Parker delivered them on Friday.

His friend, huh? If that Robinson-Fortune family connection was true, Graham and Chase would be more than friends. They’d actually be related, since Chase was married to Lucie Fortune Chesterfield.

After putting away the tools and supplies, he went in search of Roger and found him leading Lady Jane from the pasture toward the barn.

“What are you doing?” Graham asked. “I thought you’d be inside, talking to Sasha-Marie and getting to know little Maddie.”

“I was in there. For a while.”

“How’d it go?”

“Okay, I guess. Maddie is a little chatterbox, which might prove helpful in piecing together what’s going on. She mentioned that her daddy moved out of their house and into an apartment near his work.”

“I’m sure that’s true. Sasha told me that she and Gabe are separated.”

Roger merely nodded as he continued toward the barn, the roan mare walking alongside him.

“What are you doing with Lady Jane?” Graham asked as he followed behind.

“That little girl loves horses, and I figure she’d like to ride a real one instead of her mother’s sofa. So I’m going to stable Lady Jane so she’ll be closer to the house.”

“Good idea.” Lady was a gentle mare and would be a good mount for a beginner.

Once they entered the barn, Graham opened the gate of an empty stall. “I assume you and Sasha had a chance to talk.”

“Just enough to break the ice some, but not enough to get back on steady ground again.”

“I got the feeling that she plans to stay for a while,” Graham added.

“Yep.” Roger removed the lead from Lady Jane’s halter, then closed the gate. “I suspect she came here to lick her wounds, which is fine by me. The Galloping G is the perfect place for her to get back on her feet.”

He was right about that. It was at this ranch where Graham and Roger had managed to heal from their terrible loss. And it was here that they hoped to help troubled teenage boys do the same thing.

“You have no idea how happy I am that Sasha-Marie and that jerk finally split up,” Roger said. “I knew it was coming. But you’ll be glad to know I managed to keep my mouth shut about it.”

Graham placed a hand on his old friend’s back and grinned. “I’ll bet that was tough for a crusty ol’ bird who’s got a knack for speaking his mind, even when he’s not asked.”

“You bet it was. And not to toot my own horn, but you’ll be glad to know that I didn’t break into the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus when Maddie announced that Gabe moved out of the house.”

“Good thing you didn’t, Roger. You never could carry a tune.”

At that, the old man chuckled. “You’re right. My singing would have chased her off for sure.”

Graham didn’t think so. Sasha had always enjoyed the time she’d spent on the Galloping G. So it didn’t surprise him in the least that she would choose to come here to sort out things.

“I wonder what her plans are,” Graham said. “Hopefully, Gabe is paying her child support.”

Roger blew out a raspberry. “I wouldn’t be surprised if, once that guy hit the road, he never looked back. And if he didn’t, it’d be okay by me. Gabe Smith was bad news, wrapped in a shiny wrapper. But Sasha doesn’t need the likes of him. Not with me around, anyway. I’ll look out for her. Besides, she has a college degree. I suspect she could put that to good use.”

“There’s time to ask her about that later,” Graham said. “For now, you ought to enjoy the time you have with her.”

“Yep, I intend to. In the meantime, I’m going to go inside and fix dinner. I’d planned to make meat loaf and baked potatoes this evening. S’pose I still will. But if I’d known Sasha-Marie and Maddie were coming, I would have taken steaks out of the freezer. It seems like we have a lot to celebrate.”

Maybe Roger did. But something told Graham that Sasha wasn’t nearly as happy about the split as her uncle was.

“You might not want to make such a big deal out of it,” Graham said. “She married the guy and undoubtedly loved him. She probably doesn’t feel like celebrating.”

“I wasn’t talking about making a big whoopty-do that he was out of her life, although I’d sure as heck raise my glass to that. But I’m glad she’s back at the ranch. I’ve missed her. And I’ve regretted not having a chance to get to know little Maddie. She’s a cutie pie, isn’t she?”

Yes, she was, at that. “She sure looks a lot like her mama.”

“You got that right. And she’s just as spunky, too.”

