Stockyard Snatching (9 page)

The place was alive with charm and a very big part of her wished this for Jackson. Given the strain on her family since the divorce and the adoption, she didn’t expect to go home for the holidays this year.

In fact, that was the last fight she and her mother had had.

If her mom couldn’t support her decision and accept Jackson, then Kate had no intention of visiting at Halloween, Thanksgiving or anytime. Jackson was just as much a part of the family as she was, so rejecting him was no different than rejecting her.

Thinking about the fight still made her sad and she wished her mother understood. But her mom had been clear. Kate had been clear. And neither seemed ready to budge.

And right now, Kate had bigger problems than disagreeing with her mother over her adoption.

“Do you live here?” Kate asked, wiping away a sneaky tear while trying to take in all the warmth and grandeur of the place.

“I do now but not in this building. This was my parents’ home. They opened up a wing for club guests and there are offices on the other side. My brothers and I each have our own hacienda at various places on the land,” he said. “Our parents built them in hopes we’d stay on after college.”

“Your parents don’t live here anymore?” she asked, unable to imagine leaving such a beautiful home.

Dallas shook his head, and seeing the look on his face, a mix of sorrow and reverence, she regretted the question.

“They died a few weeks ago.” He said the words quietly, but the anguish in his voice nearly robbed her of breath.

She exhaled and said, “I’m so sorry.”

He put the car in Park, cut the engine and stared out the front window for a few seconds. “Let’s get some food in you,” he finally said. Then he opened the door and exited the car.

Before she could get her seat belt off, Dallas was opening her door and holding out his hand. She was greeted by a chocolate Lab.

“Who’s this guy?” she asked, patting him on the head.

“That’s Denali. Been in the family fourteen years,” Dallas said.

“He’s beautiful.” She took his outstretched hand, ignoring the sensual shivers vibrating up her arm from the point of contact. What could she say? Dallas was strong, handsome. The cowboy had shown up just in time to save her and her son from a terrible fate. So she couldn’t deny a powerful attraction.

He was also a complete stranger, a little voice reminded her—a voice that repeated those words louder, a warning from the logical side of her brain.

Maybe if she had taken more time to get to know Robert before she’d jumped into a relationship and marriage, things might’ve turned out differently, that same annoying voice warned.

Instead, she’d allowed herself to be influenced by his easy charm and good looks. She’d gone against her better judgment after a couple of months of dating when he’d handed her a glass of wine and asked if she wanted to “get hitched and make babies.”

Looking back, a piece of her, the logical side, had known all along that she didn’t know Robert well enough to make a lifelong commitment. She’d been young and had given in to impulse.

And when things didn’t go as planned, he’d bolted.

Not that she could really blame him for wanting out when she couldn’t make the last part happen. He’d been clear that babies had been part of the deal all along. And his attention had wandered after that. Or maybe even before. Kate couldn’t be sure. All she knew for certain was the information in the texts that she’d seen once she’d figured out he was having an affair. Even though she should’ve read the signs long before, and maybe a little part of her knew, there was still something about discovering proof of his lies—seeing them right there in front of her—that had knocked the wind out of her.

Logically, she knew all men were not Robert. But her heart, the part of her that withstood reason, knew she’d never be able to completely trust a man or a relationship again. She’d always question her judgment when it came to them now.

Dallas held the front door open for her as she forced her thoughts to the present. One step at a time, she entered the O’Brien home. The inside was even more breathtaking than the outside, if that was possible.

“Did you grow up here?” She imagined him and his brothers chasing each other up one side and down the other of the twin staircases in the foyer.

“Yes, ma’am,” Dallas said, and there was something about his deep baritone that sent sensual shivers racing down her back.

“It must’ve been a wonderful childhood,” she said and then chided herself for saying it out loud. She, of all people, should know that looks could be deceiving when it came to families. Maybe her perfect-on-the-outside relationship with Robert had been easy to fake, given that she’d grown up in a similar situation. Oh, the holiday cards her mother had insisted on posing for and sending out had painted a different picture. In those, they’d looked like the ideal family, complete with the requisite perfect boy and girl. What couldn’t be seen in those paper faces and forced smiles was the constant bickering between her parents. Or how much her mom had needed both her children to be perfect in every way.

