The Cowgirl's Forever Family

by Helen Lacey

  Her long-lost brother had come home.

  * * *

  Tyler was up and on his heels the moment he realized that Matthew Laughton was glaring down at them as though he’d witnessed a crime scene. Having met the younger man several times when Matt was dating Yelena, he had as little regard for him then as he did now. Maybe more so. Because now Cara and Brooke were swept up in Matt Laughton’s wake of disaster...and they were the two people he cared about most in the world.

  He ignored the twitch in his gut at the sight of the younger man and quickly grabbed Brooke’s hand to help her up. Once she was standing she released his hand and within seconds was in her brother’s embrace. He ignored the resentment curdling his blood and stepped beside the stroller protectively.

  “Gosh, it’s good to see you,” Brooke said breathlessly and hugged her brother again.

  Matthew held her away from him and smiled. “And you.” His gaze flicked to the stroller and then Tyler. “Ah...what’s going on here? Who is—” He stopped midsentence as recognition hit. “Hey, I know you...you’re—”

  “Tyler Madden. Ralph Jürgens’s lawyer,” Tyler supplied coolly.

  Matthew Laughton’s eyes darkened. “Yelena,” he said so quietly it was almost to the wind. “Yelena,” he said her name again. “Is she here?”

  “No,” Tyler said, biting back the urge to throw a punch. He wasn’t violent, but Matthew’s arrival had somehow put him off his guard.

  The other man frowned. “I don’t understand what’s going on here?” He glanced at his sister, then back to Tyler, scowling harder. “And what the hell was that I just saw between you and my—”

  “That,” Brooke said swiftly and grasped her brother’s arm, “is definitely none of your business. But there is something you need to know. I didn’t want to tell you in a text so—”

  “Tell me what?” he demanded, cutting off his sister’s words. He looked toward Tyler and then the stroller. “And why is there a baby here? What the hell is going on?” He looked at Brooke, still scowling. “Why have you been sending me urgent texts all week and why the hell were you rolling around in the snow with this guy when—”

  “Enough!” Tyler said the word so harshly that he saw Brooke wince. But it shut Matthew Laughton up immediately. He took a deep breath and spoke again. “First, don’t ever talk to your sister that way. And second, this is Cara,” he said, gesturing to the baby happily gurgling in the stroller. “She’s Yelena Jürgens’s child,” he said the words slowly, so that Matthew would understand every word. “And your daughter.”

  The younger man stepped back and flicked off his sister’s hand. His gaze moved to the baby suspiciously. “My daughter?” he said the words incredulously. “I don’t believe it.”

  Brooke stepped closer. “It’s true, Matt. Cara is your child.”

  “It’s not possible,” he said, shaking his head. “We always used protection and—”

  “Birth control can fail,” Tyler said and tried to diffuse the anger he experienced, sensing Matt didn’t want to immediately embrace the idea that Cara was his. Couldn’t he see how precious she was?

  If she were mine I would claim her in a heartbeat.

  And Brooke.

  “She’s your child,” Tyler said coolly. “But I can arrange DNA testing if you need it.”

  “Matt.” Brooke’s voice rang out gently. “It’s true. I’ve seen the birth certificate. Look at her,” she implored with such feeling it made Tyler’s insides ache. “She’s a Laughton. She’s such a beautiful child and once you get to know her you’ll fall in love with her, too.”

  Matthew shook his head, clearly shocked and outraged. “No,” he said and stepped back. “It’s impossible. No way in hell,” he said as he turned and walked off.

  Tyler waited until he was twenty feet in the distance before he turned back toward Brooke. She had tears in her eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms, but he was so angry with her brother he knew it wasn’t the time.

  “I’ll talk to him,” she offered.

  Tyler pulled the stroller out of the snow and pushed it forward. “Do that, and soon,” he said coldly. “Because time is running out.”