Before Graham could agree, Sasha and Maddie stepped out on the big, wraparound porch.

“Looks like it’s time for the tour to begin,” Graham said quietly to Roger. “If she wasn’t expecting, I’d suggest we take horses, which would no doubt please Maddie. But I think we should take the Gator.”

“Good idea. I’ve delivered my share of foals and calves, but I don’t know squat about bringing a human baby into the world.”

Just the thought of Sasha delivering at the ranch and not in a state-of-the-art medical facility twisted Graham’s gut into a double knot. He’d better suggest she find a doctor in Austin—and quickly. From the size of her baby bump, she’d need a good one soon.

Yet even the fact that she was expecting didn’t take away from her beauty. How had he missed the corn-silk color of her hair before—or those expressive blue eyes?

“We’re ready for that tour when you are,” she said, as she and her pretty Mini-Me daughter stepped off the porch.

Sasha walked slowly, but Maddie marched right up to her uncle. “Are you going with us, Uncle Roger? Are you going to show us all your horses?”

Roger blessed the child with a smile and cupped her cheek with his liver-spotted, work-roughened hand. “Not this time, sweetie. I’m going to cook our dinner. But don’t worry. Graham will give you a good tour—and probably a better one than I could.”

The child looked at Graham with hope-filled eyes—their pretty color reminded him of a field of bluebonnets, blowing in the breeze. “Do you know where my uncle keeps his horses?”

“Actually, we only have a few right now. But come this weekend, you’ll see five more of them grazing in the south forty.”

Maddie’s eyes widened. “A whole herd?”

Graham couldn’t help appreciating her enthusiasm. “Well, it’s not exactly a herd, at least, not a big one. We’ll have our hands full with those five for now.”

He’d thought his answer would appease her, but apparently, one of her questions merely led to another. “Where are you going to get them?” she asked. “Do you have to ride into the mountains and desert and wilderness to find them?”

Graham bit back a chuckle. “My friend Chase Parker has rescue horses already on his ranch. He’s going to deliver them to us.”

“I can’t wait to see them,” she said.

“Then I’ll make sure you’re around when they arrive. In the meantime, let’s go check out the ranch.” Graham glanced at Sasha and nodded toward the barn. “Come on. We’ll take the Gator.”

“You got gators in Texas?” Maddie asked, struggling to match his strides. “Do they bite?”

Graham smiled. “We don’t have any alligators on the Galloping G. I was actually talking about our off-road utility vehicle.”

He led them to the rear of the barn, where he’d left the Gator parked. Once he helped Maddie into the backseat and secured her with a seat belt, something the previous owner had installed, he and Sasha climbed into the front. Then he started the engine.

What a turn this day had taken. Graham’s morning had started out in the usual way—a shower before downing coffee and the biscuits and gravy Roger had made for them. Then he’d ridden out to check on the pasture where they planned to keep the new horses.

When he’d spotted the damage to the fence, as well as the battered front end of the Cadillac Escalade that had been left in the pasture, wheel wells deep in the mud, he’d realized things weren’t going to be as usual today.

But nothing had prepared him for Sasha and Maddie’s arrival a few hours later, which ensured that, at least for the time being, things on the Galloping G would be far from ordinary.

He just hoped the changes would be good ones.

* * *

While Graham appeared to be doing his best to avoid any big potholes on the dirt road on which they’d been driving, the Gator made a quick swerve, causing Sasha to grab the dashboard and brace herself. She turned and looked over her shoulder. “Are you okay, Maddie?”

“Yep.” The seven-year-old patted her seat belt and flashed a bright-eyed smile that revealed her missing tooth. “I’m all buckled in.”

“Sorry about that,” Graham said. “We had a heavy rain a couple days ago, and it left the road a mess.”

“I remember the summer storms we used to have,” Sasha said. “I actually thought they were cool.”

The rumbles of thunder and the lightning that tore across the sky had been an amazing, celestial light show. Some people were frightened by the sights and sounds, especially when they struck at night. But Sasha hadn’t been one of them. And she doubted Maddie would be, either.

Graham swung around a mud puddle. “Are the bumps and turns too jarring for you?” He nodded toward her belly.

