by Judy Duarte
We? He was including her in the Rayburn family mystery? “You want me to go with you?”
“You’re the art expert, aren’t you?”
Her hand trailed down his back, lingering a moment before she removed it completely. “I wouldn’t say that, exactly.”
“You know a lot more about the subject than I do.”
That might be true. “But what if it turns out to be a wild goose chase?”
“Then we end up having a nice dinner and a stroll along the Riverwalk. We might even get a chance to see Carly’s show—if she’s working. Besides, as long as I’m stewing about this thing, I’m not going to be able to focus on anything else. So pack your bags. We’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
She probably ought to be a little uneasy about taking such a long drive with him—and spending the night. But she couldn’t help the zing of excitement that rose up inside her. And it wasn’t entirely due to uncovering a mystery that now included art dealers and paintings. And while she knew better than to let her thoughts wander in too far of a romantic direction, she wasn’t sure what he had in mind.
“Are you springing for two rooms?” she asked.
“Sure.”
Then he winked, sending that little zing soaring.
Nice guy? Or handsome CEO with an ulterior motive?
“Can you be ready to leave by eight?” he asked.
When he smiled, in spite of any apprehension her brain tossed out in warning, her heart did a swan dive in her chest.
And she found herself nodding—and planning what to take on an overnight trip.
* * *
The next morning, Jason showered and packed. After brewing a pot of coffee, he poured himself a cup, then took it into the den while he emailed the home office. He had to tell his staff that he’d be traveling for the next thirty-six hours or so and that he’d have limited availability if they needed him. Doug, his right-hand man, could handle things in his absence.
Since he had an address for EZ Storage but no idea where to find it, he also wanted to check Mapquest to determine the best exit he should take off the interstate.
When the house phone rang, he reached for the receiver, although he was more focused on the computer screen than the person who was calling. So he answered with a rather ambivalent “Hello.”
At the sound of his sister’s voice, he released the mouse, sat back in his chair and perked up. “Hey, Carly. How’s the singing gig?”
“So far, so good. But how are things at the ranch? Did you ever get a chance to talk to Juliana?”
“Yes, and I hired her. You were right. She’s doing a great job.”
“I’m glad to hear it. That makes me feel better about leaving you in a lurch.”
At least Carly seemed somewhat sympathetic to his plight. “Do you feel any better about me listing the ranch?”
“I still hate the idea of letting it go, but the truth is, I can’t be there all the time.”
“And neither can I—or Braden.”
“Speaking of Braden, he called me early this morning. His grandpa was hospitalized yesterday afternoon. It’s pretty serious, so Braden is coming home sooner than he planned. He asked if I’d set up a family meeting this weekend or soon afterward.”
Damn—it seemed as though Braden was in for a real shock when he arrived. A pang of sympathy for his brother struck hard. “I’m sorry to hear about his grandfather. I’ll check in on his mom and see if she needs anything.”
“Gosh, Jason. That’d be really sweet. I’m sure she’d appreciate it, especially if Braden can’t get back right away.”
“What would stop him?”
“I’m not sure, but he’s in some small village and has to catch a ride to a bus stop. Then it’s nine hours to the nearest airport.”
“Where’s his truck?”
“When I asked, he told me it was a long story.”
Well, that was one Jason would definitely like to hear, along with a few others. “So when are you available for that meeting?”
“I’m off on Mondays. I’ll see what I can work out. I assume we’ll meet at the Leaning R.”
“That’s probably best. And just so you know, I’ll clear my calendar on any day you two can swing that meeting.”
“I’ll ask Braden how next Monday will work for him and let you know.”
Silence filled the line, then Carly asked, “Is Ian still working for you?”
“Yes, why?”
“I don’t know. I thought he might have gotten tired of holding things together on the ranch without any family support.”
The same thing had crossed Jason’s mind, but the guy didn’t seem to be one to give up easily. “Well, for what it’s worth, he has my support now.”
Again, she paused. “I’m not sure if he told you, but he’d be willing to supervise the Leaning R if we wanted to keep things going. At least, that’s what he told me a while back.”
Jason didn’t respond. He knew how Carly felt about selling the ranch to strangers, but that didn’t solve the problem of having a family member live on the property—or having to spend the better part of his or her life there.
“You can ask around,” she added, “but from what I gathered, Ian knows cattle. And Granny thought the world of him.”
Jason had asked around. The vet and a few neighboring ranchers spoke highly of the man. And even if the three siblings decided they could trust Ian to run things for them, holding on to the Leaning R meant meeting regularly with Braden and Carly. And before Jason could even comprehend something like that, he’d have to see how things played out on Monday.
After telling Carly goodbye, he returned his focus to the screen, made a mental note of the exit he’d have to take, then shut down the laptop. He’d no more than risen from his seat when Juliana walked in.
“Who was on the phone?” she asked.
“Carly. She said Mr. Miller is in the hospital and Braden is coming home early. We’ve tentatively set up a family meeting next Monday.”
