The Lonesome Rancher

Patricia Thayer

Finding Happily-Ever-After

Marie Ferrarella

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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The Lonesome Rancher

Patricia Thayer

Dear Reader,

This is my second book in THE QUILT SHOP IN KERRY SPRINGS series, and I hope you are enjoying the citizens of the small Texas town as much as I do writing about them.

In The Lonesome Cowboy I’m back out at the ranch with the Merrick family. Besides their being a Texas ranching dynasty, there’s been a Merrick in the US Congress for the past three generations. Yet my hero, Sloan Merrick, the adopted son of Clay and Louisa, has no desire to leave the ranch.

My heroine, Jade Hamilton, comes to the ranch in hopes of finding her biological father. Not for the fame or fortune that comes with the Merrick name, but to learn where she comes from. And, of course, what we all want: love. Just to feel a sense of belonging.

Jade tries to tell herself that once she meets her father, Clay Merrick, she can walk away. What she doesn’t realise is how much the family will come to mean to her—especially Sloan. If he learns the truth, will she lose him too?

Coming from such a large family, I know how lucky I am to have so many who love and care about me. I can’t imagine what it’s like when you learn you’re not who you think you are.

Of course I’ll give Sloan and Jade their happy ending, but their journey will be an interesting one. Hope you enjoy the ride.

Patricia Thayer

About the Author

Originally born and raised in Muncie, Indiana, PATRICIA THAYER is the second of eight children. She attended Ball State University, and soon afterwards headed West. Over the years she’s made frequent visits back to the Midwest, trying to keep up with her growing family.

Patricia has called Orange County, California, home for many years. She not only enjoys the warm climate, but also the company and support of other published authors in the local writers’ organisation. For the past eighteen years she has had the unwavering support and encouragement of her critique group. It’s a sisterhood like no other.

When she’s not working on a story, you might find her travelling the United States and Europe, taking in the scenery and doing story research while thoroughly enjoying herself, accompanied by Steve, her husband for over thirty-five years. Together they have three grown sons and four grandsons. As she calls them, her own true-life heroes. On rare days off from writing, you might catch her at Disneyland, spoiling those grandkids rotten! She also volunteers for the Grandparent Autism Network.

Patricia has written for over twenty years, and has authored over thirty-six books. She has been nominated for both the National Readers’ Choice Award and the prestigious RITA®. her book Nothing Short of a Miracle won a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award.

A long-time member of Romance Writers of America, she has served as President and held many other board positions for her local chapter in Orange County. She’s a firm believer in giving back.

Check her website at www.patriciathayer.com for upcoming books.

To my mother. You’re my hero.

PROLOGUE

BREAKING NEWS

SENATOR CLAYTON MERRICK rushed home to Texas to be at his wife’s bedside after she suffered a stroke. A family spokesperson reports that Louisa Merrick is resting comfortably.

Will this serious medical crisis mean this is the last term for the U.S. senator? More importantly, how does this affect the upcoming vote on the pending energy bill … and the Merrick political dynasty?

CHAPTER ONE

JADE HAMILTON was totally lost, in more ways than she could count.

She pulled to the curb and parked her compact car on Main Street in Kerry Springs, Texas. The traffic was nearly nonexistent. Well, what did she expect? The population was under twenty thousand. Talk about your small town. Of course she knew that when she’d done her research on the area.

She blew out a breath. This was one of those crossroad moments … her friend, fellow nurse, Carrie Bradley, had always talked about. Either she needed to get directions to the job interview, or forget this crazy idea and turn around and head back to Dallas.

Then she’d never learn the truth. She had to know the truth.

Sadness crept over her, thinking about the past few months. Jade hated the resentment she felt for the woman who’d raised her, yet they’d kept so many secrets. Now Renee Hamilton was gone and she couldn’t tell Jade anything. Anything about the information Jade had found in the safe-deposit box that would change her life forever.

It was time she find out the entire truth. For her own satisfaction she needed answers. First, she had to find River’s End Ranch.

With renewed determination, she climbed out of the car and looked along the street to see a hardware store, a drugstore and ice cream store. Then a storefront with a display of handmade quilts caught her eye. The name Blind Stitch Quilt Shop was embossed across the glass window. She smiled, remembering her childhood and the hours she’d spent learning how to stitch with her mother.

Jade walked to the entrance, opened the door as a bell rang overhead. Inside the cool air mingled with the chatter of several women gathered around a cutting table. The salesclerk seemed to be busy so, having plenty of time before her appointment, Jade took the opportunity to look around the quaint shop. Several beautiful quilts adorned the high walls, underneath were stacks of pattern books and displays of scissors, needles and other notices. She strolled through the bolts of colorful fabric into a connecting room where another group of ladies were gathered around a table. She was surprised to see there was a man who was the center of attention.

Jade enjoyed a leisurely gaze over the handsome guy. He held his Stetson in his hand so she could see his inky-black hair and dark, deep-set eyes. She recognized more than a hint of Hispanic heritage in his strong jawline.

He was dressed in a starched cream-colored Western shirt, and new-looking pair of jeans, but he had on boots that were well-worn. She glanced down at his hands, and could see blunt-cut nails, also the callused fingers. He was definitely a working cowboy.

In a quilt shop?

“He’s pretty easy on the eyes, huh?”

Jade swung around and found a pretty blonde about her age, smiling at her.

“I’m sorry,” Jade admitted. “It’s rude to stare.”

“It’s hard not to,” the woman said. “There are some good-looking men around Kerry Springs. I can say that since I’ve recently married the most handsome one, Evan Rafferty. Hi, I’m Jenny Rafferty.”

“Jade Hamilton,” she said, smiling.

“Welcome, Jade, to the Blind Stitch. What can I do for you? Sign you up for my quilting class, or …” She grinned, and then said, “Maybe introduce you to that good-looking cowboy.”

Jade shook her head. She couldn’t get distracted from her goal. “Oh, no. I’m sorry, but I only came in to get directions.”

“So are you looking for a place to live?”

Jade found herself relaxing a little. “A job first.”

Jenny laughed. “That’s always a good idea. Where are you headed? I’m fairly new to the community, but I can give pretty good directions.”

“I’m looking for Louisa Merrick at the River’s End Ranch.”

The store clerk raised an eyebrow. “Really? Louisa is one of our best patrons … until recently.”

“So you know where the ranch is?”

“Yes, I do.” She nodded to the cowboy. “But I think he can do a better job of giving directions. That’s Louisa’s son, Sloan Merrick.”

Jade saw the man had started for the door carrying one of the sample books. “Okay, thank you, Jenny,” she called as she hurried across the room, hoping she could follow him out to the ranch.

He’d just gotten out the door when she called to him. “Excuse me, Mr. Merrick.”

The man was at his truck. He turned around and was even more handsome close up, and much bigger.

He frowned as he gave her the once-over, causing a funny reaction in her stomach.

He straightened. “What do you want?”

“Huh, well …” She was suddenly nervous. “Jenny Rafferty told me that you’re Sloan Merrick. I was wondering if I could get directions to the River’s End.” She forced a smile. “I have an appointment with Louisa Merrick.”

He continued to stare, but his eyes narrowed sharply. “The only directions you’ll get from me are to tell you how to leave town.”

She blinked. “I beg your pardon.”

He stepped closer. “How much plainer do you need it, lady? Stay the hell away from Merrick land, you aren’t welcome.”

An hour later, Jade had found her way out to the ranch. She was still fighting the urge to turn and run as she looked past the high wrought-iron gate toward the huge white house perched on the hill.

Her gaze moved to the miles of split-rail fencing enclosing the many acres of green pastures where Hereford steers grazed on the large southern Texas cattle ranch. She looked up at the archway overhead that read River’s End, owned by the Merrick Family, est. 1904.

She blew out a breath to slow her heart rate. It didn’t help. Go back to Dallas and forget she’d ever heard the name Merrick. At least one Merrick doesn’t want you here.

There was still time to change her mind, to forget this crazy idea. Then she’d never learn the truth about herself.

She pushed the button on the intercom. “Merrick residence,” a woman with a heavy accent answered.

Jade swallowed the dryness in her throat. “Hello, I’m Jade Hamilton. I have an appointment with Mrs. Merrick.” Her heart pounded hard in her chest. Was she finally going to meet the senator?

“I’ll open the gate for you. Drive to the main house.”

Jade climbed back into her car and the gate swung open as Sloan Merrick’s threat echoed in her head.

“Stay the hell away from Merrick land. You aren’t welcome.” Maybe she would be, or maybe she wouldn’t be, but this was her chance to find out the truth.

She drove through the gate and tried to enjoy the quarter mile trip as she continued along the road and passed several structures, including a large barn and a corral with a number of horses. There were ranch hands busy with chores. A few of them looked at her, but no one stopped her so she kept on going.

The house was more impressive the closer she got. The brick and white clapboard, three-story structure with a big wraparound porch was loaded down with huge pots of flowers adding a rainbow of color. She pulled into the circular driveway.

Grabbing her purse and briefcase she headed up the slate tile walkway to the steps and a massive oak door with a cut-glass window. The name Merrick was etched into the center.

Each breath Jade drew was more labored. She’d waited months to come here, to meet the one man linked to the secret of her past. She couldn’t lose her nerve.

Sloan Merrick studied his mother seated on the sofa in the sunroom. Even being in her favorite place in the house, she didn’t look happy. She’d turned fifty-eight on her last birthday, but the past few months had taken a toll on her.

Since her stroke Louisa Merrick hadn’t cared much about her appearance. Her hair hadn’t been cut or styled, and even the manicurist had been turned away when she’d come by the house. It was so unlike Mother not to want to see anyone, not friends or family. Even though the doctor felt she could make a full recovery with exercise and therapy, she hadn’t put forth much effort. And Sloan was worried about her.

“The women at the shop send their best wishes. Liz, Beth, Millie and Jenny all asked about you.”

She looked at him, and then down at items he’d brought her back from The Blind Stitch.

“Liz thought you’d like the new pattern book. She told me to tell you that they hadn’t started the quilt yet. They need your help on colors and design.”

“That’s about all I could do. I’d be useless to them the way I am now.”

“That could change,” he said, hoping to get a rise out of her.

Bingo. She glared at him. “I know your intentions are good, son. But I’m handling this.”

But she wasn’t handling it. “Mother, if you’ll just let us help you …”

“That’s the problem, Sloan. Everyone is always helping me. It’s time I start doing things on my own.” She waved her good arm. “Or I might as well be an invalid.”

He could see her frustration. Hell, he had a big share of his own. Her strong Spanish heritage showed in her distinctive bone structure and coloring, especially her deep brown eyes.

“I know how important your independence is to you.”

“Then get ready because I’m planning on getting it back. And soon.”

He stared at her, recalling the day she’d collapsed in front of him. Thank God she’d gotten immediate medical attention. And as the wife of a U.S. senator, she’d had the best care. “You haven’t gotten all your strength back. There are times when you need someone to help you.”

“I agree. That’s why I’m planning on hiring someone to help me get back on my feet.”

“What? Why didn’t you say something? If you needed help we’re here.”

She shook her head. “No, you, your father and Alisa need to get on with your lives. I want—no, need—to do this on my own. Thankfully I still have my faculties. My mind isn’t completely gone. That’s why I’m hiring a nurse to be with me until I’m back on solid ground, so to speak.”

Sloan calmed down a little. Okay, maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea. Marta had been overworked with the housework and Mother’s demands. “So who did the doctor recommend?”

“He gave me the name of a nurses’ registry that specializes in this sort of thing. I’ve been interviewing several candidates and I found one I like.”

Before Sloan could speak there was a knock on the door and the longtime housekeeper, Marta, peered in. “Señorita Hamilton is here.”

Louisa smiled. “Good. Send her in, Marta.” Then she glanced at him. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

He folded his arms across his chest, leaned a hip against the desk and looked toward the doorway. “Not hardly.”

When the candidate walked into the room, Sloan froze. The woman from town.

She was an attractive female with dark hair cut in a straight style that moved freely just below her chin. She glanced up at him and his breath caught. Those large eyes, a rich green and tilted upward at the corners, had thrown him off guard just an hour ago and were still having the same effect on him now.

He quickly recovered and stood. “You don’t seem to take direction well, Ms. Hamilton.”

“Maybe because it’s Mrs. Merrick who wanted to see me. It seemed right that she should be the one to tell me to leave.”

“Wrong,” he told her. “Too many people like to take advantage. It’s surprising how lucrative a story about the Merricks is, so I’m very protective of my family.”

“Sloan. Please, at least let Ms. Hamilton catch her breath before you give her the third degree.”

Jade Hamilton walked to the wicker sofa and sat down next to his mother. “Mrs. Merrick, it’s so nice to finally meet you. You have a lovely home. It’s so bright and sunny in here.”

The sunroom had rows of windows that overlooked the rose garden. It also expressed his mother’s culture with the hand-painted floor tiles and brightly colored walls.

Sloan saw Ms. Hamilton had turned a bright smile at his mother. “It must be a comfort to you to be able to be in familiar surroundings during your recovery.”

“It is,” Louisa said as her eyes brightened. “I decorated this house, turned it into a home right after Sloan and I moved in.” She looked at him. “Remember, son, how the place resembled a museum?”

