Texas Hope: Sweetgrass Springs Stories (Texas Heroes Book 16) (26 page)

Scarlett’s small hand slipped into his. “Hello,” she greeted.

Ian’s mother froze at the base of the steps.

He couldn’t speak. Brown eyes like his regarded him, bright with tears and wild with emotion.

Scarlett took a step forward and held out a hand. “You must be Sophia. I’m Scarlett. Won’t you come inside?”

His mother tore her gaze from Ian, clearly unsettled. But she straightened her own shoulders and looked at Scarlett. “I’m so happy to meet you. Thank you for…”

His dad frowned at him as if urging him to do something, but Ian couldn’t figure out what the hell that should be.

His father turned his attention back to his mother and escorted her up the stairs.

At last, she stood before him, so much smaller than in Ian’s memory. Not Scarlett’s kind of small, but several inches shorter than him.

“Ian…” Her voice trembled, but she firmed it. “I…” She inhaled, then tried again. “I am so—”

“Don’t.” He knew he was too harsh, but he just couldn’t go there. “I’m sorry. Please come inside. Would you like—” He couldn’t think.

“I’ll make us some coffee,” Scarlett offered, moving toward the door.

He could not do this. Couldn’t be part of the charade. “Dad, would you take Scarlett inside and make sure she sits down and props up her feet?”

Startled gazes met his, his dad’s worried, Scarlett’s concerned.

His mother’s was pure terror.

“Please. I’d like to talk to her alone. I promise I won’t bite.” He attempted a smile, but couldn’t find it.

Reluctantly, they both left, and he wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they had their faces pressed to the window, watching.

“Would you like to sit?” he asked.

“No, I’ve been sitting a lot already. Unless you’d—?”

He shook his head.

She clasped her hands together, knuckles white. “You have the right to say anything to me, however harsh. I am sorry, Ian, more than I know how to say, but you probably don’t want to hear that.”

“I don’t.”

“Your father wants you to forgive me. To blame him. You shouldn’t.”

He was surprised at the steel he heard. “I don’t.”

Eyes cast down, she only nodded, as if that was what she’d expected.

“Scarlett isn’t so easily pleased. She wants us to kiss and makeup. Sunshine and roses.”

As his mother looked up, her smile was wistful. “That would be lovely, but some things can’t be forgiven.”

She kept surprising him. He’d expected her to be full of excuses. Explanations. “I am generally thought of as reasonable and fair.”

“Just like your father. He’s the best man I ever knew.”

That caught him off-guard. “Then why—” He shook his head. “No. Not going there. The only way I can see this working out to keep from hurting either of them or the baby is to lock all that in the past and start over. Be strangers who’ve just met.”

“You could do that?” Her voice was a hush.

“I will do that. I’d do anything for Scarlett and our child.”

“Except—” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. Forget I said anything.” She swallowed. “Ian, I hope that someday I can make you believe I love you. I never stopped. You were my heart then, and though I had to put you away to survive, most days I thought I would rather die than live without you.”

He stared away from her. Gritted his teeth, biting back words that would destroy any chance for them.

“You don’t want to hear it. I understand that.”

His gaze whipped back to her. “You don’t understand anything about me, and I sure as hell don’t understand you—” Ruthlessly, he dragged himself away from a cliff they wouldn’t survive. “Please. Don’t go there. I…can’t.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m doing my best. If we could just—”

“Be polite strangers,” she supplied. Her expression filled with a powerful grief. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he snapped.

“For being better than I deserve.” She drew herself up. “Your father wants me to stay at the ranch, but I told him it wouldn’t work. I’ll get him to take me back to Austin, and I’ll catch the next flight out.”

“Don’t—” He grabbed her arm, then dropped it immediately. “Don’t let me be the bastard who runs you off. Michael will be happy you’re here, and Scarlett desperately wants our baby to have her grandmother. Dad clearly wants you here.”

“But you don’t, Ian, and you’re the one who’s been so terribly wronged. I may not be much of a mother in your eyes, deservedly so, but whether or not you believe I love you, I care too much to see you endure having me here when it hurts you so.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” he declared, even as her eyes challenged him. “Okay, no, it’s not comfortable. Maybe it never will be, but I am not that man who would send you away. Scarlett’s right that children need all the family they can get. She had only her mother all her life, and even if I hated your guts, I wouldn’t rob her of the family she wants so much herself.”

“You don’t hate me?”

He tore his glance away. “I don’t know what I feel. For so many years, I thought you hated me.”

“Oh, Ian, no…” She touched his forearm, then withdrew quickly as if burned. “I never, ever could do that. I didn’t leave because of you, I—”

He watched her, his throat clogging up with a boy’s tears he’d refused to shed.

Still refused.

She looked so defeated.

And his father had claimed the blame.

He didn’t know what to think, and he desperately wanted away from here.

But once more, she straightened her shoulders and faced him. “Some day, I hope you will allow me to tell you what I’ve pieced together about that woman I no longer recognize, the one who harmed you so unforgivably. I won’t ever forgive myself, Ian, so I can’t expect you to do so.” Her voice wobbled. “I would give all I have for a second chance with you, but that, too, is up to you, and no one would blame you for saying no.” Her slender frame held a dignity he couldn’t help but admire, a courage that couldn’t have come easily.

“I’m not ready for that talk, but—” He blew out a breath. “I’ll try to get there.”

“Thank you. It’s more than I deserve.”

He didn’t understand her and doubted he ever would. But she faced him when it couldn’t have been easy, and she didn’t plead or excuse herself.

