The Texan's Secret Daughter

by Jolene Navarro

  Miguel began walking in the opposite direction, back to the Ranger. Elijah called out to him, but his friend shook his head. “I’ll wait by the car. I don’t think your cousin likes having people around. I have emails to check.” He waved his phone and turned away.

  Elijah caught up with them at the tack room. With a bucket of feed tucked into the crook of his arm, Damian gestured at the end stalls. “Don’t go near those guys.”

  Out in the pasture he rattled the bucket, and three horses trotted over. He talked in a low voice to each one as he gave them their treats, then, putting the bucket down, slipped a halter onto a pretty palomino mare.

  “She’s a little shy and might not ever be trailer ready. Perfect for light pleasure riding, though.”

  Elijah gently scanned the mare with the palm of his hand. Several areas of her coat were marked by scars. Her front legs were the worst. “What happened to her?”

  Belle shook her head. “She was a top prospect with outstanding bloodlines. Poor thing was in a four-car accident. A large truck T-boned the stock trailer she was in. The other two horses had to be put down on the spot. Williams, the owner, was going to put her down, too, but she’s his daughter’s horse. The little girl was there. She’d been hurt, too. She made her father promise to take her to the vet. They did surgery, but when they informed him she wouldn’t be able to perform or carry a foal he said she was useless. Dr. Ryan called Damian. They had to sedate her for the trip to the ranch.”

  Worried, Elijah studied the sturdy little mare. She rubbed her head against Damian as he talked to her in a low voice. “Is she stable? I don’t think Rosemarie has any experience.”

  Tossing the lead rope over the fence, Damian shook his head. “She’s good. If you don’t put her in a trailer, she’ll be fine. She likes kids.”

  “Williams just dumped her?”

  Damian’s hard nod radiated anger, and he petted the mare’s forelock.

  “She’s perfect, just like the horse my daughter showed me. What’s her name?”

  “Bueno Bueno Sonadora. They called her Dreamer.”

  “Just like my boats.” He stepped back and took a couple of pictures of her. “Nice. Can we move her to the main barn at the ranch house?”

  Damian nodded. “I’ll ride her over tomorrow and see how she reacts. You got the proper gear?”

  “I’ll get it.”

  He moved her to a stall and headed out to the opposite end of the barn, leaving Elijah and Belle standing alone. “I guess that means he’s done with us.”

  “Yep.” She squinted at him. “How are you doing? You seem to be taking fatherhood in stride. You are getting legal papers drawn up, right? You have rights as her father. Rights that were stolen.”

  He sighed and started moving to the door. “Jazmine and I are working this out between us. She’ll be in town for seven more weeks. That will give us time to work something out without upsetting Rosemarie.”

  His sister snorted. “You can’t trust her or her parents. They think they’re better than everyone else. Or at least better than us.”

  “She’s stronger than she used to be. I had lunch with them every day this past week. We’re going to the beach tomorrow.”

  She stopped and looked up at him, then threw her arms around his middle. “I’m so proud of you. You’re a good man and will make a great father. I know you’re already an awesome uncle. When will I get to meet my niece?”

  “We’re working—”

  “—it out. I know. Brother, you need to get something in writing. She can sue you for back child support.”

  He really didn’t want to talk about this right now. Moving to the truck, he adjusted his hat. “I’ve already talked to a lawyer about child support. I’m going to support my daughter.” It made him angry that Belle would even thing he’d try to wriggle out of his responsibilities. She should know him better than that.

  Letting go, she punched him on the shoulder. “Stop being a grumpy grump. I know you’re going to do what’s right. I’m just so mad they think they can keep her from you and then make you pay.”

  “No one is making me pay. Jazz has already told me not to buy her any more gifts.”

  She laughed. “And the first thing you do is get her a horse? This is going to be fun.” She sighed as they stopped at the front of the truck. “Why wasn’t I smart enough to fall in love with a good guy who wants to be a part of his children’s life?”

