Adopted Son

by Warren, Linda

  “No, Byron, I finished with my other appointments early.” She looked directly at him. “I’m sure you’ve already talked to my father.”

  He frowned. “The last conversation we had he said we weren’t hiring Mann and that he’d be in touch, but I haven’t heard from him.”

  Grace thought it was time to bring everything out into the open. “I want to get a few things straight.” She stepped farther into the room, her eyes holding his. “I’m not the ditzy blonde you think I am.”

  “Grace…”

  She held up a hand. “Let me talk, please.

  “I’m well aware that when my father ran for judge and won, he retained fifty-one percent of this law firm in a blind trust for his daughters—until the time one of us was willing to take over as managing partner. You drew up the blind trust and my father paid you very nicely to keep his secret. The secret being that he still had control of every major decision made by this law firm.”

  “It wasn’t…”

  “It was just like that. And neither you nor my father thought I had—” she narrowed her eyes in thought “—what do you guys say? You didn’t think I had the balls to run this company.”

  “That’s crude.”

  “Yes, it is, and it’s even cruder that you and my father thought I would never notice the manipulation and under-the-table tactics.”

  He stiffened visibly. “Stephen and I have known each other since law school, I’ve always been very loyal to him, even when he ran for Congress.”

  “But you resented his wish to have one of his daughters running the firm.”

  He stiffened even more. “I’ve been loyal to you, too, Grace.”

  “Yes, you have, and I appreciate that and I also appreciate your help in adjusting to the role as managing partner.”

  “You’re a natural.”

  “Thank you. And I wanted to let you know that I won’t be spending as much time in the office. I will have a personal life, too.”

  “I see.”

  “I make all major decisions concerning this law firm and you will not report anything that goes on in this firm to my father. Are we clear on that?”

  “Yes. We’re very clear.”

  She felt she didn’t need to say any more. She’d made her point.

  The board meeting went off without a hitch, and then she dealt with two lawyers who had complaints. Grace couldn’t wait to get away. She could almost feel that strict, stern exterior lifting from her as she made her way to the hospital.

  The administrator was more than glad to accept her money for comfortable chairs for the pediatric ward. He warned her there wasn’t a lot of room and they’d do the best they could. Grace could see that just donating the money was no guarantee it would be spent how she wanted it.

  After some more negotiating, he agreed to let her buy the chairs and have them delivered. Then she made a quick stop at a furniture store and bought three leather recliners. She talked the manager into delivering them that day. Tonight Barbara Wilcott would be able to rest comfortably.

  On impulse, she went back to the hospital to see how Lisa, Keith and Brady were doing. On the way she picked up food for Barbara. Everything was quiet on the ward. Barbara was flipping through a magazine and Grace was surprised to see Brady in his bed. Keith and Lisa weren’t there.

  “Where are the Templetons?” she asked Barbara.

  “Lisa was really sick and Keith took her home.” Barbara laid down her magazine. “She’s probably coming down with something.”

  “How’s Brady doing?”

  “Better, but he keeps watching the door. I think he’s looking for Ranger Tucker. That’s my personal opinion.”

  Grace thought she was probably right. Even at Brady’s age, he knew Tuck cared about him.

  “How’s your little girl?”

  “No change.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “My husband and I are still praying and hoping.”

  “Have you eaten today?”

  Barbara nodded. “Yes. I’ve had a snack this morning. I don’t need much.”

  Grace held up a bag. “How would you like a hamburger, fries and chocolate malt?”

  “You’re one of a kind.” Barbara smiled and took the bag without any protest.

  “The good part is you can eat it in here before anyone sees you.”

  “Thank you, Grace.”

  As Barbara ate, Grace walked over to Brady. He was walking around his bed, eyeing her warily.

  “Hi, Brady.” She smiled at him.

  He touched one eye.

  She clapped her hands. “Yes. I see those long eyelashes.”

  Loud noises came from the corridor and Grace knew the chairs were being delivered. She had wanted to be gone before that happened.

