Page 2 of Texas Temptation

She only needed two thousand dollars more and her son would have surgery, which would make eyes track like everyone else.

A man who could donate one million dollars to a charity could certainly pony up a mere two thousand dollars for his own son’s operation.

She reread the article. He donated the money in memory of his wife and daughter.

So he’d gone back home and married some Texas girl.

Jordan had long ago acknowledged the emotions she’d felt for Cade Cullen Everett had been one-sided. No man, no matter how much he professed to love her, would have stayed away and never contacted her. He knew where she lived. He could have called or written or come back to South Beach if she’d meant anything to him.

The feelings she’d had for him had died long ago.

But Caleb was his son. And by Jove, she was going to let the man know about the boy. Every child deserved a father. Maybe Caleb’s father could pay his fair share of the needed operation.

And if he gave her any grief, wouldn’t the Dallas paper love to hear how the generous man and his family refused to help his own son?

Rising, Jordan strode into the café, eager for her shift to end. As soon as she finished, she was calling Cade Cullen Everett. Armed with the name of the town, she was sure she could find him with no trouble at all. Wouldn’t he be surprised to hear a voice from the past?

Chapter One

Jordan peered through the rain at the ornate wrought-iron gate that marked the entrance to the Circle E Ranch. She sneezed again and blew her nose. Rubbing her aching chest, she tried to take a deep breath. It hurt to breathe.

This had been the trip from hell. If the blasted man had answered any of her letters, or returned a single phone call, she wouldn’t have had to drive from Florida to Texas. But he’d ignored her as completely this past month as he had over the last five years.

Not that Jordan was going to let his behavior stop her. She’d taken a week’s vacation from work, pushed her ancient car to the limit and here they were in Tumbleweed, Texas, turning onto the Everett Ranch.

The car had broken down in Biloxi. And again in that raging thunderstorm outside of Beaumont. Her cold had gotten worse by the day, made even more so after standing in the pouring rain while talking to the tow truck driver.

Determined, she pushed on. She would not be ignored or blown off. If Cade Cullen Everett thought refusing to respond to her demands would make her forget them, he didn’t know her.

Of course, she thought as they inched up the drive in the downpour; hehadn’tknown her—not really. A brief two-week fling was one thing. Romantic and exciting, but not of the real world.

More fool her for believing him when he told her he loved her. Hadn’t her aunt warned her time after time? If she’d only listened.

Yet if she had, she wouldn’t have Caleb, and she wouldn’t trade him for anything. Wouldn’t Cullen wish to learn he had a son?

“Are we there yet Mommy?” Caleb asked from his car seat in the back.

“Almost, honey,” she responded, hoping it was true. Truth to tell, she hoped she could last long enough to challenge Cullen and get his agreement to help pay for the surgery before they had to leave to find a motel for the night. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and pull the covers over her head and sleep until morning.

Florida was famous for summer afternoon thundershowers, but she was wondering if Texas had them beat. This was the third stormy day in a row.

“Will we see horses?” he asked.

“I don’t know. They might be inside the barn because of the rain.”

They could see plenty of cattle grazing in the fields flanking the road, but no horses.

“How about cows?” he persisted.

“Look out your window. There are more cows than you can count.”

The large herd covered several acres, many of the steers standing stoically, backs lined up to the wind, placidly enduring the rain as it poured down.

The driveway was like a county road, two lanes wide, paved and straight as an arrow. How far to the house? Cresting a slight rise, Jordan had her answer.

Ahead rose a huge house, white, two stories tall, with soaring columns supporting the roof that covered a wide veranda. It looked large enough to hold a multi generation family. It reminded her of Tara—splashy, but suitable for a family who could donate one million dollars to charity.

Beyond the house were the ranch buildings, two enormous barns and an assortment of other buildings and sheds. She hadn’t a clue about how ranches worked. What were all the structures for? A small brick building sat to the left of the house. It looked like an office to her, squat, with tall windows—looking like many insurance offices in Florida.

---