you.”
“I’m good with horses, too. That doesn’t mean I’m supposed to be a jockey,” he said wryly.
“I wasn’t insinuating you should be a father. You’ve been honest about your feelings on that subject. It just took me a while to stop thinking I could change your mind.” Hugging her knees, she studied him in the fading light.
“I’ve always tried to be careful that women didn’t get the wrong idea about me and wedding bells...until you.”
That should have meant something, but it only served to increase the ache. “You’re a playboy married to your work.” She exhaled hard. “I get that. Totally.”
Stone went quiet again for so long she thought they might be returning to the silent truce again. Awkward and painful.
Then Stone stood, walking to the rail and staring out at the ocean. “My father.”
Rising, she moved to stand beside him, wind pulling at the whispery cover-up over her bikini. “What do you mean?”
His father had been an off-limits topic for as long as she’d known him. Not even Mariah brought up the subject. Stone had always said that according to his mom, his paternity was a mystery. Was he opening up to her on a deeper level, including her in more than a few travel plans?
“I found out.” His voice came out hoarse and a little harsh as he continued to look out at the foaming waves.
She rested a hand on his arm tentatively, not sure how he would react but unable to deny him some comfort during what had to be a difficult revelation. “I wish you would have told me.”
“I’ve never told anyone.”
“I was supposed to be more than just ‘anyone’ to you,” she reminded him softly.
He glanced sideways at her. “Touché.”
“Did you hire a private investigator?”
“Don’t you think my grandmother already tried that hoping to find someone who actually wanted me around?”
His words snapped her upright in shock. “Your grandmother loves you.”
“I know that. I do,” he said with certainty. “But she’d already brought up her kids. She was supposed to be my grandmother. Not my parent.”
“Did she tell you that?” She knew full well Mariah never would have said anything of the sort to Stone. Johanna just wanted to remind him of how very much his grandmother loved him.
“She didn’t have to say it.” He went silent for the length of two rolling waves crashing to the shore. “When I was eleven, I found the private detective’s report of her search for my biological father.”
“Of course she would want to know everything about you. Perhaps she was worried that he might try to take you away. Did you ever consider that?” When he didn’t answer, she continued, “You said she didn’t find him. So how did you locate him?”
“The report uncovered a wealth of data about my mother’s activities then.” His face went darker. “Suffice it to say, my mother led quite an active party life.”
“That reflects on her.” She squeezed his arm. “Not on you.”
“I understand that.” He braced his shoulders, his eyes cold with an anger Johanna knew wasn’t directed at her. “I’m not a drug addict like my mother. And while I’m not a monk, I’m monogamous during a relationship. I am my own man. I control myself and my destiny.”
She rubbed soothing circles along his arm. Even if this conversation wouldn’t change things between them, she knew he needed to get these words out and for some reason she was the person he trusted most to tell.
She drew in a bracing breath of salty air before continuing, “How did you find out about your father?”
“My mother told me.”
“That simple?”
“Apparently so. She was high at the time and to this day doesn’t remember telling me.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I was twenty-five when she let it slip about the man who fathered me—Dale Banks.”
Johanna gasped in recognition. “ The Dale Banks? The country music star?”
“My mom was a groupie back in the day.” He shrugged.
“I’m good with horses, too. That doesn’t mean I’m supposed to be a jockey,” he said wryly.
“I wasn’t insinuating you should be a father. You’ve been honest about your feelings on that subject. It just took me a while to stop thinking I could change your mind.” Hugging her knees, she studied him in the fading light.
“I’ve always tried to be careful that women didn’t get the wrong idea about me and wedding bells...until you.”
That should have meant something, but it only served to increase the ache. “You’re a playboy married to your work.” She exhaled hard. “I get that. Totally.”
Stone went quiet again for so long she thought they might be returning to the silent truce again. Awkward and painful.
Then Stone stood, walking to the rail and staring out at the ocean. “My father.”
Rising, she moved to stand beside him, wind pulling at the whispery cover-up over her bikini. “What do you mean?”
His father had been an off-limits topic for as long as she’d known him. Not even Mariah brought up the subject. Stone had always said that according to his mom, his paternity was a mystery. Was he opening up to her on a deeper level, including her in more than a few travel plans?
“I found out.” His voice came out hoarse and a little harsh as he continued to look out at the foaming waves.
She rested a hand on his arm tentatively, not sure how he would react but unable to deny him some comfort during what had to be a difficult revelation. “I wish you would have told me.”
“I’ve never told anyone.”
“I was supposed to be more than just ‘anyone’ to you,” she reminded him softly.
He glanced sideways at her. “Touché.”
“Did you hire a private investigator?”
“Don’t you think my grandmother already tried that hoping to find someone who actually wanted me around?”
His words snapped her upright in shock. “Your grandmother loves you.”
“I know that. I do,” he said with certainty. “But she’d already brought up her kids. She was supposed to be my grandmother. Not my parent.”
“Did she tell you that?” She knew full well Mariah never would have said anything of the sort to Stone. Johanna just wanted to remind him of how very much his grandmother loved him.
“She didn’t have to say it.” He went silent for the length of two rolling waves crashing to the shore. “When I was eleven, I found the private detective’s report of her search for my biological father.”
“Of course she would want to know everything about you. Perhaps she was worried that he might try to take you away. Did you ever consider that?” When he didn’t answer, she continued, “You said she didn’t find him. So how did you locate him?”
“The report uncovered a wealth of data about my mother’s activities then.” His face went darker. “Suffice it to say, my mother led quite an active party life.”
“That reflects on her.” She squeezed his arm. “Not on you.”
“I understand that.” He braced his shoulders, his eyes cold with an anger Johanna knew wasn’t directed at her. “I’m not a drug addict like my mother. And while I’m not a monk, I’m monogamous during a relationship. I am my own man. I control myself and my destiny.”
She rubbed soothing circles along his arm. Even if this conversation wouldn’t change things between them, she knew he needed to get these words out and for some reason she was the person he trusted most to tell.
She drew in a bracing breath of salty air before continuing, “How did you find out about your father?”
“My mother told me.”
“That simple?”
“Apparently so. She was high at the time and to this day doesn’t remember telling me.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I was twenty-five when she let it slip about the man who fathered me—Dale Banks.”
Johanna gasped in recognition. “ The Dale Banks? The country music star?”
“My mom was a groupie back in the day.” He shrugged.
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