“Lauren, my wife, is a good woman,” he began, “and she loves Jared, too. It took a lot of arm-twisting, if that makes you feel any better. I hope you’ll consider coming to the ranch to see my brother. I can drive you myself or I can send a car for you.”
Suddenly, Sienna ambled into the room, her soft black hair mussed. She clutched her stuffed bunny rabbit in one hand and rubbed her eyes with the other. “Hi, baby girl. Did you have a nice nap?”
Her child eyed the stranger cautiously, making a wide berth around him to get to her mommy. Bella knew the look; her daughter was wary and shy of strangers. She considered that a good thing and picked her up. Immediately, Sienna buried her face in her chest. “Sorry, she’s a bit shy.”
“She’s adorable,” Cooper said, a twinkle in his eye. “My wife, Lauren, is pregnant. Our baby is due in early spring.”
Lauren, the wife who’d rifled through her personal files. “Congratulations. It’s exciting. Is this your first?”
He nodded. “Yep, it’s our first. How about you? Do you have any other children?”
“No, my husband died last year. It’s just the two of us.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Must be hard being a single mother.”
“It is. But I have great friends who help out. Amy, the woman who was with me the night of the accident, is letting us stay here until I can find employment. She’s been wonderful.”
“So this isn’t your home?”
“It’s where we live, for the time being.”
His head slanting to the right, he studied her as if puzzling something out. “What kind of work do you do?”
I’m the disowned heiress of Forte Foods. “I’m a cook. Well, a chef really, but right now, I’d sling hash in the local diner if it would pay my bills.” She smiled to wipe away Cooper’s concerned expression and furrowed brow. That’s all she’d say on the subject.
“Mommy, I hungry.” The tiny voice echoed against her chest.
“Okay, sweetie. I’ll make you something to eat.”
Cooper rose from his seat and grabbed his hat.
She stood and gestured to Sienna. “So now you see why I can’t just pick up and come to your ranch today?”
“I do see. But please consider driving out. Soon. And bring the little one. I bet she’d love to see the horses. We’re at Stone Ridge Ranch. Here’s my brother’s card. It has his address and phone number on it.” Cooper walked over to place the card in her hand. “And thanks for not freaking out about how I found you. It went against every shred of Lauren’s sense of propriety, but at the same time she agreed that the only way Jared can heal mentally from the accident is to speak to you.”
“That’s putting a bit of pressure on me.”
Cooper’s brows lifted, his face the picture of innocence. “Is it working?”
She tilted her head and admitted, “Maybe.”
* * *
You’ve got to go. I know you’re dying to. Just go and satisfy your curiosity, Bella. See the man whose life you saved.
Amy’s words burned in her ears as she stood on the doorstep of Jared Stone’s home. There was a chill in the air and she cradled her bundled-up daughter even tighter. Mesquite trees surrounding the property were strung with big colorful ornaments. The door she’d just knocked on a moment ago was bedecked with twin pinecone wreaths reminding her that Christmas was just weeks away.
Funny, it didn’t seem like Christmas. When Paul was alive it used to be such a fun time of year. Those four Christmases she’d shared with him had been the best. Now it was something she’d have to get through. But for Sienna’s sake, she was going to make it special.
Her little girl was taking in the decorations in wide-eyed wonder. She pointed at an old-fashioned red buckboard wagon decorating the grassy portion of the front yard. The bed of the wagon was filled with buckets of thriving poinsettias. “Want ride, Mommy.”
“Oh, sweetie, I don’t think that wagon works.”
“Why?” Everything lately required an explanation. Her little one was a curious soul.
“It’s kind of old.”
“O-kay. Is pretty,” she said, still fascinated by the wagon.
“Yes, the flowers are pretty.”
So was Jared’s house, which was accented with thick beams of light wood and beautiful stone siding. It was modern with rustic flair. As she’d come upon it, passing stables and barns, horses and cattle along the way, somehow she could picture Jared living here. It fit. Which was a weird thing to think, since she didn’t know the man. At all.
The door opened and a sixtysomething woman greeted them. “Why, you must be Bella Reid. Come in. We’ve been expecting you. I’m Marie, Mr. Stone’s housekeeper.”
Last night, after she’d made the decision to come by, she’d called Jared but the phone call had gone straight to voice mail. At least, she’d given him fair warning she was coming and was glad the message had been received. “Hello, Marie. Nice to meet you.”
“And who is this little darlin’?”
“This is my daughter, Sienna.”
“She’s a beautiful child.” Marie didn’t waste time. “Please come inside. Jared’s in the other room, waiting for you. He’s very glad you came by.” The affection in Marie’s voice was unmistakable. “And I’m tickled to meet you. You saved his life. The entire family is in your debt.”
Marie stopped outside a closed door and suddenly wrapped her arms around her and Sienna and gave them a hug. “Thank you.” She pulled away quickly. “Don’t mind me, I’m a silly woman,” she said, wiping an unshed tear from her eye. “But I just had to do that.”
“No, it’s fine,” Bella said. “It’s obvious you care about Jared.”
“Since he was a boy.”
“Marie?” an impatient male voice called out.
“They’re here, Jared.” Marie swept an arm toward the door. “You’d best go inside. I left a pitcher of lemonade and a plate of cookies on the table. I sure hope you like chocolate chip,” she said to Sienna. The toddler grinned at the mention of cookies. “If you need anything else, please let me know.”
“Thank you.”
Marie walked off slowly and Bella caught her grimacing, placing a hand to her back as she exited.
With a bit of trepidation, she entered the room to find the tall man slowly, carefully, unbending his body and rising from his chair, his expression etched with sheer determination. But there was no masking the pain he was in. “Bella Reid?”
“Hello, Jared. Please sit down,” she said softly.
His face seemed to mellow, some of the strain melting away as soon as the words were out of her mouth. He wore comfortable clothes, black sweats and a T-shirt with Stone Corp printed over a graphic of a rugged mountain peak. Their company logo, she assumed.
“After you,” he said. Texas manners being what they were, she wouldn’t argue. She took a seat, holding her shy daughter on her lap.
“Thank you for coming,” he said, his voice low and deep and much more commanding than when he’d been in the hospital.