by Rita Herron
How was Dex surviving?
He had to find out. Maybe tonight he could sneak in a phone call.
A knock on the door jerked him from his thoughts, and he shut down the files just before his grandfather poked his head in.
“I’m having dinner with the mayor tonight. His driver will be here shortly so you can take the car home.”
Ty nodded, instantly thinking of home as the Circle C.
His grandfather dropped the keys on the desk, then paused to study Ty, his dark eyes narrowed. Ty squirmed, wondering if somehow his grandfather suspected the truth.
Instead, he said, “I hope you’re figuring out how to deal with Dr. Stovall and settle this extra funding issue, son.”
Ty chewed the inside of his cheek. Did his grandfather expect him to back out on the deal?
Well, he’d better not hold his breath.
Coopers were men of their word.
“You’ll do the right thing for all of us, won’t you?”
Damn right. He’d help those needy kids. He remained silent, though, simply nodding.
His grandfather smiled, obviously convinced Dex had come over to his way of thinking. “Good. I knew you would, son. After all, you are a Montgomery.”
Ty’s chest squeezed as his grandfather closed the door. He was half Montgomery, yes. But he was also half Cooper. And so was Dex.
Only they’d each been denied the other half since birth.
The unfairness of it all burned through his belly. The birthday celebrations they’d missed together, the Christmases, the camping trips he’d loved so much. Would Dex have enjoyed those? And what would Dex think of Ty’s woodworking?
Ty palmed the car keys, suddenly anxious to leave the high-rise building. He only hoped he could remember how to get back to the Montgomery estate.
Then, he’d search for something that told him about his father. Maybe he’d finally meet his grandmother, too.
He hoped she’d give him some idea why the Montgomerys hadn’t wanted anything to do with the Coopers. Then maybe he could figure out how to bridge the gap between them.
A HALF-HOUR LATER, Ty had managed to maneuver through the traffic and pulled up to the security gate of the Montgomery estate, but his nerves bucked back and forth the way they had the first time he’d ridden a bull in the county rodeo.
All because he was going to meet his other grandmother.
It had been too dark when he’d arrived the night before for him to notice the beautiful landscaping of the estate, the small pond to the side of the property, the way the mansion was perched at the top of a grassy hill like an antebellum mansion from Gone With the Wind. Thou estate consisted of less land than his thousand-acre ranch, it probably cost a fortune. Just as he approached the house, Dex’s cell phone rang. Ty fumbled with it, praying an investor wasn’t calling needing specific information Ty wouldn’t be able to give him.
But Jessica Stovall’s soft feminine voice purred over the line. “Dr. Montgomery, this is Dr. Stovall.”
“Hey, Jessica. Call me Dex.”
She hesitated, and he wondered if he should have used her title, but he couldn’t bring himself to apologize. “What can I do for you?”
“I…I wanted to verify our lunch plans for tomorrow.”
“Sure. What time is good for you?”
He pulled the car into the garage, yanked out Dex’s Palm Pilot and toyed with the buttons, trying to find Dex’s schedule while he waited for her reply.
“I should be free around one. Can we meet some place near the hospital? I’d like to check on Donny and his mom during my break.”
“Sure. Maybe I’ll go with you.”
A soft surprised sound escaped her.
Ty gritted his teeth. Had he screwed up again? “Something wrong?”
“No, no, that would be great. It might be nice for you to meet some of the kids on the wing, so you can see where your money will be going.”
Where Dex’s money would be going, Ty thought, praying his brother wouldn’t mind. And if he did…well, he’d figure out something. The one nice thing about having money was being able to give it to kids and people like Jessica Stovall.
Then again, maybe he should avoid her. No sense flirting with the impossible. “Look, if it’s a hassle—”
“No, no hassle. I think it’s a good idea,” Jessica said. “I really do think you’ll feel good about the funding when you see these kids, Dex.”
What could he say to that? “It’s a date then,” Ty said. “One o’clock. You can give me a tour first, then we’ll grab some lunch.”
