by Lois Richer
“I have hives all around this field.” At his skeptical look she lifted a hand and pointed. “There, see those white boxes? And there?”
Gabe squinted into the distance, then finally nodded.
“That’s only a small number of the hives that provide the honey I sell. I also make candles, though I doubt you’ve heard of my company.” She told him the name and shrugged when his eyes didn’t light up. “I didn’t think so. We’re pretty new on the scene.” She shifted uncomfortably. “What are you staring at?”
“You. I can’t seem to see you sticky with honey.” His smile begged her to see the joke. “You always looked so elegant, so refined. If Eunice Standish could see her model for women’s fashions now, what would she think?”
Anger snipped at Blair. How dare he malign her for making an honest living? How would somebody as rich and spoiled as Gabe ever understand how hard it was to provide just the daily bread for four other people?
“I only took that part-time job because it paid so well. And to please you, so I’d look the way you wanted.” She shrugged carelessly. “Now I don’t really care what you or Eunice or anyone else thinks. This is my life.” She straightened to her full height and frowned. “As interesting as this is, Gabe, I do have work to do. I’d appreciate it if you’d leave now.”
“What work do you have to do today?”
She jerked her head at his curious tone, but could find nothing derogatory in his eyes. Maybe she’s misjudged him. Maybe he had changed. She shrugged and grudgingly told him.
“I’m going to unwrap the last of the hives. I’ve done most of the ones on the south side, but I left a few hives in this field till today because that part of the hill takes longer to thaw out.”
“Can I watch?”
Blair sighed. Why now? Why here? Why today? Couldn’t he have gone hunting for land somewhere else? Why did he want land, anyway? The Gabriel Sloan she knew scorned any place that didn’t boast all the amenities of his deluxe L.A. condo.
“Blair? I promise I won’t interfere.”
“If you do you’ll get stung!” That made her smile. She wondered if he’d understand her hidden meaning.
“It’s happened before. A certain college student used to do it quite often, as it happens. I missed her.”
Blair got caught up in the storm of sea foam that swirled in his eyes. Her breath caught, reminding her how easily Gabe Sloan could draw her in, make her believe she was the most precious thing in his life. It wouldn’t happen again.
“I doubt you even noticed I was gone,” she returned sourly. “I’m sure you were too involved in the latest gizmo and high-tech security to keep it under wraps.” She wished it wasn’t true, but reality was hard to ignore.
“I noticed, Blair. Especially when I had to cancel that elaborate wedding.” His voice growled low, full of mocking innuendo. “Caterers, church, flowers, it took a lot of time.”
And money. Blair heard the words even if he didn’t say them. She forced her foot not to stamp. He was thinking about the money again, she just knew it. The one thing that had managed to uproot a love she was sure they’d share until eternity.
Gabe studied her, head tilted to one side in that familiar pose, and Blair smiled at the gesture so exactly a mirror of Daniel’s.
Daniel!
“I—that is, I have to get busy. You can trail along if you want. Or not. I don’t care.” She stalked through the bushes, ignoring the whoosh of mud as her boots found firm passage through the spring runoff.
She could hear Gabe following her but ignored him.
It didn’t take long to get to the last few hives and undo their insulated covers. She folded them carefully, then turned to face him.
“That’s all there is to the show for today, Gabe. I’ve got to get home and get to work. There’s a lot to do. Goodbye.”
He said nothing, simply stood there, studying her as if she were one of the oddly hewn pieces of smooth alabaster he’d collected so avidly six years ago.
“Can you find your way out of here?”
She tossed the hive wrappers into the back of the truck then turned to face him, hands clamped to her hips.
“Blair, I have legal title to this land, and I’m not backing out. This is exactly the kind of place I’ve been looking for.” His lips clamped shut, the expression on his face changed, hardened. “Perhaps the best thing to do is check it out. Now. Before things go much further.”
“What things?” She gaped at him, her mind numb.
“An excavation crew is set to come in here Monday morning.”
“Excavation?” Blair blanched at the thought of her beautiful valley, destroyed. “Why?”
