Awakened

by HELEN HARDT

  “I understand.”

  “It was difficult, though. Did Dee tell you about my mother?”

  “No.”

  “She was a model. A supermodel, actually. Her name was Brooke Bailey.”

  Brooke Bailey. Yeah, the name rings a bell.

  “She left my father and me, and my father was too proud to ask her for money.” Jade shakes her head. “She lost most of her fortune to greedy lovers. She and I made peace in the end. She died last year.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not telling you to get sympathy. Just to tell you I didn’t always live like this. I was never homeless, though. I don’t purport to understand what you went through.”

  Again, I have no idea what to say.

  “So…Dale,” Jade says.

  I smile.

  “He’s a lot like his father was at that age. Even down to the little sister he adores. They don’t share blood, but my God, he’s the most like Talon of all our children. It’s uncanny.”

  “Why do you think that is?” I ask.

  “Their backgrounds are similar. And their personalities. They’re both introverted.”

  “Talon’s introverted?”

  “Not as much anymore. He sure was a loner when I first met him. And Dale is certainly a loner.”

  I nod. I want to add to the conversation, but I only met Dale two days ago. What can I possibly add? That I gave him a blow job outside his office? That I’ll give up my right arm to hear him say my name in that beautiful red-wine voice?

  She looks down at my running shoes. “Am I keeping you from your exercise?”

  “No, of course not. I was going to…”

  She doesn’t encourage me to continue. I have the eerie sensation she knows exactly where I’m planning to go.

  Jade takes one last sip of coffee and stands. “You’re welcome anywhere on the ranch. Just…don’t expect too much.”

  “From…?”

  “You know what I’m talking about, Ashley. He needs time. He’s hard to get close to. If you try to force it, he’ll just run the other way. I speak from experience.”

  “I’m not…”

  She smiles and places her hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay. You’re not the first woman to fall under his spell.”

  Not the first woman? Why do I find that surprising? Of course I’m not. The man is magnificent. Women probably fall all over him. “I’m not under any spell. I…spent last evening with your nephew. Brock.”

  “Ashley, you and I both know you’re not interested in Brock.”

  “He’s gorgeous.”

  “Of course he is. He’s smart, too. And funny. A joy to be around. I love him dearly, as I love all my nieces and nephews. But we both know he doesn’t hold a candle to my oldest.”

  She’s right.

  No one holds a candle to Dale.

  Already I’m in too deep.

  Like Jade before me, I’m the moth who can’t resist the flame.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Dale

  John Greene has a beer belly and a balding head. If he turns and bends over, I’m betting I’ll see a plumber’s crack. He meets Dad and me at the address I texted him earlier, and he’s right on time.

  “You Dale Steel?” he says.

  “Yeah. This is my father, Talon Steel.”

  Dad rises and shakes his hand. “Please, have a seat, Mr. Greene.”

  Greene sits down.

  “Coffee?” Dad asks.

  “Yeah, please.”

  Dad signals our server. “One more coffee here, please.” Then, “My son shared your letter with me. I understand you’re willing to give us the name of your client who claims to be his birth father.”

  Greene clears his throat. “That’s right. I assume he told you our terms.”

  “He did.”

  “I’ve got it,” I say. “Cash.”

  “Good.”

  “Assuming the information is good.”

  “Hey, I don’t know whether the guy is your father or not. He says he is, and he paid me to find you. It wasn’t easy, since he couldn’t remember your mother’s last name.”

  “Sounds like a real winner,” I say. “Abandons two kids and can’t even remember their mother’s name. Can’t even remember his kids’ names.”

  “Hey,” Greene says. “I just do the jobs they pay me for.”

  “Fair enough,” I say. “I want his name and his contact information.”

  “Our deal was for his name,” Greene says.

  “The deal has changed. What the hell good does a name do me? If his name is Bob Smith, I’ll be on a wild goose chase.”

  “His name isn’t Bob Smith.”

  “Good. I need it and the contact information.” I take a sip of coffee.

  “Then I’ll need—”

  “John,” Dad begins. “May I call you John?”

  “Uh…sure. No problem.”

  “Good.” Dad gets serious. “John, it’s no secret who we are. You know we’re good for any deal we make, but my son is correct. The name by itself does us no good. We need all the information you have on this client of yours.”

  “I won’t be in business long if I divulge that kind of information.”

  I roll my eyes. “You claiming ethics?”

  “I guess I am,” he says.

  “You already left your ethics at the door when you agreed to give me the guy’s name,” I say. “I guess now we’re just deciding on the price.”

  “Dale…” Dad says.

  “Sorry, Dad, but it’s bullshit. He’s willing to play ball. He just wants more money.”

  “I know that.” Dad grins. “You think this is my first horse race?”

  I can’t help it. I laugh out loud. Leave it to Dad to be one step ahead.

  Greene stands. “I don’t have to sit here and be insulted.”

  “You do if you want any money out of us,” Dad says.

  “You weren’t part of the bargain anyway,” Greene says to Dad. “I was just supposed to meet with him.”

  “My son and I have no secrets.”

  Well, we have a few. But not many. I have mine, and apparently Dad’s been keeping something huge from me.

