Книга - A Man’s Promise

A Man's Promise
Brenda Jackson


www.BrendaJackson.netA man's word is his bond. His family is his strength. His heart is his own.Superstar musician Caden Granger has spent years running from love, commitment and family. Yet despite his fame and fortune, he knows the kind of respect and adoration he needs can only come from one person–the very woman who wants nothing to do with him.Charity volunteer and owner of a wine boutique, Shiloh Timmons finally got her life on track once her relationship with Caden ended, and she's in no hurry to revisit a romance with the man who believes she left him standing at the altar.If Caden can't have Shiloh by his side, all the success in the world will mean nothing. Now he has a chance to renew his promises…but is it too late?







A man’s word is his bond. His family is his strength. His heart is his own.

Superstar musician Caden Granger has spent years running from love, commitment and family. Yet despite his fame and fortune, he knows the kind of respect and adoration he needs can only come from one person—the very woman who wants nothing to do with him.

Charity volunteer and owner of a wine boutique, Shiloh Timmons finally got her life on track once her relationship with Caden ended, and she’s in no hurry to revisit a romance with the man who believes she left him standing at the altar.

If Caden can’t have Shiloh by his side, all the success in the world will mean nothing. Now he has a chance to renew his promises…but is it too late?


Praise for the novels of Brenda Jackson

“Jackson’s series starter proves once again that she rocks when it comes to crafting family drama with a healthy dose of humor and steamy, sweaty sex. Here’s another winner…. Bring on the Granger brothers!”

—RT Book Reviews on A Brother’s Honor, 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick

“Welcome to another memorable family tree created by the indomitable Brenda Jackson, a romantic at heart.”

—USA TODAY on A Brother’s Honor

“Readers can’t deny that Jackson knows how to bring the heat, and more. Her characters are multidimensional, tantalizing and charming.”

—RT Book Reviews on Texas Wild, 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick

“This deliciously sensual romance ramps up the emotional stakes and the action with a bit of deception and corporate espionage…. [S]exy and sizzling.”

—Library Journal on Intimate Seduction

“Jackson does not disappoint…first-class page-turner.”

—RT Book Reviews on A Silken Thread, 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick

“Jackson is a master at writing.”

—Publishers Weekly on Sensual Confessions


A Man’s Promise

Brenda Jackson






www.mirabooks.co.uk (http://www.mirabooks.co.uk)


To the love of my life, Gerald Jackson, Sr. My one and only. Always and Forever.

To everyone who enjoyed reading Book 1 of the Granger Series, A Brother’s Honor, and couldn’t wait for Caden Granger’s story to be told, this one is for you!


Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

—Romans 12:17


Contents

Prologue (#u71a69a90-bc79-568e-a509-f409c3a81695)

Chapter One (#uca6ebebc-792c-5159-bcff-b5346d6ed3b9)

Chapter Two (#ubd73ccec-f9a1-5299-80bc-d11d457260d2)

Chapter Three (#u43a8b749-be2d-5b33-a7f4-23de87ee7794)

Chapter Four (#u832ec315-46d2-54ec-846e-5cde2058ef6d)

Chapter Five (#u035ff01c-5c47-5441-9681-19cf04abe427)

Chapter Six (#u4f9ca3b2-c5dc-572e-a460-7fbb98b511ba)

Chapter Seven (#ua8556a4b-af7d-59ff-b2af-3d3663730e54)

Chapter Eight (#u43969371-8b98-5b0d-8018-f5f83c49d22b)

Chapter Nine (#uda9e5923-3c5f-5ebc-bca8-60f4fce46036)

Chapter Ten (#u11f07cc3-9f18-55a4-ad1f-d2ae1a4a6b7d)

Chapter Eleven (#uedfeea54-7725-5c0e-80fc-3ecd80044817)

Chapter Twelve (#u38b7dd99-60fa-5d77-afb5-e352671efa71)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-One (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Forty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Forty-One (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Forty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Forty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)


Prologue

Fifteen years ago

She was going to die....

Sylvia Granger swallowed tightly as she stared into eyes that were as cold as glaciers. She lowered her gaze to the gun pointed at her. Her only chance was to talk her way out of this, at least to buy enough time before her husband, Sheppard, arrived at the boathouse for their meeting. He should be here any minute now. She began talking, pleading, practically begging.

“Please, don’t do this. They are playing the two of us against each other. Why can’t you see that?”

“Are they?”

“Yes.”

The mocking chuckle made her skin crawl. “Haven’t you figured things out by now, Sylvia? There is no one else. I only led you to believe there were others, just to see if you could be trusted. You failed the test.”

Sylvia’s mind went into a frenzy. There’s no one else? That can’t be true. But after seeing the look of triumph flaring in the eyes staring at her, she knew it was true. “But—but how?”

“I don’t owe you any explanation regarding the way I handle my business. You were smart, but not smart enough to betray me.”

“But it wasn’t that way at all.” She spoke quickly as fear spread throughout her body, settling deep into her bones.

Another chuckle. “Yes, it was that way. You proved just how deceitful you are. Killing you will be a favor to everyone...especially your husband. He has no idea what you’ve been up to.”

Sylvia slowly backed up as the gun was cocked. “Please. Don’t. You won’t get away with this,” she said frantically. “Shep is on his way here. You can’t leave without him knowing—”

The sound of laughter sent a chilling sensation all through her. “I can, and I will, get away with it. I have too many players in place to fail. The stage has been set. I’m the major star, and your services are no longer needed.” The gun was lifted higher and, in an instant, a shot rang out.

Pain ripped through Sylvia’s chest, and before she could blink, a second shot followed the first. She crumpled to the floor and took her last breath while gazing up into a pair of dark, evil eyes.


One

Present day

Shiloh Timmons’s hands trembled as she set down the newspaper she’d just read. Emotions she’d been suppressing for the past four years were reemerging, and she refused to let them get the better of her. Caden Granger would never hurt her again; she would see to it.

Hearing someone clearing their throat, she glanced across the room and saw her brother standing in the doorway of her office. Growing up, Sedrick had been her hero, the big brother every girl needed and deserved. He’d been her protector. Even now, he was trying to protect her...especially since Caden had returned to town.

“It wasn’t Caden, Shiloh,” he said, referring to the newspaper article she’d just read.

“No, but it could have been. Did you read what that article said, Sedrick?”

He shrugged before coming into her office, closing the door behind him. “Didn’t have to. It’s dominated the local news since the story broke a few days ago.”

Shiloh drew in a deep breath. All last week she had been in California, in the heart of Napa Valley, making purchases for the grand-opening celebration of the wine shop she’d opened a few weeks ago. When she’d returned home last night it had been late, and since she wasn’t a television watcher, she hadn’t turned on the set. Instead, she had showered and gone to bed, knowing this would be a busy week at the Wine Cellar Boutique. She was gearing up for a party that would put her specialty shop on the map.

She’d been sitting at her desk, about to take her first sip of coffee, but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw in the morning paper. The headlines blared out at her in bold letters: Granger Narrowly Escapes Death.

Literally holding her breath, she read that Jace Granger, Caden’s older brother, had been kidnapped from the parking garage at Granger Aeronautics. He had been just seconds from losing his life when the FBI had located him in the warehouse where he’d been held hostage. Arrests had been made, and the authorities were trying to determine whether there was a possible tie-in between the kidnapping and the reported ongoing trade-secrets investigation at Granger Aeronautics. Of course, the article took the opportunity to remind the readers that Jace’s father, Sheppard Granger, was serving a thirty-year sentence for murdering his wife, Sylvia, fifteen years ago.

Shiloh stood and walked over to the window. If she were to tilt her head back and slant her gaze to the right, she could see the twenty-three-story building of Granger Aeronautics. Had it really been over a month since she had been there, attending the stockholders’ meeting in her mother’s absence? That day she had cast the deciding vote that allowed the three Granger brothers to retain control of their family corporation. Jace and Caden’s younger brother, Dalton, had been friendly to her, but Caden had not spoken one word. And she could not forget the daggered looks he’d given her.

“You need to move on with your life, Shiloh. You tried telling Caden the truth about what happened and—” Sedrick began.

“And he didn’t want to hear anything I had to say.” Shiloh turned around, remembering that night a few weeks ago when she had gone to Sutton Hills, the Granger estates, to tell Caden that she’d recently discovered what her parents—specifically, her father—had done to ruin her life. Her mother was not blameless in the whole sordid business, either, because she’d known what her husband was capable of.

That was the same night Shiloh had moved out of her parents’ home and taken a place in town after giving her mother a scalding earful. Her father would have gotten more of the same had he been alive to hear it. But he had died several months ago, probably thinking he had taken all his secrets to the grave. Nonetheless, there was one secret that hadn’t quite made it. And it had been by pure accident that she had stumbled upon the truth.

She saw Sedrick’s concerned expression. “I have moved on, Sedrick. Honest. However, I haven’t forgiven Mom for the part she played in everything. But, rest assured, Caden means nothing to me anymore.” The same way he had let her know that she no longer meant anything to him. He’d even gone so far as to tell her that he couldn’t stand the sight of her. His words had hurt, destroying her already broken and shattered spirit. The words he had spoken that night had been cruel, brutal and so undeserved. She doubted she would ever forgive him for that.

“I hope one day you’ll find it in your heart to forgive Mom, Shiloh. She needs you more than ever. She’s all alone now in that huge house. I wish you hadn’t moved out.”

She felt Sedrick’s words were unfair. “I don’t see you racing to move back home,” she said curtly.

“Only because I need to be close to the hospital. Surely you understand that.”

Yes, she did understand. After medical school, Sedrick had moved back to Charlottesville, whereas she had remained living in Boston after completing college. She’d returned to Charlottesville only after her mother had pleaded with her to come home seven months ago. At the time, her father was dying of lung cancer. She had been home only a few weeks before he’d passed on.

“You and I both know Mom was a bigger puppet for Dad than we were,” Sedrick said, interrupting her thoughts. “Samuel Timmons expected everyone to obey any orders he dished out. And we did.”

“Not all the time,” Shiloh countered. “When we got older, we began thinking for ourselves,” she said, recalling that time. It was after they had both moved away to go to college that they were finally able to begin to really understand how things were at home.

“I regret the day Mom and Dad forbade us to have any contact with Jace, Caden and Dalton Granger. That was wrong. After their father was sent to prison, they probably needed their friends more than ever. Instead, they were ostracized,” Sedrick said.

Shiloh regretted it, as well. One day, the two families had been close, and then the next, her parents had forbidden her and Sedrick to have anything to do with the Grangers. And all because her parents believed Sheppard Granger had killed his wife. They hadn’t wanted their kids associating with the kids of an accused killer. She remembered Mr. Granger as a nice man and, for the life of her, she couldn’t imagine him killing anyone. And she knew that Caden and his brothers were convinced of their father’s innocence.

“Jace was my best friend growing up, and I lost him,” Sedrick said, interrupting her thoughts. “Did I tell you that he didn’t even recognize me that night he arrived at the hospital after his grandfather had that heart attack?”

Yes, Sedrick had mentioned it, and for him to bring it up again meant that he was bothered by it. Shiloh drew in a deep breath, remembering that Caden had been her best friend growing up. And in later years, after leaving for college, she had defied her father’s orders by seeking out Caden, and they had become lovers.

“Well, since you’re certain you’ve moved on, what about Wallace?”

She lifted a brow. “Who?”

“Wallace Aiken. Another heart specialist who transferred in from a hospital in Maryland. He’s a good guy, and I like him. I introduced the two of you last month when you dropped by the hospital to see me. He’s asked about you several times since. He told me last week that he would like to take you out.”

Shiloh couldn’t remember the man Sedrick was talking about, which meant he hadn’t made a lasting impression on her. But then, very few men had, compared to Caden. But not anymore. “Fine. Fix us up.”

Surprise showed on her brother’s face. “You’re serious?”

She chuckled. “Why not? We can start off by double-dating with you and Cassie.”

Her brother and Cassie Mayfield, a respiratory therapist at the hospital, had begun dating a few years ago. As far as Shiloh was concerned, it was time for Sedrick to put a ring on Cassie’s finger. Samuel Timmons hadn’t liked Cassie, saying she was from the wrong side of the tracks. But he hadn’t been able to tear the couple apart. One of his few failures.

“Great! I’ll talk to Wallace and make all the arrangements,” Sedrick said, smiling. “Is this weekend okay?”

She moved back to her desk to check her calendar. She sucked in a hiss between her teeth. She might have spoken too soon. “That’s a week before grand-opening night, and I’m going to have a lot to do this entire week,” she said, glancing over at her brother.

After seeing the I figured you would come up with an excuse look on his face, she quickly added, “But I will make time. It will probably be the last chance I have for some fun before getting really busy at work.”