  “Don’t go there. You’re a great mother.” His gaze went to the scar on her face. She hated the guilt he carried for her injury. He hadn’t protected her when she needed it. “He doesn’t deserve the three greatest females on the planet.”

  His words didn’t budge the deep sadness in her eyes.

  “These females want to meet your special little girl. She’s part of the tribe now.”

  He let out a long breath. “Maybe they were better off without me. She had good reason to run. Why burden them with the De La Rosa legacy?”

  She took a step closer and placed her hand on his forearm. “Now it’s my turn to stop you there. We can change the legacy. It starts with us. My girls aren’t going to grow up scared and fighting for survival. All they know is love, ours and God’s. You have so much to give your daughter.” She cupped his face. “You lost Jazmine. But she’s giving you this opportunity to be a father, and you’re going to be a great one. Our daughters are blessed.”

  He nodded, but the heaviness in his gut didn’t let up. Could he really out run his uncle’s legacy? Was it buried in his DNA along with the alcoholism?

  Chapter Nine

  Elijah slowly guided his truck through the hordes of people that had descended on the beach. These days the tourists were outnumbering the locals.

  A few of the beachgoers recognized him and waved. This would be the most public place he had taken Rosemarie and Jazmine. All the lunches had been in private areas, out of the way. How could it have been such a short time since his daughter entered his world? It was a world he never expected, but he was anticipating the new adventure.

  He tried to imagine if he had been a part of her life from the start. When would he had taken her on her first beach day? She would already know how to boat and sail. Or was she still too young? She certainly could be using the boogie board like a pro. He was by her age.

  He had already been riding and deep-water fishing. He didn’t really remember learning to do any of that; it had just been part of his life. And it should have been part of his daughter’s.

  He closed his eyes and ran the morning’s verse through his mind. He had to stop thinking about all the “what-ifs” and just enjoy the moment.

  All he could do was make this day the best he could. Today Jazmine had agreed to bring Rosemarie to the beach for their lunch meeting, but they were going to meet earlier than normal so they’d have time to play in the sand and water.

  A couple of his staffers set up a canopy with chairs, and a cooler full of drinks and food at his favorite spot near the pier.

  From the top step leading to the beach, he scanned the area for his ex-wife and daughter. Did Jazmine still wear oversize floppy hats? She had hated the freckles that popped up across her nose whenever she got in the sun. Despite her mahogany skin, any outing would leave her with scattered sun kisses. He had loved them.

  She had blamed it on her Irish grandfather.

  Her father’s parents had always liked him. They’d been the only ones in the family who had welcomed him with open arms.

  They had to be in their early nineties by now. Were they still in Austin? He hadn’t thought about Jazmine losing her grandparents. A lot could happen in six years. He’d lost his uncle.

  Not that the man was missed. But he had also lost Xavier.

  He closed his eyes and shot up a quick prayer. Thoughts like that could send him into a bad mental place.

  He he
aded down the steps to the boardwalk over the dunes, looking up and down the beach.

  He glanced at his phone. It was still a few minutes early. They might not be here yet. He needed to relax.

  But then he saw a huge hat with a yellow lemon print scarf fluttering in the wind. They stood at the bottom of the steps, holding hands.

  He relaxed. They were here.

  Calling to get their attention, he waved as he made his way through the sand. Rosemarie twisted around and waved back.

  She stepped closer to her mother and gave him a tentative smile. He had to remind himself that he was still a stranger to her. He couldn’t expect her to feel a sudden father-daughter bond just because he did.

  It shocked him how much he craved something that he’d never even thought about.

  “Hey.” He went down to one knee, so they were eye to eye.

  “Hello.” It was a bashful greeting, but he took the smile as a good sign. It was the same shy smile Jazmine had given him when they first met.

  It might be corny, but both females had taken his heart the minute his gaze had fallen on them. There was no getting it back, ever.

