“Not drunk, just...” Thinking he needed to have a nest to lure Tracy to. He trotted down the stairs and strode to his office.
“Tell me now if you’ve changed your mind, but friend...” His voice took on the tone his father had when he knew Steele needed advice. “You’ve had these plans for years. Now’s as good a time as any. And especially with your dad needing you around, now. How’s he doing, by the way?”
His dad did need him. The old guy spent too many hours doing everything alone. “He’s good. He’ll come home today.” It wasn’t his business to spread word of Angus’ mystery vacation.
Dalton rattled on for a few minutes.
Steele touched the spots where he and Tracy had used a red pencil to change walls and add features. He’d dreamed of living in this house, envisioned Tracy in his bed with his child in her arms. A man couldn’t put his life on hold forever while he waited for the perfect moment to arrive.
Today was the day.
“You got the house plans handy?” He cut Dalton off in mid sentence.
“Got ‘em right here.” The sound of papers shuffling came through the phone.
“I’ve got some changes to the house, and you see where the garage is?”
“Yes.” More paper shuffling noises. “Find plans for a full-size recording studio. That’s the lower level. Up above, I want a sound stage with all the trimmings, and offices. Plenty of offices.”
Dalton let out a whistle. “This’ll be a mother of a big project.”
“The house gets first priority, but find a second contractor to run the studio build. Price doesn’t matter. I want this done as fast as possible.” Never in his teens or twenties would he have imagined possessing the resources to be able to say something like that. What good was all that money sitting in the bank if he wasn’t happy?
“Send me your changes on the house plans, and give me a couple days to work them and the studio plans up. I’ll send the surveyors out today within the hour. But Steele?”
He headed upstairs for clothes so he could jump on a horse and ride out to the building site. “Yeah?”
“Where are you gonna park your truck?”
They both laughed. “Won’t be able to afford one after you get through with me.”
****
Angus came home that afternoon in a parade of trucks. Ryder, whom Angus had announced would be staying at the ranch, led the way carrying their father, Val came next with two-year-old Charlotte tucked into her car seat in the mini-van, and her husband, Travis, following in his truck with Gage, their wild four-year-old.
Steele trotted down the porch steps to grab his niece and nephew as they rushed him and screamed his name. Picking them up in his arms, he kissed their pudgy cheeks and listened to them ramble on about their new puppy.
Val squeezed his arm as she walked past. “You look good with those. You should get a couple of your own.”
Travis laughed as he carried Angus’s bag into the house. “Be careful, they’re more work than you think.”
Angus stood outside the passenger door of Ryder’s truck, gazing out at the ranch.
Everyone waited silently for him on the porch.
Steele knew how he felt. His land, his home. It had to frighten him to think about being taken too early.
His housekeeper and cook, Nora, stepped out onto the porch. “Welcome home, Mr. McLairn.”
His dad turned, a huge smile on his face. “Miss Nora. Have I been looking forward to your cooking.” The man rubbed his palms together, looking so young. A few wrinkles, but otherwise...wait. Hadn’t he collapsed onto the hardwood floor? Shouldn’t he have a broken nose, black eyes, or at least some bruising?
“Where’s your lady, Steele, my boy?”
“She had to get back to LA.” The lie stuck on his tongue, and his dad gave him the eye.
As Angus walked closer, little Gage held out his arms to him. “Buppa.”
“Come here you little wrangler.” He took his grandson in his arms, kissed Charlotte on the cheek and tickled her ribs.
She giggled and tucked into Steele. Her soft, baby smell did wonderfully strange things to his chest. He kissed Charlotte’s hair and followed the rest of the family into the house.
Nora was preparing a ridiculously huge meal for them, and after Angus rested an hour in his room, they all sat down to a fabulous steak dinner.
Despite their repeated questions, Angus wouldn’t reveal where he was going the next morning. “Nora will keep you boys fed, and Val will be tasked with keeping you from harming each other in any way.”
