Heart Of A Texan

Cooper smiled.

Jared tried to smile, too, but pain seemed to grip him and he frowned instead. “Thank you,” he managed.

“I’d better let the nurses know you’re awake,” Cooper said. “Excuse me for a second.”

Bella waited until he was gone before walking over to Jared. His eyes were clear and locked on her. Having his full attention gave her the good kind of chills, and she ignored them because the bond she had with Jared Stone would be broken now. He no longer needed her.

She covered her hand with his, careful not to cause him further pain, and gave him a smile. “I’m glad I was able to help you.” She nibbled on her lower lip, thinking of Paul and somehow feeling that she’d evened out the score, in a way. Jared Stone would survive. “But since your brother’s here...well, I’ll be leaving you in good hands.”

“You stayed because I had no one else.” It was a statement not a question.

“Yes, and to make sure you’d survive.”

“I did, thanks to you.” He applied pressure to her hand, the squeeze only slight but enough to convey his emotions. Fatigue pulled the lines of his face down and his eyes began to close.

“I’ll be going now. Have a good life, Jared.”

She wasn’t sure if he’d heard her goodbye. Yet when she walked out of his hospital room, an odd sensation stirred in her belly. As she approached the nurses’ station, she noticed Cooper in a discussion with a floor nurse.

Looking out the window, she saw a news van from a local Dallas station pulling up to the hospital. It wouldn’t do to be here when the journalists started doing interviews. She couldn’t afford to be recognized. She slipped past Cooper without being noticed and then exited the hospital.

Two (#ulink_99544370-4c71-58f8-950c-cf29f8c626d0)

Sienna sat in the middle of Amy’s living room, stacking colorful plastic blocks on top of each other. “I make castle,” she announced.

“It’s beautiful,” Bella said. The formation tilted far to the left, and as soon as Sienna’s chunky little hand attached the last block—shaped like a blond-haired princess—the whole thing toppled over.

Sienna broke out in giggles and Bella laughed along with her. “Oh, no!”

“Do again, Mommy. Do again.” Sienna’s wide green eyes beseeched her.

“Okay, sweet baby. We’ll do it again.”

Bella took a seat beside her daughter on the floor and helped gather up the blocks.

Amy came out of her bedroom and plopped down on the sofa. Her home was the epitome of class and elegance, with its white furniture, glass fixtures and beautiful light-slate flooring. Amy had worked hard since their days at Berkeley, becoming a successful real estate agent. Bella could fit her small rental home where she’d lived with Paul twice over into this big luxurious condo. Yet, she’d never minded living on Paul’s salary alone. Her father’s form of punishment in withholding her funds had backfired on him. She’d actually loved living on a budget, as long as she and Paul were together.

“No luck on that job interview, I’m afraid,” Bella told her, grabbing a few blocks and starting to build again. “I won’t be the new sous chef at the Onion Slice.”

“Did you do as I said?”

She shook her head. “No, I didn’t cover up my bruises with makeup. It wouldn’t have worked anyway. They would’ve seen right through it. Literally.”

“I bet you didn’t tell them the truth, either. That you got those scrapes from saving a man’s life two days ago.”

“The subject didn’t come up.”

“You’re too modest.”

“I just don’t see how telling them about the accident has anything to do with my culinary skills. If they don’t think I’m qualified for the job, then I’ll find someplace that does. I have another interview tomorrow.” She placed a pink block over Sienna’s lavender one.

“Good for you. With Christmas coming, I’m sure the restaurants are busier than usual. You’ll find something. But you know you can stay here as long as you like. I love having Sienna and you here for as long as it takes. Makes this big place feel more homey.”

“I do know that. You’ve been wonderful. But I need a job. I need to get back on my feet.” What she really wanted was to open a restaurant of her own. She’d worked toward that goal for a while. Now that dream had to be put on hold until she could make sense of her life.

“Have you heard any news of your father at all?”

“No, thank goodness. I didn’t leave a forwarding address with anyone I know in San Francisco and I have a new cell number. Your place is so brand-new that even if he wanted to find me through you, he wouldn’t be able to. He’s a stubborn old mule. And Yvonne is no help. She’s probably grinning from ear to ear that we’re out of Marco’s life now.”

“The evil stepmother.”

“Hardly a mother. She’s only thirty-eight, ten years older than me. The thought of that woman ever raising my daughter makes me sick to my stomach.”

“Your dad would never take Sienna away from you,” Amy said. “It’s an idle threat, Bella.”

“I don’t know that for sure. He was eager to accuse me of having a mental breakdown when Paul died. I did my best to hang tough, but it was difficult for me.”

“You were grieving. That doesn’t make you unstable,” Amy said. “And you bounced back, for Sienna’s sake.”

A sigh blew from Bella’s lips. “We’re better off now. Starting fresh. Starting over. At least I won’t have to worry about Dad announcing my engagement in the society page to a man I’d barely dated. That was the last straw.”

“That was pretty underhanded,” Amy said, lifting up the Dallas Tribune. “But it seems like you made the newspapers again, Bella. I found this last night on page three and thought maybe you’d like to see it.”

Amy handed her the newspaper. The black-and-white photo of the accident scene jumped out at her first. It pictured what was left of the hot red Lamborghini and next to it was an image of Jared Stone. She skimmed the article, learning that the victim was an entrepreneur and rancher who lived on Stone Ridge Ranch quite a few miles outside the city limits. It went on to say that Jared Stone had multiple holdings and companies in and around the Dallas area and shared his ranching business with his brother, Cooper. The piece hinted at a privileged lifestyle, portraying a man who courted danger with fast cars, racing boats and motorcycles.

“Seems like your guy has a need for speed,” Amy said, grinning.

“Yeah, well. Hopefully he’s learned his lesson. When I think about what could’ve happened to him, I get flustered.”

“Oh, yeah, that was a pretty gruesome scene. But you pulled it off. That guy doesn’t know how darn lucky he was that you were driving on that road at that exact moment. There’s a mention of you in there, but they didn’t print your name. You’re the brave mysterious woman who pulled him to safety and saved his life.”

“Yeah, well, I ducked out of the hospital before the news crew arrived, I guess.” She tossed the newspaper aside. “I don’t want to think about it anymore. I have enough trouble sleeping at night.”

“Oh, man, Bella. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was keeping you up.”

“It’s nothing new. I’m a terrible sleeper. I envy people who can lay their heads down and fall asleep. That’s so not me.”

She helped Sienna put the princess block on the very top of the castle and this time it didn’t topple over. “Yay! You did it!” She clapped her hands and Sienna mimicked her.

“I did it, Mommy!”

She hugged the baby to her chest. Sienna was growing up way too fast. She deserved a good life in a place she could call home, with a dog or a cat or a goldfish, and a backyard instead of a high-rise elevator.

But for now, they had to make do living in Dallas.

* * *

Jared leaned against Cooper, his brother bracing him under the arm as they strode into the house. He was banged up pretty badly, but after two days in the hospital, he refused to enter his home in a wheelchair. He’d make it under his own power, with a little help from Coop, and that was that.