Lucas (Texas Boudreau Brotherhood Book 5)

by Kathy Ivan

  “What happens now?”

  “Now, I’m going to take you to the Big House. You can’t stay here; your apartment is a crime scene. I’m going to pamper you and court you properly, the way you deserve. I’m moving back to Shiloh Springs. My career is established, and anywhere I can set up a computer and have Wi-Fi, I can work. I’m going to give you time to get over this night, then I’m going to bring you flowers and champagne, take you out under the stars, and ask you to marry me.”

  “I accept.”

  Lucas chuckled, and reached for her hand. “I haven’t asked yet.”

  “You don’t have to ask me. I know my own feelings. I’ve been in love with you my whole life. I don’t need fancy surroundings or candlelit dinners. I only need you. Lucas Boudreau, will you marry me?”

  The happiness bubbling up within Lucas swept over him, until he felt like he was drowning in the depths of her love, and he did the only thing he could.

  He said yes.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  EPILOGUE

  Heath sat in the big open window of the hayloft, looking out at the grand vista before him. Though he’d seen it a thousand times before, it never ceased to make him feel a part of the whole that was the ranch, affectionately known as the Big House. There was something about looking out over the vastness of land as far as the eye could see that settled his soul, gave him peace he never felt anywhere else. Probably why he’d found himself gravitating back home more and more lately.

  Life in the city held its own unique excitement, but it paled in comparison to the verdant pastures of the Boudreau homestead. He found himself hunting for excuses to come back to Texas, even though he loved his job in D.C. Yet something was missing, and he hadn’t been able to work out why his instincts were rattled. A feeling of anticipation, like static electricity before a thunderstorm, coursed through him, and he felt a charge in the air.

  He turned when he heard somebody climb the ladder to the loft, and wasn’t surprised when his father’s head appeared. His daddy had cornered him in the kitchen earlier, and mentioned they needed to talk. But with several of his brothers and their womenfolk around, there hadn’t been a chance. Until now.

  “Son. Thought I’d find you here.”

  Heath smiled. “It’s my favorite place. You can see forever, and everything seems fresh and new from up here. Besides, it’s quiet.”

  Douglas sat beside him, his legs dangling through the opening, and nodded. “A man can do a lot of thinking out here. Nobody to bother you except the horses, and they don’t tend to talk much.”

  Heath chuckled at his father’s words. “True. It’s nice to see Lucas looking so happy. I always thought he and Jill would end up together.”

  “They hit a bit of a rough patch, but looks like things are gonna work out for them. I suspect we’ll be having another engagement party soon.” Douglas picked up a piece of straw and drew it between his fingers. “Lucas told me you gave him some news about his sister.”

  Heath leaned against the side of the opening, angling slightly to face his father. “It was the weirdest thing, Dad. If I didn’t know better, I’d think somebody upstairs had a hand in getting me that info. I mean, what are the chances some wet-behind-the-ears newbie is assigned to me for training, and he happens to start talking about Lucas’ sister?”

  “It’s the best lead we’ve gotten in a while, since the one I had turned out to be a bust.”

  “Not really,” Heath protested. “You got us Renee’s most recent alias, which matches with what the kid told me. I’m surprised Lucas didn’t hightail it to Portland the second I gave him the info.”

  Douglas shook his head. “He couldn’t. Everything exploded at the same time. He had his hands full with the gambling story, the investigation into Benevides, and keeping Jill safe. It was touch and go for a minute there, but it all turned out right in the end. The gambling clubs got raided and shut down. Benevides’ obsession with Jill and his attempted murder of Lucas will keep him locked up hopefully for the rest of his life.”

  “Is Lucas planning on heading after Renee now things have settled down?”

  Douglas shook his head. “Shiloh flew to Portland to check out the information. If it turns out to be Renee, Lucas will be out there on the next flight. In the meantime, he wants to stick close. Jill won’t admit it, but this whole thing shook her.”

  “Does that mean my baby brother is moving back to Shiloh Springs?” Heath managed to instill a touch of humor in his words, and felt a pang of envy at the thought of moving back to the place he still considered home. Man, he missed it here.