“I’m building a house. I intend to live in this valley, Blair. It’s going to be my home.”
She couldn’t take it in, couldn’t understand what kind of a joke he was playing.
“But you live in Los Angeles,” she reminded him, depicting the picture she remembered late at night when she should have slept. “You crave bright lights, fast cars and people you can impress by ignoring them.” Yes, that was the real Gabe. “Why would you move here, to the middle of nowhere?”
It didn’t make sense. None of this did. Gabriel Sloan was as city as they came. Going out with starlets, winning at squash, traveling on the big showy jet, those were the things he needed to prove himself. Gabe craved all the glitz and glamour of the nightlife that L.A. offered. There was nothing around here that would interest him.
His voice roused her from her introspection.
“I’m experimenting, Blair. Isn’t that what you used to encourage? I want something different from my life. The company just isn’t enough anymore. It bores me. I’ve hired a manager. I want to take some time and relax for a while. Consider what’s next.”
“You’ve let go of the reins?” She squeaked in disbelief. “You? The guy who thinks everybody’s out to take him?” It was a direct quote. He’d said it over six years ago on that fateful morning when all her dreams had died.
Oh, God, where are you? Does he know about Daniel? Is that why he’s here?
The very thought made her head spin, and all the blood rushed to her feet. He was going to steal Daniel! And he had money and power enough to do it.
“Blair? Sit down.” He pushed her onto a huge granite slab of glacial rock whose quartz sparkles flashed in the bright sun. His hands rubbed hers, his surprisingly warm and gentle. “You’re still as thin as a reed,” he muttered, pausing to brush a ringleted tendril from her cheek. “And this hair is still a riot of curls. I didn’t think it was possible, but you’re thinner. Are you still so busy taking care of everyone else, you don’t take care of yourself?”
She pulled away, but she had no energy to get up. Not yet.
“I’m fine. I’m just busy. I guess I forgot to eat breakfast.” As if that would have changed anything. She glared at him. “Why now, Gabe? Why here?”
“I wanted a change. And I was intrigued by his description. Heaven on earth. Who wouldn’t want that?”
There was a bitter tilt to his lips that made her wonder if Gabe had suffered some financial setbacks she didn’t know about. Or perhaps he’d lost the edge that put his company out in front.
“Who indeed?” She was going to strangle Mac when she got hold of him. How could he have sold this land out from under her, especially to Gabe? How could he have set this all up when he knew the risks? And it was a setup. She had no doubts about that.
Gabe picked up her hand. “You’ve got calluses here,” he murmured as his thumb brushed across her palm. “You shouldn’t work so hard, Blair.”
Yeah, right! Like how else would she live? Blair shifted away from him and clambered awkwardly to her feet. Why was she always so ungraceful whenever he was around? Why did he make her so nervous?
Because of Daniel.
But she hadn’t had Daniel to think about back then. In the old days just the sound of Gabe’s voice had made her skin prickle with anticipation.
&
nbsp; She shoved the memories away.
“I’m going home to talk to my grandfather,” she murmured. “Something isn’t right here.”
“I assure you it’s all perfectly legal. I don’t do business any other way.” He sounded angry that she’d suspect him of subterfuge. “You should at least remember that much.”
Blair didn’t respond. Instead, she walked to her truck and climbed in, mulling the whole thing over inside her tired brain.
“No, I know. It’s just that Mac said—” She glanced at him, vaguely surprised that he’d followed her. “Never mind. I’ll sort it out. You’ll probably get a letter canceling the whole deal.”
Gabe shook his head and shoved her door closed.
“No, the deal’s already been finalized. I’m not allowing anyone to back out now. If you wait a minute, I’ll get my vehicle and follow you. I’d like to know the answer to a few questions of my own.”
Blair glanced at her watch, then nodded grimly. Daniel wasn’t due home for at least another hour. If she hurried, she could get this all sorted out and have Gabe on his way before kindergarten was dismissed for the afternoon.
