Harlequin American Romance October 2013 Bundle: Twins Under the Christmas Tree\Big Sky Christmas\Her Wyoming Hero\A Rancher's Christmas (43 page)

He rubbed the back of his neck in a seemingly unconscious gesture. “What about Winn's siblings? Is Andy close to them?”

“Not really. Andy's male cousins are older and have little to do with him. Unfortunately, Charles and Florence dote on him to the point that I feel there's something intrinsically wrong with them. They're sick to cling to Andy as they do.

“I love my son so much, I can't say our marriage was a mistake, but divorce was out of the question because Winn would have gone to court to win custody of Andy if I'd left him, and he would have won. I couldn't let that happen.”

“Do you have no one you can turn to closer to home?”

“Except for Nila and her husband, there's no one else I trust. You heard about that school they're sending him to. I told Winn how I felt about him being sent away from home, but he couldn't stand up to Charles about that or moving us out of the mansion. Only one man in a million could do it. Winn didn't have what it took.

“But what no one counted on was his getting killed in Afghanistan. His parents expect me to go on being his faithful, grieving widow who devotes her life to charitable causes. But it's no life, not for me or Andy.” There was a finality in her tone. Ross believed her.

He shifted his weight. “My reply to your father-in-law didn't reassure him. What's to stop him from flying here to check up on you?”

“Absolutely nothing.” She ground her teeth together. “So that means I'm going to have that talk with Andy when he wakes up in the morning. He's the key to everything. If he wants to continue living with his grandparents, then I'll phone them and tell them we'll be flying back to Maine after our trip.

“But if my son wants a new life with me, then we'll fly to Texas at the end of the week. After we get there, I'll let my in-laws know where we are. In either case, this cabin will be available for more of your regular guests and you won't have to be involved.” Her voice held a tremor.

Ross sucked in his breath. “But I
am
involved!”

“I'm so sorry he threatened you. It isn't fair, not when you've done everything for us. Be assured I'll take care of the situation from here on out.” She walked to the door and opened it.

His legs felt like lead as he moved toward her. “Are you going to be all right tonight?”

“Of course. I'm glad you told me about the phone call. Talking to you has helped more than you know. Thank you for putting up with me and Andy. You've been a saint. God bless you and your partners for your goodness. Good night, Ross.”

“Good luck with Andy.”

Once back in the truck, he took off for the ranch house. After hearing about her plans, he felt so chewed up inside, he didn't know where to go with all his emotions.

Carson was just pulling away from the parking area in the Jeep, but when he saw Ross he braked and waited for him to catch up. “Hey, buddy—you look like a bull stomped on you.”

“You could say that. I went a few rounds on the phone with Charles Wentworth earlier this evening.”

Carson squinted at him. “What's going on?”

“You don't want to know.”

“The hell I don't.”

“Let's just say Kit's a widow with a big problem. I'll know a lot more tomorrow, then I'll fill you in.” He coughed. “I'm not fit company right now. Go home to your family.”

“You're sure? If you need to talk, Tracy would understand.”

“I know she would. You're a lucky man. See you in the morning.”

* * *

A
FTER
HER
PHONE
call to Nila, who was behind Kit a hundred percent and waiting for her and Andy to come to Texas, she went to bed. But she slept poorly, and her eyes popped open at six-thirty, anxious for Andy to wake up.

She lay on her side in the twin bed and watched him while he slept. He moved around a lot. One of his pillows had fallen on the floor, and part of his leg poked out from beneath the quilt.

His cowboy boots and socks lay on the carpet at the side of his bed where he'd taken everything off before collapsing under the covers. Yesterday had been a big day. Her dear, dear son. This morning would be their moment of truth.

She'd been rehearsing what she would say to him, but her stomach was in knots and nothing sounded right. Kit was about to ask him if he would like to leave the only home he'd ever known and trust her to make a new one for them. It terrified her to think what his answer might be.

Was it asking too much? Had she waited too long? Could he handle moving away from his grandparents and the home where his father had lived? Last night Ross had wished her good luck before he'd driven away. His comment had caused her a lot of tossing and turning because he knew she would need it.

Nila had encouraged her to open up her heart to Andy and hold nothing back, then wait for him to respond. Kit's grandmother would have given her the same counsel.

She heard his sheets rustle. Then, finally, she heard, “Mom?”

This was it.
“Good morning, honey.”

He raised himself up on one elbow. “How come you're still in bed?”

She'd always been an early riser, so she could understand his surprise. “I was waiting for you to wake up so we could talk.”

Andy sat all the way up, leaning back against the headboard. “What about?” As usual, he sounded worried.

Kit's heart beat so fast it clogged up her throat. “About us.”

“What do you mean?”

It was difficult to swallow. “Every day of your life I've told you how much I love you, that you're the most precious thing to me in my life. Now I'm going to ask you a question, and it's vitally important you tell me the truth. Do you love me? I mean
really
love me?” She couldn't remember the last time she'd heard him say it to her.

There was a long drawn-out silence. She had to wait ages before he said yes, without looking at her. He'd been closed up for so long, she feared he'd lost the capacity to share. Thank heaven for that admission, even if he couldn't say the words.

“I'm so happy you said that. Now I need you to be honest with me about another question I have. You know how I feel about you going away to boarding school. It will mean you and I won't get to see each other more than twice a month, if that. But the point is, how do
you
really feel about it?”

His gaze shot to hers. Those gray eyes went dark with emotion.

“Forget that your father wanted you to go there, honey. Forget that your grandmother and grandfather are insisting you go. Forget that your cousins Thomas and Jeremy went there. I want to know what
you
want. Whatever you tell me, I promise it will be our secret.”

At first she wondered if he'd even heard her because he sat there so still. Then slowly he got out of bed in his camouflage pajamas and crept over to the window. She watched him looking at the Grand Teton for a long time before his shoulders started to shake.

