A scandalous revelation from New York Times bestseller Carla Cassidy—the most dangerous Colton yet is on the loose...

When criminal mastermind Livia Colton escapes from prison, her son, Texas Ranger Knox Colton, is suspended from his job. Embittered, the loner lawman heads home to Shadow Creek, Texas, a town full of unsettling memories for him. But Knox is floored when he discovers that the woman he loved and lost has a son that looks just like him.

Allison Rafferty thought she was doing the right thing by not telling Knox about young Cody all those years ago. Now the man she still loves insists on getting to know his son. And as a threat looms over Shadow Creek, they’ll both discover just how far a Colton will go to protect what’s theirs.

“That kiss was a mistake. I don’t feel that way about you anymore.” Okay, maybe she could deny it, but she could tell by the look in Knox’s eyes that he didn’t believe her.

“In any case, anything like that between us would be foolish, and it would only complicate things. We aren’t going there again, Knox, and now I think it’s time we say good night.”

She breathed a sigh of relief when he nodded and turned to walk to the front door. Her legs were still shaky as she accompanied him.

“I’m sorry about my little breakdown,” Allison said.

He turned to face her, and before she could read his intentions he grabbed her and once again planted a kiss on her lips.

It was short and searing and when he released her his eyes sparkled with a knowing glint. “The next time you try to tell me you don’t feel that way about me anymore, say it like you really mean it,” he said, and then he was gone into the night.

* * *

The Coltons of Shadow Creek:

Only family can keep you safe…

Colton’s Secret Son

Carla Cassidy

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CARLA CASSIDY is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author who has written more than one-hundred-and-twenty novels for Mills & Boon. In 1995, she won Best Silhouette Romance from RT Book Reviews for Anything for Danny. In 1998, she won a Career Achievement Award for Best Innovative Series from RT Book Reviews. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write.

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Epilogue

Extract

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

Shadow Creek, Texas, held nothing but broken dreams, betrayal and heartache for Knox Colton. He had thought he’d never return to the small town where he’d grown up, but here he was again after a ten-year absence.

Forced to take a sabbatical from his job as a Texas Ranger, embarrassed and humiliated by his mother’s crimes, he’d really had no other place to go.

He now clenched his fingers around the steering wheel as a whisper of heated anger burned in the pit of his stomach. Nothing like being a Texas Ranger and having one of the FBI’s most wanted as a mother.

Livia Colton had created plenty of chaos and damage in his childhood, and now she was affecting her grown children’s lives once again.

He rolled down his window to allow in the sweet-scented early March air and drew in a deep breath. The last thing he wanted to do was to carry his simmering anger into the peaceful sanctuary his younger sister called home.

His anger eased at thoughts of his youngest sister, Jade. Despite the nine years difference in their ages, he’d always been particularly close to her.

A smile curved his lips as he turned into Hill Country Farm, Jade’s home. Ahead of him was her house, but around the house were her passions. Vegetable gardens were just beginning to awaken with what would be summer bounty. Stables and a riding arena were on the right, and a barn with chickens, goats and pigs was on the left.

The house itself was small, but exuded a sense of stability and welcome. Pots of purple pansies sat on the porch, dipping and waving their heads in the light spring breeze.

Before he’d stopped his car, Jade stepped out on the porch, a wide smile of greeting on her pretty face. He parked and got out of the car and she raced toward him, her dark brown ponytail bouncing as her sweet laughter filled the air.

She jumped into his arms and he picked her up and spun her around. His cowboy hat flew off his head before he deposited her back on the ground and gave her a firm kiss on the forehead.

“Oh, Knox, I’ve missed you so much,” she said.

“And I’ve missed you,” he replied as he picked up his hat and plopped it back on his head. “You look terrific, Jade.”

She stepped back from him and eyed him. “You don’t look half-bad yourself, big brother.” She gave him a playful punch in the stomach. “At least you haven’t gone to seed in your old age.”

“Hey, I’m only thirty-three. I’m still in my prime,” he retorted.

She linked her arm with his. “Come on inside. I’ve got the coffee on and I made a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls.”

“Hmm, nothing better on a Saturday morning than cinnamon rolls and time with you,” he replied.

Minutes later the two siblings sat across from each other at the round oak table in the kitchen that smelled of spices and sunshine. Yellow curtains fluttered at the open windows as the sweet scent of new grass and budding flowers drifted in.

“So, how’s Ranger life?” Jade asked as she set a small plate with a cinnamon roll the size of the palm of his hand before him.

“It was great until two weeks ago.” He frowned down into his coffee cup and then looked up and met his sister’s gaze. “And then day before yesterday I was told rather forcefully that a sabbatical might be a good idea right now.”

Jade’s brown eyes darkened. “Because of Mother’s escape from prison.” Knox gave a curt nod of his head. “How long are you on sabbatical for?”

“An undetermined amount of time,” he replied. “I have become somewhat of an embarrassment with a mother who plotted and succeeded with an elaborate escape from Red Peak Maximum Security Prison. I was told to lie low until she was no longer a hot news item and was caught.” The burn of anger was back in his stomach.

“I can’t believe she managed to pay off so many guards and got into the infirmary and through two more security checks before cutting a hole in the floor and slithering down into the sewer system.”

“A new sewer system that she somehow arranged to be built,” he added drily. “And you’ve probably heard that in the construction site she was picked up by a white van outside the prison walls.”

“And the van had no plates or distinguishing marks when it was found abandoned near the Mexican border,” Jade added. “I watch the news, too.”

What had been kept out of the news was that there had been blood found on the side of the van, blood that hadn’t belonged to Livia Colton, but Knox wasn’t telling that to Jade or anyone else. Knox had been told this by his boss before the upper brass cut him out of the information chain.

The information was being intentionally held back by the authorities. Someone had been at the scene at the Mexican border with Livia and that someone had apparently been hurt. Knox had a feeling the identity of that person was already known to somebody in law enforcement, but it was a piece of information that hadn’t been told or leaked. By now, the blood left behind at the van would have been analyzed and he couldn’t help but believe DNA had been matched to somebody.

“Then you know the latest is that she was spotted in Mexico, and that’s where I hope she stays until she burns in hell,” Knox said forcefully.

Jade reached across the table and grabbed his hand with her much smaller one. “Knox, you need to release some of that anger. It knots up in your veins and makes me believe the Hulk could pop out of you at any time.”

A wry grin curved his mouth. “Maybe what I need to keep the Hulk inside is a couple of bites of this magnificent cinnamon roll.”

She flashed him a beautiful smile. “Dig in.”

As he enjoyed not one, but two of the breakfast treats, Jade caught him up on her business. She ran a rehab center for off-track Thoroughbred horses, hoping to give them second careers as pleasure riding mounts or hunter-jumpers.

It was obvious she loved what she did; it shone from the happiness in her eyes, in the flush of her cheeks as she spoke about the horses. Knox had loved being a Texas Ranger, but his mother had stolen that from him, at least for now.

At least Jade seemed to be thriving, despite the fact that their mother had been in prison for drug charges and murder.

“So, where are you staying while you’re in town?” Jade asked.

“I was going to see about staying in the apartment at Mac’s, but Thorne insisted I bunk with him, so I’m at his place.” Mac Mackenzie was the closest thing to a father figure that Knox knew; Thorne was his son with Livia, although all of Livia’s children shared the Colton last name. Thorne had a ranch not too far away from Jade’s. “Wht’s new with everyone else?” he asked, wondering about the rest of their Colton siblings.

Jade shrugged. “Nobody has heard anything from River lately, so we’re all assuming he’s still a marine and someplace overseas. Claudia is apparently living her dream in New York and Leonor is still in Austin.”

“Or helping Mother stay hidden in Mexico.”

“She wouldn’t do that,” Jade protested. Knox raised an eyebrow and Jade continued. “I know Leonor was the last to believe that Mother was guilty of all the charges against her, but she would never aid her in an escape.”