“Great. And by the way, I’m impressed with how this place is shaping up. I’m glad you’re doing something you enjoy.”

A smile touched Shiloh’s lips. “Thanks, and I do enjoy this, Sedrick. I really do.”


Two

Caden Granger frowned as he gazed across his desk at his younger brother. “You’re kidding, right?”

Dalton released that crazy-ass chuckle that, at times, could grate on Caden’s last nerve. “No, I’m not kidding. Just think of what could have happened to Jace if he hadn’t had that tracking device on his phone.”

Caden didn’t want to think about it. When he and his two brothers had left Charlottesville for college years ago, each had vowed never to return. After college, they had moved to separate parts of the world, living their dreams. Caden was a well-known saxophonist touring in some of the most sought-after cities to sold-out crowds; Jace worked as an attorney for the government in California; and Dalton claimed he worked smarter and not harder by investing his money while living the life of a playboy/boy toy in Europe. In the end, Dalton was the one who’d become a billionaire. Go figure.

He, Jace and Dalton had returned to Charlottesville when their grandfather, Richard Granger, had had a fatal heart attack. It had been a couple of months ago that the three of them had made the deathbed promise to their grandfather to take over the family business, Granger Aeronautics. When they’d done so, they had no idea that in addition to inheriting a failing company, they would have to deal with employees intent on divulging trade secrets and someone they thought they could trust being a killer. The man had actually kidnapped Jace with the intention of ending his life. If it hadn’t been for the tracker Dalton had convinced Jace to install on his phone, Caden didn’t want to think of what might have happened.

“Fine. Put the damned tracker on my phone,” Caden said, tossing a document he didn’t feel like reading back into the in-box on his desk.

Dalton smiled. “I already have.”

Caden’s frown deepened. “You did so without my permission?”

“Yes.”

Dalton eased up out of the chair as if he didn’t have a care in the world, knowing full well that Caden really wanted to kick his ass. Caden might be two years older but, as far as Dalton was concerned, he was in way better shape than Caden. But he knew Caden wouldn’t do any such thing. He and his brothers might give each other hell from time to time, but they always had each other’s backs.

“So, Jace still hasn’t said anything about what’s going on with him and Wonder Woman?” Dalton observed.

Caden shrugged. Shana Bradford, whom Dalton liked to refer to as Wonder Woman, was the person they had hired to help get the company back on a proper footing. She was a real fixer, which was lucky since it was her team that had figured out about the trade-secrets encroachments, as well as Vidal Duncan’s duplicity.

“What’s there to say, Dalton? It’s been obvious from day one that he had a thing for her, although he claimed indifference. After this week’s rescue, I’d say it’s become pretty damned obvious.”

Caden was referring to the fact that the FBI agents were barely in the door to stop Jace’s head from being blown off before Shana had rushed in and thrown herself in his arms. “And I didn’t see him rejecting that wallop of a kiss she laid on him,” he added.

“Me, either,” Dalton chimed in to say, glancing at his watch. He had an appointment that he planned to keep and didn’t intend to be late.

At that moment, the buzzer on Caden’s desk sounded. “Yes, Brandy?”

“There’s a Sandra Timmons here to see you?”

Surprise shone on both Caden’s and Dalton’s faces. Sandra and Samuel Timmons had been neighbors and friends of their parents. When Sylvia Granger was murdered fifteen years ago, and their father wrongly convicted of committing the crime, the Timmonses and a lot of others had forbidden their children to continue to associate with the Granger kids. Caden had been fourteen, Jace sixteen, and Dalton twelve at the time.

“Send her in, Brandy,” Caden said, standing, straightening his tie.

Dalton stood, as well. “I wonder what she wants.”

“I have no idea.”

“Then I wouldn’t see her if I were you.”

Caden glanced over at Dalton. “Why?”

“She’s probably here to tell you to leave Shiloh alone. She’ll probably make threats and get ugly about it. She could take up where old man Timmons left off—thinking we’re nothing but scum.”

Hearing Dalton bring up the name of the one woman Caden wanted more than anything to forget sent a flash of pain through his heart. “First of all, I’m not involved with Shiloh. She’s the last woman I want to have anything to do with.”

“There was a time the two of you were—”

“Best friends,” he interrupted to say, refusing to fall victim to his younger brother’s nosiness. For months Dalton had been trying to figure out what, if anything, was going on between Caden and Shiloh. Caden had confided in Jace and told him the full story, but he figured the less Dalton knew, the better.

The door opened, and Sandra Timmons was escorted in by Brandy. As always, she looked immaculate, not a hair out of place and her clothing of the finest quality from a top-notch designer. But there was a sadness in her eyes that Caden noted immediately. Was she still mourning the loss of her husband? From what Shiloh had once told him, her parents had an unorthodox marriage that was not based on love.

“I’m glad you could see me on such short notice, Caden,” she said, giving Dalton a brief nod.

“You mean no notice, don’t you, Ms. Timmons?” Dalton interjected.

Caden frowned over at Dalton. “I believe there’s a meeting you’re supposed to attend, Dalton?”

Dalton lifted a brow. “Is there?”

“Yes. I distinctly remember your telling me about it this morning.”

Dalton looked at his watch. “Christ! I almost forgot.” And then without saying another word, he rushed out of Caden’s office, slamming the door behind him.

“I heard about what happened to Jace. That was simply dreadful. And just to think Vidal Duncan was behind it. I recall that he was once a close friend of your family.”

Caden leaned back against his desk and shoved his hands into his pockets. “And, if I remember correctly, Mrs. Timmons, so were you.”

Caden watched as the woman inhaled a deep breath. “Yes, and I’ll be the first to admit I was wrong about a lot of things.”

“Were you?”

“Yes. And I’m here to apologize to you personally. None of you boys were at fault for what your father did to your mother. I should have stood up to Samuel when he wouldn’t let Sedrick and Shiloh have anything to do with you and your brothers.”

“Yes, you should have.” Caden decided not to add that, as far as he was concerned, his father hadn’t done anything to his mother—much less murder her—but he figured it would be a waste of his time. Fifteen years ago, the Timmonses didn’t mind letting everyone know they thought Sheppard Granger was guilty of murder.

“Is that why you came here today? To apologize?” If it was, her apology was fifteen years too late.

“Yes, to apologize for everything Samuel did. I tried apologizing to Shiloh, but she refuses to take my calls.”

Caden raised a brow. “Take your calls? Isn’t Shiloh living with you at Shady Pines?” he asked, surprised.

“No, she moved out the same night she went to see you at Sutton Hills. That was over three weeks ago.”

Caden remembered that night all too well and he had no intention of discussing it with Sandra Timmons. “Mrs. Timmons, Jace will be out of the office for a few days, which means Dalton and I are pretty busy in his absence. If there’s nothing else you’d like to discuss, then I must ask you to—”

“You don’t know, do you?” she interrupted.

Caden drew in a frustrated breath. His patience with the woman was wearing thin. “Know what?”

She stared back at him, and he detected nervousness in her features. “That night, when Shiloh came to see you, didn’t she tell you anything?” she asked softly.

“No. I didn’t want to hear a word she had to say.” He walked around his desk toward the door, intending to open it so she could leave. “Now if you will excuse me, I—”

“What do you mean you didn’t want to hear anything she had to say?” the woman demanded in an angry tone, causing him to pause and look at her as if she’d lost her mind. A part of him was beginning to wonder if she had become unhinged. A lot of strange things had been happening since he and his brothers had returned to Charlottesville to take over the running of Granger Aeronautics, and this could be one more.

He turned around to face her. “I meant just what I said. I didn’t want to hear anything Shiloh had to say that night.”

“So, you have no idea where she was that weekend four years ago when the two of you planned to elope to Vegas and marry?”

Caden was surprised Shiloh had told anyone about their plans to elope four years ago. Plans she hadn’t kept. “I already know where she was, Mrs. Timmons. I received photographs that were compliments of your husband, letting me know that he was still controlling Shiloh’s life. The photographs showed her on the beach having a good time with one of Mr. Timmons’s business associates. The same person he’d been trying to shove down her throat for a year or more. Your husband, Samuel Timmons, wanted me to know she’d finally caved in.”

Sandra Timmons frowned. “And you believed that?”

Caden shrugged. “Seeing is believing.”

The woman shook her head. “You saw what Samuel wanted you to see. Those photographs were altered with Photoshop. That was not Shiloh. She was nowhere near the beach that day.”

Caden stared at the woman as her words sank in. “Then where was she?”

Sandra Timmons eased back down on the chair across from his desk, and Caden actually saw her trembling. And then he saw the tears. Whether they were genuine or not, they were there all the same. “I came here thinking that you knew. Certain that you did, and now to know that you have no idea...”

An uneasy feeling crept up Caden’s spine. What did she mean that those photographs had been altered with Photoshop? That woman in the pictures had been Shiloh. Hadn’t it? He narrowed his gaze at Mrs. Timmons as he crossed the room to her, and anger consumed every part of his body. “Where...was...she?”

The woman dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, saying, “That same weekend, while you waited for her in Vegas, she was in a hospital in Boston, fighting for her life.”

Stunned, Caden grasped the edge of his desk to keep his balance. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Sandra Timmons lowered her face to study her hands in her lap before lifting a tear-streaked face to Caden. “I don’t know how, but Samuel found out what the two of you planned and flew to Boston to try to stop her. He said he was only going to talk some sense into her. They argued, and she asked him to leave. When he refused, she rushed from the house and darted into the path of an oncoming car.”

Shocked beyond belief, Caden had to lean back against his desk for support. “Shiloh was hit by a car?”

“Yes. Things were pretty bad. She had to remain in the hospital for almost two months. The doctors managed to save her...but they couldn’t save the baby.”

The bottom of Caden’s stomach dropped. “Baby?”

“Yes. She was pregnant with your child.”


Three

Caden remembered very little after that. He recalled that the shock of Sandra Timmons’s words had rendered him speechless, mindless and senseless. He’d been so stunned, so horrified by what he’d learned that he’d covered his face with his hands as an onslaught of emotions slammed into him. Shiloh had been pregnant? With their child? And when she had finally discovered the duplicity of her parents, she had come to him to tell him. And he had rejected her in a very cruel way.

He vaguely recalled hearing the sound of Mrs. Timmons walking softly toward his office door, whispering tearfully, “I’m truly sorry,” before opening the door and leaving. He recalled clutching his stomach and remembered feeling suddenly sick as he agonized over and over about what Shiloh’s mother had said.

He had believed the worst of her. If anyone should have recognized those pictures had been doctored, he should have. But he hadn’t. Instead, he had accused her of the worst betrayal possible, calling her degrading names. Names she hadn’t deserved.

And while he’d been indulging in his holier-than-thou attitude, she had been lying in some hospital room fighting for her life after losing their child.

Oh, God. The thought of her lying there in pain, hurting, brokenhearted, without him there to comfort her, filled him with anger. Intense rage. “Damn you, Samuel Timmons! Damn you!” he muttered under his breath with an alarming force because, at that moment, he knew how it felt to hate someone.

He thought he’d hated the man at fourteen, when he had ended his and Shiloh’s friendship, but now he knew how real revulsion felt. At thirteen, she had been afraid to go against her tyrant father’s orders; however, their friendship never really ended—it was just suspended. She would still smile at him whenever they passed in the halls at school, would silently slip birthday cards in his book bag and tape those you’re still my best bud notes on his locker. And then there was the time on prom night when they managed to slip away from the watchful eyes of the chaperones to steal a kiss in the garden.

Then he finished high school and left for college. But he had thought about her often, wondering what she was doing and if she was still under her father’s thumb. Had she broken free of him, now thinking for herself, living the full life she deserved?

He’d always thought about looking her up and he used to ask his grandfather about her during his visits home, but fear of what Samuel Timmons would do to her made him keep his distance.

He would never forget that night, six years ago, while onstage performing with his band, when he had looked out in the audience and had seen her. Shiloh was in her last year of college, and it was her birthday weekend. It had been years since he’d last seen her, but he had recognized her immediately. Gone was the kid he’d grown up with, the one who used to be his best pal, who would smile up at him through her braces. She had grown into a totally beautiful woman.

When the concert was over, he invited her backstage, and later they went to the after-party. When that party ended, he took her to a late-night restaurant for ice cream and cake to celebrate her twenty-third birthday. After that night, she would show up at his concerts whenever she could while working on her graduate degree at Northeastern University in Boston.

During his concerts he would search the audience, seeking her out, hoping to see her face. And then there was the night she had gone back to his hotel room with him after a concert and they’d made love. Wonderful, beautiful love, and he’d known that night that he loved her and that he had always loved her.

