by Linda Warren
The conversation was interrupted by Cadde. “Chance, do you have the figures on the Crocker well?”
“I just sent them to your computer.”
“Good.”
Kid pointed to the paper. “Blanche Dumont died.”
“Oh.” Cadde glanced at Chance. “Are you okay?”
“Yep. I’m going to be fine.” He leaned back in his chair. “Blanche destroyed our parents’ lives for some selfish reason of her own. I can’t change that and I can’t keep holding all this anger inside me. They were adults and made their own choices. Now I have to make mine.”
Cadde nodded. “Sounds as if you’ve come to grips with it.”
“Yep.” He leaned forward. “It’s time to move on.”
“Wise advice.” Cadde turned to Kid. “Did you read the geologist and engineer report on our leases in the Eagle Ford area?”
“Yes. They’re damn good and should be very productive for Shilah Oil. We just have to get Jessie to agree.”
“I can handle Jessie.”
“Since when?” Kid asked as they walked out. “You haven’t made any progress in that direction in months. Hell, I have a better chance of persuading her than you do.”
“Shut up, Kid, and go to work.”
They bickered all the way down the hall, and Chance smiled for the first time in weeks. He was going to be okay. His brothers had his back and the world looked brighter than usual.
He stood and stared out the window, wondering if he and Shay could find their way back to each other.
Would the past always be an obstacle?
THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL dawned cloudy and there was rain in the forecast. Shay thought it was fitting for a woman whose life had been fraught with heartache and pain.
There was only a graveside service, with her, Darcy and Nettie attending. Blanche had alienated her friends a long time ago. The pastor from Shay and Darcy’s church performed a short ceremony and Darcy read a prayer. Just like that, a life ended.
Shay said a silent goodbye to a woman she didn’t understand, a woman she barely knew—one who’d flittered in and out of her life from time to time. Blanche certainly wasn’t a baking-cookies, PTA type mom, but could dish out guilt like cheesecake. She hadn’t been a mother at all. With Nettie’s help, Shay had practically raised herself. But the blood bond was there.
Now it was over. Shay prayed her mother had found some sort of peace.
Nettie nodded over her shoulder and Shay turned to see what she was nodding at.
A black Cadillac Escalade drove up to the curb. A tall, broad-shouldered man got out on the driver’s side. Shay knew who he was from the pictures she’d seen at Southern Cross—Judd Calhoun. A black-haired, beautiful woman joined him—Caitlyn, his wife. From the backseat she saw Renee emerging. What were they doing here?
“Darcy, stay with Nettie,” she said, and walked toward them.
When she reached Judd, he said, “I was never too fond of Blanche, but my mother wanted to come today and I couldn’t let her come alone.”
Caitlyn hugged her. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” Shay replied, a little dazed.
Renee hugged her in a cloud of Chanel. “Sugar, I’m so sorry—so sorry for everything you had to go through.”
“Th-thank you.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of this when I brought you the rings.” Renee reached into the car and pulled out a large velvet box.
Shay recognized it and took a step backward. “No,” she muttered.
“This is Blanche’s jewelry. You should have it,” the woman insisted.
“No,” she said again. “I could never take it. It’s tainted with too much heartache and betrayal.” She opened her purse and fished out the rings. “Take these, too. I don’t want them. It was such a nice gesture, but I can’t keep them.”
“Oh, Shay,” Renee murmured, and there was nothing but sincerity in her voice.
“How can you be so nice to me? My mother was your worst enemy. She hurt you, lied about you and destroyed your first marriage.”
Renee touched her cheek. “Sugar, I’m not doing this for Blanche. I’m doing this for you.”
“Oh.” The response took the wind out of her lungs. Could they possibly see her as her own person and not Blanche’s daughter?
“Tell you what I’ll do,” Judd said. “I’ll have the jewelry appraised, sell it and send you the money.”
“You can use it for your daughter’s education,” Caitlyn suggested. “Use it for good and forget about the bad stuff.”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m overwhelmed.”
“That’s understandable, sugar,” Renee said.
It was starting to drizzle, and Judd glanced toward the sky.
“We better go. It looks as if a downpour is coming.”
Shay waved with tears in her eyes as they drove away, and then she walked back to her daughter and Nettie. The Calhouns’ presence here today was truly a gift. They had forgiven her. How she wished Chance could make the same effort.
THEY STOOD FOR A MOMENT longer at the gravesite in the drizzling rain.
“I’m getting wet,” Darcy said.
“Then let’s go, child.” Nettie took her hand.