Knox didn’t reply. He wasn’t sure what his sister might do to help their mother. She’d clung to her belief in Livia’s innocence far longer than any of the other siblings and had been the only one who had visited Livia in prison.

“Why don’t you take me outside and show me around,” he said, suddenly tired of thoughts of their mother.

“I’d love to,” she replied. He grabbed his hat from a nearby chair and together they walked out of Jade’s door.

It was with great pride that she pointed out the vast gardens and the area that was a petting zoo where local schools often brought their classes to visit.

“I love it when the children come,” Jade said. “And these animals love all the attention they get on those days.”

They reached a pasture fence, beyond which were several of the horses she’d devoted her life to giving a second chance at a different kind of life.

He turned to look at her. “You’re happy here.” It was a statement, not a question.

She smiled. “I am.” The smile faded away and her eyes darkened. “And I’ll feel a lot happier when our mother is once again behind bars. I worry that she knows I helped put her there in the first place.”

Knox pulled her into an embrace. “Don’t worry, Jade. It would be stupid for her to show up here, and we both know that she isn’t a stupid woman.”

No, Livia definitely wasn’t stupid. She was a cunning, manipulative sociopath who had seen her children only as tools to be used to gain her wealth and power. She trotted them out for photo ops when it served her purpose and then handed them off to a nanny and forgot about them until the next time they could be useful to her. And that had been the very least of her crimes.

“You’re right,” Jade replied as he released her. She stared out into the distance for a moment and then laughed. “You remember her lacy handkerchiefs?”

“How could I forget? She thought carrying one made her look all high society, and God forbid if she couldn’t find a particular one in her drawer. She’d have all of us searching high and low for a pink-or lilac-colored hankie. But enough about her, let’s go see your stables.”

As they walked toward the stables, Jade told him about the racehorses that came to her, many of whom might otherwise have been headed to the glue factory, or sadly sold for meat.

“The first thing I have to do is make sure they’re healthy,” she explained. “And then they have to be socialized with both people and the rest of the herd.”

They entered the stables and Knox immediately spied a young boy sweeping up. “Cody, come and meet my brother,” Jade called out to him.

The boy set the broom aside and approached them with a friendly smile on his face. “This is my brother Knox,” Jade said. She placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And this is Cody, the best nine-year-old helper and horse lover I’ve ever met.”

“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” The boy stuck out a hand to shake.

Knox took the small hand and studied the boy’s face. Bright blue eyes, oddly familiar, gazed up at him. Cody’s light brown hair was neatly cut and his smile was broad enough to illuminate an entire room.

“It’s nice to meet you, Cody, and you can call me Knox.”

“Do you like horses, Knox?” the boy asked him.

“I love them,” Knox replied.

“Knox is a Texas Ranger,” Jade said.

“Wow.” Cody’s eyes widened. “That’s awesome.”

Those eyes...the shape and the bright blue color...what about them felt so familiar to Knox? “Thanks. So you sweep up around here?”

“I do whatever Miss Jade wants me to and then she lets me ride the horses,” he replied.

“Sounds like a lot of responsibility,” Knox replied.

Cody nodded. “I can handle it.” He looked at the wristwatch he wore. “Now I need to finish up sweeping because my mom is going to be here any minute.”

“And who is your mom?” Knox asked, wondering if he knew the woman.

“Her name is Allison Rafferty,” Cody replied.

Allison Rafferty? Knox’s brain exploded with a flash of sweet memories. Allison was the woman he’d once loved, the woman who had betrayed him and the one he’d never quite been able to forget.

He stared at Cody. Those eyes...no wonder they looked so familiar to Knox. Each morning when he looked into a mirror, he saw those same ones staring back at him.

Shock waves shuddered through him and he was vaguely aware of Jade telling Cody to go ahead outside and wait for his mother. The complicated memories he had of Allison disappeared beneath a veil of pure white anger.

Knox turned to his sister, his heart beating hard and fast. He felt gut-punched. Cody was nine years old and had his eyes. Almost ten years ago, he’d contacted Allison when he’d heard she’d had a baby that she’d insisted belonged to an old boyfriend. She had to have gotten pregnant by another man during the time they’d been dating. He’d been utterly destroyed by her cheating and that had been the end of any relationship he had with her.

She’d lied.

Knox knew with a gut instinct that Cody was his son. He stared at Jade. “Did you know?”

Jade didn’t pretend not to know what he was talking about. “I’ve always suspected, but Allison has never said anything to me, and I haven’t asked her.”

A son. Emotion welled up to press tight against his chest. He had a son, and he’d already lost nine years because Allison had lied to him. He’d always known that she was just another woman who’d betrayed him, and this only confirmed it.

“I think I’ll step outside and wait for Cody’s mother to arrive,” he said.

“Knox, you aren’t going to do anything crazy, are you?” Jade asked worriedly.

He smiled grimly as an icy cold shell wrapped around his heart. “Don’t worry. I’m not crazy.” His fellow Rangers and several news agencies had nicknamed him Fort Knox because he was the unbreakable Ranger who had no heart. He was always in control of his emotions.

The sound of a car approaching from the distance tensed all of his muscles. He drew several deep, long breaths and then prepared himself to face the woman who had kept the secret of his son from him for nine long years.

* * *

Allison Rafferty couldn’t help the smile that curved her lips as she saw Cody and Jade standing just outside the stables. The sight of her son always made her heart expand with pride and joy.

It was impossible to hold on to the worries of running the construction company when she was with her son. On Monday she was going to have to fire a man, never a pleasant thing, but in this case necessary. But for this afternoon and evening all she had to think about was making homemade pizza and watching a movie with the little man in her life.

She parked and turned off the car engine, then got out of the car. At the same time a tall, broad-shouldered man wearing a black cowboy hat stepped out of the stables and into her view.

Knox.

Her breath hitched in her throat and she froze in her tracks. For a long moment her brain refused to function as she stared at him, and then a million questions fired off in her head.

Knox Colton... What on earth was he doing there? Oh, God, she didn’t want him there. Why wasn’t he in El Paso doing whatever he did as a Texas Ranger?

“Hello, Allison.” His eyes beneath the rim of his hat were icy blue.

He knows.

The two dreadful words echoed in her head as her heart began to beat an unsteady rhythm. “Knox, what a surprise,” she said and took several slow steps forward.

“It’s been a day full of surprises,” he replied with a pointed glance at Cody.

“Cody, why don’t you come inside with me and let Knox and your mother visit for a few minutes,” Jade said. “I think I’ve got some of those chocolate cookies that you like in the pantry.”

Cody looked at Allison for permission and she nodded her head, still stunned by Knox’s presence. She watched as Jade and Cody headed to the house and a million old memories fluttered through her mind.

Knox, dressed in a navy tuxedo to take her to the high school prom... Knox, naked and beautiful as he made love to her in the pool house at La Bonne Vie, his family home.

He had been her first love, her only love and the man she believed would be her forever love. They’d dated all through high school and after that whenever she could get back to Shadow Creek from the college she’d attended in Massachusetts.

They’d drifted apart during the last of those days, but when she’d had to quit college and return to Shadow Creek to take over her father’s construction company, she and Knox had resumed their love affair. The memories of loving and being loved by him warmed her.

She watched until Jade and Cody disappeared into the house and then she turned her gaze back to Knox. Any warmth her memories had generated instantly cooled beneath the chill of his arctic gaze. She raised her chin and waited for him to speak, her heart beating even more frantically.

“You’ve kept him from me for nine years.”

She wanted to protest. She wanted to reiterate the falsehood she’d told him years ago when she’d been pregnant and he’d called to see if the baby was his. But it was one thing to utter a lie over a phone line, quite another to stare into somebody’s eyes and lie.

“You left town,” she replied. He’d left her utterly brokenhearted and not knowing if she would ever have a future with him. That had been one of the reasons she’d lied to him, because he’d distanced himself from her, indicating that he didn’t want to be with her anymore. There had also been the fact that she hadn’t wanted her newborn son in any way associated with the Coltons, considering that Livia had just gone to jail for her heinous crimes.