“Does that mean we’re not going to San Antonio?”
“On the contrary. I’m just as eager to see what’s in that storage unit. The more information I have about my dad’s trip to Mexico and his search for Camilla, the better prepared I’ll be for that meeting.”
She nodded, then leaned against the doorjamb.
Damn, she was beautiful, with the mass of red curls tumbling along her shoulders and those golden-brown eyes. He scanned the length of her, the way she crossed her arms over the swell of her belly. He’d figured he might be turned off by her pregnancy, but instead, he found it appealing in an unexpected way.
“Do you know whether the baby is a boy or a girl?” he asked.
She blessed him with a bright-eyed smile, straightened and ran her hand over her womb. “It’s a girl.”
He returned her smile. “That’s nice. I hope she has your hair.”
“I hope so, too.” Something about the way she smiled, the way her eyes sparkled, let him know she’d been imagining what the little girl would look like. And right this moment, he couldn’t help getting caught up in that same wonder.
“Your hair is beautiful,” he said. “I can see you two at the playground together—mother and daughter.”
“You know, I really don’t care what color her hair is. The reason I said that is because I’d like her to be all mine and not bear any resemblance to her father. But either way, I’m going to love her. In fact, I already do.”
“She’s going to be a lucky kid.”
“Thanks. I’m also going to teach her to be honest and loving and kind. So even if she ends up looking like her dad, she won’t be anything like him.”
They stood like that for a moment, caught up in something tender and sweet—something he felt blessed to be a part of, although he wasn’t quite sure what it was.
She gasped, then glanced down at her belly.
“What’s the matter?” Jason moved toward her, afraid she’d suffered some kind of
pain. Afraid something was wrong, that the little red-haired girl—or the blonde or brunette...did it even matter to him?—was in jeopardy.
Juliana looked up, her eyes wide, her lips parted. “She moved.”
“The baby?” He eased closer yet.
“Yes, I’m sure that’s what it was. The doctor said I might feel something soon—like the flutter of a butterfly’s wing. And I just did.”
His hand lifted. “Can I...?”
“Yes, of course. But I’m not sure if it’s strong enough for you to feel anything yet.”
He placed his hand on her tummy, felt the swell of her womb, the warmth of her body, the softness of her breath. And although he couldn’t feel any movement whatsoever, he didn’t draw away. He just stood there, caught up in her floral scent and in the intimacy of the moment.
And while he’d missed the miracle she’d just experienced, for some wild and crazy reason, he felt a part of it just the same.
Chapter Nine
Before leaving for San Antonio, Jason decided to stop by the Miller ranch.
He doubted Juliana would mind, but he ran the idea past her anyway.
“I’d feel bad if we left town without checking in on Shannon and her father first,” Juliana said, “especially with Braden out of the country.”
Ten minutes later, they drove into the Millers’ yard just as Shannon was locking the front door, the strap of her black purse hanging over her shoulder.
“We didn’t come to visit,” Jason said as he and Juliana climbed from the car. “We just wanted to see how things were going.”
Shannon stepped off the porch and met them in the yard. “The doctor admitted my dad to the hospital last night. He’s in the ICU. I stayed there until just after dawn and came home to shower. You caught me as I was heading back.”
“I’m sorry he isn’t doing well,” Juliana said. “Did Braden get home yet?”
“No, but he finally has better cell phone reception. The only problem is, his battery needs to be recharged, and he can’t do that on a bus. But at least he’ll be able to call again—eventually.”
“How are you holding up?” Jason asked.
“I’m okay.” Her red-rimmed eyes suggested otherwise.
Jason slipped his arm around Juliana. “Is there anything we can do to help?”
“That’s nice of you to offer, but our foreman has things under control here. And Dad’s doctor, Tom Hawthorne, is an old high school friend of mine. He’s been very supportive, so we’re in good hands.”
Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “Here’s my contact information. Juliana and I will be out of town until tomorrow night, but if you need anything, let me know. I’ll make sure it gets done.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” She tucked the card in her purse. “I’d better go. I’m hoping to talk to Tom when he makes his rounds this morning.”
“Go ahead. We need to take off, too.” Jason watched her head for her car, his arm still wrapped around Juliana. He wasn’t sure why he continued to hold her close. It hadn’t been a conscious move, although he supposed it was a sign of unity, of the team they’d become.
As Shannon slid behind the wheel of her silver Ford Taurus, Jason let his arm slide lower on Juliana’s back until he slowly drew away.
“Come on,” he said, “we’d better get on the road.”
As they climbed into her car, neither of them said a word about him slipping his arm around her as if they were a couple. Just to make sure the subject didn’t come up, he turned on the radio, and after a few miles, they fell into a casual conversation that lasted the rest of the six-hour drive.
When they arrived at EZ Storage in San Antonio, they had to ask for help in locating number 422. Come to find out it was a climate-controlled unit in a special building.
Using the key Juliana had found back at the ranch, they unlocked the door and gazed at the numerous paintings, ceramics and other Southwestern-style pieces of art that filled the unit.