For two years, they’d kept their affair a secret from everyone and planned to elope to Vegas. She was supposed to meet him in Vegas that weekend, and once the ceremony was over they would fly to Paris for a brief honeymoon.

But she hadn’t shown up that weekend. He had waited in that hotel room for three days; he had tried calling her. When he finally made a connection at one of her numbers, some man had answered her phone and said she was in the shower and couldn’t be bothered.

He had just been about to leave, to fly to Boston to find out what the hell was going on, when he’d received a special delivery packet—a packet containing pictures that were still imprinted on his brain. He had taken one look at them and, combined with the conversation with the man who had answered her phone, he had immediately assumed the worst.

Caden moved away from his desk and walked to the window, a deep self-loathing within himself for the way he had treated Shiloh after that. He hadn’t heard from her for more than three months after receiving those photographs, and now he knew why.

Believing the worst, he had deleted her number from his contact list and blocked any calls from her. Even when she’d shown up at one of his concerts eight months later, he’d asked Security to escort her out. He hadn’t wanted her there.

She hadn’t attended another concert...until that night last month in New York. He had looked into the audience and she was there, but still he had a hardened heart. And over three weeks ago, she had sought him out to tell him what had happened, and he hadn’t wanted to hear anything she said. He closed his eyes when he remembered how he’d spoken to her, the mean, hateful things he’d said. How could he have been so wrong?

He had to apologize. He had to ask her to forgive him. But what if she didn’t accept his apology? What if she didn’t forgive him? Dread consumed him at those thoughts. He inhaled a deep breath, knowing he had to try. But first he had to find out where she was. Mrs. Timmons said she was no longer living at Shady Pines. Had she left Charlottesville? If she had, where had she gone? If she was still here, then where was she living? The last person he wanted to talk to again was her mother, but he would try her brother. Sedrick would know how to contact her. All he had to do was contact St. Francis Hospital and track him down.

Caden was about to move away from the window to use the phone on his desk when there was a knock at his door. Thinking it was Dalton returning, he said, “Come in, Dalton.”

Instead of Dalton, his brother Jace walked in.

Taking one look at his younger brother, Jace said, “What is it, Caden? You look like shit.”

Caden knew Jace’s observation was probably true, because that was exactly how he felt right now. “What are you doing here, Jace?” he asked, instead of responding to his brother’s inquiry. “We thought you wouldn’t be back for a few more days. You didn’t think Dalton and I could handle things till you got back? You aren’t the only one who can run things around here.” As soon as he’d said the words, Caden regretted doing so.

“Sorry,” Caden said, moving to his desk, pulling out the chair to sit down. “Ignore me today. It hasn’t been my best.”

Jace stared at his brother for a moment. “Does it have anything to do with Sandra Timmons’s visit? She was getting on the elevator when I got off. She seemed upset about something.”

“And she should be. Damn, Jace—she and Samuel Timmons did the unthinkable and, like a fool, I fell for it. How could I have been so damned gullible, so fucking stupid?”

Jace took the chair in front of Caden’s desk. “I can’t answer that until I know what you’re talking about.”

Caden drew in a deep breath and then told Jace the nature of Sandra Timmons’s visit. He could tell from Jace’s expression that he was just as appalled as Caden was, but he listened without interrupting.

Then Jace asked, “So what are you going to do? From what you’ve told me, you treated Shiloh pretty damned shabbily.”

Yes, he had. And Caden wasn’t proud of what he’d done. “First I intend to find out where she is. Then I’ll go to her and apologize and then try like hell to convince her that I’m truly sorry for my actions.”

“I’m playing devil’s advocate for a minute,” Jace said, staring at his brother. “What if she doesn’t believe you and wants nothing to do with you?”

Caden tapped his finger on his desk a few times as he thought about what Jace was asking and had to face up to the fact that that was a real possibility. “I won’t give up on her, Jace. No matter how long it takes, I will not give up. I will make it up to her. But first, I need to find out where she is. I need to go see her and talk with her. Then we’ll go from there.”


Four

Dalton Granger checked his watch before entering the private investigator’s office. Great! He was on time for once in his life. He had toyed with the idea of hiring a private investigator for a couple of weeks, and now here he was.

He glanced around the sparsely furnished room and saw a woman sitting at a desk. She glanced up at him and smiled. He immediately thought she didn’t look bad for her age, which he estimated to be late forties. And she didn’t have a ring on her finger. While living in England, he was known as a man who preferred older women. In other words, he didn’t mind being a cougar’s cub. It had its benefits. A mature woman was usually independent, didn’t have time for game playing and wouldn’t create any baby-mama drama.

Since returning to the States, it seemed his tastes had changed, and now he was checking out women his own age or younger...just like the woman he’d met a couple of weeks ago at a local nightclub. The same woman who’d been so hot he still sizzled whenever he thought about her. This same woman had behaved as if he was a bother. She’d even had the nerve to refuse to give him her phone number. And when he told her he was interested in her and asked how he could reach her so the two of them could hook up, she’d had the audacity to tell him he’d have to find her first.

He’d been mad as hell. Dalton Granger didn’t go looking for any woman. There were too many out there to suit his fancy, and usually it was the other way around. Women came looking for him.

So why was he here doing the very thing he swore he wouldn’t do? Why was he willing to hire a private investigator to find the one woman who’d gotten away? The one who had snubbed him at the nightclub.

He could answer his own questions. Because she was a novelty. Different. Pretty damned refreshing. And, besides that, he had a feeling she would be hot in bed. Any woman who wore stilettos on legs like hers had to be. Damn. He would find this mystery woman and find out for himself just how hot she was. For her, he would make her an exception.

He walked toward the receptionist. “I’m Dalton Granger. I have an appointment with Mr. Harris.”

“Yes, Mr. Granger. Mr. Harris is expecting you.”

“Lead the way.”

She stood and led him to a door and, without knocking, she entered. “Mr. Granger is here.”

The man sitting behind the desk reading a sports magazine glanced up and stood, smiling. “Mr. Granger, thank you for coming in. I understand you want me to find someone for you.”

Dalton nodded. “Yes, Mr. Harris, I do.” The man had come recommended by Myron, the bartender/owner he’d met while frequenting McQueen’s, a sports bar and grill not far from Granger Aeronautics. Myron swore that Emory Harris was one of the best in the business and that he specialized in missing persons. Usually it was deadbeat dads that Emory Harris tracked down, but Dalton figured if he was as good as Myron claimed, then he would give the man his business.

“Please have a seat, Mr. Granger,” Harris said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

“Thank you.” Dalton heard the receptionist leave, closing the door behind her.

“Would you like something to drink? Thanks to Myron, I keep a pretty well-stocked bar.”

“No, thanks. I’m fine. How did the two of you meet?”

Emory, who looked to be in his late forties, smiled. “Myron’s wife and I went to college together and remained close friends.” He paused and then said, “I understand you’re looking for someone. A female. Is she your ex?”

Ex? Boy, was he way off, Dalton thought. “No, she’s a woman I met one night at a club. She seemed to be in a hurry, and when I asked for her contact information, she rushed out and called over her shoulder that I should find her...and I intend to.”

“She must be some woman if you’re willing to go to the trouble.”

For a second Dalton thought about what Harris had just said. He’d already beaten himself up about what he was doing. It was so unlike him. But then all it took was for him to remember how she looked walking into that club—stilettos, legs and a shapely figure any man would appreciate. He had done more than appreciate it. He’d been lusting after her ever since. Shit, the woman was interfering with his sex life, making it hard for him to desire any other woman. He thought it would have passed by now, but so far, it hadn’t. He needed to meet her, talk to her, have sex with her a few times to see why she had such an effect on him. And she definitely was having an effect. He got an erection every time he thought about her.

“Yes, I guess you can say she was some woman. So, you think you can find her?”

“I’m sure I can. I’ll need the name of the club. She might be a regular there.”

Dalton gave him the name of the club, which Harris jotted down.

“Did you see what kind of car she was driving?” he asked.

Dalton shook his head. “No. By the time I walked outside, she was driving away, and it was dark.”

Harris nodded. “Describe her.”

Dalton smiled, thinking. Gorgeous legs. Firm breasts. Curvy ass. But to Harris he said, “She was pretty. Sexy. Hot.”

Harris stared at him for a minute and then asked, “What about her skin tone? Eye color? Hair color? Did you notice any of that?”

Dalton had to really think hard about it. “Brown skin. Brown eyes. Brown hair.”

Harris nodded as he jotted the information down. “Notice anything else?”

“She was wearing Amarige.”

Harris looked up. “Excuse me?”

“Her perfume was Amarige. Nice fragrance on a woman, and it smelled super nice on her.”

Harris lifted a brow. “You’re so familiar with fragrances that you can name one?”

Dalton shrugged. “Yes. I guess I can. I’m a bit of an expert.”

Harris chuckled. “I would definitely say that you are.” He leaned back in his chair. “I have a case I’ll be wrapping up over the next week or so, and then I’m on it.”

Dalton smiled. That was what he wanted to hear. He couldn’t wait to see the woman again.


Five

Jace knocked on the closed door.

“Come in.”

He entered the office, locking the door behind him, and his gaze immediately went to the woman sitting behind the desk. Shana Bradford. When he’d hired her almost three months ago, he had been attracted to her from the first. The sexual chemistry between them had been undeniable, and they both knew it. Being the professionals that they were, intent on keeping their relationship strictly business, they had tried ignoring the attraction...until it got the best of them.

They’d been having a secret affair. But now that was about to come to an end. She was pregnant with his child, and he intended to put a wedding ring on her finger.

Her smile was radiant and warmed not only the room but his heart. “Jace, what are you doing here? I left you in bed.”

“I noticed. I thought we both decided to stay away from the office for a few days, clear our heads, get our heart rates back in sync.”

She leaned back in her chair. “You needed to do that more than I did. Did you talk to your dad?”

“Yes, Warden Smallwood let him take my call immediately.”

“And?”

He drew in a slow breath, moving away from the door to stand in front of her desk. “And, unfortunately, he heard about the kidnapping attempt on the news. He was upset. He was glad I was okay and realized how close he could have come to losing me.”

Shana nodded. “I know the feeling.”

Jace didn’t say anything for a second and then added, “And he’s upset about Vidal. He couldn’t believe it. The man had been a family friend for years. Now I’m sure he’s wondering just how far back the man’s treachery went and whether perhaps he could have been involved in my mother’s death.”

Shana sat up straight in her chair. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“I have,” Jace said. “So have Caden and Dalton. But I don’t think he was.”

Shana lifted a brow. “Why?”

“Vidal said a lot of things while holding that gun on me, convincing me I was about to take my last breath. He had no problems bragging about all his misdeeds—including siphoning funds for the company from right under my grandfather’s nose. He seemed to take great pride in confessing all the things he’d done. If he had killed my mother, he would have bragged about it before killing me.”

Shana thought about what he said. “You might have a point.”

“I do,” he said, coming around her desk, pulling her out of her chair and rubbing a hand over her stomach. “I had planned to tell my brothers about us and the baby today. However, Dalton left for an appointment someplace, and when I walked into Caden’s office, he was dealing with a few issues.”

Jace pulled her into his arms and smiled down at her. “But I can’t wait to tell them, and we’ll do so later today at Sutton Hills.”

* * *

Caden tried to be patient as the phone rang several times. He released a sigh of relief when it was answered. “Dr. Timmons.”

“Sedrick, this is Caden Granger.”

There was a long pause and for a minute Caden thought the call might have been dropped. “Yes, Caden, what can I do for you?”

“I’m trying to locate Shiloh.”

There was another long pause. “Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Caden wondered how much Sedrick knew about the situation and quickly figured he knew all of it since Shiloh and her brother were close. “I need to talk to her. Your mother came to see me today, and she told me everything.”

There was a flow of muttered expletives from the other end of the line that almost burned Caden’s ears. “Mom had no right to do that. I’m surprised that you listened to what she had to say when you wouldn’t listen to Shiloh when she came to see you.” Sedrick’s tone was sarcastic in the extreme.

Caden rubbed a hand down his face. “Yes. I believed things about her that I shouldn’t have. I was wrong.”

“Yes, you were. And you hurt her. Badly.”

Hearing these accusations from Sedrick only reinforced how deeply Caden had wronged Shiloh and how much he needed to correct the mess he’d made. At this point, he couldn’t place the blame entirely on Samuel Timmons and use the man as a scapegoat. He should have believed in Shiloh and trusted her. “I know, Sedrick, and I plan to make things right,” Caden said solemnly.

“Not sure if you can. I just talked with her today. She’s moved on with her life, Caden, and I think you need to just let things be and move on with yours.”