“And then you had your new life with the Rangers. I didn’t think you’d care,” she said.

“You thought wrong. I had a right to know that he is my son, and he has a right to know that I’m his father.” His words were short...clipped, and he took a step toward her.

Anger and fear leaped into her chest. “You haven’t told him, have you?” How long had he been there with Cody today? What might he have already said to her son?

“I haven’t told him anything yet.” His tone was cold, dispassionate, and reminded her that his reputation was that of a heartless, emotionless man.

“Please don’t tell him,” she replied hurriedly. “What are you doing here in Shadow Creek? Last I heard, you were in El Paso protecting the border.”

For the first time a flicker of something dark shadowed his eyes. “I decided it was time for a vacation, and don’t try to change the subject. You’ve had nine years with Cody and now it’s my turn to have time with him.”

Everything inside of her stilled. Her heart stopped beating and her lungs quit drawing breath as she stared at him wordlessly. She’d always wondered in the back of her mind if this day would come, but over the years she’d convinced herself it wouldn’t. But here it was and she was so ill-prepared for it.

“How long is your vacation?” she finally asked.

“I don’t know yet.” He shoved his hands in his jean pockets. “I have a right to spend time with him.”

She didn’t care what was right in this situation; all she cared about was the best interest of her son, and she didn’t believe him spending any time with Knox was in Cody’s best interest.

“We’ve done fine without you. I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” she replied. “Especially now that your mother has escaped from jail.”

His shoulders stiffened. “My mother has nothing to do with this. I have rights, Allison, and if I have to get a lawyer and fight for them, I will.” The resolve in his eyes let her know he wasn’t playing. He was dead serious.

“I don’t want you to hurt him, Knox.”

His jaw tightened. “That’s the last thing I intend to do.”

She sighed. “If you promise that you won’t tell him you’re his father until I think he’s ready to hear it, and if the two of us can remain civil with each other, then I guess we can work something out so that you can spend some time with him.”

Worry fluttered through her. She didn’t want to do this, but Knox did have a right to get to know his son. The last thing she wanted was a custody battle. She had to do this right for Cody’s sake.

“I promise.” He pulled his hands from his pockets and took another step closer to her. “I don’t want to screw up his life, Allison. I don’t want to screw up your life.” His eyes narrowed. “But you should have told me.”

A flush of warmth filled her cheeks. “I did what I thought was best for everyone at the time.”

“You thought wrong.”

His anger was controlled, but she saw it in the tense set of his broad shoulders, in the thin line of his lips and in the depths of his beautiful blue eyes. “When?”

Next year...the year after, or maybe when he turns eighteen, she wanted to reply. “Next week?”

“Not good enough,” he replied.

She forced herself to breathe. “You can see him tomorrow after church. We’re usually home around noon.”

“Then I’ll pick him up at twelve thirty.”

A new panic leaped into her throat. “Pick him up? Where are you going to take him?”

“I thought I’d take him to Mac’s ranch. I haven’t had a chance to stop in there and say hello since I’ve been back in town.” He crooked an eyebrow up. “If you’re worried that I’ll steal him away from you, then you need to relax. I wouldn’t do that to him.”

Relax? How could she when his very presence there had shaken her to her very soul? How could she relax when he apparently wanted to step into a parent role, even though he’d walked away from her...from their love so easily almost ten years before?

“Then we’ll see you tomorrow.” She was ready for this conversation to end. She needed to go home and process just how much he’d turned her world upside down.

“I’ll send Cody out.” He headed for the house.

Allison got back into the car and finally drew in a deep breath. She’d always felt half-breathless when around Knox. He was ten years older than he’d been the last time she’d seen him, but those years had only made him more attractive.

He was deeply tanned, which made the blue of his eyes more intense. His light brown hair was clipped short, emphasizing his chiseled, handsome features.

Despite the shock of seeing him, in spite of the simmering anger that had marked their conversation, she had to admit that he still held some sort of sensual power over her.

She’d wanted to brush her fingers through his hair, feel the strength of his arms around her and taste his lips once again.

Foolish, foolish thoughts. She’d been devastated when he’d left her ten years ago. Ten years was a long time. She had no idea what kind of a man he’d really become, and the last thing she wanted was to allow Fort Knox back into her life in any capacity.

Jade’s front door opened and Cody came running out. Allison drew another deep breath to steady her emotions. Whether she liked it or not, Knox was back in her life for now. She just prayed he wouldn’t do anything to hurt Cody.

Chapter 2

Anger still ripped through Knox as he headed back to Thorne’s ranch. The only thing that tempered it was the remaining shock of discovering he was a father.

Knox had never known his father. Livia had divorced Tad Whitman when Knox was only two and then she’d changed his last name to Colton and moved to Austin. He wasn’t even sure if Tad Whitman was really his father. There had been rumors that Tad’s father had gotten Livia pregnant.

After that there had been a succession of stepdaddies and new siblings, but never a real father figure in his life on a permanent basis other than Mac. Knox wanted better for Cody.

Maybe Cody already had a father figure in his life. The thought gave him pause. He hadn’t asked if Allison was married and another man was raising Cody as his own.

She was certainly attractive enough to have caught some man’s eyes. He hadn’t been so consumed by his anger that he hadn’t noticed she was even prettier now than she’d been when they’d been an item.

Her dark blond hair had been pulled back into a messy knot at the nape of her neck, emphasizing her high cheekbones and sensual mouth. The green blouse she’d had on had toyed with her hazel eyes, turning them more green than gold.

And nobody wore a pair of jeans like Allison. The denim hugged her long, slender legs and reminded him of how much he had loved those sleek legs tangled with his.

He tightened his hands on the steering wheel and embraced his anger. It was far easier to sustain that emotion than drift into ridiculous thoughts of his past relationship with Allison.

He’d spent far too many nights in the past thinking about her, missing her and wondering what might have been if they’d made different decisions so long ago. He’d also spent many of those nights hating her.

Almost ten years ago he’d called her to see if the baby she’d had was his. She’d told him it belonged to an old boyfriend and she’d gotten pregnant during the time after she and Knox had renewed their relationship. He’d hated her then for betraying his love.

He’d already been reeling because of his mother’s arrest. He’d told Allison in the midst of that drama that he just needed some time and distance from her. He’d needed a couple of weeks to pull himself together and to make sure his siblings were doing okay. But with his younger sisters taken care of and the rest of the clan self-sufficient, Knox had left for Texas and gotten a job as a Ranger.

He’d never really intended to leave Allison forever, but it had taken him months to get his head back on straight after his mother’s trial and all that dust had settled. Life with the Rangers had been all-consuming and just about the time he felt it was right to reach out to Allison again, he’d heard she’d had a baby.

The timing was right for the child to be his, but then she’d told him it wasn’t and he’d been devastated. Her betrayal had been just another blow by a woman...one he couldn’t get past.

But this betrayal cut even deeper. Dammit, she should have told him about Cody. He’d already missed so much of his life. Not only had he missed out on the wonder of his birth, but he’d also missed Cody’s first step, his first word...so many firsts.

He took the turn into Thorne’s ranch a little too fast and dust kicked up as the back tires of his sports car spun out. He quickly righted the car and pulled to a stop in front of the attractive ranch house.

“Hey, are you looking for a second job as a race-car driver?” Thorne shouted from the door of the barn as Knox got out of the car.

Knox waited as his half brother approached him. Thorne’s dark skin gleamed in the sunshine and his smile eased some of the tension in Knox’s gut, some...but not all.

Thorne’s smile fell and he obviously felt the tension radiating from Knox. “What’s up?”

“Have you ever seen Allison Rafferty’s boy?”

“Sure, I’ve seen him around town with Allison. Why?”

“Have you ever noticed that he looks a lot like me?”

Thorne’s light brown eyes narrowed slightly. “Why don’t we go inside? This definitely feels like a sit-down talk.”