“Wow,” Jason said as he gazed at the stored items, each numbered and listed on invoices and checked off on a master list. He turned to Juliana, who seemed just as surprised as he was by the sight. “What do you think?”
“The paperwork seems to be in order, so it appears your father was involved in a legitimate import business—or at least he planned to be. Some of these things are high quality—and expensive. I’ll use my connections to see if I can find out what he planned to do with them. If he was going to open up a shop or planned to sell them, I should be able to get more details for you.”
“Are those connections at La Galleria?” Jason asked, hoping she wouldn’t go through Alex.
“No. Fortunately, I’ve met a lot of people in the past two years who can help me.”
He was glad to hear that. He’d rather hire an art expert or appraiser he didn’t know than have Juliana cross paths with that jerk again.
As she continued to study the inventory, Jason walked through the storage unit, noting each of the paintings. Not all of them were signed by Camilla, but several were. One of hers sat away from the others. It was a portrait of two bright-eyed children—a boy and a girl about three years old—in front of a Christmas tree, loaded with presents. They were cute kids, and she’d captured something in their expressions—that same vivid, undefinable quality she’d captured in the portrait of Granny.
“Hey,” Juliana said as she knelt beside a small box she’d found toward the rear of the storage unit. “Look at this.”
He joined her and dropped to his knees beside her. “What’d you find?”
She lifted an envelope, showing him a letter she’d been reading. “It’s from Camilla to your father.”
“Were they involved in some kind of business venture?” he asked.
“Apparently, their relationship went much deeper than that.” She handed him the note Camilla had written in a distinct, flowery script. “They were in love.”
“That’s hard to believe.” He glanced at the letter, then stared at the other envelopes inside the box. “My father never loved anyone but himself.”
“I think these letters may prove otherwise.”
He read the one she’d given him.
Dear Charles,
I’m sorry to leave in the middle of the night like this, but I had to go and didn’t want to talk to you any more about my decision, especially in person.
It’s not that I don’t love you, because I do. But like I told you before, your history with women concerns me. I’ve been betrayed before, and I don’t want to go through another heartbreaking divorce.
I so want to believe that what you say is true, that I’m different from the others, that you’ve never felt this way before, that you’ll love me forever. You asked me to stay on the ranch and to give you time to prove it. I wish that I could, but I can’t.
My sister is sick, and I have to go home. She has small children who need someone to look after them. Please understand. Perhaps at another time, I’ll come back to Texas, and we can see if you feel the same way.
As for me? I love you and always will.
Camilla
“See what I mean?” Juliana asked. “He wanted to marry her, but she turned him down.”
“I don’t blame her. Look at his track record. I’d be afraid, too, especially if I’d been betrayed and didn’t want to go through a second divorce.” Hell, as it was, Jason had been afraid to lower his guard and love the man, himself. And he was just his son.
Juliana leaned back, resting her bottom against her heels. “Well, either way, I find it sad and bittersweet.”
“You mean because our internet search revealed that Camilla died two years ago?”
“That, too.”
He studied her for a moment, the way she bit down on her bottom lip, the way she studied the other letters in the box. Then she turned to him, her pensive gaze filled with starry-eyed wonder. “Aren’t you curious about whether they ever got back together? Whether he proved h
imself to her?”
Even after being betrayed and hurt by the man she once trusted with her heart, Juliana was still a hopeless romantic.
Jason cupped her cheek and smiled. “I can see why you would be, but he didn’t marry her. So does that answer your question?”
“But he went looking for her in Mexico. And he was storing her paintings—and apparently buying them. I think there’s a lot more to the story than meets the eye.”
He brushed his thumb across her cheek, felt her silky-soft skin. She really did deserve to get married someday and to live happily ever after—if such a thing were even possible. But he wasn’t sure if there was a man on earth who deserved her.
“I’m sure you’re right,” he said. “There’s a lot we don’t know.” A lot they’d never know.
She placed her hand over his, holding their connection. “You’re a good man, Jason Rayburn.”
Was he? Deep inside, where he was reluctant to let even his own thoughts wander, he wanted to believe her, but he feared he was too much like his father—unable to love someone in the way they deserved to be loved.
Lord knew he tried his best to shake any similarities he might have to his father, any flaws in character he may have learned along the way, and he tried to do the right thing. So to have Juliana recognize his good qualities set off something warm and fluid in his soul.
Unable to help himself, he brushed a kiss across her lips—gentle at first, but the growing desire he felt whenever she was near took over, and he drew her close, running his hands up and down the slope of her back.
She pressed into him, and when her lips parted, his tongue swept inside her mouth. As the kiss intensified, passion threatened to explode right there in the rented storage shed.
Had he ever wanted another woman more?
When they came up for air, he continued to hold her close. His knees ached, yet he didn’t want to let her go.
“What do you say we head to the hotel?” he whispered against her hair.
“We definitely need to get out of here.” She drew back and got to her feet.