  Even if Jazz didn’t want it.

  The love he had for his ex-wife was powerful, but it was nothing compared to the swelling of his heart as he looked into the eyes of their daughter.

  This had to be made right. Clearing his throat, he stood and gestured toward the shelter he had his employees set up. “We have everything for a great day on the beach. Shade.” He pointed to the oversize bright orange canopy, complete with back drape. “Drinks, food.” He gestured to the two coolers. “Sunblock and other essentials. And...” He looked at the large mesh bag. “I wonder what that is?”

  “Elijah?” Jazmine gave him a warning look. He could hear the no-more-gifts lecture already starting. But he had five years to make up for.

  “What? There are no gifts here. Just essential beach day stuff. Plus, I just arrived, and it was already here. Whose name is that?”

  “That’s my name!”

  He made an act of examining the tag. “Yep. It says property of Rosemarie.”

  “Elijah?” Jazz didn’t sound happy.

  He glanced at her. She had her hands on her hips, one brow up and her chin down. Oh man, that glare. It shouldn’t make him smile. Smiling was not appropriate. He turned to his daughter, so Jazz’s view was blocked.

  “It’s mine?”

  A lightness he couldn’t explain came from his core. “Looks like it. Maybe your grandparents sent it.”

  “Elijah. My parents didn’t send it.” She looked down at her daughter and tucked a strand of loose hair back in the clip. “Your father is messing with us. He had all this set up for you.”

  “Really? For me? Can I look inside?”

  With excitement bubbling off her, she glanced between Jazmine and Elijah. It was as if she wasn’t sure who could grant permission. He wasn’t sure either, so he looked at Jazz. She nodded.

  He rubbed his hands together. “Okay. Dig in and let’s see what kind of activities we get to do today.”

  With a low shriek, she fell to her knees in front of the bag. Elijah noted with amusement that it was slightly bigger than she was. A gasp of joy erupted as she started pulling out shovels, buckets and molds to build castles. With an exclamation, she held each item up. “Look at this. Oh, look at this one.”

  Next came a set of horses and little figures, ranging from princesses and pirates to cowboys, all ready to live in the sandcastles. “Wow. There’s more.” She kept pulling out beach paraphernalia: Frisbees, water goggles and snorkels. “Thank you so much.”

  Jazz looked at him with one brow raised. He knew it was too much, but Jazz had to understand growing up he hadn’t had money to buy even the cheapest plastic shovel.

  He held her gaze. “I have so much to make up for. Not just the five years, but everything I never got to give you.” He lowered his voice. “I hated not having money to buy you nice gifts. For never being able to get my sister the things other kids took for granted. I don’t know what else to give her.”

  Her eyes softened. “You’re enough. I never missed those gifts.”

  Rosemarie gasped, and they both turned to her at once. “Surfboards?” The toys were spread out around her, and her eyes went big.

  He went to his knees in the sand next to her. “They’re boogie boards. When you’re ready, I’ll show you how to use one. We can use them right here on the beach. We don’t have to paddle out, so I thought your mom would be happier about that.”

  She nodded. “Yeah, Momma likes me to stay close.” Her head swiveled as she looked at her loot.

  “So where do you want to start? Eat first, then play, or play, then eat? We can build castles or play in the water. It’s your day, so you tell me where you want to start.”

  Her eyes were huge. She stared at all the stuff he’d had delivered and looked frozen.

  Jazmine went to Rosemarie and sat down beside her. “Sweetheart, I know it’s a bit much and it’s hard to know where to start, so why don’t we eat a little lunch and make sure we drink plenty of water before we start playing in the sun. I think you should start with your dad showing you how to build a sandcastle.”

  Pulling Rosemarie into her lap, giving her a sandwich then applied sunscreen. “When we were younger, he built some of the biggest I ever saw. Once he made a giant mermaid riding a seahorse for me. When you get hot, he can take you to play in the waves and show you how to use the board.”