Knox nodded. The two men didn’t speak again until they were seated across from each other at the kitchen table. “I just found out that Allison’s son is mine,” Knox finally said.

Thorne’s eyes widened in surprise. “I had no idea,” he replied. “I remember there was some speculation and a little scandal when everyone realized she was pregnant, but I figured if the baby was yours you would be here with her.”

Knox fisted his hands on top of the table. “She lied to me, Thorne. Almost ten years ago she told me her baby’s father was an old boyfriend. She’s kept him from me for all these years.”

Thorne leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “Can you really blame her?”

Knox stared at Thorne in surprise. The last thing he’d expected was for his brother to defend Allison.

“Think about it,” Thorne continued. “You had pulled away from her when Mother was arrested.”

“I had to make sure all of you were going to be okay. I thought I was going to take physical custody of Jade and Claudia. I was more than a little out of my mind when I left, but I always figured I’d eventually wind up with Allison.”

“Did you tell Allison that at the time?” Thorne asked.

Knox frowned. “No, I just told her I needed a little break from her.” He hadn’t wanted her to know how crazy he was at the time; he hadn’t wanted her to see him as weak. And then he’d heard about the baby and it had been the light in a sea of darkness...until she’d told him the baby belonged to an ex.

“Knox, you were gone and the Colton name was being dragged through the mud because of Mother’s arrest. The whole town had turned against us. Is it any wonder she didn’t want to burden her child with anything Colton?”

Myriad emotions flooded Knox’s head and he rubbed a hand in the center of his forehead where a headache had begun to pound. No, it wasn’t any wonder Allison hadn’t wanted that. At that time, Knox hadn’t wanted to be a Colton, but she still shouldn’t have lied to him when he’d asked her point-blank about the baby.

“Allison is well respected in Shadow Creek.” Thorne leaned forward. “Now her reputation is stellar. She’s known as a great single mother, a savvy businesswoman, and is generous in charity work. She gained a lot of respect for nursing her sick father until he passed two years ago.”

“She isn’t married?”

Thorne shook his head. “From everything I hear she’s totally devoted to raising her boy.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Knox asked.

“Because she has a good life here and I don’t want you to blow into town and screw things up for her before you leave once again and she has to pick up all the pieces.”

“I have no intention of screwing anything up for her. I just want a relationship with my son,” Knox replied firmly. “Thorne, you have a great relationship with your father. You don’t know what it’s like not to have one in your life, but I do and I want better for Cody.”

“Don’t be a father to him for as long as you’re back in town and then forget about him when you return to Ranger life,” Thorne advised.

“I don’t want to be just a vacation father. I want to be in his life in a meaningful way until the day I die.” Knox’s heart swelled with love for the boy he had yet to really know.

Thorne grinned. “Then congratulations, it’s a boy.”

Knox laughed. “Thanks. I’m picking him up tomorrow and I thought I’d take him over to your father’s place. I figured maybe we could throw a couple of lines into the pond and do a little fishing.”

“You know Dad would love to see you,” Thorne replied and stood. “I’m surprised Allison agreed to letting you take him.”

“I threatened her with lawyers,” Knox admitted.

“Whew, you must have been mad. And now I need to get back out to the barn. I’ve been cleaning tack all morning.” Knox stood as well and on impulse gave his half brother a quick man hug.

“What was that for?” Thorne asked in surprise.

“For the hard talk and good advice.”

“Anytime,” Thorne replied and then he headed out the back door.

Knox sank back down at the table, his thoughts on his younger half brother. Knox had been five when Thorne had been born, but it hadn’t taken him long to realize Thorne didn’t look exactly like him. Instead, Thorne had the same dark skin and curly hair as their African-American ranch foreman, Joseph “Mac” Mackenzie.

Rumors had flown in the small town, and Livia, with her usual wicked machinations, had thrown her husband at the time under the bus. She’d transformed Wes Kingston, the father of her son River, from a dashing rancher to an abusive husband who eventually divorced her. Mac had stayed on as foreman at the ranch to be near his son. He’d even bought some of the land to ensure that he’d never be displaced.

Wes Kingston hadn’t been the last of his mother’s lovers or husbands, and each one had left her financially better off until she was one of the wealthiest people in the area.

Her last husband, Fabrizio Artero, had been a successful Argentine horse breeder. He’d been a decent stepfather and had doted on Jade until he’d been kicked in the head by a horse and died.

Knox got up and moved to the window to stare out at the pastures in the distance, his thoughts still consumed by the woman who had given birth to him.

Livia hadn’t made it into the inner society circles in Austin, but here in Shadow Creek she’d ruled as queen. She’d built a much-needed hospital, had funded most of the 4-H program and had thrown elaborate barbecues that had been the talk of the town.

Nobody had known the depths of Livia’s deceptions until she was arrested and indicted on charges of human and drug trafficking, among other crimes. Nobody had known that she’d been a ruthless general working for an organized crime group. She’d even been found guilty of murder.

She’d been under investigation by the FBI for years and they’d finally gained the evidence they needed to put her away forever. La Bonne Vie, the family’s beautiful mansion, their land and all the livestock had been confiscated by the authorities. The place had remained vacant since then.

Knox could only hope the authorities would find Livia as quickly as possible and get her back behind bars where she deserved to spend the rest of her life. He hoped his mother didn’t even know that he was back in Shadow Creek.

He turned away from the window and shoved thoughts of his mother out of his head. She wasn’t his problem anymore, other than the fact that her latest escapades had screwed up his job for now.

He went down the hallway to the bedroom where he was staying and sat on the edge of the bed as thoughts of a different woman filled his mind.

Allison Rafferty.

His blood warmed as he thought of how the sun had sparked in her hair. For a moment he imagined he could smell the apple and spice scent she’d always worn, the fragrance that had once represented tangled sheets, sweet sighs and lovemaking.

She’d been in his blood for years. She’d been his first lover and he’d once thought they would be together forever. There had been other women during the times they’d been broken apart, but none had touched him like she had.

He jerked himself off the bed. He didn’t want to sit around and think about Allison and what they had once shared. She wasn’t the woman he’d once believed was good and pure. Hell, half the reason he’d left town in the first place was to shield her from any evil his mother might bring to her life.

She was nothing more to him than a woman who had lied, who had kept the secret of his son for far too long. He’d have to deal with her because of Cody, but he would never, ever forgive her.

* * *

The next day, Allison watched the spring sunshine flood through one of the beautiful stained glass windows of the First Methodist Church of Shadow Creek. Reverend Johnson stood at the pulpit and droned on with his sermon about turning the other cheek and forgiveness, but Allison was too busy praying to pay much attention to what he had to say.

In less than an hour Knox would pick up Cody and spend the day with him. She prayed that Knox would keep his promise and not tell Cody that he was his father. She hoped Knox was in this for the long term and she desperately prayed that he wouldn’t break her son’s heart.

She’d never prayed as hard as she did now, with Cody wiggling in impatience next to her and a wealth of anxiety pressing tight in her chest.

She should have told Knox no. She should have held her ground and not allowed him to spend any time with Cody. Now it was too late to go back on it because she’d already told Cody, who was excited about spending time with Knox.

Normally after church she and Cody lingered and visited with friends and neighbors, but today they hurried to the car immediately after the service was over.

“I can’t wait for Knox to pick me up,” Cody said as soon as she was on the road and headed home. “I’ve never been to Mr. Mackenzie’s ranch before. What do you think we’ll do there?”

“I don’t know. But I’m sure whatever you do, you’ll have fun,” she replied. “And you know how nice Mr. Mackenzie is.”

“Yeah, he’s cool. Knox is really cool, too. Did you know he’s a Texas Ranger?” Cody’s voice held all the excitement of a boy anticipating a brand-new adventure.

“Yes, I knew that,” Allison replied.

When they reached their two-story house just off Main Street, Cody was nearly out of the car before she had completely parked. He raced to the porch and danced in impatience as he waited for her to join him and unlock the front door.