  “Goodbye, Brady.” She waved and walked out into the hall.

  Jennifer was arguing with the deliveryman.

  “No one told me about any chairs,” Jennifer was saying. “We don’t have luxuries like that here. You must have the wrong hospital.”

  “Lady, I’m not stupid,” the man snarled. “I can read a delivery order.”

  “I’ll have to call the administrator.”

  “Go ahead.”

  Grace poked the elevator button, hoping to be gone before Jennifer spotted her. Her luck didn’t hold.

  “Ms. Whitten,” Jennifer called.

  Grace waved and stepped onto the elevator. She wasn’t waiting around for Jennifer to ask her if she knew anything about the chairs.

  She didn’t want to lie.

  TUCK SPENT MOST of the morning at the district attorney’s office going over details of the embezzlement case, then he stopped in to see a friend from college, an architect. Tuck told Joel what he wanted and Joel made plans to come look at the house. After that, he’d draw up plans for Tuck’s approval.

  From there Tuck went by Caleb’s office to let him know that he’d only be taking a week off instead of the month they’d planned. Caleb said that was okay and wanted to make sure Tuck could handle Caleb’s office when the baby came.

  Tuck razzed him about being nervous, but he assured Caleb he would be there for him. The McCains were big on togetherness and Tuck found he was, too.

  He returned home to an empty house. Sam barked at him and Dee curled around his leg, as usual. Although nothing really had changed in the household, something seemed different. The scent of lilac lingered in the room and reminded him Grace wasn’t here. Suddenly she was becoming the center of his world. Glancing at his watch, he wondered how much longer she would be.

  To keep from thinking, he would start cleaning out the attic. The stairs to the second floor went up from the den. The banister was made of cedar and he probably wouldn’t change that. Two bedrooms, both small, occupied the floor. He and Eli shared one for a lot of years. Tuck would like to make the rooms bigger and put in a bathroom.

  When he pulled the cord in the ceiling of the small hallway, the attic ladder slid down and he began to climb. The sight took his breath away. Junk, clutter, dust and cobwebs covered the place. He coughed a couple of times to clear his lungs.

  The place was a mess. He hadn’t been up here since Ma had died and he stored away some of her things. He picked up a lava lamp Ma had bought in Vegas when they had gone on one of their rare trips. Pa hated the lamp and Tuck couldn’t say he was all that crazy about it. So why was he keeping it? For the memories? He was living in the past and it was time to savor those memories and then let them go.

  He could do that now.

  “Tuck, where are you? I’m back.” When he heard Grace’s voice, he shimmied down the ladder in half the time it took to go up it.

  “I’m coming,” he shouted. Taking the stairs two at a time he saw her in the kitchen, holding Sam with Dee curled around her leg.

  “Look,” she said, staring down at Dee. “She’s finally made friends with me.”

  He cupped her face. “You’re just too hard to resist.” He kissed her soft lips and Sam yelp
ed. They laughed and Grace set Sam on the floor. Tuck sat down, pulling her into his lap. “How was your day?”

  “Pretty good. Byron knows where I stand.” She played with the hair curling at his neck and lazy, languid feelings filled him. “I stopped by the hospital.”

  “Why?” He was immediately alert. “Is something wrong?”

  “Yes. Barbara Wilcott has no place to sleep.”

  He blinked. “What?”

  “I had a meeting with the CEO and the administrator of the hospital and they were very excited I wanted to donate some money. They had all sorts of causes that needed it, but I said I wanted to buy recliners for the pediatric ward. They tried to appease me with other, more urgent needs and I quickly told them what my bottom line was. Since I’m rather pushy, they eventually saw it my way. Tonight Barbara will be able to stretch out with a hand on her child and go to sleep in some measure of comfort.” She paused. “This is just between you and me. I don’t want Barbara or anyone else to know I purchased the chairs.”

