Читать книгу The Rancher's Heir - Sara Orwig - Страница 10

Two

Camilla

All during her pregnancy, everyone assumed she was carrying her ex-husband Aiden’s child. When she realized they did, she let everyone go right on believing that. By the second month after they married, Aiden and she were divorced. When the baby was born, it was easy to keep up the deception. She had been divorced and Aiden had left town six months before Ethan was born, so no one questioned her naming her baby Warner, her family name. Aiden had been a rebound marriage, a fling, a mistake, and she never wanted to keep his name and he had no interest in her baby.

Little Ethan, like Aiden and Noah, had black hair, so no one suspected anything.

Though she’d already broken up with Noah when she started dating Aiden, she’d been pregnant. Noah had been back in Afghanistan, his furlough over. As well as their relationship.

She’d known Aiden since college and she married him on the rebound. She had thought he would be a dad for her baby, but she knew the second week of the marriage she had made a mistake and she felt he wasn’t happy, either.

They really weren’t compatible. By the second month he’d wanted a divorce and so had she.

People still didn’t realize this was Noah’s baby. While guilt plagued her because Noah had a right to know the truth, she knew he would want to take charge of the situation. He would want control over her baby. Maybe her own life in some ways would be out of her hands.

At some point she had to let him know about Ethan, but she dreaded it more than anything in her life. She was not going to let him know yet. Ethan was the joy of her life now. She didn’t want to lose him. Nor was she ready to share him. Noah was a rancher, but she loved city life and wanted her son in Dallas.

Though she’d spent time on her grandfather’s ranch, she wasn’t fond of them. Being on a ranch made her think of Winston, her little brother who had fallen through the ice at their grandfather’s ranch when Winston was four. Thane had pulled him out of the icy pond. Later Winston had developed pneumonia and died. It always saddened her to think of that time.

The entire year they’d dated, Noah had never declared his love, but he’d made it clear that if he ever wanted to marry, his wife would have to live on his ranch.

Yes, suffice it to say, she and Noah had hugely different lifestyles. Noah wasn’t going to change and she didn’t want to change, either.

She brushed her fingers so lightly over Ethan’s soft curls, feeling them tickle the palm of her hand. Wanting to lean down and kiss him, she resisted because she was afraid she would wake him. The minute Noah knew about their son, she was certain he would want to take charge of Ethan’s life and maybe hers, too. She would see Noah when Mike Moretti and Thane’s widow, Vivian, married. Their wedding was coming up this next weekend, and both she and Noah would be in it. Ethan was too little to go to this wedding, so she didn’t have to worry about having Noah and Ethan in the same place.

Aside from Mike and Vivian, she moved in a circle of friends now who did not know Noah, so she hoped she’d be able to drag out the deception a little longer.

Over the last almost two years there’d been times she’d considered telling Noah about his son, but she’d always backed off. Now, as she looked at her baby and fought the urge to hold him in her arms, she knew despite her guilty conscience, she had to continue to keep Noah away from him. It was too terrifying to tell him the truth.

Noah

Tuesday afternoon, Noah sat across from Mike as they ate burgers together on the patio of a popular lunch place in Dallas. “I’m glad about you and Thane’s widow,” Noah told his friend. “I guess it was good you told Thane you’d go to work for him when you got out of the military. I think it gave him peace of mind to hire you and know if something happened to him, you’d go home to run the ranch. He may have hoped all along that you would marry Vivian.”

“I’m sure he was taking care of Vivian and taking care of his beloved ranch. He had everything all lined up if anything happened to him.” Mike put down his burger and wiped his mouth on a napkin. “Now you have an errand for him.”

“Right,” Noah said, looking into his friend’s alert brown eyes. Mike’s black hair had a slight wave and was longer than when he was in the service, but still cut short. “I had to promise Thane I would put his package into Camilla’s hands myself. The baby, too. Her baby isn’t going to know or care what’s going on and probably won’t even know he has a present.”

Mike laughed. “Thane probably hoped you’d get back with his sister.”

“That won’t happen. She told me a definite goodbye and she married after I left. She divorced him a few months into the marriage and now has his baby. Camilla and I are history. I’m too much the alpha male for her.”

“We’re all alpha males, and her brother definitely was, too.”

“She has said the same thing about her brother.” Noah shrugged. “I can’t change something as basic as that. It’s who I am. I don’t know how we got together in the first place. We’re opposites. She likes opera, art galleries and big cities. I like my country-western music, rodeos and the ranch. In short, we were never meant to be. It’s over.”

“Sorry. Life can get complicated. Thane probably wanted you to get back together so that her child would have a good dad around.”