  Chapter Eleven

  By the time they reached the house Brooke’s emotions were hanging by a thread. Matt was home. It was Christmas Day. And Cara’s birthday. They should be getting ready to celebrate the day with her aunt and cousins at Grady’s ranch. Instead she was entering the house with knots in her stomach. The fact that Tyler walked beside her, his expression carved from stone, didn’t help appease the uncertainty of her thoughts.

  I need to fix this.

  She summoned her strength and walked into the house. Tyler didn’t follow her from the kitchen and she suspected he was heading to put Cara down for a nap. Brooke walked into the living room and spotted her brother by the window. He’d grown up, she thought as she watched him. Five years had turned him from a boy into a man. He was nearly twenty-four. He’d been alone, living his life, making his way in the world.

  And making a baby.

  “Matt,” she said as she moved around the sofa. “We really need to talk about this.”

  He stood rigid, his back to her. When he finally turned she saw the emotion in his eyes. He was clearly hanging on by a thread. “Are you sure? Is it really true?”

  “That she’s your daughter? Yes,” Brooke assured him. “It’s true. She looks just like you, Matt. And why would Yelena lie about such a thing? You did have an intimate relationship with her, right?”

  He nodded. “Yes. And the lawyer...what’s he got to do with this?”

  “Tyler brought Cara here. It was Yelena’s wish.”

  Matt closed his eyes for a second, blinking hard. “Where is Yelena? Something’s happened, hasn’t it?” he asked and didn’t wait for a reply. “I mean, to Yelena. It must have, otherwise she’d be here telling me all this.”

  “She passed away a few months ago,” Brooke said as she nodded and then calmly explained what she knew about Yelena’s illness and pregnancy. “That’s all I know. If you need more information you need to talk to Tyler.”

  “Tyler?” he quizzed. “You two looked very friendly out there in the snow.”

  She ignored the heat spotting her cheeks. “That’s not up for discussion. All that matters is Cara.”

  “Cara,” he echoed softly and sat down as though the world weighed down on his shoulders “It’s a pretty name. Yelena always liked that name.”

  “You talked about baby names?” Brooke asked quickly.

  He shrugged wearily. “It was just talk. I think it was her mom’s name or something. Damn,” he said and ran a hand through his floppy blond hair. “Why didn’t she tell me she was pregnant?”

  “Because she didn’t have your number after you ran out.”

  Tyler’s voice, cool and calm from the doorway, turned Brooke’s head instantly. Her first instinct was to run to her brother’s defense. But she was torn, conflicted, desperate to remain a unified front with the man she loved, but unwilling to hurt her little brother.

  Matt was scowling. “Yelena knew I wasn’t hanging around,” he said defensively. “Look, I liked her, okay. I liked her a lot. But she knew I had a job offer in Seattle and I was up front about it from the start. I’ve been working in construction, remodeling old homes. It’s turned into something,” he said and looked toward Brooke, searching her face for support. “I’ve got my own crew and I’m doing well, making money, and I bought a house six months ago.”

  “I’m happy for you, Matt,” she said softly. “I’m happy that you’ve made a life for yourself. But we need to talk about Cara’s future.”

  He rubbed a hand down his face. “It’s a lot to get my head around.”

  “Of course,” she said gently. “But she’s a baby and she needs her
father. It’s what Yelena wanted.”

  He looked up and met her gaze, then shot a look toward Tyler. “Is that true?”

  Tyler’s expression was hard, without feeling. And she realized that in that moment he was all lawyer, all process and procedure. “Yes. She wanted Cara to be with her father.”

  Matt got to his feet and paced the room. “I don’t know,” he said, sounding hopeless. “This is a big shock. I came back expecting you to tell me you’d sold the place or you were getting married or something,” he said and flicked his gaze between her and Tyler. “I wasn’t expecting to learn I’m a father. So,” he said, a little firmer as he looked toward Tyler again, “where do you fit into this scenario?”

  “Ralph Jürgens appointed me as Cara’s legal guardian.”