  Tuck stared at her and thought, She’s the one. Grace is the woman for me. So many times he’d wished he could help Barbara, but he didn’t know what to do for her. Grace, on the other hand, went out of her way to see that something was done and at her own expense.

  “You’re wonderful,” he murmured, and tucked her hair behind her ear. He noticed that worried look in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “I stopped in to check on Brady and the Templetons, but Barbara said that Lisa had become ill and Keith had taken her home. Brady was all alone. I just hope everything’s okay.”

  This news sobered him and he reached for the phone on the wall to call Opal.

  “Hey, Opal, how are you doing?”

  “Ranger Tucker, I’m doing just fine.”

  “How’s Brady?”

  “So that’s the reason for the call.”

  “I heard Lisa Templeton is ill.”

  “Twenty-four-hour bug, nothing else. She’ll be back at the hospital in the morning.”

  “Good. I was just checking.”

  “You have a hard time letting go, don’t you, Ranger Tucker?”

  “Yes, ma’am, but I’m getting better.”

  “Good for you. Take care now.”

  “You bet.”

  Tuck relayed the conversation to Grace.

  “Good.” She seemed relieved. “What have you been doing all day?”

  He told her about his day. “I just had a look at the attic and it’s a nightmare.”

  “I’m here to help.” She kissed the tip of his nose.

  “There are cobwebs up there.” He knew her fear of spiders and it didn’t take long to see that fear in her eyes.

  “Oh.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll slay your spiders.”

  “Ah, my hero.”

  He took her lips in a long, deep kiss.

  Soon they’d have to make decisions about the future—their future. Now, he knew they had one.

  EACH DAY TUCK CONTINUED his work, cleaning out the attic. Grace helped when she arrived after a full day at the office. Each day, her workday was getting longer and longer. This was minor, he told himself. Soon he’d be back at work, too.

  He had a pile of things for Eli to go through and he was after him to get it done. He carried all the clothes and old furniture to a homeless shelter. Old papers and bank records he burned behind the house in a barrel. The attic was beginning to look bare.

  The highlight of Tuck’s day was waiting for the sound of Grace’s car in his driveway. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was a pattern for their relationship. He knew she was having problems at work and he was trying very hard to be understanding. The plumbing had burst in the day care and it had been a big mess, and then two lawyers were at odds over a trial and Grace sat in on the proceeding to ensure harmony and a fair trial for their client. She carried an enormous load, and Tuck knew her loyalty and dedication to the firm.

  But he missed her.

  That night they were keeping Jesse. Caroline had called saying they had plans to go out with Caleb and Josie but didn’t have anywhere to leave Jesse. Her sitters were engaged in other activities. Grace laughed and said to bring him over. Her sitters were open for business.

  Grace barely had time to kiss Tuck before Caroline and Eli arrived. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “We never have enough time.”

  “I know. We’ll have to talk about that.”

  Before she could respond, Eli carted in Jesse’s Pack ’n Play. Caroline was holding Jesse and Grace grabbed him immediately, soaking up the sweet smell of the baby. She’d missed him.

  “About time you two came up for air,” Eli said. “And no hanky-panky stuff in front of my son.”

  Caroline slapped Eli’s shoulder. “Will you stop it?”

  “What?” Eli acted innocent.

  “We should be home around ten,” Caroline said, and kissed Jesse. “Bye, sweetie.”

  “Take your time,” Tuck said. “We’ll be here. And, Eli, you’re not getting your son back until you agree to go through some of this stuff.” Tuck glanced at the boxes stacked on the floor in a corner.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll come by first thing in the morning.”

  “I have your word.”

  “God, you’re relentless.” Eli sighed. “You have my word.”

  After they left, Tuck and Grace spent the evening playing with Jesse. Soon the baby grew drowsy and Grace gave him a bottle and put him in the Pack ’n Play for the night. Jesse went to sleep almost instantly.

  She curled up in Tuck’s arms in his recliner as they watched an old movie. She sensed the tension in him. “Are you upset with me?”

  “Of course not. I just miss you.”

