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* * *
Sasha Gibault Smith parked near Uncle Roger’s big white barn, but she didn’t get out of the car right away. Instead, even though she needed to stretch her legs, she remained seated, gripping the steering wheel and studying the ranch she used to love to visit.
She’d started out from Los Angeles yesterday morning and had spent the night in El Paso, but it had still been a difficult trip, one she’d made with her tail tucked between her legs.
She adored Uncle Roger, but whenever she’d gone against his advice, he’d had a habit of saying, “I told you so” or “Dang it, girl. Why don’t you ever listen to me?” And this time, he’d been especially right in his assessment of Gabe Smith.
Needless to say, she wasn’t looking forward to adding any additional guilt to what she already carried, especially now. That was one reason she’d been reluctant to call her uncle until she was only thirty minutes away.
She hadn’t gone into detail about why she was coming back to Texas. Nor had she apologized for anything she or her now-estranged husband had done to hurt him. She’d merely asked if she could stay with him on the Galloping G for a while.
Before answering her question, he’d had one of his own. “Is Gabe coming with you?”
She’d said no, that it was just her and Maddie, and left it at that. She hadn’t been ready to tell him any more over the phone.
“Stay as long as you want,” Uncle Roger had said. “The city isn’t a good place to raise a child.” At that point, he’d paused, maybe rethinking his response. “I mean, city life is okay. Lots of cultural stuff and shopping, I suppose. But the fresh air and sunshine will be good for Maddie.”
Bless his heart, Roger was the gruffest yet kindest man she’d ever known. And she was looking forward to mending their relationship, something she should have done a long time ago. But Gabe had made it so difficult. He’d made everything difficult.
She glanced into the rearview mirror to the backseat, where Maddie dozed. Her seven-year-old daughter was the only good thing that had come of her relationship with Gabe, so how could she regret marrying him?
But still, why hadn’t she listened to Uncle Roger when he warned her about him?
Because she’d been dazzled by Gabe’s charm and enamored with the very idea of love, that’s why. She’d lost her parents when she was young, and all she’d ever wanted was to create a family of her own. But that dream had certainly backfired on her.
She’d been a fool not to see the truth. Gabe hadn’t been capable of loving anyone but himself. And the fact that she’d signed the prenuptial agreement he’d said would appease his wealthy father only made it worse. What would Roger have said to that?
She could only imagine. She placed a hand on her growing baby bump, which had made it more difficult to reach the gas pedal, as well as the steering wheel, since she was merely five foot two, anyway.
The second pregnancy not only had led to her and Gabe’s split, but had also complicated things. Gabe, who hadn’t really wanted to have kids, would have to provide financially for both of them. His family came from money, so that hadn’t bothered him nearly as much as the idea of coming home day after day to Sasha and the kids.
In fact, once Maddie was born, he began spending more and more time at the office. Sasha tried not to resent his time away from home since he’d said he was doing it for them, that he was only trying to be a good provider for his family. And maybe that was true. But she’d soon realized that Gabe was a quitter. Whenever something didn’t go the way he liked it, he’d move on to another job.
The poor baby she was carrying, another little girl, hadn’t asked to be brought into the world. But Gabe had barely gotten used to having Maddie. So when he found out Sasha was expecting again, he packed his bags and moved out.
It’s not like she had intended to get pregnant this time. In fact, she still marveled at how it had even happened, since she and Gabe were so rarely together.
But none of that mattered. Her only priority now was her children. Come hell or high water, Sasha would do everything in her power to provide her daughters with love and security. And what better place to do that than at the Galloping G?
She just hoped Uncle Roger would agree. Her heart told her he would, but she’d never know until she broached the subject.
Again, she glanced in the rearview mirror. She didn’t want to wake Maddie from her nap quite yet. The little girl hadn’t felt comfortable in that motel room last night and had taken a long time to fall asleep. So to provide Maddie a few extra minutes to snooze in comfort, Sasha lowered the power windows to allow the afternoon breeze to blow through the car. Then she pulled the key from the ignition and placed it in her purse.
Before she could open the driver’s door, a John Deere Gator drove into the yard, followed by a cowboy on horseback.
The man driving the Gator was Uncle Roger. And the cowboy...?
A Stetson shielded his face, but not his broad shoulders and rugged build. When he tilted the brim, she recognized Graham Robinson, and her breath caught.
His saddle creaked when he placed his hands on the pommel and leaned forward, checking her out without the hint of a smile. But she wasn’t smiling, either. Talking to Uncle Roger would be hard enough without an audience.