Sasha cast a reassuring smile his way. “No, I’m doing okay. And believe it or not, the baby seems to be enjoying it as much as Maddie is.”

“Apparently, she takes after her mom in more than just her looks.” Graham tossed her a boyish grin. “You always were a tomboy who tried to convince Peter and me that you were as tough and strong as horseshoes.”

She responded with the title of a song. “Anything you can do...”

Graham laughed. “You used to sing that to us all the time.”

That was true. She’d taunted them with the lively tune from Annie Get Your Gun every chance she got.

Sasha had never seen the actual musical on Broadway, or anywhere else for that matter. But one summer day, when she was visiting, Uncle Roger had taken them all to see a local talent show. She’d loved the performance by a high school girl and boy who’d sung that song.

“That’s too funny,” Graham said. “I’d nearly forgotten it.”

Singing it to Graham had been one of her many ploys to get his attention, although it hadn’t worked.

However, it did seem to catch his interest now.

Graham turned to the right, following a narrow road, and pointed to a grassy area. “This is the stretch of broken fence I’ve been fixing. I’ll need to get it done soon because we plan to keep some of the rescue horses here.”

Maddie let out a little gasp. “Can we come back again and see it? After the horses get here?”

“Sure.” Graham shot a questioning look at Sasha. “That is, if your mom doesn’t mind.”

“No, of course not. Maddie would love to see them grazing in the field.” Sasha’s warm smile shot clean through Graham, setting off a spark in his chest.

He’d only meant to make Maddie happy, but the fact that Sasha realized he had a soft spot for her daughter and that she was so clearly pleased by it, caught him off guard. It also left him a little unbalanced, since he hadn’t meant to earn her praise.

As a result, he decided to end the tour for today and head back. Several quiet minutes later, he parked the Gator on the side of the barn.

“What’s that?” Sasha pointed to the concrete foundation they’d had poured last week. “Is Uncle Roger building something, maybe a new barn?”

“That’s going to be the new bunkhouse. We were going to remodel the old one, but after we got started, we realized it was in bad shape and wouldn’t meet code. So we decided to start from scratch. We also built a couple of cabins for the boys.”

Her brow furrowed. “The boys?”

Apparently, Roger hadn’t mentioned their plan to her.

“Horses aren’t all we hope to rescue,” Graham said. “We’re going to take in some troubled teenagers and put them to work gentling the horses, something we hope will give them a new perspective on life.”

Her eyes widened, and her lips parted. “Seriously? That’s a great plan. And very admirable.”

Graham probably should have let Roger tell her about it, since her uncle needed to score a few points. But what was done was done, so he shrugged. “The idea started out as a tribute to Peter, but then it sort of took on a spin of its own. We’ve already talked to the school board, as well as the juvenile probation department.”

“Taking in those boys won’t be easy,” Sasha said. “And even though you guys should be able to relate well, there will be a ton of paperwork and regulations.”

“Yes, we know.” And Graham already had that covered. “As a side note,” he added with a grin, “you weren’t the only one who went to college.”

“That’s right.” She returned his smile. “I forgot.”

As much as he liked living on the Galloping G, and as much as he loved helping Roger, he had a bigger goal in life than just working on someone else’s ranch.

“What was your major?” she asked.

“Business.” He’d actually earned an MBA. “So I have it all worked out.”

“I’d always assumed you’d eventually go to work for your dad.”

“No, I’d never do that.” He’d dreamed of having a business of his own someday, one that didn’t have anything to do with Robinson Tech. In fact, even though everyone, especially his father and his siblings, had expected him to join them at the corporate offices after his graduation, Graham had refused.

There was no way he could ever work with his old man. He and Gerald Robinson might have buried the hatchet in some ways over the past couple of years, but Graham still resented his father’s my-way-or-the-highway attitude.

Besides, he felt good about the nonprofit organization he and Roger were creating. And he planned to use his education and his connections to make it all happen just as they planned.

“Mommy,” Maddie said. “Can I go in the kitchen and find Uncle Roger? He might want my help fixing dinner.”