  She relaxed. “I’m thinking of hiring a personal assistant.”

  “Would that help?”

  “I don’t know, but I have to do something. I’m not happy being away from you, either.”

  “I go back to work on Monday and our time together will be shorter.”

  She raised up. “We have a problem, Jeremiah Tucker.”

  He smiled and her pulse raced. “Kiss me and let’s see if we can’t make it better.”

  She obliged, and it made everything better.

  For now.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  THE NEXT MORNING Grace hurried off to work while Tuck and Eli went through the remaining things.

  “I don’t know why you’re insisting I go through this stuff,” Eli complained.

  “Because it belongs to both of us, so stop whining,” Tuck told him.

  “Okay.” Eli sat on the edge of the den sofa, looking around at the boxes and strewn items. “It’s a big mess in here. Where do we start?”

  “Let’s start with the lava lamp.”

  “You’re kidding, right? I do not want that gaudy thing.”

  “Ma loved it.”

  “She saw beauty in everything.”

  Eli was right. Ma never saw the bad in anything or anyone. “Okay. I’ll keep it.” He pointed to a gun propped against the wall. “There’s an L.C. Smith shotgun and this knife.” He fished it out of a box. “Both were made in the twenties and have Pa’s initials on them. Which do you want?”

  “You choose.”

  “I’ll take the gun.”

  “Good. I’ll take the knife.” Eli reached for it, opening up the blades. “Look at the pearl inlay. This is a cool knife.”

  Tuck knew Eli would rather have the knife. That’s why he chose the gun.

  Tuck pointed to a box. “There are all your high school and college photos and trophies.”

  Eli frowned. “I don’t want them.”

  “Caroline might. And Jesse might want to see them one day.”

  “Sometimes you’re worse than an old woman, Tuck.”

  Tuck let that pass and squatted by a box. “Here are Ma’s and Pa’s old country albums.” He sorted through them. “Some are signed by the artist—Ernest Tubbs, Porter Wagoner, Loretta Lynn, The Wilburn
Brothers, The Louvin Brothers, The Carter Family and some I don’t have a clue who they are. I think I’ll keep them and the record player.”

  “Fine. I don’t have any use for them.”

  Tuck reached for a small box. “This is Ma’s and Pa’s wedding rings.”

  “Those are yours. I already have a wedding ring.”

  Tuck sat in his chair, staring at the gold bands. “I might use these.”

  Eli stopped digging through a box and gaped at him. “What?”

  “I might use these,” he repeated.

  “The man who said he was never getting married is thinking about marriage?”

  “Yes,” Tuck replied without hesitation.

  “Wow. I thought I’d never see this day.”

  “Me, neither, but how many times have you told me that my day was coming?”

  “Too many to remember.” Eli scooted back on the sofa. “So you’re giving up your plans to take in foster kids?”

  Tuck closed the velvet box. “I’m not sure. Grace understands me more than any woman ever has. All I know is that my need to be with her is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt.”

  “How does Grace feel?”

  “We haven’t made a commitment to each other. We’re taking it slow, finding each other, enjoying our time together.”

  “But soon you have to face reality.”

  “Yeah.” Tuck nodded. “Soon we have to talk.”

  “And you’re scared to death.”

  Tuck raised his head. “You could be right. I’ve never allowed a woman to change my way of thinking.”

  “Are you afraid she doesn’t feel the same way?”

  “No. I’m afraid of the obstacles standing in our way.”

  “Like what?” Eli asked.

  “Like her job and her father.”

  “Grace has always been dominated by Stephen but lately she seems to be breaking free.”

  “She’s changing, too.”

  “You two need to have a good, honest talk.”

  Tuck fingered the box. “Tonight I plan to do that. As long as we’re honest with each other, we can make it work. I know we can.”

  “Do you realize this will make us brothers-in-law? And let me tell you something. You’re getting the Whittens fifty-fifty. There’s no need for them to be camped out at my house all the time.”