Kate could still see the disappointment in her mother’s eyes when she’d brought home a C in Lit or when her SAT scores didn’t quite measure up to expectations.

Their relationship had really started to fragment when Kate left for college and declared that she wanted to study computers instead of interior design. Her mom had thrown another fit, saying that career field was unfeminine.

Even when Kate and Carter had created a successful tech business together, their mother hadn’t changed her position. She’d mostly been impressed with Carter and had insinuated that he’d carried Kate.

In selling her share, she’d done well enough to buy a house in Bluff, finance an adoption and provide the seed money to start The Food Project. And she’d still managed to save enough money for Jackson to study whatever he wanted in college.

“It was,” Dallas said, bringing her out of her reverie. And she realized he’d been studying her reaction all along.

“So you spent your whole life here?” Kate asked, following him down the hall and into an impressive kitchen, the chocolate Lab at her heels.

There were batches of cookies in various stages of cooking. The place smelled like warmth and fall and everything wonderful. “Is that hot apple cider mulling on the stove?”

Dallas nodded and gave a half smile. “Janis goes all out this time of year through New Year’s. She keeps this place running and has been helping my family most of my life. Would you like some cider?”

An older woman padded in from the hallway. “Dallas O’Brien, what are you doing in my kitchen this late? I expected you two hours ago for lunch,” she said.

“Janis, I’d like you to meet Kate.” He motioned toward her.

Janis wasn’t tall, had to be right at five foot or a little more. She was round and grandmotherly with soft features.

Kate held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“My apologies for being so rude. I didn’t realize Dallas had company,” Janis said, shaking Kate’s hand heartily. She had on a witch hat and her face was painted green.

Janis must’ve caught Kate’s once-over because she added, “And forgive this old outfit. I just delivered cookies to The Learning Bridge Preschool for Special Children.”

“You look—”

“Silly to anyone standing over three feet tall,” Janis said drolly, cutting Kate off.

“I was going to say ‘as adorable as a witch.’”

The woman grinned from ear to ear.

Kate wasn’t trying to score brownie points with the comment, but it seemed that she had.

“Well, then, can I get you something to eat? I made a special Italian sausage soup this morning,” Janis said. “Can’t believe how cold it is this early in the season. Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised given how unpredictable Texas weather can be.”

“That sounds like heaven.” Kate smiled. She couldn’t help but like pretty much everything about the O’Brien house. She could imagine the look on Jackson’s face when he was older, running through halls like these, surrounded by family.

Her heart squeezed, because Jackson would never have that. But he had her and Carter, and they would have to be enough, she told herself. Or maybe just her, that irritating little voice said, because Carter hadn’t been out to meet his nephew yet, either.

“There’s a formal eating space in the other room, but this is where my brothers and I prefer to hang out.” Dallas motioned toward the oversize wood table in the kitchen. “Janis would tease us and say it’s because we weren’t taught enough manners to sit in the other room.”

“This is perfect. Closer to the source,” Kate said.

“Where is everybody?” Dallas inquired.

“After lunch, they all took off outside. A few of the boys headed to the barn. Austin said he would be running fences if anyone needed him,” Janis added, bringing two steaming bowls of soup to the table.

“He’s been doing that a lot lately,” Dallas noted thoughtfully, almost as if talking to himself. “I’ll check on him later.” He walked over to the stove.

“Running fences?” Kate asked.

“We have livestock on the property, so every foot of fence has to be routinely checked,” he explained.

The hearty soup smelled amazing and Kate figured it was about the only thing she would be able to get down. Even though she knew she should eat, it was the last thing on her mind, since her nerves were fried and her stomach was tied in knots.

