The Texan's Secret

Her mother would explode if she knew Shay had tried and it hadn’t worked. Chance would protect the Calhouns to the bitter end. His loyalty was with them. Not her.

WHEN CHANCE GOT BACK to the Southern Cross, he explained Shay’s situation to Walker. They agreed to wait for Judd’s decision. Chance didn’t tell Renee what he’d found out. He felt Judd needed to be there before he did.

On Monday Renee went in to Austin to shop, and Chance was glad. Judd and Cait should be home soon, and he’d tell them about Shay.

A part of him wanted to keep her secret, but the one he was already keeping was eating him up, and he wasn’t doing that any more. Not even for a woman he couldn’t stop thinking about. If she was Jack’s daughter, why hadn’t Blanche told Jack about her? A lot of the story didn’t make sense. But he knew one thing: he was caught smack-dab in the middle.

He saddled up and headed out to check the Brahman cows that were about to calf. They kept records on each cow and calf, and had to know when a calf hit the ground. The cows looked good, knee deep in early coastal, but there were no new births. They had a tendency to all give birth around the same time. Then it was rodeo time as the cowboys branded and tagged each calf.

Chance rode back to the barn and dismounted. “Felipe, rub Chief down for me.”

“Yes, sir.” Felipe led the horse away.

As Chance reached the office, Brenda Sue, Judd’s secretary, came out. “Do you know when Judd is coming back?” she asked. “I have all these messages and I don’t know what to tell people anymore. Looks like Judd could have left a date so I could tell people, but oh no, they just take off and—”

Chance held up a hand to stop her. If he didn’t, she’d ramble on. “I don’t know when he’s coming back. Just take the messages. Okay?”

“Okay,” she replied, and muttered “men” under her breath as she stomped off.

Removing his hat, Chance swiped a hand through his hair. He’d rather deal with an ornery bull than Brenda Sue. He heard the sound of a car and turned to see Cait’s Escalade roll into the garage. They were home.

Chance went into the office, but couldn’t concentrate. He wanted to give Judd and Cait time to settle in before he hit them with the news. After several minutes, he couldn’t wait any longer. He strolled toward the house.

Cait, with one-year-old Justin in her arms, hugged him at the back door and invited him in.

“How was the trip?” he asked.

“Wonderful,” she exclaimed, wiping Justin’s mouth. The toddler was eating a cookie, with crumbs and saliva running down his chin.

Renee walked in holding Eli, a replica of Judd. Justin looked more like his mother.

“Look, Chance, my babies are home.”

“I see.”

“Okay, boys,” Cait said. “Time for a nap.”

“I’ll put them down,” her mother-in-law offered, and gathered Justin into her other arm. As she did, Judd came into the kitchen.

“Hey, Chance,” he said in his booming voice. Judd was a big man with an even bigger presence. He was very much like his father, but Chance would never tell him that. Judd and Jack hadn’t had a good relationship.

Chance had had a good relationship with his own father until…

“Do you have a minute?” He couldn’t think about his parents. He had other things to handle.

“Sure. Let’s go to my study.”

Chance looked at Cait, who was nibbling on a cookie. “This concerns you, too.”

“Oh, I’m honored I get to attend the powwow.” Cait had black hair and the Belle blue eyes. She was a natural beauty, but Chance knew she could match any man in mental strength—even Judd.

“Don’t be funny.” Her husband slipped an arm around her waist. It was evident how much they loved each other. Chance hoped one day to find an everlasting love like that.

Cait kissed Judd’s cheek and they walked down the hall to his study. Judd sat at his big mahogany desk and Chance and Cait settled in the burgundy wingback chairs. There were family photos on the desk, along with a sculpture of a magnificent horse. Pictures of prize Brahman bulls and thoroughbred horses hung on the walls.

“Is everything okay on the ranch?” Judd asked.

“Yes. Everything is running smoothly,” Chance replied.

“Well, what has you looking like an old hound dog that’s been beat a few times?”

Chance removed his hat and placed it on the arm of the chair. “There was an incident here at the ranch I thought you should know about.” He told them about the accident and Shay.

“Damn it! She had the combination to my safe?” Judd jumped up, pulled back the picture and opened the safe. He searched through it. “There doesn’t seem to be anything missing. What was she after?”

Chance took a breath. “The jewelry, or more precisely the wedding rings.”

Judd frowned. “What the hell are you talking about? What jewelry? What rings?”

Chance hesitated, hating to shatter Judd’s world.

“Come on, Chance. What are you dancing around, but not saying?”

“Shay wanted her mother’s wedding rings.”

Judd’s frown deepened. “Who’s her mother and what would her rings be doing here?”

Chance swallowed and said, “Blanche Dumont.”

“What?” the rancher visibly paled.

Chance rushed into speech to ease his friend’s confusion. “When Shay gave a false name and left in a hurry, I felt I should find out who she really was and why she was rummaging through the safe. I found out more than I wanted. Blanche is dying of lung cancer and she wants to be buried with the rings your father gave her. She pressured Shay into coming here. Evidently your father gave Blanche the combination one time when he was drunk.”

“I knew I should have changed it, but no one ever knew it but Dad and me.” Judd reached into the safe and pulled out a black velvet box. Placing it on the desk, he said, “Dad told me her jewelry was in the safe, but he never said what to do with it.”

At Judd’s forlorn tone, Cait got up and went to his side. After rubbing his arm, she reached down and opened the box. Glistening jewels sparkled up at them.

Cait opened a small velvet box that rested among the other pieces. She gasped when she saw the diamond-studded wedding and engagement rings. “Wow, your dad was very generous.”

Judd sat down with a thud. “A thought just crossed my mind. I hope I’m wrong, but how old is this Shay?”

“Probably somewhere in her late twenties,” Chance replied. “I’m not sure, but Walker has a copy of her driver’s license. He’d know.”

Judd reached for his cell and pushed a button. He spoke to Walker and then hung up. “He’s on a call. As soon as he gets back to his office he’ll check.”

“You’re thinking she might be Jack’s daughter?” Cait asked.

“It’s a possibility, if she’s in her late twenties.” Judd drummed his fingers on the desk. “I don’t want Mom to know anything about this until I can get it sorted out.”