Sasha laughed. “Sure, honey. Go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”

When the little girl hurried toward the front porch, Sasha said, “Tell me more about this idea of yours. It’s not that I’m trying to dissuade you. I think it’s noble. But it’s... Well, it just surprises me, that’s all.”

Graham had a feeling it wasn’t just the idea that surprised her. It was the fact that he was still living here, eight years later. Some guys might be offended by that, but he liked being able to still pull her chain and tease her a bit. “I guess there’s more to me than met your eye, huh?”

For a moment, their gazes met and locked. He expected her to comment, to tease him, to... He wasn’t sure what was swirling around behind those pretty blue eyes.

Instead she let his comment go.

“Where did you come up with that plan?” she asked.

“Peter and I both had wild streaks. I’d like to think that we would have settled down in time, but I’m not sure that’s true. I was pretty rebellious back in the day.”

“I never understood why. The way I saw it, you had everything a kid could ever want.”

Graham could neither agree nor disagree with her. It wasn’t that he’d had an unhappy childhood. His father had supplied his family with everything they could possibly ask for, other than his time, of course. Gerald Robinson, or rather, Jerome Fortune—damn, would Graham ever get used to that name?—had always seemed to be at the office or away on a business trip. And while he supplied his children with plenty of material possessions, he’d held back on his affection. That in and of itself would cause plenty of kids to rebel. But Graham had other reasons for the issues between him and his dad. Things he’d never told anyone and certainly wouldn’t share with Sasha.

“Maybe I was a born rebel,” he said.

“Peter, too?” She slowly shook her head, not believing him. But her cousin had a wild side, too, even if she hadn’t been aware of it.

Graham and Peter had met in middle school and become best friends. They were both energetic and creative, often getting in trouble in class—and partying on the weekends.

Roger had always taken their rowdy behavior with a grain of salt, saying boys would be boys. But Graham’s dad considered it outright rebellion, especially when he knew Graham was probably his brightest child and had such unrealized potential.

“I guess you could say I sometimes led Peter astray,” Graham said, although that really wasn’t true. Still, he wasn’t about to let the conversation continue on that same thread and open up any more than he’d already done.

Since Sasha remained seated in the Gator, apparently eager to hear more, he opted to change the subject.

“How long are you planning to be here?” he asked.

“I don’t know. For the near future, I suppose. And until I can figure out my next step.”

“Well, for however long it is, I’m glad you came back and that you brought Maddie. It’ll be good for Roger.”

He’d meant his comment to give her some peace, but her gaze nearly drilled a hole right through him. She seemed to be asking him something with her eyes, but he’d be damned if he knew what it was.

Chapter Three

Graham was right. Sasha’s visit to the Galloping G might prove to be good for Roger. It would definitely be good for her and Maddie.

But what about you? she was tempted to ask Graham. How do you feel about my return?

A moment after the question rose in her mind, she shook the dust and cobwebs from it. Those days of carefree, youthful dreams were long gone, even if Graham was even more handsome, more appealing than ever.

Besides, even when life had been innocent and simple, that silly crush she’d had on him was hopeless. He’d never considered her anything other than a pesky kid. In fact, the last time she’d seen him on the Galloping G, when he’d come by to tell her uncle goodbye before he left for college, he’d called her “Sassy Pants” and had tugged on the ponytail she wore.

But then again, she’d only been fifteen at the time. She’d also been a late bloomer and had looked young for her age. Actually, she still did. Even though she was nearing the ripe old age of thirty, people often mistook her for Maddie’s babysitter.

Trying to rein in her wild and inappropriate thoughts, Sasha thanked him for the tour. “Maddie really enjoyed it. And so did I.”

“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure. When Chase brings those horses on Friday, I’ll give you a better explanation of our rescue operation.”

She nodded but didn’t make any attempt to get out of the Gator. She still had something weighing on her mind, a comment she’d made and the apology she owed him for it. “I’m sorry if I made it sound as though I didn’t think you and Uncle Roger could handle running a home for wayward teenagers. Or that you didn’t have legalities and logistics all planned out. I’m sure you do. I was just surprised to hear it, that’s all.”