Dallas brought her a cup of apple cider and it smelled even more delicious. But nothing was as appealing as Dallas when he hesitated near her. His scent was a powerful mix of virile male and the great outdoors, and it affected her in ways she didn’t want to think about right then.

“This food is amazing.” She couldn’t allow herself to get too carried away in the moment because the horrible events of the day were constant in her thoughts, and being separated from Jackson even though he was safe at the sheriff’s office was another reminder of their present danger. Her son being secure was the most important thing, and she needed to get back to him as soon as possible.

The best way to do that would be to figure out what was going on and stop it, she reminded herself.

“Janis is the best cook in Collier County,” Dallas was saying, and the older woman smiled.

“Did you make contact with Stacy to let her know we’re coming?” Kate asked a moment later, focusing on the problem at hand.

“I’ll do that now.” Dallas took a seat across the table from her, fished his phone from his front pocket and then sent a text.

The soup tasted every bit as good as it smelled and eased her queasy stomach instantly.

Janis brought over a plate of fresh bread before asking Dallas to keep an eye on the timer for the latest batch of cookies while she changed into regular clothes.

“Earlier, you gave the impression you’d moved back to the ranch. Where did you live before?” Kate asked him.

“I had a logistics business based in New Mexico,” he explained.

“I’ve been to Taos to ski,” she offered.

“Up the mountain is too cold for my blood.” Dallas laughed and the sound of his voice filled the room. “But then, I figure you know a thing or two about that, given the way you were dressed this morning.”

“There’s no substitute for sunshine and Texas summers,” Kate said. “Why did you move back?”

* * *

“
T
HERE
WERE
A
lot of reasons to come home, but the main one was to run the ranch with my brothers,” Dallas said. His business in New Mexico was booming and he’d built a life there, but no sacrifice was too great for his family, and he’d always known that he’d return to the ranch full-time at some point. This land was where his heart belonged.

“I’m sorry again about your parents.” Kate must’ve realized the real reason he’d returned.

“We inherited the place along with an aunt and uncle, and I guess it just felt right to keep ownership in the family. Between the cattle ranch and rifle club, this place is more than a full-time job and it takes all of us pitching in to keep it going. Especially now. We’re still getting our arms around the business, while a few of us are in the process of selling off our other interests.”

“How many brothers did you say you have?” Kate asked, taking another spoonful of soup. The little moan of pleasure in her throat made him think of their kiss—a kiss that wasn’t far from his thoughts, no matter how little business it had being there.

“Five, so there are six of us total. One is still living in Colorado, but the others are settling their affairs and/or living here. The youngest two are twins,” he said. Dallas wasn’t much of a talker usually, but conversation with Kate came easy.

“Twins?” she gasped. “My hands are full with one baby.”

Dallas couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Tommy practically grew up in this house, too. He came to live with his uncle, Chill Johnson, who’s been a ranch hand since longer than I can remember. So he makes a solid seven boys.”

The bewildered look in Kate’s eyes was amusing. “I can’t even imagine having that many kids around. Taking care of Jackson is keeping me busier than I ever thought possible.” She glanced about. “Then again, it’s just me and Jackson.”

Something flashed in her eyes that Dallas couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“Despite having plenty of help around, Mom insisted on taking care of us herself,” he said. “She was an original DIY type.”

“Then she really was an amazing woman,” Kate declared.

“Pop helped out a lot,” Dallas added. “Being the oldest, so did I. They were forced to hire more help around the ranch, especially as they got older and we moved on to make our own way in life.”

The look of admiration in Kate’s eyes shouldn’t make Dallas feel proud. But he didn’t want to spend any more time talking about himself.

He wanted to learn more about Kate Williams.

Before he could ask a question, she’d devoured the contents of her bowl, drained her cider and made a move to stand.

“We should head to your detective agency,” she said, and that look of determination was back. That was most likely a good thing, because Dallas didn’t need to go down that path, didn’t need to go to the place where he was getting to know her better and learning about all the little ticks that made her unique. Especially if Susan’s baby turned out to be Jackson.