Slade's Secret Son

“Lisa,” he greeted coolly.

“Slade,” she returned with equal coolness.

“Never figured I’d be seeing you again.”

The frost in his voice told her that he wished he hadn’t. Self-directed anger that she’d come, raged through her. Her gaze shifted to the brown-eyed woman and a flush of embarrassment reddened her cheeks. Not only had she made a fool of herself by coming here, she’d made it in front of Slade’s wife. “Sorry I interrupted your evening.” Stiffly she added, “Congratulations on your marriage.”

The brown-eyed woman grinned, clearly finding this last statement humorous. “You have the wrong idea.” Extending her hand, she said, “We never introduced ourselves. I’m Katrina Logan, Slade’s sister-in-law. Boyd and I are just staying here while our place is being painted.”

“Lisa Gray,” Lisa responded, accepting the handshake. Even this new knowledge didn’t make her feel less like a fool.

Katrina’s gaze shifted between Lisa and Slade. Releasing Lisa’s hand, she said, “I think I’ll just go inside and finish cooking dinner. You two look like you’ve got some private business to discuss.” And, putting action to her words, she started back toward the house.

Lisa’s gaze returned to Slade. The ice was still in his eyes and nowhere on his face could she find even a hint of welcome. All the way here she’d waged a constant battle with her pride and she’d been winning. But his coldness turned the tide and pride suddenly took control. “This was a mistake,” she said tersely, and turning on her heels, she strode to her car.

Tears of frustration filled her eyes as she drove away making Slade a blurred vision in her rearview mirror. And that was how she wanted him to be…a blurred memory that would eventually fade with time until it was nothing but a shadow at the back of her mind. But that wasn’t going to happen. She had a reminder of their relationship that would never let Slade be completely erased from her life the way he had obviously erased her from his. The tears began to flow down her cheeks.

Slade remained where he was, and frowned at the departing car. Seeing Lisa had been a shock.

She hadn’t changed. He remembered the first time he’d seen her. The rangers had been asked by the Lubbock police to help with a case and she’d been one of the officers assigned to work with him. The moment she’d entered the room, he’d sensed she was trouble. Five feet, eight inches tall, athletically built, long thick black hair plaited into a single braid that hung down the middle of her back, those jade-green eyes and soft kissable lips…He jerked his mind from the path it was traveling. What had happened between them had ended better than two years ago.

“An old girlfriend?” Katrina asked, returning to Slade’s side, her retreat into the house halted by Lisa’s abrupt departure.

“Yes.”

Surprise registered on Katrina’s face and she studied him narrowly. “How old?”

“She left town more than two years ago.”

“The family is under the impression you haven’t had a serious relationship in the ten years since Claudette died.”

“I haven’t.” The statement tasted like a lie. So maybe Lisa had strolled through his dreams once or twice in the past couple of years. She’d come uninvited. When she’d walked out of his life, he’d been relieved. He didn’t want her back.

Katrina frowned thoughtfully. “I wonder why she came.”

Silently, Slade admitted to himself that he, too, was surprised Lisa had shown up on his doorstep after all this time. When she’d left, she’d made it clear she had no desire to ever see him again.

His mind flashed back to their final date. They’d gone out to dinner at their favorite restaurant. Lisa had only picked at her food. He’d thought she was preoccupied with a case or was maybe worried about her mother. Her father had died a couple of years earlier and her mother had moved to Seattle to live with her mother’s sister. The two older women got along fine most of the time, but when they had their squabbles her mother would call. Finally, Lisa had set her fork aside and faced him levelly. “There is something I need to know,” she’d said.

A terse edge in her voice told him that he was the source of whatever was troubling her. “What?”

“When we first started seeing each other, you made it clear you never intended to remarry. And, at the time, I was willing to accept that. But things have changed for me. I need to know if we have a real future together.” Her jaw had tensed, a sign he’d recognized as an indication that this was difficult for her. “I need to know if there is any possibility that you will reconsider and we might marry.”

“No,” he’d answered honestly.

Anger had shown in her eyes. “You would rather continue to live with a ghost than with me?”

“I have my reasons.”

“I need more than an affair.” She’d risen from the table. “I do not want to see you again. I’ll call a cab to take me home.”

Saying nothing to stop her, he’d simply sat and watched her walk out. Deep within he’d experienced a twist of regret, but he’d told himself it was for the best. She deserved more than he could give.

Less than a month later she’d moved to Seattle to live with her mother and aunt. They’d kept their affair very private, even from his own family. Granted Boyd had known Slade had dated her, but even he’d been made to understand that their relationship was not an emotional one. So there had been no gossip at work nor any outsiders trying to get them back together. During the short time she’d remained in Lubbock, she’d avoided him as much as possible and, he admitted, he’d avoided her. There had been only one final encounter. He shoved that memory from his mind.

“I got the impression she didn’t really want to be here,” Katrina mused out loud, jerking Slade’s mind back to the present. “Must have been something important. She certainly wasn’t here for a social call.”

Slade had to admit that Katrina was right. So, why had Lisa come here?

A blue pickup similar to Slade’s came down the driveway, parked beside Slade’s vehicle, and a man also wearing the badge of a Texas Ranger climbed out of the cab. “I swear I just passed Lisa Gray on the road,” Boyd Logan, a younger version of Slade, said, striding toward his wife and brother.

“You did,” Katrina replied.

“You chased her off again?” Boyd frowned at Slade. “I only met her a couple of times, but I was under the impression she was not only a terrific police officer, she was a good woman…strong, honest.”

“I didn’t chase her off the first time,” Slade replied. “She just figured there was nothing worth staying for.”

Boyd shook his head at his brother. “If you don’t learn to put the past behind you, you’re never going to have a future.”

Slade’s jaw hardened. “I’m satisfied with my life just the way it is.”

Boyd didn’t look convinced, but let the subject drop. “So why was Lisa here?”

“She didn’t say,” Slade replied.

Boyd raised an eyebrow. “She came all the way from Seattle and didn’t say why?”

A part of Slade wanted to let Lisa go her own way, but a stronger part couldn’t. Katrina was right. Lisa wouldn’t have come here without a very strong reason. “Think I’d better find out why she came.”

Boyd nodded his agreement.

“Looks like you won’t have to go far.” Katrina motioned toward the road with twist of her head.

The men turned to see Lisa’s car returning.

“Boyd and I’ll just go in the kitchen and finish cooking dinner,” Katrina said, taking hold of her husband’s arm and pulling him along with her.

Slade didn’t even acknowledge their departure. He was already on his way to meet Lisa as she climbed out of her car. “What’s going on?” He read the proud defiance on her face. “Must be something real important to make you overcome that pride of yours.”

Lisa swallowed the lump of rebellion that had formed in her throat. “It is.” She steeled herself and met his gaze. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Slade could see how much this was costing her. “Then tell me.”

“I want you to know that I would never have come here if I’d had any other option.”

“That’s pretty obvious,” Slade said, noting that the strain lines in her face were deepening by the second.

Her jaw tensed even more. “I took a bullet three weeks ago. I was lucky. A quarter of an inch to the right and I would have been dead. My mortality is why I’m here. I’d never really come to grips with it before.”