“Great.” Jessica paused, her breath whispering over the line. “And Dr. Montgomery—”
“Call me Dex.”
“Well, okay, Dex. Thanks. You won’t regret this.”
Jessica said good-night, then hung up. Ty thought of his grandfather’s reaction to the deal. No, he wouldn’t regret offering the money, but Dex might not be so happy about what he’d done. Oh, hell. His brother was probably creating messes at home that he’d have to straighten out when he returned. And Dex had told him to use his discretion if a problem arose.
But he would regret it if he got involved with Jessica. Besides, he would be leaving soon—he didn’t want to go back to Montana with a guilty conscience. He had enough troubles and responsibilities at home without adding a woman into the equation. Especially a city woman who wouldn’t fit into his lifestyle.
No, he wouldn’t think about her. He’d focus on the Montgomerys—the reason he’d come to Atlanta in the first place.
He tucked the cell phone and Palm Pilot back into Dex’s treasured briefcase, climbed out of the car and went inside to meet his next challenge—fooling his Grandmother Montgomery.
Chapter Seven
When Jessica hung up the phone, her emotions were boomeranging between happiness over the funding and caution over any kind of personal relationship with Dexter Montgomery.
Of course, he might not have a relationship in mind at all.
But he had sounded slightly flirtatious on the phone, and he had called their meeting a date.
No, it couldn’t be a date. Jessica Stovall did not date. Not since Jack had walked out on her. Not since she’d lost everything. She would never open herself up to that kind of pain again.
Her tabby cat, Twinkles, purred and rubbed up against her, and Jessica scratched her behind the ear, grinning when the cat followed her to the bathroom. Twinkles dropped onto the furry rug while she removed her clothes, dropped them in the hamper and slipped into a bubble bath. It didn’t matter if Dex was interested in her, she reminded herself; she was not interested in him.
Not as a man anyway.
No matter how sexy and appealing he could be. No matter how much money he gave to the kids. No matter how much he made her heart race and her blood boil.
She sank deeper into the thick bubbles and closed her eyes, relaxing as the warm water sluiced over her. Unbidden images of Dex floated into her subconscious. She could see him standing in the bathroom doorway, sliding off those Italian shoes, peeling off his jacket and tie, slowly unbuttoning the small white buttons of his shirt, then tossing it onto the hamper beside her clothes. A shiver trembled through her.
His broad shoulders reminded her of a line-backer’s, and his arms and chest had been sculpted like an athlete’s. The dark hair on his chest would taper down his washboard-flat stomach and V into those slacks. He would peel those off as well and she would see his thick muscular thighs and legs.
Then she would whisper his name, beckoning him to join her, and his eyes would blaze with heat. Her nipples beaded beneath the bubbles, a warm languid heat spreading through her at the idea of him climbing into her bath. She wanted to invite him to do more.
She jerked her eyes opened, heat flaming her cheeks, perspiration trickling down her neck. Embarrassed at her wayward thoughts, she quickly washed and toweled off, pulled on a robe, and let the water drain from the tub.
Her fantasy drained from her
mind just as quickly.
Dex was a Montgomery. His family prided themselves on having the best of everything. She didn’t fit into that category. She wasn’t the best woman or even a whole one in the way that counted most.
A dull ache gripped her as she walked toward her bedroom, and she paused to stare at the empty room th would have been her baby’s nursery. Unable to help herself, she went inside, hesitating beside the box of baby paraphernalia. She kept meaning to give the items to Goodwill, but the thought of parting with the baby things had been so painful.
Jessica reached inside, picked up a small yellow teddy bear and hugged it to her chest. Her hand automatically covered her stomach and tears welled in her eyes. Tears for all that could never be. For the son that she’d lost, and the hopes and dreams that had died with him.
