The Secret Heir of Sunset Ranch

by Charlene Sands

  But the scene that was about to play out in the parlor of Aunt Mattie’s modest home could very well kill her with grief. Kat didn’t know how to stop it or protect her from the truth.

  “Have yourself a seat, son,” Aunt Mattie said. “I’ll take a seat, too, if you don’t mind. Little Connor here is quite a handful, tiring me out. He’s weighing nearly twenty pounds now, isn’t that right, Kat?”

  Kat’s stomach ached. She gave a hesitant nod. Justin waited for both of them to take a seat. Kat perched uneasily on a colorful floral chair and Aunt Mattie lowered herself onto her brushed suede recliner that must have once been a lemony yellow. Justin finally sat on the sofa and set his tan felt hat next to him. He kept darting glances at Connor.

  “Pardon the mess,” Aunt Mattie said. “Kat here is doing wonders fixing the place up on a scant budget. She’s got quite a flair for it, wouldn’t you say?”

  Justin scanned the room politely. Kat wondered if a man’s eye would notice things like handmade pillows in contrasting colors, small scatter rugs that tied the room together and flower vases and pictures placed strategically to enhance the modest three-bedroom home. When Kat had first arrived, with Mattie’s illness sapping her strength, the place had been a wreck. In the two months she’d lived here, she’d managed to stage the living spaces to bring new life to the house. Her arrival, or rather Connor’s arrival, had brought new life to Matilda Applegate, as well.

  “Looks nice and homey,” Justin said.

  She still couldn’t believe this man sitting here being polite to Mattie had lied to her about who he was. Why?

  She understood lies to some extent. She’d had to lie her way out of a few tight spots in her life. She could abide them, if it meant keeping your nose clean or protecting someone you loved. But why would Justin Slade lie to her about who he was back then?

  Her teeth clamped down so hard, pain shot to her head. Any second now...

  “You say you knew my nephew Brett?”

  “Yes, ma’am. We met in the marines. When we found out we were practically neighbors, coming from this part of Nevada and all, we got friendly.”

  Connor was beginning to relax. He turned around in Mattie’s arms and plunked his little bottom down in her lap. Tears welled in Kat’s eyes. This was a special moment, a brief but monumental span of time when Connor’s sweet brown eyes locked onto Justin’s for the first time. The gravity of the moment sent Kat’s mind spinning.

  Her son meeting his father.

  “Oh, look, Connor’s warming up to you. This is Brett’s boy. Going to have his first birthday before you know it.”

  Kat lowered her eyes, the weight of the situation crashing down on her shoulders. She had to think fast. To find a way to protect Mattie.

  “He’s your boy?” Justin asked her.

  “Yes.” Kat rose quickly and moved over to Mattie. “Let me take him, Aunt Mattie. Your arms must be tired from holding him most of the morning.”

  “Kat was trying to fix the flat,” Aunt Mattie explained to Justin. “The roads here are murder on the tires, you know. My arms are getting a bit tweaked. I’m not as young as I used to be,” she said as she handed Connor over carefully. “Though there’s nothing in this world better than holding our little Connor.”

  The baby was on his best behavior, not fidgeting as he was prone to do when he was around strangers. Connor clung to Kat’s neck and she kissed his soft little cheek before turning to face Justin. “Aunt Mattie is recovering from a heart attack. She took the news of Brett’s death very hard.”

  Aunt Mattie interjected, “I think I would’ve died, if it hadn’t been for Kat and Connor showing up when they did. That little boy was like an angel coming down from heaven to save my life.”

  Justin rose. His gaze switched back and forth from Connor to Kat. The suspicion she’d known would come lit up his eyes. “Brett never said he had a son.”

  Aunt Mattie chimed in. “That’s because Brett never knew about Connor. Kat came here looking for Brett, to finally tell him about his baby. But it was too late for Connor to meet his daddy. Kat’s been living here, taking care of me ever since.”

  Justin’s eyes rounded on her. ”You never told Brett he had a son.”

  The lines around Aunt Mattie’s eyes crinkled with worry. “Oh, dear. Did I say something wrong?”