  Matt nodded slowly. “So, basically, that means you’re calling all the shots?”

  “Exactly.”

  Brooke couldn’t stand how quickly the tension was escalating between the two men. She knew Tyler wouldn’t give an inch. His job was to protect Cara and he would do that to his last breath. She also knew her brother...and that’s what terrified her.

  “You have to come home, Matt,” she said firmly. “You have to come home and be a father. You have a responsibility to that little girl. She needs you.”

  He sighed heavily. “Like I said, I need time to get my head around this.”

  “You have until tomorrow to decide,” Brooke pointed out, harsher than she liked, but she was desperate for her brother to do what was right.

  “Tomorrow?” he echoed and then looked at Tyler. “Are you kidding? Is that your doing?”

  Brooke watched, fascinated, as Tyler stood as still as a statue, his expression impassive, giving nothing away. But she knew he wasn’t as unaffected as he wanted to make out. The tiny pulse in his cheek throbbed and his broad shoulders were tighter than she’d ever seen them. She knew his moods, she’d witnessed them over the past week as she was falling in love with him. He knew her, too, she was sure. He knew she was devastated at the thought of losing Cara.

  “I agreed to stay a week,” Tyler said so formally she actually shivered. “Your sister assured me you would return.”

  “Well, she was right,” Matt said and smiled a little. “I’m here. But I need more than twenty-four hours to work out what I’m going to do. Look,” he said, hands on hips. “I get that there’s an innocent child involved here, but I just found out I have a daughter less than an hour ago, so how about you give me a break and get off my back.”

  Brooke stilled, refusing to take a breath in case she missed a word of Tyler’s response. Part of her admired her brother for standing up for himself. He had grown up. She only hoped he’d grown up enough. Glancing at Tyler, she could see that he was angry, but she knew he’d control himself—because he was always in control.

  “I promised your sister that I would give you some time with Cara if you came back. So, I’ll stay until Wednesday,” he said evenly. “That’s when I’ll make my decision.”

  “Your decision?” Matt asked, scowling.

  “Yelena wanted her daughter to be with her father. If, and only if, I think you are what’s best for Cara, then I will agree to you taking over custody. But don’t press your luck with me, Laughton. All I care about is what happens to that little girl down the hall.”

  Brooke got to her feet, suddenly afraid the two men might come to blows. Matt had always been a hothead and she sensed that although Tyler appeared to have a long fuse, he might be the same if pushed too hard.

  “How about I make coffee,” she suggested.

  Matt shook his head, still staring at Tyler. “I’d like to go and meet my daughter...if that’s okay with you.”

  Tyler nodded slowly and placed the baby monitor on the sideboard. “Sure, second room on the right,” he said quietly, making it very clear he would be listening.

  For a second she thought Matt was going to get riled up, but instead he shrugged loosely and cast Brooke a weary look before he slowly left the room.

  She waited until his footsteps faded before she spoke. “Was that necessary?”

  Tyler met her gaze. “What?”

  “Making him feel about a foot tall.”

  He dropped a shoulder. “He needs to know how things stand. Pandering to him isn’t going to help the situation.”

  “Pandering?” Brooke echoed as irritation crept over her skin.

  Tyler’s expression remain granite hard. “He’s a grown man and needs to act like one.”

  “We need to give him a chance.” She shot back. “Naturally, he’s in shock.”

  “Naturally.”

  The baby monitor crackled and Matt’s voice came through, soft and low as he talked to the baby, who was clearly awake and gurgling. “See,” she said and half smiled. “He’s doing okay. He’s here and he’s trying.”

  “We’ll see.”

  She stayed calm, even though her temper flared inside. He was being as unyielding as a rock. “I really want this to work out,” she said. “I understand you have a job to do, but please, don’t make it harder for my brother than it already is.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  She knew he was annoyed, could feel it in his cool tone. “And thank you for agreeing to stay a little longer... I know you have a life that you have to get back to. I know you—”

  “Do you?” he snapped and ran a hand through his hair. “Do you really? Do you know how conflicted I am at the moment?”