Graham, his left wrist perched on top of the steering wheel, his right on the gearshift, studied her for a moment. As he did, their gazes held steady.

“No offense taken,” he said. “You always have been one to speak your mind. And for the record, your uncle isn’t the only one who’s glad you’re back.”

Her heart warmed at his words. It had been a long time since she’d felt wanted or appreciated. Gabe certainly hadn’t made her feel that way in the past few years. In fact, he never really had. “Thanks for saying that, Graham. Whether it’s true or not, I appreciate hearing it.”

“It wasn’t just fluff to make you feel good, Sassy Pants.”

She smiled at the nickname that had once driven her crazy. But today it flowed from his lips like an endearment.

Or maybe she was so starved for affection and validation that she would latch on to almost anything she could construe as a compliment. But whose fault was that? She only had herself to blame for remaining in a relationship that had fizzled out years ago.

In fact, in retrospect, her marriage had begun to unravel from the day she and Gabe returned from their honeymoon.

Sure, she’d thought that she’d loved him at the time and that he’d felt the same way about her. But the dream she’d once harbored, to finally have a home and family of her own, soon ended, and reality had set in as soon as the wedding-day sparkle was gone.

Tears welled in her eyes once again, and she blinked them back. But she wasn’t doing a very good job of it.

“What’s the matter?” Graham asked. “Are you okay?”

The last thing she wanted him to think was that she felt sorry for herself, when it was more her concern about raising her children without a father. The girls needed a loving, male influence in their lives. So she forced a smile to go along with the explanation she hoped he’d believe. “I’m fine. Just a few happy tears overflowing. It feels so good to be back on the Galloping G.”

And it really did. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t grieving for the happy family she’d once thought she’d have.

She sniffled, then proceeded to climb from the Gator. “I’d better go inside and check on Maddie. She’s probably driving poor Uncle Roger crazy.”

“I’m sure he’s fine.”

She suspected that was true, but she couldn’t stay outside with Graham forever, wishing things were different than they really were.

“Will we see you at dinner?” she asked.

“I usually eat most of my meals in the ranch house. Your uncle is one heck of a cook. So yeah. I’ll be there.”

She nodded, then turned away, leaving Graham seated in the Gator.

As she headed to the back door that led to the kitchen, she took a big breath, relishing the country air and the whinny of a horse in the pasture.

Yes, it was good to be back. While she was here, maybe she’d come up with a feasible game plan for the future. She had a degree in social work and might as well put it to good use.

But what about the cost of infant day care? Gabe had said he’d send additional money for that, but she wasn’t sure she could depend upon him to carry through with it. But at least she’d get a decent amount of child support, which was one of the details they’d agreed upon when they filed for divorce. So she was right back to her most troubling dilemma.

She’d never intended to be a single mother, but life didn’t always turn out the way a person expected it to.

Nevertheless, she would create a new family with her daughters—minus a daddy, of course.

She had no other choice. Her children’s happiness depended upon it.

* * *

Uncle Roger, who’d been a cook in the navy years ago, outdid himself at dinner this evening. Or maybe Sasha felt that way because she’d missed sharing meals with him on the ranch.

After the first couple of bites, Sasha said, “I’d like to have your recipe for this meat loaf. Grandma Dixon used to make it, but she always covered hers with a weird mushroom sauce. I like your version much better. It doesn’t need anything on top, other than some good, old-fashioned ketchup.”

“I’ll try to write something down for you,” her uncle said. “But I’m not sure how to go about it. I just throw things together.”

“Then you have a good sense about how something is supposed to taste. You’re an awesome cook.”

Uncle Roger beamed, his bright-eyed smile shaving years off his face. “Thanks, Sasha-Marie.”

But it wasn’t just the main dish that Sasha found remarkable. “I haven’t had baked potatoes with all the fixings in ages.” She pointed to the small bowls of toppings he’d set out on the table. “Butter, fresh chives, sour cream, grated cheddar, real bacon... You didn’t skimp on anything.”