“I’ve got to hurry. He’ll be here in fifteen minutes,” Cody exclaimed.

“Make sure you hang up your church clothes,” Allison yelled after him as he scurried up the stairs to his bedroom.

In fifteen minutes, her entire life would change and she couldn’t begin to guess if the changes would be good or bad. She tucked her keys back into her purse and then walked through the living room and into the kitchen.

No matter what she thought of Knox Colton, he would now be back in her life. Her biggest concern was that he would be around just long enough to completely capture Cody’s heart and then he’d be gone once again.

He’d do to her son what he’d done to her. Even though ten years had passed, despite all the life that she had lived in that passage of time, she still remembered the anguish that had filled her heart when Knox had told her he needed time away from her. She’d been blinded by her hurt, and that’s why she’d lied to him in the first place.

There was no question that Cody could use a male figure in his life. Since the death of Allison’s father two years ago, there had been no masculine influences for him. She hadn’t considered dating. Raising Cody and running the family business had been enough.

She sank down at the table and wondered what on earth she was going to do with herself during the time Cody was with Knox today. For a little more than nine years her life had revolved around her son. On most Sundays they spent the day together, playing games and watching movies and cooking his favorite foods for dinner. Sundays had always been special for them because it was the one day a week when she wasn’t at work at the family construction business.

She didn’t even know if he’d be back by dinner this evening, and he hadn’t eaten any lunch. Should she make him a quick sandwich? She quickly dismissed the idea. Surely Knox knew that if he was picking Cody up right after church he would need some lunch.

She tried to shove her anxiety aside as Cody came into the kitchen. Church clothes had been replaced by a pair of jeans and his favorite blue-plaid flannel shirt.

“Looks like you’re all ready to go,” she said around the sudden lump in her throat.

He nodded and his eyes grew somber as he slid into the chair next to hers. “Will you be okay today without me?”

She looked at her son in surprise. “Buddy, I’ll be just fine. I might spend the day doing some girlie stuff.” A nine-year-old shouldn’t have to worry about his mother spending a Sunday afternoon alone.

“Girlie stuff?” Cody looked at her curiously.

She nodded. “I might take a nice, long bubble bath and then paint my nails and watch a sappy movie.”

“Sounds boring,” Cody replied. “What color are you gonna paint your nails?”

“I was thinking maybe purple with green sparkles.” She waited for it and she wasn’t disappointed.

Cody laughed. The wonderful, boyish sound filled the kitchen and wove a path straight to Allison’s heart. “You are not,” he finally replied.

At that moment the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Cody said. He shot off his chair and fight-or-flight adrenaline pulsed through Allison. She heard Cody’s excited voice and then Knox’s deeper one.

She took a couple gulps of air in an attempt to still her nerves. She didn’t mind sharing Cody, she just wasn’t sure she wanted to share him with Knox Colton. But she reminded herself that it didn’t matter what she wanted anymore.

She was just starting to rise from her chair when the two walked into the kitchen. “Don’t get up.” Knox waved her back down.

“Cody hasn’t had any lunch,” she said, as if that was the most important information he needed to know. He needed to know that Cody hated green peppers and that he sometimes ran too fast for his own safety. Knox needed to know that Cody had a heart of gold and cared deeply about others.

There were so many things he needed to know, but her voice failed her in that moment. She’d always thought her kitchen was large and airy, but it seemed much smaller with Knox’s presence.

He looked ridiculously handsome in a pair of tight jeans and a dark blue, long-sleeved polo shirt that hugged his lean stomach and emphasized his broad shoulders and muscular biceps. His black cowboy hat rode at a cocky angle on his head.

“Don’t worry, I’ll see that he gets lunch,” he replied and ruffled his hand on top of Cody’s head. Cody looked up at him with a big smile. “I planned on bringing him home sometime after dinner. Does that work for you?”

“I’d like him home by seven at the latest. He has school tomorrow. We should exchange cell phone numbers.” She hoped Cody didn’t feel the tension in the air. Although Knox’s tone of voice was pleasant enough, his gaze was cold as ice as it lingered on her.

“That’s a good idea,” he agreed.

“And then we’ll go, right, Knox?” Cody asked eagerly.

Knox laughed. Oh, Allison had forgotten the magic of his deep, wonderful laughter. “And then we’ll go,” he agreed.

For just a moment his gaze met Allison’s and the icy cold had been replaced with a warmth that stole her breath away. It was there only a couple of seconds and then gone.

He averted his gaze to sweep the kitchen. “You’ve got a nice place here.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “I bought this house after Dad passed away.” She’d been shocked to discover that her father had a substantial life insurance policy when he’d passed. It had been enough money to buy the house outright and had given her and her son some financial security.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” he replied. “John was a good man.”

“Thank you. He’d been sick for a long time.” A hollow wind blew through her as she thought of her father.

“Grandpa Rafferty helped me build a birdhouse. It’s hanging in a tree in our backyard,” Cody said. “Maybe when we come home later you can see it and you can also see my room. But now shouldn’t we get going?”

Knox grinned down at Cody. “Yeah, let’s get going.”

Allison got up to walk them to the door. “I’ll see you this evening.”

“See you later, Mom. And don’t paint your fingernails purple and green,” Cody replied.

With that they were gone, taking half of her heart with them. The house had never been as silent as it was then, with only the sound of her heart beating in her ears.

She returned to her chair in the kitchen and stared unseeing out the nearby window. Not for the first time in the past two years, she wished her father was still there.

John Rafferty had been a single parent after Allison’s mother had died of cancer when her daughter had been five. He’d been both mother and father to her, and eventually good friend and mentor.

He could build a bookcase and braid her hair. He could renovate a kitchen and bake cupcakes for a school party. Unfortunately a heart attack had left him in a wheelchair and eventually his weakened, diseased heart had just stopped working.

Growing up, she’d spent much of her time with the smell of freshly cut wood as familiar as the sound of her own voice. After school and on the weekends, she spent time at the construction company her father owned, the same one she now owned and operated.

What a hypocrite she was, sitting there and missing her own father and at the same time half wishing Cody’s had never shown up in town.

Cody deserved to know his dad. She could only hope and pray that Knox took far better care of Cody’s heart than he had of hers.

With the day stretching out in front of her, she moved from her chair at the table to the one at the small kitchen desk. She opened the laptop and powered it on.

Every couple of days, it was usual for her to check out Everything’s Blogger in Texas, a wildly popular site that served up the gossip of the area. It was a guilty pleasure, just like watching the Real Housewives franchise once a week.

Today the cover story was of a Dallas socialite who had been arrested for drunk driving after leading the police on a dangerous chase.

The headline on the second lead story was Femme Fatale Still on the Loose. Allison clicked to read the article. It was a rehash of Livia Colton’s escape from prison with nothing new added to the story since her disappearance.

A slight chill ran across her skin as she thought of Knox’s mother. The last thing she had wanted was for Livia Colton to find out she had a grandchild. Allison had always known the woman was a hateful witch, but she hadn’t known how truly dangerous she was until her arrest and subsequent trial. Fear of Livia Colton had been part of what had made her lie to Knox about Cody’s paternity.

Was that why Knox was back here? Was it possible he was not really on a vacation at all, but rather was on duty here in case his mother showed up?

And if that was the case, then once his mother was back behind bars, would he once again leave Shadow Creek to return to El Paso and not look back?

She had to believe that he intended to be more than a hit-and-miss father in Cody’s life. She also had to believe he’d protect Cody at all costs. At the very least she had to give him the benefit of the doubt until he proved differently.

The hours of the day crept by achingly slowly. She took a long bubble bath and painted her nails a pearly pink and tried not to wonder about what Knox and Cody were doing. She dusted the living room and ran the vacuum cleaner in an effort to keep herself busy.

After that she headed back to the kitchen, made herself a salad for a late lunch and then whipped up some of Cody’s favorite double chocolate chip cookies.