“I...don't want to leave you, but Grandfather says I
have
to.”

Thank heaven!

“No, you don't!”

Andy spun around with a shocked look on his tear-stained face. “I don't?”

“Come here, darling.”

He ran over to her. She pulled him into her arms, and they lay on the bed, hugging so hard it almost knocked the breath out of her. Kit rocked him for a long time while he sobbed. Her heart broke to think he'd been carrying around this pain for so long.

“H-how can you stop him from making me go?” His voice faltered.

Her son understood too much. His question answered a lot of hers and gave her the backbone she needed. “Because you're
my
son. Now that your dad is gone, I don't want to live with your grandparents any longer. I love them, but I want us to find a place of our own and make our own decisions from now on.”

He sat up. “Where?”

Her heart thumped so hard, she was certain he could hear it. “A place where I believe we could be happy.”

For a minute there'd been a light in those wet eyes, but it suddenly dimmed. “He won't let us go.” Just then he sounded so adult. Five little words. They told her Andy understood the kind of power his controlling grandfather wielded, and that he hated it. That was all she needed to know.

“He
has
to, honey. You're not his son. Your father was wrong to make us live with your grandparents. It was never what I wanted. We should have had our own home, but he insisted.”

“Why?”

Oh, Andy. What to tell you without ruining your image of him.

“I think because he was the only son, he felt he had to stay with them. It's a shame they didn't encourage him to get out on his own the way your aunts did with their husbands. Instead your grandparents clung to him. But now that he's gone, you and I need to have our own home and live the way we want to live. Don't you agree?”

“Yes,” he said in a solemn tone. “I love them, but I don't want to live with them all the time.”

That was all she needed to know. “Then we won't. I've been planning this for a long time.”

“You have?”

She nodded. “After you were born, I told your father I wanted to move out of the mansion and get our own place, but he said he couldn't do that to your grandparents.”

“He was afraid of Grandfather.”

Kit moaned inwardly. “Yes, honey. Charles can be a scary person when he wants his own way. But
you're
not afraid of him. I heard you on the phone with him yesterday. You told him you didn't want to leave the ranch yet. It's not his decision to make for us.

“Your grandparents have been wonderful. They've done everything for us, but now it's time for me to take care of us. I've saved some money.”

“Really?” He sounded so happy, she couldn't believe it.

“It's not a lot, but it's enough to give us a start while I find us a place to live and get a job.”

“What kind?”

“You know how much I love books. I'm hoping to buy a small bookstore and run it. There's one for sale in Galveston, Texas, where Nila lives. She has become a very good friend to me and I know how much you like her and Kim. There's an apartment close by where we could live.”

“You mean we'll move to Texas?” He didn't sound thrilled about that.

“When we leave the ranch, we'll fly down and take a look. I already have our airline tickets. If we don't like the situation, then we'll put our heads together and decide where we want to go and what we want to do. If we like it, then your grandparents can come and visit when they want. I want you to be happy with this decision, otherwise we won't do it.”

“But we won't go back to Grandfather's—”

“No, darling. That's over.”

“Promise?”

That said it all. “Promise. But there's just one problem.”

“What?”

“Your grandfather phoned Ross yesterday.”

“He did?”

“Yes. He said he didn't like us being gone for so long and told Ross to send us home right away.”

Andy gave a carefree laugh. “Ross wouldn't do that. He's not afraid of anything.”

Nope. Andy had already sized up their host and knew exactly how amazing he was. “No. He told Charles that the decision to stay or leave was entirely up to you and me.”

“I bet Grandfather's mad at him.”

“I'm sure he is. It means your grandfather might fly here on his private jet before our vacation is over.”

“Ross will protect us. He's nice, Mom.”

“I agree.” Andy had never applied that adjective to anyone he knew, especially not his stuffed shirt uncles who were too caught up in their own self-importance by marrying into the Wentworth family to show much attention to Andy. They jumped when Charles said jump. Poor Andy. After living with his iron-willed grandfather, Andy could see Ross was like the difference between night and day. The three of them had been together 24/7 since they'd arrived here.

“He's so cool. I wish he weren't sick.”

“It's not the kind of sick that has put him and his partners to bed. It's more of a condition, honey. But you have to admire them for not letting it get in the way of living their lives. Now, let's get dressed and hurry to the ranch house for breakfast. I'm starving.”

“Me, too.” He jumped off the bed. “I'm glad Ross will be here if Grandfather comes.”

“Honey—” she said in exasperation, “Ross has nothing to do with this. I'll deal with your grandfather and tell him you and I have other plans. He can't make us do anything. I'll tell him that when we're settled, we'll let them know. Hopefully when he and Florence see that we mean it, they'll understand and we'll all get along better.”

“Does Ross know we're going to Texas?”

Ross again.
She remembered Andy's reaction to Carson's letter they'd received in July.
They're a bunch of lame marines. I hate them.
There'd been an enormous change in her son's attitude since then.

“Yes. Just remember this is our business. Please, don't talk about this to him or the other kids.”

“I won't. But what if Grandfather finds out we went to Texas?”

“He won't know where to look for us.”

“How come?” he asked.

“Close your eyes. When I'm ready, I'll tell you to open them. Go on and do it for me. It's a surprise. Please?”

“Okay.”

When they were closed, she ran in the bedroom and pulled a wig and a hat out of her suitcase. After she returned, she put the wig on.

“You can open them now.”

He did her bidding, then blinked several times in sheer disbelief. Finally came the outburst.
“Mom—”

“How do you like me with blond hair?” While he stood there speechless, she plopped the green sojourner hat with the wide rim on his head. “That covers your hair. People may think you're a cancer patient. Run in the bathroom and take a look.”