  “What does it matter?” I say. “We’re both here now, and the information is important to both of us. For some reason, my alleged father wants to find me. Have you given him my contact information?”

  “I haven’t. Not yet.”

  “Why not? Didn’t he pay you for it?”

  Greene reddens.

  “Just what I thought,” I say. “You’re willing to sell the information to the highest bidder. That’s us. No contest.”

  “You’re not wrong,” he says. “Your father only paid me a hundred bucks to find you. The only reason I was able to do it on such a low budget was because I found out you and your brother were adopted into such a high-profile family.”

  “I assume the hundred bucks was all he had, then,” Dad says.

  “So he says.”

  “If you’re that worried about saving face with your client,” I say, “tell him you couldn’t find anything for the minuscule amount he paid you. Give us his information, and we’ll keep your name out of it.”

  “Good idea, Dale,” Dad agrees.

  “I’ve got a grand in Benjis here now,” I say. “If the information proves to be good, you can expect another grand.”

  Greene pulls a small manila envelope out of his jacket pocket and slides it toward me. I place my hand on it.

  “Where’s the cash?” he asks.

  “Sorry. I get to look at the information first.”

  “How do I know you’ll uphold your end of the bargain?”

  “Are you accusing my son of welching on a deal?” Dad says, his dark eyes angry.

  “I’m just, you know, being careful.”

  I tug the envelope out from under his fingers. “You’ll get paid. But I see what’s in here first.” I break the seal.

  Inside is one sheet of paper
with a few words handwritten on it.

  Floyd Jolly. An address in Grand Junction, and a phone number.

  Floyd? My father’s name is Floyd? His last name is Jolly? This sounds like a bad joke.

  I hand the paper to Dad. As he glances over it, I pull my own white envelope out of my pocket and slide it across the table to Greene. “If this information turns out to be good, expect to hear from us. If not, you’ll never get another penny.”

  “Good enough.” Greene opens the envelope and quickly counts the bills. “This is more money than I’ve seen in a while.” He stands. “Nice doing business with you fellas.”

  “Can’t say the same,” I can’t resist responding.

  “Come on,” Greene says. “Without guys like me in the world, who the hell would you be able to pay off?”

  The man has a point. Still, my hand curls into a fist. I really want to punch his smug face and shove his bald head into a wall.

  “Easy,” my dad says under his breath.

  Once he’s out of the café, Dad turns to me. “Let’s go.”

  “Where?”

  “To this address. Let’s meet this elusive father of yours.”

  I gulp. All of a sudden this is real. I may come face-to-face with half of my genetic makeup. Am I ready for this?

  “Shouldn’t… Shouldn’t Donny be with us?”

  “Donny’s halfway to Denver by now. You wanted this information. What did you plan to do with it, if not confront the man?”

  I don’t reply.

  “I get it, Dale,” Dad says. “If you want, I’ll go see him myself and pay him off handsomely to leave you the hell alone.”

  I’m tempted to take Dad up on his offer. Even if he is my biological father, I’ve never met him, and I’ve done without him for thirty years. Going any further on any of this will only upend my life.

  “No, Dad,” I finally say. “You taught me never to take the easy way out.”

  “You went through more before your eleventh birthday than anyone should have to,” Dad says. “If you want to take the easy way out once in a while, give yourself a break.”

  Again, I’m tempted.

  But—

  I draw in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “If I don’t see him, I’ll always wonder. Let’s go.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Ashley

  I mean to heed Jade’s advice. I do.

  But somehow I find myself walking, though not running, the cobblestone pathway to Dale’s home.

  Once I reach the guesthouse, I walk around to the front door, lift my hand…and then hesitate, fist in the air.

  Just knock already. Geez, Ashley.

  I knock.

  Dale’s dog, Penny, appears in the window by the door. She barks twice and then just pants, seeming to smile.

  “Hi, there, sweetie,” I say through the door. I knock again.

  No one answers.

  Is he actually not home on a Sunday morning? That doesn’t make any sense. I walk around to the back deck and to the sliding glass doors. I knock again. Penny appears once more.

  Of course! The vineyards. Dale must have spent the night in the vineyards. If he did, the dog probably needs to go out. I place my hand on the sliding glass door handle, push, and, to my utter surprise, it slides open.

  I walk into Dale’s kitchen before I think about my actions.

  The dog needs to go out, so I’m just lending a helping hand. Right?

  “Come here, Penny.”

  She trots to me and licks my hand, and then she runs out the back door. I peruse the kitchen. Where is her food? She probably hasn’t eaten yet this morning. Her water bowl sits on the floor. It’s full. I kneel down and dip a finger in the liquid. Pretty cold.

  Uh-oh.

  That means Dale was here this morning and filled up her water.

  I basically just broke into his house.

  I need to fix this now.

  Curiosity rails through me. I’m in Dale’s house. I can look around, maybe figure out what truly makes him tick.

  So tempting…but no. He made it clear he doesn’t want me hanging around his place.

  I’m going to be working with this man.

  Not only that, I’m interested in him. Really interested. He’ll never want me again if he finds out what I’ve done.

