Page 28 of The Rancher's Secret Son

Everything was different now. Because of Cody.

He had never dreamed how much he would love his son. Cody was a wonderful child. A lot of credit for that went to Claire and her family. He felt another big rush of gratitude and made a mental note to order flowers for her when he got home.

He couldn’t wait to take Cody to the ranch on Tuesday. In the meantime, when he got home, he had to break the news to his parents first and then let his siblings know. He had to tell Karen’s family at some point, too, and they weren’t going to be overjoyed to learn that he had a son who was born months after he had married their late daughter.

He sent his dad a text, asking about stopping by to see him. In minutes he received an answer to come by as soon as he returned home to Dallas. Better to face the lion in his den right away, he told himself.

* * *

Nick walked into the study, greeted his mother with a hug and crossed the room to shake hands with his dad. With their small dog jumping around his feet, Nick sat and chatted with them, talking about the weather, the basketball season.

“Evelyn,” his dad said, “I need to talk to Nick for a short time. A legal matter.”

She held up her hand and smiled. “No need for me to sit through a tedious discussion. I’m gone. Peter, call me when you finish,” she told her husband as she walked out with the dog trotting behind her.

As soon as they were alone and the doors were closed, Nick turned to his dad. “I have something to discuss with you when you’re finished.”

“I don’t have anything. That was just an excuse to get your mother to leave. I guessed that you came by for a reason.”

“You know me pretty well,” Nick said, dreading the next few minutes, knowing he and his father had different views on a lot of basic things and this was going to be one of the biggest.

Nick stood, walking to the mantel to turn and face his dad. “Dad, you remember before I got engaged to Karen, I proposed to Claire Prentiss from Houston, but she turned me down.”

“I remember. Mr. Prentiss, the grandfather, had a thriving real estate business in Houston. They handled many big homes. The young woman helped her grandfather in the business.”

“That’s right.” Nick’s dread increased. He wondered how he’d find the words to tell his father what he knew would start a fight. Then again, he told himself that once his father knew about Cody, he’d accept him.

He took a deep breath and continued. “Let’s jump ahead to last week when a client asked me to go to a real estate closing with him. The seller was hospitalized and unable to attend, but they had the real estate agent fill in for her. It was Claire Prentiss. She runs her grandfather’s agency now.”

“I don’t think you came to tell me you’re dating her again.”

“No, I didn’t. She didn’t know I had lost Karen and our baby.” He could see he had his dad’s full attention now. “If you recall, I broke up with Claire because we couldn’t work out how we would live. She had family responsibilities and I had started a new career. Then I began dating Karen, and you and mom pushed me to marry her.”

“Which I still think was good. We just couldn’t foresee the drunk driver.”

“I didn’t tell Claire that I was engaged, but she learned about it.”

His father shrugged. “Well, we’re in local magazines and papers, and so is Karen’s family.”

“I have something I bought for you and Mom. Let me get it.”

“Nick, just tell me what it is. I don’t need to see it.”

“You’ll want to see this. Trust me.” Nick crossed the room to his briefcase and removed two iPads. He remembered how all his anger had vanished when he’d seen Cody’s picture. He was counting on Cody’s picture having the same effect on his father.

“This iPad is for you.” He put it on a table. “But for now I want to show you something on mine.” He carried the tablet back to his dad, pulled a chair close and sat. “Get ready for a shock,” he said, gazing into his father’s eyes.

“Well, now I am curious,” he said as he pushed his bifocals up.

Nick held the iPad out and his dad grasped it. “Dad, this is Cody Nicholas Prentiss. When I married Karen, Claire was pregnant with my son.”

“Oh, damn, Nick.” For a moment his father looked stricken and all color left his face. “You got her pregnant and then you got engaged to Karen? She didn’t tell you?” he asked, looking at Nick.

“No, sir. Remember, I didn’t tell her I was engaged and marrying another woman,” Nick said, as his father looked down at the iPad in his hands.

He pulled the tablet and stared intently. “Damn, Nick, this child is the image of you. He’s you all over again,” he said in an awestruck voice. Nick let out his breath because he had a feeling that Cody had just been accepted into his father’s world.

Judge Milan looked at his son. “Are you going to marry Claire?”

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