The Rancher's Secret Son

by Sara Orwig

  She could not leave Houston or her family obligations, which were now greater than ever. She would not abandon her grandparents or shut down the agency that meant so much to her grandfather and that they had both worked so hard to build.

  One thing had changed, though—Nick’s parents. She had seen the looks on their faces when he had mentioned they would not see Cody when he was in Austin. If they didn’t see Cody when Nick was in Austin, they definitely would not if Nick lived in DC, and his parents were smart enough to realize that.

  She never guessed his parents would care about Cody because they hadn’t even bothered to try to meet her when their son had hoped to marry her. It had been a shock to find out how badly they wanted a grandchild and how much they loved Cody from the first moment. When they asked if they could visit, she had agreed and meant it. That was a giant change—would it have any influence on Nick and his decisions?

  Her thoughts turned to Nick again and the wonderful week with him on the ranch that had been paradise. She missed him and it had taken all her willpower not to answer his call moments ago. She loved him and she missed him. She couldn’t see any way to work out a future sharing Cody with him, but she had to.

  She was alone in her room and she gave in to tears, for just a moment letting go and hurting, wondering how she would cope with seeing Nick only for minutes at a time. Or worse, watching him once again marry someone else.

  It was going to hurt watching him take Cody for days at a time, but she would never deny him that right or hurt her son. He was good for Cody, a wonderful dad, and Cody already loved him. In a lot of ways she was thankful that Nick was in Cody’s life, filling a void that needed to be filled. Too bad he could never be part of her life.

  She heard her phone and saw that it was Nick again. She didn’t take the call. She couldn’t talk to him yet. She didn’t want to burst into tears while they were on the phone. In minutes she received a brief text: Have a plan to discuss about Cody. Can you go to dinner next Thursday and we’ll talk about it? I can pick you up at 7. Would like to come at 6 so I can see Cody.

  She typed her reply. She would go, wondering what Nick had in mind and if the evening would dissolve in sharp words the way it had so long ago, the night he had proposed.

  Later that morning her grandmother left, taking Cody for a haircut and errands. As Claire nibbled at a late breakfast, the doorbell rang. She answered to find a deliveryman on her porch holding a giant arrangement of red roses, white orchids, red anthurium and white gladioli. A box wrapped in blue paper and tied with a big blue bow was delivered with the flowers.

  As soon as she closed the door, she removed a card from the flowers that read: To Claire: Thank you for the joy you have brought us with our grandson. Love, Peter and Evelyn.

  Startled, she looked at the flowers again. She would never know, but she wondered...if she had told Nick about her pregnancy, would things have worked out differently? It was a question that couldn’t be answered. Back then, even though it was only four years ago, Nick’s dad was still deeply intent on having his son move up in politics. It was obvious, now that Cody was here and the Milans were older, that that wasn’t what the judge wanted for his son. He wanted his grandson in his life and in Evelyn’s.

  Claire removed a card from the box and saw it was to Cody from them. She smiled. Cody had four doting grandparents now. If only she and Nick—

  Claire stopped instantly. She was not going to live on wishes. She would have to pick up and go on, work out something with Nick and try to live with it. She’d have to live with the hurt.

  She was still telling herself that on Thursday as she dressed for the evening with Nick.

  Cody stayed downstairs, playing in the family room while her grandmother was nearby. Claire was running a few minutes late, and when she heard the door chimes, she knew Cody and Grandma would both enjoy talking to Nick.

  When Claire was finally ready, she assessed her image in the mirror. She smoothed her navy long-sleeved dress with a straight skirt and fingered the diamond pendant and charm bracelet. Then she picked up her small black purse and went downstairs, hoping against hope that she had her emotions under control.

  * * *

  Nick heard Claire seconds before she walked into the room. He stood immediately while his heart thudded. She looked stunning. He felt hot, dazzled and had to make an effort to avoid staring at her. He longed to cross the room to take her into his arms.

  She smiled, her full, red lips curving and tugging on his senses. He wanted to be alone with her, back in his suite where nothing could disturb them.

  “Have a seat, Nick. I’m sure Grandma and Cody are enjoying talking to you.”

  “Nick said he got a present for me, but the last time he was here, I was gone, so he brought it tonight,” Verna said, holding out a box. Claire crossed the room to look at a beautiful gold locket on a thin golden chain with her grandmother’s initials carved into the face of the locket. She opened it and inside the locket were two pictures, one of Claire and Cody and another of Cody.

  “Nick, that’s lovely,” Claire said, smiling at him and then looking at her grandmother. “I know you’ll love it. Turn around and I’ll put it on you,” she said.

  Her grandmother shifted in her chair and Claire fastened the locket around her neck. Verna turned back around and looked down at it. “That’s beautiful, Nick. I’ll treasure it. Thank you.”

  “I’m glad you like it.”

  “I got a present, too,” Cody said, holding out a book.

  Claire took it in her hands. “Great, Cody. Another new book, and I’ll bet you and Grandma can read it at bedtime,” she said, smiling at Nick.

  Cody looked at his grandmother who nodded. “Of course, we will,” she said.