  She nodded. “Okay. Look, Momma, there are three boards. There’s one for you, too.” She tilted her head up to Jazmine and gave her an unreserved full-on smile.

  Elijah caught his breath as a yearning settled deep within him. It hurt. How did he become part of the mother and daughter family?

  He didn’t have a clue how a real family behaved. He’d never been a part of one. As close as he was to his sister and cousins, they never had a normal experience. Damian had always hated people in general, even before he’d enlisted. He’d never even had a girlfriend. Belle’s husband had left before their second child had been born, and Xavier had started off strong, just like Jazmine and him, but never got a chance to finish.

  They were a mess. Maybe the Judge and his wife were right, and Rosemarie would be better off without him. Right now, he was an outsider without a clue how to join the circle. Nothing new there.

  “Thank you, Daddy.” Rosemarie’s gentle voice pulled him out of his spiral of negativity.

  She smiled at him. It wasn’t as big or open as the one she’d shared with her mother, but it was a smile.

  He hadn’t thought it possible to fall love even deeper. The time was going too fast. How would she remember him after they went back home so soon? In a short time, she had managed to change his life in ways he could have never predicted. She changed him.

  “It’s like an early birthday.” Picking up a horse and shovel, she looked ready to attack the sand.

  Turbulence rocked the pit in his stomach. He didn’t know the day she was born. Where had he been while... He closed his eyes. “When’s your birthday?”

  “August seventeen.”

  He stopped breathing. Three weeks after his. They would be gone by then?

  Stay in the present.

  “This is not a birthday gift.” He flashed a worried glance at Jazmine. “It’s not even a gift. Just some stuff everyone needs on the beach. Let’s say it’s for all of us. So what do you want to do first? Your mom can rest here in the shade if she’s too tired to play.”

  Crossing her arms, Jazmine rolled her eyes. She had always done that, right from the first day he’d met her.

  Grabbing a cold bottle of water out of the cooler, he tossed it to her, then handed one to Rosemarie. “The sun is high today, so make sure to drink plenty of water.” He jutted his chin toward one of the chairs
. “Sit, relax, enjoy the view. We’re going to build a giant castle for your royal highness.” He winked at her.

  Rosemarie ditched the horse and grabbed a bucket. “I want to build a castle in the sand. Will you help me?”

  “That’s why I’m here. That looks like a good spot to build. What do you think?”

  With a nod, she ran to the area and dropped to her knees. He turned to Jazmine. “Are you going to join us?”

  She shook her head. “I’ll guard the mother ship. You have fun with her.”

  He looked at Rosemarie already digging and making a pile, then back at Jazz. “Has she said anything about me?”

  “Go build the sandcastle. You’re good at being a big kid. I’m giving you this time to spend with her. Do what you do best. Go play.”

  He glanced at his daughter, then back to his ex-wife. “Why don’t you come play with us? You look like you could do with a little fun.” Judging by the look on her face, that was the wrong thing to say. Smooth move, De La Rosa.

  She shifted in her chair and glanced at their daughter. “Being responsible for another human being is serious business, Elijah. Spend time with her. Talk to her. Listen to her. I’m going to read, but we will be leaving in two hours. Use your time wisely. Get to know your daughter.”

  “You were always too serious.”

  “And you always needed to grow up.”

  He bowed in defeat. He headed out into the sun, then stopped and turned back. “I’ve made arrangements for us to go horseback riding on the ranch. There’s a horse that’s perfect for her. Would Friday work for you?”

  “Elijah, I’m not sure she’s ready to go horseback riding.”

  He snorted. “She’s a De La Rosa. She was born ready to ride a horse.”

  “We’re here on the beach to spend time with you. Right here, right now. We’ll talk about future plans later.”

  “I don’t want to break any promises to her. Please don’t make me a liar.”

  “You told her about getting a horse before talking to me.” The wind snapped her hat back. As she went to grab it, her paperback fell off her lap.