“Yes, Mother, I do.”

“I had my husband add this room. I needed sunlight … and some color.”

Sloan cleared his throat. “Maybe we should start the interview.”

Ms. Hamilton blinked those gorgeous eyes at him. “I thought your mother already had.” She turned back to Louisa. “What questions do you want to ask me, Mrs. Merrick?”

“I think it’s time you call me Louisa.”

“And I’m Jade.”

“What a lovely name. I can see why your mother named you that. Your eyes are striking.”

Jade couldn’t stop shaking, afraid that any minute they’d discover who she was. “Thank you. My mother told me when she saw their color she couldn’t come up with anything else.”

Sloan stood. He wasn’t going to be taken in by a pretty face again. Not where his mother was concerned.

“Around here we’re big on family names,” Louisa continued. “My son was christened John Sloan Merrick. Sloan is his biological father’s name and then my husband, Clay, adopted him when he was eight.”

Sloan crossed the room. “Mother, I don’t think we need to go into family history.”

“He’s right,” Jade said, giving him a sideways glance. “This is an interview. Ask me whatever you want, Mr. Merrick.”

“Your last place of employment?”

Jade reached into her oversize purse and pulled out her résumé. She handed it to him. “I worked at a small private hospital in Dallas before I took a leave of absence to be with my mother during the last months before she passed away.” Jade felt the tears and willed them not to fall. “She had multiple sclerosis for years.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Louisa sighed. “That must have been so hard on you.”

Jade didn’t expect to feel an instant liking for this woman. That was what made this so hard. “Thank you. My consolation is that I know she’s isn’t suffering any longer.”

“That has to be comforting for you,” the older woman said as she took hold of her hand.

Jade saw the woman’s honest concern and felt the warmth in her touch. She also had the sudden urge to run out and forget it all, especially with Sloan Merrick watching her so closely. She wanted this job. It would be her best chance to get to see the senator. “Enough about me. What about you, Louisa?”

Sloan started to speak, but his mother sent him a look. He backed off.

Louisa’s expression softened as she said, “I want my life back. And I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Jade found herself smiling. “That’s the good news. And as we discussed on the phone, I plan to help you do that. It will also take some hard work and determination on your part.”

Louisa’s son did interrupt this time. “Well, we want to thank you for coming by, Ms. Hamilton. We will let you know our decision.”

Jade rose from the sofa. Okay, so it wasn’t a total success. He would get her out of there before she could meet any of the family, or allow Louisa to make a decision. “I’ll be staying in town at the Cross Creek Bed and Breakfast for the next few days.” She started for the French doors when she heard her name.

“Jade, wait,” Louisa called to her.

She paused and turned around.

“There’s no need to go yet,” the older woman told her. “This is my decision.”

“Mother,” Sloan said, visibly unhappy.

The older woman straightened. “No, Sloan, this is my choice. Since this happened …” She held up her arm. “No one has asked me how I feel about anything. Well, I’m telling you how I feel now. I asked Jade to come here.”

Jade spoke up, hoping to calm the situation. “It’s okay, Louisa. Maybe your husband should be involved in this decision, too.”

“Clay? He’s busy working on an energy bill in Washington.” She sighed. “Take some advice, Jade, don’t get involved with a politician. They’re never home, and your private life gets plastered all over the newspapers.”

Jade stiffened. “I’ll remember that.”

Sloan wanted to be as enthusiastic as his mother. But years in the political circus had made him leery of strangers, especially when it came to his family’s privacy. For himself, he’d been burned good, too, but managed to survive. Yet, he still didn’t trust strangers. “Mother, I have some questions for Ms. Hamilton.”

She frowned. “I’m not going to change my mind. This is my decision to make.”

He knew he’d gotten his stubbornness from Louisa Cruz Sloan Merrick. The daughter of poor immigrants, she was a one-time beauty queen, and had worked hard to graduate college and marry well. Twice. And she’d been the best mother a son could ask for.

“Do you have any objection if I take Jade for a walk in the garden?”

His mother glared at him.

“I’m only going to warn her about how persistent you can be when you want your way.”

Louisa turned to Jade and smiled sweetly. “Did I warn you how impossible my son could be?”

Jade smiled. “He’s only concerned about you.”

His mother turned back to him. “I will give you fifteen minutes. Then I’d like to show Jade the exercise room upstairs. That’s where I’ll be.”

Marta came through the door and helped Louisa with her walker.

A distant cousin, Marta had worked for the family since she was a girl. Now both she and her husband, Miguel, were employed by the Merricks. Louisa had always been loyal to her family and friends.

Being too trusting was one of his mother’s faults. That and being sucked in by strangers. Jade Hamilton was definitely a stranger. He’d learned the hard way that trouble sometimes comes wrapped in pretty packages. Crystal Erickson had been beautiful and distracting. So much so, he let his guard down. It had been an embarrassment for the family. Never again.

After his mother left, Sloan crossed the room and opened the doors that led onto a large patio area and the garden beyond.

“Let’s take advantage of the pleasant fall weather.” Jade stepped out into the brick patio framed with large ceramic pots of flowers. A manicured lawn was edged with numerous tea roses of every imaginable color. “Oh, my, this is lovely.”

“Gardening is another of my mother’s many hobbies.

She loves to quilt, too.”

“It’s nice that she has so many interests.”

“That she does. She’s always been active.”

“Good. Then she’ll want to get involved in her life again.”

Sloan eyed the attractive woman. She stood about five-seven, with long legs encased in tailored navy slacks and a simple white blouse tucked into her narrow waist. Very businesslike, but he was still curious as to why she’d come all this way for a job.

“Okay, let’s cut to the chase, Ms. Hamilton. Why are you really here?”

CHAPTER TWO

JADE willed herself to relax. He couldn’t know the real reason.

“I don’t understand, Mr. Merrick. I’ve explained that my mother passed away recently.”

“Dallas is about six hundred miles from Kerry Springs.”

She arched an eyebrow. “And that sends up a red flag to you?”

“Several. Having a father who’s a U.S. senator will do that to you.”

“I didn’t ask specifically for this area, but when I decided to return to work, I signed on with a nurses’ registry. This position came up and I decided a different area might be a nice change.”

She met his gaze, refusing to be intimidated. “I must have checked out, or your mother would never have set up an interview. And she seems to approve of me.” Jade paused for a few erratic heartbeats. “I thought I was here to help her?”

She looked over the handsome man. Tall and well-built, he had Louisa’s large brown eyes. She had yet to see his smile.

“Of course,” he told her. “And I’m here to protect her.”

“The loyal son.”

He shrugged. “You took care of your mother, I’m sure she had your loyalty, too.”

With a nod, Jade glanced away. There were a lot of memories both good and bad, and some she’d like to forget. Now she needed to find out who she was.

“No siblings, no father in Dallas?”

“No siblings. No father,” she repeated. “It’s all in my résumé.” She wasn’t going to beg this man for a job, no matter how much she wanted to meet Clay Merrick. “I think it’s time we end this, and you can discuss your dislikes with your mother after she finishes interviewing me. Thank you for your time.”

She headed toward the house, praying that he would call her back, but he didn’t. Okay, so this wasn’t going to work out. Then he finally spoke her name.

“Ms. Hamilton,” he called as she reached the doorway.

Her heart was pounding hard against the ribs as she turned and waited. “Yes?”

“Okay, if my mother gives you the position, I’ll agree to a week trial period.”

“You’ll agree? I thought it was your mother’s choice? After all she brought me here.”

“And I have to protect my family.”

She was frustrated. “I have excellent references, Mr. Merrick. I’m highly qualified for this position. A position that isn’t even permanent. Just admit it, you don’t want me here.”

Sloan looked uncomfortable. “I didn’t say that. I’d put anyone on a trial basis.” He glared at her. “And whether I like it or not, I am a product of my father’s very public profession. Sometimes it’s hard for me to trust people. But my mother trusts you and that’s what’s important. So if she gives you the job, I won’t interfere.”

Guilt washed over her. She’d got what she wanted. All she’d been looking for was a small piece of this life, this family.

An hour later, Jade had been hired as Louisa’s nurse, and shown the equipment that would rival some hospitals’ therapy rooms.

Now, she was standing outside what would be her living quarters for the next month or so. She’d gotten the job, but she didn’t feel like she expected to feel. For the first time since learning of Clay Merrick, she was questioning her decision to come here.

She opened the door and her breath caught. It was not where she expected to stay, not as hired staff. There was a sitting room with the walls painted a buttery-yellow, and carpet a light shade of green. A love seat was covered in ivory chenille and faced a marble fireplace. All the furniture looked to be expensive antiques.

She continued through double doors and saw a four-poster bed with a sheer canopy draping over the top. The bedspread was a hand-sewn quilt in yellow and green hues. She touched one of the intricate appliquéd squares. The detail was incredible and she wondered if Louisa had made it. Then she saw the LM stitched along the edge.

Again she glanced around the suite. It was all so perfect. And she didn’t belong here.

There was still time to leave. She had time to tell Louisa that she’d changed her mind.

She swung around as Marta walked in, pulling her wheeled suitcase. “Are you sure this is my room?” Jade asked.

She smiled. “Sí, señorita. Señora Louisa told me to put your clothes in this one so you are close to her. She’s across the hall.”

That could also mean Jade would be close to Clayton Merrick. “Doesn’t her husband also stay there? I mean, I don’t want to disturb them.”

Marta shook her head. “Oh, no. Not since the Señora Louisa had her stroke.”

Jade had a lot of questions about the senator, but decided they could wait. “I see.”

Marta finished hanging her clothes in the closet. Since Jade had worn uniforms for work, her personal wardrobe was minimal to say the least, so the task was done quickly.

“How long does Louisa usually nap?”

Marta closed the dresser drawer. “About one hour.” She smiled. “Today she might be awake sooner.” Marta took Jade’s hand. “Thank you, señorita, for coming here. Mi prima needs you to help make her better.”

This was the hard part for Jade. During their phone conversations, she’d gotten to like Louisa, but it suddenly hit Jade now how much her news could affect everyone. More than likely she’d be tossed out once they discovered who she really was. That was if the senator even believed her story. But still she’d come this far and needed to meet her father.

To meet Senator Clay Merrick.

The housekeeper opened the doors to the small terrace, then left the room.

“Thank you, Marta,” Jade called to her.

“De nada.” The housekeeper closed the door behind her.

Jade sighed and sat down on the chair at the desk. It had only been in the past six months that she discovered her life had been a lie. Going through important documents, after her mother’s death, Jade had been shocked to find adoption papers.

Renee Hamilton wasn’t her biological mother.

Another shock, she found the name of Kathryn Lowery listed as her birth mother, but the father, unknown. She’d also found a copy of Kathryn Lowery’s journal.

Jade reached in her purse and took out the old manila envelope that had been in her mother’s safe-deposit box. Inside were the only clues to her real identity. She stared down at the thirty-year-old photo. It was a group picture, but two people stood out. An attractive woman who looked to be in her early twenties. She stood out because the resemblance to Jade was uncanny. Kathryn had the same eyes as her daughter.

The man was a little older, maybe in his late twenties. He had sandy-brown hair and dark eyes with a cleft in his chin. Jade touched the matching dimple in her own chin.

She didn’t need to know the man’s name because in the backdrop of the picture was a large banner that read, Clay Merrick for U.S. Senate.

Almost immediately after she found the papers, Jade had gone in search of Kathryn Lowery and discovered she once lived in Austin, but had died twenty years ago with complications from pneumonia.

It had been easier to research Clay Merrick since he was a public figure. She’d discovered that he’d been married thirty years ago when he was involved with Kathryn Lowery. Had that been the reason he’d pushed her aside?

Kathryn’s journal hadn’t said much, only how much she’d loved Clay. She’d worried about Merrick’s career, and she’d agonized over giving her baby away.

Jade’s chest tightened feeling the rejection all over again. Had Kathryn even had the chance to tell Clay about the pregnancy? Had he been the one to insist she give the baby away?

This had been what brought Jade to the River’s End Ranch—and the nursing job—and to the very real possibility that Clay Merrick was her father. She wasn’t even sure she could confront the man. If she did, would he listen to her, or would he deny it all?

Jade folded the picture and put it away. All she knew was she couldn’t give up until she discovered the truth.

Later that afternoon, Sloan finally got hold of the senator.

“You should have been here to hire Mom’s nurse,” Sloan said as Jade Hamilton was getting settled in upstairs.

“It was your mother who wanted to do this, son. Why, is there a problem with who she hired?”

Only that Jade Hamilton was far too distracting for him. “No, so far as I can see. But you should still be here.”

“I’ll be home as soon as I possibly can,” Clay answered. “Just after the vote comes to the floor.”

Sloan knew the senator’s sense of duty. He also knew Clay loved Louisa, but lately he hadn’t been around much. Of course Louisa hadn’t been very receptive to her husband since her stroke. She had pushed Clay out of her bed, her room and practically out of her life.

“I thought they had enough votes without you being there.”

“How would it look if I’m not here working for my state?”

“What about being here for Mom?”

There was a long sigh. “I talk to Louisa every day. She doesn’t have a problem waiting another week until we recess.” There was a pause. “Of course, if there were someone to replace me here at the capitol, I could retire and be home full-time.”