Twenty minutes later they pulled up in front of her grandfather’s old house. She couldn’t help contrasting its ramshackle appearance with the elegant, glossy glass-and-chrome condo Gabe had lived in seven years ago. Her battered brown half-ton sat rusting on the spot while his polished black and silver sport utility screamed money. Night and day.
Still, what did it matter? He’d always known that she wasn’t in his league, didn’t have money to burn. Her part-time job had been a good one, and she’d been comfortable sharing digs with Clarissa Featherhawk and Briony Green. But every extra cent she hadn’t needed for college went home to Mac and Willie, to repay them.
“Having second thoughts about introducing me to your family?” The mocking query brought her to the present.
Without a word Blair tripped up the stairs to the back door. She opened it, then moved back to allow Gabe in. He stepped out of his expensive boots first, then through the doorway and into the kitchen, his eyes curiously appraising the old farmhouse.
“Mac? Can you come in here? Now?”
Blair stepped out of her boots and grabbed the coffeepot. Without wasting any movements, she poured two mugs of the steaming black brew, set them on the table and motioned Gabe to sit down.
Gabe raised his eyebrows at her silent order, but took his seat without speaking. He took one sip of the coffee, coughed, then added a generous measure of cream and sugar.
Blair sat and pretended to ignore him.
“Hey, Busy Bee. You’re early. How were the hives?” Mac strolled through the hallway and into the kitchen, his eyes widening as he caught sight of Gabe. “Hello.”
“Mac, this is Gabriel Sloan. He thinks he’s bought the south quarter from you. Gabe, this is my grandfather. The infamous Mackenzie Rhodes of your letter.”
Her grandfather flicked an eyebrow at her acid tone, then turned his attention to their guest.
The two men silently sized up each other, shook hands and then sat. Blair glanced from one to the other.
“Well?” she demanded of her grandfather. “Aren’t you going to tell him that it’s a mistake?”
Mac smiled tenderly and reached out to fold her hand in his.
“No,” he murmured. “I’m not. I sold Mr. Sloan the land. It was mine, I had a right to and I did it.” His face showed no sign of repentance.
“But, Grandfather, you know that I depend on that land!” Blair felt the sting of his betrayal to the soles of her feet. “How could you sell it to him? Why not to me? I would have bought you out!”
She glared at Gabe, who kept his head bent, studying his coffee as if it would metamorphose into his favorite mocha latte. Blair switched her focus to her grandfather.
“Why?”
“You know why,” he returned evenly, his face stern. “We’ve discussed it before. I think it’s the right thing to do. It’s time. You know that.”
Blair pursed her lips, mindful of the heated arguments she’d had with him for months now. Mac believed she owed it to Gabe to tell Daniel’s father he had a son. She thought she’d made him understand how foolish it would be to expect Gabe to accept the boy, to believe Gabe could father his child the way Mac had fathered her.
Apparently none of her protests had touched him.
“How can you do this to us?” she said under her breath. “This is my business. You have no right to interfere in my private life.”
Mac didn’t back down, his dark eyes glossy with unshed tears. “I have the right of a man who loves his granddaughter more than life.” He reached out to pat her cheek. “I’m not young anymore, Busy Bee. I won’t be around forever. I want to know my family is okay.”
“And this is how you do it? By going against me, behind my back, selling this land out from under me? I can manage for all of us. Haven’t I done fine so far?”
A thin high-pitched voice wobbled out a few notes from a well-known hymn. The sound grew louder as Willie entered the kitchen.
“Ooh, what a handsome fellow!” Willie’s cooing voice spoke behind Blair’s right ear.
Blair sighed. Not now, she prayed. Please don’t let Willie blurt out the truth. “He’s yours, isn’t he, Blair.”
“He’s—”
“Mac sold him some land, Willie.” Blair broke in, desperate to keep her grandfather from spilling the beans. “The south quarter.”
“You sold our heritage, Mackenzie?” Willie coughed delicately into her lavender lace handkerchief as she fluttered around the kitchen. “Have things become so bad that we must sell off our birthright to live?”
