She didn’t want to leave him. He knew she didn’t, and this had nothing to do with Jeremy. The days of behaving professionally were over. Vic had instincts, too, and before long he’d act on them.
* * *
CLAIRE LEFT HER parents’ at nine thirty and headed back to Vic’s house. It had been good to see her sisters, who both worked. They wanted to know which job she’d decided to take and envied her for having such great opportunities now that she’d received her degree. But she told them she was still thinking things over.
Kaye, particularly, couldn’t understand how Claire had ever decided to be a nanny in the first place. Everyone wanted to talk about the kidnapping. Barbara kept asking about the dishy Texas Ranger she worked for. “He’s a complete hunk, Claire.”
She really didn’t want to discuss him. “He’s a wonderful father. Today he bought Jeremy a miniature horse.”
“Oh...” both her sisters said at the same time.
“I have some pictures.” She passed her phone around so they could see Jeremy playing with the horse. “He’s named it Daken, son of Wolverine.”
Everyone laughed. Her mom looked at her. “These pictures are priceless.”
“I agree.”
Her father studied the photos for a while. “When are you leaving them, honey?”
“As soon as he’s hired a new nanny. Vic’s interviewing some applicants on Monday and Tuesday. He wants me there, too. As soon as he’s made a decision, then I can go. I went to Houston yesterday and found several condos for sale that are decently priced and in a good neighborhood.”
“When the time comes we’ll help you move.”
“Thanks, Dad. I’d better go now. Love all of you.”
When she got out to her car, she sat there for a minute, resting her forehead against the steering wheel. Wow. It was really going to happen. Talking with her family had made it a reality, but she’d never felt such pain in her life.
Before her family noticed she hadn’t left yet, she pulled away from the curb and took off for the highway. The more she tried to deny her true feelings, the more she hated the thought of leaving Austin. Jeremy and his father had been her whole world for nine months. It ripped her heart out to think that next week this would all be over.
It didn’t have to be over if she was willing to stay on. But was she really willing to hang on to a life that wasn’t truly hers, living on the outskirts of a family without being a part of it? Without knowing Vic’s love? For how long? Until he married someone and she had to leave?
Over and over Claire went through this thought process in her mind. Every time she ended up coming to the same conclusion. Nothing but marriage to him could ever satisfy her. She wanted Jeremy to be her little boy. If she never had another child, it wouldn’t matter.
The way Vic had looked at her while they’d been at the farm today had set her on fire. She could still feel it, making her body tremble. Was she mistaken, or had she seen desire burning for her in the black depths of his eyes? Maybe she wanted him so much, she’d imagined those moments at the fence when she could hardly breathe.
When love hits, you know it.
He might have been talking about Jeremy and his new horse, but it seemed to her he’d meant it to mean something much more personal. Had it been his way of telling her how he felt about her? Did she dare think it? Believe it? If she didn’t get an answer to those questions soon, she didn’t know how she could go on living.
They’d both been so careful all these months to honor boundaries. In the beginning she knew he was still trying to put his grief behind him. Claire had been so careful not to intrude on his private thoughts. He was a man who kept things close to his chest, especially with the enormous responsibilities he carried as a Ranger.
She knew from the first day that she loved her job and wouldn’t say or do anything that could jeopardize his faith in her. She could imagine the women who wished they had the inside track on him. But it would take a very special woman to penetrate the casing that guarded his heart.
He’d been so shattered over losing his wife and parents, it was a miracle he’d been able to carry on. Jeremy was the one responsible for giving Vic a reason to go on living. She’d learned that long before Jeremy had been kidnapped.
When she’d realized he wasn’t coming out of school that day, her heart had almost died because she knew the news would tear Vic to pieces. If he’d been killed, then she knew Vic would want to die. They had to find him and find him fast. Someone upstairs had heard her prayers. His son was now home and safe and sound.
After parking the car in the garage, she entered the kitchen and tiptoed down the hall past the den. The door was closed, but she could see light shining through the crack. Vic didn’t want to be disturbed. He was probably talking with his friends about the case he couldn’t investigate further until his boss told him he could get back to work.
She peeked in Jeremy’s room. He was asleep. The poor kid had to be worn out after such a huge day. To be truthful, Claire was exhausted, but it was the mental kind. After taking a shower she got ready for bed. She didn’t know she’d fallen asleep until she heard Jeremy’s voice. He’d come into her room and stood at the side of her bed in his pajamas.
Her watch said 2:00 a.m. Alarmed, she sat up. “Hi, honey. What’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”
“No. Dad’s in the den and the door is closed. Can I sleep with you?”
After the horror he’d lived through, how could she turn him away?
“Okay. Climb under the covers.”
He scrambled onto the king-size bed. She gave him one of her pillows and turned on her side to look at him in the semidarkness.
Tears slid down his cheeks. “I don’t want you to leave.”
She leaned over and kissed his forehead. “Let’s not worry about my leaving tonight. I want to hear about Daken.”
“He follows me everywhere.”
