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“Thanks for asking, but I wasn’t feeling bad. I guess I was just tired. I had a nap.”
Caroline’s expression was filled with disdain. “I don’t believe in sleeping during the day.”
Stephen looked at Elliott, whose own expression had hardened.
“Normally, I don’t, either,” Jill said pleasantly. “In fact, I couldn’t believe how long I slept.”
Before Caroline could answer, Tyler and another, smaller boy burst into the room.
“Mom, we’re hungry!” Tyler said.
“You don’t have to shout, Tyler,” Caroline said, but there was no sting in her words. She adored and indulged her son who, in Stephen’s opinion, was abominably spoiled.
“But we’re starving, Mom,” he said petulantly. “When’re we gonna eat?”
Stephen looked curiously at the other boy, who hung back. He belatedly remembered that Caroline had told him Jill had a son. The boy was good-looking, with clear blue eyes and brownish-gold hair the same shade as his mother’s. He smiled shyly when his gaze met Stephen’s.
“Hi,” Stephen said.
“Hi.”
“This is Jordan, Jill’s boy,” Elliott said.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Stephen said. He stuck out his hand, and the boy took it. They shook gravely.
“Why don’t you ask Marisol to give you a snack?” Elliott said to Tyler. “Tell her I said it was okay. Because it’ll be another hour before dinner.”
“Okay, Grandpa,” Tyler said. “C’mon, Jordan. Let’s go find Marisol.”
Stephen noticed that Jordan looked to his mother before complying. When Jill nodded her okay, he took off after Tyler. Well behaved, then.
As the boys left the room, Stephen’s gaze moved back to Jill. What was she thinking? he wondered, unable to fathom the expression in her eyes. Shaken, he looked away. Why hadn’t he said something about knowing her? Now it was too late. Now if he said something, Elliott would wonder why he hadn’t before.
And yet…
Stephen didn’t like keeping something this important from Elliott. He had almost decided to try for a casual tone and say something like, You know, Jill, you look familiar. Have we met before?
But then Caroline said, “When did you meet Daddy?” Again the question was addressed to Jill.
By now Jill and Elliott were seated side by side on the large sofa that faced the fireplace, and Stephen had taken one of the side chairs. Caroline appropriated the rocking chair that had been her mother’s favorite.
Smiling up at Elliott, Jill said, “Actually, we met because he came into the gallery where I worked to buy a birthday present for you, Caroline.”
“This past birthday?” Caroline said sharply.
Stephen almost laughed at the myriad expressions that flitted across Caroline’s face. He remembered how pleased she’d been with the painting. In fact, he’d heard her on the phone one day, bragging to one of her friends about the “good taste my father has.” He could imagine what would happen to the painting now. It would probably soon adorn the nearest Dumpster.
“Jill’s an art teacher and a wonderful artist,” Elliott said. Once again, his voice rang with pride.
“So you just met in February?”
“Actually, it was in January,” Elliott said.
Stephen wondered which was worse in Caroline’s mind. The fact Elliott had only known Jill six months…or the fact that Adele had been dead only eight months when they’d met.
“The moment I set eyes on her I knew it was meant to be,” Elliott said softly, turning his attention back to Jill.
Stephen couldn’t look at Caroline. He knew exactly what she must be thinking now.
For a long moment, no one said anything. The grandfather clock, which had belonged to Elliott’s paternal grandfather, chimed the hour. The chimes sounded ominous to Stephen.
He wished Caroline were different. Maybe if she were happy, she would be more inclined to want her father to be happy. Unfortunately, what happiness she did have seemed to be all wrapped up in filling her mother’s role in Elliott’s life. She reveled in playing hostess and in running his home. Now that role would be taken over by Jill.
He hoped Caroline would eventually come to terms with Elliott’s coming marriage. That one of these days, she’d accept Jill, maybe even become friends with her.
But Stephen knew it was highly unlikely.
Poor Elliott. Whether he liked it or not, eventually he would have to choose between his daughter and Jill.
Realizing just what his brother had in store for him, Stephen knew he couldn’t add to Elliott’s worries or give Caroline any more ammunition to use against Jill. Best to keep pretending this was the first time he’d ever seen her.
Decision made, he tried to relax. When Marisol finally announced dinner, Stephen rose gratefully. Just another hour or so, and he could escape to his own home.
He tried not to think about the future.
And he dared not think about the past.
Jill couldn’t wait for dinner to be over. She was so nervous, she could hardly eat.