Blair was about to set her straight, to add further explanations, when she heard a noise outside. Her grandfather sat up straight, her aunt collapsed into a chair and Gabe frowned at them all. Blair couldn’t move a muscle as her son came bounding through the door.
“Hi, Mom! The bus came early ’cause the school had a fire.” Daniel let his jacket, backpack and lunch bag fall where they would, his gaze fastened on the tall, dark-haired stranger who sat staring at him.
“Hey, you an’ me got the same hair,” Daniel declared, his mouth stretched wide in a smile. “My mom has a picture of you. Are you the answer?”
Blair gulped down a sob, unable to say a word, though her hands closed over her son’s shoulders as she hugged him close for one brief moment, prolonging what she somehow knew would change irrevocably from this moment on.
“The answer?” Gabe swallowed, his eyes swinging from Mac to Blair to the little boy. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Daniel wiggled himself free of his mother’s hold and went to stand in front of the big man. Two pairs of eyes, the same startling green, inspected each other.
“The answer,” Daniel explained, “to my prayer. For a daddy. I’m almost six an’ I really need a daddy. Are you gonna be him?”
Chapter Two
“Gabe, this is my son, Daniel. Daniel, I’d like you to meet Gabriel Sloan.”
Gabe almost laughed at the words. She didn’t want the boy to meet him at all. And he knew why. This child was his son!
Gabe stared at the mirror image of himself at five. The little boy in front of him solemnly shook his hand as the truth smacked Gabe squarely between the eyes. He had a child. He was a father!
“So I was wondering, Mr. Gabriel, are you the one?”
Gabe jerked back to reality with stunned surprise as a small hand carefully patted his arm.
“The one?” he repeated blankly. His eyes sought Blair and he swallowed hard at the pain and worry he found swirling in the depths of her molten chocolate eyes. He focused on the boy. “Uh, I’m not exactly sure just yet.”
“Oh.” Daniel’s mobile face fell with disappointment, but brightened a moment later. “That doesn’t mean no,” he insisted. “My mom says she’s not sure lots of times. It means maybe.”
“Right.” Gabe swallowed, the thought of
parenthood engulfing him in a wash of anxiety. Not yet, his brain screamed. I’m not ready for that yet, God! I’ve only just taken the first steps to changing my life.
“It’s okay. You can think about it if you want.” Daniel smiled, then leaned near Gabe’s ear. “But could you hurry up? My teacher says we’re having parent-teacher day pretty soon, and Joey Lancaster is bringing his dad. I don’t like Joey Lancaster.”
Gabe got the implied message loud and clear. My dad is better than yours. Poor little tyke! Belatedly he wondered how long Daniel had been praying for a father.
A wave of anger washed over him as he considered how much he’d missed. A baby, a toddler, hugs, good-night kisses, Christmases and birthdays. He’d known none of that. But Blair had. And she’d kept him in the dark. On purpose. That hurt more than he’d ever imagined, though Gabe didn’t understand why. He knew he wasn’t daddy material. He was a loner. He didn’t need anyone. He couldn’t afford to.
But she could have told him.
Gabe turned to stare at Blair and immediately rethought his position. He had no rights when it came to Daniel. None. He’d lost them all when Blair, sweet, innocent Blair, walked out of his life with her childish dreams ruined. By him.
“You need me, Gabe,” she’d sobbed that morning.
He cringed, remembering his furious response. “I don’t need anybody.”
“I thought you loved me enough to believe I’m not like the others. I’ve tried so hard to be what you want, but you still can’t see the real me. You can’t see beyond the security of your business and your money. You can’t see love.”
That memory could still make him ache for her shattered innocence. Blair, backing away from him, hair tumbling around her shoulders in that glossy riot of curls that he’d touched only moments before.
Once, just that once he’d let himself desire something more than security. Daniel was the result. The knowledge ate at him like acid on an open wound.
He’d sent her away with his child.
“You’d better do your chores, Daniel. Maybe Albert will help you.” Blair’s soft voice broke through his reverie.
Gabe looked up. Who was Albert? Someone Blair was interested in? Was that why Daniel needed a father, to ward off the unwanted attentions of this Albert person?