It was on the tip of Caden’s tongue to tell Sedrick that he really didn’t give a royal damn what he thought. But now was not the time for that, especially when the man had information he needed. “I can’t move on, nor can I let things be. If I ignore this situation, it means your father has won. And I refuse to let him continue to call the shots—even from the grave.”

Something he’d said must have resonated with Sedrick because, after a few moments, he said, “I’ll tell you where she is, but you have to promise me something.”

“What is that?”

“That if she asks to be left alone, you do just that and leave her alone.”

Caden knew he couldn’t make such a promise. Even if Shiloh refused to forgive him for the things he’d done, he would not give up on her. He still loved Shiloh and hoped there was a chance that she still loved him.

“Caden?”

“I heard you, man, but I can’t make you that promise, Sedrick. The only thing I can promise is to never hurt her again. And if you don’t tell me where she is, I will eventually find her. It might take me longer, but I will find her.”

Sedrick must have heard the determination in his voice. “Fine. I’ll tell you where she is.”

“Has she left Charlottesville?”

“No. She has a place in town and has opened a wine shop on Vines Boulevard. The Wine Cellar Boutique. She’s there every day, except for when she’s away on business. But fair warning—you’re the last person she’ll want to see.”

“I’ll just have to deal with that. Thanks.” And then Caden quickly hung up the phone, grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.


Six

Shiloh Timmons glanced around her wine boutique, thinking that everything was coming together nicely. After that huge argument with her mother and the confrontation with Caden, she had thought about leaving Charlottesville and returning to Boston but, in the end, she was glad she had decided to remain in Charlottesville. It was where she wanted to be. Besides, she had already invested a ton of money to get the shop up to her standards. Also, she figured that by living in town she would rarely run into her mother. And as far as Caden was concerned, it would be just a matter of time before he left on another one of his tours.

She’d heard about the deathbed promise he and his brothers had made to their grandfather to take over the running of Granger Aeronautics. Of the three, she could see only Jace being the one to stick it out. Caden was a musician, for heaven’s sake, and a very good one. He had a great following, and it was expected that his recent album would be nominated for another Grammy. And as far as Dalton was concerned, she knew he considered Europe his home and he was probably champing at the bit to return.

“I just love this wine boutique, Ms. Timmons, and I appreciate you hiring me. I know I will enjoy working here.”

Shiloh turned and smiled. The young woman she’d hired to work in the boutique was Tess, a junior at the University of Virginia. Tess was one of four students working for her. They were bright, energetic, dedicated and ready to learn the business. She understood how they felt since she had worked at a wine shop in Boston while attending college. She had learned a lot from the owner, Valerie Motley. Valerie had been more than an employer; she’d been a friend. And she still was. Valerie, whose family owned a winery in Italy on the island of Sicily, had taught her a lot about the business. Shiloh knew that if she could be half the businesswoman that Valerie was, then she would do well herself.

“Thanks, Tess. The next two weeks are going to be busy as we get ready for the grand opening. I’m going to need all hands on deck.”

Excitement spread across Tess’s face. “We know, and we can’t wait. We’re ready to do whatever you need. You do everything with class, Ms. Timmons. Just look at this place.”

Shiloh glanced around again, and she couldn’t help but be filled with pride. She had known this place would be perfect the moment the Realtor had shown it to her, and she couldn’t think of any better way to use the money from the trust fund her grandparents had set up for her. She loved the location—right in the middle of Charlottesville’s gorgeous historical district. The brick streets and sidewalks, the quaint shops, the old-fashioned light posts and the thousands of tourists ready to spend money were the perfect complements to her new business. The patrons could purchase a bottle of wine to take home, or they could sit and enjoy a glass of something special at one of the café tables in front of the shop. The huge overhanging oak trees helped provide shade in the summer and a blanket against the snow in the winter.

Once in a while, she would go outside and look up at the huge sign over the large storefront window. The Wine Cellar Boutique. She’d had the sign custom made to blend in with the shop’s architecture, and just seeing it made her feel that at least she had accomplished one of the things she’d always wanted: to become an entrepreneur. One of her own choosing.

She knew her father had been disappointed that neither she nor Sedrick ever showed any interest in joining his million-dollar retail business. Samuel had ended up reaching out to his brother and nephews. He had brought them into the business. Her uncle Rodney was the complete opposite of his brother, and Shiloh often wondered how the two ever got along.

Shiloh looked out the large front window. It was late August and pretty soon it would be September. Forecasters were predicting a short fall and an early winter. Shiloh hoped they were wrong, especially since the winter being predicted would be colder than usual. She much preferred the fall, when the days were still somewhat warm and the nights were cool. What she loved the most was the changing of the leaves—the colors turned from a bright green to a rusty-red.

Inside the shop, the floors were covered with tile that had been imported from Italy, and she had installed shelves made of rich mahogany wood that held racks and racks of the best-tasting wine available anywhere. Most of the wine had been purchased directly from the vineyards. In addition to the wine, the boutique sold various kinds of cheeses, wineglasses and an assortment of breads that were delivered daily. And for those who preferred enjoying their wine inside, she had a separate seating area complete with Wi-Fi. It wasn’t unusual for patrons to come and sit and sip for a while—some had already become regulars.

Most locals and tourists had been receptive to the new boutique, and business had been booming since day one. Originally, Shiloh thought she and Tess could handle things themselves, but within days she had had to hire Markel, Collette and Donnell.

Her office was located on the second floor, and the cellar below the shop was where all her stock was located. There was also a huge room adjacent to the shop itself that she could use for just about anything, and this week the decorator was busy transforming it into the reception area for her grand opening. Out back was the brick courtyard with a huge water fountain. She would be utilizing that area for the grand opening, as well.

The third floor of the building was a private floor where her living quarters were located. Right now, the two bedrooms, the one-and-a-half baths, the living room and the eat-in kitchen unit were all she needed. There was another huge room on that floor, and if she ever felt the need for more space, all she had to do was knock down a wall.

She glanced at her watch. She was expecting her accountant any minute. “Tess, I’m going down to the cellar to finish taking inventory. I’m expecting my accountant anytime now. Send him downstairs when he arrives.”

“Okay, I sure will.”

* * *

Caden walked into the Wine Cellar Boutique and glanced around. Nice. Classy. But then, he didn’t expect anything owned by Shiloh to be any other way. The place was busy, but her employees were very efficient. Most appeared to be college age, and they were serving and greeting customers, referring to many by their first names. Instead of getting in line to buy something, he approached a young woman who was watering one of the huge plants.

“Excuse me, miss. I’m looking for Shiloh Timmons.”

A huge smile touched the young woman’s lips. “Welcome to the Wine Boutique, and I’m Tess. Ms. Timmons is expecting you.”

Caden seriously doubted that. “All right.”

“She asked me to send you downstairs to the cellar. The elevator is just over there to your right.”

“Thanks.” Caden turned toward the elevator, passing a huge display of wineglasses that were stacked in the shape of a pyramid that went all the way up to the ceiling. He stepped on the elevator and braced himself for what Shiloh would say when she saw him. Regardless of what Tess had said, he was not the person Shiloh was expecting.

The elevator ride took a few moments, and when he stepped out of it, he glanced around and immediately saw that the place was huge. The fresh smell of paint permeated the air. Hearing the sounds of shuffling papers, he moved in that direction. Rounding the corner, he saw her.

He paused and stared. Her back was to him and she was leaning over a huge crate, counting the contents. Dressed in a silky blue blouse, a black pencil skirt with a slit in the back and black high heels, she presented a picture that he couldn’t help but appreciate. There was no doubt that Shiloh was a beautiful and desirable woman. Although their relationship had been built on more than just physical attraction, he would be the first to admit that the physical had been good. Damned good. But what he’d loved most about her was her bubbly and lovable spirit—something that shone through even when she had a tyrant for a father. But Samuel was dead, and Caden could blame only himself for being the one who’d now broken that spirit.

As he studied her further, he saw she had put her hair up. It swirled into an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck. She usually wore her hair up in the summer, when the July heat began getting to her. She had always preferred cold weather to hot, and he had always enjoyed keeping her warm during those cold nights when he’d visited her in Boston.

She straightened, and he watched as she flipped through the papers on her clipboard.

Figuring that now was as good a time as any to make his presence known, he said, “Hello, Shiloh.”


Seven

Shiloh spun around, recognizing Caden’s voice immediately. And he stood there in her cellar as if he had every right to be there. The shock of seeing him was replaced with anger, and she raised her chin and narrowed her gaze while trying to ignore how good he looked in his business suit. When he performed he wore casual attire—a nice shirt with either jeans or slacks. Seeing him standing there looking as if he had stepped off the pages of a GQ magazine almost took her breath away. Almost...but not quite.

And why did he look more handsome than ever? His neatly trimmed beard might have something to do with it. Did he have to look so sexy standing there and staring at her with those gorgeous light brown eyes of his? And his nutmeg-colored features appeared creamy smooth against the whiteness of his dress shirt.

“What are you doing here, Caden?” Her tone was sharp, and she meant for it to be.

“I came to see you.”

Her eyebrows shot up. He had to be joking. “Why would you do that when you told me just last month that you couldn’t stand the sight of me?”

“I was wrong, and I came to apologize, Shiloh. I said a lot of things that night that I had no business saying. I know the truth now, and I should have listened to what you had been trying to tell me.”

She wondered who’d told him anything, but it truly didn’t matter. “Yes, you should have listened to what I had to say, but you didn’t. Not only that, you showed me how much faith and trust you had in me, Caden. A whole lot less than I had in you.”

“What was I supposed to think, Shiloh?”

It infuriated her that he would have to ask. “That nothing short of death could have kept me from marrying you that weekend. But you didn’t think about that. You thought I would lie around on the beach with another man. So much for what you thought of my character.”

“But there were pictures, and when I tried calling, a man answered the phone. Of course, I now know all of it was arranged by your father.”

“And that made you believe the worst about me?”

He didn’t say anything for a minute and then said, “I was wrong. I’m apologizing. Like I said, I thought—”

“I know what you thought. I get it. Now, will you please leave?”

He shook his head at that request. “And I know about the baby. Our baby,” he said instead. “I wish I could have been there with you,” he said softly.

A pain sliced through her heart. Caden was forcing her to remember a period in her life that had been so painful. She didn’t want to recall that she had wanted him there. The pain of broken bones had been bad enough, but then to be told she had lost their child had been an agony no one should go through. Even now, an ache still remained inside of her. And she often wondered if her child had survived whether it would have been a boy or a girl. It would not have mattered to her. She would have been a better parent to that child than her parents had ever been to her.

And she had cried every night for Caden to come, refusing to believe her father when he’d said he’d contacted Caden. Her father had told her that Caden didn’t want her and that he couldn’t have cared less about her pregnancy.

“What about you, Shiloh? It’s been four years. If you had so much faith in me, why didn’t you contact me and tell me about the baby?”

His words made something inside her snap. “I did try to contact you. For months, while I lay in that hospital bed, broken up and in pain, I didn’t believe any of the things my father was telling me about you. He even showed me newspapers that listed where you had gone on tour and the women the tabloids claimed you were sleeping with. I didn’t want to believe it. I refused to believe it.”

She paused a moment. Later, when she’d been released from the hospital, she had discovered that he’d been sleeping around with those women. “And when I could travel, I found out where you were. I wanted to know why you had betrayed me and why you hadn’t come to me when I needed you. I believed there had to be a reason, and I needed you to tell me that reason. But when I attended your concert, you had Security escort me out. Again, you didn’t want to hear what I had to say.”

Caden cursed himself, shamed by the memory. Yes, after he had received those photographs and had believed the worst, he had begun having affairs, hoping she would hear about them. He had wanted to hurt her the way she’d hurt him. Seeing her in the audience at one of his concerts had been a huge distraction and he’d acted like a fool. He’d had no idea she had come to tell him about the baby.

He looked over at her and saw her lips trembling, saw the anger in her eyes in a way he’d never seen before. He had wronged her in so many ways. Yet, she had come to pay her last respects to his grandfather by attending the memorial service. And she could have been spiteful during the board meeting, voting against him and his brothers to prevent them from retaining control of Granger Aeronautics.

When she had discovered the truth of what her parents had done, she had sought him out again, and he had said words to her that no man should ever say to the woman he loved.

Looking at her now, he knew those same words applied to himself. She couldn’t stand the sight of him.

Caden knew he had to plead his case and hoped she would give him another chance. He took a step toward her and felt agony all the way to his feet when she took a step back, away from him. “You have every right to despise me, Shiloh,” he said in a soft tone. “And I deserve all the hatred you might be feeling toward me right now. I let you down. I did the one thing I’d always promised not to do, and that was to let your father come between us again. And you’re right. You believed in me more than I believed in you.”