“She’s from a very wealthy family. In addition, she does well with her art, some pieces bringing big bucks before I left for the service. She does watercolor landscapes, murals, also portraits and has done some portraits for celebs for impressive amounts of money, so she doesn’t need one bit of financial help. Also, she has two more brothers, Mason and Logan. As far as I know, they’ll be around some for her baby. When I left for the service Mason had a financial consulting firm in Austin and Logan is head of his Dallas oil company. Maybe being in a war made Thane sentimental. I don’t know. All I have to do is take the present to her and give the baby his present and say goodbye.”

Mike paused as he went to take another bite of his burger, and his eyes met Noah’s. “Sorry, buddy. She’ll be in our wedding because she’s family and a friend of Vivian’s.”

“It won’t matter. While it’s over between us, we can be civil to each other. I’ll see her at your wedding and then it’s goodbye and we probably won’t cross paths again.”

“She’s a good artist and highly successful, which made her instant friends with Vivian. Vivian shows Camilla’s art in her galleries. Camilla is good at what she does. Her art is bringing in higher returns and it’s selling better than ever.”

Noah was glad for her. She’d always been talented. But enough talk about Camilla. He changed the subject quickly, before Mike could go on about the woman. “Speaking of a wedding, too bad Jake won’t be out of the military and back for your wedding.”

“We waited for you. I’m not waiting another month for Jake to get back, even though I count him as a close friend,” Mike said.

“I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“He won’t care if he isn’t in a wedding except that he’ll miss a party. Jake loves a party.”

After reminiscing a bit about their good friend and Ranger buddy Jake Ralston, Mike asked after Noah’s plans now that he was home.

“I’ll stay in Dallas for the next month to get business taken care of, see my family some, and I have Thane’s gift to Camilla to deliver. Eventually, I’ll go back to my West Texas Bar G Ranch.”

“That’s the best possible plan,” Mike said, smiling. “If you want to buy a really fine horse, come by our place.”

“I’ll do that. When is a good time?”

Mike shrugged. “With our wedding coming up this weekend, either come out today or tomorrow or wait a couple of weeks until we return from our honeymoon.”

“Thanks, Mike. I’ll give you a call or text when I’m ready.”

“Great. You know where the ranch is. Stay for dinner and get to know Vivian if you can.”

“Thanks,” he said and Mike nodded.

As the hour passed, they finished lunch and finally said goodbye. Noah left, thinking again about delivering the gifts from Thane. When he sat in his car, he called a phone number he still could remember easily and drew a deep breath as he waited to hear Thane’s sister, Camilla Warren, answer.

Camilla

Camilla’s heart skipped a beat when she looked at the name on the caller ID. Noah. She hadn’t talked to him since the two weeks he’d been home on a furlough. Since they’d made a baby together. Sex with Noah had always been fabulous. In bed, they were compatible, in sync. Not so much out of the bedroom. A relationship between them never would have lasted. And now he would never forgive her deception.

She stared at the caller ID while the music on her phone continued to play, indicating an incoming call. She didn’t want to answer. She and Noah had nothing to talk about and he should know that she would not go out with him. She couldn’t imagine he would want to ask her out after the harsh words they’d had when they last parted. She didn’t want to see him and she didn’t want to talk to him.

His call kicked over to voice mail and minutes later her heart skipped another beat when she listened to Noah’s familiar voice.

“Camilla, your brother has a gift for you. It’s important because he went through hell—” Noah paused and tears stung her eyes because she loved her older brother and she knew Noah and Thane had been close friends since they had been in middle school.

She could hear Noah take a deep breath. “Thane went through hell to make sure I knew what he wanted. I promised him I would give a package to you. He was insistent I put it in your hand myself. Sorry Mike could have given it to you, but that wasn’t what your brother wanted. This was a final request of a dying buddy, a man whose memory I will always honor, and I’m going to keep my promise to him and put his gift into your hand as he asked. Also, he gave me a present for your baby, his first nephew. I’m to give that present to him. I’ll call again for a time.” There was a brief pause, and then he added, “It’s Noah, by the way.”

She heard the click and dropped her phone to cover her face with her hands and sob for the big brother who had been killed, a brother who had been a friend and a second dad. He wasn’t coming home. And she knew she was also crying over Noah, the man she had once loved with all her heart. The man she had to keep out of her life at all costs. Yet now there was a reason she had to see him, because she could not refuse her brother’s dying request, either.

Thane had known she couldn’t refuse to see Noah. Too easily, she could imagine her brother’s motive in getting Noah to deliver the present to her. Even from the grave, he was taking charge of someone else’s life. This time, hers. Thane was determined that Noah learn about Ethan. After the baby was born, Thane had written her and asked if Ethan was Noah’s. He was the only person who had come up with the truth. She couldn’t write back and admit it, though. Just the fact that she’d stalled had given him an answer. And then he’d gotten a call through to her and they had argued about it.