Steele looked at Ryder, who was on his second steak and eating like he’d been the one on hospital food for two days. His brother pointed his roll at Steele. “No promises.”
After they ate, Ryder, Travis, and Steele took the children to the barn where their ponies were stabled.
When the kids were safely seated on the little Shetlands, Travis took a lead in each hand and walked them around the corral. The kids’ squeals nearly popped Steele’s eardrums, but he couldn’t stop smiling.
He and Ryder leaned back on the fence rails as the sun dropped close to the horizon.
“Tracy’s gone?” Ryder watched the pony riders.
“Yep.” He had no intention of spilling his guts about the whole mess. Before he found out Ryder was his brother, they’d shared things with each other. Now, Chase was his only sounding board. He guessed that, in time, he and Ryder would get back to the way things were. But then again, they might not.
“You good?”
“No.”
Ryder huffed out a long breath. “Sorry, man.”
Charlotte started crying for mom and Gage wanted to go faster.
“Let’s help him out.” Ryder headed over to the toddler rodeo and Steele followed. They spent another half-hour walking in circles.
When they’d all made it back into the house, they found Angus and Val deep in conversation in the living room. The kids ran to tell them about their horsey ride, then Val sent them to the kitchen for milk and cookies.
“Sit down, everyone.” She looked too serious.
Travis sat next to her on the couch, and Steele and Ryder each took a club chair. “What’s up?”
“Travis and I have news.”
Angus grinned like a fool. “A baby?”
She smiled and nodded, a blush rising to her cheeks. “We haven’t told the kids yet, but we thought this would be a good time to tell the family.”
Congratulations went around, Angus directed Steele to pour four glasses of Scotch and one of water, and they had a toast.
Three kids. He watched Travis’ face, but he didn’t look like he was scared shitless, the way Steele would have been. That strange vision of Tracy with a baby came back to him. Was it a foretelling of the future? Or a picture of his secret desire?
After a bit, the kids ran back into the room, fresh-faced and with clean hands, thanks to Nora.
Travis stood. “Well, I’ll be getting the hoodlums home now. Angus.” He shook his father-in-law’s hand. “Good to have you home again, and whatever you’re doing for the next two weeks, Godspeed.” Everyone got a hug from Charlotte and Gage, including Nora and, surprisingly, Ryder. Travis herded the children out the front door.
“And you, Valerie?” Angus cocked an eyebrow at her. “You’re moving back home?”
She rolled her eyes. “No, but I wanted to stay the night here. In my old room.” She sucked in her lips. “The first time we’ve all been together.” Her jaw quivered.
“Ah, my girl. You’re our sentimental angel.” Angus tipped his head down.
A swell of emotion burst through Steele before he could tamp it down, and Ryder’s eyes were wide and unblinking.
She waved her hands. “No, don’t get me started. I’m too sensitive right now.” Val wiped a tear from under her eye. “Let’s talk about something else.” She laughed. “Like what you’re going to bring us from your vacation, Dad. Will it be a coconut or fresh salmon?”
Angus’ laughter echoed off the ceiling beams, and Ryder smiled at Val. For the first time, Steele could accept that this was now his family.
****
It was three in the morning and Steele flopped to the other side of his bed. He’d gotten no sleep as he continually replayed his conversation with Tracy the previous morning. “Fuck me.” He’d accused her of lying, practically gave himself absolution for listening in on her private phone conversation, and let her walk out of his home.
“Stupid.” He jumped out of bed and paced along the walls, glancing out the window at the moonlit barns and grassy meadow. What did he do now? Did he wait and let things cool down before he went after her? Or go now before she had time to think things through and realize what an idiot he was?
The light went on behind the closed door to the bathroom he shared with the guest bedroom. Where Ryder was sleeping.
Two quick knocks on the door, and it opened a few inches. “You got clothes on?”
“Yeah.” He grabbed a pair of nylon shorts and tugged them on over his briefs.
