The Lonesome Rancher (11 page)

“I’ve scheduled a press conference,” the senator said. “I have to work on my speech.”

Sloan still had trouble believing his father’s decision. “So you really are calling it quits?”

Clay nodded. “It’s time, son.” He leaned down and kissed Louisa. “Your mother made me realize that there’s more to life than politics. I want to be with my family. Speaking of which, maybe you should think about something besides the ranch. You work too hard. Take a vacation.”

“I have too much to do right now.”

His mother stepped in. “Son, I missed my workout this morning.” She looked around. “Where is Jade?”

“That’s what I want to talk to you about,” he told them, and motioned them inside the house. “Could we go to your office?”

With a nod, Clay led the group down the hall just as Alisa came down the staircase. “Hey, you’re home.”

“I haven’t retired yet,” Clay told her. “But once I make my formal announcement, we need to deal with the media. Will you work on my committee?”

“Of course.”

“We’ll talk later, right now your brother has something he wants to talk to us about.”

Alisa beamed. “I bet I know what it is.”

Sloan felt his gut tighten. Last night he would have hoped for some good news, too. That died a quick death. “No, you don’t.”

Clay motioned them into his office. “Whatever it is, why don’t we sit down and discuss this?” He called for Marta to bring some coffee, then helped Louisa inside the dark paneled room. A large mahogany desk faced the door, with a row of windows along the back wall, framed by floor to ceiling bookcases.

Once Louisa was settled in a chair, she turned to Sloan. “Okay, son, will you please tell us what happened?”

He looked at his parents. “I had to fire Jade.”

Louisa’s temper flared. “You had no right to do that, she works for me. Better yet, why would you?”

Sloan moved to the other side of the room. “Jade Hamilton was here under false pretenses. She was after a story. She had a picture of you.” He looked back at the senator. “It was an old one from your first campaign.”

“Son, a lot of people have photos of me. All you have to do is go to my website and print one.”

Sloan would give just about anything for it to be that simple. He wanted Jade to be innocent. “Why would she carry it around in her purse? And when I asked her how she got it, she only said she needed to talk to you before she could tell me anything.”

“I know how you ask, big brother,” Alisa murmured. “It was probably an interrogation.”

Clay sat down on the edge of the desk. Sloan knew he was thinking about Crystal and the trouble she’d caused the family. “Maybe I should have her checked out.”

“No, I want to talk to Jade first,” his mother insisted. “There has to be an explanation.” She turned to her son. “I know you’re trying to protect us, Sloan, but there’s nothing she can say or do that would hurt us.”

Marta arrived with a tray of coffee. She set it down on the table and looked at the senator. “Senator, there’s an envelope for you on your desk.”

“Thank you, Marta. I’ll look at it later.”

“Please, I promised
Señorita
Jade I’d make sure you got it first thing.”

Clay looked over his shoulder and found the envelope. “Maybe this will answer our questions.” He opened the envelope and pulled out the single sheet of stationery. The room was silent as he began to read, then slowly the senator’s face paled.

“What does she say, Clay?” Louisa asked.

“She talks about finding her adoption papers in a safe-deposit box of her mother’s. She also found a picture of me after I won my first campaign.” He looked at his son. “Is that the one you saw?”

With Sloan’s nod, Clay read on. “She said there was
also a small journal from her biological mother a… Kathryn Lowery.”

The senator turned to his wife and swallowed hard. “How old is Jade?”

Louisa shrugged. “Twenty-nine, I think. Yes, it was on her résumé.”

Clay didn’t speak for a moment, then said, “Oh, my God, Louisa. I think Jade Hamilton could be my daughter.”

Jade didn’t have much of an appetite. In fact, she was close to being sick to her stomach. It had all backfired. She only wanted to see where she had come from. To find her biological parents. With Kathryn gone, it was only her father. Now everything was a mess. It was never her intention to hurt this family. She closed her eyes fighting the wave of nausea.

She lay down on the sofa, hoping it would pass. Then she would leave. Tonight. She heard someone come up the steps. Jenny must be checking on her again.

“Did you really think you could get away with it?”

Her eyes shot open and she saw Sloan. “Sloan.”

She sat up, then stood. “What are you doing here?”

“You think I wouldn’t find you, did you? Well, welcome to small town living. Several people saw you come in here.”

Her hungry gaze moved over him. The handsome Sloan Merrick had stolen her heart right from the first. And she had hurt him. Badly.

“I wasn’t trying to deceive anyone,” she said. “I’m leaving town, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Then why are you still here? Are you waiting to be paid off?”