Thane tried almost as much as her dad to take charge of everything in his life. But he couldn’t convince Camilla to tell Noah the truth.

She sighed as she wiped her eyes and tried to regain her composure. She would have to see Noah and accept her brother’s present. To do so, they should make arrangements to meet as soon as possible and get it over and done. But she was not going to let him see Ethan. Noah could give her Ethan’s present. Her son wouldn’t know what was going on, anyway.

She picked up the phone to send a text to invite Noah to come by. She had no intention of telling Noah ahead of time that Ethan would not be home. Noah would simply come another time. In minutes she received an answer and a time, which she accepted. She sighed as she wondered how she would get through seeing Noah tomorrow. Not only then, but at Vivian’s wedding.

Vivian would marry Mike Moretti, another Ranger buddy and rancher who had been in Thane’s outfit. Thane had hired Mike to replace their retiring foreman. Vivian knew about Camilla’s breakup with Noah, so she had been sympathetic when she’d asked Camilla to be in her wedding, telling Camilla if she was uncomfortable accepting, she would understand. Camilla wanted to say no and stay far away, but she couldn’t. For Thane’s sake—and she truly liked Vivian—she would be in the wedding, which Vivian had originally said would be small with just family members and very close friends. That had changed because there were so many family members. Mike and Vivian both had brothers and close friends. One of Vivian’s brothers would be best man. Noah would be a groomsman. Noah’s sister, Stefanie, would be a bridesmaid.

Camilla hoped she could get through seeing Noah, talking to him, being in the wedding with him, without any tears. She was the one who had broken up the relationship and she thought by now she was over him, but hearing his voice not only made her cry, it made her weak in the knees and swamped her with longing to have his arms around her and to kiss him again—something she didn’t want to feel. She had no future with Noah. Her feelings hadn’t changed one tiny degree regarding his alpha-male ways. She just had to get through tomorrow’s meeting and get through the wedding, and then Noah would be out of her life.

After the wedding, she didn’t ever have to see Noah again. She would cling to that thought like a lifeline.

But first she had to make it through tomorrow.

* * *

The next day at noon her heart fluttered as she changed clothes for the third time. She shouldn’t care how she looked or what she wore. She and Noah were finished forever and she would take the package and baby present her brother had sent and say goodbye and Noah would be gone. She lived in Dallas, and Noah lived two hundred and thirty miles away in West Texas on his Bar G Ranch. Now, if only her heart could get the message that seeing Noah wasn’t important. Her heart was pounding, her hands were icy, her breathing was fast—why couldn’t she get over him? She didn’t want a future out on a ranch with a strong alpha male whose life choices were mostly the opposite of hers.

Annoyed by her reactions to seeing him, she took a deep breath.

Her door chimes made her jump and she realized how tense she was. She took another deep breath, glanced at herself in the mirror and shook her long, straight brown hair away from her face. Her gaze skimmed over her pale blue cotton blouse, matching slacks and high-heeled sandals. Then she hurried to the door, swinging it open and feeling her heart beat faster as she looked up into Noah’s vivid blue eyes. In that instant, two years’ worth of time vanished. In some ways it could have been yesterday when she’d last seen him. In other ways, change was evident. He looked older, taller, more broad-shouldered and even more incredibly handsome. His thick black hair was a mass of unruly curls above the most vivid blue eyes she had ever seen.

Looking like the rancher he was, Noah was in civilian clothes: fresh, dark jeans, a navy long-sleeved shirt and black boots. A short black beard was a new addition. He looked like a strong, handsome Texas cowboy, not a billionaire rancher and former officer of an elite military outfit. She couldn’t speak and she wanted to walk into his arms and kiss him. She had thought she was getting over him, but the instant she looked into his eyes, such intense longing filled her that it hurt. For a moment they stared at each other and she realized he was as silent as she.

“Come in, Noah,” she said quietly, her voice a whisper. Her pulse raced and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his. She couldn’t move. Her heart pounded and she made an effort to step back so he could enter. When he did, she caught the scent of his aftershave. As he stepped in front of her, he paused to look down at her. She couldn’t breathe while she wondered if he could hear her heart pound. He turned and walked on. Taking a deep breath, she closed the door and walked ahead of him into the living room.

“Where’s your baby?” he asked, following her. “I expected you to be holding him.”

“Actually, Noah, my mom came by and took Ethan with her. One of her friends is here from out of town and she wanted to show him off.”