  “He’s got a few loose ends to tie up, but yes, he’s coming home. Your momma is over the moon. If she had her way, all of her chicks would be coming home to roost, preferably under the same roof.” He raised both hands when Heath started to speak. “Don’t look at me, she’s your mother.”

  They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, and Heath allowed the tranquility of the ranch to seep into his soul. He’d be the first to admit he wasn’t cut out to be a rancher, but he still worked the land whenever he was home for more than a day or two. There was something soothing about climbing on horseback and riding through the fields, looking for strays. Getting up hours before the sun peeked over the horizon to feed and water the cattle wasn’t such a hardship when it was only for a couple days.

  “Want to tell me what’s weighing so heavy on you, son?”

  Even to his own ears, his chuckle sounded hollow. “Wish I could point to one thing and say, ‘Here’s my problem, Dad.’ It’s like I’ve got an itch I can’t scratch. I’m restless. It’s not work—everything’s fine there. Maybe I’m homesick.”

  Douglas’ large hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “Maybe you’re not homesick. You’re heartsick.”

  Heath started at his words. “What do you mean?”

  “I saw the way you reacted to Camilla when she visited Beth. Don’t bother denying it. The chemistry between you two nearly set the foreman’s house on fire. Have you seen her? Talked to her?”

  Why wasn’t he surprised his dad noticed his attraction to the beautiful blonde? The moment he laid eyes on her, he’d felt like he’d been hit in the chest with a sledgehammer. She was the opposite of everything he looked for in a woman, and yet he couldn’t seem to stay away from her. Went out of his way to tease and torment her, and she rose to the bait so easily.

  “I haven’t seen her since I went back to D.C., though I’ve thought about her. A lot. It wouldn’t work anyway. Long distance relationships are nothing but a pain in the keister, and rarely succeed. Besides, I’m not looking for a relationship.”

  Douglas studied him closely, giving him the same intense stare he’d used his entire life, and Heath knew his dad had more to say, but weighed his words carefully. While he cherished his father’s knowledge and wisdom, talking about women and relationships wasn’t something they shared often. Because, face it, what grown man is comfortable talking to his dad about sex?

  “Distance doesn’t matter if it’s the right woman.” His father stood and held out his hand, and helped Heath stand. “You might not think you’re ready, but your heart may have other plans.”

  Slapping Heath on the back, Douglas climbed down the ladder and Heath followed, contemplating his father’s words. Maybe his dad was right, and he was fighting a losing battle, because he thought about Camilla Stewart every day. Even when he slept, she invaded his dreams, teasing him, taunting him, and making him ache.

  Stopping in the middle of the barn, he made a decision. When he got back to D.C., he’d get in touch with Camilla. See if maybe there was a chance to fan the spark between them and let the flames burn.

  The minute he stepped through the kitchen door, Heath knew something was wrong. Beth was on the phone, her eyes filled with tears, and Brody had his arms wrapped around her. The kitchen was silent, all attention focused on Beth until she disconnected the call.

  “Honey, what’s wrong?” Ms. Patti rea
ched out a hand to Beth.

  Beth drew in a deep breath, her eyes searching the kitchen until they met his.

  “Camilla’s in the hospital. She’s been shot.”

  Thank you for reading Lucas, Book #5 in the Texas Boudreau Brotherhood series. I hope you enjoyed Lucas and Jill’s story.

  Want to find out more about Heath Boudreau and the excitement and adventure he’s about to plunge headfirst into? Will he win Camilla’s heart? Keep reading for an excerpt from his book, Heath, Book #6 in the Texas Boudreau Brotherhood. Available at all major e-book and print book stores.

  Heath

  (Book #6 Texas Boudreau Brotherhood series) © Kathy Ivan

  “Officer Dandridge, I’m Heath Boudreau. I got your number from one of the nurses at the hospital. I’m calling regarding Camilla Stewart.”

  “Mr. Boudreau. Are you a relative of Ms. Stewart’s?”

  The man on the other end of the line sounded like a no-nonsense officer, so Heath got right to the point.

  “No, I’m a friend. Her emergency contact, Beth Stewart, informed me Camilla had been shot. Since Beth knows I work for the ATF, she asked me to see what I could find out.”