While they baked she sat at the table and found her brain working through a hundred questions in her mind. Was Knox married? Was Cody his only child or did he have a family in El Paso?

She should have asked him more questions yesterday at Jade’s place, but the shock of seeing him, the horror of realizing he knew about Cody, had made her half-brain-dead.

She told herself that her curiosity had nothing to do with how the very sight of him had stirred old memories, of how the scent of him...a familiar clean, woodsy scent, had evoked a pool of heat inside her stomach.

The only reason why she was curious about his life was that she needed to know how Cody might fit into it. What would a custody agreement look like between them? Would she now be sending her son to stay for a month in the summer with Knox and a stepmother? Would she now have Christmases without her son? Or Easters? Or Thanksgivings?

And what about his mother, who was now on the run from the law? Dear God, she didn’t even want to think about Livia getting anywhere near her son.

She needed to find out tonight exactly what Knox wanted. She had always kept a controlling hand on her life. She’d had to be in control to wear the many hats she wore.

At the moment, everything felt wildly out of control and she still had three hours before they’d be home. One thing was certain: she wasn’t going to let Knox Colton leave her house tonight until he’d answered some important questions.

Chapter 3

It had been a day of wonder for Knox. If he had imagined the kind of son he would want, it would have been a boy just like Cody.

Cody was bright and curious and extremely well mannered. No matter what he thought of Allison, Knox had to give her credit for doing a stellar job in raising the boy.

Knox found Cody’s laughter intoxicating. He even liked the way Cody’s forehead crinkled just a bit when he was thinking hard. He was easygoing and a real pleasure to be around.

“I had so much fun today,” Cody said as Knox pulled into Allison’s driveway.

“Me, too,” Knox agreed. “I’d like to spend more time with you. Would that be all right with you?”

“Sure, that would be cool as long as it’s okay with my mom,” Cody agreed.

“Oh, I think it will be fine with your mother,” he replied.

They got out of the car and Knox placed a hand on Cody’s shoulder as they approached the front door. His chest swelled on contact with the slender shoulder beneath his hand. His son. He just couldn’t get over it.

He dropped his hand back to his side as Cody went through the front door. “Mom, we’re home,” he called out. He glanced back at Knox with one of his wide grins. “Hmm, she must have made cookies.”

Knox followed Cody inside. The house smelled of baked chocolate and lemon polish. It smelled the way a home should.

She stepped from the kitchen and into the living room and for a moment Knox’s breath caught in his throat. She looked exquisitely feminine, clad in a casual, soft pink maxi dress that hugged her slender curves on its way down to her ankles. The scoop neck exposed a delicate collarbone, and the color emphasized her warm, peachy complexion. Her hair was loose and fell to her shoulders in soft waves.

She looked even more beautiful when her face lit up and she leaned down to give Cody a hug. “I can tell by the look on your face that you had fun today,” she said and then looked up at Knox.

He’d always told her that her eyes were the window to her emotions, that he could always tell what she was thinking, what she was feeling by gazing into them. But those hazel depths told him nothing now. They were shuttered against him and revealed nothing whatsoever.

“Mom, we went to Mac’s house and he has pictures of Knox and his brother and sisters on the wall, and then we went fishing in the pond and I caught two big crappies and Mac fried them for dinner and...” Cody paused for breath.

She laughed. “Why don’t we go into the kitchen and have some cookies and you can tell me all about it.” Once again she looked at Knox. “I made a fresh pot of coffee just a few minutes ago.”

“Cookies and fresh coffee? I’m in,” he replied. He followed her and their son into the kitchen where he and Cody sat at the table. Allison got a platter of cookies, a glass of milk and two cups of coffee before she joined them.

“Now tell me all about the fish.”

Knox leaned back in the chair and watched mother and son interact. She was so patient, and gave him her sole attention as he relayed the activities of the afternoon between bites of cookie.

“Sounds like you had a full day of fun,” she said when Cody was finished telling her everything he’d experienced from the time Knox had picked him up until they’d walked through the door. “And now it’s bath and bedtime.” Cody had eaten two cookies, drank his milk and finished his stories.

“Before that, can Knox come up and see my room?” he asked.

“Okay, but only if it doesn’t take too long. A growing boy needs his sleep,” Allison replied.

Cody looked at Knox with a grin. “She always tells me that.” He scrambled off his chair. “Come on, you’ll like my room. I’ve got bunk beds and a horse collection.”

“Then I’d definitely better take a look,” Knox replied. He gazed at Allison. “Are you coming up, too?”

She shook her head with a small smile. “I’ll just sit here and eat a cookie. Besides, I’ve seen his room before.”

Knox followed Cody up the stairs and at the top the air smelled of apples and spices; the scent instantly tightened his gut with an unwelcome heat.

They passed one doorway and Knox glanced in. It had to be Allison’s bedroom. A double bed was covered with a lavender-colored floral spread and white gauzy curtains danced in the evening breeze.

It was far too easy to imagine himself in that bed with her, her naked body in his arms and her eyes simmering a deep gold with sparkling green shards as he took possession of her. What was wrong with him? How was it possible to desire a woman he didn’t even want to like?

Cody’s room was definitely that of a horse lover. Navy curtains hung at the window with rearing stallions riding the lower borders. The bunk beds were covered with matching navy spreads and a bookcase held miniature figurines of horses in all kinds of poses. One shelf also held a row of books about horses. Glow-in-the-dark star stickers glistened on the ceiling above the top bunk.

“Isn’t my room cool?” Cody asked as he sat on the edge of the bottom bunk.

“Totally,” Knox replied. “Do you sleep on the bottom bunk or on the top?”

“On the top. Last year I slept on the bottom, but Mom finally let me move to the top and then we got the stars to put on the ceiling.”

Knox smiled. “That’s where I would sleep if I had bunk beds, and I like the stars, too.”

The grin that Cody gave him shot straight through to Knox’s heart. He wanted to claim this child. He wanted everyone in the town, everyone in the entire world to know that this bright, beautiful boy was his.

He wanted to grab Cody to his chest and hug him...protect him from any hurt that might ever come his way. Raw emotion ripped through him and he realized that the alien, rich feeling was a father’s love for his child.

He cleared his throat. “You’d better get yourself into the bathtub before your mother comes up here and yells at us.”

“Mom doesn’t yell at me even when she’s mad,” Cody replied, but he got up off the bed. “Are we gonna hang out again?” His bright eyes gazed at Knox eagerly.

“Absolutely. I’m going to go downstairs right now and make some arrangements with your mother. And don’t forget to wash behind your ears. I thought I saw a potato growing behind one of them this afternoon.”

Knox went back down the stairs with Cody’s giggles ringing in his ears. He hoped Allison wasn’t going to give him a hard time about spending more time with Cody. He wanted more, he needed more.

“He’s got a great room,” he said as he reentered the kitchen where she still remained at the table. “And he’s a great kid, Allison. You’ve done a terrific job with him.”

“Thanks. He’s a good boy, but like all kids he occasionally does have his moments. Would you like another cup of coffee?” She looked slightly fragile with her shoulders curved as she leaned forward and wrapped her fingers around her cup.

“I’ll get it.” He picked up his mug from the table and carried it to the coffeemaker on the countertop. He poured the coffee and then returned to the chair across from her. “So, when can I get him again?”

“Next Sunday?” Her full bottom lip held the hint of a tremble.

Crap, she was making him feel like a big, bad monster attempting to tear her little baby boy from her loving arms. He shook his head. “No way, I’m not waiting an entire week to see him again.”

“Are you married?” Her cheeks flushed and she quickly picked up her cup and took a sip.

“Why do you want to know?” He crooked up an eyebrow. “Are you interested in resuming where we left off while I’m back in town?”

Her back stiffened and her eyes flashed. “Don’t be ridiculous. That’s the last thing I want. I just need to know a few things about your personal life if we’re going to work out a reasonable custody agreement.”

At least he’d shaken her out of the soft vulnerability that had made him want to embrace her rather than fight for his rights.

