only about fifty miles out of town. I do come to Kansas City occasionally,” he assured her dryly.
“Yes, I’ve seen you in the society pages.”
He ignored her words and led the way to a shiny blue car.
“Wow,” Paul said with a sigh. “I like your car.”
Susan hurriedly hid her smile. Considering the wreck she drove, Paul’s enthusiasm was understandable. Zach Lowery probably couldn’t understand his reaction.
“It’s a rental, but thanks,” he said, smiling at her brother.
Maybe he was a nice man, after all. She hadn’t been sure after he had left the diner.
He came to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. Such attention flustered her. She wasn’t used to it. “Oh, I have to make sure Paul gets his seat belt on,” she said, not slipping into the seat as he expected.
“I can fasten my own seat belt,” Paul protested. He was definitely well past the helpless stage.
“Of course you can. And I’ll show you how these work. They’re a little tricky,” the man said with a kind smile. He waited until Susan had gotten seated, closed her door, then opened the door for Paul. Susan turned and watched over her shoulder as the two males conferred over the seat belt.
Once they were under way, she cleared her throat. After doing some thinking about the evening in front of her, she’d concluded she and her co-conspirator needed to get their stories straight. “I think we need to talk.”
“Want more money?” he asked in a low voice that she hoped Paul couldn’t hear.
“No! I meant we should match our stories. I don’t know anything about you. Or you me.”
“I’m thirty-three, been married once and divorced after three miserable years. No children. I live at the ranch. I attended Kansas University. I like sports, country-western music and beautiful women.” He clicked off his preferences in a rapid-fire fashion, leaving Susan stunned.
When she said nothing, trying to sort out the information he’d given her, he said, “Well? Aren’t you going to tell me about yourself?”
“Of course, I—I’m twenty-five. I work for the Lucky Charm Diner and Catering Company. I’m doing public relations and—and the advertising campaign. I graduated from the University of Missouri here in Kansas City.”
He pulled the car into the hospital parking lot. “And you have Paul.”
Susan realized he was under the misapprehension that Paul was her son, but what did it matter? Paul was hers, whether she’d given birth to him or not. And it eliminated the need to reveal her mother’s sordid past. That information was definitely personal.
“Grampwon’t have the strength to ask much,” he continued. “I’ll do all the talking. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll make one up. After all, he... it won’t matter what I say.”
The emotion in his voice was the sexiest thing about Zach Lowery, and that was saying a lot. He was a man who cared about his grandfather. to the point of doing anything to ensure his happiness.
She nodded.
“Is your grandfather sick?” Paul asked from the back seat
She started to hush her brother, but Zach answered first.
“Yeah, buddy, he is.”
“Are the doctors going to make him better?”
This time Susan spoke first “Paul, you mustn’t ask questions right now. And be very quiet in the hospital. Some people will be trying to sleep.”
He liked the kid.
And Susan was right He was well behaved.
Zach led the way down the long corridor to the intensive care unit Susan followed, holding Paul’s hand. “Is there a lounge where Paul can wait?” she whispered, surprising him.
“He can go in with us. They won’t stop us. Gramp knows the right. people.” When they reached the door, Zach signaled to one of the nurses.
“The doctor said we could see my grandfather,” he said softly, sure the doctor had left word with the nurse. He didn’t want any battles tonight. But there would be one if they tried to interfere.
“Yes, Mr. Lowery. The doctor warned us. Come this way.”
She led them into a bare room, the only furniture a large bed in the center. His grandfather looked so small, lying there with tubes in him. He’d always been a big man, strong and active.
“Gramp?” Zach said softly as he moved to the head of the bed, touching his grandfather’s shoulder.
The old man came awake slowly. “Huh? That you, boy?” he asked groggily.
Zach fought to keep tears from his eyes. “Yeah, it’s me, Gramp. I kept my promise. I brought Susan to see you.” He motioned for Susan to join him, watching his grandfather as she stepped forward. The sudden spark in the old man’s eyes told Zach he’d done the right thing.
“Hello, Mr. Lowery,” Susan said softly, her voice husky and sweet. Without any prompting, she reached out and clasped his wrinkled hand. “I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Me, too, girl. Me, too.” He struggled to sit up, and Susan quickly helped him arrange another pillow beneath his head.
“Would you like me to raise the bed a little?”
“Yeah, that’d be good.” He leaned back in relief.
Zach watched as Susan helped his grandfather get comfortable. He was getting his money’s worth, he’d have to say that.
“Who’s that?” Pete Lowery demanded, staring at Paul, who’d followed Susan around the end of the bed.
Zach had forgotten about the boy.
Susan spoke before he could think what to say. “Paul’s mine. I think he’s the reason Zach hadn’t said much about me. He wasn’t sure how you’d feel about a ready-made family.”
Zach stared at her, stunned by her words. Her explanation made sense, but he hadn’t planned out that much in advance.
“Shame on you, Zach. You know I love kids. Come here, boy. What’s your name?”
Susan eased Paul forward, holding his shoulders as he stood next to the bed.
“Paul,” the little boy whispered.
“You’d be about what, seven, eight years old?”
“Eight.”
“Your ma must’ve been a baby when you were born,” Pete teased.
Paul