That shot went straight to her heart. “No, I don’t want
any money. When I came here, I only hoped to meet the senator.” She shook her head. “I never expected to be hired that day, I only wanted to see him.”

“And he wasn’t at the interview,” Sloan added.

She shook her head. “Then I thought that if he was coming home soon, I could keep working until that happened.” She could see he didn’t believe her story. “I’d already decided to leave last night when you came to my room.”

“Was I part of the game, too?” He quickly raised his hand. “No, don’t tell me. I’ll wait until the story comes out to find out how you’ve rated me as a lover.”

She gasped. “Sloan, I’m not selling anything. What I’m telling you is the truth.”

He took a step closer. Close enough for her to see the fire in his dark eyes. His jaw was tense. “Excuse me if I don’t believe you. I’ve known people who have done crazy things to get into the Merrick family. The last thing I want is my family name splashed across the tabloids again, so how much will it cost to keep your silence?”

This time her anger got the best of her. “I don’t deserve the insults. I’m not Crystal.” She clenched her fists to hide their shaking. “If I remember correctly, you were the one who came after me.”

“Believe me, it won’t happen again. You’ve killed all trust. And if you care as much as you say, you’ll leave town and stay away from my family.”

H
ER
heart breaking, Jade watched as Sloan walked down the apartment steps and out of her life.

Forever.

Trembling she sank to the sofa. She’d never expected to be a Merrick, but hearing the things that Sloan said hurt more than she ever imagined. She only wanted to fit in. Somewhere. It didn’t look like Kerry Springs was that place.

She opened her suitcase, gathered the few personal items she’d unpacked, put them inside and zipped the bag. Suddenly her phone rang and she checked the caller ID. Senator Merrick.

Her breath caught. She couldn’t answer it. She didn’t think she could handle one more rejection. Someone else telling her to leave town.

She went downstairs just as Jenny was closing up the shop. “You’re leaving? Tonight?”

“I’ve decided it’s best to go back to Dallas right away.”

Jenny nodded. “I’m sorry about Sloan coming upstairs. He convinced me he needed to talk to you. I thought you two were going to make up, but I can tell it didn’t go well.”

Jade’s heart tightened. “It wasn’t meant to be. Look, Jenny, I’m sorry about getting you involved in this.”

“No, don’t worry about it. I just wish I could help you more.”

Jade was grateful that Jenny hadn’t asked any questions. “I appreciate that and I’ll phone you when I get back to Dallas.”

“Please do. I mean it, Jade. You have friends here at the shop. So stay in touch.”

Would Jenny feel the same way if she learned the truth? Of course her loyalty would go to Louisa.

Louisa. Oh, she was going to miss her. And Marta, and Bud. Tears spilled. Her sister, Alisa.

“I promise, I’ll call.”

Jenny followed her to the front door, gave her one last hug, then Jade walked outside toward her car. Then she saw the familiar town car, double parked. The back door opened and Clay Merrick stepped out.

She couldn’t move.

“Jade, will you come with me? So we can talk.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Senator. I’m sorry that I came here. I never meant to cause you problems.”

Main Street was quiet as he walked toward her. A slow smile changed his face. “Now I know why you looked so familiar. You have Kathryn’s eyes.” His gaze moved over her face. “And her lovely smile.”

Her tears spilled over. “You…you remember her?”

“Yes, and if you wouldn’t mind,” he began and glanced around, “I’d like to talk about this in a little more private setting. Please, come with me.”

Still she hesitated. She didn’t want to have another confrontation with Sloan.

“How about we go to my office here in town?”

When she finally agreed, Miguel took her bag and
put it in the trunk. She got in the backseat and Clay followed her.

They remained silent until they reached a small storefront in a strip mall on the edge of town. He escorted her through the entrance where there was a small light on in a room in the back. The senator’s office.

“I hope you have enough light to find your way. I don’t want to draw too much attention to us. Not that I’m ashamed of you, but it’s hard for a senator to have any privacy.”

Jade’s heart was pounding in her chest. “It’s fine. I can find my way.”

They passed several desks until they reached a private office. That was where she saw Louisa.

Jade stopped suddenly.

“It’s all right, Louisa knows everything. She wanted to be here.”

Jade went inside. “Louisa.”

The older woman didn’t say anything at first, then said, “You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady.”

“I know.” She took the chair that Clay offered. “I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am to have caused so much trouble. Believe me, I never knew any of this until after my mother passed away. Like I said, all the papers were in her safe-deposit box.”