  They spent the next thirty minutes talking until Claire stood. “I’m guessing Nick has some dinner reservations somewhere.”

  Nick came to his feet and picked up Cody. “Be a good kid tonight and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Cody hugged him and kissed Nick’s cheek. “Thank you for the book.”

  “You’re very welcome. We’ll read it in the morning.” Nick hugged him and kissed his cheek. He carried him to the door to hug him one more time before setting him down.

  Nick escorted Claire to the passenger side of his car, then got in and drove out of her neighborhood.

  “You look gorgeous. I didn’t tell you back there, but that’s what I was thinking,” he said, keeping his attention on the road, but remembering clearly the impact she’d had when she stepped into the doorway. She had always dazzled him, from the first moment at the cocktail party where he met her, but she seemed to have more of an effect on him now that she was several years older.

  “Thank you,” she said. “You look very handsome yourself. I suspect you’ll win most of the female votes the next time you run.”

  He smiled. “I hope my looks aren’t the basis of votes,” he said.

  Nick drove to a tall hotel with sparkling Christmas lights strung over the wide entrance. He stopped in the drive to let the engine idle while he turned to her. “This is my hotel. How about dinner in my room where we can be free to talk about possibilities and what we can do to share Cody? I don’t want to be in a restaurant. This could get emotional, Claire.”

  She had to agree, but reluctance filled her because her life was going to change again.

  Eleven

  Claire’s heart beat faster as she nodded. “As long as it’s just dinner and conversation, Nick. Nothing else. I can’t keep...” She couldn’t bring herself to say the words making love, not when they conjured hot images of a naked Nick. “I just want to hear your suggestions, see what we can work out for Cody and then go home.”

  “I’ve ordered dinner from a restaurant and they should have it in about half an hour. I got lobster for you, steak for me
—how’s that?”

  “Excellent choices,” she said, wondering if tonight would be another heartbreak. She was going to have to share Cody with Nick and she dreaded what he might propose.

  Driving to the door, Nick gave the valet his keys and took Claire’s arm to enter the hotel and take an elevator to his suite on the top floor. “I got you a little Christmas present,” he said, unlocking the door. Barely aware of her elegant surroundings as Nick took her coat and slipped his off, she saw a small rosemary plant decorated as a Christmas tree in the center of a glass table by the sofa. One present was tucked into the branches, a small box wrapped in shiny red paper and tied with silver ribbon.

  “The Christmas tree is mine, not the hotel’s. The present is for you, but before you open it, let’s talk,” he said while she looked into his thickly lashed blue eyes, which could make her heartbeat quicken with just a glance. Her gaze drifted to his mouth and she drew a deep breath. Could she get through this evening without succumbing to his kisses? Or without getting emotional and crying?

  He cleared his throat before he began, and for a moment she thought he looked nervous. “First, I’ve had time to think about us. The week with you and Cody at the ranch was special.” He stepped closer to place his hands on her waist. She could have sworn he was trembling. Then he said the words she thought she’d never hear him speak again. The words she dreaded now.

  “Claire, I love you.”

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, hurt rippling inside. “Even though I’ve tried to get over you, I think I’ve always loved you,” she said, opening her eyes and looking up at him. “But that just compounds the problems between us without solving any of them.”

  But Nick wouldn’t be stopped. “I want to be with you and Cody. I want to share my life with you,” he said.

  She frowned. He knew all the impossible obstacles. Surely this wasn’t going to be a second round of the fight they’d had when they split four years earlier.

  “You’ve made me stop and think, Claire. That week on the ranch was the best week of my life. Maybe I’m missing really living, having love and a family in my life. I’ve thought about what you want and need, and what I want and need—what I can give up to make you happy.”

  She stared at him intently, suddenly afraid to breathe. She had never heard those words from him before.

  “Now I want you to hear what I have to say and then we’ll talk.”

  She nodded, wondering what he had planned, remembering that Nick was a politician, so accustomed to saying what he thought people wanted to hear, able to talk people into seeing things his way. Yet there was a tiny part of her that was hanging on his every word because he had never offered to give up one thing for her happiness before.

  “You want to stay in Houston, I know. I made a list of what you need and want—take care of your grandparents and continue running the three offices of the real estate business. Right?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, wondering what he would suggest.

  “I’ll tell you what I want. I’ve thought about my political career, my legal career in Dallas and the ranch. I love being a rancher and you made me stop and think. Why am I pursuing the others when ranching is what I love? But I can move to Houston and practice law there, and if I have to live in Houston to make you happy, I will.”

  She stared at him, barely able to breathe and wondering if she had heard him correctly. “You’d give up your political career?” she whispered.

  “Absolutely. I’ll do what I need to if it means you and Cody would be in my life. But now here is what I’m thinking—see if you would want this at all. I can move your grandparents with us to the ranch and get full-time care for your grandfather with as many nurses as you want. I can afford it. If it’s not satisfactory to live on the ranch, we could live in Dallas where I can practice law. Your grandparents can live in our house.”