He paused a moment and then said, “There has been a lot of hurt and anger on both sides. I suggest we pick up the pieces and move on. Together. And I think—”

“Right now, I don’t care what you think, Caden,” she said, interrupting him. “I hurt too much to care. The only thing I want you to do is leave me alone. I want to move on...without you.”

He stared at her for a moment, not believing she could really feel that way, and he knew now was not the time to push. But he definitely needed her to understand something. “I love you, Shiloh. I know you doubt that right now, and I understand. But if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m a survivor. I survived the death of my mother and the injustice done to my father. Right now, the only thing that threatens my survival is you, because I need you...and I always have. And I intend with every breath in my body to make you believe in me again. I will regain your trust.”

He paused to get himself together. At that moment, he was filled with all kinds of emotion, and at the top of the list was the fear that he might have lost her for good. What he’d just told her was true. He was a survivor, but only because he’d always known she was there and always would be.

“I’m making you a promise, Shiloh—a man’s promise to the woman he loves. I promise that I will do what it takes to win you back. I promise to regain your love and trust.”

Shiloh shook her head sadly as tears filled her eyes. “I’m not sure that’s possible, Caden. So much has happened, so many hurtful things have been said. Things I’m not sure I can forgive you for saying. Like I told you, I just want to move on. If you love me as much as you claim you do, you’d let me do that.”

Caden drew in a deep breath. “And because I love you as much as I do, I can’t do that.”

She stared at him for a moment and then, without saying another word, she turned and quickly headed toward the elevator.

* * *

Shiloh barely made it to her office, closing the door behind her. Leaning against it, she tried to stop the tears that flowed from her eyes but could not. How could a man say he loved her but trust her so little? He had taken one look at those pictures and accepted them at face value, assuming she had betrayed him. Knowing that was something she couldn’t get beyond.

Her cell phone began ringing and she recognized the ringtone immediately. It belonged to Sedrick.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she tried to speak in a normal voice. “Hello, Sedrick.”

“Did Caden Granger contact you?”

She frowned. “You knew he would try?”

There was a pause on the other end before Sedrick answered. “Yes, he called me here at the hospital and asked me how to find you.”

“And you told him?” she accused.

“He would have hunted you down eventually. He was desperate to talk to you. I would have called sooner to warn you but I had an emergency with one of my patients.”

“Who told him what had happened? How did he find out?”

“Mom. He said she came to see him. She assumed he already knew. Figured you told him that night.”

“I would have had he wanted to listen to me,” she said angrily. Pain settled around her heart every time she thought of that night. “Why would Mom go see him anyway?”

“I guess she was reaching out to him to help patch up things between the two of you. Shiloh, she regrets what she did, and one day, you’re going to have to meet with her and talk about it. Hear her out. Like I said, you and I both know the old man had her under his thumb.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Sedrick asked, “Well, did he contact you?”

“He came here to tell me how sorry he was for what he did and said.”

“And did you and Caden kiss and make up?”

Was she hearing hope in her brother’s voice? “Is that what you want?”

“It’s not what I want, Shiloh. It’s what you want. Whatever will make you happy.”

She thought about her brother’s question. She’d always thought being with Caden would make her happy. It seemed she had loved him forever. She had never imagined the day would come when the thought of him would fill her heart with so much pain. And, for some reason, she was having a problem getting beyond it. Those two years when they’d become lovers had been the best she’d ever had. But now all she felt was heartache and anger.

She was doing the very thing she’d said she would never do, and that was cry over Caden Granger. But she refused to do so again. “What will make me happy is what I plan to do, and that is to move on. I can’t imagine having Caden back in my life. Too much has happened. Too much has been said. I need to get beyond that, Sedrick. For years, my life had been wrapped around Caden’s, even those years when Father forbade me to have contact with him.”

She paused a moment and then said, “Caden told me he loves me.”

“Do you believe him?”

“No. What man can love a woman and treat her the way he treated me?”

“He thought you had betrayed him, Shiloh.”

She was irritated by his words. “Why are you defending him?”

“I don’t think I’m doing that. I just want you to make sure you know what you’re doing because, personally, I don’t see Caden giving up on you. I heard it in his voice today.”

She couldn’t help but remember the promise he’d made to her. A man’s promise. If his promise was meant to give her hope, it had missed the mark because, at that moment, all she felt was regret. “It doesn’t matter what he does. I intend to live my life without Caden in it.”

“Shiloh, I know how much Caden means to you. To be fair to my colleague Wallace, I don’t think you should get involved with him until you’re sure that you are over Caden.”

“I am over him, Sedrick. Caden coming here today means nothing to me. I don’t know how much plainer I can be.”

Sedrick didn’t say anything for a minute and then asked, “So everything is still on for this weekend?”

She drew in a deep breath. “Yes, everything is still on.”

* * *

Caden got into his car and had buckled the seat belt when his cell phone went off. The ringtone meant it was Dalton. “Yes, Dalton?”

“What are you doing in historic downtown?”

Caden cursed under his breath, recalling the tracker his brother had placed on his phone. “None of your damned business. What do you want?”

“A little grouchy, are we?”

Deciding now was not the time for Dalton to get on his last nerve, he said, “Unless there’s a reason for this call, I suggest you call me back later.”

“Oh, there is a reason for it. Big brother asked me to call and inform you of the meeting at Sutton Hills. Don’t ask me what it’s about, because I don’t know. I think his Wonder Woman is going to be there. And he included Hannah.” Hannah had been the family’s housekeeper for years and had grown to become more than that. She was like a part of the Granger family, and he and his brothers simply adored her.

Caden eased into traffic. “What time’s the meeting?”

“As soon as you can get here. Jace and Wonder Woman are on their way. Tonight’s Ladies’ Night at McQueen’s, so I’m missing out on checking out several hot babes. This damned meeting better be good.”

Caden rolled his eyes. “I’m on my way.”

After he clicked off the phone, he couldn’t help wondering about the meeting Jace had called away from the office. Was something going on that made Jace feel they couldn’t have a secure conversation at Granger Aeronautics? Had Shana and her team uncovered another diabolical plot against the company? But then, Dalton had said Hannah would be attending the meeting, so maybe the meeting had nothing to do with the business after all. He would know soon enough. Jeez, he longed for the days when all he had to worry about was his concert-tour schedule.

Deciding he didn’t want to dwell on work problems for the moment, he turned his mind to his own major problem. Shiloh. Regaining her trust wouldn’t be easy, but he was determined to do it.

His goal was to put her back in his life, where she belonged.


Eight

“Welcome to Sutton Hills, Shana.”

Shana smiled over at Jace. “This place is beautiful.”

Jace told her Sutton Hills, the Grangers’ estate, encompassed over two hundred acres near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and consisted of the most beautiful land anywhere.

As they drove on the long winding road canopied by large oak trees, he pointed out several places of interest. “That’s the equestrian center to your right. Those horses are my father’s pride and joy. And my grandfather felt the same way.”

She looked over at him. “There are so many horses in the pastures.”

Jace chuckled. “Yes. Sutton Hills is considered a horse ranch because of the beautiful Thoroughbreds we have here. A number of them are entered into the major races each year.”

Shana knew that managing the stables alone was a huge undertaking. “Who handles the horses while you’re running Granger Aeronautics?”

“We have a ranch foreman who takes care of that end of things for us. Patrick has been with Sutton Hills for over forty years now, since before I was born. He’ll be retiring next year, and his son Clyde has already been groomed to take his place.”

Shana nodded. She had heard about Sutton Hills. Had even read about it during her research. She’d known it was large, but hadn’t imagined it was this immense.

“Sutton Hills is divided into four major areas,” Jace continued. “My grandparents lived in the main house, which is probably a mile or so from the equestrian center, and it sits on fifty acres of land. It’s two stories and backs up against Mammoth Lake.”

“That’s where you’re staying now? In your grandfather’s home?”

“Yes. If you look through those trees, you’ll be able to see the roof of my parents’ home. After Mom died and Dad went to prison, Granddad closed up the place and brought us to live with him. None of us has been back in that house ever since.”

Shana could understand why they wouldn’t want to return. Through the trees, she saw an outline of the structure’s rooftop. It was huge.

“And over there,” he said, slowing down. “At the mouth of the lake is the boathouse.” Quietly, he added, “That’s the place where my mother was found murdered fifteen years ago. She had two gunshot wounds in her chest.”

Shana did not say a word. She knew Jace had more to say.

He paused a moment, then said, “Dad found her. He went into the boathouse, and one of the first things he saw when he walked in was his gun lying in the middle of the floor. I wish to hell that he hadn’t picked it up—it turned out to be the murder weapon. Then he went toward the back of the boathouse, and that’s when he found Mom, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He called 911. Within hours, he was arrested for her murder. Since only his fingerprints were found on the gun, he ended up being charged with her murder.”

Shana decided not to ask if anyone had been to the boathouse since that tragic day. In all likelihood they had not. Jace told her he’d been sixteen when his mother was killed, Caden fourteen, and Dalton had been about to celebrate his twelfth birthday.

Changing the subject and the somber mood, Jace said, “You’re going to like Hannah, and she’s going to like you.”

Shana smiled. “What makes you so sure of that?”

“Because I like you. Better yet, I love you.”

A warm feeling always stole over Shana whenever he told her that. “How do you think everyone will react once they know about us and the baby?”

Jace chuckled. “My brothers have suspected something for a while, although I’ve never owned up to it. But after that little scene with you during my rescue, there is no doubt in their minds that we are more than business associates.”

Shana grinned sheepishly. “I couldn’t help myself. I was so scared that we wouldn’t find you, and then, when we did, nothing else mattered to me. Certainly not our secret affair.”

“I felt the same way. At that point, I didn’t give a damn who knew about us. And as far as the baby news goes, I think once the shock wears off, my brothers will love the idea of being uncles. Hannah will be beside herself. She’s been hinting at me to settle down, remarry and make babies for years. I told you that she didn’t like Eve.”

“Yes, you told me.” Shana didn’t say anything, but she was tempted to say that after meeting his ex-wife, she could see why Hannah hadn’t liked her.

“Here we are.” Jace pulled into the circular driveway of the largest house Shana had ever seen. The lawn was immaculate, and the architectural structure of the house was breathtaking.

“Jace, it’s beautiful.”

“Thanks. It was built and designed by my great-grandfather. I see Dalton’s and Caden’s cars over there. That means they are here already,” he said, bringing his car to a stop behind Dalton’s two-seater sports car.

After killing the ignition, Jace glanced over at her and smiled. “Ready for us to go tell everyone our good news?”

Shana couldn’t help smiling back over at him. “Yes, I’m ready.”

* * *

“Your email in-box full again, Mr. Granger?”

Sheppard Granger glanced over at Ambrose Cheney, one of the prison guards, and smiled. “Yes, it looks that way. How are your sons doing?”

The two of them exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes before Ambrose moved on. Shep knew that, as prisons went, he’d been pretty damned lucky. When he’d entered the prison system fifteen years ago, he’d been assigned to Glenworth. He had refused to get an attitude about being wrongly convicted or about being sent to Glenworth. Instead, he’d decided to make the best of the situation he was in. While there he had met fellow inmates with the same mind-set...like Luther Thomas, who’d been wrongly convicted of rape. Together, he and Luther had begun programs in prison such as Toastmasters, Leaders of Tomorrow and the GED program. Their efforts had been successful and were recognized by the media and even the governor. And together, he and Luther had helped to turn around the lives of several inmates like Lamar “Striker” Jennings, Quasar Patterson and Stonewall Courson.

Luther was eventually acquitted and was now a minister in Hampton, Virginia. Five years ago, after serving ten years of his sentence and being termed a model employee and a born leader, the governor had approved Sheppard’s transfer to Delvers, a prison that housed low-risk offenders. He worked closely with the warden as a trustee, initiating various projects to ensure that the less-serious offenders didn’t become serious offenders in the future.

He was proud that, so far, all the men whose lives he had helped turn around at both Glenworth and Delvers had stayed on the straight and narrow. They came to visit from time to time now that they were on the outside, and he was proud that they were making positive impacts on their communities. And what he liked more than anything was that, from time to time, when they couldn’t visit, they would send Sheppard an email to let him know where they were and how they were doing. Some had gone back to school, many even to college, and others were business owners—successful men in their communities.

He opened an email from Andrew Logan. Andrew had been in trouble since the age of ten, when stealing had been his favorite pastime. He had been in and out of youth detention as a way of life. Now Andrew had a college degree and worked on the right side of the law as a police detective in Alexandria.