Ryder came in wearing sweatpants, his hair sticking up all over. “What’s going on? Sounded like you were holding a track meet in here?”
Steele plopped down on the bed and gestured to the leather chair in the corner. “Can’t sleep.”
“Tracy?” Ryder sat and stretched his legs out, crossing them at the ankles.
“Yeah. I fucked up.” He shook his head. “I thought she’d fucked up, but she had a damn good reason. Now we’re both screwed.”
Ryder snorted. “Sounds like you’re writing a new song there, bro.”
“Damn well might have to if I want to get her back.”
“You want her back?” Ryder rested his head on the chair. “How deep are you in?”
A board creaked in the hallway and his door opened a crack. “Boys only?” Val’s voice was quiet. “Or can girls come in, too?” She walked in, wearing a pair of penguin pajamas.
Steele patted the mattress beside him.
Ryder rocked his feet back and forth. “You’re probably better equipped to help this guy. He’s made a muck of things.”
She nodded. “I didn’t want to ask you in front of Dad, but where’s Tracy?”
“I think I might have ended it.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“You don’t know?” Val’s brows dropped low over her eyes as she plopped down beside Steele on his bed.
“I think she might have guessed that Ryder is related.” Steele’s gut churned.
Ryder, sitting in the stuffed chair in the corner, shrugged one shoulder. “People have been telling us for years that we look alike.”
“Um.” Val’s face looked like she was sucking on a lemon.
“We look nothing alike.” Steele frowned, looking at Ryder but not seeing the resemblance.
“The hell we don’t.” Ryder laughed. “You’re in denial.”
“Steele?” Val shuffled her feet on the braided rug.
“You look like Angus.” Steele tipped his head. “But I can’t—“
“Tracy didn’t have to guess.” Val blurted it out, and looked like she was about to cry. “I let it slip.”
“Aw, fu...shoot, Val, why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“With everything going on with Dad...” Her hand flailed in the air. “And things between you two boys were not good.” She dropped her head. “I’m sorry. That was really stupid of me.”
“No. It’s not your fault.” He rubbed her back for a few seconds then stood and paced to the window. “I should have known it would come out. I should have sent her back to LA, but I wanted her here, in case things went bad with Angus.” He turned to his siblings. “Selfish, huh?”
Val put a hand on the bed and leaned toward him. “You’re still thinking you were right to hide this from her? Steele, you should have told her right away. Don’t you trust her?”
“I do. I think I do. Shit, I don’t know.”
His brother and Val exchanged glances. Ryder looked at him. “You need to make up your mind. Either trust her with the whole thing, or make sure she’s not going to sell the story to the tabloids.”
Anger surged. “She wouldn’t do that.” His hand fisted as he watched his brother’s face break into a grin.
“Sounds like you have your trust answer right there.” Ryder winked at Val. “Was he always this easy to manipulate?”
She smiled. “Oh, yes. I could tell you stories all night of the things I got him to do just by using reverse psychology.”
“You’re not doing it in my room.” He pointed at each of the doors. “Out.” He was only half-serious.
“Go, Steele.” Ryder sat forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. “Go to LA and work it out.”
He flattened his hand on the window. “That’s the other thing. She lied to me. She went home to Montana, told me she was going to LA.”
“Why would she lie about going to Montana?” Val lay on her side on the bed, propping her head on her arm.
“I couldn’t get it out of her. Something with her mom, her brother or some guy getting out of prison, lying and stealing from her mother.” He stared at the full moon riding low in the sky. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s something she doesn’t want me involved in.”
“Steele.” Ryder pressed his hands together. “You wanted her here when your world was falling apart. You can imagine how she feels right now, trying to handle that mess all on her own.”
“Mm.” Val sucked in her lips. “He’s right. You should go.”
The urge to run out of there and jump on his plane nearly overpowered him. “I should.” What would her face look like when he showed up? What if she slapped him a good one and told him to go to hell?
“I know that look.” Val stood and walked to him. “You’re letting your brain work too hard.” She poked him in the clavicle. “Use your heart.”