Jade reached into her purse, took them out and handed them to Clay. “I tried once to get you at your office, Senator, but your secretary wouldn’t let me talk to you unless I said why I was calling. I couldn’t do it.”

She looked Louisa in the eye. “So I gave up. I really did. Then when I needed to return to the work force, I contacted a nurses’ registry and out of nowhere your inquiry came up.” She took a breath. “Okay, I was crazy
to send in my résumé. When you called me to come to an interview, I was shocked.” She glanced at the senator. “I told myself that I only needed to see you. But you weren’t there, and I got hired. I’d still convinced myself that I only wanted to see you, to meet you. And that would be enough. I wouldn’t even have to tell you who I was.”

The room was silent for what seemed to be an eternity as the senator looked over both items, then gave them to his wife.

“You said in your note that Kathryn died years ago.”

Jade nodded. “From what I gather, she wanted this to be an open adoption, but died of complications from pneumonia only a few years after she gave me up. My adoptive mother was supposed to tell me about her and give me her things.” Jade shook her head. “But for her own reasons, Renee Hamilton never told me, ever, or gave me any of Kathryn’s things.”

After a few minutes, Louisa said, “You look remarkably like her.” The woman was visibly shaken. “Your mother was very pretty.”

“Thank you.”

“Tell me, Jade, why didn’t you tell me who you were?”

“I’d planned to, but after getting to know you all, I knew I couldn’t hurt you with my information.” She looked from Louisa to Clay. “I’m not a child, it’s not like I need a family to belong to. I grew up without a father in my life.” She drew a shaky breath. “I only wanted a glimpse to satisfy me, to help me fill in the pieces, except nothing turned out the way I’d hoped.”

“You didn’t plan on falling in love with my son,” Louisa said.

Jade hesitated and wanted to deny it, but couldn’t. “No, I didn’t. I’m sorry. That’s all I can say and I’ll leave town just as soon as I know one thing.” She looked at the senator. “Just tell me, did you care about my mother?”

Clay seemed surprised by the question. He glanced at his wife, then said, “Yes, but we never should have gotten together. I was married at the time.”

Jade closed her eyes.

Her father continued. “It’s something I’m not proud of, but my first marriage was more or less an arranged union between two political families. I’d been primed for politics from an early age and that included marrying the right woman.”

Jade recalled Sloan telling her about the famous Merrick family and how they’d been expected to go into politics.

“Kathryn Lowery was a college student who worked on my first campaign when not many people believed in me,” Clay told her. “We had many a late night together during the campaign, and when I won the election, there was a big staff party. When it was over, I took her back to her apartment and we made love.”

He swallowed hard. “Suddenly I realized how much I’d come to care about her, but I had to do the right thing. I told Kathryn we couldn’t see each other again, then I went home to my wife.”

“Did you know she was pregnant with me?”

The senator shook his head. “No! If I had, things would have been different. I would have stood by Kathryn and my child.”

Jade brushed away a tear. “Thank you for that.” She managed a smile. “Now, I can go back to Dallas with all the blanks filled in.” She looked at Louisa. “Again,
I’m sorry, Louisa. If you continue the exercises you’ll get stronger every day. Soon you won’t even need the cane.”

Jade hated that she had to leave, but she forced herself to stand. “If Miguel can take me back to my car, I’d appreciate it.”

Clay exchanged a look with his wife. “No, Jade, please, don’t leave,” he said, looking uncomfortable. “This has been hard for me to take in, but you can’t just walk into my life, then walk out. If you are my daughter—and I’m pretty sure you are since your birthday comes exactly nine months after the election.” He took a step closer, but didn’t touch her. “We’ve missed a lot of years, Jade, and I’d like a chance to get to know you.”

Oh, why did this matter so much to her? She shook her head. “But you already have a family, a son, a daughter. I can’t intrude anymore.”

Louisa stood. “Yes, you can. When I married Clay twenty-five years ago, I had a son that he accepted without question. And now, I accept you.”

A tear hit Jade’s cheek, and she wanted so much to feel the happiness, but there was Sloan. He would never accept her. “I appreciate that, but I’m not eight years old, Louisa.” She looked at the man who wanted to be a father to her. Her feelings were nearly overwhelming. “And, Clay, you have your career to think about.”

He grinned. “I’ve retired, remember. Besides, over the years, the press has had me fathering numerous children. We’ve survived many stories.” He shrugged. “It happens this time it’s true. I’d be proud to call you my daughter, Jade. Speaking of daughters, Alisa is over the moon about this news. You have a sister, Jade.”