Like most of the other emails he’d opened so far, Andrew’s reported that he had heard the reports on the radio and television about Jace. Although they’d never met Jace, they knew Jace was his son. They had all written because they knew Sheppard would be upset and feeling useless since he couldn’t do anything to help his son while he was in prison. They all said how glad they were that Jace had been rescued before anything bad had gone down during the kidnapping.

Shep drew in a deep breath, thinking that no one was gladder about that than he was. If anything had happened to Jace or any of his three sons, Shep didn’t know what he would do. Thank heavens, the FBI had gotten there in time, and he appreciated Dalton for putting that tracker on Jace’s phone.

At the end of the email, Shep tried not to get emotional when he read what Andrew had written:



Mr. Granger, a lot of the guys whose lives you touched at both Glenworth and Delvers got together this past weekend at my place. We went to a ball game then came back here for chips and beer. Matthew Fontane was here, and since he was the last one released from Delvers, he brought us up to date on everyone and assured us you were doing well...at least as well as can be expected under the circumstances. We all know you’ve been given a raw deal, being an innocent man in prison and all. And I hope this doesn’t sound selfish, but we all agreed that we thank God that you were at Glenworth and Delvers for us. We all know that if it hadn’t been for you making us see the light, the majority of us would still be serving time. Now, you of all people know I’m not a religious man...as much as Reverend Luther Thomas wishes otherwise...but we believe there was a reason you were sent to prison. Because someone knew you were needed for the six guys who’d lost their way. So, although you may have lost time with your three sons while being locked up, we all want you to know that you’ve gained six others. And one day, when you’re finally found innocent and released from prison, we’re going to make sure all nine of your sons get together and give you the biggest homecoming party ever.



Shep leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a second. He’d done what any other human would have done for those guys. They’d been young, foolish and like Andrew had said...lost. But he’d looked beyond their tough and rough exteriors and had seen guys who’d been denied love and affection, attention and a chance to succeed. Some even had the attitude that the world owed them something. He would be the first to admit it hadn’t been easy getting through to some of them, and Andrew and Matthew had been two of the hardest.

He opened his eyes and chuckled. But then, Courson and Striker had been real badasses, too. In the end, he’d gotten through to them and was proud they were back on the outside as productive citizens.

Shep went through several more emails before coming to one with a sender name he didn’t recognize. He started to delete it, but something about the subject line—Suggest You Read This—aroused his curiosity, so he clicked on it.



Granger. You don’t know me, but I know you. If I were you, I would make sure your sons don’t get it into their heads to prove your innocence. Something tragic could happen.



Breath was snatched from Shep’s lungs, and for a moment he found it difficult to breathe. Once he got his breathing under control, he looked at the sender’s email address and frowned. Again. He didn’t recognize the name and figured it had been sent from a public computer.

When he saw Ambrose making his rounds across the room, Shep called out to him. He’d grown close to Ambrose, who, in his middle forties, was a hard worker, a dedicated and fair prison guard, and a family man with a wife and two sons who were the same age Caden and Dalton had been when Sheppard had gone off to prison.

“Yes, Mr. Granger? You need something?”

Shep nodded. “I need to get in touch with my attorney right away.”

Ambrose lifted a brow. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes.” Shep slid his chair out of the way and motioned for Ambrose to take a look at the email that he still had up on the computer screen.

He watched as Ambrose’s eyes sharpened to a steel-blue. “Holy Toledo! I’ll contact your attorney right away.”


Nine

“Hannah, I’d like you to meet Shana Bradford.”

The first thing Shana thought was that the older woman was beautiful, although it was obvious that she didn’t flaunt it. According to Jace, Hannah was in her early seventies, yet her skin was smooth with very few wrinkles. Her hair was pulled back in a knot, but Shana knew when she wore it down and around her shoulders it would frame her face dramatically. Another thing Shana noticed was that her eyes were sharp, intuitive and perceptive. They had to be if she’d raised these three Granger boys. She bet they had been a handful.

“It’s nice meeting you, Ms. Bradford.”

Shana smiled. “Same here, and please call me Shana. Is it okay for me to call you Hannah?”

Hannah beamed. “It certainly is. I just found out about the meeting a couple of hours ago, but that still gave me time to prepare refreshments. Oatmeal cookies and my special fruit punch.”

“You shouldn’t have gone to any trouble,” Shana said.

“Yeah, Hannah, you shouldn’t have,” Dalton said, chewing on his fourth cookie.

Jace rolled his eyes. “And he’s still stuffing his mouth as he speaks.” He then looked over at Caden, who was standing at the window looking out. He seemed preoccupied with something. He had greeted them when they’d first arrived, but he now had eased back into his own little world. Jace had noticed that same behavior earlier today, as well. Caden had quickly left the office without telling anyone where he’d gone. Jace figured he’d gone looking for Shiloh. If he’d found her, how had it gone?

“I hope this meeting is important, Jace. I have a hot date.” Okay, so he was lying through his teeth, Dalton thought, since he really didn’t have a hot date. But he planned to hit that club just in case his mystery lady showed up again tonight. That was a long shot, but when you were desperate, what else could you do?

“No problem. We can get started since we’re all here,” Jace said, breaking into Dalton’s thoughts. “If we can get you away from the cookie platter and the punch bowl. And, Caden?”

Caden glanced up upon hearing his name. “Yes?”

“We’re ready for the meeting to start.”

“Oh, all right.” He then strolled over to sit on the sofa beside Hannah.

Jace glanced over at Dalton, who merely shrugged and sent a silent message. Don’t know what’s going on with Caden, so don’t ask me.

“Jace, has something bad happened?” Hannah asked in a soft, concerned voice, gently rubbing her hands together. Caden reached out and took them in his.

“No, Hannah, nothing bad has happened,” Jace said in a reassuring tone. “In fact, I called this meeting to share some good news for a change.”

He smiled up at Shana, who was standing beside him. “As you know, Shana was hired to fix the problems at Granger Aeronautics. Well, she’s done a lot more than that. She’s fixed things with me, too—namely, my heart. I’ve fallen in love with her, and Shana and I are getting married.”

“Married?”

“Married?”

“Married?”

All three—Hannah, Dalton and Caden—echoed one another at once.

Jace chuckled at the three shocked faces. He and Shana had evidently hidden the depth of their relationship pretty well. “Yes, married. But that’s not all.”

“Damn, what else is there?” Dalton asked, walking over to the liquor cabinet. He needed a drink. When had things gotten this serious between them? He’d figured they were probably sleeping together, although around the office they were decorously discreet. But marriage? Who in his right mind still did that these days?

“We’re expecting a baby in the spring.”

“Holy shit!” Dalton swung around so quickly that he dropped the whiskey decanter from his hand. He had to act fast to keep it from crashing to the floor.

Hannah let out a huge, joyous cheer, and Caden just sat there, staring at his brother, a surprised smile on his face.

* * *

“It’s a little late to ask, but do you have a problem using condoms?” Dalton asked Jace, when he was able to pull him aside for a little private conversation. Shana and Hannah were across the room sitting on the sofa while Hannah showed her pictures of Jace as a child that were in one of the family albums. Caden had excused himself to step outside to take a phone call from his agent.

Jace lifted a brow. “Why would you think that?”

Dalton rolled his eyes. “Wonder Woman is pregnant. There are ways to prevent such things, and the use of a condom is one of them. Don’t you know it’s like an American Express card? You should never leave home without one.”

Jace fought hard to keep from grinning because he knew Dalton was so damned serious. There was no need to explain their birth-control methods to his baby brother. The fact was that he and Shana had decided not to use condoms since she was on the pill. However, she’d gotten pregnant at some point during the two weeks she’d been on antibiotics for flulike symptoms, which had rendered the pill less effective.

“It was an accident, Dalton. It happens sometimes.”

“But it shouldn’t. Not to a Granger. We don’t get women pregnant. We enjoy them and move on to the next.”

“That’s your way, not mine.”

“Haven’t you learned anything after being married to Evil Eve? Getting married is bad enough, and now a baby. Jeez. I offered to give you pointers when I first detected you were hot for Wonder Woman, but you claimed you had your shit together.”

“I did, and I do. I fell in love, Dalton. The thought of doing something like that might seem foreign to you, but to some people, it’s a natural way of life.”

“But you haven’t known her long enough. People have hidden secrets and hidden agendas. I figured you were rusty, out of touch with how to handle your business. I should have—”

“Done nothing.” Jace reached out and placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, leaning in to stare into his eyes, and in a serious tone, he said, “I love her. She loves me. We’re getting married. We’re having a baby. We’re both happy about it. Simply ecstatic. And just think, you’re going to be an uncle. Uncle Dalton.”

Dalton didn’t say anything for a minute, and Jace watched the way his brother’s eyes lit up when Dalton finally pushed all the bullshit from his mind about condoms and his dislike of marriage. A slow smile touched Dalton’s lips. “Uncle Dalton...” he said, as if testing the sound of it.

“The one and only,” Jace said. Thank God. He didn’t know what he’d do if he had another brother like Dalton.

“Private party?” Caden asked, walking over to join them.

“I’m going to be an uncle, man,” Dalton said, sticking his chest out and grinning from ear to ear.

Caden rolled his eyes. “You aren’t the only one.”

Dalton frowned as if just realizing that fact. “But I’m going to be the favorite.” And with that said, he walked off.

Caden shook his head. “You sure he’s really our brother?”

Jace chuckled. “You wonder about that at times, too?”

“Yeah, but there is the undisputed fact that he looks more like the old man than either one of us,” Caden pointed out.

“True,” Jace agreed, glancing over at Shana. He could tell that Hannah liked her already, and he felt good about that because she had disliked his ex-wife, Eve, on sight.

“And speaking of our father, have you told him?”

“Not yet. We’ll talk with the fathers by the end of the week—both hers and mine. Shana’s dad is an ex-cop, so wish me luck. I haven’t met him yet.”

“Fathers can get kind of crazy when you get their daughters pregnant.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Jace paused a moment and then asked, “How did things go today with Shiloh?”

Caden lifted a brow. “How did you know about that?”

“I didn’t really. Just figured you would find her or die trying.”

Caden looked down at the carpeted floor, remembering his meeting with Shiloh. He looked back at his brother. “She’s not as forgiving as I’d hoped, which means I’m going to have to work hard to regain her trust and love.”

“And you will.”

“You sound so sure of that.”

Jace smiled. “I am. You’re a Granger, and our motto is to never give up.”

* * *

Shep waited in one of the private rooms off the prison library. It was a huge room without windows, and he knew meetings were often held in here to determine the fate of inmates, to decide whether they were ready to become productive citizens on the outside.

He drew in a deep breath. Ambrose had told him a few moments ago that his attorney would be arriving any minute and had brought him here to wait. A few years ago, the warden had given permission for Shep to be alone for any meetings with his attorney. That privilege wasn’t given to all prisoners, just those considered trustworthy. Truth be told, since Shep had found favor with both the warden and the governor, a lot of rights and privileges had been extended to him, and he appreciated each and every one of them.

There was a knock on the door, and Shep stood when Ambrose walked in followed by Shep’s attorney. “I understand you need to speak with me, Mr. Granger.”

Shep glanced over at his attorney and smiled. “Glad you could come on such short notice, Carson.” Ambrose left, closing the door behind him.

“For you, anytime.”

Shep truly believed that, which was why he covered the distance separating them, and without saying another word, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. “But I need this first.”

And then he lowered his head and kissed her.

* * *

The kiss was leisurely and long, and as he’d said, he’d needed it. Shep took her mouth with a hunger he always felt when kissing her. He had met Carson Boyett about five years ago when the family of Craig Long, one of the young men he was mentoring, had hired her to represent their son. She had come out to Delvers a few times to visit with Craig, and their paths had crossed since he’d been Craig’s mentor.

The attraction had been immediate, although he’d fought it. She was sharp, intelligent and beautiful, and he was an inmate with nothing to offer her. But she hadn’t cared once they had been honest about their feelings. His father, Richard Granger, had merely raised a brow when he’d told him he was getting rid of his present attorney and replacing him with Carson. After all, as far as Shep was concerned, the man whom Vidal Duncan had recommended had done a piss-poor job while defending him during the trial.

Now Shep wondered how much of everything was merely a well-thought-out plan to make sure he was the one to serve time for Sylvia’s murder. He couldn’t help but have his suspicions, especially after what had been discovered about Vidal. It hurt him deeply that a man his family had trusted—whom he had trusted—could have been so evil. The thought of what the man had done to Jace literally soured his stomach just thinking about it and, at the same time, it brought fear to his bones at the thought that things weren’t over yet. Not if he believed that email he’d just received.

Recalling that email and the reason he’d sent for Carson made him break off the kiss. He then drew in a deep breath and licked his lips. “Thanks—like I said, I needed that.”