If she did get involved with Dex, it wouldn’t last. He might not ever want marriage or kids, But if he did, he would no more want to adopt than Jack had. No, the Montgomerys were proud of their name and their place in the city; they wouldn’t accept an heir that didn’t have their own blue blood running through him.
And even if she could have children, Jessica Stovall did not have an ounce of blue blood in her. Her own mother had worked as a hairdresser in a small shop called the Cut and Curl. Her father had run off with an exotic dancer from the local strip club when she was two.
Jessica had always longed for a big family, for sisters and brothers to laugh and play with, but her mother had never remarried, so Jessica had spent her days alone while her mother worked to make ends meet. Her mother’s drinking and chain-smoking had finally gotten the best of her, and she’d developed emphysema. Jessica had felt so powerless to help; she’d taken her toys and dolls and turned them into patients. Patients she could heal because she hadn’t been able to help the one person in her life who mattered.
Her mother had finally died when Jessica was seventeen. Since then, she’d been on her own.
Except for her brief marriage to Jack.
That first year she’d been sure she’d finally have that big happy family.
But it wasn’t meant to be. She’d misjudged Jack and maybe jumped into things too quickly. Another reason not to jump into anything with Dex.
She ran her finger over the carousel music box the nurses at the hospital had given her when she’d first discovered she was pregnant, then wound the stem and listened to the soft music of “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Twinkles came in and purred at the music, and she smiled sadly. Her wishes for love and family were too foolish. Hugging the bear to her chest, she let the tears fall, wiping them away angrily with the back of her hand, and mentally wiping away those lusty images of Dex Montgomery.
There were children that needed her as much as she needed them. And she would not let a sudden case of sexual attraction distract her from her goals.
Why was she suddenly attracted to Dex Montgomery, anyway? She never had been before, and she’d seen him and talked to him dozens of times. But yesterday, he’d been so different. It was as if she’d met him for the first time.
It didn’t matter. She carried the bear to her bedroom and laid it on her pillow, vowing it would be a reminder to keep her head on straight and off Dex Montgomery’s strong, handsome shoulder.
She’d always heard that Dex didn’t mix business with pleasure. Tomorrow, they would meet for a business luncheon, and if he had other ideas, she’d remind him of his own philosophy. She’d had all the heartache inlifetime that she could handle.
“YOUR HAMBURGER, sir.” George cleared his throat as he set the plate in front of Ty.
Ty’s mouth watered.
Although the food looked better, he grimaced at the silence in the room. He was still eating alone at a table that could hold twenty.
“I believe it’s prime U.S. beef. The butcher said he gets it from somewhere in Montana.”
Ty cut his gaze toward the elderly man who was supposed to be Dex’s friend and thought he detected a slight grin tugging at George’s mouth. Had he guessed Ty’s secret?
“Ketchup and mustard are on the table. And the cook prepared baked beans to go with the hamburger.” George’s frown seemed pinched. “She said they’re often served together.”
Ty’s stomach growled. He reached for his fork, then remembered that Dex was right-handed instead of left-handed. He’d probably wind up spilling beans all over Dex’s suit if he tried to eat them with his right hand. And George was watching him as if he was way too suspicious. “I think I’ll take this outside and eat it. Do you have any paper plates?”
George’s eyebrows shot up, his eyes squinting in disgust as Ty drenched the fat burger in ketchup. “I suppose I could find one.” He reached for the dish. “Your grandmother just arrived from the country club. I believe she’s on the verandah, by the pool.”
Ty’s appetite waned, his excitement and nerves kicking in. He figured the verandah was the porch, so he headed through the house to find it while George hurried off in search of paper products. He couldn’t imagine being a kid here, playing in the dirt and dragging in worms and fish. Or that snake he’d caught to take to school to scare the teacher with the last day of seventh grade.