“Aren’t you feeling well, darling?” Elliott finally asked her, brows knitting in concern.
“I—My stomach’s a little upset.” Jill had a hard time meeting his eyes. This was the first time she’d ever lied to Elliott, and she didn’t like the feeling.
Why had this happened? Why, of all the millions of people in Texas, had she had to meet and become engaged to the brother of her son’s father? Was God trying to play a joke on her?
She kept telling herself she had nothing to worry about. Stephen didn’t know he was Jordan’s father. No one knew except her. She’d never even told her aunt, saying only that she’d met a boy on spring break. Her Aunt Harriett—who was as old-fashioned as they come—had been very disappointed in Jill, but she loved her, and she’d encouraged her to have her baby and keep it. When Jordan was born, she’d loved him, too, and she’d been thrilled when Jill had given him her surname. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had a long time to enjoy him since her second heart attack when he was three proved to be fatal.
Jill still missed her. She had been a wonderful person. She was Jill’s mother Hannah’s twin, and when Harriett died it was like losing her mother all over again.
Jill took a sip of her wine. She had been avoiding looking at Stephen, who sat across the table from her, but now she sneaked a glance at him. Her heart lurched when her gaze connected with his, and she looked away.
Steve. Elliott’s Stephen is my Steve. Jordan’s father! This is impossible. I can’t live here.
And yet, what could she do?
This was Elliott’s home. He would never leave the ranch. It was in his blood; he loved it. And she was soon to be Elliott’s wife.
Jill’s stomach roiled. She knew she could not continue to sit there acting as if everything was wonderful. Leaning toward Elliott, she said quietly, “I’m feeling worse, Elliott. Do you mind if—?”
“Of course not, darling,” he said, not even letting her finish. “Ask Marisol to give you an antacid or something and then why don’t you go back to the guesthouse?” He squeezed her hand. “I’ll come by and say good night before I turn in.”
Jill felt like a worm. Lower than a worm. He was such a good man. What would he think if he knew what had upset her? What would any of them think?
Oh, God, if Caroline should ever find out! She detests me now. If she knew the truth, my days here would definitely be numbered.
“Mom?” Jordan said. “Are you okay?”
Guiltily, Jill looked at her son. “Yes, honey. I—I just need something to settle my stomach. You finish your dinner, then come see me, all right?” She forced a smile. “I’ll tuck you in.”
Jordan nodded. His eyes were worried.
Jill knew why. She was never sick. And Jordan was protective of her. They’d been each other’s only family for a long time. “Finish your dinner, okay?” she added in a lighter tone.
“Okay.”
“I’ll walk him over later,” Elliott said. “Don’t worry.”
“Good night, everyone,” Jill said. “Sorry to be such a wet blanket.” As she walked out of the room into the foyer, she knew they were all watching her.
When she shut the door of the guesthouse behind her, she sagged in relief, leaning against it and closing her eyes. She was shaking from the release of tension. And yet, this was only a temporary reprieve. What about tomorrow night? And all the nights to come?
Could she do this?
Could she marry Elliott? Build a good life with him in spite of Stephen’s presence here?
But what was the alternative? She’d already quit her job. Her furniture and belongings were in storage and would soon be on their way to the ranch. And her little house, the first she’d ever bought, was already on the market.
But those things were the least of it. If she didn’t go through with her marriage to Elliott, she would hurt him terribly. And Jordan. She would hurt him, too, because he was overjoyed at the turn of events. He loved Elliott.
Maybe she should just come clean. Tell Elliott everything. But how could she? If all there was to confess was her prior relationship with Stephen, she might have been able to do it. But there was Jordan to consider. And even if she didn’t tell Elliott about Stephen’s relationship to Jordan, wouldn’t Elliott eventually figure it out? Surely he would ask questions. Think about the dates involved. Put two and two together. Then what? Would he even want to marry her when he knew the whole truth?
Dear God. What am I going to do?
I have no good choices.
“Nora?”
“Jill? What a nice surprise! I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”
It was the next morning. Elliott had gotten up early and was out on the ranch somewhere. Before he’d left, he’d put a note under her door saying he was taking Jordan with him and that they’d be back before lunch. Jill had eaten her breakfast alone in the main house because no one except Marisol was around. Afterward, she’d carried a steaming mug of coffee back to the guesthouse, shut the door and taken advantage of her solitude to call Nora.
“So tell me everything!” Nora said.
“Oh, God, Nora, I wish you were here.”