She entered her living room and turned to face him. He had a slight scowl and his gaze had grown cold.

“Camilla, I told you that I have Thane’s gift to you and one to your son. What’s his name—Ethan?”

“Yes—he’s named for my uncle. I’m sorry,” she answered, raising her chin, trying to get some force into her voice so she didn’t sound guilty or intimidated. “I know you told me that you wanted to see Ethan, but this was special to Mom, and her friend will only be in town today. Besides, he’s a baby,” Camilla stated firmly and had a sinking feeling when his expression did not soften. “Ethan is fifteen months old. He won’t know or care if you put that present in his little hands or not. That’s ridiculous. He doesn’t even know how to open a present. He’ll probably chew on it. I’ll get it to him and put it into his hands.” Changing her tone, she waved her hand. “Have a seat, Noah, and relax,” she said, motioning toward an armchair.

Noah shook his head. “Thanks, Camilla, but I have other places to go.”

Why did his words hurt? He was stiff, cold and angry. She didn’t want to react to him, to ache to be in his arms and to remember far too vividly his kisses.

“Do I get my present?” she asked.

He crossed the room and she couldn’t resist letting her gaze flick over him. Her pulse raced as she noted differences. He stopped a couple of feet in front of her. Her gaze lowered to his mouth and she couldn’t get her breath. She realized how she stared and her gaze flew up to meet his, and for a few seconds, she saw scalding desire, a hungry look that made her weak in the knees. She was the one who broke up with him, so why was she about to go up in flames just facing him now?

She fought to regain her composure, or at least feign it. Searching for something to say, she came up with a lame comment. “I think you’re taller, Noah.”

“I am,” he answered. “I got measured enough in the Army to know I’m taller than when I went in. Taller, heavier, stronger and hopefully tougher. We’ll see the next time I participate in a rodeo.” He reached out, holding a package. “Here’s your present from Thane, Camilla. He had very specific instructions for me.”

Momentarily lost in thoughts about her brother, she accepted the small package and ran her hand over the ripped and wrinkled brown paper, tied tightly with twine. She thought about Thane, dying in Afghanistan, so far from home and family, having a present for her and one for Ethan. “Thank you. I’m glad you and Mike and Jake were with him. He died doing what he wanted,” she said and stopped talking for a moment because tears threatened. “When I kissed him goodbye, I wondered if I would ever see him again,” she whispered and turned her back to wipe her eyes. She tried to get her emotions under control and shifted her thoughts to Noah and the present, turning back to face him.

“Sorry, Noah. Thane was really special.”

“Yes, he was. He was special to all of us under his command.”

She took a deep breath. “You did what he wanted. I’ll tell Ethan, when he’s old enough to understand that Thane very specifically wanted you to bring his present home and he wanted you to place it in Ethan’s hands yourself.”

“And that’s what I intend to do. I’ll have to come back,” he said, and she could hear the reluctance in his voice.

A chill slithered down her spine because she knew Noah would do whatever he said he would. She knew far too well how tough and unyielding he could be when he thought he was right.

“Noah, you’re busy. I’m busy. Ethan is a baby and Thane wasn’t thinking about how little Ethan is.”

“Camilla,” Noah said in such a cold voice that she stopped talking instantly. “Thane knew exactly what he was doing and saying. Those were the words of a dying man giving his last wishes. I promise you, your brother’s thoughts were clear, and with great effort and some of his last breaths, he made me promise to put that gift into your baby’s hands. He specifically said to not give it to you.”

She felt heat rise in her face. She loved her brother, but he had always meddled in her life. This was why she wouldn’t tie her life to a man who was an alpha male through and through. Her controlling brother had even managed to wring promises from his men that would bring about the results Thane wanted. He was just as bad as her father.

Her father had never been deeply interested in his kids. Early on, Thane took over being a second dad to her and sometimes he’d interfered in her life if he’d thought it was best.

She smiled sweetly. “All right, Noah. You can give the present to Ethan personally. I’ll call you. It won’t be this week because we have commitments, but next week should work.”

Noah nodded. “If possible, as soon as you can. I want to get this done. I gave your brother my word that I would.”

“Sure. You want to get back to your ranch, don’t you?”

“You can’t imagine how much I want to. It’s been two years since I even saw it, back when I was on that furlough. You should have come out there with me at least once, Camilla. It’s beautiful.”

