Page 26 of Jonathan

Surprise at the woman’s bluntness had Leonie staring in surprise and it took her a minute to respond. “I know you are.”

“Small town and all.”

Leonie nodded. “You’re on vacation for how long?”

A smile curved her lips and Kamilah realized the not-so-subtle hint as to when she was leaving. “A couple of weeks at the most.” She tilted her head a little to the left to study the classically beautiful face. “Are you worried that I am going to want to stay? That I intend to trap your son into something permanent?”

“Are you?”

Kamilah shook her head. “Jonathan knows where we stand.”

“You’re saying it’s just a fling?”

“I am saying that we’re two adults who are free and unencumbered, or at least, I hope he is. And that said, we don’t need anyone’s permission to be with each other.”

“He was involved with someone from out of town before. An actress.” Leonie’s lips curled in disdain. “She wanted him to leave his home and follow her around like a trained puppy.”

Kamilah absorbed that bit of information and took some time responding. “And you’re concerned that I am going to do the same.”

“Yes.”

“Like I said before, I already told your son where I stand. At the end of the vacation, I will be leaving.” She rose. “Now if that’s all…”

“It is not just a fling for him,” Leonie rose too and faced her, “I am asking you as a mother who has seen it happen before, to take care of his heart.”

Kamilah struggled with the resentment and a more than a little discomfort at that. “We’re just having fun, nothing more.”

Leonie simply stared at her in that steady way of hers that had the discomfort spreading. “He told he invited you to the event today. We have already started and hope to see you there.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me to stay away from your son?”

Leonie gathered her coat around her. “Would it make a difference?”

“No.”

“Well then.” She headed for the doorway. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Long after the woman had left, her perfume lingering in the hallway, Kamilah stood at the window staring out at the spot where her vehicle had been parked. Somehow, the visit unsettled her. What on earth had Jon said to her to have the woman running over here to confront her? And that relationship – with an actress?

What was that all about and why hadn’t he mentioned it to her? Had he been in love with her? Of course he had been! Or else why would his mother sounded so terrified that this would be history repeating itself? And why the hell should it matter to her that some woman had meant a great deal to him?

Like she told Leonie McCarthy, at the end of the vacation, she would be packing her bags and leaving without a backward glance. And she meant it too. No matter how good the sex or how gorgeous the man was.

*****

The ranch was crawling with people, and he could not help but keep looking out for her. The meeting had gone well, and he had another new investor. Ted Wallace had been enthusiastic about the cattle and the quality of the beef they would produce and had raved about the fruit and vegetables.

Jon had handed the man over to his mother who was doing her part and introducing him to the produce section of the business. Which left him to do what he loved doing, handle things on the ranch itself.

Steering clear of the people milling around, he and his men went about the daily tasks. A mare had foaled in the early morning and both mother and colt were doing very well. Several of the cattle had wandered off during the branding process and had to be rounded up again.

He was busy, but that did not stop him from thinking of her and wondering when she would be arriving.

Taking a break from the daily grind, he found a quiet place to sit and pulled out his phone to call her.

“I am busy.”

He only grinned at her abrupt greeting.

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