Clay had hinted about Sloan taking his senate seat since college. “Well, you’re going to have to look elsewhere, because I’m happy right here.” His father already knew that. Sloan had been involved in breeding free range cattle for the past five years, and that suited him totally.

“Think about how much more you could do if you came to Washington. You could promote your projects. Maybe find some funding for research on drought tolerant grasses.”

Wouldn’t the cattle industry love that, especially when he was promoting hormone free beef, Sloan thought. It was times like this, he felt he was letting his father down. “Sorry, Dad. Have you thought about Alisa taking your place?”

“Son, your sister’s only been out of college a few years.” There was a pause. “Of course, she’s been pretty vocal on some issues. And there is the fact she is a natural born charmer.”

And even though Clay had never made him feel different, Sloan was aware he wasn’t a true Merrick, not by blood.

Clay had accepted and loved the eight-year-old boy when he married Louisa, then adopted him a year later. And Sloan adored his younger half sister. “Alisa would be the best choice to carry on the family legacy.”

“Or … you can find the perfect woman and make me a grandfather. And I can start preparing my grandchild.”

Sloan heard the humor in Clay’s voice, but something told him the older man was serious. Suddenly Jade Hamilton came to mind. “I’d really have to rush things along.”

“I’m sure your mother would be willing to help you find someone.”

Had that been the reason Louisa was so eager to have Jade here? Well, darn. Was his mother playing matchmaker?

He shook off the thought. “Are you at least coming home to meet Mother’s new nurse?”

“I’m sure you hired a competent person.” Commotion came over the line and his father said, “Look, Sloan, I’ve got to go. They need me back in the chamber.”

As soon as Sloan hung up, the phone from the barn rang. “Yeah, Bud. What do you need?”

“An extra pair of hands. Polly is having trouble with her foal. The vet is on his way, but it looks to be an hour or so before he gets here.”

“I’ll be right down.” Sloan came around the desk and was headed out when he saw Jade Hamilton coming down the staircase.

“Mr. Merrick, may I talk with you? It’s about your mother’s schedule.”

“It’ll have to be later.” He hurried down the hall, past the dining room and through the kitchen. He grabbed his hat off the peg at the back door and turned around.

“This is important.”

“Do you think I don’t know that? But this ranch is my responsibility, too. Right now there are other pressing matters I need to look into.” He paused. Maybe he should show her what life was like out here. “Unless you want to help.”

She looked up at him with those big green eyes. “At what?”

He had trouble turning away, but knew he’d better. “Come on.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her along. “I have a foal to deliver.”

“You’re kidding. You want my help.”

“You are a nurse, aren’t you?” He walked at a fast pace but she managed to keep up as he hurried down the road to the barn. “Polly is having some trouble. No vet around to help, so you’re all I got.”

Before Jade could say any more, he nudged her inside the large structure. The place smelled of horses and fresh straw, but everything was neat and orderly, the way he liked things. They continued down a wide center aisle, past several stalls until they reached the large birthing pen in the corner.

His mare was already down in fresh straw, and her breathing was labored. “Hey, Bud. Has there been any change?”

The foreman shook his head. “She hasn’t made any progress.”

Jade looked at the large rust-colored animal. Okay, she was out of her element with this, but she found she couldn’t just stand there, either. She stepped through the gate and went to the horse’s head, knelt down and began to stroke her neck. “Hey, there, girl. It’s not going too well, is it?” She glanced at Sloan. “Well, it’ll be over soon.”

He felt a strange connection with her. As if they could handle this together.

He quickly turned toward his foreman. “Bud, this is Mother’s nurse, Jade Hamilton. Jade, Bud.”

“Ma’am,” he said in greeting.

“Hello, Bud.”

The horse raised its head and whinnied as if to say, “What about me?”

Rolling up his sleeves, Sloan washed up and poured disinfectant on his hands and arms. He looked at Jade, finding she was helping. “Keep doing what you’re doing. I need her to stay calm.”

Jade nodded.

He knelt down by the horse’s tail and began talking softly to the horse. After another contraction eased, he reached inside the animal and soon said, “Got it. I have a front leg.” He worked hard over the next few minutes to help progress things. Sweat beaded on his face. “Yeah, there’s the other.”

Jade kept talking to Polly.

“Get behind me, Bud, and help.”

The foreman wasn’t as big as Sloan, but he wrapped his muscular arms around Sloan’s middle, dug his boots into the floor and together they pulled. Their work began to pay off when the hooves appeared. “Come on, Polly, help us here,” Sloan groaned. There was another contraction and more of the legs showed, then a muzzle.

“Well, looky here,” Bud said.

“Come on, sweetheart.” Jade got into the act. “Let’s show ‘em what you can do.”

With another hard tug from Sloan, the foal was out. He released the legs and let both mama and baby rest. “It’s a filly.”

A cheer went up in the gallery as some of the ranch hands began to gather around. “Great job, boss.”

“Great job, Polly,” Jade added as she continued to stroke the exhausted animal.

Sloan’s gaze caught hers. “I guess this wasn’t in your job description, huh?”

She smiled. “I guess not, but I’d call it an added bonus. I’ve seen my share of babies being born, but nothing like this. Thank you.”

He seemed surprised by her words. “You’re welcome.”

Jade climbed to her feet and brushed off her slacks, not caring she’d probably ruined her best pair.

Sloan was washing off when he handed Jade a towel. “You want to do the honors?” He nodded to the filly.

They turned toward the foal as she was starting to stand. Jade began to wipe the animal down. Then Sloan pulled her back as the mare decided to stand up.

“Be careful,” he warned. “Polly is gentle but she’s also a new mama.” They moved toward the other side of the pen, and finished the job on the foal, then nudged her toward her mother’s tit to feed.

“Good job, Miss Jade,” Bud said, coming up to her. “I think Polly liked having another female around.”

“Thank you,” she acknowledged to the older man who looked as if he’d spent years in the sun.

“Hey, what about me?” Sloan said. “I had something to do with the birthing.”

“And you had my help, kid. Remember I had all the muscle behind you.” He smiled brightly, showing off the lines around his eyes.

“And I was holding on to a slippery foal.”

Jade could easily see the closeness of the two men. It was obvious how much they cared about each other. She hadn’t experienced many friendships outside her mother, and Jim Hamilton had been gone from her life shortly after Jade’s arrival.

Renee had health issues by the time Jade reached high school. She hadn’t had the time for friends with her mother’s advancing MS.

Even when Jade began her career, she’d still spent more time with her mother than friends, except Carrie Bradley. Even Carrie had caused some jealousy with her mother.

She suddenly heard her name. “What?”

Sloan was watching her. “I said, you came through. Thank you.” He glanced over her messy attire. “If Marta can’t work her miracle, then I owe you a blouse and pants.”

“It’s okay.”

“It would be wise to wear jeans during your time here,” he told her.

“Why, will there be more deliveries?”

Sloan didn’t want to like this woman. As far as he was concerned, she was an intruder. “Maybe if you’re good at your job you’ll be able to get my mother back on a horse.”

Horseback riding! “I didn’t know that was in my job description, either.”

Sloan frowned. “You don’t ride?”

She straightened. “Maybe once or twice as a kid. I was raised in the city.”

“You were raised in Texas.”

Bud chimed in. “A few lessons and I bet you’ll be a natural.”

“I don’t have time for lessons. My time here is to be spent with Mrs. Merrick.”

The foreman pushed his hat back off his forehead, showing off his salt and pepper hair. “I’d say once you get to know Miss Louisa you’ll realize how hard she is to keep up with. She was a very active woman. Her stroke slowed her down some, but with your help, we’re hopin’ she’ll be back to normal real soon.”

“I’ll be working on that. I’ll know more after I talk with her doctor.” Jade tried not to think about how her deception could affect Louisa. She wanted to blame everything on Clay Merrick, but she knew that she could have gone to Washington to talk to the man, but she’d chickened out.

Instead when she found this job and put in an application, she’d been totally surprised Louisa called her back. After a short talk, she asked her to come to the ranch for an interview.

“My mother’s a very determined woman,” Sloan said. “But she’s not ready to be cut loose on her own yet. So you can’t let her ride roughshod over you, either.”

“I’m not a pushover, Mr. Merrick. I know how to handle my patients.”

“Mr. Merrick,” Bud repeated and began to laugh. “There hasn’t been anyone here called Mr. Merrick since Sam, your grandfather.” Bud pushed Sloan’s hat playfully. “It’s just Senator and Sloan.”

Sloan shook his head. “We’re pretty informal around here.”

“So it’s first names and wear jeans,” Jade said.

“And boots,” Bud added. “You don’t want to walk around a barn and horses without boots on.”

This time she laughed, no matter how much she didn’t want to.

“We’ve lived here twenty-six years last May,” Louisa said as they sat at the supper table that evening. The meal was in the garden room off the kitchen, another space with lots of windows. A large glass-top table and comfortable chairs was the central feature. Clay pots were filled with live plants that lined the open windows, inviting in the pleasant fall weather.

“Back then, Samuel and Alice Merrick were still alive and this was the area’s largest cattle ranch. And this house resembled a mausoleum. It was very formal and cold.” Louisa smiled at her son. “Then Clay brought us here to live.”

Jade forced a smile, not wanting to think about her father adopting another man’s child, when he’d abandoned his own daughter. But had he even known about Kathryn’s pregnancy?

She shook away any negative thoughts. She was here now, in this house, and so close to finding out who she was. And she had no idea what would happen next.

Her first day had been an interesting one. Once Louisa had woken from her nap, they’d gone into the exercise room that had every piece of equipment imaginable. Jade had to work hard to get Louisa focused on the routine she was supposed to do daily. The woman was in very good shape for her age of fifty-eight, even after a stroke, but exercise would help tremendously for her recovery.

And it helped Jade’s conscience that Louisa wouldn’t be helpless when she left. She did not doubt that when her true identity was discovered, she wouldn’t be welcomed any longer.

She closed her eyes. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. It was Clay Merrick who should have answered the door—and been the one to interview her. She’d had a plan to confront him. To question him about her mother and why he left. Now, she wasn’t sure what to do next.

Louisa spoke up. “Since you’ve helped bring a foal into the world, you’ll probably be bored tomorrow.” She turned to her son. “Unless you have something else in mind for Jade.”

Jade felt heat rush to her face. “Louisa, I’m here for you,” she insisted. “It’s whatever you want me to help you with.”

“I’m flexible with my schedule. And I’m happy you were there for Polly,” Louisa said. “That chestnut is a favorite of mine.” With a sigh, she went on. “It seems like yesterday that she was a foal. Where does the time go?”

“Mother, Polly’s only three years old,” Sloan reminded her. “And if you hadn’t been asleep, I would have had you there, too. Next time, I’ll make sure of it.”

Louisa smiled. Jade doubted much happened around here without this woman knowing about it.

Had she known about her husband’s past? Had he ever told her about Kathryn Lowery? Did he still have affairs with younger women?

“Jade …”

She jumped, realizing someone had called her name.

“Excuse me. Did you say something?”

“Are you feeling all right?” Louisa asked and nodded toward the plate of enchiladas. “Is the food okay?”

“Oh, yes, it’s delicious.” She glanced at Marta as she came into the dining room. “I guess I’m a little tired.”

Louisa frowned. “That’s right, you came all the way from Dallas, and here we put you right to work. We could have waited a day or two.”

Jade smiled. “No, really, I’m fine. Please, don’t worry about me. I came here for a job, so I planned on starting right away.”

Sloan watched Jade Hamilton. Even exhausted, the woman was beautiful. She looked more like a model than a nurse. It still puzzled him to why she was here. A rural ranch outside of Kerry Springs wasn’t exactly an exciting place to live.

“I hope you don’t regret being so far away from everyone and everything familiar,” he said. “A small town has a lot of disadvantages.”

“And it has a lot of advantages, too,” she told him. “Such as no five o’clock traffic, which means no crazy drivers.”

“We also have no nightlife.”

“Drinking in bars can be overrated,” she argued.

“What about fine dining?”

Jade smiled. “I heard that Rory’s Bar and Grill has great barbecue.”

Sloan nodded. “The best.”

Louisa jumped in. “Son, you’ll have to take Jade in to give her a sample.”

Great, he’d walked into that one. “Ms. Hamilton needs to focus on you.”

Those beautiful eyes widened. He suddenly wondered what else he could get her to react to. Whoa, he needed to take a step back. This was an employee, his mother’s nurse.

He stood. “I should check on the filly.”

“Why don’t you take Jade along?” his mother suggested. “I mean, she did help deliver her.”

Jade shook her head. “No. I need to stay with you.”

Louisa shrugged. “I’m going to watch television with Marta. If I need to go upstairs, there’s the elevator.” She waved her arm. “Now, go. You’re dying to see that foal again.”

Jade relented.

Sloan shot his mother a disapproving look, but it didn’t seem to faze her. He waited for Jade to head out the door first, turned back and spoke in Spanish. “Basta, Madre.”

She smiled up at him. “Enough what, dear?”

He ignored her innocent look as he met up with Jade. The evening was cool and he handed her a jacket from the hook near the back door.