Shay stared at the coffin and vowed that she would leave all the bad stuff here: the anger, the bitterness, the resentment and the evil schemes of her mother. From this day forward she would try to fill her and Darcy’s life with goodness.
Darcy screamed and Shay whirled around to see what she was upset about. Darcy was flying across the lawn to a man getting out of a big silver truck.
Chance!
Shay’s heart knocked against her ribs so hard that she had to take a breath.
Darcy barreled into Chance, who lifted her and swung her around. She squealed with delight and wrapped her arms around his neck. A moment later she slid to the grass, took Chance’s hand and led him toward Shay.
She didn’t know she was holding her breath until the pain in her chest told her so. She gulped in air.
“See, Mommy? I told you Chance would come.”
And he had. Now what did she say?
Darcy gave Nettie a thumbs-up and whispered, “The love potion worked.”
“What?” Shay looked at Nettie, who was frowning at the child. What had those two concocted? She decided to let it ride. She had more important things on her mind—like the man standing in front of her.
Nettie grabbed Darcy’s hand. “Let’s go to the car. We’re getting wet.”
Unlike her usual behavior, Darcy went meekly. That left Shay and Chance alone with a gulf of pain between them.
She watched the rain tap-tapping on the plastic cover on his Stetson. She wanted to look into his eyes, but was afraid of what she would see.
“How are you?” he asked in a deep, soothing voice, that gave her the courage to raise her eyes to his. She caught her breath at what she saw there. The fog of pain had cleared, replaced by a look of peace. Dare she hope…?
She swallowed and said what was in her heart. “I need someone to hold me.”
He opened his arms and she flew into them, pressing against him. He held her in a viselike grip, his breath warm on her wet forehead.
“I’m sorry, Shay. I’m sorry.”
“Shh.” She pressed her fingers against his lips. “Please don’t apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“I just got lost in the past.”
“And now?” she asked, staring up at him, tasting the rain on her lips.
“I want a life, a normal life, with a woman I love.”
“Oh, Chance.” She stood on tiptoes to meet his kiss, and gave herself up to him and to everything that was yet to come in their lives. “I love you,” she whispered against his lips.
“I love you, too,” he groaned. “And that’s what was so hard about all this. Our love was being destroyed by our parents, and I couldn’t seem to change that.”
Shay buried h
er face against his damp shirt. “What changed your mind?”
“Darcy and Kid.”
“What?” She raised her head.
“Darcy called and said that I had to forgive you. And then she reminded me what I’d told her about forgiveness. It’s kind of eye-opening to have your words quoted back to you by an eight-year-old.”
“I didn’t even know she’d called.” It seemed as if her daughter had been very busy lately. But for the life of her Shay couldn’t find anything wrong with that. “And Kid? What did he say?”
Chance’s arms tightened around her. “He said if what I felt for you was the twenty-four-carat-gold, slip-on-the-left-hand kind, then I’d better hang on to it.”
She looked up at him. “So do we have that kind of love?”
He smiled and her heart melted. “I’m willing to bet that we do.”
“Me, too.” She burrowed into him, feeling loved. She had finally found the real thing.
“Do you know that it’s pouring down rain?” he asked with a note of humor in his voice.
“Yes. Does it matter?”
“No. I’ll love peeling off your clothes later.”
She looked through the rain at this incredible man who loved her, and said, “I love you. No matter what, I will always love you.”
His lips caught hers in a fiery kiss that bonded them together forever. Later, they would talk about their parents, and would be armed with a love so strong it could hurdle the obstacles of the past. They weren’t looking back. They were moving forward.
EPILOGUE
Six Months Later
CHANCE LEANED on the white board fence, watching Darcy ride her new horse, Sparky. She was born to the saddle, as Uncle Rufus would say, already galloping around the corral like a pro.
So much had changed in the last six months. They’d been married in Shay’s church, surrounded by family—Aunt Etta and Uncle Rufus were there, as well as the Calhouns and the Belles. Shay was a little overwhelmed by his extended family, but it didn’t take her long to love them, too.
They’d searched for a house, but couldn’t find one to suit them. Then Chance found a two-story colonial with barns and a pond, on twenty acres between Houston and Brenham. He thought it was perfect. Shay thought the house was too big, but the private bedroom and bath off the kitchen persuaded her. It would be Nettie’s private space.
But Nettie had other ideas. Once Nettie and Shay put their old houses on the market, she surprised them by saying she’d found an assisted living facility that she liked, and had signed a contract. Shay was devastated, but nothing she said changed Nettie’s mind.