She smiled and licked her lips, as well. “And like I said, for you, anytime.”

And he knew she meant it. Carson was ten years younger than Shep and a divorcée who had ended her marriage to an abusive husband and fought hard to become her own woman by putting herself through college and law school. She wasn’t afraid of hard work, fighting for what she believed in or standing up for those she loved. He felt honored to be in that number.

Although they had been involved now for close to four years, she seemed okay with dating a man locked up behind prison walls with fifteen more years to go before he would be freed. She often mentioned the chance of a parole, but because of the way his sentence had been handed down, he had to make at least eighteen of the thirty years before any idea of parole could be entertained.

Shep also knew Ambrose always allowed them more private time than strictly permitted, thus giving them the opportunity to engage in conjugal visits if they so desired. But as tempted as he’d been to do so, Shep hadn’t taken advantage of that. Carson deserved more than a quickie based on lust. He intended to make sure she got what she deserved, even if it meant that they both had to wait another three years to get it. She’d always told him she would wait because she loved him. And he knew with every bone in his body that he loved her.

He hadn’t told his sons about her and figured one day he would get around to doing so. He and Carson had talked about it and both decided to keep the relationship between them quiet until they decided the time was right to share it. His life was pretty much an open book, and he preferred having Carson as the one part of his life he could keep private. She was everything he could possibly want, and he knew she was everything in a woman he’d never truly had.

Even when he thought he’d loved Sylvia, it hadn’t felt like this. And he had stopped loving his wife a year or two after Dalton was born—when he’d found out about her first affair. By the time she’d died there had been many others. But he had remained with her for the sake of his sons.

“When Ambrose called, he sounded serious,” Carson said, breaking into his thoughts. “What is it, Sheppard?”

Her comment once again reminded him of why he had summoned her. He took her hand in his and led her over to the table where the two of them could sit down. “This came in through my email account,” he said, pulling out the paper he’d printed and handing it to her.

She scanned it quickly and then glanced up at him. “I can have it checked out, but I’m sure you know, chances are the IP address is probably from a public computer, one found in the library or someplace of that nature.”

He nodded. “I know.”

“And I assume you’re going to take this person’s threat seriously?”

“What else can I do, Carson?”

She didn’t say anything for a moment before reaching over and placing her hand over his. “You can let your sons know what’s going on, Shep. Let them know about this threat so they can be mindful and watchful. They are adults, and you can’t protect them forever.”

Shep drew in a sharp breath. “I know, but right now, they are all I have. A part of me almost died inside when I heard what happened to Jace.”

“And you still think Vidal Duncan might have had something to do with your wife’s murder?”

“Hell, the thought crossed my mind when I first heard about it. He’d had an affair with my son’s wife, so why shouldn’t I believe he was having an affair with mine? But after talking to Jace about everything Vidal said while he held Jace at gunpoint, I’m not so sure. Jace is convinced the two incidents aren’t connected, and if that’s true, then the person who killed Sylvia is still out there.”

“That’s why I want to push for a new investigation and—”

“No, Carson. I can’t risk it if it means I could lose my sons.”

Carson didn’t say anything. “So what do you want me to do, Shep?”

“Hire someone to watch my sons.”

“Without them knowing?”

“Yes. That means the person has to be good. My sons are sharp, and I don’t want them to suspect anything.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes, and I want you to arrange everything for me. Will you do that?”

A smile touched her lips and she leaned over and placed a light kiss on his. “Like I always say, Sheppard Granger. For you, anything.”


Ten

The next morning, Caden came down for breakfast to find Dalton helping himself to a generous amount of bacon and eggs. He glanced to where Jace was sitting and, speaking loudly enough for Dalton to hear, said, “I thought he didn’t live here anymore?”

Jace chuckled. “I thought so, too. However, he seems to find his way back whenever he feels entitled to a free meal.”

“Why should you guys gain all the weight?” Dalton asked. “Besides, I know how to take it off easily.”

Caden figured it had to be some way that was sexual. “So what time did everyone finally go to bed last night?” he asked, grabbing a glass of juice and a bowl of fruit. When he’d retired about ten, Jace, Shana, Dalton and Hannah were still up talking.

“I left around midnight,” Dalton said, sitting down beside Jace and across the table from Caden. “I thought about spending the night when Hannah mentioned she would be preparing a huge meal for breakfast this morning, but then I heard you playing that damned saxophone and figured the best thing to do was haul ass if I wanted to get any sleep.”

Caden took a sip of his orange juice and ignored Dalton’s comment. He hadn’t been able to sleep, and whenever that happened, he would take out his sax and play it for a while. Hannah and Jace never complained, and as far as he was concerned, Dalton didn’t count since he’d moved into his own place last month.

“So, Jace, have you and Shana set a date yet for your wedding?” Caden asked his brother.

Jace smiled. “I’m leaving all that up to her, but I don’t think she wants a huge wedding with the white gown, bridesmaids and a ton of guests and stuff.”

“Hell, I hope not,” Dalton said, chewing on a piece of bacon. “The moment she walks down the aisle, everyone is going to know she’s knocked up. Shit, a pregnant bride is almost as bad as a pregnant nun.”

Caden looked over at Jace. “Just ignore him.”

Jace smiled. “I do. All the time.”

“I hate being talked about,” Dalton said.

“Then keep your damned mouth closed,” Caden suggested.

Dalton had opened his mouth to say something when Hannah stuck her head in the door and said, “Don’t forget your lunch on the way out, Dalton.”

“Thanks, Hannah. I won’t.” Dalton smiled when he saw his two brothers glaring at him. “What?”

“You asked Hannah to fix your lunch?” Jace asked, barely holding back his anger.

“No, she volunteered, and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings by saying she didn’t have to.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Caden said, sipping his juice. He looked at his watch. “I think I’ll head into the office.”

“What’s the rush?” Dalton asked, looking at his own watch.

“I have a meeting this morning with Shelton Fields. I want to see what his products and design department is all about.”

“When you find out, let me know,” Dalton said, chuckling.

“And what’s on your agenda today?” Jace asked Dalton. He knew his brother got bored easily and he wanted to make sure that didn’t happen. A bored Dalton somehow became a womanizing Dalton, and that was the last thing they needed.

Dalton shrugged. “I have a meeting with the guys in the security department. They want to make sure I’m familiar with all the new security gadgets on the market.”

“Heaven help us all,” Caden muttered, rising to his feet.

Dalton smiled. “I heard that.”

“Good.” He stared at Dalton. “And don’t put another damned gadget on my phone or anyplace else without my permission.”

Dalton waved off his words. “Whatever.” As Caden was leaving, Dalton called out, “And you never did say why you were in the historical district yesterday.”

“And I don’t intend to.” Caden threw the comment over his shoulder as he walked out of the dining room.

* * *

Carson hung up the phone and sighed. It had taken some time, but everything Sheppard had asked for had been arranged. She had called on her good friend Roland Summers of the Summers Security Firm and told him what she needed. He thought he had just the right people she was looking for to do what needed to be done. He had access to men who were trained bodyguards, and several of them had served time with Shep and were now respectable, discreet and above reproach. And she made sure Roland understood they had to be ultra-discreet and remain at a safe distance.

She understood Sheppard’s desire to keep his sons safe, but she felt they should be made aware of what was going on. Carson had an uneasy feeling about this, but it was Sheppard’s decision.

She was about to pull a file from the in-box on her desk when her phone rang. Answering the call, she said, “Okay, Brett, what have you got for me?” Brett Holden was the guy she used on occasion as a private investigator.

“Just as you suspected. The email was sent to Sheppard Granger at Delvers from a computer belonging to the Wesconnett library.”

“Thanks for checking.”

“No problem. If you need me to do anything else, let me know.”

“Will do.” Carson clicked off the phone and said to herself, “Okay, Sheppard, your sons are being guarded. Now what?”

She opened the desk drawer and pulled out a copy of the email Sheppard had given her that day. The person responsible for his wife’s death was still out there and was crazy enough to try to kill again...even after fifteen years.

* * *

Sitting at her desk, Shiloh stared at the huge, beautiful bouquet of flowers delivered to her that morning. She had been totally surprised when Tess had walked into her office carrying them. The card attached had simply said, “Remember my promise.”

She pushed away from her desk, walked to the window and looked out. Caden was not playing fair. He’d sent her a dozen roses. All white. Her favorite. He’d known that and was using it to break her down, and she didn’t want that.

Shiloh glanced back at her desk and wished the bouquet wasn’t so beautiful and that what he’d written on that card hadn’t made her remember his promise. A man’s promise to the woman he claimed to love. When Tess had placed the flowers on her desk and she’d read the card, she had been tempted to tell Tess to keep them because she didn’t want them. But then she figured there was no reason she should not enjoy a dozen beautiful white roses. The bouquet wouldn’t change a thing.

Just like it didn’t matter that she was still plagued with memories of how Caden had looked the day he’d paid her a visit here at the boutique. Why did he still have to look so ruggedly handsome in a smooth sort of way? It didn’t make sense. How could a man look both rugged and smooth? She wasn’t sure, but Caden managed it. And then there was that sexiness he exuded so well. Her heart rate increased whenever she thought about it.

Feeling frustrated, she welcomed the ring of her cell phone, a ring she recognized right away. It was Valerie. Moving away from the window, she went to her desk to answer the phone. “How did you know I needed my mind refreshed?”

She heard her friend laugh. “Not sure. Do you?”

“Desperately. Caden sent me flowers. White roses.”

“Oh, a man after my own heart. He doesn’t plan on giving up without a fight, does he?”

Shiloh nibbled on her bottom lip as she studied her flowers. “I guess not.” Valerie had met Caden and she was the one to encourage Shiloh to go to that concert during the time she was in college. Valerie had been able to see through Samuel right from the start.

“I want to get over him, Val,” she said in a soft voice.

“I’m hearing the words, but I’m not convinced.”

“You should be. I have a date this weekend.”

Valerie laughed. “Any reason you don’t sound excited about it?”

“Probably because it’s a blind date. Actually, that’s not quite correct. Apparently, I’ve met the guy. At least that’s what Sedrick claims. He’s a doctor at the hospital where Sedrick works, and Sedrick swears he introduced us. I don’t remember.”

“Hmm, that’s not good if he wasn’t worth remembering.”

She wasn’t going to tell Valerie she thought the same thing. Instead, she said, “Sedrick says he’s a nice guy, and I’m taking his word for it. Sedrick can be overprotective, and he wouldn’t hook me up with just anyone.”

“Then you should have nothing to worry about. Where are you going, and what are you wearing?”

She told Valerie it would be a double date with her brother and his girlfriend, Cassie, and her and Wallace. Sedrick was selecting the place, and once he told her, she would know what outfit to wear. They spent another ten minutes more talking about how plans were shaping up for the grand opening. Valerie and her husband were arriving from Boston a couple of days early to help out with last-minute details.

After Shiloh ended her phone call with Valerie, she leaned back in her chair and stared at her flowers, remembering the first time Caden had given her white roses. There had been three of them...on her sixteenth birthday. Her father had spies at the high school, namely the principal, Mr. Waverly, and one of the teachers, Mrs. Joyner, who reported back to him on her behavior. Caden had sent the flowers to her best friend at the time, Cindy Brooks, to give to her. You would have thought Cindy had handed her a million dollars that day.

Bringing her thoughts back to the present, she checked the clock on the wall. In a few hours, she had an appointment with Nannette Gaither, the woman coordinating Charlottesville’s annual Live-It-Up Ball to benefit cancer research. Shiloh was on the committee that met every two weeks, but since the event was next month, they were getting together more regularly.

She and Nannette had attended high school together, and instead of moving away for college, Nannette had remained in Charlottesville and attended college here. She was engaged to marry Vance Clayburn, a wealthy businessman who’d moved to town a few years ago. Shiloh had never met the man, but it was rumored that he was old enough to be Nannette’s father.

Deciding she had been held up in her office long enough, Shiloh stood and was headed toward the door to go check on things below when the phone on her desk rang. Tess was transferring a call that had come in through the boutique.

She went back to her desk and picked up the phone. “Yes, Tess?”

“A Mr. Caden Granger is on the line and wants to speak with you.”

Shiloh drew in a deep breath. She should take the call and at least thank him for the flowers, but then she thought better of it. The last thing she wanted to do was encourage Caden. If he thought he was breaking down her defenses, he would continue with this, and she preferred that he didn’t.

“Tell Mr. Granger that I’m busy, Tess.”

“Okay, I’ll tell him.”

Tess hung up on her end, and Shiloh hung up on hers. If Caden thought he would get close to her with a bouquet of flowers, he was sadly mistaken.