“Here, you better put this on,” he said as he held it out for her. When she slipped her arms in, he caught a whiff of her perfume, a fresh citrus scent.

“The first thing to know about my mother is that she likes getting her way.”

She glanced at him as they headed toward the barn. “What woman doesn’t?”

“But Louisa is relentless when she sets her mind to something. Just don’t let her get away with anything.”

“You forget it was your mother who wanted me here. She’s the one who wants to recover.”

He opened the door to the barn and paused as he found himself leaning closer to her. In less than twenty-four hours, she’d managed to draw him in, made him want and need. Damn, if she wasn’t the most tempting woman. He quickly roped in his desire and managed to speak. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He motioned for her to walk in ahead of him. Mistake. He tried not to stare at her shapely backside, but lost the fight and enjoyed the view as they made their way down the aisle toward the last pen. It was quiet and that was how he liked things. Polly spotted him and blew out a long breath in greeting. “How are you doing, girl?”

The chestnut made her way to the gate and let Sloan rub her muzzle. “You had quite a day, Mama.” He glanced down at the filly. “Well, hello to you, too, little one.”

He lowered his hand, but it was Jade who got the attention. The filly with the white star on her forehead came toward her. “I guess you females stick together.”

Jade knelt down and coaxed the filly with her hand. “It’s my voice. It’s softer. Oh, she’s so cute.”

That wasn’t the only soft thing about Jade. He glanced away from the soft skin of her cheeks, only to catch the generous curve of her backside. He released a frustrated breath. He needed to get out more and get away from a certain pretty nurse, or he might be in some big trouble.

CHAPTER THREE

THE next morning, Sloan was out of the house and on his way to the barn before dawn. Over the next two hours he worked alongside the other hands to feed livestock and set up the work schedule for the day before he finally came in for breakfast.

Five years ago after college, he’d moved out of the main house. He’d built his own place just up the road about a quarter of a mile. The one thing he did was come by occasionally and share breakfast with his mother. After her stroke and his father’s return to Washington, he’d stayed over, temporarily, when his sister was out of town.

Now there was Nurse Jade on the premises so he could go back to his place. In truth, Jade Hamilton was a distraction. He couldn’t even walk past her bedroom door this morning without pausing, hoping to see her again. Still, he told himself he needed to wait a little longer to see how things worked out. He’d stay here a few more nights.

A pretty woman arriving in Kerry Springs sent up several warning signals for him. Although the feelings had gone cold, the bad memories were still raw. The difference this time from the last, he planned to keep his distance.

He wasn’t the only one who’d been intrigued by the nurse. He’d seen how the ranch hands had watched her yesterday in the barn. It was not what he needed right now with the fall roundup coming soon. All ranch hands needed to focus on their jobs.

That included him. This was the future of River’s End. His chance to prove to Clay that he could make the ranch thrive. His way.

He headed up the porch steps to the back door. After scraping his boots, he walked in and hung his hat on the hook. He found Marta at the stove and greeted her, but before he could ask about his mother, he heard voices coming from the garden room. As he entered, he saw something he hadn’t seen in a while.

A happy Louisa Merrick. Then his attention went to her companion.

Jade looked fresh and pretty this morning. Her hair was pulled back from her face, exposing her creamy skin, pert nose and delicate jaw. Then she smiled and it caused his heart rate to accelerate.

“This is crazy,” he mumbled and walked in.

His mother saw him first. “Sloan, I was wondering where you were.”

“I was working. Remember, there’s a ranch to run.”

His mother frowned. “Someone is grumpy this morning. I told you, son, you need more leisure time. You can’t let this place consume you.”

He glanced at Jade. At least he could be cordial. “Mornin’, Jade.”

“Good morning, Sloan,” she answered in a soft voice.

He dished up eggs and hash browns onto his plate. “Maybe I’ll feel better once I have some breakfast.”

“You always were grouchy when you were hungry.”

He swallowed a big bite. “Well, that should be fixed soon.” He wanted to change the subject. “What are your plans today?”

Louisa looked proud of herself. “We’ve already been working. Jade talked with my therapist when she came by earlier, so she can help me with my daily exercises.” Louisa glanced at Jade. “And since I’ve been such a good patient, after breakfast we’re going into town. I have a hair appointment in an hour.”

He nearly choked on his food. Hadn’t the family been trying for weeks to get her into town? “A hair appointment?”

“Don’t you think it’s about time I do something with this mess?” She pointed to her dark hair streaked with gray pulled back into a ponytail.

He shot a look at Jade, wondering how she’d talked Louisa into this. “You always look beautiful, Mom, but I agree this will make you feel better.”

“Good. So don’t expect us home for lunch because we have more plans. And we may just stop by the Blind Stitch, too.”

He shook his head. “Whoa, I don’t think you should overdo it. It’s been a while since you’ve spent the day out.”

Louisa studied her son. “I know you’re concerned, but I’ll let Jade know if it’s too much for me. Now I need to go upstairs and get ready.”

Jade immediately got up as did Sloan.

“No, both of you finish your breakfast. I can manage.” Louisa reached for her walker. “Besides, I’m sure you have questions for Jade. Don’t bully her.”

They watched her leave, then Sloan motioned for Jade to sit down.

Jade braced herself.

“Don’t you think you’re moving too fast?”

“I wouldn’t do anything without checking with your mother’s doctor,” she said confidently. “Dr. Carstairs returned my call about thirty minutes ago. He agrees it would be good for Louisa to get out of the house. In fact he’s been suggesting that to her for the past month.”

Sloan continued to stare at her. “Seems you’ve worked a miracle.”

She cocked her head. “Are you upset because you’re worried about your mother, or that I’m the one who got her to go into town?”

He seemed to relax a little. “Maybe both. She hasn’t exactly been in an agreeable mood lately.”

She nodded. “Yes, your mother is stubborn. I’ve come to realize sometimes it’s easier for a person to confide in a stranger, than ask help from family.”

“My mother can be a handful when she wants to be.”

“Perhaps she enjoys the attention?”

“That’s Mom.” He sighed. “A lot of people envy her, but she hasn’t had a perfect life. Being married to a political icon hasn’t been easy. Although, she’s never been a fan of D.C. lifestyle and all the politics. She was born and bred in Texas. It’s her home. She’s always been more comfortable on the ranch with her family around her.” He studied Jade. “All in all, she’s a private person. Alisa and I are, too.”

Jade couldn’t help but hear a little animosity in his voice, she was also distracted about the possibility of having a half sister. So far she’d only seen a few pictures of Alisa Merrick up in Louisa’s bedroom. She wanted answers to so many things, but Sloan wasn’t the one to ask.

All she needed to do now was her job. Already, she’d gotten more involved with this family than she should, or had any right to. But she found a glimpse had made her want more.

That didn’t seem to keep her from asking, “Doesn’t the senator usually come home on the weekends?”

He nodded, but there was the suspicious look. “He’s staying in D.C. now because of an important vote coming up. He’ll be home in another week. I handle ranch business and any family business. Why? Is there a reason he should come sooner?”

Jade shook her head. “No. Only that it might lift your mother’s spirits.”

“Being apart from her husband is something my mother has had to deal with during their entire marriage.” He took a drink of coffee. “Merricks have been in public service for years. We should have all moved to D.C. years ago.

“Why didn’t you?”

He glared, then finally answered, “Because our mother didn’t want to take me and my sister from a normal life with our friends and school.”

She studied him for a moment. If anyone belonged here on the ranch, it was Sloan. “I can’t see you living in Washington, either. You seem to love this place too much.”

He smiled and she felt a warm rush. It quickly died. “Not everyone feels that way.”

Jade put down her fork. She wasn’t hungry any longer. She was itching to dig for more information. To get insight into her father. Instead she decided to only let Sloan talk if he wanted. “Isn’t your father happy that you’re running the ranch?”

He shook his head. “What made you think it’s my father?”

She opened her mouth to deny it, but couldn’t come out with the words.

“You’re somewhat right. Dad hasn’t taken much interest in ranching in a long time. Since I inherited my section of land on the ranch, I’m raising my own free-range cattle. I’m also experimenting with a drought-tolerant grass, which can stand up to our brutal Texas summers.”

She raised an eyebrow. So he wasn’t just a good-looking cowboy. “I’m impressed.”

He shrugged, then seemed to realize that he’d opened up to her. “Just testing right now.”

“Would I get fired if I said I don’t eat beef?”

His eyes narrowed. “It’s a free world.”

“I thought that would be a capital offense around here.” She tried to joke, but he didn’t seem to think it was humorous.

She stood and carried her plate into the kitchen, came back with the coffeepot and filled his mug and hers. “Sloan, you can be assured of one thing, I will always put your mother’s needs first.”

Jade sat back down. “Her stroke has been a big hit to her pride. She’s lucky. She should recover fully and lead a normal life.”

He shook his head. “Oh, Jade, why would she start now? Louisa Cruz Sloan Merrick never has before.”

Two hours later while Louisa was having her hair done at Sissy’s Scissor Salon in town, Jade took off to the drugstore to buy some personal items. Then to the general store where she purchased two pairs of jeans, some cotton blouses and T-shirts.

Since she’d been hired on the spot yesterday, she hadn’t had time to prepare for anything. Not for moving into the Merrick home, or having Louisa take her in as if they were long lost friends. At this point, she wasn’t sure how things would turn out. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. Honestly, she was a little afraid to know the outcome.

Thirty minutes later, she’d taken the shopping bag back to the black town car that Sloan insisted they take for their outing. The driver was Marta’s husband, Miguel, who was sitting on a bench in the shade.

With a smile, the middle-aged man took her purchases and placed them in the trunk. It amazed her how the Merrick family lived. It was so different from how she grew up in the small rental house in Dallas.

She couldn’t help but wonder if things would have been altered if Clay knew about her? Whoa, was she even his daughter? Yet, even though she didn’t have any proof, everything led her to believe she was a Merrick.

So would the state’s favorite son be forgiven for his past indiscretions? As far as she could tell, no one had a bad word to say about Clay or the family. Over the years, he’d helped pass legislation that had been beneficial for the state, especially the ranchers.

Was the man still a womanizer? Her own research hadn’t brought up a single story of him being unfaithful, or doing anything unethical. Of course, she knew otherwise.

Jade walked back to the salon and found Louisa sporting a new short haircut, her face glowing with a subtle amount of makeup.

“You look amazing,” Jade said.

The thirty-something hairdresser and owner, Sissy Henderson added, “I’ve been trying to talk Miss Louisa into this cut forever. Doesn’t she look years younger?”

Louisa made a groaning sound. “The cane kind of gives away my age.”

“That’ll be gone soon,” Jade told her.

She’d talked Louisa into leaving the walker at home and using the cane today. She’d handled it right off. “With the way you’re attacking your exercises, I’ll give it a few weeks.”

That brought a smile. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

They started for the door. “I bet the senator is going to flip over your new look. If so, you owe me a big tip.” Sissy winked and gave a wave as they walked out.

Sadness showed on Louisa’s face as they headed for the sidewalk. “It would be a first in a long time,” she murmured.

Jade caught the words and didn’t react to them. “Where to next? The Blind Stitch.”

Louisa hesitated. “Maybe that isn’t a good idea today.”

Jade was concerned about her change of heart. “Are you feeling okay?”

“A little tired.”

“They’re your friends, Louisa. They love you and miss you. And I think you miss them, too.”

“I do.” They made their way down the street and ended up at the quilt shop’s storefront. “It’s just that things have changed. I’ve changed.”

“Not inside. You’re still the same in your heart. That’s what they love about you.”

Suddenly the shop door opened and Jenny appeared. “Louisa Merrick, don’t you dare walk by without stopping in.”

Louisa’s face lit up. “Well, Jenny Rafferty, I guess you weren’t going to let me even if I tried.”

“You got that right.” The young woman hugged Louisa. “You look wonderful. Oh, my, I love the new do.” She nodded toward her hair. “So youthful.”

Louisa laughed. “I must have looked like an old hag.”

“Oh, you couldn’t if you tried.” She turned to Jade. “Hi, Jade. Thank you for bringing her by.”

“You’re welcome.”

Louisa waved a hand. “Wait a minute. Have I been set up?”

Jenny opened the door wider. “As if we could get anything past you. Come on in, the girls are anxious to see you.”

Louisa relented and made her way inside. Jenny led them through the store and into the connecting room where at a round table in the corner there were four women. “Ladies, look who’s here.”

With a squeal, the group of women got out of their chairs and hurried toward them. After several hugs and a few tears, Louisa composed herself, then introduced the group. “Jade, this is Beth, Liz, Lisa and Caitlin. The girls from the Quilters’ Corner. Jade is my nurse.”

They exchanged greetings with her, then someone asked, “Do you quilt, Jade?”

She shook her head. “I mostly watched my mother, and that was years ago.”

Another woman walked over. “Then we’ll have to get you involved with us.” She smiled at Jade. “Hi, I’m Millie, and I work here. I could get you started on something simple. Louisa can bring you in.”

Jade shook her head. “I think I’m staying pretty busy right now.”

“Yeah, Louisa is a handful, all right.”

Everyone laughed, including Louisa who said, “I can see how much you girls missed me.”

Beth stepped up. “You can’t believe how much. Dang, woman, I’m so glad you’re back.”

