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Her Sister's Secret Son
Lisette Belisle
AN ACCIDENTAL BRIDE?Though she'd spent a lifetime in her flamboyant twin's shadow, Rachel Hale adored selflessly, single-handedly raising her late sister's son. But with no time for dating, Rachel couldn't give her beloved nephew the daddy he deserved. Until a granite-eyed man from Maine discovered little Dylan was his….Strong, honorable and stubborn, Jared Carlisle would stop at nothing to claim his kin. Still, knowing how much a boy needed a mother, he proposed making Rachel his bride. In a twinkling, Rachel was sharing a home and a family with Jared. But would she–or only Dylan and her twin–ever share Jared's love?
He was a Carlisle. Blood ties were indestructible. And instinct told Jared that little Dylan Hale was his son.
There were simply too many clues to ignore. Still, he needed more than instinct and clues before he disrupted so many lives.
He had a son. A son.
The word whispered through him and stole into his heart. Then he remembered Rachel, Dylan’s aunt, the only mother the eight-year-old knew. He remembered Rachel’s innocent blue eyes, her soft pink mouth….
Jared’s lawyer shuffled some papers on his desk. “Rachel Hale, the aunt, has no legal right to the boy. If DNA tests come back positive and this goes to court, you’ll win hands down.”
Somehow the words didn’t reassure Jared. He would win.
Which meant Rachel would lose.
Dear Reader,
Many people read romance novels for the unforgettable heroes that capture our hearts and stay with us long after the last page is read. But to give all the credit for the success of this genre to these handsome hunks is to underestimate the value of the heart of a romance: the heroine.
“Heroes are fantasy material, but for me, the heroines are much more grounded in real life,” says Susan Mallery, bestselling author of this month’s Shelter in a Soldier’s Arms. “For me, the heroine is at the center of the story. I want to write and read about women who are intelligent, funny and determined.”
Gina Wilkins’s The Stranger in Room 205 features a beautiful newspaper proprietor who discovers an amnesiac in her backyard and finds herself in an adventure of a lifetime! And don’t miss The M.D. Meets His Match in Hades, Alaska, where Marie Ferrarella’s snowbound heroine unexpectedly finds romance that is sure to heat up the bitter cold….
Peggy Webb delivers an Invitation to a Wedding; when the heroine is rescued from marrying the wrong man, could a long-lost friend end up being Mr. Right? Sparks fly in Lisette Belisle’s novel when the heroine, raising Her Sister’s Secret Son, meets a mysterious man who claims to be the boy’s father! And in Patricia McLinn’s Almost a Bride, a rancher desperate to save her ranch enters into a marriage of convenience, but with temptation as her bed partner, life becomes a minefield of desire.
Special Edition is proud to publish novels featuring strong, admirable heroines struggling to balance life, love and family and making dreams come true. Enjoy! And look inside for details about our Silhouette Makes You a Star contest.
Best,
Karen Taylor Richman, Senior Editor
Her Sister’s Secret Son
Lisette Belisle
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
In loving memory of Leo and Simonne Thibodeau and Ellen Thibodeau Paradis
Special thanks to my husband, Frank, and my children, Christine, Denise and Marty for always being there through the laughter and the tears. I love you all.
LISETTE BELISLE
believes in putting everything into whatever she does, whether it’s a nursing career, motherhood or writing. While balancing a sense of practicality with a streak of adventure, she applies that dedication in creating stories of people overcoming the odds. Her message is clear—believe in yourself and believe in love. She is the founder and past president of the Saratoga chapter of Romance Writers of America. Canadian-born, she grew up in New Hampshire and currently lives in upstate New York with her engineer husband, Frank.
She’d love to hear from her readers. She can be reached at: P.O. Box 1166, Ballston Lake, NY 12019.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter One
It was Maine, it was August and it was hot.
The sun blazed unmercifully through the tall windows of the Henderson Courthouse. Overhead, ceiling fans whirred—the only sound as the jury filed in and took their places.
The building was old and musty smelling. The fans kept the air moving, stirring up dust, cobwebs and old memories—memories Jared Carlisle preferred buried.
Seated among the spectators, he shifted uncomfortably. He should have felt satisfaction at seeing his old rival brought to justice. Instead, he felt pity—well, perhaps a hint of satisfaction….