When her uncle didn’t respond, she looked up from her plate to see him and Graham shooting glances at each other. She tried to read their expressions, to no avail.

Had they, over the years, created a silent language of their own? Then again, there was still a lot left to be said this evening, plus a hatchet to be buried. And they all knew it. Well, the adults did. Little Maddie was eating away, oblivious of the tension that still stretched between Sasha and Roger.

“Thanks for going to all this trouble for me,” she said. “It’s a perfect welcome-home meal.”

At that, Uncle Roger broke into another grin. “I’m glad you’re here, honey.”

“Me, too,” she admitted. And she was grateful that, in spite of the fact that he’d been hurt, he’d opened his arms and heart to her once again, just as he’d done after her parents died.

She speared her fork into a crunchy piece of romaine lettuce, as well as a plump chunk of tomato that had obviously come fresh from the vine. But she hadn’t been prepared for the familiar taste of the vinaigrette. “Oh, my gosh. You even made Aunt Helen’s salad dressing. Now I’m really impressed.”

Roger’s tired blue eyes lit up and he winked. “That was my way of having her here with us tonight.”

“What a nice thought.”

After they finished dinner, Roger brought out dessert: chocolate-chip ice cream and store-bought peanut butter cookies.

“I like ranch food,” Maddie said. “It’s really good.”

Roger, whose smile stretched from ear to ear, said, “You just wait for breakfast. I’ll make silver-dollar pancakes for you.”

The man had always been a whiz in the kitchen, going out of his way to make sure he pleased those sharing his table. And while Sasha should volunteer to do the dishes herself and give him a much-deserved break this evening, they still had things to discuss. And they needed to do that in private.

“I’ll help you with the dishes,” she told her uncle.

“That’s not necessary. I clean up as I go.”

“Yes, I know. But I’d like to talk to you.”

As Roger nodded in agreement, Graham spoke up. “That sounds like a good plan to me.” Then he turned his attention to Maddie. “Since you and I are off the hook for cleanup detail, let’s go into the living room, kick back and watch the sports channel.”

Maddie wrinkled her nose. “But I don’t like sports. Don’t you want to watch Disney or Nickelodeon or cartoons instead?”

Graham sat back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest and scrunched his own face. “What do you mean, you don’t like sports? Not even pro rodeo?”

Maddie sat up, her eyes brightening. “I thought sports meant football and basketball and dumb ol’ golf. But I’d like to watch rodeo stuff.”

“Something told me you would be okay with that.” Graham glanced at Sasha and winked in camaraderie, setting off a warm flutter in her heart. She doubted he had any idea how that small, brief connection had affected her, just as he hadn’t in the past, because he turned back to her daughter. “I’ll make you a deal, Maddie. If we can’t find any rodeo on TV, then I’ll let you be in charge of the remote.”

The child clapped her hands. “Deal!”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Graham pushed back his chair and stood. “Let’s get out of here before they put you and me to work.”

Maddie slid off her seat, then followed the handsome cowboy into the family room, leaving Sasha and Uncle Roger alone.

As her uncle began to clear the table, she said, “I owe you an apology.”

He merely looked at her, waiting for her to explain.

“You tried to warn me about Gabe, and I should have listened. But I was young and headstrong back then. I was also in love with the idea of marriage.”

“Yeah, well, I knew that no-good son of a...” Roger cleared his throat, pausing as if trying to temper his response. Then he blew out a heavy sigh. “Well, that’s all muddy water under a rickety old bridge to nowhere.”

“Yes, I know. But it needs to be said, just the same.” She picked up the plates, bowls and silverware, while he grabbed the glasses.

“I s’pose you’re right about that. But just so you know, when I was that age and had fallen for your aunt, I wouldn’t have let anyone talk me out of marrying her. So I can’t blame you for not listening to me.”

“I’m glad you understand, but that isn’t the only reason I need to apologize.”

He arched a gray, bushy eyebrow.

“I’m sorry for not keeping in better contact with you. I should have done that.” She stacked the dirty dishes on the counter near the sink, then took the glasses from him and set them down, too. “It wouldn’t have hurt me to visit some and call you more often.”