The floor was so clean and shiny, you could eat off it. He’d bet the housekeeper here worked her butt off. He wandered through the hallway and opened the double French doors leading to a brick patio. Shrubbery and hanging ferns created a garden effect surrounding the pear-shaped pool. Huge magnolias and oaks were scattered through the property, dog-woods blooming their delicate white petals and dropping them to the ground like snowflakes. A bar stood to one side, equipped with liquor and an ice bucket, a wrought-iron table complete with an umbrella for shade occupied the right corner. Next to it, Ty noticed an ornate white gazebo draped in roses, and a path cutting toward a greenhouse.
The fresh outdoor air smelled like sweet clover, reminding him of the clean skies and countryside in Montana. A moment of homesickness attacked him, but he brushed it aside the moment he saw his Grandmother Montgomery sitting in a chair beside the gazebo.
Emotions he hadn’t expected welled in his throat. He stuffed his hands in pockets and stared at her, wanting to enjoy the sight of her before she spotted him. She seemed small, almost fragile in size, but regal-looking with soft gray curls that feathered around her oval face. The age lines etched around her eyes added a hint of wisdom to her angular features, and her silky-looking pantsuit made her look elegant. Silver shoes and diamond stud earrings completed her simple but stately outfit. The diamonmost likely real, he realized, remembering how Gran Cooper had shrieked and cried when the boys had chipped in to buy her a pair of fake diamond studs for Christmas last year.
Gran Cooper probably appreciated hers more than this lady. He shook himself, regretting the thought. He didn’t know Grandmother Montgomery. He shouldn’t judge her before he’d even talked to her.
His resolve kicked in, the smile came naturally as he approached her.
“Gran…mother,” he said, remembering the title Dex had given her. “How are you?” He automatically bent and hugged her as he always did Gran Cooper. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed physical contact since he’d been here.
She lifted thin arms and embraced him quickly, almost awkwardly as if they didn’t hug very often, patting his shoulder. “Hello, son, what’s gotten into you?”
Ty grinned, grateful she hadn’t minded his display of affection. He’d needed to hug her, to know that this woman was real, that she really loved Dex.
That maybe she could love him as well when she learned the truth.
“I just missed you, that’s all,” Ty said quietly.
Her pale green eyes twinkled with a smile. “Well, then you’ll have to go to Chicago more often. It’s not like you to be so affectionate.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, praying he hadn’t already been pegged for a phony.
“So, how did your meetings go in the windy city?”
“Fine,” Ty said, hoping
to avoid business. But he was hungry for anything more about family. Of course, he couldn’t just come right out and ask her all the questions bombarding him, either. “What have you been up to?” he asked.
His grandmother sipped her iced tea. “We’ve been organizing the annual mother-daughter tea at church. This year we’re doing a fashion show—the benefits go to the women’s circle and their mission this summer.” She waved an age-spotted hand, gold and diamonds flashing in the fading sunset. “Then again, you’re not interested in hearing all this women stuff.”
Ty cleared his throat. “Of course, I’m interested, Gran…mother. I always like to know what the Montgomerys are up to.”
She laughed softly, the sound as musical as wind chimes. George approached, carrying a thick paper plate loaded with Ty’s hamburger and baked beans, along with a pitcher of tea. He set it on the umbrella table, a skeptical look of apology aimed toward Grandmother Montgomery.
“Thanks, George.”
George nodded. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Ty waved him off. “Everything looks great.”
“Are you really eating red meat?” Grandmother Montgomery’s voice wavered with surprise.
Ty clenched his jaw. These folks acted like beef was pure poison. It provided vitamins and minerals and was full of protein. “Yes, I met a stockbroker in Chicago who tried to rope…talk me into investing in beef. Figured I’d try a little out myself.”
She wrinkled her eyes as if she didn’t quite buy his story, but couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was wrong with it either. He rushed on to keep her from thinking too much.
“The roses look great.”
“They do, don’t they?” A proud smile lifted her lips. “But I’m most proud of my African violets. You should see them—they’re in the greenhouse.”
“I’d like that,” Ty heard himself say as he wolfed down part of his meal.
His grandmother tilted her head sideways. “You want to see my violets?”