concussion when he was bucked off his horse today.”
She finally stole a glance at his hazel eyes then shut her mouth realizing she was rambling.
“I just flew in tonight. And I appreciate that you’re here to take care of him. I know how stubborn he can be about taking help.”
“Yes, he is. But I can be pretty tough, too.” She couldn’t stop looking at him. She saw the lines aroundhis eyes, the creases on either side of his mouth. His hair might be gray, but it was thick and well kept. He looked distinguished, yet he wore the clothes of a rancher.
Clay said something she didn’t hear, bringing her out of her reverie.
“Excuse me, did you say something?”
“Would it be all right if I went in to see my son?”
She managed a smile. “I’m sure he’d like that.”
He nodded. “I won’t stay long. I hope we can visit at a more civilized time. I’d like to hear about Louisa’s progress.”
“Of course. At your convenience, Senator.”
He paused at the door. “Since you’re pulling double duty right now, we’ll do it at your convenience.” He smiled again. “Now get some rest, Miss Hamilton.”
“Please, call me, Jade.”
“Good night, Jade.”
Somehow Jade’s legs managed to take her down the hall and into her room. After closing the door, she sagged against it. “I met Clay Merrick. My father.”
The unexpected feelings caused a tightness around her heart. She’d never had a male figure in her life. No one to look up to. No one to protect her from bad things. Now, her own flesh and blood was right here. But was he hers?
Insecurity and doubt crept in. Had Clay Merrick known about her all these years? Had he just ignored her, not wanting the complication. Tears she didn’t expect began to fall, as she thought the worst.
Maybe he would never want her.
A few hours later, the sun had come up and Jade was still trying to decide whether to pack her bags and leave the ranch, or go and face the senator.
That was another problem to confront. How could she just blurt out, “Good morning, Senator. Oh, by the way, I’m your long-lost daughter. Don’t worry I’m not going to wreck your home or career.”
She paced back and forth in front of the windows and caught sight of two men walking toward the barn. Looking closer, she figured one to be the senator, the other Sloan. She noticed that he was holding his lower back. How had he managed to get out of bed, and get dressed?
She thought back to last night and being in his arms. His touch. A warm rush went through her, heating her insides. She covered her face with her hands. How had she made such a mess of everything? Why hadn’t she approached the senator at his Washington office? Now everything had gotten personal. She’d gotten involved with the family. She glanced again at Sloan as he talked to a few of the ranch hands.
It was worse. Her heart was involved now.
Sloan felt like hell today, but he wasn’t going to stay in bed any longer. It was nearly the roundup. He wasn’t about to postpone that, either.
“Son, are you sure you’re all right? Bud said you took quite a spill yesterday.”
“He reports to you now?”
“No, he just told me in passing, as did your mother when I got in last night.”
His father always seemed younger than his nearly sixty years. He had an easy smile that all the ladies liked, and the men trusted. The perfect politician. InSloan’s mind, Clay had been a little neglectful of his wife lately.
“Maybe that’s where you should be right now, with Mom. She’s been working hard on her recovery. I think she’d appreciate your concern.”
Sloan pulled open the barn door and walked inside, but stopped when he heard his father call him.
Clay caught up. “Is there something you’re not telling me? Is it your mother’s health? Although I met Jade last night, we haven’t had a chance to talk yet.”
“No, she’s fine physically.” He placed his hands on his hips. “It would have been nice
She finally stole a glance at his hazel eyes then shut her mouth realizing she was rambling.
“I just flew in tonight. And I appreciate that you’re here to take care of him. I know how stubborn he can be about taking help.”
“Yes, he is. But I can be pretty tough, too.” She couldn’t stop looking at him. She saw the lines aroundhis eyes, the creases on either side of his mouth. His hair might be gray, but it was thick and well kept. He looked distinguished, yet he wore the clothes of a rancher.
Clay said something she didn’t hear, bringing her out of her reverie.
“Excuse me, did you say something?”
“Would it be all right if I went in to see my son?”
She managed a smile. “I’m sure he’d like that.”
He nodded. “I won’t stay long. I hope we can visit at a more civilized time. I’d like to hear about Louisa’s progress.”
“Of course. At your convenience, Senator.”
He paused at the door. “Since you’re pulling double duty right now, we’ll do it at your convenience.” He smiled again. “Now get some rest, Miss Hamilton.”
“Please, call me, Jade.”
“Good night, Jade.”
Somehow Jade’s legs managed to take her down the hall and into her room. After closing the door, she sagged against it. “I met Clay Merrick. My father.”
The unexpected feelings caused a tightness around her heart. She’d never had a male figure in her life. No one to look up to. No one to protect her from bad things. Now, her own flesh and blood was right here. But was he hers?
Insecurity and doubt crept in. Had Clay Merrick known about her all these years? Had he just ignored her, not wanting the complication. Tears she didn’t expect began to fall, as she thought the worst.
Maybe he would never want her.
A few hours later, the sun had come up and Jade was still trying to decide whether to pack her bags and leave the ranch, or go and face the senator.
That was another problem to confront. How could she just blurt out, “Good morning, Senator. Oh, by the way, I’m your long-lost daughter. Don’t worry I’m not going to wreck your home or career.”
She paced back and forth in front of the windows and caught sight of two men walking toward the barn. Looking closer, she figured one to be the senator, the other Sloan. She noticed that he was holding his lower back. How had he managed to get out of bed, and get dressed?
She thought back to last night and being in his arms. His touch. A warm rush went through her, heating her insides. She covered her face with her hands. How had she made such a mess of everything? Why hadn’t she approached the senator at his Washington office? Now everything had gotten personal. She’d gotten involved with the family. She glanced again at Sloan as he talked to a few of the ranch hands.
It was worse. Her heart was involved now.
Sloan felt like hell today, but he wasn’t going to stay in bed any longer. It was nearly the roundup. He wasn’t about to postpone that, either.
“Son, are you sure you’re all right? Bud said you took quite a spill yesterday.”
“He reports to you now?”
“No, he just told me in passing, as did your mother when I got in last night.”
His father always seemed younger than his nearly sixty years. He had an easy smile that all the ladies liked, and the men trusted. The perfect politician. InSloan’s mind, Clay had been a little neglectful of his wife lately.
“Maybe that’s where you should be right now, with Mom. She’s been working hard on her recovery. I think she’d appreciate your concern.”
Sloan pulled open the barn door and walked inside, but stopped when he heard his father call him.
Clay caught up. “Is there something you’re not telling me? Is it your mother’s health? Although I met Jade last night, we haven’t had a chance to talk yet.”
“No, she’s fine physically.” He placed his hands on his hips. “It would have been nice
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