An Heir For The Texan

Paris laid a palm on Georgie’s arm. “I wasn’t exactly serious. I can tell there’s nothing between you two. Which leads me to another question. It’s your decision whether to answer or not.”

Georgie braced for the query. “Ask away.”

Paris leaned back against the counter and studied her straight on. “Is it Austin?”

Georgie studied the toe of her boot. “Well...uh... I...”

“I know you two have been involved before,” Paris continued. “And I can tell you still care about him by the way you look at him.”

If Paris had noticed, what about the rest of the Calloways? What about Austin? Had she really been that obvious? “Yes, I cared about him a lot a long time ago, and in some ways I still do. Unfortunately I made the fatal mistake of letting those feelings get in the way of logic six years ago.”

“Then if you do still care about him, Georgie, you should tell him you have a child together.”

“I never actually said he’s the father.”

“You haven’t denied it, either.”

Georgie resigned herself to the fact that she couldn’t get out of this predicament without digging a deeper deception hole. “All right. Austin is Chance’s father. We got together the night after the reading of his father’s will. He was upset when he learned about J.D.’s double life, and I wanted so badly to comfort him. That’s how we conceived our son.”

Paris sent her a sympathetic look. “Austin is a good man. He’ll understand why you felt you couldn’t tell him at that point in time.”

If only she could believe that theory. “I had every intention of telling him, but when I found out he was married, I didn’t have the heart to mess up his life. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do. But when I learned he was divorced right before I finished vet school, I realized maybe I’d been wrong. Now he’s going to hate me for not telling him sooner.”

“He’s going to be angry, but I doubt he’ll hate you. And I know he won’t hate having a son. That’s why I believe you should let him know, unless you plan to keep your son hidden until he’s an adult.”

She needed more time to think. She needed to get home before her mom called.

With that in mind, Georgie turned to Paris and attempted a small smile. “I’m going to take everything you’ve said into serious consideration. In the meantime, if you don’t mind—”

“Not saying anything to anyone?” Paris returned her smile. “I promise I won’t mention it, and after you’ve told Austin, I’ll pretend to be as surprised as everyone else.”

“After you’ve told me what, Georgie?”

Three (#u86af8e01-2eee-56a7-921d-676a373b1488)

Georgie startled at the sound of Austin’s voice, so much so she physically jumped. “We were talking about...uh... We were playing a game.”

He tossed the beer can in the recycle bin and frowned. “What kind of game?”

“A guessing game,” Paris said. “Georgie tells me a story from your childhood, and I have to guess which brother did what.”

Georgie thanked her lucky stars Paris had such a sharp mind. “That’s right. I just mentioned the time someone was doing donuts in the Parkers’ pasture. I told her everyone thought it was Dallas, when it was really you, and she thought I should tell you to confess to Dallas to clear the air.” And that had to be the lamest fabrication ever to leave her mouth.

He strolled farther into the kitchen and frowned. “Yep, that was me doing the donuts on the night after I found out I got accepted into college. And FYI, Dallas already knows. He took the blame because he knew Dad would come down harder on me.”

Georgie recalled that fateful day when Austin had informed her about his college acceptance, and she had assumed he would be out of her life forever. Now just the opposite would be true, if she told him about Chance.

She did a quick check of her watch and saw an excuse to escape both Austin’s and Paris’s questions. “It’s time for me to go. I have to be up very early in the morning to make my rounds.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Austin said.

“Thanks, but I can make it to the truck on my own. Finish your visit with the family.”