“I’m not married and I don’t have a significant other,” he replied. “My life for the past ten years has been all about my work.”

She gazed at him curiously. “Why are you really here in town? Are you on vacation, or are you actually working in case your mother shows up here?”

He leaned back in the chair and tamped down the resentment that threatened to rise up in his chest, a resentment that had nothing to do with Allison.

“Yeah, I’m here because of my mother, but not for the reason you think. None of the authorities really believes she’ll show up here in Shadow Creek, but I was told to take a sabbatical because of my relationship to her. I’d become an embarrassment because of her prison escape.”

Allison studied him for several long moments. “I’m sorry, Knox,” she finally said. She was one of the few people outside of his siblings who knew the extent of Livia Colton’s destructiveness. “Do I need to worry about her? I never wanted her to know about Cody.”

“She shouldn’t be a problem, considering I didn’t even know Cody existed until yesterday,” he replied drily. “What did people think when you started showing?”

“The gossipmongers went crazy for a couple of months. I heard everything from I got pregnant after a one-night stand to the father being one of the men who worked for my dad.” She looked down and then raised her gaze to meet his. “Your name popped up as a potential candidate, but when you didn’t come back to town that particular rumor died.”

He didn’t want to think about her being alone and pregnant and the subject of scandal and gossip. “Now, about Cody.”

She sighed and reached up and grabbed a strand of her hair and worried it between two fingers, a habit he remembered her having whenever she was stressed. “He gets out of school every day at three thirty and walks home from the bus stop.” She dropped her hair and frowned. “I guess you could pick him up here every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and then have him back by bedtime.”

“That will work. And what about the weekends? I can still have him on Sundays?” What he’d really like would be to have Cody every single day. He’d like to wake up in the mornings and fix him breakfast, see him off to school and then spend the evenings with him and tuck him into bed.

“I work on most Saturdays and Cody usually spends time out at Jade’s or comes in with me to the office. Maybe instead of Sunday you could take him on Saturdays while I’m working.”

He could tell by the hollowness in her eyes, by the slight thinning of her lips, she wasn’t happy, but he couldn’t help that. She wouldn’t be in this position if she hadn’t lied to him in the first place.

And with that thought he was ready to leave. They’d worked out the days he’d spend with his son and he didn’t need anything else from her.

He got up from the table and carried his cup to the sink. “Thanks for the coffee and the cookie,” he said.

She rose and together they walked to the front door. “I guess we’ll see you Tuesday afternoon,” she said.

He turned to face her and the scent of apples and spices suffused him. She stood close enough to him that he could feel the heat from her body radiating outward to warm him. Desire punched him hard in the gut.

He felt like he had when he’d been sixteen years old and she was fifteen and all he wanted was a kiss from the girl who had stolen his heart. The urge to capture her lips with his was nearly overwhelming.

Her eyes flared deep gold and she took a step backward. “Good night, Knox.”

“Good night,” he replied and stepped outside into the dark of the night. As he hurried to his car in the driveway, he didn’t know if he hated her for lying to him or if he hated her because as crazy as it was, he still wanted her.

* * *

Monday morning at nine o’clock, Allison sat at her desk in the Rafferty Construction Company’s office on Main Street.

Outside the glass partitions that made up her office space was the blood and guts of the business. Lumber in all sizes and types stacked the walls of the large space. Bath and kitchen tiles were in another section, along with anything and everything that might be needed to renovate a home.

At the moment two of her best men were building custom kitchen cabinets, and the sounds of power miter saws and hammering were as familiar to Allison as her own heartbeat.

Much of her childhood had been spent in the shop area, watching men build things from wood and talk about plumbing and wiring. It had never been her intention to take over the business. She’d wanted to be a nurse, but her father’s illness and his desire for her to take over for him had changed her life plans.

Now she couldn’t imagine doing anything else. This business was in her blood, a continuing tribute to the father she’d loved so much.

She sat up straighter in her chair as foreman George Carlson walked in. He headed straight for her office, a deep frown cutting into his broad forehead.

“We’ve got a problem on the Wilkenson place,” he said as he sat in the chair before her desk.

“What’s the problem?” The Wilkenson home was a large two-story on Main Street that had been in foreclosure for nearly a year. New owners had finally bought the place but before moving in they’d wanted an extensive renovation. Allison had bid on the job and three days ago they’d been given the go-head.

“I delivered a load of lumber there yesterday and this morning I discovered that it had been ruined. Somebody took a saw to it and made a bunch of kindling.” He narrowed his brown eyes. “And that same somebody also spray painted what wasn’t cut up, and you know who’s probably responsible.”

She sighed. Yes, she knew the likely culprits. Rafferty Construction had been in a fierce competition for business with Brothers Construction, Inc. That company, run by brothers Brad and Bob Billings, had also bid on the Wilkenson project and had lost the job to Allison. This wouldn’t be the first time the two sore losers had caused problems on a site.

“Call Sheriff Jeffries and get him out to the house to make a report,” she said with a sigh.

George snorted. “Bud Jeffries couldn’t find a criminal if one crawled up his pant leg.”

Allison fought against a smile. “We still need to make an official report,” she replied.

“Yeah, I know. On another note, are you going to fire Chad today?”

“You’re the one who told me he needs to go.”

“He does,” George said firmly. “He’s a drunk and he’s become more and more dangerous on the jobs because of his drinking. I don’t want him on my team, and I know Larry feels the same way.”

She nodded. “I called him at eight this morning and told him I wanted to see him in here at ten.”

“Hopefully that will be early enough that he hasn’t started hitting the bottle,” George replied. He stood. “I’ll give the sheriff a call and take care of filing a report.”

“Thanks, George. You know I appreciate you.”

He flashed her a quick smile and then headed out the door.

Every day Allison thanked her lucky stars for her two foremen. George Carlson and Larry Smith had been loyal and good workers for her father, and she was grateful that when the weight of the business had fallen to her, they’d been there to counsel and guide her.

She slumped back in her chair. Anger surged through her as she thought of the vandalism on the job, but she knew the odds of Sheriff Bud Jeffries finding and arresting the culprits were minimal. Not only was Bud one of the laziest men in the entire town of Shadow Creek, he was also good buddies with the Billings brothers.

She’d only been in the office an hour and already she was exhausted. It didn’t help that she was functioning on too little sleep. Thoughts of Knox had kept her tossing and turning all night. Thoughts of Livia somehow discovering she had a grandson hadn’t helped. She had no idea how Livia might use that information, but she knew not to underestimate the wickedness of Livia Colton. Hopefully the woman stayed as far away from Shadow Creek as possible.

There had been a moment the night before when she thought Knox was going to kiss her. What had appalled her was the realization she had wanted him to.

It was as if no time had passed and she was still crazy for him. How many times did Knox Colton get to break her heart before she stopped wanting him?

She’d had no desire to be with a man for the past ten years. She’d been too busy taking care of her father, stepping up to run the business and being a single parent. There had been no time to even think about dating. Besides, she hadn’t wanted to bring any man into Cody’s life who might just be a temporary thing.

It galled her that Knox waltzed into town and within minutes of being around him all of her hormones came to life and raged out of control.

Damn his handsome hide. When he’d asked her if she was interested in “resuming where they’d left off” with him, there had been a small voice in the back of her head that had whispered, Why not?

All she wanted from Knox was for him to be a real and present father to Cody. Other than that, she wanted nothing to do with him. She would admit to herself that she still entertained some desire for him, but that was a place she didn’t intend to go ever again.

Hurt me once, shame on you. Hurt me again, shame on me, she told herself. Knox was strictly off-limits. She’d be an absolute fool to trust even the tiniest piece of her heart to Fort Knox again. They had been star-crossed lovers who’d had their chance together and they’d both blown it.

She straightened as Chad Watkins walked into the shop. As if Knox hadn’t thrown her for a loop, she now had vandalism and the firing of a man to deal with.

