The Texas Tycoon's Baby Read online

  “Sounds like a man who misses the open range.”

  He smiled, doffing his hat and holding it by his side, as if remembering the old days, before Abe had called him down to Texas from the comfort of a Montana cattle operation. Chet had sold his holdings to go to work for the Barron Group—a move that he’d made after finding out about Abe’s cancer.

  That was even before Abe had told Chet about his true parentage though, before his world had broken open. Mina couldn’t imagine what that kind of news would do to anyone—making them doubt all the truths a person had ever known, shattering their trust in the people they depended on for honesty.

  Abe had died a few months ago, further adding to Chet’s sorrows, taking away the man he’d thought to be his father for a second time in under a year.

  As he tossed his hat on a nearby wingback chair, Mina wondered if there’d ever be a right time to put another life-changing piece of news in front of him.

  She slid her iPad onto her desktop, then made her way over, standing before him, not sure whether to hug him in greeting or not. Memory halted her as she recalled the heartbreaking aftermath of that night: how the lamplight had bathed them as they lay on that couch, her clothes on the floor, her skin singing with the afterburns of his touch, her body aching pleasantly after being filled with him.

  Mina, he’d said, and she’d caught trouble in his tone. She’d held her breath as her giddiness—her bliss at how they’d finally come together—dissipated.

  I took advantage of you…

  As she’d reeled under that, he started talking about how he knew she wanted to be a serious businesswoman, and he’d never meant to cast a shadow on her reputation. He didn’t want everyone to think that she owed her career to her sex life with him.

  Even then, she’d known that he was talking around the real issues—how he couldn’t handle a relationship in all the turmoil that’d come to him that night, how he’d let his anger and grief get the better of him. And every bit of it had rung through her like a punch that had deadened her chest, then the rest of her body.

  He had no idea that she would’ve given up everything—a career, her solid reputation—for his love.

  But with the way he’d looked into her eyes, as if he hated himself and was confused about everything around him, she had forgiven him. It was beyond her to despise him when she’d freely offered comfort. And even though it had torn her apart to say it, she’d told him that everything was okay between them—no harm, no foul. From there, he’d gone his way and she’d gone hers, always his stalwart. Always his girl, even if he didn’t know it.

  She’d thought about quitting her job, just so she wouldn’t have to torture herself any longer, but the thought of being away from him was even worse. And they had been able to work with each other in the aftermath, thank goodness. Yes, she’d mostly stayed at their San Antonio headquarters while he’d traveled around the country on various projects, but there’d been one exception to that—when they’d spent a day at his brother Tyler’s wedding. She’d only been at the festivities because she’d worked with the oldest Barron brother for years and she’d been invited. Chet hadn’t asked her to accompany him.

  Besides, that had been before the doctor had given her the official word about her pregnancy.

  Now, as she stood in front of him, so unsure about how to act, Chet looked just as out of sorts as ever, his gaze searching hers.

  Then he laid a hand on her arm, as if that was a good enough greeting.

  Her skin tingled, even under the cotton of her blouse. She could feel the weight of his hand even after he removed it and wandered farther into her office, heading toward the window to take in that mountain view.

  Just let him get his head together a little longer, Mina thought as dismay needled her. Wait until he’s in a better place to hear that he’s going to be a dad, because if you tell him at the wrong time or in the wrong way you’ll lose him completely.

  She went to the window to stand by him. Even though he had moments where she believed he was so damaged by what had gone on with his family, there were times when she thought he could come around, especially here, in the desert, away from the drama. This ranch spa was his dream, and a distraction, too. He was putting his heart and soul into renovating it, and it was almost as though, if he could build this place back up, he could do the same with himself.

  Even with the positive thoughts, though, something niggled at Mina. What if she had only been there to cushion his fall that night, and she really didn’t mean any more to him than that? Chet was the type who would marry a woman he’d gotten pregnant purely out of honor. But honor wouldn’t be enough in a marriage.

  And Mina didn’t want that from him. She wanted his love. Her child deserved that, too. Mina knew exactly what it was like to be a surprise baby—she’d been an “accidental child,” as well, except her own mom and dad had been very married.

  She’d just been a “happy” accident for them during a hard financial time that they’d eventually recovered from. At least, that’s what she’d overheard from a drunk uncle talking about it during a barbecue years and years ago.

  Even now the thought stung as she and Chet stood at that window. Both of them, accidents. She related more to him than he knew.

  She wished she could just reach out and touch him. She was dying to.

  But she didn’t.

  While he surveyed the property, she could just about feel the pride radiating off of him. So many things in his life were messed up, but this resort wouldn’t be one of them.

  “It’s going to be amazing,” she said, a catch in her voice, because she wasn’t just talking about the property.

  “I aim to make it that way.” He glanced at her, and her pulse skipped. “I hear we’re scheduled to have the chef show off her menu tonight.”

  “In your cabin. I arranged a tasting for you.”

  “Just me?”

  She hesitated. What did he mean?

  “Please,” he said lightly, “tell me you won’t make me test that menu alone. I’m counting on your opinion about how everything is shaping up here.”

