Page 11 of The Rancher's Secret Son

She thanked him for the compliment. “I used to hit the gym three days a week. Now I have an exercise room at home.”

“You’re bound to go out with someone, Claire.”

She shook her head. “I’m so busy, and when I do have time, I spend it with Cody. I’d much rather be doing something with him. I take at least one day a week to work from home. Of course, that may change when he starts school, but it works for right now.”

“I’m glad.” Nick never had any doubt she’d be a good mother for his son, though he had to admit he was surprised that no man had snatched her up yet. Successful, beautiful and single—that should draw men easily. He suspected she must be sending them on their way, which gave him a stab of satisfaction that he dismissed as ridiculous.

“Was he an easy baby or difficult?”

“Oh, so easy, but remember—there were four adults living with him, three to care for him. Mom really couldn’t, but she could talk to him and read to him and do things like that with him. We’d help her hold him. Anyway, that made his care easy and everyone was relaxed, so he probably relaxed. He’s a sweetie.”

“I want to meet him as soon as possible.”

“We’ll arrange it, Nick.” As she looked at him, he gazed into the eyes that always hid what she felt. Big, beautiful brown eyes that made him want to slide his hand behind her head and draw her closer. “Nick, let me take your picture so I can show it to Cody when I get home and tell him about you.”

He nodded. “Why don’t we take a selfie and then we’ll be in it together. I’d feel better about him seeing me with you.”

She nodded.

Nick placed his arm around her. “I have longer arms—why don’t I take the picture?”

“Go ahead,” she said, and from the somber sound of her voice he wondered whether she would even smile. She sounded as if she was headed for disaster instead of just taking a picture with him. He held out the iPad. “Try to look happy, Claire. Think about Cody.” Nick took their picture.

He pulled up the picture and smiled. “Thanks, Claire. That looks good.”

“He’ll want to see what you look like.”

“That hasn’t ever come up? He hasn’t asked about a dad?”

“No. We don’t talk about you and he isn’t in school yet, so he isn’t with other kids a lot.”

“Doesn’t he have any little friends?”

“Oh, sure, but they play. There isn’t a lot of discussion. He’s three, Nick. Besides, kids take things as they come.”

Nick continued looking at pictures of Cody, of Claire or her family with Cody as he went from being a baby to a toddler.

“I can’t wait to meet him,” he said. “I can fly to Houston Friday, so can we spend time together this weekend?”

She ran her hand across her forehead. “I didn’t even think this through when I told you tonight. I was so shocked today to learn about your loss that right then and there I decided I had to tell you about Cody. But I—I need time. I’ll have to break the news to Cody.”

“A child accepts life as it comes. You just said that. So he’ll accept meeting me. Would you prefer to bring him to Dallas? I just want to meet him as soon as possible.”

“It’s a complete upheaval in all of our lives, including yours,” she whispered, wringing her hands.

He nodded. “Not just meeting him.”

She looked stricken and he tried to hang on to his patience. His request wasn’t unreasonable in his opinion. Why couldn’t she see that?

“All right. Do you want to come Friday night?”

He opened his phone, checked his calendar and nodded. “Yes. After we meet, would he like it if I take everyone to dinner? This includes your grandmother, of course.”

“That’s nice, Nick.” But as much as her words were gracious, he could hear her trepidation in her voice and see it in her eyes. She gazed up at him solemnly, with a touch of fear in their depths. He knew she was worried that she would have to give up her child permanently, yet he couldn’t feel much sympathy for her since she had kept knowledge of his baby from him all this time.

Verifying his interpretation, she took a deep breath and said, “Nick, my grandma is elderly and frail now. Since Mom died, Cody and I and Grandpa are her whole world. She’s older and vulnerable. Please, think of her before you take any action. She doesn’t have that many years left.”

“I will, Claire. I won’t spring anything on you without discussing it.” He paused a few minutes and silence fell. Finally, he asked, “Does Cody have a favorite place to eat?”

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