seven that evening, Chase had showered and changed, then walked out of his town house and climbed into his dusty white truck to head to the Lazy K Ranch.
He knew one thing. Learning Ryan was his kid had affected him like nothing else had in his life. He’d spent less than two hours with the child, but already he felt a bond.
But an instant father? What if Ryan hated the idea?
Chase turned off the highway and drove down the road that led to the Lazy K Ranch. He’d traveled this route many times when he’d been dating Mallory. Mostly he’d come by when Buck wasn’t home or out on the range. Her father hadn’t been crazy about a—so-called—older man dating his college age daughter.
Chase made a snorting sound. He was all of twenty-eight back then.
His heart rate accelerated as he pulled into the circular drive of the Spanish-style home. The golden stucco-and-stone structure revealed Buck’s wife, Pilar Kendrick’s, Spanish heritage. The patio out front was made of hand-painted tiles with a large fountain in the center. He climbed out of his truck and went to the door and knocked.
It wasn’t too long before he heard footsteps from inside. “I’ll get it,” called a child’s voice. The door opened and a freshly bathed Ryan with his hair combed neatly stood smiling up at him.
“Hi, Chase.”
“Hi…Ryan,” he answered, suddenly feeling awkward.
“Mom said you were coming tonight. Will you have supper with us? Rosalie made enchiladas.”
“That’s pretty hard to pass up.”
“It’s my favorite.” His dark eyes were bright. “That’s why she made it. For me.”
Chase stepped though the doorway into the terra-cotta tiled entry with rough-plastered, cream walls and dark wood trim that matched the rest of the house.
“You should get special treatment,” he told him. “You were brave to handle everything.”
“And I didn’t cry…much,” he said proudly, then leaned forward. “I got scared sometimes, but don’t tell Mom ’cause she’ll start crying again, and I don’t like it when she’s sad.”
“It’s our secret.”
“What’s your secret?”
Chase looked toward the archway that led into the living room to find Mallory. His chest constricted as if he couldn’t draw air into his lungs. She had on a long, multicol-ored skirt and a rose-colored T-shirt. Her shiny ebony hair lay in soft waves against her shoulders. Although her green eyes were weary, she looked beautiful. That was something he didn’t need to notice tonight…or any night.
“Nothing. Just some guy talk.”
“Well, you can talk about it later. Rosalie says supper is ready.” She looked at Chase. “I hope you’re hungry.”
He nodded as Ryan ran on ahead. “This isn’t going to keep us from having our discussion.”
“I know, but Ryan needs family right now.” She straightened. “This doesn’t just involve the two of us, there’s a child to think about. And I’m going to do everything I can to protect him.”
“Is that what you’ve been doing for these years, protecting him from me?”
“However you feel about me, Chase, don’t take it out on Ryan. We’ll settle things after my son goes to bed.”
“I agree with you there, except he’s our son, Mallory.” He glared at her. “You need to remember that from now on.”
Mallory sat on Ryan’s bed watching him sleep. She silently thanked God over and over again for bringing her son home safely. When he’d been kidnapped she wasn’t sure she’d ever get the chance to put him to bed again. Now that she had a second chance, she also had a second threat. Was Chase a threat to her family?
She saw the look on his face during supper, and knew he wasn’t just going to walk away. And she wouldn’t deny Ryan his father, either. Not again.
She placed a kiss on her son’s forehead and watched as he curled up on his side and snuggled deep into the pillow. She walked out and closed the door behind her.
Whatever was going to happen with Chase, she still had to return home to Levelland in a few days. The success of her business depended on her being there. She couldn’t expect her partner, Liz Mooney, to handle both the training and the broker business. She headed down the stairs to the great room where she had left Chase with her father.
Surprisingly, she found the two men leaning over the dining table going through one of Ryan’s baby albums. She hadn’t wanted to notice how devastatingly handsome Chase was. At nearly thirty-seven, he was toned and trim. She sighed as her gaze roamed over his long body. He wore jeans better than any man she ever knew. They rode low and fitted over his tight rear end and muscular thighs.
“That’s the first time I got him on a horse,” Buck said. “Mallory threw a fit.”
She started into the room. “That’s because Ryan was nine months old.”
“I was holding him…firmly,” her father said.
She frowned at him. “He was still too young to be on a horse.”
“After that she wouldn’t let me take him out of the house until he was three.”
Mallory smiled, but Chase didn’t. She didn’t blame him. She’d been the one who’d caused him to miss all those years.
Buck closed the album. “Well, I think I better call it a night.” He turned to Chase. “I can finally sleep now. Thanks for bringing Ryan home.”
Chase nodded. “I’m glad it worked out.”
Buck paused for a long time. “So am I.” He placed a kiss on his daughter’s cheek and walked out of the room.
Mallory suddenly felt nervous. For a lot of years she’d wondered about Chase. She’d known he’d become a Texas Ranger, but she never dreamed he’d be back here… in this house.
And after today everything would change…her life and Ryan’s life would never be the same.
“Can I get you some coffee?”
“No,” he said as he folded his arms over his chest. “All I want right now are some answers.”
She nodded, directed him to a brown sofa, and took the chair across from him, putting the glass-top coffee table between them. “Ask whatever you want.”
“I’ll start with the obvious. Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”
“At first, I couldn’t believe it was true,” she said weakly. “We used protection.”
He didn’t respond.
“And I did try to call you.”
“Like