“I’m not back exactly. I still have a bum hand. I can’t make a stitch worth a darn.”

Jade could see how hard that was for her to admit.

“Come anyway, and sort fabrics, stamp blocks, use the cutter,” Millie said. “We just want your company.”

Jade could see that Louisa was touched. “You do need someone to keep you all working. How are the hospital baby quilts coming?”

“We’re a little behind. And there’s two babies due at the end of November.”

Louisa turned to Jade. “We make quilts for all the newborns born in the area.”

“Oh, my, how do you keep up?”

“We aren’t a big community,” the woman named Liz admitted. “But I have a feeling that Jenny and Evan aren’t going to wait too long before they add to our town’s population.”

With that said Jenny’s face reddened. “We’ve only been married a few months.”

Beth spoke up. “I see you eyeing those babies that come in here. You want one, and when a woman wants a baby, a man doesn’t stand a chance.”

Jenny blushed so badly that Jade felt sorry for her. “Just put in your order for the color so we can get started early.”

The bell over the door sounded and Jenny let out a breath. “Thank you, I need to go back to work. Nice to see you again, Jade. Hope you’ll come back so we can visit longer.”

“I’d like that,” she said, and discovered she wanted to get to know her.

Jenny made her escape as Louisa announced, “We were going to lunch. Who wants to go? My treat.”

“We all do,” Beth joked. “And I vote for Rory’s Bar and Grill. Sean Rafferty is working today. That’s Jenny’s good-looking father-in-law.” She raised an eyebrow. “As my granddaughter would say, he’s some ‘eye candy.’”

The women laughed and Jade wondered if she could keep up with these ladies. She’d soon find out.

With a wave, Jenny called out, “Behave. And enjoy yourselves.”

They headed down the street only about a block. Jade kept a close watch on Louisa, but she seemed to be doing fine. They crossed with the streetlight and filed into the restaurant.

The inside was dim and there were several patrons seated along the long oak bar. But the women took interest in the one male behind the bar, a tall man with thick white hair, an easy smile and a twinkle in his light eyes. He waved and the women giggled.

Beth directed them to a large circular booth toward the back. After they filed in, Jade situated Louisa on the end, then got a chair and sat down at the head of the table.

“Did you see him?” Liz said.

“Of course we did,” Louisa said. “Sean’s a big man.”

Everyone turned as the man in question walked over toward them. For his age of about sixty, Sean was handsome and kept himself in shape.

“Saints preserve us, I’ve died and gone to heaven,” Sean said. “What did I do to be blessed with you lovely lassies today?”

And charming, Jade thought.

“It’s just your lucky day, Sean Rafferty,” Louisa said.

“My, oh, my. The lovely Louisa.” Concern showed on his face. “It surely is good to see you out and about, and looking so well.”

Louisa nodded. “Living a good, clean life.”

He flashed a quick wink. “I’ll have to talk to the senator about that.”

That brought a hoot from the girls.

Jade found she was enjoying this. No wonder the women liked this man.

“And who is this lovely?” The big Irishman took her hand. “I’m Sean Rafferty, at your service.”

“Jade Hamilton.”

“She’s just arrived in town,” Louisa said. “She’s staying with me out at the ranch.”

“A pretty name for a pretty woman. I believe I have someone who would be interested in meeting you.” He glanced toward the bar and motioned to a guy. As the younger man strolled toward the group. Jade saw the resemblance right away. The difference was in the younger cowboy’s coloring. He had dark hair and killer bedroom eyes. Oh, and a wicked grin.

“Jade, this is my son, Matthew. Matt, Jade Hamilton, she’s just arrived in town. And you know all the other ladies.”

Matt was polite, and greeted the older women first, then turned his attention to her. “Jade. It’s definitely a pleasure to meet you. I hope you enjoy Kerry Springs enough to stay around for a while.”

“From what I’ve seen, I do like it here.”

“That’s wonderful news. And if you need anyone to show you around, I’m definitely available.”

“Thank you, Matt.” She was nervous with everyone watching her. “I’m going to be pretty busy for the next few weeks.”

“Yes, she’ll be working,” a familiar voice answered. Everyone turned to see Sloan.

Jade nearly groaned. What was he doing here?

“Hey, Merrick,” Matt said. “How’s it going?”

There wasn’t any handshakes exchanged between them. It was more of a standoff. “Not bad,” Sloan said as he glanced at Jade. “And it’s getting better by the second. You?”

“Working hard, and just trying to stay out of trouble.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Louisa spoke up. “Sloan, please tell me you haven’t been following me.”

He shook his head. “I came into town to pick up my order at the feed store. I saw Miguel and thought I’d stop and say hello.” He tipped his hat. “Ladies, I’m sorry to interrupt.”

They all smiled. This was the last thing she’d expected. For a small town there sure was a lot of testosterone floating around.

Then Sloan’s gaze went to Jade, causing her breath to catch. What was that about?

He finally turned to Louisa. “Mother, just don’t overdo it.”

“Not a chance of that with everyone hovering.”

Again he nodded. “I’ll leave you all to your lunch.” He started to leave, then paused and said, “Hey, Rafferty, I need to talk to you about the roundup.”

Matt said goodbye, but his gaze lingered on Jade. “Maybe we’ll run into each other again.”

Jade wasn’t sure what to say, so she nodded.

Sean was the only man left now. “I take it you ladies all want the barbecue lunch special?” With their nod, he said, “And a pitcher of iced tea.”

“That’s perfect, Sean,” Louisa said. “Thank you.”

When he walked off, Beth spoke up. “I’ll pick up the check today, Louisa. I haven’t had this much entertainment in years.” She glanced at Jade. “Don’t look now, darlin’ but looks like you caught a couple of live ones.”

Louisa had a smile on her face, too.

“I’m not here to catch a guy,” Jade stressed. “I’m here to help Louisa.”

“It doesn’t look like you have a choice.” Liz sighed. “Oh, I remember those days when my Randy used to chase after me, trying to get my attention.”

With their nods, they watched as Sean went behind the bar.

“Isn’t he something,” Beth said.

“Don’t let Millie hear you saying that,” Liz said. “She’s had a thing for Sean for years.”

“A lot of good it does her,” Beth told her. “The man hasn’t dated much. Do you think he has someone in San Antonio?”

“Who cares?” Lisa said. “I think we have more love budding closer to home.” She smiled at Jade. “Two men. And to think I thought life was getting boring around here, and then you come to town.”

CHAPTER FOUR

TWO hours later, Jade brought Louisa home from town and talked her into taking a nap. Even though she insisted that she wasn’t tired from her outing, the older woman fell right to sleep once she lay back against the pillow.

Jade stayed a few minutes to make sure she was truly asleep, then left. She would have gone to her own room to relax, but found she was too keyed up to stay inside. She had had a great time with Louisa and her friends today, until Sloan showed up. Did he follow them? Did he not trust her?

Going down to the kitchen, she asked Marta if she would listen for Louisa.

When the housekeeper agreed, Jade walked out the back door to the porch to enjoy the late afternoon fall day. The sights and sounds of the operation were evident. She watched the ranch hands on horseback shout commands as they moved cattle into large holding pens.

This was her father’s life. He’d been born and raised on this ranch. Yet she’d been denied this life. Kathryn chose not to tell Clay about her. As a child Jade had daydreamed about a father. She never got the chance to know any more about Jim Hamilton than that he never wanted anything to do with her and left the marriage.

Would Clay have accepted her as his daughter if he’d known about her? Did he know about her and walk away anyway? She couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like to come here to live.

She sighed. She couldn’t think about that. She hadn’t had a perfect life growing up but there was never a doubt that Mother loved her. Still the past few months had been difficult, trying to grasp the fact that her identity had all been a lie. She wasn’t a Hamilton, and there was a good possibility she was a Merrick. Was it crazy to want to know where she’d come from? To discover who she was.

Curious about ranch life, she was itching to go out and experience it all. But she didn’t want to get in anyone’s way, especially Sloan’s. Even though he was only a stepson, he was truly Clay’s son. They had a special bond.

What would happen when he learned the real story? The man didn’t trust easily. She’d probably be run out of town.

No. She couldn’t let anyone find out yet, if ever. Not before she talked to Clay. She was pretty sure how they’d react and right now she’d settle for a little piece of Clay Merrick’s life. She stepped off the porch, and headed toward the barn. She decided she wanted to see the filly again.

She walked through the double doors, and found Bud talking with one of the hands. “Well, hello, Jade.”

“Hi, Bud. Is it okay to visit the filly?”

His smile turned into a grin. “I don’t see why not. Come on, I’ll go with you.” Together they walked down to the last stall. Immediately Polly came to the railing to greet them.

Bud spoke up, “Hello, Mama. Look who I brought by to see ya.”

The horse made a nickering sound and moved toward Jade. Jade tensed at first, but slowly began to relax recalling their connection during the birthing. “Hi, Polly.”

The horse pushed her muzzle against her arm. Jade reached up and began petting the large animal. Polly was eager for some affection. “Hello, girl. How’s your baby today?”

The animal bobbed her head and blew out a loud breath.

“Now, that’s one happy mama,” Bud teased and they both laughed.

“I guess I missed the joke.”

They both turned to see Sloan standing in the aisle. He didn’t look any happier than he had at Rory’s.

“Hey, Sloan,” Bud said. “Jade came out to check on Polly.”

With one look from Sloan, Jade felt as if she was doing something wrong. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not as long as you don’t go wandering around by yourself,” he told her. “You aren’t used to ranch life.”

She felt a sudden anger. That wasn’t her fault. “Then I guess I should learn the ins and outs, so I won’t get caught in a cattle stampede or something.”

“With the roundup scheduled for next week it’s going to be busy around here, that’s all. You could get hurt.”

She straightened. “I’ll stay out of the way, Mr. Merrick. I better get back to my responsibilities.” She smiled at the foreman. “Thank you, Bud.”

“Anytime, darlin’, you just call on old Bud.”

“Excuse me,” she said, then hurried off down the aisle.

Sloan glanced at the disappointment on Bud’s face, realizing that he’d spoken harshly. Then he watched Jade until she disappeared through the doors.

“Well, I’m willing to guess your daddy would be ashamed of how you handled that.”

Sloan turned back to his foreman. “What? She’s my mother’s nurse. She shouldn’t be out here.”

“Why not? Is she chained to the house?” He whipped off his hat. “You didn’t have any problem with her out here yesterday when you needed her.”

“That was different. We were all here.” His words even sounded lame to him. “Besides, she’ll be leaving soon.”

“I think anyone who has the smarts to go through college and get a degree would be able to find their way around a ranch without getting into trouble.” His gaze moved over Sloan. “But maybe not.”

“What was that supposed to mean?”

“You’re a smart college guy. Seems to me you ought to be able to figure out why one cute, green-eyed filly sets you off.”

He stiffened, recalling a different time, a different woman. “I won’t be fooled again by a pretty face. It’s a waste of time and trouble when all they want to do is change you.”

Bud sighed, and pushed his hat back off his forehead. “Now there’s your first mistake, son, thinking they’re all the same.” He glanced down the aisle toward Jade. “I’m thinkin’ this one could be a keeper.”

It wasn’t until the following evening that Sloan conceded Bud had been partly right. His attitude toward Jade Hamilton had been uncalled for. The only reason he could come up with was the one old Bud hinted about, that the woman was one big distraction. She had only been here a few days, and she’d been in his head constantly. Yet, there was something about her that still nagged at him.

Okay, she was a beautiful woman. He’d seen the interest she’d gotten from other men, including Matt Rafferty. Why had it bothered him? He wanted to think because he was protective of her because of Matt’s carousing ways, but he knew the real reason: he was attracted to her, too. That could mean trouble for so many reasons. First and foremost, she was his mother’s nurse and he didn’t want anything to interfere with his mother’s recovery.

Then there was the fact he didn’t want to put himself out there again. Once before he’d thought he’d found a woman he could love. Crystal had seemed perfect for him, for the ranch life. Then he learned that he was being used because of the Merrick name. And his bad judgment cost them all a lot.

No. He wasn’t about to let that happen again.

He walked through the back door and saw Jade all fresh and pretty. She looked up. Her eyes drew him, causing an awareness that was so strong and so intense he had to work to slow his breathing. He definitely wasn’t thinking with his head anymore.

“Hello, son,” his mother called, drawing his attention away.

“Oh, hi, Mom.” Then he saw piles of fabric squares scattered on the table, and he asked, “How was your afternoon?”

She glanced at him. “Oh, it was lovely. When I saw all the girls yesterday, they convinced me, even if I can’t hand sew right now that I still need to get back into quilting. So Jade’s helping me sort through some fabric, and we’re pinning it.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll even attempt to use the cutter.”

He watched as Louisa awkwardly picked up fabric. Her actions were slow, but she was putting forth the effort, and it was more than he’d seen his mother try in months. His spirits soared. He looked at Jade, hoping to get her attention, but she was busy sorting. Then suddenly she stood, picked up the empty glasses and walked into the kitchen.

Maybe he deserved the cold shoulder. He put on a smile and turned back to his mother. “It’s good to see you get excited over a project again. I suspect the ladies were happy to see you.”