  “I was going to get around to a tasting.”

  “Get it over with tonight. We’ll catch up over dinner. We haven’t been able to have a real sit-down in a long time.”

  There was a gleam in his eyes that she couldn’t quite translate. Was he finally ready to be with her one-on-one again? Not even necessarily in a romantic manner, but just as friends?

  “I guess I could use a good meal and a break,” she said, determined to take charge of this relationship, to show him that she could always be there, along with a family who would love him through thick and thin.

  “Good.” He smiled, almost to himself, as he hitched his thumbs in his jeans pockets. “I was also thinking that you might want to take a horseback tour of the property with me right now.”

  When she’d been to the OB-GYN, she’d asked about exercising, as she did it regularly. Jogging, a calm horse ride, some light Pilates… But her doc wasn’t a fan of riding during pregnancy, and she wasn’t about to do anything to endanger her child.

  “How about a walking tour instead?” she asked.

  “Okay then.” He backed away from the window, and really, his blue gaze was clearer than she’d seen it in a while. Was it because he was out here…or because she was here?

  She could only wish.

  He moved toward the doorway, scooping his hat back up and putting it on—a rough and rugged man who would surprise anyone if they were to see him in a business suit, looking slightly out of place, yet dashing just the same.

  Mina even jellied a bit in the knees at the thought of him dressed up.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  God, if he only knew just how ready she was. She wished he had even an inkling of how much she wanted him to stroll off into the sunset with her.

  She thought she saw that spark in his gaze again as he glanced at her, and optimism wove its way under her skin. Was it possible that he would see how much she adored him before she told him about their child?

  Would it make a difference if she could show him that she wanted more than just a night with him?

  Only time would tell, she thought as she went to the door.

  He ushered her out of the office as her heart stuck in her throat.

  They sauntered side by side on a trail that headed toward the hills, cutting through the stillness of the late afternoon.

  It was actually nice to get away from the office, even though staying busy was good, Chet thought.

  Very good.

  While passing the scrub and barrel cactus at the foot of some red-tinged hills, he did his best to keep his mind off of everything—including his assistant. Thank God they’d settled back into an amiable pattern, especially after that night when he’d overstepped his bounds with her.

  What had he been thinking, coming on to Mina? He’d never been so unprofessional in his life. In fact, he imagined that taking advantage of an employee was something a womanizer like his biological father, Eli Barron, might’ve done in the past.

  But that wasn’t Chet. Hell, no. He respected women, Mina more than most of them. And when he thought about what might happen if word about them ever got out around the Barron Group, he wanted to throttle himself.

  She was ambitious, wanted to build a career. But was everyone going to think that she’d slept her way to the top?

  Luckily, she’d been gracious and accepting of his errors, not holding Chet to any promises that his body might’ve made to her. Maybe he should’ve given her up, hired another personal assistant, but he wasn’t about to punish her for his lack of judgment that night.

  And she was too damned good at her job for him to give her up, too.

  Besides, they’d worked things out. Certainly, it involved him traveling a lot, but he was getting a lot done for the Group, buying up land and property then renovating and building on it to add the Group’s coffers. So it was a decent trade-off. He’d cleared his head quite a bit, and enough time had passed that they could go back to being…

  What? What had they been to each other?

  The wind carried a hint of Mina’s perfume past him, and it made him light-headed, reminding him of what it felt like when he’d held her against him.

  When he’d first seen her as more than an assistant.

  That night he’d filled himself up with the scent of her, a combination of green tea and…calm. It was at odds with her sunset hair, which seemed so very lively against the quiet of the desert as the breeze cajoled a stray lock out of her upswept hairdo.

  In spite of all his efforts, Chet stole an even better peek at her now. Wearing a skirt that came to her knees, she had the posture and the elegance of a lady, with high cheekbones sprinkled with freckles and clover-hued eyes that usually bore a sparkle.

  But there wasn’t much of a sparkle today. In fact, there was some kind of distance.

  Did seeing him again for more than a debriefing make her think about what had happened between them?

  Disappointment clawed at him, surprising him with its sharpness. From the way they’d fallen back into their boss-assistant relationship, he could’ve sworn that she’d let go of that night. Hell, he would’ve even said that she’d been relieved when he’d told her that he should’ve never put her in a position to assuage his anguish.

  Even now, he still wanted to kick himself for how he’d acted with her after he’d held her, kissed her, been inside of her.

  I’m sorry…I took advantage of you…

  He just hadn’t known what to make of what had happened. His emotions had been abraded, bleeding, and she’d been there. That’s all.

  And it had been wrong to pull her into his vortex of trouble.

  How was it that he’d ruined so many things in his life without trying? Mina, and even his family. He hadn’t meant to be born the way he was, but the truth of his birth had thrown everyone into chaos, anyway, and as ridiculous as it seemed, he felt responsible.

  Rocks crunched under their boots. The silence between them was like a saw, and he had to turn it off.

  “Where are we off to first?” he asked.

