Her Sister's Secret Son. Lisette Belisle

weren’t here.”

      At the reminder, Jared felt a familiar stab of guilt. At eighteen, he’d left, joined the Navy, then worked his way through college and veterinary school. Over the next eight years, he’d come back for visits but never stayed long until he came home for good last summer. He’d left Jessie to deal with his father and the farm. He felt guilty about that, too. So much guilt, so many mistakes. Hopefully, he could handle this situation without making more. He wanted to do the right thing—for everyone.

      Contrary to his father’s opinion, Rachel Hale was very much a part of the equation. Jared couldn’t rule her out.

      Reminded of Dylan’s aunt, he straightened abruptly. “Ben’s waiting up for you. I should be going.”

      Moments later, Jared walked away from Jessie’s snug house. The windows were all lit up. Feeling more alone than usual, Jared walked down the road toward the main farmhouse. The day had started out with promise, but now the evening turned cloudy. Shadows drifted across the far meadow and crept up on Stones End. Like day into night, the past held Jared’s future. In all his wanderings, he’d learned a simple truth: this was where he belonged. He was a Carlisle. Blood ties were indestructible. Instinct told him that Dylan was his.

      There were simply too many clues to ignore. But he needed more than instinct before disrupting so many lives.

      He had a son.

      Son.

      The word whispered through him and stole into his heart. His son. His. Then, he remembered Rachel. He remembered her blue-violet eyes, her soft pink mouth.

      She was going to hate his guts.