  “No, it’s okay, Aunt Mattie,” Kat told her softly. “Justin was a friend of Brett’s. He might as well know the truth.” She stared at Justin, hoping to get her point across. Now that it had sunk in that she’d been deceived, she didn’t want to transfer the damage to Mattie. Her emotions rolled through her like a tornado, but she kept up appearances rather than hurt Mattie Applegate any further. “I met Brett in New York and we spent time together. After I learned I was pregnant, I tried to reach him overseas. But I never heard back from him. So, I stayed in the city and worked, raising my son until...well, until the day I decided to come to Nevada to try to find Brett here.”

  Justin glanced at the little boy in her arms and then focused back on her.

  Kat stilled her frustration at the man who’d deliberately lied to her. She continued quickly, “I didn’t find Brett, but I found Aunt Mattie.” Kat turned to face the older woman. “Meeting Connor was the best medicine for her. Her health has improved so much even her doctors can’t believe it. Isn’t that right, Aunt Mattie?”

  Aunt Mattie leaned forward in her recliner, nodding and making the sign of the cross across her chest. “It’s a miracle, is what it is. Connor is a gift from God.”

  Justin squeezed his eyes shut for a second and then glanced at Connor with a proprietary look that curdled Kat’s stomach. “He is at that.”

  The older woman began to rise. “Where are my manners? Would you like some pie? I can my own peaches and Kat made peach pie this morning. We’ll put on a pot of coffee, too. And then we can talk more about Brett.”

  “Sorry, I can’t,” Justin said firmly. “Please don’t get up. Thanks for the offer, but I’m short on time today.”

  Mattie’s face crumpled with disappointment. “You’ll come back, though. I’d like to hear about your friendship with Brett.”

  Justin stared at Kat, condemning her with a solemn look. At least he caught the gravity of Mattie’s situation and kept his lips buttoned. Kat was thankful for that. “I promise I’ll come back.” He walked over to Aunt Mattie and lowered down on one knee to gently take her hand. He focused his full attention on the seventy-year-old woman who had raised Brett Applegate since the age of five, after his folks were tragically killed by a deadly storm.

  “That’s good.” Mattie’s blue eyes glowed with warmth. She looked twenty years younger with that twinkle. “I’m very happy to meet one of Brett’s friends.”

  “Nice to meet you, too, ma’am. Brett always went on and on about his aunt Mattie. Why, I’d say Brett’s talk about your peach pie got all the men in our unit longing for a piece of that pie.”

  “Oh, that’s nice to hear, son. Next time you come, I’ll be sure to serve some up to you.”

  “Will do. I’ll be by again before you know it. We’ll have that talk about Brett.” Justin grabbed his hat and walked to the door, glancing Kat’s way with a pointed look. “Kat, if you come outside to lend a hand, I’ll change that tire for you.”

  “Isn’t that nice,” Mattie said, settling back in the recliner.

  Kat forced a smile. The authority in his voice told her the marine sergeant wasn’t one to mess with. But the more she thought about Justin Slade lying to her, the more she couldn’t tamp down a surge of anger. She wanted answers. “I’ll be right there.”

  Once Justin left the room, she kissed Connor’s cheek and placed him in the play yard that sat three feet away from Mattie’s chair. Connor sank his butt down and immediately picked up a Baby Einstein musical toy. He pushed the button, someth
ing he’d just learned to do, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” rang out to placate him.

  “I’ll watch him,” Aunt Mattie said.

  “Thanks. I shouldn’t be long.”

  Mattie peered outside the window with a thoughtful expression. “He seems like a nice young man.”

  Kat practically choked out her agreement. “He does seem so.”

  Then she walked outside to confront Justin Slade.

  She had no doubt in her mind the fudge was about to hit the fan.

  * * *

  Justin set the jack on the ground and began hoisting up the underbelly of Kat’s ten-year-old Chevy. Kat kept a safe distance away, watching him work with rolled-up sleeves, his face tight, sweat beading on his forehead.