“They were.” Louisa looked sad. “Even though I’ve been avoiding their calls.”

“Mom, you’re working through your recovery.” He squatted down beside her. “You’ve been through a lot. All we want is for you to get better.”

She touched his cheek. “I’ve been feeling sorry for myself.”

“You had a right.” He fought a smile. “Maybe for a little while. But look what you’re doing to get back at a hundred percent?”

“Jade has helped me a lot. I’m glad she’s here.”

He was beginning to realize that, too. “Seems she’s getting results where we couldn’t help you.”

“No, she just doesn’t let me get away with anything. Not like you.”

He smiled. “Okay, so she’s a miracle worker.”

Louisa gave him a playful smack, then sobered. “Whatever, she’s helped me see a lot of things. If I want to get better, I’m the only one who can do it.”

“She’s not pushing you too hard, is she?”

“That’s just it, son. I need to push myself if I want to get back to how I was.” Tears flooded her eyes. “I’ve been putting you and Alisa through so much with my stubbornness.”

“We’ve survived.” In days, Jade Hamilton had accomplished more good than they had in months. “We love you, Mom, and you’re worth it.”

She looked sad again. “And your father …”

Sloan knew that his mother’s stroke had put a strain on their once perfect marriage. It had been hard to watch as she had pulled away from Clay and any offer of help or affection. “Dad will be home soon. Everything will be fine.”

She didn’t look convinced. “It’s only … I’m not the woman he married.”

He would never call his mother vain. Yet she had always taken special care of her appearance. She was still a beautiful woman, but he realized that a stroke changes people.

He reached for her hand. “Talk to Dad about how you feel.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if I can.”

Surely she didn’t think that Clay would reject her. “Of course you can.” He didn’t want to discuss his mother’s marriage problems. “You’ve always told me he’s the best listener.”

There had been a time during Sloan’s adolescence that he’d rejected any of Clay’s attempts at being a father. It took a year or so before he trusted the man to be there for him.

“Look, he won’t be home for another week. At least think about it. You two have been married a long time.” He smiled. “I happen to know the man is crazy about you.”

When he saw his mother smile, he added, “I better let you get back to your project.” He stood. “Well, if you don’t need anything, I think I’ll call it an early night.”

His mother looked up and shook her head. “You lead a boring life, son.”

“Maybe you’re right, but I’m busy trying to get ready for the roundup.”

“And you’re thirty-two,” she retorted. “You should go out more … find that special woman.”

He’d been through this before with her. He hadn’t had much luck in the relationship department. He wasn’t a good judge of character. His choosing Crystal proved that.

“After the roundup.”

He kissed her cheek and headed to the kitchen and the back stairway to the second floor. Anxious to get away, he’d barely got out the door when he suddenly collided with someone. Jade.

“Oh,” she gasped.

He reached out and caught her around the waist to steady her. Except he wasn’t so steady, either, as her body pressed against his.

“You okay?” he managed as she raised those incredible eyes to his.

She released a breath, then quickly broke the hold and stepped back. “I’m fine.”

Damn if I am. He still couldn’t take his eyes off her. He fought the urge to pull her back, to touch her, to feel her softness against him.

Jade glanced away. “Marta said to tell you she left your supper in the oven.”

The hunger he felt deep in his gut had nothing to do with food. “Your eyes are incredible.” She was tall and slender, but she had plenty of curves.

She lowered her lashes. “Thank you.”

The rest of her was just as incredible, too. “I was thinking of riding out to check my herd tomorrow. Would you like to go?” Where did that come from?

“You mean on a horse?”

He nodded. “It’ll soon come back to you.”

“Your mother’s therapist is coming in the morning for her exercise session. I have to be there.”

“Just call down to the barn when you’re free.”

He glanced down at her sandals. “I’ll dig up a pair of my sister’s boots.” He walked outside and hoped the night air would cool him off before he did something stupid.

Early the next morning, Jade stood next to Louisa in the home gym. The top-of-the-line equipment filled the large room. The therapist had just left and Louisa was finishing up her routine. Jade glanced at her patient and saw the beads of sweat on her face as she worked to raise the small hand weights.

Jade noticed Louisa’s range of motion had increased, and her balance was so much better, too. Louisa’s hard work on the treadmill and weights over the past few days had paid off.

“Let’s take a break,” Jade said.

Louisa put down the weights. “What’s this ‘us’ business. Seems I’ve been doing all the work.”

Jade smiled as she checked the woman’s heart rate. It was good. She draped the stethoscope around her neck. “And it’s showing.”

Louisa’s breathing wasn’t too labored, either. “Not fast enough,” she said to Jade. “I’ve got other things to do besides hang out in here all day.”

Jade raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly are these plans?”

Louisa gave her a sideways glance. “Stop worrying. I’ve invited the girls here for lunch then we’re working on baby quilts.”

Jade was glad Louisa was being social again. “Sounds like fun.”

“You’re welcome to join us.”

Jade hesitated. She was supposed to go riding today, but she was having second thoughts about spending more time with Sloan. She’d seen his interest in her, and it would be so easy to reciprocate. Definitely not a good idea. This wasn’t why she came here.

“Sure.”

Louisa caught her reluctance. “Well, that was heartfelt.” She patted the towel on her face and paused. “You’re not on the clock all the time, Jade. You’re allowed some personal time.”

“I know that. I happen to like your friends, but if you’d rather I disappeared …”

Louisa studied her. “Okay, what’s going on here?”

“Nothing,” she said too quickly. “I mean, you’re probably tired of having me glued to your side.”

“If I felt that way, I’d tell you,” Louisa assured her. “But you don’t have to work 24/7, either. You know there are labor laws. And I believe you haven’t had any time off since you arrived here The weekend is coming up. You should get out and get to know the area. There’s plenty of wineries to the north of us. Jenny’s husband, Evan, owns the Rafferty Vineyard. And there’s San Antonio.”

“I’m not real social. But if it’s okay with you, I’d like a few hours off today. I might go riding while you’re with your friends.”

Louisa blinked in surprise. “Sloan asked you?”

Here it comes. She nodded. “He’s checking the herd and thought I’d like to see some of the ranch.”

“So he’s taking my advice.” Louisa’s gaze met hers. “I’m glad, because he’s worked too hard this past year.” She waved her hand. “Go, and make sure you both relax.”

“Then since we’re finished here, you should hit the showers.” Jade handed Louisa her cane and followed her out of the gym and down the hall to her bedroom. She went on ahead into the connecting bath and turned on the water in the large walk-in shower. Once she had Louisa situated, she left the woman to her privacy and went into the bedroom.

The phone rang. When it wasn’t answered by Marta on the third ring, Jade picked it up.

“Hello, Merrick residence,” she said.

There was a pause. “Who is this?” a man with a deep, rich voice asked.

“Jade Hamilton.”

“Oh, so you’re the miracle worker I’ve been hearing about.”

“I wouldn’t say I was a miracle worker.” She felt her heart pounding hard against her ribs. “May I ask who is calling?”

“Clay Merrick.”

“Oh, Senator.” She nearly choked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“Why? You’ve never met me. You had no idea who I was.” She heard the smile in his voice. “But I can’t wait to meet you.”

She swallowed back the dryness in her throat. This was her father. “I’ve been looking forward to that, too.”

CHAPTER FIVE

AN HOUR later, Sloan sat atop his gelding, Amigo, watching closely to see how Jade handled her horse, Cally. The small mare was the gentlest mount on the ranch.

Once outside the corral, they headed through the grove of trees and rode along the dry creek bed. Thanks to the recent autumn rains the plains were a rich green, but the trees on the hillside were changing color into bright, golden hues of red and orange. This was his favorite time of year, when all his hard work paid off.

Suddenly his mother’s words came to mind. You lead a boring life, son. He’d always worked hard, especially the last eleven months. He’d never been one to order ranch hands to do anything that he wouldn’t do. Damn, he was turning into a control freak. Maybe he could use some time off.

He stole a glance at Jade. It had been a long time since a woman had distracted him. Not because he didn’t want someone special in his life, but Clay’s public life had made it difficult to have much privacy. He was also suspicious of who his true friends … and lovers … were. As the son of a U.S. senator, people had expectations of him.

He expected to feel a pang of sadness over Crystal. Although she was from San Antonio, he’d thought he knew his former girlfriend better. After being together six months he’d soon discovered that she wanted the Merrick name and money. When they’d broken up she sold her story to the tabloids. He’d learned his lesson the hard way. It just seemed safer to concentrate on his work. The River’s End Ranch.

He heard his name called and looked toward Jade again.

“How am I doing?” she asked.

She sat relaxed in the saddle as she moved easily with the horse. He smiled. “Just fine. In fact you look pretty good, which is better for the horse. Believe me, they can sense an inexperienced rider.”

“So I’m not too bad for a city gal,” she said in an exaggerated twang.

She was a lot better than not bad. “A natural. I think you’ve ridden more than you said.”

“Actually, not so much,” she began. “Once my mother saw the size of the horse I’d been riding, she refused to let me continue the classes.” Jade glanced at him as their horses walked side by side along the trail. “My parents were older when they got me.”

He smiled. “So you were a surprise?”

“Yes and no.”

Jade enjoyed watching Sloan. If anyone was born to ranch life, it was this man. He was impressive astride his roan gelding, and handled the large animal with ease and grace. She quickly shook away any wandering thoughts. Gawking at good-looking cowboys wasn’t why she came here.

“I was always planned, but I didn’t arrive until they were in their late forties.” She wasn’t willing to tell him everything.

“No wonder they were a little overprotective of you.”

“I know. My mother wanted a baby for a long time.” She gave him a bright smile. “So giving up riding wasn’t so bad, not when my mother bribed me with ballet classes.”

“How did you like that?”

She smiled trying to hide her nervousness. “I loved the little outfits better than the dancing. Besides, I soon discovered I had no talent whatsoever, but my friends were in the class so I stuck it out for a few years.”

“From where I sit, you look pretty graceful to me.”

She was taken aback by his compliment. “You didn’t see me at nine when I was all arms and legs. The braces came later.”

She caught him studying her and it did funny things to her insides. She took a slow breath, trying to steady her sudden rapid heart rate.

“Well, everything seemed to turn out good,” he said. “You’re a beautiful woman, Jade Hamilton.”

“Thank you.” She looked toward the trail. No matter how attracted she was to this man, she couldn’t let this go any further.

“So, how far is this herd?”

“I have a turkey and a ham sandwich,” Sloan said as he looked into the lunch bag.

“Whatever. I don’t care which.” Jade sat down on the blanket spread under a big tree beside the creek. Water trickled over the rocky bottom, making a soothing sound. Across on the other side was the free-range herd. Sloan had told her the fence was to keep them in the large pasture where the soil was free of any pesticides or fertilizers.

The wind caught her hair but she barely noticed as she watched the black Angus steers feeding on the tall grass. A calm feeling came over her.

“It’s so peaceful here.” Although a Texan, she hadn’t experienced much of country life.

He sat down beside her and handed her the plastic wrapped sandwich. “Some people would think it’s boring.” He tipped his hat back and looked out at his herd, with a leisurely gaze. A breeze rustled through the trees. “I call it heaven. That’s why I picked this part of the ranch to build a house.” He nodded behind him. “It’s over there.”

“Your house?”

“Don’t look so surprised. I haven’t lived with my parents since college. I stayed with Mom after her stroke and still do when Alisa and Dad are away. It’s only temporary.”

Jade rose up on her knees and spotted the buildings off in the distance. “It must be nice to have your own place, yet be close to family.”

“It is. The Merricks have been on this land for a long time. They settled in this area around the turn of the last century. Built the first house and barn not far from here.” He pointed past the rise. “Started raising Texas beef. And finding oil on your land doesn’t hurt, either. Good investments over the years helped out.”

Jade was intrigued about the ancestors. Was this her family? “That’s quite something to live in the same place for over a hundred years.”

He nodded. “The Merricks were even close friends of the Kerry family the town was named for.” He gave her an easy grin. “It’s said that Angus Kerry beat Otis Merrick in a poker game and got to name the town. If things had turned out differently, it might have been called Merrickville or Merrick Springs.”

She caught the glint in his eyes, and reached out and slapped him on the arm. “You’re making that up.”

“It could have happened that way.” He took a big bite of his sandwich and chewed a long time before adding, “But you’ll have to ask a true Merrick, Clay or Alisa, about the details.”

Jade frowned, unable to finish her sandwich. Would they claim her? “You’re part of the family, too, in every way that counts.”

He nodded. “And Clay has never made me feel any less, but there are many differences between us. I don’t have the drive for political office like he does. And there’s pretty much been a Merrick in Washington for the last fifty years.”

“I take it you’ve argued about it?”

He shook his head, but she could see something was bothering him. “Clay’s more subtle. But some think because I have the name I should run for office.”

“That’s crazy.”

He looked surprised at her comment. “And I’d make a rotten politician. Alisa would be better at it, but I don’t want her to be pressured, either. If you knew my baby sister you’d know that no one can make her do something she doesn’t want to do.”

“I like her already.” Jade might have a half sister. Would she be gone before she got the chance to meet her? “Does she come to the ranch often?”

