The Secret Son's Homecoming

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means,” his brother said and tapped him on the shoulder, “that as much as you want to, you don’t get to tell anyone how to live their life. Including and especially your parents. Now, be a big boy and go and talk to Dad.”

Dad...

Jonah hadn’t called J. D. O’Sullivan that since he was five years old.

And he never would again. He didn’t consider J.D. to be his father. He was the man who’d impregnated his mother when she was eighteen years old. End of story. There was no nice way around it. The fact that J.D. hadn’t technically abandoned his mom or him didn’t make one iota of difference. As far as Jonah was concerned, he didn’t have a father and was quite happy to keep it that way.

As if on cue, he spotted J.D. in the crowd, deep in discussion with people he knew were friends of the bride and groom. He also spotted Liam’s mother, Gwen O’Sullivan, a few feet away, clearly keeping a respectable distance between herself and her ex-husband. He admired her poise and elegance and the way she’d dropped J.D. like a hot coal once she’d discovered his lies and infidelity. Jonah had met her several times, and despite expecting her to treat him with disdain and resentment, Gwen was always polite and appeared to harbor no bad feelings toward him. He’d even attended her recent birthday celebration, albeit very briefly, as a gesture of respect.

Tired of the conversation with his half brother, Jonah waved a dismissive hand and headed inside the house. The O’Sullivan ranch was the largest around, and the house looked as though it could have been on the cover of a style magazine. The O’Sullivans were third-generation money and the wealthiest family in Cedar River. But money had never impressed Jonah, even though J.D. had showered him with extravagant gifts when he was younger. Bikes, electronic equipment, even a brand-new Jeep when he got his learner’s permit. None of it had made a lick of difference. What he’d wanted back then had nothing to do with the expensive gifts that felt like a payoff.

Family.

A mom and dad and maybe a couple of siblings. Instead, there was J.D.—turning up every few months, full of excuses and handouts and time frames. A couple of days here and there, the occasional birthday, graduation...whenever he could fit them in between his real family. With postscripts about his other children. Jonah had been raised on a steady diet of tales about his half siblings and Cedar River and life on the big O’Sullivan ranch. And through all those years, they knew nothing about him. He was a guilty secret. A side note to his father’s perfect life. Until Liam had eloped with Kayla Rickard and everything had been blown out of the water in spectacular fashion.

Now, he was a part of them, drawn into their lives without his consent and feeling resistance with every fiber he possessed. Tied by blood but always the outsider, destined to be the illegitimate and unwanted son of J. D. O’Sullivan.

He shook off his thoughts and headed down the hallway and into the front living room. He’d been inside the house a couple of times, and since Gwen had decided she wanted to get a place in town and Kieran and his new bride planned on moving in, he figured his invitations would soon become more frequent. Nicola had custody of her two orphaned nephews, and Jonah had to admit the ranch would be a great place for the kids to grow up.

Jonah came to a halt in the doorway, spotting Connie by the window. She was staring out, clearly looking for some time alone. He was about to turn and leave when she said his name and turned slightly.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” he said quickly. “I was looking for some—”

“Downtime?” she suggested, cutting him off. “Me, too. Don’t get me wrong, I love weddings, but once everything is done and the bride and groom are relaxed and happy, I always seem to need a little time-out.”

He took a couple of steps into the room. “How many of these things have you helped organize?”

Her mouth twisted in a smile. “A few.”

Jonah let out a breath and took another step. “Don’t you ever get tired of it?”

“Tired of what?”

“Doing things for everyone else.”

She turned fully to face him, and he was struck by how effortlessly beautiful she was. Even with her tightly coiffed hair, purple dress and perfect makeup...there was a naturalness about her that affected him on a kind of primal level. He tried to ignore it, tried to deny it—but there was no denying the truth. He was hot for Connie Bedford. Raging hot. And he didn’t know what the hell to do about it. He’d never been at the mercy of his libido before.

“I’ve always considered it a privilege to do things for others.”

He laughed humorlessly. “God, you’re naive.”

“Because I like to help people?”

“Because you let people walk all over you.”

She moved, taking a couple of long strides. “Like who?”

“Liam,” he said pointedly.

“He’s my employer,” she shot back.

“Didn’t you look after his kid last night?” Jonah reminded her. “Is babysitting in your job description, too?”

“They had trouble finding a replacement sitter on short notice and the whole family was at the rehearsal dinner.”

“I know,” he said and moved to stand behind the couch, watching her, fascinated as her cheeks scorched with color. “I was there.”

“So, you know the whole story.”

“I know my brother takes advantage of you. I know you pick up J.D.’s dry cleaning. I know you do errands for Gwen O’Sullivan.”

She moved closer, until there was only the sofa between them, her chest heaving. Jonah tried his best not to stare, but she was damned impossible to ignore. He’d had his fair share of relationships and lovers, but he couldn’t ever remember wanting a woman the way he wanted Connie.

“Obviously you’ve never done an unselfish thing in your life.”

“It’s not unselfish to refuse to become someone’s doormat,” he offered.

Her hands jerked to her hips in dramatic fashion. “I think that’s the most insulting thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“Then you’ve lived a sheltered life.”

“I’d rather that than be mean-spirited and unpleasant. I can’t believe you’re actually related to the O’Sullivans.”

Jonah rocked back a little on his heels. “You’re not the only one.”

“You’re not fit to wipe their boots.”

Irritation kerneled in his chest and Jonah was suddenly all out of patience. Her blind faith in the O’Sullivans was astounding. “No need to...not when you’re at their beck and call day and night.”

She glared at him. “I don’t know how I ever...ever...”

Her words trailed off. “How you what?” he shot back. “Ended up in my hotel room with your tongue in my mouth and—”

“You’re such a jerk,” she said, cutting him off. “How do you sleep at night?”

He raised a brow. “If you’d stayed in my bed that night, you would have found out.”

Chapter Two (#u83894676-f765-5f75-b9f4-1454c086eac6)

Connie shook her head. “You’re such a conceited ass. Bailing was the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”

He scowled, clearly not liking the fact that she was laughing at him. “Speaking the truth doesn’t make me conceited, Con—” He stopped and she knew he fought hard to check himself. “I mean, Miss Bedford. Your dedication to the O’Sullivans might seem honorable, but it also makes me wonder why. Money doesn’t appear to be your motive. Or power, since you’ve worked for Liam for five years and the old man before that. I don’t know...maybe you’re infatuated with one of them.”

Connie took a moment to absorb his words. And then she laughed. “Really? That’s your theory on my loyalty?”

He shrugged, then tugged at his collar. “It makes sense. You and Liam spend a lot of time together,” he said quietly. “It explains your devotion and utter compliance to everything he says and does.”