  Looking at him now, she took a subjective view of what had happened in New York and understood why she’d broken her rule with him. Normally, she didn’t date soldiers or any other man who might drag her down to the ditch she’d clawed her way out of. She was heading to the top and nothing would stop her. She’d gone the poor man’s route once before with a young man, and that had gotten her nothing but grief. But Brett...or rather Justin, had had enough charm to persuade her to make an exception. She’d been so lonely, so desperate for a true friend. And he’d been that for two solid days. She’d opened up to him about her life and the recent loss of her mother. He’d listened. He’d understood. He hadn’t pressured her for sex. He hadn’t made a move on her that first night. He’d slept on her tiny living room sofa without complaint. They’d toured the city on a dime, and had laughs. The whole time, Kat knew the weekend was going nowhere. There wasn’t enough charm in the world to get her to give up her dream. She wasn’t going to fall for some down-on-his-luck and out-of-money hog farmer.

  With the jack in place, Justin fastened the wrench he’d found in the trunk over a lug nut on the wheel. The nut refused to budge and Justin dug his heels in, determined. Corded muscles in his forearms strained and bunched with each powerful jerk he gave the wrench. A vein popped from his neck as he put the full force of his body behind each counter-clockwise turn. After he managed to loosen the first lug nut, he sat back on his heels, wincing against the afternoon sunshine, and then shot her a glare. “Is Connor my son?”

  “Shh,” she said, glancing at the front door. Hopefully, Mattie was dozing. “Don’t let Aunt Mattie hear you.”

  Justin fastened the wrench to the next lug nut and turned it sharply to the left. The nut released. “How many men did you sleep with before and after you met me?”

  One other, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. She was certain Brett Applegate was Connor’s father...or at least the man she’d thought to be Brett. “You lied to me. You told me you were Brett.”

  Justin finished removing the nuts from the wheel and rose, his grim expression aimed straight at her. He approached, taking slow predatory steps. “Just how hard did you try to reach Brett Applegate after you got pregnant?”

  Kat visibly shook at his tone. He was determined to get to the truth. She wanted that, too, but protecting Aunt Mattie came first. “We can’t talk about this here. You saw Aunt Mattie. That woman has been through enough heartache in her life. Her heart is frail. I’m convinced she’ll have another setback if she overhears any of this conversation.”

  He stared at her with the full force of his dark brown eyes. Connor’s eyes. As if reading her thoughts, he spoke with a rasp in his voice. “That baby has my eyes and dark hair.”

  It was true. Connor looked enough like Justin to make those comparisons.

  “Shh, Aunt Mattie loves Connor. He’s given her new life. We can’t...we can’t have this conversation right now. If you’re truly a friend of Brett’s you know how much he loved her. He wouldn’t want her getting hurt. And that’s exactly what would happen if you—”

  Justin took the hint and spoke more quietly now. “I don’t plan on hurting Brett’s aunt. But if that boy is my son I have—”

  “Please...” Her nerves raw, she glanced at the door again. “Don’t you get it? I’m not going to talk to you about this here.”

  “We’re gonna have this conversation, Kat. Meet me at seven at my house at Sunset Ranch. It’s twenty miles west of here.”

  Kat’s body shook. She couldn’t go to the Slade house. Showing up on Sunset Ranch would only complicate matters. And she wasn’t going to tell Justin why just now. “I can’t.”

  A vein throbbed against the side of his throat, looking ready to burst. “Why not?”

  “I’ll meet you somewhere else. Someplace neutral.”

  He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m listening.”

  “There’s a little café in Silver Springs called Blossom. Do you know it?”

  “I’ll find it. I’ll meet you there at seven.”

  “Eight. I have to put Connor to bed first. I read to him every night and we have a routine. He’s a pretty good sleeper. It’ll be easier on Aunt Mattie if he’s already in bed when I leave.”

  Justin’s eyes softened at the mention of Connor’s sleep habits and for a second or two, she felt a sense of relief that her son’s daddy wasn’t lost to him forever. Then, Justin turned a sharp eye on her once again. “If you’re not there, I’ll come looking for you.”