Sloan opened the cap on a bottle of iced tea. He handed her one. “She doesn’t work far away, only in Austin.” He took a drink. “She’d like to meet you, too. The woman who helped bring our mother so far along.”

“Louisa would have gotten there. She just has a little stubborn streak.”

He sobered. “We were so worried about her, especially when she was losing her desire even to do therapy. To us, you’re a miracle worker.”

“Just doing my job.” Would they think that if they knew her real reason for coming here? “Besides, your mother’s the one who wanted to improve.”

The wind caught the blanket edge and blew it against her leg. That was when she noticed the building clouds.

Sloan looked up, too. “I don’t like the looks of this. “We better start back and now.”

By the time they’d gathered up their things, and mounted the horses the rain started coming down. Hard.

Sloan knew they couldn’t make it back to the house. “We need to find shelter. So we need to pick up the pace a little.”

“Okay, I’ll do my best,” she called to him as the rain penetrated her lightweight jacket and even her blouse.

“So hold on—tight. We’re making a run for it.” He instructed her to grip the saddle horn, then grabbed Cally’s reins. He kicked Amigo’s sides and took off over the rise.

Jade gasped, but managed to regain her balance as they cantered across the field. She soon found the rhythm and leaned forward on the horse. It wasn’t easy fighting against the wind and rain.

“That’s it,” he called as he turned toward her. “You’re doing great. Just a little farther.” They continued through the pasture until they came to an old house.

Sloan jumped off and hurried to help her down. “Go up on the porch while I take care of the horses.”

“I’ll help.” She took Cally’s reins and followed him as he led his horse up the one step to the shelter of the porch. She was surprised when Cally obeyed her commands. He tied the animals’ reins to the railing.

Just then lightning flashed across the sky, and rain sheeted off the porch roof. “Come on,” he told her. “Let’s get out of this.”

Sloan turned the knob on the front door, but had to push it with his shoulder to get it opened. Brushing away the cobwebs from the doorway, he went in ahead of her. Although the lighting was dim, he could see that the place was worse than he remembered.

Sparsely furnished, the room had a small table with two chairs in the center. Wooden cabinets lined one wall and a chipped sink stood alone in front of the window. A musty smell teased his nostrils. He reached for the light switch, and flicked it on.

“Oh, it’s … cozy,” Jade said as she followed him inside. She took off her hat and began to wipe the rain from her face.

“There are a lot of words for this place, but that’s not one of them.”

She shivered. “How about dry?”

“That’s a good one. It is dry.” He dropped his hat on the kitchen table. “But not very warm.” The temperature had dropped suddenly with the storm front. Another streak of lightning flashed.

He walked past the kitchen area into the main living space and the huge stone fireplace. There was wood stacked next to it. “Let’s see if I can warm up this place.”

He found some matches on the mantel. “I prefer a gas starter, but I’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way.” He spotted a stack of newspapers beside the wood and used that as kindling. He struck a match to the kindling and watched as it caught fire. After a few minutes the flames flared up. He put the screen back.

He glanced at Jade. She was shivering. “Take off your wet jacket.” He went down the hall and yanked a quilt off a bed. “It’s probably pretty dusty but it should help keep you warm.” He wrapped it around her, then rubbed his hands up and down her arms to help stimulate warmth. That wasn’t all it was doing.

When she began to sway, he reached out and caught her. “Whoa, cowgirl.”

Jade felt his arms around her waist, holding her backside against his hard body. Desire shot through her like wildfire. This wasn’t a good idea, but it felt so good.

“I’m sorry how things turned out,” he breathed against her ear. “This storm caught me off guard.”

Jade shivered and not only from the cold. “Just give me a minute, and I’ll be fine,” she lied. She doubted that. The man had kept her off balance since she’d arrived at the ranch.

Finding her footing, she stepped away. “I enjoyed the ride, even in the rain.”

The wood crackled in the fireplace. “Soon you’ll be warm.” He placed another log on the grate. “Come sit down.”

She sat on the hearth, feeling the instant warmth. “It does feel good.” She rubbed her hands along the legs of her pants. “Nothing worse than wet jeans.”

“You’re right.”

Jade sat beside the fire and glanced around the one story clapboard house. She was more than a little interested in this place. “Who lived here?”

“It once belonged to Otis and Sarah Merrick. It was built in 1905 when they settled here.” He looked around. “It’s a little neglected now.”

“I think it’s in great shape.”

“Otis built it.” Sloan stood and ran his fingers over the rough pine mantel. “Pretty much this entire place. Before he got into the cattle business, he was a carpenter by trade, and he made a lot of the furniture here, too.”

She huddled under the blanket. “Tell me more about Otis and Sarah.”

“Let’s see what I remember. They had four children. Otis Junior, Charles, Samuel and Elizabeth. Charles didn’t live past infancy. Otis Junior died when he was a teenager.”

Jade shook her head. “How terrible!”

“Life was tough back then. But you’re right, that would be awful.” Sloan sighed. “There aren’t many Merricks left and Clay only had one biological child, Alisa. His brother, Adam, never had children.”

Jade didn’t know what to say to that. She didn’t have real proof that she was Clay’s daughter, only words in Kathryn’s journal. Of course a DNA test would take care of that.

“Jade?”

She heard her name and looked at Sloan. “What?”

“Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Yes, I’m finally getting warm.”

“Good. This fireplace really puts the heat out.”

Feeling nervous she looked around the room. There was a lone sofa and an oval braided rug covering the dusty hardwood floors. A sideboard stood against the wall behind a small kitchen table. “A little work and this place could be livable.”

He frowned. “I guess it could be. It probably should be maintained better anyway, seing as it’s family history.” He stood. “Are you warm enough to take a look around?”

“Sure.”

He held out his hand to help her up. Jade took it, immediately feeling the warmth of his large, rough palm. That heat he generated quickly spread through her body as he tugged her down a hallway to the largest of the three bedrooms. He flipped on a switch, revealing the space. The focal point was a big bed with a massive carved headboard.

“Oh, Sloan. It’s beautiful.” She crossed the room and ran her fingertips over the intricate work. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s obvious that this took many hours.” She glanced over her shoulder. “You’re right, this place should be preserved.”

Rain pelted the windows as Sloan leaned against the doorjamb. He was surprised at her reaction, her enthusiasm over this house. Her eyes were so expressive, so filled with excitement. How long had it been since he’d seen someone get this much joy out of something so simple?

This woman distracted him, stirred a yearning in him. Damn, he wanted to deny it, tried to tell himself it was because he’d been too long without a woman.

“When was the last time anyone lived here?” she asked.

“From what I understand it hasn’t been used since Otis and Sarah passed away. Otis’s son, Samuel, married Alice Kerry, the daughter of the town’s founder, she didn’t want to live in this house. There was a falling out, so her daddy built the house on the hill. Soon after my father, Clayton Samuel, and his younger brother, Adam, were born. Kerry and Merrick merged their land into one large cattle operation and prospered even more. They named it River’s End.

“Not long after that Samuel became the town’s mayor. A few years later, he ran for state representative, then the senate.” Sloan nodded toward the main house. “So from childhood, Clay had been groomed for public service.”

“What about Otis and Sarah? Did they ever resolve things with Sam?”

“They never set foot inside the big house, but they lived into their late eighties, only dying a few months apart.”

Jade glanced back at the headboard. “It’s a shame Otis and Sarah never got to have a relationship with their son.”

“But they did,” he said. “Although the daughter-in-law wouldn’t give them the time of day, Sam came by to see them.”

“I’m glad.” Sighing, Jade looked around. “I bet with a little cleaning and some paint this place would be almost new again.”

“I guess we should preserve our heritage.” Sloan looked at the beautiful furniture that Otis had made. “Alisa will inherit all this one day.”

He saw Jade stiffen. “It’s important to keep it in the family. Didn’t your parents have a house?”

She shook her head. “Not anymore. My mother’s care was expensive. She had to sell it. My father has never been in my life.”

Sloan barely knew Jade, yet he felt bad for her. No father. “At least you get to keep some of the family’s things.”

She hesitated. “They don’t belong to me, either.” Those beautiful eyes were sad as tears filled them. “I’m adopted.”

He went to her. “Oh, Jade, that doesn’t mean your mother loved you any less.”

He leaned closer and closer to her, feeling the heat radiating through her still damp clothes, her scent was intoxicating. His gaze locked on hers with an intensity that seemed hypnotic. He wanted her.

“My mother’s cousin, Margaret, asked for most of her grandmother’s keepsakes since I’m not a blood relative.”

“You are a part of that family, too. Your mother wanted you as her daughter. Did she will those things to you?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t want to argue about it. It was a rough time for all of us.”

He touched her cheek, telling himself he only wanted to give her comfort. But it was more than comfort; it was need. Her eyes were mesmerizing, drawing him deep into their depths. Silence surrounded them, except for the soft tapping of the rain against the windows.

“You were special to them.” He couldn’t stop what was going to happen. He leaned down and brushed a kiss across her mouth. When she sucked in a breath, he went back for another taste.

Jade knew she had no business letting Sloan get this close, but she couldn’t help herself as she allowed his mouth to capture hers. She couldn’t seem to deny him or the desire he stirred in her. When his hands drew her against his body, she was lost.

Her arms circled his neck and she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. Sloan was just as eager when his tongue slid inside her mouth to taste her.

Suddenly Sloan’s phone rang, bringing her back to reality. She jumped back breaking his hold.

He cursed. “Bad timing. I need to get this.” He turned away as he opened his phone. “Hello.”

“Sloan, thank God.” His mother’s voice came over the line. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”

“Mom, what’s wrong?” He glanced at Jade, seeing her concern.

“Nothing, I’m fine. It’s you and Jade I’m worried about. When I couldn’t get you on your phone I was so worried you got caught in the storm.”

“It’s okay, Mom, we found cover. We’re at Otis’s place.”

He stole a glance at Jade’s thoroughly kissed mouth and felt another surge of desire. “We’ll be riding back as soon as the weather clears.”

“That’s just it, honey. You need to stay put because there are severe weather warnings out for the next few hours.”

The sound of the rain intensified at the same time he lost the connection. “Damn. The phone died.” He glanced out the front window where rain was sheeting off the porch roof.

“Well, it looks like we’re going to see how well old Otis built this place.”

CHAPTER SIX

OVER the next hour, Jade fretted as the wind howled and rain pounded the old house. The windows rattled under the stress, but held. They’d lost the electricity shortly after Louisa’s phone call, but there were candles and the light from the fire. Daylight was quickly fading away. And the storm hadn’t shown any signs of dying out.

She rubbed her arms in worry as she stole a glance at Sloan. He was kneeling in front of the hearth adding more wood to ward off the falling temperature.

Her gaze moved over his wide shoulders and broad back then down to his narrow waist. Lower still to the well-washed jeans that stretched over his muscular thighs and tight rear end. He lifted the log with ease, exhibiting the strength of his arms. The memory of being in those arms was very vivid in her mind. The feel and taste of his mouth, his body pressed to hers. A warm shiver rushed down her spine.

She groaned and looked away. She couldn’t let herself be attracted to him. There were far too many reasons to count. Besides, cowboys had never been her type, at least not before she met Sloan Merrick.

She never should have gone riding with him today, and the kiss was even crazier. When he discovered who she was, she’d probably be tossed off the property.

Ever since learning about her adoption, she’d felt lost. All her life she’d thought one thing, only to learn it had been a lie. Nothing could change the love she’d felt for her mother, but she wanted to know about her biological family. What she didn’t need was to get involved with Clay Merrick’s stepson. So she had to be sure that he knew that.

“How long are you going to ignore me?”

Jade looked at Sloan. “There isn’t anything to say.”

“You didn’t have any trouble talking earlier. Before I kissed you, and you kissed me back.”

“And we probably should leave it at that.”

“I agree with you there. You’re a beautiful woman, Jade, and hard to resist. It’s easy to kiss you, the problem is stopping.” He crossed the room. “But I’m going to do my damnedest, because I’m not a good bet. And I definitely don’t want anything permanent.”

Jade saw a flash of pain across his face. She could tell he was guarding himself, and her heart went out to him. “Who was she?”

He glared at her, then finally said, “Believe me, she isn’t worth our time.”

The rain pounded against the roof. “It looks like we have nothing but time,” she told him.

His gaze darkened and she had trouble not reacting.

“I’m a rancher, a cattleman,” he said with such conviction, she knew what it meant to him. “It’s what I’ve always wanted to be since the day I came to River’s End when my mother married Clay Merrick. Although for some people they feel you need to be something more. And then they set out to try to change you.”

“Why would they do that? You’ve found what you love to do in life.”

Sloan wanted to believe Jade’s sincerity, but he harbored too much bitterness. “The game is different when your father is a U.S. senator,” he began. “There’s the prestige and important connections that go along with the title. It draws the good and the bad.”

“I take it … this woman was one of the latter.”

He nodded. “That about sums it up. Crystal Erickson came to town and singled me out, telling me she wanted to meet me. We went out for a few months, and it didn’t work out. End of story.”

He wished it had been simple. Sloan shook his head, thinking about what a fool he’d been, remembering after they’d been dating awhile, he’d come home and found Crystal there. She was talking with his father.