“Yeah, well...” Roger paused again, his craggy brow creased as if he was wading through his thoughts and feelings. Then he shrugged. “The phone line goes both ways. Besides, the fault is probably mine. I shouldn’t have stirred things up at your wedding.”

“I knew something happened that day, but I wasn’t sure what. You were so quiet and grim.” She reached into the cupboard under the sink for the bottle of dish soap. “And Gabe was... Well, he was as tense as a fence post and angry about something.”

“Gabe and I had words,” Roger said. “And I damn near beat the crap out of him. The best man and the groomsmen had to pull me off him. So I’m sorry about that.” He chuckled. “Actually, I’m mostly sorry someone interfered before I had a chance to let him have it. I would have enjoyed giving him a black eye, a fat lip and a bloody nose. But it’s just as well. If I had, it would have ruined your special day.”

She laughed, imagining a battered groom standing at the altar. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have been happy about that.”

“Either way, honey, I should have held my tongue. And my temper.”

It wasn’t like her uncle to get into brawls, especially at a church and dressed in a tuxedo. “What made you want to fight him?”

“The stuff he said to me. Things meant to rile me up, I ’spect.” Again he shrugged as if it no longer mattered.

But it did matter, especially if they wanted to put it all behind them.

“What did he say to you?” she asked.

Roger pondered her question for the longest time. When she thought he might never answer, he said, “I wanted to have a talk with him before the ceremony. I figured, with your daddy and your grandpa gone, that job was up to me. So I found him and his friends waiting for the ceremony to start in one of the small rooms at the church. They were already dressed and throwing back shots of whiskey as if the bachelor party had never ended.”

She’d smelled alcohol on Gabe’s breath, tasted it, too. She’d assumed he’d been nervous and had wanted to take the edge off.

“Now, I’ll admit,” Roger said, “I ain’t a teetotaler. But I didn’t think the preacher or the Good Lord would have appreciated those boys tying one on at the church on a Saturday morning. And I told ’em so. But Gabe didn’t take to being scolded. I should have taken the hint then, but I decided to try a different approach and asked if I could talk to him alone.”

“When you spoke in private, what did he say?”

“Actually, he told me there wasn’t anything I had to say that his buddies couldn’t hear.”

“Gabe could get pretty mouthy when he drank,” Sasha admitted. “Especially when he was with his friends.” One part of her didn’t want to hear the details, but she needed to know. “So, then what happened?”

“I just told him to be good to you, to respect you. And then I said, if he didn’t, he’d have to answer to me.”

She wouldn’t have expected any less from her uncle. Roger Gibault might be a bit gruff and rough around the edges, but he had a good heart. And he was respectful to women.

“Apparently, Gabe took offense at what I said and considered it a threat.” Roger turned on the spigot, letting warm water flow into the sink. He squeezed a squirt of dish soap under the flow, then chuckled. “Hell, it was a threat. And he didn’t like it.”

When the water and bubbles reached the proper level, Sasha shut off the faucet. “Gabe never listened to his father, either. He didn’t like being told what to do.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. It didn’t take me but five minutes to realize he thought he was pretty damn special. And that he was a big-mouthed rabble-rouser. But I hadn’t realized he was such an ass. If I had, I would have seen it coming.”

“Seen what coming?”

“Gabe gave me a shove that sent me flying against the wall and damn near shook the church rafters. I hit it so hard I got an egg on the back of my head. Hell, the thud alone knocked a framed picture of the Good Shepherd onto the floor.”

“Oh, my gosh. I hope he apologized.”

“Nope. It didn’t faze him. Instead he opened his yap and lit my fuse.”

Sasha hadn’t realized that their words had progressed to violence. “What did he say?”

“You want a direct quote?”

She nodded, bracing herself. “Yes, please tell me.”

Roger’s eyes narrowed to a glare, and his voice deepened, the tone chilly. “‘Who do you think you are, old man? You aren’t anything to me. And just so you know, I’ve got your little Sasha-Marie right where I want her—in my bed and under my thumb. So keep your mouth shut and don’t even try interfering in our lives, or I’ll make sure you never see her again.’”