  She blinked as another shock hit her...our house...was that a convoluted proposal? “You’re forget—”

  “Shh. Wait until I’m through,” he said, touching her lips lightly with his finger. “You can hire someone to run your business in Houston and you can open another one in Dallas. Between all the members of my family, we’ll have more contacts than your grandfather did, so you’ll not lack for customers. We know builders, too.”

  He stepped closer. “How am I doing so far?”

  Dazed, she stared at him. “Pretty good. You covered my grandparents, my business, the ranch, your career—you left out one thing, Nick. Us. Me and Cody.”

  “I just wanted you to know what I’m willing to do before I get to us,” he said. “Claire, I can’t tell you how empty my life has been without you and Cody. I don’t want to live that way.” His hands slipped to her waist and he drew her closer.

  “I love you, Claire. I love you with all my heart. I’ll do whatever I need to do to make you happy.”

  Her heart thudded and her breath left her. “Nick,” she gasped, wrapping her arms around his neck, fighting back tears. “You’re really willing to do all of that?”

  “If it gets me you and Cody, your love, yes, I am. You don’t need to ask twice. I’ll do what you want. I’m not losing you again. Will you marry me?”

  “Nick,” she said, her heart pounding with joy as she stood on tiptoe to kiss him.

  His arms banded her and he held her tightly, leaning over her to kiss her. She couldn’t stop tears of joy, of relief, thinking how much she had hurt just thinking of the empty nights ahead. Instead, Nick was willing to do whatever would make her happy so they could be together.

  “Hey, darlin’, you’re crying. Don’t cry. That’s the last thing I intended. I don’t want to hurt you ever again, Claire. I promise. You tell me what you want. I love you. Will you marry me?” he repeated.

  “Yes,” she answered, smiling and still crying. “Nick, I’ve hurt so badly and wanted you so much. Yes, I’ll marry you.” She kissed him then.

  When his words had had a moment to sink in, she asked him, “You really mean you’re giving up politics after you finish this term of office?”

  “I’m already finished. I resigned. It’ll be in the news tomorrow, I’m sure.”

  Staring at him, she was stunned. “You resigned as a Texas State Representative?”

  “Yes, I did. I thought we could work things out better if I gave that up right now.”

  “I’m stunned. You did that for me?”

  “I want you to know that I mean all this. I love you, Claire, and I’m not losing you again.”

  “Have you told your dad?”

  “Yes, I have, and he was delighted because he thinks now he’ll get to see more of Cody, and Mom is even happier about it. Mom said she regrets that they didn’t meet you when I was dating you.”

  “This is a day of one shock right after another,” she said, looking at Nick. She kissed him, trying to convey the love she felt for him, love that she no longer tried to crush or ignore or deny. Stepping back, she gazed into the blue eyes that she loved. He’d taken a huge step, given up something important to him, just for her. Now it was her turn.

  “Nick, I might want to commute and open a Dallas office after we get my grandparents settled, but if you want to be a rancher, I’ll move to Verity. The ranch would be a wonderful place for Cody to grow up.”

  Nick leaned close to kiss her, drawing her tightly against him. She closed her eyes, kissing him with joy and love. Happiness filled her as he leaned over her and kissed her passionately, and she held him tightly, thrilled that she had his love and they would be together, a family for Cody.

  In minutes, she leaned back to look up at him. “You would really have moved to Houston for me?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I would have. Whatever it takes to make you happy. I thought a lot about it and decided that all that was really important was the woman I love,
my child, my family. That’s true happiness for me.”

  “I’m amazed. I love you, Nick,” she said before he kissed her.

  When he released her, she gazed up at him. “Cody will be hyper when he finds out he’s going to live on a ranch.” She giggled then, feeling like an excited child herself. Then she realized she’d been remiss. “Nick, I need to ask my grandmother if they’ll be willing to move. I want to ask my grandfather, too.”

  “Fine. You talk to them first, but then I will. I can afford to get whatever medical help we need for your grandfather. Think I should ask your grandfather for your hand in marriage?”

  She laughed. “I don’t think you need to, since we have a three-year-old son.”

  “Remember, you have an early Christmas present on the tree. You can open it now.”

  She looked at the small box tucked between the branches of rosemary. She pulled it out, carefully untying the ribbon while Nick showered light kisses on her temple, her ear, her throat. As she unwrapped the paper, he turned to watch when she raised the lid. A small black box was inside. She glanced at him and then pulled it out to open it. She gasped as she looked at the sparkling ring with one huge diamond surrounded by a circle of smaller stones.

  “Oh, Nick. It’s beautiful.”

  Nick took it from her, taking her hand. “I love you, Claire, with all my heart.”

  “I love you,” she repeated, more tears of happiness falling.

  She hugged him and he kissed her, picking her up tightly in his arms to carry her to bed.

  * * *

  Later, as she lay cradled against him, she ran her finger along his jaw, feeling the tiny stubble. “Nick, I love you so. There’s never been another man since we first met. Not ever.” She kissed away his answer, holding him tightly, feeling giddy with happiness.

  “I’m going to spend a lifetime trying to make up to you for the breakup and the harsh words. I—”

  She placed her fingers on his lips. “Shh. That’s over and in the past, and we’ve moved on. Let it go, Nick, and I will, too. We’re together now and that’s what is important.”