Chad Watkins was thirty-five years old, but his drinking had aged him. He threw himself into the chair opposite her, his blue eyes watery and red rimmed and his nose covered in broken blood vessels. The faint smell of whiskey and body odor drifted off him.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Chad, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to let you go,” she replied. No sense in making pleasant small talk with him, she thought.

He stared at her for a long moment. “Let me go? You mean you’re firing me?” He looked at her incredulously. “Why?”

“Your drinking has gotten out of hand and it’s affecting your performance on the job. I’ve had many complaints and I just can’t overlook it any longer. I’d like to encourage you to seek some help.”

“I don’t need any help. I need this job.” He glared at her as if she were personally responsible for all the woes in his life.

“I’m sorry, Chad...”

“You’re going to be sorry about this.” He got up from the chair, his eyes narrowed in anger. “What about severance pay?”

“I’ll give you two weeks,” she replied.

“Two weeks? How about you give me ten thousand dollars?”

Allison stared at him in disbelief. By law she didn’t have to give him a penny. She’d thought she was being generous in offering him the two weeks. “That’s certainly not going to happen,” she replied stiffly.

“I’ll definitely make you sorry for this. I’ll sue you and I’ll own this stupid company. You just wait and see. I’m going to turn your world upside down.”

Before she could say another word, he stormed out of the office and slammed the door so hard the glass walls shuddered. “Well, that went well,” she muttered aloud.

She wasn’t really worried about his threats. She suspected Chad was nothing more than a blowhard who would console himself with a bottle or two of booze and would eventually find another job. At least he didn’t have a wife or a family depending on his paycheck.

The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. George checked in with her to let her know a police report had been made on the damaged wood. He agreed with her it was a good idea that any supplies brought to the site in the future would now be stored inside of the house rather than outside. Hopefully that would solve the problem of any further damage.

At three o’clock she left work to head home. One of the advantages of being boss was that she could knock off early and be there for her son when he came home from school.

She hadn’t wanted Cody to be a latchkey kid, and everyone who worked for her knew that she left the office early each afternoon, but was available by cell or home phone if anything important came up.

It took her only ten minutes to get home. When she’d bought the house less than two years ago, it had needed a lot of work to update and make it into the place of her dreams.

She’d left the major updates to her team of men, but she had personally spent hours sanding down the oak woodwork and floors. The end result had been worth all the hard work.

She loved so many things about the house...the bay window in the living room, the large wraparound porch and, most important, the large fenced yard that included several mature trees that were perfect for climbing.

If they had any slow months this summer, she intended to pay the men to build Cody a tree house. She’d thought about having it done last year, but had never accomplished it. One of the trees was perfectly formed to hold such a structure and she knew Cody would love it.

Instead of sitting at the kitchen table to wait for Cody to come home, she moved outside to sit on the porch swing. It was a gorgeous afternoon, but she was grateful for the weight of her sweater against a faint cool March breeze.

She moved the swing back and forth and her head once again filled with thoughts of Knox. The night before she’d ached with his pain as he’d told her about his forced sabbatical because of his mother’s escape from prison.

When she and Knox had begun dating in high school, Livia had pretended to approve of the match, although Allison had suspected she didn’t approve of Allison’s blue-collar background.

Nobody had been more surprised than Allison when she’d been awarded a scholarship to Boston University. The opportunity was too good to dismiss. It wasn’t until she had to pull out of school to nurse her father that she’d discovered her scholarship had been made available to her thanks to the charity of Livia Colton. A friend of hers who worked part-time in the bursar’s office had told Allison.

Livia had gotten her wish to break Allison and Knox apart through distance, but the minute she had returned to Shadow Creek, they had resumed their romance...until he’d left her.

All thoughts of Knox fled her mind as she saw Cody in the distance heading toward home. He walked with his best friend, Josh Inman, who lived on the next block.

This was the first year Allison had allowed her son to walk the three blocks from the school bus stop to their home. He’d begged her to be allowed to walk home instead of her picking him up, and she’d finally relented.

Josh veered off the sidewalk for his house and Cody hurried forward. He spotted her on the swing and waved and her heart swelled with overwhelming love. He was such a good boy and only very rarely pushed boundaries.

When he reached her he pulled his fire-engine-red backpack off his back and tossed it onto the porch, then sat next to her on the swing.

“Good day?” she asked. She took a deep breath, loving the scent of sunshine and all things young boy that filled her nose.

“Great day,” he replied. “Tony Mantelli brought his hamster for pet day and it got loose. All the girls jumped up in their chairs and screamed and Stacy Burrwell’s cat was going crazy in the cage and Danny’s dog was barking. It was totally awesome.”

Allison laughed. “Did Tony ever get his hamster back?”

He nodded. “Mrs. Jackson finally caught it and got it back in the cage.” He kicked his feet to move the swing a little faster. “I wish I had a pet.” He slid her a sly glance.

“And I’ll bet I know what kind of a pet you’d like to have. It’s bigger than a dog and smaller than an elephant.”

Cody grinned at her. “And it has a mane and hooves.”

“Cody, having a horse is a huge responsibility.”

“I know, but I’m ready for it, Mom. I always do my chores on time and I get good grades. I’m responsible and Miss Jade will tell you I’m great with the horses. Just please tell me you’ll think about it.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it,” she replied. “And what I’m also thinking about is walking to the Cozy Diner for dinner this evening. It’s a beautiful day.”

“Hmm, spaghetti Monday.” Cody rubbed his stomach.

Allison got up from the swing. “Homework?”

“Yeah, a little.”

“Let’s get to it so that you don’t have to worry about it when we get home from eating.”

It was just after eight that evening when she and Cody left the diner for the six-block walk back home. Clouds had moved in, making the darkness of night come faster than usual.

“I’m so full,” Cody moaned as they began the trek home.

“Me, too, and I didn’t have a big piece of chocolate pie like you did,” she replied.

“No, but you totally pigged out on the garlic toast. Besides, the chocolate pie was worth it. It was delicious.”

Dinner had been pleasant. They’d visited with friends and neighbors and enjoyed the good food the diner always provided. “You know what the best thing about eating out is?” she said.

“No dishes,” Cody replied.

“That’s right,” she agreed with a laugh.

The neighborhood sidewalk was darkly shadowed as the clouds hid the moon. Their footsteps rang out in unison in the otherwise still of the night.

She was definitely feeling the lack of sleep from the night before and all she wanted now was the comfort of her bed and a night with no dreams.

Her body tensed as she thought she heard the scuff of a footfall behind them. She whirled around, heart pounding, to see nobody sharing the sidewalk with them.

Had she only imagined it? They had only gone a couple more steps when a rustle sounded. Once again she turned around, her heartbeat accelerating even faster.

She saw nobody. However, there were bushes and trees right next to the sidewalk where somebody could hide, and her intuitive senses were screaming that somebody was following them.

“I’ll race you to the house,” she said to Cody. She couldn’t explain the fear that suddenly torched through her, she could only respond.

Her heart still banged an unsteady rhythm as Cody shot just ahead of her. “Winner gets a cookie before bedtime,” he exclaimed.

She ran, making sure Cody stayed just ahead of her. He could win the race and have his cookie, but she intended to see that nobody sneaked up on her son.

The house had never seemed so far away and she’d never felt the kind of abject fear that coursed through her as they raced to safety.

“Ha, I win,” Cody said as he reached their front porch two steps ahead of her.

Allison fumbled her keys out of her purse and quickly unlocked the door. She pushed him through the doorway. “Get upstairs and get your pajamas on and then you get your cookie reward.”

As he headed for the stairs, Allison remained at the front door. She looked down the sidewalk from where they had come. Had somebody been following them or had it only been a trick of her imagination?

A dog barked in the distance and a chill walked up her spine. She quickly closed the door and locked it, then leaned with her back against it as she waited for her heart to resume a more normal pace.

If there had been somebody out there, it was possible it was Chad being drunk and stupid and hopefully no harm had been really intended. Still, that thought somehow didn’t chase away the simmering fear that remained with her long into the night.

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