Page 34 of In Bed with the Rancher

“Keep the clothes,” Wynn said. “I just got those and the ones I’m wearing because they look like what you’d wear. I don’t want them back.” He put the keys in his pocket. “It never occurred to me that the sheriff would arrange for you to pick up the keys to my condo.”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t disturb anything,” he said, knowing if the situation had been reversed, Wynn would have gone through every one of his things out of curiosity.

“I don’t know how you can tolerate the damn boots. I’ll be even happier when this whole charade is over with.”

Wynn’s bland expression hardened. His jawline tightened and his eyes narrowed as they assessed his twin.

“You know, Wade, you always think you’re better than I am, that I can’t have what you have. But I’ve proved you wrong with Olivia. You’re not getting her back.”

“I can live with that, Wynn,” Wade said, maintaining his calm. “And I don’t always think I’m better. We’re just different.”

“Not too different, my brother. You’ve got the same blood in your veins as I do in mine. And guess what? Mom told me the ‘big secret’—” his hands formed air quotes “—that I’m not supposed to share with you or anybody else, but I think this is the right time to reveal it. Dad isn’t our real dad,” he said, lowering his voice. His face flushed and his voice deepened as he continued. “Ethan got Mom pregnant, which makes Dad our uncle. Guess we’ll have to call him Uncle Arlo now, huh?”

The news hit Wade like a semitruck. “You’re lying,” he said, staring at his twin.

“Oh, no, I’m not. And our real dad didn’t know it because Mom was just barely pregnant when Ethan was killed. At the time he died, neither of them knew she was pregnant and she’s never told Arlo. So live with that one,” he said as he snatched his drink and looked at Wade as he gulped it. “Our so-called dad doesn’t even know he’s not our father. You may be his favorite but you’re not his son.” He looked smug as he added, “And you won’t tell because that might give him a heart attack, so I know you’ll keep Mom’s secret.”

As the revelation rumbled around in his head, he thought of his mother and the relationship she and his twin shared. And he felt sick to his stomach, disgusted and angry. “The one person on earth who is always good to you no matter what you do and you didn’t even give her the loyalty of keeping her secret.”

“I know you won’t say anything to her because you won’t want to hurt her.” He pointed a finger at Wade and added, “Now you can think about that one and whose blood runs in your veins.”

Wade wanted to punch his brother but he wouldn’t stoop to Wynn’s level. He took deep breaths and jammed his fists into his pockets, calling up every ounce of self-control. When he couldn’t contain his anger, he turned to go, to get away from Wynn. Walking to the door, he stopped.

He turned around to see Wynn smiling because he knew he had gotten to Wade.

He crossed the hall to speak to them. “He knows I have my memory. I’m going to call Dad and break the news to him before he walks in and gets it from Wynn without knowing how well I am.”

“That’s a good idea,” Lucy said. “It won’t worry Dad nearly as much if he thinks you’re okay.”

“And it’ll help for him to talk to you,” Jack added.

“I’ll be outside,” Wade said and left, going down the steps and away from the house. He was stunned by Wynn’s news, but he didn’t doubt it was the truth. His dad was his uncle Ethan, a man who had been just like Wynn. So he and Wynn had Ethan’s blood in their veins and not the blood of Arlo Sterling, the man he called dad. Wade hoped his father never found out.

Father. What was he thinking? Arlo Sterling was their dad—in all ways except by blood. He had raised them, taken care of them, showered them with love and guidance and wealth. He would always be the real dad to Wade.

But he couldn’t get the blood inheritance out of his mind. Wynn’s words echoed there. Now you can think about...whose blood runs in your veins. That just fortified Wade’s determination to never marry and have kids.

That made him think about Ava. They weren’t talking marriage, but still, he needed to warn her that he was definitely not a marrying man. He recalled his conversation with Jack. How much was Wynn like their uncle Ethan because of blood—or was it because their mother had always spoiled him and thought whatever he did was cute?

Wade stood with clenched fists, gulping air, trying to calm down. He didn’t want kids because they might be like Wynn. He couldn’t risk it. But was he making a mistake?

Ava wanted four or five kids, she had said. He thought about the odds on that. Four or five kids—if he married her and had five kids, two or three of them could be like Wynn. Hell, all five could be. What a thought.

As usual Wynn had once again stirred up trouble at a time when Wade had been happy and enjoying his homecoming. He had been filled with joy to have his memory back. He was even happy that Olivia and Wynn had found each other, and best of all, he had been filled with eagerness and joy because he would be with Ava later tonight. And then Wynn had thrown a damper on the evening. And broken a promise to their mother, but she would forgive him as she always did.

Wade stood outside in the dark, light spilling from the windows. As he called his dad, he again affirmed that Arlo would always be Dad to him. He listened to the phone ring and then heard his father’s voice.

“Dad, I’m back and I’m fine. Good news—since I got home, my memory seems to have fully returned.”

“Oh, son, that’s great news.” He could hear the relief in his father’s voice.

“Look, we can talk more when you get home, but I’m so happy to be home and remember everything. I want you to know that I’m Wade. Wynn has been telling all of you that he was me.” He listened to his father swear and hoped he hadn’t made a mistake telling him on the phone.

“No one was hurt and I’m fine now that I’m home. Let it go because I’m okay and I don’t want you to worry.” The words nearly choked in his throat, but concern for his father made him force them out.

His father asked a few questions, his tone turning calmer with each of Wade’s responses. “I think Wynn did it to get Olivia,” Wade said, “and I’m glad because now she’s happy and I don’t have to go through breaking up with her.”

His dad laughed. “I guess Wynn’s good for something.”

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