  Really? Did he think she’d run out on him? “I’ll be there. I want answers, too.”

  “You’ll get them.” Dismissing her, he turned around and walked back to repair the flat.

  Her heart beating like crazy, she walked into the house. Mattie was indeed dozing. Thank goodness. Little Connor took one look at his mommy, rose onto his knees and then hoisted himself up by the wall of the play yard. He stood on planted feet, holding on tight to keep his balance. His eyes sparkled with pride over his newest accomplishment and Kat beamed with love and that same sense of pride.

  Your daddy is alive, Connor.

  He’s also rich and powerful.

  The implication made her dizzy. But Kat couldn’t think about all of that now. She had Mattie’s welfare to consider. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Matilda Applegate would suffer heart failure if she learned the truth about Connor. Kat couldn’t let that happen. Mattie didn’t deserve any more heartache in her life. There was a tipping point, and this was it. Kat would do everything in her power to protect her. With her flamboyant red hair, and sweetly feisty spirit, the older woman had touched something fierce and protective in Kat.

  She picked up Connor from the play yard and hugged him to her chest, stroking his soft dark curls.

  It was only minutes later, after she heard Justin drive off, that she could finally breathe evenly again.

  Two

  Justin ground his teeth together as he drove off the Applegate property. Shell-shocked wasn’t a strong enough term for what he was feeling right now. He’d come to spill his heart and guts out to Matilda about how Brett had died, and instead discovered he had a son—an adorable dark-haired, brown-eyed boy.

  His son.

  His mouth twisted. He had to be careful. He didn’t know anything for sure right now. The boy may or may not be his child.

  But he did remember Kat. So many things about her. He remembered her beauty, her creamy skin, her pretty green eyes and the way she accepted him inside her body with tight, wet, welcoming heat. Though he’d spent the weekend with her, they only had one night of sex. That one night made up for the prior eight months he’d gone without. Once they got going, there was no stopping them. She’d had no boundaries, no fussy little complaints, no inhibitions when they were together. Her only rule was that she didn’t want any entanglements afterward.

  She’d spelled it right out.

  She didn’t want a relationship with a soldier or a farmer.

  In other words, he was good enough to bed, but that’s where it would end.

  Justin
had gotten the message loud and clear and after leaving her without so much as exchanging phone numbers or addresses, he’d also understood better what Brett Applegate was up against with the fairer sex.

  Eight o’clock couldn’t come fast enough for him.

  He downed two more antacids and pushed the button to lower the windows. Damn that fool bet. Reversing roles hadn’t been one of his wisest moves, but now a child’s life was at stake. If Connor was his, then he would move heaven and earth to make up for lost time with his son.

  Stepping on the gas pedal, he peeled down the road. During scorching hot summers in Afghanistan he’d picture himself whipping down the highway with the sun at his back and the cool wind blowing his hair in ten different directions. Like now. He’d daydreamed about coming home to Sunset Ranch and working alongside his brothers, too. He’d clung to those thoughts as he battled both enemy and unyielding climate.

  Justin pulled into the parking lot of the Amber Pail, a hot spot for Douglas County locals and a place he probably should avoid. But it was early yet and he needed to kill some time and think without his family around. He climbed out of his truck, plopped his hat on his head and kept his sunglasses on. He strode toward the entrance to the bar and had nearly made it inside, when a man’s voice boomed out behind him.

  “Justin Slade...tell me you’re not planning on drinking alone.”

  Justin turned to find Sheriff Robbie Dunphy striding in his direction. Justin had gone to high school with the sheriff’s younger sister, Tiffany. “Hey, Robbie. How’s it going?”

  Robbie strode up to face him on the sidewalk. He filled out his tan uniform, the buttons on his shirt ready to pop. He stood head to head with Justin, and as usual had a smile on his face. He hardly fit the bill for a stereotypical hard-nosed lawman. “I got no complaints. How about you? You acclimatin’ to being home again?”

  “I’m getting there. Nine years is a long time to be away.”

  “I got to thinkin’ you might just make a career of soldiering, with you getting the Congressional Medal of Honor and all.”