“You’ve got a friend for life. A horse can live a long time.”
“That’s what Dad said. Nate’s mom let him come over this afternoon. He didn’t want to leave when it was time to go home. Tomorrow we’re going to teach Daken tricks.”
“What a wonderful idea. I bet Nate wants a miniature horse, too.”
“But they don’t have a pasture or a barn.”
“That’s right, and your little horse has to eat grass.”
“Claire? Do you like my dad?”
Wow. That was out of the blue. “Of course I do.”
“But I mean do you really like him?”
Oh, Jeremy...
“Yes. I really do. He’s the best Texas Ranger in the whole state and the best father I’ve ever seen. He found you when nobody else could. That’s because he loves you so much.” Suddenly she remembered something and reached for her phone. “I want to show you something.”
“What?”
“That first day we’d been looking everywhere for you and had to come home to sleep. Your father and Ranger Saunders were so exhausted, they plopped down in the family room. Take a look. Your dad doesn’t know I took this.” She handed him the phone.
Jeremy laughed. “They look funny all sprawled out. Dad doesn’t have his shoes on.”
“I told him to take them off and lie down. He was so spent after worrying about you all evening, that he never moved the rest of the night. Neither did Ranger Saunders.” She took the phone and put it back on the table.
“Claire?” Jeremy said. He sounded so sober.
“Yes?” Her heart was pounding.
“Do you love my dad?”
She needed to give him a safe answer. “Yes. Who wouldn’t love him? He’s what heroes are made of.”
“I knew you did. Thanks for letting me talk to you. I’ll go back to bed now.”
That was a
surprise. “Okay. See you in the morning. Sleep well.”
Chapter Seven
Vic couldn’t believe it when Jeremy climbed into his bed Sunday morning. He checked his watch through bleary eyes. It was only seven thirty. He hadn’t left the den until three. Kit had sent him some information on the case. So far they hadn’t been able to find a link to anyone higher up in the government who could’ve orchestrated the kidnapping plot.
Vic pored over the coroner’s report on the crash in Colorado until long after he’d put his son to bed. No alcohol or drugs had been involved. Jamison Lowell had definitely been eliminated. Vic wanted to do a thorough background check on him, but it wouldn’t happen until he was allowed back to work.
He’d heard the garage door open around ten and knew Claire had gotten home safely. Much as he’d wanted to intercept her, he needed to wait until they were alone. He didn’t want Jeremy to hear them talking.
On Monday, after he got back from therapy, he’d make arrangements for his son to play at Nate’s house for a few hours. Hopefully Nate’s mom could bring him home when it was time for the nanny interviews. During the time they’d have alone, he hoped to get some answers from Claire before he made a decision that could change their lives.
“Dad—I’ve got something to tell you.”
“Can it wait for a little while, sport? I haven’t had enough sleep.”
“But this is important.”
“I know you love Daken, but you’ll have to wait to play with him until after breakfast when I’m up and dressed.”
“Claire let me get in bed with her last night.”
That brought Vic to a sitting position in a hurry. He raked a hand through his hair. To his knowledge it had never happened before. His son had needed a mother’s comfort. “If you had a nightmare, you should have come to my room.”
“But you were in the den and the door was closed. You told me that when it’s closed, I’m not supposed to go in because you’re doing Ranger business.”
Vic’s eyes closed tightly. “That was a dumb rule. You can always come in. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. She was nice and didn’t get mad or anything.”
Claire would never be anything but loving to his son. He’d never seen her behave any other way.
“Did she tell you a story to help you get to sleep?”
“No. I asked her if she loved you, and guess what?”
Adrenaline surged through his body. “What?”
“She said she did! She showed me a picture of you she took on her phone when you were asleep.”
“What?”
“It was really funny. You didn’t have your shoes on and Kit was sound asleep, too.”
Vic remembered that night all too well, but he didn’t know she’d pulled out her phone while he and Kit were unconscious.
“She said you’re a real superhero.”
“She did, huh?”
“Yeah. She says you’re the best Texas Ranger in the whole state.”
The words were gratifying to hear, but there was a whole lot of difference between loving someone, and being in love. Jeremy didn’t understand that distinction when it came to men and women.
“I bet if you told her you loved her, she’d stay with us.”
He sucked in his breath. “You think?”
“Yes. You love her, don’t you?”
“Yes. Everyone loves Claire.”
“I mean the way you loved Mom.”
Well, well. Maybe his boy understood a lot more than he’d given him credit for. “I think you’re asking too many questions. Let me get showered and we’ll talk later. Okay?”
No more sleep for him. The conversation with his son had him feeling wide awake. Later when he walked to the kitchen, he found everyone gone. Claire had left his breakfast on the stove.
Of course he knew where they were. He poured himself coffee and downed the eggs and bacon before heading for the barn. Before he reached it, he spotted three figures and a little horse out in the nearby pasture. Nate had already come over.
Vic stopped walking so he could take in the scene. Peals of laughter came from the boys as Daken followed them around. Like one of the kids, Claire sat in the green grass urging the horse to come to her. He yearned to get down in the grass with her and pull her into his arms.
