next to her daughter on the bench, wondering how Nanette would react to a truth that would change her life. Was changing it even now.
All thanks to Mason. He was in the process of changing Nanette’s world to the way he thought it should be—and didn’t seem too inclined to include Mimi in his plans.
MASON STOOD UNDER a hot shower, letting the water run over his muscles. He was tense, more from the fact that Mimi was in his house and likely to cause more trouble than from any labor he’d performed.
She had changed his world. With her typical dive into unthinking actions, she had sent him on new paths he’d never thought of exploring. He was a father, had been a father, and she had stolen his chances to experience the wonder of fatherhood fully. She would have justification and reasoning, but this time he would not allow her to sway his mind.
He was extremely angry with her. He wasn’t certain he could forgive her.
And yet, for Nanette’s sake, he was going to have to learn to live with the fact that Mimi was now an inescapable part of his life. There was no running from her or ignoring her now. Over the years, he’d mainly shoved his feelings about Mimi to the background.
Now, in spite of his anger, a very secret part of him was relieved that they were inextricably tied together—and forever so. Another part of him was deeply grateful that she’d given him a child. It was mind-bending, and he hadn’t expected the overwhelming rush of proprietary emotions that came with fatherhood.
So, good or bad, Mimi was impacting him, as always, only on a new level. He should expect Mimi’s influence in his life to grow ever more profound. Good or bad, then: what to do about Mimi?
For Nanette’s sake, he should marry Mimi. Mason stood under the water, unblinking, as the foreign thought stayed in his mind, echoing. For Nanette’s sake….
He shut off the water and toweled off slowly. What other option was there? Providing his daughter with a whole home and family would be the right thing to do.
He had done the right thing all his life. When Maverick left, Mason and his brothers should have been put into foster care. But Union Junction was a small town, and people had known Maverick and his beloved wife. The boys were in church every Sunday and in school during the week. Townspeople weren’t anxious to see a grieved family split up, so Sheriff Cannady stepped in, saying he’d keep an eye on the Jefferson boys. Papers that should have been filed somehow never were; reports to authorities were never made. The family stayed together.
Everyone figured Maverick would come back. By the time anybody finally realized the boys were completely on their own, Mason had turned eighteen, legal age to raise a family if need be. He had done right by his brothers, and Mason was damn proud of it. Family was what made daily existence meaningful. Otherwise life would be simply survival in a lonely, empty void.
Mimi was now part of his family, in a way that no game of pretend between playmates could have made it so. He needed to do right by her and Nanette. But if he was going to marry Mimi, there was a price to pay, and he damn sure expected to make her pay it.
A man needed to be the head of his household. No Mimi-hijinks, or his world would stay continually unsettled. If she thought that because she’d moved herself in here—a fact he admired—she could run his household and therefore his life, she was in for a rude awakening.
If she thought that now that the truth had come out, he would pursue her, she would find herself wrong about that, as well. His brothers had pursued their women, gaga and smitten, until they caught their prey. But he was no hunter. His driving need was for a family that contained no fracture, and he would not play the games of courtship.
Mimi would need to accept his terms.
But first, he intended to let her stew in her own worry and uncertainty, just as he’d done ever since she’d dropped her emotional bomb on him. In fact, she’d dropped a lot of emotional bombs on him over the years, and he was in no hurry to put away his bomb shelter.
Dressed now, he went downstairs to check on Nanette. His daughter sat contentedly working a puzzle, and her mother sat next to her. Mimi looked up at him. “We need to talk.”
He nodded. “I know.”
She hesitated. “Do you have your schedule at hand so I can pencil in an appointment?”
“I have time now.” Might as well see what was on her mind.
“Well, I think it needs to be in private,” Mimi said, her tone uncertain.
“Helga!” Mason called up the stairwell. “Could you come watch Nanette for a few minutes?”
The housekeeper came down the stairs with a smile. “Yes. In fact, I am going into town to check on the sheriff—oh. Sorry,” she said to Mason. “You are sheriff now.”
He shook his head. “Sheriff Cannady will always be ‘Sheriff’ to me, as well.”
Helga smiled. “I have some chicken soup to put on for him.”
Relief was on Mimi’s face, and Mason knew that she hadn’t quite worked out the details of how she was going to stay here with him and Nanette, and yet spend time with her father. Helga had long been taking care of both households. Clearly, Mimi was grateful that could continue, as it would be a bit difficult for her to cook here and then run food into town to the sheriff. Plus, she’d just get under Helga’s feet, though Helga was likely too wonderful to complain about Mimi intruding in her kitchen.
“Thank you,” Mimi said.
“I will take him his granddaughter—if I may,” Helga said to Mason.
Mason nodded. “She’d love to see her grandfather. Thank you.”
Helga gathered up some things as Mason stared at Mimi. Clearly nervous, she plucked at a table napkin. They needed time alone, he decided. This would give him a chance to tell Mimi what he expected from this new partnership between the two of them. He was pretty certain he was calm enough now to discuss what she’d done.
Then again, maybe he’d just roar all over her for keeping his daughter from him. Mason took a deep breath, and kissed his daughter. “I’ll see you for dinner, Nanette. Mind Ms. Helga.”
“I will.” She slid off the bench, gave her mother a hug and skipped out the door with Helga. The front door closed firmly.
“Mason—” Mimi began.
Instantly, he held up a hand. From the first word, he intended to let her know that this was his house, that was his daughter and he was in charge. “Mimi.”
She fell silent. For a moment, he admired her face. Though they were both older now, she retained a sweet expression—when she wasn’t being mulish—and a girl’s curves. Her jeans were filled out in the right places, and her white blouse was untucked and plain, again showing pleasing curves.
He did remember he’d enjoyed the act of creating Nanette, even if he hadn’t known they were doing so at the time.
“Mimi,” he said more sternly to get his mind off his wandering thoughts. “I will probably never forgive you for keeping my daughter from me.”
Her shoulders stiffened. “I don’t expect you to. I’m not