As if drawn, his gaze strayed to the opposite side of the aisle where a woman’s glowing red hair drew him like a magnet. She sat with the Pierces, yet somehow apart. Only one person had hair that pale shade of copper—like the heart of a flame where it burns bright and true. Laurel Hale. She was still the most beautiful girl—woman—Jared had ever seen. And she was still with Drew Pierce.
Time hadn’t changed his gut reaction—a primal urge to challenge Drew’s possession. Whether animal attraction or conditioned reflex, it was insane. Laurel had once taught Jared a valuable lesson about love—what it was and what it wasn’t. Now, a bright flash of her eyes and the angry tilt of her delicate chin brought him back to the present. Jared smiled ruefully when he realized she was glaring at him—her exquisite face flushed with visible resentment. Her mouth tightened; she looked away and stared straight at the judge.
Casting a jaundiced eye on the proceedings, the judge ordered, “Let’s get on with it.” During the trial, he’d lost patience with the spectators, the reporters, the defendant and his fancy lawyers who were up from Boston. That didn’t cut much ice up here. If anything, their slick delivery probably cost Drew several points with the jury.
At a curt nod from the judge, the clerk cleared his throat. “Will the defendant stand?”
Drew Pierce stood, his dark head unbent. A ripple of disapproval spread through the court. Too rich, too handsome, too spoiled…this time Drew had gone too far.
Jared searched the jurors’ faces for signs of leniency and found none. He wasn’t surprised. Although the crime was a year old, passion still burned bright—as bright as the flames that destroyed the Pierce-operated migrant camp and spread to the neighboring Stones End. The farm had been in Jared’s family for generations. They’d suffered the loss of a produce barn and most of last year’s crop. Ironically, the crisis had brought Jared and his father closer and signalled a new beginning for Stones End.
The Pierces hadn’t fared as well.
Between hefty federal fines, civil action and legal fees, they faced financial ruin in the community. Drew might be guilty of nothing more than following his father’s orders to cut corners; but ultimately, he was in charge of the migrant camp and responsible for any mismanagement. As such, he’d made some bad decisions, risked many innocent lives and rightfully bore the brunt of the charges.
At some point, Jared stopped listening. He ran his hand over his face, recalling that dark night—the lick of the flames and blinding smoke. He’d helped in the rescue effort. Although there were several injuries, none were critical.
Finally, the list of charges came to an end. The judge leaned back in his seat and growled in a gravelly voice, “All right, let’s have the verdict.”
The jury foreman mopped his face with a bright white handkerchief. “Guilty.”
Guilty!
Drew visibly staggered from the blow.
Like a house of cards, the Pierce family collapsed. Drew’s mother fainted. Family members rushed to her side. Only one person reached out to Drew. A woman. Strangely moved when Laurel placed a comforting hand on Drew’s arm, Jared admired her loyalty—even if it was misplaced.
The judge pronounced the punishment. “Five years.”
At the harsh sentence, Drew’s knuckles turned white.
During the trial, he’d pleaded innocent but admitted to repairing a faulty valve on a propane gas tank instead of replacing it. That one grave error in judgment had caused the explosion and sealed Drew’s fate.
A few moments later, a deputy sheriff led him away. The air seemed to go out of the courtroom. Jared simply wanted out. His father was seated on his right.
“Well, that’s that,” Ira said. Despite a weak heart, he’d insisted on coming to hear the final verdict, which meant Jared had taken the day off from work to come with him.
“Are you feeling all right?” Jared eyed him with some concern. “Maybe you should have stayed home.”
Ira drew himself up to his full height, a half inch shorter than his son. “And miss all the action!”
Jared chuckled. Despite their differences, he had to admit his old man had grit. And an eagle eye. Even at the age of seventy-one, Ira didn’t miss much.
“Saw you looking at that Hale woman,” Ira said. “Best cast your eyes elsewhere. She’s new in town, turned up about a month ago, keeps pretty much to herself, but there’s been talk.”
She’d been in town a month.
Jared had been out of town most of July. Since his return, work had kept him close to Stones End, which explained why he hadn’t seen her around. He would have noticed if he had. Laurel wasn’t the type of woman men overlooked, unless they were blind…or dead from the waist down.
Jared knew he should drop the subject, but he didn’t want any more surprises where Laurel was concerned. All right, so he was curious. “What kind of talk?”
“Seems like she’s got a child with her. Folks say the boy belongs to Drew. He fixed her up with a job and a place to stay.” Ira grimaced with disapproval. “Never heard of Drew doing anything unless there was something in it for him. Have you?”
“No,” Jared replied grimly as he absorbed the news.