Petey’s parents got back together and they moved to Arlington. He and Darcy wrote each other and talked on the phone. Darcy didn’t have time to be sad. She had a whole new life.
She galloped toward him now and pulled up, rubbing Sparky’s neck. “I asked Mommy something and she said I had to ask you.”
“What did you ask her?”
The girl took a long time petting her horse. Finally, she looked up and straightened her glasses. “I asked her if I could call you Daddy.”
His heart knocked against his ribs. “Since I’m adopting you, I think that would be nice.” He swallowed. “I am your father now, Darcy.”
“Cool,” she said, and galloped away.
Chance didn’t think it was possible to be any happier. He had everything he’d ever wanted—Shay, Darcy, a new home and a new life. They didn’t talk much about their parents. They didn’t need to. They had finally put the past to rest.
Judd, as promised, had mailed Shay a check for the jewelry, and they had put the money in trust for Darcy’s education. At least some good had come out of the horrible affair.
“Mommy’s coming,” Darcy shouted, waving like crazy.
He turned to see the silver Tahoe he’d given her as a wedding gift roll into the garage.
Moments later, two slim arms circled him from behind. “Ah, this feels good.”
With one arm, he reached around and pulled her in front of him. “Try it from this angle.”
She giggled and pressed into him. “Much better,” she cooed.
He kissed her gently, softly, and rested his forehead against hers. “How was school?” Shay was now going to college full time.
“Same ol’, same ol’.” She played with the buttons on his shirt. “I can’t believe I graduate in three months.”
He lifted her chin. “Then why the glum face?”
“I went by Nettie’s.”
“Oh.”
“I was hoping to find her miserable so I could bring her home, but she was laughing and talking with a group, playing dominoes.”
“So she’s happy?”
“I suppose. She’s telling fortunes, and the lady who does hair there quit, so she’s now doing hair again until they can find someone else.”
“Sounds as if she’s found her niche.”
“I know, but…”
“But what?”
“I would have never gotten through my awful childhood if it hadn’t been for Nettie. I want to be there for her like she was for me.”
He kissed the side of Shay’s face. “Let Nettie have her independence. Further down the road I’m sure she’ll need us, and we will be there for her.”
“I know.” Shay rested her head against him and he stroked her hair as his other hand crept beneath her knit top.
“Okay, mister, we’re out here in broad daylight with our daughter watching.”
He smiled and took her lips one more time.
“Watch me, Mommy,” Darcy called, and galloped full speed around the corral.
Shay turned in the circle of Chance’s arms. “Oh, isn’t that too fast?”
“Pull her up, hotshot,” he shouted.
“Okay, Daddy.” Darcy yanked the reins a moment before she reached the fence, and dust blanketed them.
“Darcy,” Shay scolded.
“Sorry, Mom.”
Chance pointed a finger at her. “Not again, hotshot.”
“Okay, Daddy.” Then Darcy quickly changed the subject. “Are we going to High Five this weekend?”
“Yes, we are,” he answered.
“Oh, boy. I get to play with Haley, Georgie, Val, Kira—and the twins.” She rolled her eyes as she mentioned the toddlers.
“I thought you liked them,” Shay said.
“I do, but they keep pulling my glasses off.”
“I’m sure you can cope,” Shay commented.
“Yeah.” She nodded. “And I get to hold the baby. I like babies.” After delivering that news, she cantered away.
Dane Cooper Yates, heir apparent to High Five, had been born in July. He was growing by leaps and bounds.
Shay looked at Chance. “That was not very subtle. How do you feel about babies?”
“Anything you want.” He felt a grin spread across his face.
“I’d like to wait until I finish my degree.”
“Okay, but we’ll practice a whole lot in the meantime.”
She laughed and burrowed against him. “So we’re going to High Five?”
“Yep, Uncle Rufus found a horse for you. Her name is Goldie. A golden horse for a golden lady.”
She looked up at him, her eyes wistful. “I’m not my mother. I don’t need material things. I just need you.”
“Oh, honey.” He held her tight and for a moment they were lost in a love that had survived against all odds.
She moved her head against him. “She’s calling you Daddy.”
“Yes, and it feels right.”
Shay’s arms encircled his neck and brought his lips down to hers, and nothing was said for some time.
Chance had learned a hard lesson: forgiveness brought immeasurable rewards. And the greatest reward of all was Shay’s love.
He would remember that for the rest of his life.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0972-5
THE TEXAN’S SECRET
Copyright © 2011 by Linda Warren
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*The Belles of Texas