“What’s the matter, honey? You sound upset.”
Jill swallowed. Hearing Nora’s voice had brought everything to the fore. Made her realize just how serious, how truly impossible, her situation was. “I desperately need someone to talk to,” she finally said. She had tried to keep her voice level and calm, but she heard the shaky note.
“Jill?” Nora said softly. “What is it?”
Tears pooled in Jill’s yes. “I—I can’t talk about it on the phone. I’m not sure I should talk about it at all. I—I’ve never told anyone.”
There was silence for a long moment. “This has to do with Jordan’s father, doesn’t it?”
Jill nodded. Then, realizing Nora couldn’t see her, whispered, “Yes.”
“Has he somehow contacted you…or something?”
Jill knew Nora had often wondered about Jordan’s father. Once, they’d spoken of it, and Jill had admitted that he was someone she’d met on spring break at Padre Island when she was only nineteen and she’d never seen him since. “He never knew about my pregnancy,” she’d confessed. She’d never told Nora his name or anything about him. Now she took a deep breath and said, “He’s here.”
“There? You mean in High Creek?”
“Worse. He’s here at the ranch.”
“He works there? Good Lord.”
“Oh, Nora. H-he’s Elliott’s brother.”
“Elliott’s brother!”
“Well, his half brother.”
After a stunned silence of several seconds, Nora said, “Did you know about him?”
“I knew Elliott had a half brother. And I knew his name was Stephen, but that’s all I knew. I never, in a million years, associated him with…with Jordan’s father. The truth is, I knew Steve’s—I called him Steve, not Stephen—last name was Wells, but Elliott never referred to his brother by his last name. All he ever said was Stephen, and I never asked. It didn’t seem important. In fact, I never even thought about asking.” Only now did she remember that Elliott had mentioned his brother was a lawyer, but there were thousands of lawyers, maybe even millions of lawyers.
“Oh, Jill. Does…does he know?”
“You mean Stephen?”
“Yes.”
“About Jordan?”
“Yes.”
“Well, he met Jordan, of course. But know he’s his son? No, of course not.”
“But he recognized you?”
Jill thought about the look on Stephen’s face when realization dawned. “Yes, he recognized me, just as I recognized him.”
“Oh, my God,” Nora said. “What are you going to do?”
Again, Jill’s eyes filled with tears, and she angrily brushed them away. Tears were worthless. Right now what she needed was strength and straight thinking. “I don’t know. At dinner last night my head was spinning.”
“I take it he…this Stephen…didn’t acknowledge that he knew you.”
“No. And I didn’t, either. I mean, it was such a shock, and I couldn’t think. And then, when I could, it was too late. Even if I’d wanted to say, ‘Aren’t you the boy I met years ago at Padre Island,’ I couldn’t. It would seem strange that I hadn’t said something immediately. Besides, then I would have had to lie, because I certainly couldn’t have admitted that Steve—Stephen—was someone I’d had a passionate affair with.” Oh, God. Did he remember those nights as vividly as she did?
“And I’m sure he felt the same way,” Nora said reflectively. “I mean, I’m assuming he cares about Elliott.”
“They’re very close. Elliott admitted to me once that he’s closer to Stephen than he is to his daughter, that he loves him like a son, and I think Stephen feels the same way.”
“Good Lord,” Nora said. “What a mess.” After a moment, she added, “I wish I was there. Not that I could do anything, but I could lend moral support.”
“You don’t know how much I wish you were here, too.”
Nora was a bit older, in her early forties, divorced and childless. She was one of the most centered, stable people Jill had ever known, with a dry wit and the ability to laugh at herself—a trait Jill admired almost more than anything else. People who took themselves too seriously were deadly bores, she felt.
“Hey, do you want me to come? I’m due for some vacation. And Brian could oversee the gallery for a couple of days…or even a week.”
“Oh, Nora, that would be wonderful. Would you?”
“Would Elliott mind?”
Jill smiled. “Elliott will love that you’re coming.” She didn’t add that Elliott would love anything that made her happy. She didn’t have to. Wasn’t Nora the one who had urged her to marry Elliott?
“So what about the daughter?”
“Why don’t I just wait and let you see for yourself what she’s like?”
“That bad, huh?” Nora said wryly.
Jill grimaced. “I shouldn’t judge her after just one day.”
“Hey, I can usually size someone up after just one hour, and you’re no slouch in that department, either.”