She shivered. “Noah, I’ve told you—we used to go see my grandparents on their ranch and it was never beautiful. It was scary and had snakes. I was bitten once, but it wasn’t a poisonous one. My grandfather spent his time and money gambling and that ranch was insignificant to him. So were his grandkids. I hated it, and after my grandmother died, my grandfather let everything go. The house was dark and depressing. I told you—that’s where my little brother, Winston, drowned. Our grandfather let us play on a frozen pond and the ice cracked. We all went in and that icy water was terrifying and I had nightmares about it for a couple of years. Thane pulled Winston out. He was only four. He got pneumonia and died. I’ve told you before.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard Thane talk about it. That doesn’t mean all ranches are dark, dangerous, gloomy and sad. That was your grandfather’s doing.”

“I’ll agree with you on that one.”

A faint smile raised one corner of his mouth. “Something we finally agree on.”

“I’ve lost two brothers and an uncle because of accidents or violence. At least you can take care of yourself. When we were dating, maybe I should have gone to your ranch with you and you should have gone to an opera with me.”

“I can’t recall being invited to an opera.”

“You would have turned me down.”

Again, she saw a faint, crooked smile. “You should have tried me, Camilla. You’ll never know whether I would have or wouldn’t have.”

They looked at each other and she felt that same pull, the attraction that was as intense as it had been when they dated. He had the most vivid blue eyes she had ever seen and they held her captive right now while her heart pounded. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t look away and couldn’t move.

“I’ll see you next week,” he said gruffly. But as his gaze lingered on her for a minute after he spoke, longing swamped her. She could just reach out and pull him back into her life. That thought came and immediately she stepped away from him. He might not ever want to be in her life again and she didn’t want him back. He hadn’t changed; he’d still try to run everything. Just like Thane. She knew Thane had been trying to get them together again or he would never have sent a present for Ethan and asked Noah to place it in Ethan’s hands.

“I’ll call you before I come out,” Noah added, still standing in the same spot and looking at her.

Just as she’d expected, he turned the tables on her, taking charge of their next meeting. “Please do call. My schedule varies from week to week. I have a painting I’m working on.”

“I’ll call. You look great, Camilla,” he said and his voice suddenly had a rasp that made her pulse jump. His gaze ran briefly over her from head to toe and back to look into her eyes. He might as well have run his fingers over her. She tingled from his glance—a mere glance—and she reacted to him.

“Thank you. So do you,” she said in a voice that was almost a whisper.

“I don’t know why in hell you fell in love with me when you knew from day one the things I like and do, the kind of man I am,” he said. His eyes blazed with anger and a muscle worked in his jaw.

Her temper flared over his comment and she leaned closer to him, as she breathed deeply and looked at his mouth. “Oh, I think you know full well why I fell in love with you,” she said, reacting with anger and longing. Her emotions were raw and she hurt and was angry with him, while at the same time, she couldn’t stop wanting him, his kisses and his arms around her.

Annoyed with Noah and herself, she slipped her arm around his neck, standing on tiptoe to kiss him, running her tongue slowly over his lips for seconds before his mouth opened on hers. His arm banded her waist tightly, yanking her against him, and he leaned over her, kissing her, thrusting his tongue over hers. It was a hot, demanding kiss that made her heart pound while she moaned with pleasure and forgot momentarily all their differences.

Abruptly he swung her up and released her. Both of them gasped for breath as they stared at each other. “Well, I knew there had to be some reason you liked me. That one hasn’t changed. It’s a package deal—it’s all of me, the bossy male, the rancher, the cowboy and rodeo rider, the pilot.” He glared at her and her heart still pounded. “I should go,” he said.

He turned and left, walking toward his black sports car. She watched as he walked away with purpose, standing straight, looking like a soldier, someone who was accustomed to walking with shoulders back and chin up.

“The truth is, you don’t want to change,” she said softly, knowing he was out of earshot and couldn’t possibly hear her. “You’re not going to see Ethan,” she whispered. “Not next week or next month or next year. Thane was meddling in my life, doing what he thought was best because he loved both of us, but it wasn’t best for any of us—not for me, not for you and not for Ethan.”

Her conscience hurt when she remembered Thane’s call to her, the heated arguments between them—something she’d never had before in her life—and now her brother was gone and she wanted to say she was sorry she had argued with him. She wasn’t sorry for what she had done and was still doing, but she was sorry she had fought with the brother she loved so much.

She had told him that she had rights and he was butting into something that was none of his business and could hurt three people.

He had told her what she was doing was wrong and Noah had legal rights that she was violating. Thane had said she should rethink what she was doing before she hurt three people badly.

She thought about Noah and whispered to him even though he had driven away. “You can keep Thane’s present to Ethan. It won’t be half as important as keeping you from giving it to him. If the day ever comes when you see Ethan, the moment you do, you’ll know you’re looking at your son. And if that happens, all hell will break loose between us, Noah Grant.”