  “How about the spa?” She motioned to the east where, just over the hills, the white dome of the building peeked up. Around it, there would be pools with waterfalls and serene sculptures.

  Mina added, “You should see the inside. There’s a meditation room with floor-to-ceiling windows, and a quiet lounge with fountains where the guests will go while waiting for their treatments. You should see the Paradise Room, too, with its waterfall and pool.”

  She seemed fine with the small talk, just as she was fine with everything.

  When her phone rang, the sound split the air. She took it out of her pocket and glanced at her ID screen, then put it away.

  “It’s my mom. She’s probably calling to chat.” She laughed. “Or, should I say, to check up on me.”

  He knew from comments Mina had made here and there that her family was really tight. They had frequent get-togethers at her parents’ home in the San Antonio suburbs, with her two local sisters and their brood usually in attendance.

  Odd that he knew so little about her private life when she seemed to know so much about his because of the scandal.

  “How’s the family doing?” he asked.

  “Great. Same as always—caring, nosy, all that.”

  Was there some dryness in the way she’d said it?

  “You’re not too keen on the nosy part,” he said.

  “Not really, but what family isn’t that way? It just means they care about what happens to me.”

  Her words struck Chet hard. He’d been doing everything possible to avoid anything even near to “nosy” or “involved” with his own family. Then again, they weren’t much like the Fergusons at all. First, there was Eli, who’d been hitting the bottle hard ever since he and Abe had announced that Chet was Eli’s son. Then there were his brothers, who were doing their best to deal with the situation in their own ways.

  The term “family” didn’t really even apply to the lot of them. Actually, Chet wasn’t sure what a family was since his own had obviously been a lie. His mother had passed on a few years ago in a car accident with Aunt Florence, who supposedly hadn’t known about her sister-in-law’s affair with Eli.

  And Mom wasn’t the woman he’d thought she was.

  That left Abe.

  Something in Chet’s core took a fall at the thought of him. The man he’d called “Dad.” The man he’d abandoned for a life in Montana just as soon as he was old enough to get out of the house and strike out on his own.

  And Chet had wanted to leave because, intuitively, he’d always suspected there was something off whenever Abe and his mom had exchanged those heavy, sad glances when they thought “their son” hadn’t been looking.

  But there were other reasons Chet didn’t want to be with his new family right now. Abe’s recent death had made it hard. And how much did Chet have to do with Abe’s passing? Had the truth weighed on his “father” so roughly that it’d helped to kill Abe?

  Remorse bit at Chet once again. He only wished Abe were still alive. So many things to make up for. So many things that had been thrust upon Chet now that the truth had come out…

  The desert breeze sidled up to him again, along with the scent of Mina. Chet kept his gaze on the path as a bird of prey cried overhead, and his mind went fuzzy, making him forget everything, just for a moment.

  But then he sensed Mina watching him and his heart kicked as his gaze connected to hers.

  She looked away, but not before he thought he glimpsed a wounded look in her eyes.

  Was she more affected by that night than she let on?

  Chet felt every cell in his body screaming. Yet what could he say to her?

  That night, I did need you, and you were there for me. You were the best thing that could’ve ever happened…

  A vibration shook his shirt pocket and, at first, Chet mistook it for another memory—of the way she’d grabbed hold of his heart, his entire being, and shocked both of them to life.

  But when the vibration came again, he knew it was merely his phone now.

  Mina grinned. “Not a moment of rest for us, even out in the boonies.”

  Her smile was like a warming beacon, and he only answered the phone because it was Tyler’s number, and his cousin’s—or, rather, brother’s—calls were rarely unimportant.

  Putting the phone to his ear, he said, “Hey, Tyler.”

  Mina walked on a few steps ahead of him, giving him privacy.

  Tyler was already talking. “You have an ETA for when you’ll be back in Texas?”

  “I just got to St. George. Why?”

  Tyler paused for one of those quiet moments that he’d used so well as the big boss of the Barron Group before he’d retired to start up a horse rescue with his new wife, Zoe. Back when Chet had first started working at the Group, he’d welcomed Tyler’s competitive guidance. The same for Jeremiah, his slightly older brother.

  But out here, Chet felt very much alone, especially with Mina strolling ahead, her back to him, her hips swaying under that skirt.

  He forced himself to look away. “Is it Eli again?”

  “Sure enough. He went on a real bender last night. Tore up the lounge at the Broadway, and our lawyers had to step in to run interference.”

  Chet wanted to throw the phone, but he kept himself contained. “The last time we were all together, he told us that he was going to change.” They’d been planning an intervention, but when Eli had vowed he was turning a corner, they’d trusted him.

  “He was wrong.” Tyler paused. “Jeremiah and I confronted him, then helped him check in to the Whitehall Center for rehab.”

  Chet felt his shoulders stiffen.

  “But,” Tyler added, “I won’t rush you to get back here because of that, Chet. He can’t have visitors right now. It’d just be good if you could come back when he’s improved enough to see us. Maybe it’ll even happen around the time of Jeremiah’s wedding.”

  “You know I’ll be there for that.”