“Maybe, in this case, I’m too prejudiced to be fair. After all, to her, I’m an interloper here, and I’m younger than she is. If I were in her shoes, I’d probably hate me, too. But let’s not talk about her now. I want you to meet her first, give her a chance to settle down a bit. So,” she said more brightly, “when can you be here?”
“How long a drive is it?”
“It took us about five hours.”
“Let’s say tomorrow afternoon, then. If there’s a problem with Brian, I’ll call you back.”
“Oh, Nora, thank you. Elliott told me he’s invited a few close friends to come and meet me Saturday night. I was a bit nervous about it even before I knew about Stephen, so I’m really glad you’ll be here, too.”
After Jill gave Nora directions, she said goodbye. Once the connection was broken, Jill sat there thinking. Knowing Nora was coming made Jill feel better. Maybe she was being too dramatic about everything, making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe there was some reasonable solution to her problem, something she couldn’t see, but Nora would.
At the very least, with Nora there, Jill would feel less alone.
Chapter Four
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Jill said for perhaps the hundredth time since Nora had arrived.
The two women were dressing for the evening in Jill’s bedroom. Although Elliott had objected, saying they’d be more comfortable if Nora took one of the guest bedrooms in the main house, Jill had insisted upon giving her bedroom to Nora, and Jill herself would sleep in the other twin bed in Jordan’s room for the duration of Nora’s visit.
“I don’t mind at all,” she’d told Elliott. “It’ll be fun. We’ll probably be staying up till all hours talking.”
Sleeping arrangements at the ranch were delicate, anyway. Jill knew Caroline was probably convinced that when Nora wasn’t around Elliott would probably sneak out at night and join Jill in her bedroom. Stephen probably thought so, too.
The truth was, Jill had made it clear to Elliott up front how she felt. And he had completely understood her belief that an intimate relationship between them would be a very bad example to set for Jordan. “We can only be together if Jordan spends the night somewhere else,” she’d explained.
It was Elliott who made the decision that he could wait until they were married. “It won’t be easy,” he’d said. “But you’re worth it.”
“You look awfully serious,” Nora said.
“Oh, sorry.” Jill wished she could stop thinking about her problems. This was supposed to be a happy time for her—the beginning of a new chapter in her life. “I was daydreaming, I guess.”
“Worrying is more like it.”
Jill made a face. “You know me too well.” She fluffed her hair, wishing she’d had time to get it trimmed before leaving Austin.
“You look wonderful,” Nora said.
Jill studied herself in the full-length cheval mirror. Tonight she wore brown linen slacks and a coral sleeveless sweater. “Do you think so?” she asked doubtfully. “I’m not sure about this sweater.”
“It’s beautiful. What’s your problem?”
Nora herself wore black linen pants, a matching tunic top and chunky silver jewelry. As always, she looked sophisticated and classy.
“I wish I could wear black,” Jill said. She leaned closer to the mirror and inspected her face. Was that a pimple on her chin?
“Black isn’t your thing,” Nora said. “You look great. Stop stalling.”
“I’m not stalling. I think I have a pimple.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. Your skin is perfect. And you are, too, stalling. I, on the other hand, can hardly wait.”
Nora had arrived at the ranch a couple of hours earlier. She had yet to meet Caroline or Stephen and she was unabashedly impatient.
The words were barely out of her mouth when there was a knock at Jill’s bedroom door followed by “Mom! I’m goin’ over to the house.”
“Jordan, wait for us.” She walked over and opened the door. “I just have to put on my jewelry and we’ll be ready to go.”
Jordan, who had spent the entire day outside with Elliott, had showered earlier and was now dressed in clean jeans and a yellow shirt. His first choice had been a much-beloved Brad Paisley T-shirt paired with ragged jeans, but Jill had quickly squashed that idea.
“Well, hurry up,” her son said now.
She couldn’t help laughing. “If you stop whining, I will.”
He rolled his eyes and plopped down on her bed. His expression said grown-ups were weird.
Jill reached for her jewelry. Diamond stud earrings—a gift from Elliott in April on her birthday, a thin, silver bangle bracelet and her diamond engagement ring completed Jill’s preparations.
The ring had been a bone of contention between her and Elliott. She felt it was much too big—a two-carat, round diamond set in platinum. Jill could only imagine how much it had cost. But Elliott wouldn’t listen, saying he couldn’t take the ring back and that he wanted her to have it, period. Jill had reluctantly given in, although she had to admit the ring was gorgeous. She was probably the only woman on earth who would rather have something smaller and simpler.
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