  “Of course,” she said, stepping closer. “You’re attached to Cara and—”

  “This isn’t about Cara,” he flipped back, his green eyes boring into her. “It’s about you.”

  He was conflicted about her? “Me?”

  “You,” he said again. “Us.”

  Us...

  Brooke almost swooned. “But I didn’t think—”

  “You didn’t think what?” he demanded and reached for her, pulling her against him. “That it wouldn’t be hard for me to leave you? No?” he queried, his eyes scorching hers. “Do you think I’m made of stone?”

  The ragged passion in his voice rendered her mindless and she sagged against him. His strong arms moved around her, and he held her with a kind of fierce possession she hadn’t experienced before. He gently fisted a handful of her hair, tilted her head back and kissed her hotly, like he was suddenly quenching an insatiable thirst. Brooke kissed him back and they stayed like that until Matt’s voice pulled them back into reality.

  “Ah...so, I think she needs a diaper change or something.”

  He released her abruptly and Brooke stepped away, conscious that her brother had caught her making out with Tyler twice in as many hours.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Tyler said, not looking at her as he turned and strode from the room.

  Once he was gone, Matt let out a low whistle. “Speaking of all things unexpected... I didn’t think I’d come home to catch you in a lip-lock with Ice Man.”

  Brooke frowned. “Don’t, Matt. He’s not like that.”

  Her brother’s eyes widened. “Oh, Jesus, don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for him?”

  Completely and totally.

  “I don’t want to talk about it. Tell me where you’ve been,” she said, flipping the subject. “Seattle, you said?”

  He shrugged lightly. “Yeah, for the past twenty months or so. I love what I’m doing and there’s plenty of restoration work happening. When I first left here I headed for New Mexico and worked my way on a few construction sites. I met an old guy, an old-time builder who kind of took me under his wing. He taught me what he knew. When he died a couple of years ago his ashes were flown back to Boston, where he was from. From there I went to New York,” he explained. “And then I met Yelena.” He paused, thinking, clearly remembering. “
It’s a damned awful thing, her dying.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Matt’s eyes softened. “But the baby, she’s really beautiful.”

  Brooke’s heart swelled up. “I’m so glad you feel that way. Do you...do you want her, Matt?”

  “How could I not?” he replied. “I mean, she’s my kid. Of course...of course I want her. I think I just need some time to adjust to all this. It kind of came out of the blue.”

  “I didn’t want to tell you in a text message,” she said. “I hope you understand that.”

  He shrugged. “I do. And it’s really good to see you. I’ve missed you.” He looked around the room. “And I’ve missed this place. Although it’s a bit run-down since the last time I was here.”

  She shrugged loosely. “I know. I haven’t done a great job of maintaining things. But it’s been hard doing it...”

  “Alone?” he said when her words trailed off. “Yeah, I guess that’s on me. I left you to handle it all.”

  Brooke’s chest tightened. “I don’t blame you, Matt. I think I did at first...but not anymore. You’re my little brother and I love you. And I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too,” he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve missed this place. I used to think I’d always live on this ranch and be a part of this town. But everything changed that day...you know...after the accident.”

  Heat burned her eyes. “It was a long time ago. Have you made peace, Matt? Have you made peace with yourself?”

  He looked into her eyes. “Honestly, I don’t know,” he said and sighed. “I’ve tried to make a good life in Seattle...one that’s got some value, even though I can never make up for what happened. I’ve tried to be the kind of man that our parents would be proud of. Even though I still screw up sometimes,” he said and managed a wry smile. “Like I did with Yelena.”

  “Did you love her, Matt?”

  He shrugged. “She was a nice girl. Sweet...a little lost, I guess...like me. We just kind of drifted together and then we drifted apart.”