What was Graham doing here? Hadn’t he kicked his cowboy stage by now? Shouldn’t he be working at Robinson Tech, raking in the dough and living the fast-paced urban life he’d been born into?
Not that he hadn’t practically lived on the Galloping G during the summers when she used to come and visit. Graham and her cousin Peter had been best friends—and almost inseparable. Then, after Peter died, Graham had practically moved in.
She’d had a huge crush on the older teenage boy back then, but he’d only considered her a kid and a nuisance. In retrospect, she could understand why. He’d had his choice of high school girls. Why would he take a second look at her?
Besides, he and Peter were always talking about parties and all the places local teenagers hung out. Once she’d even heard them mention something about skinny-dipping with a couple of cheerleaders. So, no, Graham had never looked at her as anything other than a pesky little kid.
Uncle Roger approached first, which didn’t surprise her. He was, after all, the one she’d come to see.
She tore her gaze from Graham, a wealthy man by all rights who appeared to be more comfortable on horseback than in a snazzy BMW, something he could well afford to buy. At least, he’d never been without a wad of cash in the past. His dad owned a big tech company and had been loaded. He probably still was.
When Roger reached her car, Sasha was reluctant to get out. She hadn’t told him about her pregnancy, although he was about to find out.
He took off his hat, revealing more silver in his hair than the last time she’d seen him. His face had weathered, too.
Her heart cramped at the thought that she and Gabe might have contributed to the signs of age.
“How was the drive?” he asked.
She lifted her hand to her eyes, blocking the glare from the afternoon sun. “It was long. But not too bad.”
Uncle Roger took a peek into the backseat. “Looks like Maddie dozed off. You gonna wake her up?”
“I hadn’t wanted to. She didn’t sleep well last night. We stayed in a roadside motel, which had a truck stop next door, so it was pretty loud outside. But she’s been eager to get here. And to meet you. It’s all she could talk about.”
As Uncle Roger studied her sweet, dozing daughter, Sasha stole another glance at Graham. He was dismounting now.
The years had been good to him, and as he swung a muscular leg over the saddle, all those girlish feelings returned tenfold. For one crazy, thoughtless moment, that silly crush she’d once harbored came rushing back full force and nearly stole her breath away.
She’d never met a man who could hold a candle to Graham in looks. In fact, if she weren’t seven months pregnant and still—at least, legally—married, she’d be a goner.
Well, that wasn’t true. She was older and wiser these days. And she’d learned the hard way that no man was perfect. Besides, she’d be swearing off romance and concentrating on her children for the next couple of years.
“You gonna sit in that car all day?” her uncle asked.
No, she wasn’t about to do that. And while she wasn’t eager to reveal her condition to either Roger or to Graham, she opened the door, grabbed her purse and slid out of her trusty Honda Civic.
The moment she did, Uncle Roger let out a slow whistle. But it wasn’t Roger’s reaction that concerned her now. For some dumb reason, she looked straight at Graham and waited for his response.
* * *
The first thing Graham noticed when Sasha got out of the car and stepped into the afternoon sunlight was that she was no longer the cute little tomboy he remembered. She was a stunning blonde and absolutely beautiful.
But damn. She was also pregnant. And while he was no expert, from the looks of it, she was about ready to deliver.
Were women in her condition supposed to travel, especially on long road trips?
Roger stepped away from Sasha’s car, then strode toward Graham and reached out his hand. “Gimme those reins. I’ll take care of your horse.”
What the hell? And leave Graham to make small talk?
He would have objected and insisted on putting the horse away himself, but Roger was probably afraid to stick around any longer for fear he’d say something to screw things up before he got a chance to take Sasha’s luggage inside. Speaking of which...
“Let me get your bags,” Graham said.
“They’re back here.” Sasha, with the strap of her purse over her shoulder and her hand perched on her belly, rounded the car and opened her trunk.
She hadn’t brought much, just two suitcases, so maybe she didn’t plan to stay long.
“Is this it?” he asked.
“I...uh...” She gave a shrug. “I shipped everything else.”
Everything? What all had she thought she’d need? Was she going to move in?
He lifted both bags from the car, and she shut the trunk. As he carried the suitcases to the front porch, he stole a peek at the lovely blonde.
Somewhere along the way, she’d shed the braces. And in spite of her obvious pregnancy, she’d blossomed into a shapely woman, one he found incredibly attractive. His heart rate had escalated to the point he felt what could almost be classified a sexual thrill just looking at her.