Sasha cringed. Had she known this on her wedding day, she might have...done what? Told Gabe that the wedding was off?

No, sadly, she might not have wanted to believe the worst about him. She’d been so starry-eyed and hope-filled that day. But now, eight years later, she realized what Roger was telling her was true.

“I wanted to knock him down to size,” Roger said. “So when I got my balance, I doubled up my fist and went after him. I landed a pretty good one on his chin, although I’d been aiming for his nose. He might have thought of me as just an old man, but I’m cowboy strong. And I would have beaten the crap out of him then and there, if his friends hadn’t pulled me off him.”

“I’m sorry, Uncle Roger. I had no idea what a mean, selfish jerk Gabe was.”

“Well, what’s done is done. After it was all over, I realized how embarrassed you would have been if I’d battered your groom until he was black and blue.”

She smiled. “I almost wish you’d done it now.”

He chuckled. “Me, too. But my mama and daddy taught me better than that. I just wish my temper didn’t sometimes get the best of me.”

She smiled and opened her arms. “Can I give you a hug?”

“You betcha.” He stepped into the embrace, and they held each other close. That is, until the baby shifted and gave her a quick jab with either a little foot or fist.

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Roger dropped his arms, took a step back and looked down at her expanded belly. “I guess I’m not the only one in the family with a feisty side and a protective streak. That little one has a good kick.”

“She’s strong, that’s for sure. And she’s always making her presence known.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to meeting her. I wish I could have seen more of Maddie when she was a baby. But...” He clamped his mouth shut and slowly shook his head.

“You came to see her when she was born. Then you left quickly. Did Gabe chase you off?”

“He didn’t actually say anything too bad that time. Maybe because there hadn’t been any alcohol involved and he didn’t have an army of friends surrounding him. But each time I glanced at him, he glared at me, so I decided to end my visit and to stay away. I didn’t want to avoid you, but I knew if I came around more often, things might eventually blow up again. Besides, I figured my presence alone would upset your husband and he might take it out on you.”

“So you made that sacrifice for me?”

“That’s what you do when you love someone, Sasha-Marie.”

She placed a hand on his arm, fingering the softness of his worn flannel shirt. “I hope you know how much I love and appreciate you.”

Roger’s eyes glistened and his grin deepened. The hard feelings he’d once harbored had clearly softened.

He might have said that his anger had been directed at Gabe, but she suspected that he’d resented her for not listening to him in the first place, for not calling him regularly or visiting on occasion.

But he was right. That was all water under the bridge now.

“I’d better check on Maddie,” she said. “She’s liable to pester Graham more than I ever did.”

Roger laughed. “You were a pistol when you were a youngster, that’s a fact.”

Sasha smiled at the truth. She might have been a little headstrong, but she’d also had a loving heart, just like Maddie, who shared the same vivacious energy. Thank goodness her daughter hadn’t picked up any of Gabe’s bad traits.

Instead Maddie resembled Sasha in so many ways, and not just because of their big blue eyes and fair hair.

As Sasha entered the living room, where she assumed Maddie and Graham were watching television, she expected the cowboy to jump up immediately, glad for her return and a chance to escape the precocious child.

But she hadn’t been prepared for the sight that met her eyes. The two were seated on the floor, side by side. Maddie’s crayons and coloring books were spread upon the coffee table. Seeing the two of them working—or rather, playing—together was enough to turn Sasha’s heart inside out.

“Well, I’ll be darned,” Roger said. “I never would have guessed it, son, but you make one heck of a babysitter.”

Graham glanced up, a boyish grin stretched across his face. “I might be having a good time, but I’m not for hire. So don’t get any ideas.”

Unfortunately, Sasha was getting plenty of them. And they didn’t have anything to do with hiring Graham to watch her children. But she couldn’t afford to let that old childish crush get out of hand, especially when she knew her feelings would always be one-sided.

* * *

As a waning moon shone overhead that night, lighting the familiar path, Graham headed toward his cabin. He’d stayed at the big house long enough to see that Sasha and Roger had gotten things settled between them.

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