  “Understood. Mr. Boudreau, there’s not much I can tell you. I’ve talked with Ms. Stewart, although briefly, because the hospital needed to do some tests and perform a CAT scan. From what I’ve discerned thus far, through her statement and via witness accounts, Ms. Stewart was the apparent victim of a botched carjacking.”

  “Carjacking?” Heath hadn’t expected that answer. But then, what had he expected?

  “Ms. Stewart received a superficial GSW to her upper arm, which required stitches, as well as an injury to her forehead. I haven’t heard back from the doctor as to whether the head injury was caused by a second bullet or as a result of her fall.”

  “Fall?” Heath was beginning to feel a bit like a parrot, repeating Officer Dandridge’s words. “How’d she fall?”

  “According to the witness, he stated when Ms. Stewart was hit in the arm or shoulder, she spun and tripped, hitting the asphalt in the parking area.”

  “Do you know if her car was stolen?”

  “When I spoke with Ms. Stewart, she stated she didn’t own a car.”

  Heath huffed out a breath, frustrated that he wasn’t getting a straight answer from the cop. “They why are you saying it’s an attempted carjacking? Most carjackings I know of happen when the owner is inside the vehicle or getting ready to enter or exit said vehicle. Since Camilla doesn’t own one, the facts don’t jibe.”

  “I agree, Mr. Boudreau. Like I said, I didn’t get to talk with Ms. Stewart for very long yesterday, because the doctor took her for a CAT scan, to see if there was any concussion or other brain injury. Also, she was having some difficulty remembering the events surrounding the incident.”

  His gut tightened at those words. “She’s got amnesia?”

  LINKS TO BUY HEATH:

  www.kathyivan.com/Heath.html

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  I hope you enjoyed reading Lucas, Texas Boudreau Brotherhood Book #5.

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  BOOKS BY KATHY IVAN

  www.kathyivan.com/books.html

  TEXAS BOUDREAU BROTHERHOOD

  Rafe

  Antonio

  Brody

  Ridge

  Lucas

  Heath (coming soon)

  NEW ORLEANS CONNECTION SERIES

  Desperate Choices

  Connor’s Gamble

  Relentless Pursuit

  Ultimate Betrayal

  Keeping Secrets

  Sex, Lies and Apple Pies

  Deadly Justice

  Wicked Obsession

  Hidden Agenda

  Spies Like Us

  Fatal Intentions

  New Orleans Connection Series Box Set: Books 1-3

  New Orleans Connection Series Box Set: Books 4-7

  CAJUN CONNECTION SERIES

  Saving Sarah

  Saving Savannah

  Saving Stephanie

  Guarding Gabi

  LOVIN’ LAS VEGAS SERIES

  It Happened In Vegas

  Crazy Vegas Love

  Marriage, Vegas Style

  A Virgin In Vegas

  Vegas, Baby!

  Yours For The Holidays

  Match Made In Vegas

  One Night In Vegas

  Last Chance In Vegas

  Lovin’ Las Vegas (box set books 1-3)

  OTHER BOOKS BY KATHY IVAN

  Second Chances (Destiny’s Desire Book #1)

  Losing Cassie (Destiny’s Desire Book #2)

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  USA TODAY Bestselling author Kathy Ivan spent most of her life with her nose between the pages of a book. It didn’t matter if the book was a paranormal romance, romantic suspense, action and adventure thrillers, sweet & spicy, or a sexy novella. Kathy turned her obsession with reading into the next logical step, writing.

  Her books transport you to the sultry splendor of the French Quarter in New Orleans in her award-winning romantic suspense, or to Las Vegas in her contemporary romantic comedies. Kathy’s new romantic suspense series features, Texas Boudreau Brotherhood, features alpha heroes in small town Texas. Gotta love those cowboys!

  Kathy tells stories people can’t get enough of; reuniting old loves, betrayal of trust, finding kidnapped children, psychics and sometimes even a ghost or two. But one thing they all have in common – love and a happily ever after). More about Kathy and her books can be found at

  WEBSITE:

  www.kathyivan.com

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