What did that say about him? What kind of man found a pregnant married woman so appealing?
He wasn’t going to stew about it. Instead he shook off the question, as well as any answer he might be able to come up with. He was just surprised to see her and how much she’d changed, that’s all.
“Is your daughter going to be okay in the car?” he asked.
“I’m only going to leave her in there for a minute. I thought I’d put my bags into the room where I used to sleep. But maybe I’d better leave them in the living room until Uncle Roger tells me where he’d like us to stay. I didn’t mean to be presumptive.”
“I’m sure it’s fine to put everything in your old bedroom,” Graham said, leading the way.
As far as he knew, Roger hadn’t changed a thing since Sasha was last here, the summer of her junior year. He’d wanted things to stay the way she’d left them. But after her high school graduation, she’d stayed in Austin to prepare for college.
So she could easily see that the room with lavender walls, dotted with posters, still bore evidence of the teenager she’d once been.
Graham placed the bags on the bed, which boasted a white goose-down comforter.
Sasha set her purse on the antique oak dresser, then thanked him for his help.
“No problem.”
They merely stood there, caught up in some kind of weird time warp. Then she nodded toward the doorway. “I’d better go wake up Maddie.”
Graham followed her outside, watching her walk, the hem of her yellow sundress swishing against her shapely calves. From behind, he’d never have known she was expecting a baby.
When they reached the front porch, she paused near the railing, took a deep breath of country air and scanned the yard. “I’ve really missed this place.”
Roger would be glad to know that. It would make it easier for them to put the past behind them.
“It’s been a long time,” Graham said, finally addressing the elephant in the room. “How’ve you been?”
“All right.” She turned to face him and bit down on her bottom lip, as though things might not be “all right.” But if that was the case, she didn’t mention it. “How about you? I see you’re still hanging out on the Galloping G.”
“I live here now. In the foreman’s quarters. I guess you could say I’m your uncle’s right-hand man.”
She pondered that bit of news for a moment. “I guess some things haven’t changed.”
Actually, she was wrong. A lot had changed, and there were more big changes coming down the pike.
“So, how’s your family?” she asked.
“Same old, same old.” It was a stock response to keep from going into any real detail. Sasha didn’t know that he’d never been close to his father—and even less so now that he’d chosen not to work at Robinson Tech, like most of his other siblings.
When she nodded, he offered a more interesting response and something she might soon hear from the neighbors. “My brother Ben and my sisters Rachel and Zoe have gotten married recently. And my brother Wes is engaged.”
“That’s nice,” she said, providing her own stock response. “How recently?”
“All within the last six months.” Then, for some damn reason, he added, “We might also be taking on a new last name.”
Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
Since it was too late to backpedal now, he continued with the unsettling truth. “Apparently, my dad was once a long-lost black sheep in the Fortune clan. His name was Jerome, not Gerald.”
Graham decided not to mention that Ben and some of his other siblings had taken on the Fortune name. But he wasn’t about to do that, especially when his father refused to admit the connection.
“Wow,” Sasha said. “And you never knew?”
“No, Dad kept that a secret from us, along with other things.” Graham wasn’t about to go into all that. Not now, anyway. Maybe not ever. He wasn’t particularly proud of the fact that his old man, a guy most people considered a quirky tech mogul, had eight legitimate kids, as well as who-knew-how-many illegitimate ones.
“How do you feel about that?” she asked, easing close enough for him to catch the faint hint of her orange-blossom scent.
He blew out a sigh, hoping to eliminate the taunting smell, as well as his lingering concerns of being a shirttail relative to such a famous family. It didn’t work in either case.
“It’s been a lot for me to take in,” he admitted. “So now my life on the Galloping G holds an even bigger appeal than it did before.”
“I can imagine. News like that would be...stunning. How do your brothers and sisters feel about it?”
“Actually, some of them hope it’s true. But the others aren’t too keen on it.” Graham, of course, was on the not-exactly-pleased side of it.
He paused for a beat, realizing Sasha didn’t have siblings—or even a cousin any longer. So he didn’t want to sound as though he resented having a big family. “I suppose you can never have too many relatives. It’s a cold world out there, so the more people who have your back, the better.”
Instead of smiling or commenting, Sasha just stood there as tears welled in her eyes.
Uh-oh. He hadn’t meant to trigger her sadness. Was she missing Peter? Her parents?
She swiped below her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I’m sorry. Just the result of my pregnancy hormones at work.”
That made sense. And it made him feel a lot better about setting off her tears. “How far along are you?”