* * *

Caden held the phone in his hand a full minute before hanging it up. Shiloh had told her employee to tell him she was busy. That was fine. He wouldn’t push for now, but he damn well wouldn’t give up. He knew all about the grand opening of her boutique next weekend, and he intended to attend.

He glanced toward the door when he heard the knock. “Come in,” he called out and then wished he hadn’t when Dalton walked in. “What do you want, Dalton?”

Dalton smiled as he plopped down on the chair across from his desk. “Still in a bad mood, I see.”

“What do you want, Dalton? Some of us have work to do.”

“So do I,” Dalton countered. “I just came from that meeting with those Security guys, and you wouldn’t believe some of the technical shit they have now. Trying it out, I felt like a regular James Bond. And just so you know, you don’t have to tell me why you were in the historical district yesterday.”

“I don’t?” Caden asked, staring hard at his brother.

“No, you don’t. I was able to backtrack all the places you went yesterday with the tracker I put on your phone.” A huge smile spread across Dalton’s lips. “Why didn’t you tell me Shiloh owns a wine shop?”

“Does she?”

“I’m sure you know that she does. So tell me, what’s the real deal with you and Shiloh? And don’t tell me there isn’t one. All it will do is keep me digging.”

Caden leaned back in his chair and built a steeple with his fingers while staring at his brother. “Has it ever occurred to you that it’s not any of your business?”

Dalton continued to smile. “Yes, that did occur to me, but I dismissed it as a crazy idea.”

“And why would you do that?”

“Because you’re the middle child, and I promised Dad I would keep an eye out for you, so everything you do is my business, Caden.”

“Bullshit. But two can play your silly little game. Where were you yesterday? On the way out, I asked Brandy to let you know I was leaving the office, and she mentioned you hadn’t returned from your appointment with a private investigator. Why were you meeting with a P.I.?”

Caden watched the expression on his brother’s face, and it was apparent he didn’t like being the one in the hot seat. In fact, Caden noticed that Dalton actually seemed to be squirming.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

No doubt it will be damned interesting, Caden thought, keeping an eye on Dalton. “Try me.”

Dalton was silent for a minute, then he said, “I hired a private investigator to find a woman for me. I met her in a nightclub, and she left without telling me who she was and how to contact her.”

“And you hired a P.I. to find her?”

“Yes.”

Caden couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re right. I don’t believe you.”


Eleven

Shana grinned over at Jace. They were on their way to her father’s home, and he’d gotten quiet all of a sudden. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were nervous, Jace.”

He took his eyes off the road when he brought the car to a stop at a traffic light. “I am. It’s not every day I meet the father of a woman and tell him I got his daughter pregnant and ask for her hand in marriage in the same meeting.”

Shana smiled. “Take it easy. Dad’s a swell guy. Besides, he’s wanted grandkids for the longest time...as well as a son-in-law. Now he’ll get both. But you better be glad my sister, Jules, is out of town and won’t be here. She would give you a hard time just for the hell of it.”

She paused a moment and then said, “Your family seems to have taken the news well. Except maybe for Dalton. It was obvious he was kind of put out about it.”

“You should know Dalton by now. Dalton is Dalton,” Jace said as the car moved forward again. “The thought of my having unprotected sex was beyond his comprehension.”

“You didn’t tell him what happened?”

Jace shook his head. “No. It’s none of his business. Let him think whatever he wants, which is Dalton’s way.”

“Caden seemed preoccupied with something last night. Is everything all right with his band?”

“Yes, everything is fine with the band. It’s an issue concerning Shiloh Timmons.”

Shana’s brow bunched. “Timmons? Where do I know that name from?”

“Probably from seeing it in the listings of all our shareholders. Samuel Timmons was her father, but he died several months ago. All his shares in the company went to Sandra Timmons, her mother. In our board meeting a few months ago, when Titus Freeman tried to take over Granger Aeronautics, Shiloh saved the day by casting her mother’s votes our way.”

“That was pretty darned nice of her.”

“Yes, it was. Without those votes going our way, we would have been prevented from running the company the way my grandfather wanted us to.” He paused a moment and then said, “If Samuel Timmons had been alive, he would have voted with Freeman and, to this day, I don’t understand what happened.”

She looked over at him. “What happened about what?”

“My parents’ relationship with the Timmonses. They used to be close friends, and we all did things together...which is why their son, Sedrick, and I were close while growing up, and why Shiloh and Caden were close. But after my mother was killed, they, like everyone else, were convinced my father was guilty. They even testified at Dad’s trial about overhearing one of my parents’ arguments when Dad threatened to kill Mom.”

Jace paused a moment and then said, “Caden, Dalton and I overheard a similar argument. The night before Mom died. But we knew he was upset with her and that it was an idle threat.”

“Even when she was murdered the next day?”

“Yes. We were confused about a lot of things, but I think, deep down, none of us really thought Dad was capable of killing Mom.”

“Not even in the heat of passion like the prosecutors claimed?”

“Not even then. We knew Dad. As far as I’m concerned, the Timmonses should have known him equally well, and that he’d made an idle threat. It seemed as if for some reason Samuel Timmons wanted everyone to think Dad was capable of killing Mom.”

He paused again and then said, “And then after Dad was sentenced, the Timmonses and some of the other neighbors—the country-club gang—treated my brothers and me like we had the bubonic plague. They refused to let any of their kids associate with us.”

“That’s awful.”

“Yes, it was,” Jace said. “I lost my best friend, and Caden lost his.”

“So what’s the problem now?”

Jace took a few moments to tell her what Caden had told him. Retelling it made Jace realize just what a genuine ass Samuel Timmons had been. “Caden realizes he made a mistake and is determined to get her back.”

“I hope that he does.”

“Me, too.” They were silent again, and then when they came to another traffic light, Jace glanced back over at Shana and said, “Prepare me for your dad. What am I to expect?”

She smiled. “Ben Bradford is an ex-cop who raised his two daughters after the wife he loved with all his heart passed away of pancreatic cancer. Mom knew she was dying, so she prepared us somewhat. She made Jules and me promise to be good girls, and we tried to keep that promise. Dad made it easy by being such a terrific father. He worked during the day while we were in school and made sure he was home at night. At one time he was promoted to detective, but when he saw it was interfering with his time at home, he gave it up and went back to being a street cop. He said money wasn’t everything. It was more important for him to spend quality time with us.”

Jace nodded. “And he never remarried?”

“No. And he never brought a woman home for us to meet, although Jules and I know he was sexually active.”

“How could you and your sister know something like that?”

“Because we found condoms in his dresser drawer once. That’s where he kept extra money for special things like our hair appointments and school trips and stuff like that. As we got older we knew what the condoms were for. I guess he didn’t think when he tossed the packet into that particular drawer. He’d forgotten we went into it from time to time.”

“And now he’s dating Mona, the blind woman.”

“Yes. They’d only known each other a short while, and now he says he’s in love with her.”

“True love. There was a time I didn’t believe in it.”

“Yes,” she said, grinning. “I recall you once saying that.”

“Things have changed, and I hope you don’t find it hard to believe that two people can fall in love quickly, Shana. We’ve known each other a short while, and I know for certain that I’m in love with you.”

“And I’m in love with you,” she said, smiling over at him. “But...”

“But what?”

“I guess I’m overprotective of Dad, yet at the same time I want to see him happy. He deserves it.”

“Then let him be happy.”

Jace pulled the car into Shana’s father’s driveway and killed the ignition. He glanced over at her. “He is expecting us, right?”

Shana smiled. “Yes, he’s expecting us, and please relax, Jace. My father is nothing like Samuel Timmons.”

Jace let out a deep breath before smiling over at her. “Hell, I hope not.”

* * *

“Yes, Sedrick?” Shiloh asked, connecting to the incoming call on her phone.

“Everything is all set for Saturday night. I’ve made dinner plans at the Matador.”

“All right.” The Matador was a very nice restaurant in town.

“Wallace wants to come pick you up. Do you have a problem with that?”

Because he’d asked, she figured he thought that she would. “No, I don’t have a problem with it. I’m looking forward to seeing him again.”

“Great! And like I said, Shiloh, he’s a nice guy. He’ll be there to pick you up at seven.”

“Fine. I’ll be ready.”

She hung up the phone thinking that she sounded more excited than she actually felt. Each time she went into her office and saw those darned white roses on her desk she thought about Caden.

Then why did you keep the darned things? You could have trashed them, her mind mocked. No matter how she felt about Caden, there was no way she could have done such a thing for spite. She was more mature than that. In that case, why did you have Tess tell Caden you were busy when he called? You could have at least thanked him for the flowers.

She knew the answer to that one. The last thing she needed was to hear his voice. That deep, rich, sexy sound always did things to her. She recalled teasing him about his voice changing when they were kids. He took all of her jesting in stride. But then, Caden had always been the most easygoing person she knew. At least he was until he got angry, and then he was the one who’d become spiteful, not only sleeping with other women but also refusing to have anything to do with her. And then for him to say all those awful things to her that night and...

She drew in a deep breath when she felt tears fill her eyes. Why couldn’t she just let go of the pain? Wiping the tears from her eyes, she decided to take a shower and get into bed early. More than anything, she needed a good night’s sleep.


Twelve

Ben Bradford offered Jace his hand as he looked directly into his eyes. “So you’re Jace Granger.” The older man then smiled. “I’m so glad my daughter has finally brought you over for a visit. Come on in. I’ve prepared dinner, so I hope you’re hungry.”

“Yes, sir, I am,” Jace said as he and Shana followed her father through the foyer into a spacious living room. He glanced around at all the framed photographs lining the walls. He walked over to look more closely at Shana in various stages of her growth. One photo was of her on a bicycle with her sister on a tricycle. Another on her graduation day from high school. Then another showed her graduating from college.

“She was a cute little something,” Ben said, chuckling. “Both my daughters were. I’m proud of my girls.”

Jace turned toward the man. “And you have every right to be.” Benjamin Bradford was just as he’d pictured him to be. Tall, ruggedly built and in good shape for a man his age, which he would put in his middle fifties, like his own father.

“Thanks, Dad. What’s for dinner?” Shana asked, turning to head for the kitchen.

Ben chuckled. “Only my child can thank you for a compliment and then beg for food in the same sentence.”

“I wasn’t begging, just asking out of curiosity. It smells good, whatever it is,” Shana said as she walked into the kitchen.

Ben and Jace followed. Ben glanced over at Jace. “So, Jace, I read about that kidnapping attempt in the paper. Glad you came out without a scratch, young man.”

“And I have your daughter to thank for that.”

“Hmm, better not let Dalton hear you say that,” Shana said, sitting down at the kitchen table.

Jace chuckled. “Yeah, I have to give my brother credit as well, but he would not have known I was missing had it not been for Shana and her team.”

Ben was very astute in reading people, and he’d been reading the body language between these two from the moment they had entered his home. His daughter, his finicky daughter where men were concerned, was in love. There was a glow on her face that he’d never seen before. Ever. And he hadn’t missed the looks these two had been giving each other.

He wasn’t surprised Shana hadn’t brought Jace around before now. His daughter had to be sure of things, and for her to bring him now meant her mind was made up. She had finally met a guy she felt was worthy of her affection.

Ben figured these two hadn’t known each other too long. But then, he of all people knew you could fall in love in an instant. He’d done so twice in his life and figured when it came to his girls, things for them wouldn’t be much different. He’d noticed how Jace was looking at Shana, and he knew those feelings went beyond the physical.

There was no doubt in his mind there was a strong physical attraction between the two of them. He’d seen Jace’s sports car parked in Shana’s driveway more than once when he’d come to visit. Seeing she had company, he had kept going, knowing she would bring him around eventually if he was a keeper. These two were in love, and he wondered whether they’d figured it out yet.

“You can join Shana at the table, Jace. As you can see, it’s already set.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

Jace had manners, and Ben appreciated that. He’d done his homework on Jace Granger and liked what he’d discovered so far. Shana had mentioned the deathbed promise he’d made to his grandfather, and Ben couldn’t help but think highly of him for fulfilling it.

“I grilled steaks, made a salad, baked bread, steamed veggies and made a banana pudding.”

“Everything sounds delicious.”

“And it will be. Didn’t I tell you my dad was fantastic?” Shana said, grinning.

Ben couldn’t help smiling. It was good to see all the starchiness gone from his daughter. She appeared relaxed, carefree, and it was obvious she had let her hair down a bit—literally, since it flowed past her shoulders. She looked content. Happy.

Over dinner, they discussed a number of things—the economy, upcoming elections, world affairs and such. Then Ben took Jace out back to show him his garden that he’d started with Mona’s help. For some reason, he ended up telling Jace about Mona and what a wonderful woman she was.





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