Ryder just watched.
Steele nodded. He had to go. “It’s too early to call my assistant, but in the—”
Val grabbed his phone off the nightstand. “You’re a rich, eccentric billionaire who pays his staff far too much money for the little bit of work they do.” She shoved the phone at him. “Call them. Let them earn their keep.”
He pulled her in for a hug. “Love you, sis. Even though you’re a bossy little momma.”
She drew back, smiling. “Gotta be bossy, or nothing would ever get done around here.”
“Speaking of bossy.” Steele narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t you say you found Dad face-down on the living room floor?”
Val nodded.
“On the rug, or the hardwood?”
She tipped her head. “On the hardwood, why?”
“If he passed out and landed face first, wouldn’t he have at least a bruise?”
Ryder stood. “Yeah, I expected to see his face all effed up.”
Val groaned out a breath. “And the doctor found nothing whatsoever wrong with him.”
“We’ve been conned.” Ryder shook his head.
“By a genius.” It wasn’t much consolation to Steele that his actions hadn’t caused their father to have a heart attack, but instead had made the old man pull a stunt like this.
“He scared a year off my life.” Val planted her hands on her hips, her eyes sparking.
“To me...” Ryder shrugged one shoulder. “He didn’t seem capable of something so devious.”
Steele nodded. “Oh yeah, he’s crafty.”
Val looked at each of them. “The question is, how do we handle it? I mean, we don’t want him to do shit like this every time there’s a problem between us.”
Steele would love to confront Angus, but he’d find a way of denying it without actually lying to them. “I’m thinkin’ we just let it go. Act like we don’t know the truth.”
Val huffed out a breath. “And make sure we don’t do anything to incite the same behavior out of him.”
Ryder laughed. “You mean, we have to be nice to each other?�
�
They looked at each other, then smiles broke on their faces.
Val drew Ryder in for a quick hug. “I hope we can have more of this.” She gestured in a triangle between the three of them. “It’s just wonderful.” Her eyes glistened.
Steele reached out a hand and squeezed Ryder’s shoulder. “Yeah, it’s just lovely.” He pulled a face. “But please get the heck out of here so I can go after my woman.”
****
Tracy sat at her mother’s kitchen table in the little apartment in Havre, Montana. Nearly the entire surface was covered with the paperwork they’d received from her brother’s parole officer and a social worker that morning. They needed to finish everything and bring it back to the PO’s office by four.
She jumped when the buzzer went off announcing that someone was at the locked front entrance door.
“Who is it?” Her mother’s sweet voice nearly floated through the room as she pressed a button to answer. At sixty-five, the woman was still slim, and kept her light hair short and permed curly.
“Mrs. Hartman, my name is Steele McLairn. I’m here to see—”
“I’ve told you kids to knock it off.” Her mom’s voice came out shrill.
Tracy’s heart kicked up so fast, she could barely breathe. His voice, so low and sexy and... “Mom, no.” It was barely a whisper.
“Ma’am, I’m a friend of Tracy’s.” He sounded amused.
“Get away from here or I’ll call the sheriff.” She looked at Tracy and nodded proudly, then frowned. “Are you okay, dear?”
She reached out her hand and pointed to the speaker on the wall. “It’s Steele.”
Mona looked at the communication box then back at her daughter. “No, dear, the neighborhood boys like to play tricks on us old people.” Her lips tightened. “The little bastards.”
Tracy coughed out a laugh at her mother’s language and stood on shaking knees. “It’s really him, Mom. We’re...friends.” She made it to the door, ready to run downstairs and find him.
Three knocks sounded on the door. “Ma’am, I’m not here with any malicious intent. I’m looking for—”
Tracy flung the door open. Her heart raced as a shiver of delight shimmied through her. “Steele.”
“Holy mackerel!” Her mother laughed. “Let me get my camera.” She shuffled off toward her bedroom.
Heart of Steele Page 18