  I walk to the still-open sliding glass door. “Penny, come back in!”

  She’s in the far end of the yard, doing a number two. I look away. Got to give her some privacy, after all. Probably a good thing I showed up. Otherwise, Dale might come home to dog poop in his house.

  I look around his kitchen.

  Yeah, I’ve been here before, and I’m impressed. This house is called a guesthouse, but it’s nearly as big as the main house. At least it appears to be from the kitchen.

  Without thinking, I open the refrigerator. It’s stocked with bacon, eggs, deli meats, bread, and a pitcher of orange juice. Will he mind? I’m a little thirsty from the walk over.

  I close the refrigerator quickly. If I want juice, I can have juice at the main house. I have no business here. If Dale returns and finds me…

  God, he’ll be pissed, and rightfully so.

  I quickly walk outside. “Penny! Come!”

  When she doesn’t appear, I dart my gaze to the area where she was doing her business. Hmm. The fenced area isn’t overly big, but there are a few little alcoves that aren’t visible from the deck. I walk down the stairs and search the yard, my heart beginning to race.

  “Come on, sweetie. Come on, Penny!”

  After I search the whole yard and she’s nowhere in sight, my heart drops into my gut. I quickly scan the fence. It’s secure. Then the—

  The gate! It’s open!

  My skin turns to ice. I didn’t latch it when I came around to the back, and now Dale’s precious dog is gone!

  I run out to the front. “Penny! Penny!”

  She’s nowhere. My God, she wasn’t outside for long. Where is she?

  My heart is beating triple time.

  Dale will never forgive me. Not in a million years. And it’ll be longer than that before I’ll forgive myself.

  I had no business going into Dale’s house.

  No business at all. Sure, I thought Penny needed to go out, but the reality? I was curious. Nosy. I wanted to learn more about Dale.

  My dumbass curiosity may have cost Dale his dog.

  I continue running along the driveway, calling for Penny.

  Nothing but ranch for miles and miles and miles. She could be anywhere.

  “Penny! Please come! Penny!”

  Dale was obviously here this morning. Penny’s full water bowl proved that. Where is he? He could be back in a minute or in hours.

  I have no idea how long I have to find her.

  I can go back to the house and get my car, but roads aren’t going to help me. Not on a ranch.

  “Penny! Please come!”

  I’ve run about half a mile down the road. I stop and rub my hands over my face. Now what? That sweet dog is out here alone, and it’s all my fault. All my fault because I went into his home without permission.

  He’ll never forgive me.

  I’ll never forgive myself.

  I turn and run back toward Dale’s house and then another half mile down the road the other way.

  No sign of her.

  Tears well in my eyes. At first, the panic kept them away, but now they flow. What have I done?

  Nothing else to do. I have to call the local animal control. Have to get others looking for her. Which means I need to go back to the main house and tell Jade.

  Tell her that I broke into her son’s house and lost his dog.

  I may as well pack up my bags. This internship will never happen now.

  I run back to Dale’s house and through the gate into the back yard to take the path back to the main house, when—

  “Here you go.” Jade’s voice. “Back home.”

  Jade sits on Dale’s deck, a panting
Penny at her feet.

  “Penny!” I cry. “Thank God!”

  Jade’s eyes widen. “Ashley, what are you doing here?”

  I can’t help it. I burst into tears.

  “What is it?” Jade ushers Penny into the house and gestures for me to follow. She grabs a box of tissues and hands them to me.

  The tears of relief continue to flow. Each time I try to choke them back, they start again.

  “My goodness,” Jade says. “Come on. You need to lie down.”

  I shake my head vehemently. “The dog.”

  “She’s fine. What’s going on here?”

  I burst into more sobs.

  This isn’t me. I don’t cry. Not like this. Never like this.

  “All right,” Jade says. “Let’s make you a cup of herb tea. Maybe that will settle you down.” She sifts through Dale’s cupboards.

  Already I know he doesn’t keep anything like herb tea in his house. Herb tea is so not Dale.

  Jade finally gives up and pours me a glass of cold water. “Here.” She hands it to me along with a box of tissues. “Drink.”

  I manage to choke down a small sip. Then I blow my nose with a loud honk.

  “More water,” Jade says.

  Penny pants at my feet, happy as ever. I look at her and burst into sobs once more.

  Jade nudges the tissue box toward me again, and I take two, wiping my eyes and honking once more. Jade sits patiently, urging me to take a drink every minute or two.

  Finally, I’m able to speak. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “I… This is embarrassing. I’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow.”

  “Ashley, you’re not going anywhere.”

  “I have to now. I’ve made a terrible mistake.” My eyes threaten to tear up again. I wipe at them with a soggy tissue.

  “Come on,” Jade says. “It’s not that bad.”

  “It is. I came over here to see Dale.”

  “That’s no crime.”

  “You told me to go slowly with him. But I wanted to see him. Needed to see him.”

  “Needed?”

  “It’s the same.” I blow my nose again. “The wildfire. The moth to the flame. It’s the same. I feel like I can’t even control it.”

  She hands me a clean tissue. “Calm down. What happened?”