Last Monday night he couldn’t have imagined this scenario. With his son missing, his thoughts had gone so dark he’d come close to losing his mind. But Claire wouldn’t let him sink into that black void. She loved Jeremy, too, and was determined they would find him. That woman never gave up. There was no one else like her.
Last year when she’d shown up to be interviewed for the nanny position, Jeremy had felt an immediate connection. Over the past nine months it had grown until the two of them had formed an unbreakable bond. Many times people thought she was his mother, and she had to tell them otherwise.
Vic had felt an immediate connection, too. Claire Ames was intelligent, vibrant and had a natural beauty no man would be immune to. In the beginning it had worried him because his attraction to her had been instantaneous. He’d feared he might not be able to keep his distance. But since she never overstepped her boundaries, they’d managed to live under the same roof and provide the stability Jeremy needed.
“Hey, Dad! Come and play with Daken!”
Jarred from his personal thoughts, he headed toward them and gave Jeremy a hug. “Hey, Nate. How are you?” He tousled his head of blond hair.
“Good. That horse is so cute. I wish I had one.”
“Well, you’re welcome to come over here anytime and play with him.”
The horse had walked over to Claire, who was still sitting. He kept butting his nose against her arm. She laughed and rubbed his head. Vic hunkered down to run a hand over Daken’s back.
To his wonder a pair of crystalline gray eyes swept over Vic and lingered instead of looking away. She seemed to like what she saw. The feeling was mutual. Her wide smile, the lovely curves of her body were so enticing he was in danger of forgetting they weren’t alone. Desire, swift and powerful, rushed through him.
To counteract her spell on him, he rolled over on his stomach. Pretty soon he could feel the horse’s nose nudging him. The boys roared with laughter.
“Dad, Daken thinks you’re playing a game.”
Vic was glad that was what his son thought. He lay still while the horse continued to find ways to make him move. Claire broke into laughter. “You’d better do something soon, Jim, or that horse is going to walk on your back.”
“Who’s Jim?” Jeremy wanted to know.
“Didn’t I tell you?” Claire answered him. “While your dad and I were looking for you, we pretended to be spies and wore sunglasses.”
“You did? What was your name?” Vic’s son was a quick study.
“It was Elaine,” Vic stated and got to his feet. “Whenever we asked people questions, we told them we were Jim and Elaine from an insurance company investigating a case.”
“That’s awesome,” both boys said in unison.
“Elaine was the awesome one. We were trying to find out why the man who kidnapped you had driven to Buda with his two friends. She got this idea to look up his name in an old high school year book at the high school to find out if his family lived there.”
“Did he?” At this point Nate was as fascinated as Jeremy.
“No,” Claire said, getting to her feet. “But we found a picture of one of his friends in the yearbook, and your dad tracked down his girlfriend, who was that lady at the house where they’d taken you. I wish you could have seen your father barge into that trailer and bring you out.”
Nate’s eyes had rounded. “Whoa.”
She smiled. “Whoa is right.”
“Then Elaine
drove us home, and I bet she drove 100 miles an hour to get us there.”
She darted Vic an amused glance. “Not quite that fast.”
“Close,” he countered with a grin.
“You’d make a good Texas Ranger, Claire.” This from Nate.
“No, no. There’s only one Ranger in thi—in the Malone family.”
The near slip caused Vic’s heart to skip a beat. The three of them were a family.
“Claire’s a chemist,” Jeremy muttered, not sounding the least bit happy about it. He looked up at Vic. “Can women be Rangers?”
“You bet.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“I have an idea,” Claire spoke up before Jeremy could ask any more difficult questions. “Let’s get Comet saddled so you and Nate can take turns riding. Maybe Daken will follow you.”
“Yeah!”
Vic smiled into her eyes. She had a way... “Let’s all go riding!”
Claire rode along while the boys took turns riding with Vic. Sure enough, Daken followed Jeremy wherever he went. It did the heart good to see his little horse’s devotion this soon. Buying Daken had turned out to be therapeutic for Jeremy. For Vic, too.
It was almost one o’clock before the boys said they were hungry. Vic told them he’d take them out for lunch at their favorite drive-through. The boys voted for Short Stop. Claire called Nate’s mom to see if it was all right.
After taking care of the horses, they took off for the restaurant. Because Nate was with them, Claire sat in front with Vic while the boys buckled up in back. He could get used to this in a hurry.
A big surprise greeted them when they got back to the house. Carol, his sister-in-law from Blanco, had come to Austin to do some shopping. She’d driven by to find out if Randy could play with Jeremy for a while. Vic always enjoyed seeing her, but wished it hadn’t been today.
The three boys ran out to the barn. To Vic’s chagrin, Claire excused herself so he could spend time alone with Carol. It was the last thing he wanted, but it couldn’t be helped. No telling how long she’d stay away.
As he might have guessed, she didn’t come home until late. It was almost eleven before he heard her car pull into the garage.
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