“I don’t know if I can love you, but we could try to be friends, if that’s okay with you.”

Gratitude made her eyes shine. “It’s more than I have any right to expect. Gordon said I’d admire you. He was right.”

He breathed a sigh of relief, desperate to stop talking about the past. “Let’s go put the peeping Toms out of their misery.” He managed a small smile as he gestured her to precede him inside.

She wiped discreetly at her eyes and did as he asked.

“Did you like your bubble bath?” asked a sweet voice from behind Laken as the celebration swirled around her on the courthouse grounds.

Laken turned, saw Samantha and smiled at the little girl. “I did. Thank you for sharing.”

Bubble gum would never possess the same connections for her, not ever again. Not after last night and how Michael had made love to her with a fierce sweetness she would never forget.

They’d played, actually frolicked in the tub, even though he was so big and she was nowhere near tiny. They’d laughed and tussled as they mopped up the mess they’d made on the floor—

Well, they’d had to clean up later, in truth, because at some point their eyes had met, and he’d been on her like a lion mastering his mate.

The man confused her. Thrilled her to her toes. She’d always liked being in charge, didn’t trust anyone enough to concede.

But not Michael. He was a man to trust. A man to l—

No. No, no, no
—

“I have princess shoes, too, see?” A pint-sized blonde had joined them, turning her ankle to demonstrate the glittery mules she was wearing. “My Aunt Penny wears princess shoes, too, just like you.” Before Laken could answer, the little girl went on. “Beebee doesn’t like sparkly shoes.” She gestured to her mirror image standing beside her.

“Well…”

“Abbie my love, everyone doesn’t have to want princess shoes. Your sister has her own tastes.” Jackson Gallagher sauntered up and placed one hand on each twin’s shoulder. “Hey. We sort of met yesterday, first at the ranch, then at the diner last night. Jackson Gallagher. These are my daughters, Abbie and Beth. Hi Samantha,” he greeted the other girl as he held out his hand to Laken.

“Hi, Uncle Jackson.”

Laken took his hand. “Which Gallagher does she belong to?”

“All of us, right, Samantha?” She nodded, and he continued. “She might not be a Gallagher by blood, but she might as well be. Her mother Celia cooks the amazing food at my dad’s ranch, since my sister Rissa could burn water.” He grinned. “Thank you for pitching in last night, by the way. Ian keeps trying to convince Scarlett that she can back off on some of her ambitious plans, but she’s a little intense sometimes. Doesn’t know the meaning of slow down.”

“I was happy to help. I don’t do much cooking myself, but I supported myself through law school working in restaurants.”

“Intellectual property law, right? And entertainment?”

“That’s right. Chisholm and Parker.”

“I know Frank Chisholm. He speaks highly of you.”

“Thanks. Were you checking up on me?”

His answering smile could knock a woman off her pins at a hundred yards. Goodness, where did all these gorgeous men come from?

“Sort of. I mean, sure—Ian is my oldest friend, and we think a lot of Michael around here, so…”

“Looking out for him?”

“Some, yes. We’d really like him to settle here, but I gather much of that depends on you.”

She frowned. “That’s not true. I’m not—”

He held up a hand. “That’s your business, yours and Michael’s. But I have my own vested interest in you, which is mostly why I asked around about you.”

“In me?”

“I’m not happy with my in-house counsel, and Penny is too busy being my second in command.”

“Along with cooking in stilettos. Talking on a bluetooth.”

A flash of grin. “Yeah, that, too. But seriously, I’d like you to come talk to me. See if we can find a way to work together.”

“I already have a job. I’m a junior partner now.”

He nodded. “I know. I’d make it worth your while to think of joining us instead.”

Her eyebrows flew. “Why?”

“Mostly because you’re very good at what you do. My sister likes you, and she’s a pretty good shark herself, in addition to being one of the smartest people I know. I need more bright, accomplished people in my organization, and I truly do need to replace my in-house counsel.”

“That’s very flattering, but—” She took a step back.

“Don’t say no yet. Just…think about it. Let’s talk next week, after you’re back in Austin. Unless you’d like to meet tomorrow before you go.”

Too soon. Way too soon. She felt the tentacles of Sweetgrass wrapping around her, and she wasn’t ready. “No, not tomorrow.” Then, realizing what a plum job he was offering her, based on what she knew of Enigma’s success, she amended. “I do thank you. Scores of lawyers would kill to be in my place.”

He smiled again, and his eyes were kind. “Sweetgrass can be overwhelming. Penny and I can limp along for awhile—but not forever.”

“I could take you on as a client and stay with my firm.”

“You could, but I’m a possessive sort. I want my own team. Enigma is a family as much as the Gallaghers, and it’s one secret of our success.” Then he showed her mercy and broke off his intense focus on her. “So, young ladies, I hear that there is ice cream being churned under the big oaks. Anyone want to go see if they’re ready for tasters?”

“Yes!” A chorus of excited cries.

“Tell Ms. Foster goodbye, and we’ll see her later.”

“Goodbye!” Impulsively, Beth broke away and gave her a quick hug.

Laken melted. And hugged her back. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. My daddy likes you, and we like you, too.”

She brushed the girl’s hair before Beth ran back to her tall, handsome father.

Not fair
, she mouthed.

His only answer was a quick, remorseless grin.

Michael watched Laken from a few yards behind her, saw how she yielded to the allure of the little girls, how she resisted Jackson’s coaxing about whatever he was trying to convince her.