Jade was thrilled about that, but it was Sloan she was
worried about. “And a stepbrother,” she added, recalling how he was willing to pay her to go away. “I can’t drive a wedge between you two.”

“You won’t,” Clay assured her. “And as soon as Sloan sees that, he’ll come around.” He smiled. “So what do you say, Jade, stay awhile. Get to know us. Let us get to know you.”

Jade wanted to stay, so badly.

“Of course there’s always the chance the media will get wind of this,” Clay said. “For now, we have the cover that you’re Louisa’s nurse.”

Jade didn’t care about herself, only that she would hurt this family. The last thing she wanted was to destroy Sloan’s relationship with his father. “First, we need proof I’m truly your daughter. We need a DNA test.”

Sloan looked out the back door waiting for his parents. When he’d returned from his visit with Jade, Marta informed him that Miguel had driven them into town on their own mission.

He had a feeling they went to see Jade, too. Good. The senator would be able to convince her to leave town. Of course there was still a chance Jade Hamilton wouldn’t let this go.

If only he could.

He paced as his mind returned to last night when he’d left the barbecue and gone looking for Jade. It was a big mistake going to her room. Yes, he’d been drawn to her from the beginning. He’d never wanted a woman as much as he’d wanted her. Never cared about anyone as much and she’d taken him for a ride. He could never forgive her for that. No matter if he loved her or not.

He froze. Love? No! No, he couldn’t be in love with her. Not after her deception.

The car headlights drew his attention and he hurried out to the porch as Clay was getting out of the car. Then he watched his father reach inside to help Louisa.

Sloan went down the stairs. “You’re back late. So did you get Jade to leave town…”

“Why would I do that?” his father said.

Sloan looked between his parents. “Surely, Mom, you can’t want her here. She’s lied to all of us.” He looked at his father. “You don’t even know for sure that she’s your daughter,” he went on.

Clay nodded. “We’re having a DNA test done.”

“Great. And when the tabloids get a hold of it, we’re going to be a laughingstock. Again.”

“Sloan,” his father began. “What is wrong with you? You are talking about my daughter here.”

“I thought I was your son.”

Clay’s gaze softened. “You are my son and that will never change.”

Everything inside him hurt. What had happened to his family? “I won’t let the media invade my life. I’ve got to go.”

He took off up the road toward his house, feeling his entire world had fallen apart. And he couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it.

A few days later, Jade walked into the Kerry Springs Medical Center with Louisa and Clay. Nothing odd about that since she was Louisa’s nurse, she told herself.

The senator had already talked to his doctor earlier and had assured Jade that the man would be discreet
with the DNA test. Dr. Wills would handle everything personally, and use different names. Suddenly Jade was nervous. She hated to think she might not be Clay’s daughter.

As if Clay could see her panic, he took her aside. “Are you feeling okay?”

She shrugged, looking into this man’s face, hoping to see some resemblance to him. “What if Kathryn made all this up? I mean there could have been someone else in her life.”

“You mean, another man?”

She nodded, feeling more relaxed.

“It may have been thirty years ago, but I remember her and our time together. Maybe I was guilty for taking advantage of her youth and her infatuation with me. There wasn’t anyone before me. Our night together was Kathryn’s first time,” he admitted, his voice low so only the two of them could hear. “And there’s the fact that your birthday fits.”

She believed his words. He seemed to be happy about Jade being a member of his family, and so was Louisa. And Alisa was excited, too.

Sadness crept in. If only Sloan would change his attitude toward her. She didn’t expect his undying love, but at least, maybe they could manage to be civil. She’d given up any notion that Sloan Merrick would ever care for her. For now, she would go for like. Just not hate.

“I don’t want anyone to be sorry about my staying in town.”

Clay glanced at his wife, then back at her. “No one is sorry. At least, no one who counts.”

She couldn’t help but think about Sloan. He would always count to her.

That afternoon, Jade put on a smile and followed Louisa into the Blind Stitch. Her group of friends were at the corner table.

“Louisa, it’s about time you got here,” Beth said, then sobered. “Lilly said she saw you coming out of the medical center this morning. Is everything okay?”

“Oh my, we can’t make a move around this town without someone watching. Yes, I’m fine. Clay’s fine, too.”

“What about Jade?” Millie asked.

Louisa rolled her eyes, then looked at Jade. “I’m recovering so quickly that I’m not going to need her. But Jade needs a job. What better place than Kerry Springs Medical Center?”

“And especially when she has a senator to put in a good word for her,” Liz said.

Louisa’s gaze narrowed. “The fact that Jade is a good nurse is word enough. There’s always a shortage of those.”