That Drew and Laurel were still involved came as no surprise; however, the fact that they had a child together came as a shock. Laurel might be a lot of things, but she’d never struck Jared as the maternal type.
Ira continued. “You might want to keep your distance. There’s enough bad blood between you and Drew as it is.”
Once, Jared would have taken that as a challenge; but with his father’s uncertain health, winning every argument didn’t seem as important as it used to be.
Jared turned toward the exit. The courtroom was full. Both sides of the aisle merged into one. As luck would have it, he became separated from Ira and found himself directly behind Laurel. The fresh, sweet scent of her perfume almost crushed his determination to ignore her. He swore under his breath, and watched her stiffen in moral outrage, which was a laugh—as if Laurel had an excess of morals, or virtue.
He recalled a sexy little tease with jade eyes—a green-eyed witch. Now, she looked almost prim in a slim navy blue dress. But if anything, her figure had grown more lush. Her thick, silky-fine hair curled naturally. It was almost restrained, held off her neck with a gold metal clasp. Tiny red-gold tendrils curled at the nape of her neck.
As they neared the door, someone pushed from behind. Jared placed a protective hand at her waist. At his touch, she released a shaky breath, and he felt his heart jolt in direct response. Damn! As if scorched, he dropped his hand from her waist, then heard her soft sigh of relief—as if she couldn’t bear his hands on her.
When she reached for the door the same moment he did, he glanced at her long graceful hand pressed against the dark mahogany wood. Next to his deeply tanned hand, her skin looked soft and pale, almost translucent.
Jared pushed the door and murmured, “After you,” his voice a thin mockery of politeness. She didn’t have to know it was self-mockery.
He stepped outside into the unforgiving bright light of midday. The heat hit him like a brick wall.
In contrast, the coolness of her eyes met his as she turned to face him. He wasn’t prepared for the up-close shock of her vivid coloring. He felt like an eighteen-year-old kid again—all hormones. Every time he saw her, it felt like the first time. Jared found himself gazing into her eyes framed in ridiculously long, luxurious gold-tipped lashes. The years had been kind to her. Nine years ago, Laurel had set his heart on fire. A spark remained.
“Hello, Laurel.” He deliberately removed the slightest hint of warmth from his voice. “It’s been a long time.”
At his tone, she drew in an audible breath. “I’m afraid you’ve confused me with someone else.” Her face was fine-drawn—the bones rigid with self-discipline. She was taller, more rounded, softer somehow. She had freckles. Funny, he’d never noticed that small imperfection.
He frowned at that.
The sun glinted in her hair, and Jared was struck by the memory of glorious red hair tumbling across a white pillow. He was eighteen again, waking in a strange bed with a girl he scarcely knew, and feeling obliged to ask to see her again. She’d refused, laughing as she confessed that she’d only gone out with him to make Drew jealous—why should she want a poor farmer when she intended to win Drew? In addition to the blow to his ego, her connection to Drew had come as a shock.
Now, Jared smiled at her brazen attempt at innocence. “I’m not wrong about you, Laurel.” How could he be wrong? He’d spent years trying to forget her, and apparently failing from his current reaction.
“You are mistaken.” She visibly recovered some poise, but almost tripped in her haste to escape him. Escape?
That seemed an odd choice of words, but the thought lingered. Jared caught her arm before she fell down the steep flight of concrete steps. He didn’t want her damaged, just a little shaken up. “I’m not mistaken about you.” He smiled cynically. “How could I possibly forget? But don’t flatter yourself. The memories aren’t that great.”
With a gasp at his deliberate rudeness, she drew back, at least as far as his hold would allow.
“You’re wrong.” Her gaze remained steady, almost level with his. He could see the effort it took for her to remain calm. “Laurel was my twin sister.”
Was.
That one word shocked Jared.
“Perhaps you didn’t know. It’s been some time since it happened….” She added a few details, allowing him more grace and kindness than he’d shown her. The dark blue of her dress contrasted starkly with her pale skin. With each word, her freckles grew more prominent, ending with, “…an unfortunate boating accident four years ago.”
While Jared struggled for words, something else registered. Her eyes weren’t green; they were blue—soft and muted with violet shadows. Laurel’s eyes were green. How could he have made such a mistake?
“I didn’t know,” he murmured, wishing he could retract his earlier harsh accusation, but it was too late. Hell, he was sorry—sorry he’d ever laid eyes on either of the Hale sisters. He’d never known Laurel had a twin.
She looked hurt.