Out of sight, Sloan had listened while she planned out his future. Her dream was for Sloan to follow after Clay. She’d even offered to help prep him to take over the seat in congress someday. She even assured the senator that she could convince his son to run for office. Sloan quickly realized that Crystal didn’t love him as much as the Merrick name.

Angry more than hurt, he broke it off with Crystal. She wasn’t happy and it didn’t take her long to get back at him.

“Even though I ended things between us, my family paid the ultimate price with their story and pictures plastered over the tabloids.”

“I’m sorry, Sloan.”

“There’s no need to be.” He shrugged. “It’s been over a long time.” He didn’t want to think about his mistakes. He just knew that he wasn’t about to have a repeat in the future.

His gaze locked with hers. This woman could make that damn difficult, make him forget every hard lesson he’d learned from the past.

He forced himself to walk to the window, fighting the pull to go back to her and convince her to do more than share a kiss. The rain sheeted off the window as lightning flashed across the sky, drawing a blanket of intimacy around them. He didn’t trust himself.

Sloan glanced over his shoulder to see Jade watching him. He had to remind himself of how foolish he’d been when a beautiful woman was involved, and how in the end the Merrick family ended up as headline news.

He also needed to set things straight. “Earlier I shouldn’t have taken advantage of this situation.” He didn’t want to get any closer to her, either. “What happened between us was unprofessional.”

She nodded. “I’m to blame, too. I’m your employee.”

He frowned. “You’re my mother’s employee.”

Those incredible eyes of hers widened. “Close enough.”

“We need to get back. Louisa …”

“My mother is fine. And until the storm passes we can’t leave here.”

As if to emphasize his words, several flashes of lightning shot across the sky, followed by instant crashes of thunder. She jerked involuntarily.

“Whoa, darlin’, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She stiffened. “I don’t need you to play the big, strong cowboy. I can take care of myself.”

Sloan raised a hand. “I have no doubt about that.”

He couldn’t help but wonder about the things she’d gone through these past months. He could see the sadness behind her toughness. Maybe that had been the reason he’d spoken so freely to her. It was something he couldn’t let happen again.

“I should check on the horses.” Tugging his hat lower on his head, he opened the door and fought the strong wind as he stepped onto the porch.

He went to the railing and placed his hand on Cally’s rump and along her flank. “Sorry, girl, it’s going to be a while before I can get you home.” He’d removed the horses’ tack earlier, but he wished they had more protection from the storm than the two blankets he’d found in the cupboard.

He checked Amigo, then studied the still dark clouds in the dim light. He needed to get Jade out of his head. The last thing he wanted was her as an added complication. No, in a few weeks Jade Hamilton would be back in Dallas, and he’d be working hard at River’s End.

That was what he needed to concentrate on now. The ranch. Had he lost any of his herd or his crop from this storm? He didn’t need to think about a beautiful green-eyed woman, but that was exactly what he was doing.

He wiped the rain from his face, unable to deny the stirring he felt. He just had to figure out a way to stop it.

Nearly two hours later the freak storm had finally moved on, and Bud had arrived at the homestead with his truck and a horse trailer.

Jade had never been so happy to see anyone. After Sloan kissed her, she knew she couldn’t give into her attraction for him. For so many reasons. She was thankful that Sloan had disappeared into the bedroom, leaving her alone by the fire until they were rescued by Bud.

The men loaded the animals and she got in the backseat of the truck. On the trip to the ranch house, she was happy not to have to talk as the men were busy discussing storm damage. She hadn’t thought about the toll the heavy wind and rain took on crops and animals. She knew now that bad weather was a threat to a rancher’s livelihood.

Bud pulled up at the kitchen door and Sloan climbed out of the passenger seat to help her. The sky was clear, the night cool.

She looked up at him, trying to avoid his gaze. “I can manage, thank you,” she said and started to walk off.

He reached to stop her. “It’s for the best, Jade.”

Ignoring his warm touch on her arm, she looked back at the truck. Bud wasn’t paying them any attention. She still lowered her voice and agreed. “It’s the only way, Sloan, or … I’ll have to leave.”

His eyes narrowed. “Dammit, Jade, that’s the last thing I want. That’s the reason I’m going to stay away from you. I don’t want you to leave … for my mother’s sake.”

So it hurt a little that this all seemed so easy for him. “I’m tired. I’m going inside.” She climbed the porch steps and was met by two worried looking women, Marta and Louisa.

Louisa grabbed her in a hug as Sloan and Bud drove off. “Thank God, you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry we worried you.”

Louisa made Jade sit down at the table. “Why? You didn’t cause the storm. That cold front wasn’t even supposed to come this far south.” She shook her head. “I hate to think about what could have happened. Thank God, Sloan was there with you.” Louisa glanced behind her. “Where is my son?”

Oh, yeah, without Sloan, she might not be confused about everything. “Taking care of the horses.”

Marta brought her a cup of steaming cocoa. “What would you like to eat?” she asked.

Jade shook her head. “I’m not really hungry. I just need to get cleaned up and then sleep.” She glanced at Louisa. “If you don’t mind.”

“Of course not,” Louisa said. “Why don’t you take your shower and Marta will bring a light supper up to your room?”

Jade was too tired to argue. She stood. “Okay and thank you. Good night.”

Jade climbed the stairs to her room and began stripping off her damp, dirty clothes inside the connecting bathroom. Once in the stall, she let the hot water erase the chill from her body. Closing her eyes, she suddenly saw Sloan’s face. The look in his eyes before he took her mouth in their first unbelievable kiss. She could still feel the imprint of his body against hers, and it caused a different kind of warmth to shoot through her.

Stop thinking about him.

She finished with a quick shampoo, then got out. She used the blow drier on her hair, and pulled on her satin pajamas.

Returning to her room, she heard the knock. Expecting to see Marta, she called, “Come in.”

She went to her bed and pulled back the quilt. “Thank you, Marta, for bringing my supper. I guess I was hungrier than I thought.” She turned around and stopped talking. It wasn’t the housekeeper, but Sloan.

He hadn’t cleaned up yet. But dirty jeans and boots didn’t curb the attraction she felt for the man. “What are you doing here?”

He combed his hand through his hair as his interest went to her state of dress. “Damn, you even look sexy in pj’s.”

She refused to act embarrassed. “I was planning on getting some sleep. So could we let this discussion go until another time?”

“I didn’t like how we left things.”

“I thought we agreed it was the only sensible way.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t move from the spot and Jade was grateful for that. She was afraid how willing she would be if he touched her. He needed to go.

“Look, Sloan, it isn’t a good idea you’re here …”

“I know. That’s why I came to tell you that I’ll be gone in the morning.”

He was leaving? “Where?”

“Does it matter? I need to be out of here and away from you.”

“I can’t drive you out of your house.”

“First of all, it’s my parents’ house. I’m only moving back to my home.”

“Okay.” So he would still be close by. “You don’t need to worry, I’ll take care of Louisa.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” he said. “But if you need me for anything just call down to the barn.”

She swallowed. “Thank you for the ride today. Even with the bad weather I enjoyed it.”

She saw something flash in his dark eyes, but wasn’t sure what it was. “Yeah, so did I … more than I should.” He turned and walked out.

Jade released a long breath. Sloan was gone. She got what she wanted, so why wasn’t she happy?

The next morning, it was work as usual. Jade hadn’t slept well at all, but she needed to get back into a routine and do her job. And she needed to figure out what she was going to do when she confronted Clay Merrick.

At seven o’clock, she’d been in the workout room with Louisa. They’d gone through the routine of exercises, and then both headed for a shower and were downstairs for breakfast by eight. And there was no sign of Sloan at the table.

“Is Sloan coming?” Louisa asked the housekeeper.

Marta poured coffee. “No, he ate very early. He had his bag packed and said he was moving back to his house. He would see you later.”

Louisa frowned. “Just like that? He didn’t say anything last night.” She glanced at Jade. “I wonder why all the hurry?”

“Maybe it’s the roundup?” Jade said, unable to think of anything else, though she knew she was to blame for this. He wanted away from her so badly, that he hurt his mother.

“I know I’ve been taking up a lot of his free time,” Louisa said. “He shouldn’t have to look after his mother.”

“Oh, Louisa, I don’t think Sloan minds at all. He loves you.”

Smiling, she nodded. “He needs his own life. A chance for love and a family.” The older woman looked pensive. “When I learned you two were going riding yesterday, I was kind of hoping …”

Jade’s chest tightened, wishing things could be different, for all of them. “That’s a nice thought, Louisa, but I’m not in a place to think about starting a relationship.”

“Oh, Jade, you don’t pick and choose when you fall in love. There isn’t a perfect time, it just happens. And I’ve seen how Sloan looks at you.”

Jade’s heart began to race. She didn’t want to know how Sloan looked at her. Their attraction couldn’t go any further. “It would be better if we didn’t pursue anything. I’ll be going back to Dallas shortly.”

“Maybe you’ll find another job right here. Our medical center is small, but they’re always looking for good nurses.”

She didn’t want to argue. “I’ll think about it,” she said, knowing she couldn’t consider it at all.

Louisa smiled. “That’s all a mother could ask for.”

Early the next evening, Jade went to search for Sloan. She walked along the gravel road, trying to come up with something to say to him. Something that didn’t sound lame as her reason for coming to his home. She was playing with fire. He was her weakness, and he could easily sway her resolve. She needed to stay away from him, but she didn’t listen to her own common sense, even knowing the man was one big temptation.

She came up the steps to the big wraparound porch. There was an old chain swing at the far end. She smiled, knowing how nice it would be to sit out on warm summer nights with someone special.

She shook away the thought of anything that involved Sloan Merrick. He was off-limits to her. There were too many complications to count. One being the reason she was here. The only reason that mattered right now.

She had supper earlier with Louisa. It was obvious that the empty spot at the table made the woman sad. That meant she had to get things straightened out with Sloan so as not to interrupt Louisa’s progress. Try to get things back to before … before they touched, before they kissed.

Jade looked at the front door. Everything inside her told her to turn around and go back, but she still rang the bell. After hearing “come in” she opened the heavy oak door and went inside.

She was greeted by a large entry with nutmeg-colored hardwood floors. A large great room with a mammoth flat-screen television hung over a stone fireplace. The furniture was overstuffed and leather. The soft sounds of country music came from the speakers overhead. This was a man’s room.

Jade walked farther into the house, past a divider to find the open kitchen and dining area. Dark stained cabinets lined the buttery colored walls and the countertops and large center aisle were covered in earth toned granite.

In front of a stainless steel stove was Sloan. He was in a white fitted T-shirt tucked into clean jeans. His feet were bare and his hair still damp from a shower. He turned a thick steak on the stove’s center grill, then picked up his beer. The longneck never reached his lips as he turned and saw her.

He froze, then said, “What are you doing here?”

Okay, so he wasn’t happy to see her. “I need to talk to you.”

“I thought we agreed to stay away from each other.”

She tried to hide the hurt. “You chose to banish yourself from the house until the day I leave? There are other people to consider here. So get over yourself, cowboy.” When he didn’t say anything, she said, “This was a bad idea to come here and try to talk to you.”

She started to walk away when she heard him call to her. She didn’t stop until she reached the door, when his hand on her arm turned her around to face him.

“Okay. I’m sorry. Why did you stop by?”

“It’s your mother.”

His concern was obvious. “What’s wrong with Mom?”

“Nothing, physically. But since you’ve avoided the house, have you at least talked with her?”

He released her and she missed his touch.

“Hadn’t had the chance,” he told her. “Okay, I’ll stop by and see her tomorrow.”

“That’s not the problem. She’s worried about being a burden to you.”

“Whatever gave her that idea?”

“Your quick departure.”

Sloan crossed his arms over his chest. He had to do something to keep from touching this woman again. He’d hoped a few days away from her would change things. Damn, it hadn’t and he hated his weakness when it came to her. His jaw tightened causing an ache from his teeth to the top of his head. He needed the distraction.

“I did what I needed to do.” He shrugged. “It seemed the best solution for the problem.”

“I think the better solution would be to try to get along.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Darlin’, that was our problem, we get along too well.”

Something flashed across her face. Was she remembering the sparks, too? She finally glanced away. “I thought we agreed what happened at Otis’s house was a mistake.”

She blushed, but before she could answer, a loud alarm sound went off.

With a curse, Sloan ran back into the kitchen and saw the grill with flames shooting high into the hood. He turned off the burner, then covered the fire with a large pan lid. Soon the flames were out, but his meal was charred. “Well, I guess it’s soup for supper.”

That was when Jade took over. “It’s surprising you haven’t starved. You clean up the mess, and I’ll see what I can throw together for a meal.”

He glanced over her in her tailored slacks and pretty bright-blue blouse. “You cook?”

She managed a smile. “Of course. My mother made sure of that.”

“I thought career women didn’t have the desire to spend time in the kitchen.”

She frowned. “Don’t judge all women by one.”

She opened the refrigerator and stood back to allow him to see the many containers of leftovers. “Looks like Marta doesn’t want you to starve, either.”

He shrugged. “Someone cares if I eat.”

“And here I was feeling sorry for causing you to burn your steak.”

He’d been caught off guard seeing her walk into his house. And he was drinking her up, unable to get enough of her.

“What can I say? You’re one hell of a distraction, Jade Hamilton.”

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