Reunited...with Baby

by Sara Orwig

  “Luke Weston?” a deep voice said, and Luke glanced up to see a tall man facing him, and he recognized him from pictures.

  “You’re Tanner Dupree,” Luke said, but he didn’t stand and he didn’t offer his hand.

  “May I join you?”

  Luke wanted to tell Tanner to go to hell and wondered if Scarlett had—or had it gone the other way? Had she been happy to see Tanner again? If Tanner was in town, he felt certain the man had already seen Scarlett.

  “Sure. Have a seat. Want coffee?”

  “No, thanks. I’ve been with Scarlett this morning. Actually, mending our relationship. I made a colossal mistake leaving her. Especially when we had started adoption proceedings. I got jittery—a wife, a baby and all.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’ve been to see Scarlett, and she showed me the picture of our baby. We’re getting back together so our baby will have a mom and dad. She said there’s nothing between the two of you.”

  “No, there’s not,” Luke said, suddenly hurting badly, feeling as if he had been stabbed in the gut. He thought about the hours he had spent with Scarlett. Was Tanner lying to him? He didn’t know if Tanner was telling the truth—it didn’t matter. He realized he loved Scarlett. Forever love with all his being even though she could never be his. He couldn’t be a dad for Carl, a husband for Scarlett. He loved her with all his heart and he thought her baby was adorable.

  He was losing Scarlett again—except she had never, ever really been his to lose. He realized Tanner was still talking.

  “I’m taking her out tonight to celebrate. We’ll have the wedding soon because all plans had already been made before. She said you were an old friend, nothing serious between you.”

  “No, there’s not,” Luke said stiffly, knowing that was the damn truth. There wasn’t anything binding between them, and there never could be. Damn his heritage. He had always known that she couldn’t be his. He wasn’t the man for Scarlett. He wasn’t the man to be part of her family. They were the family he always wished he had as a kid. Still did, for that matter. Mrs. McKittrick would never be mean to a friend of Scarlett’s, the way his dad had been to Scarlett. Toby was a good guy and a reliable one.

  He couldn’t even hear what Tanner was saying, but he gritted his teeth and tried to focus on him.

  “Good luck, Weston, although you don’t need it. I saw the Forbes’s list. Impressive. Congratulations.”

  “Thanks,” Luke stated without thinking about it.

  Luke didn’t believe Dupree. He just wanted him to move on and out of his life.

  “Goodbye, Weston.”

  Luke nodded and swirled his coffee. The minute Tanner was out of sight, Luke paid and left. He’d finally acknowledged that it was Scarlett keeping him here, even though he should have ended things already. But now, it had to be over. It was time for him go back to Silicon Valley.

  He made arrangements to fly back to California late in the afternoon. Next, he phoned Cole and scheduled an appointment to meet with him at 1:00. Afterwards, he called Abe and Reuben and filled the two men in on his travel plans. By the time he had finished all the calls, it was time to meet with Cole. Luke missed lunch, but he didn’t feel like eating anyway. While he and Cole talked in Luke’s hotel room, Will joined them.

  “We can tie some of the stolen money from the Texas Cattleman’s Club directly to the accounts Richard Lowell used while he was assuming Will’s identity,” Luke said. “I have more information from Cole, and he’s learning this program, so I can work from California and he’ll work here. We’ll coordinate with conference calls.”

  Cole looked up from the computer screen and ran his hand through his tangled, short, dark blond hair. “This is fantastic. It’s the more recent transactions. Rich is getting a little careless, and he isn’t trying to pass himself off as you now. He’s got his own name on some transactions he’s made.”

  “Thank heavens for that one. I have some other good news,” Will said. His green eyes sparkled, and he had a faint smile. “At least, it was something that needed to be done and I think it’s going to be good. Brent Smith, an attorney from Dallas, showed up at Aaron’s house. It’s official now—Aaron Phillips has been appointed guardian of Jason’s daughter, Savannah. She loves her uncle Aaron. Megan has been alternating with Aaron to care for Savannah, but Megan agrees it’s best to have an official guardian. Legally, it is definitely best. I’m still shocked by the terrible things Rich has done.”

  “Well, with the handwriting analysis, a bit of the stolen money actually traced from the Club to him, and soon we should have the DNA report on the bone fragments in the ashes, probably Jason’s—there’s going to be a solid case to nail this bastard,” Luke said.

  “Catching him can’t come too soon. How soon are you leaving, Luke?”

  “Late today. I’ve been away too long. I need to get back to work and to my business.”

  “Sure,” Will said, offering his hand. “It’s been great to have you here, and thank you for all your help. Seems sort of like old times.”

  “‘Sort of’ is right,” Luke said, with a crooked grin. “No fake funerals back then.”

  “Hell, no. I do hope there are no more surprises like that. Go back to your golden world where everything comes up smelling like roses, to drag out an old cliché. Mrs. Hodge, our old English teacher would shudder.” They both smiled, but Luke hurt and was trying to hide it.

  When he was finally through and went back to the hotel to throw his things into a suitcase, all he could think about was leaving Scarlett and little Carl. How could he get so damned attached when he’d gone into this knowing he shouldn’t?

  His heart was telling him to stay and fight for Scarlett because he loved her, but he thought about his bad genes, and the last thing he wanted to do was cause Scarlett to end up with a family like the one he had. Maybe after seeing his dad so sick and mean, she would understand his decision. Maybe she really was going to marry that Dupree guy.

  He was going back to the life he had wanted. He’d vowed to never allow himself to be tied down. He excelled at building smartphones and software programs, not relationships. But could he return to his lush Silicon Valley life as if these past couple of weeks—the best of his life—with Scarlett and her adorable kid had never happened?

  Luke threw things into his suitcase, hurrying as fast as possible. He wanted away from Texas, back to the life he had in Silicon Valley, where he wasn’t torn to pieces loving a woman he couldn’t have, loving a little baby he wouldn’t be able to watch grow up, loving Scarlett’s whole damn family because they were the family he never had.

  But most of all, loving her. Scarlett was everything—gorgeous, smart, fun, sexy, kind—and he’d loved her all his life. She was the only woman he had ever truly loved. “Dammit,” he muttered. Glancing at his watch, he rushed out of the room, taking the stairs two at a time and racing to his car to drive to her clinic.

  “I need to see Scarlett as soon as possible,” he told Tracie, her receptionist. “It’s private, so I’d like to see her in her office.”

  Tracie smiled at him. “I’ll tell her, Mr. Weston.” He wanted to go on back to her office and not wait, but he tried to be patient.

  “She said to come to—”

  He was gone, letting the door close behind him as he rushed down the hall and into her office. “I’m leaving, Scarlett. I wanted to see you before I go.”

  As her big, hazel eyes widened, she stood up. She had a white medical coat over a pale blue cotton blouse and a pair of jeans, and she’d never looked more beautiful. “You’re going back to Silicon Valley,” she said.

  “I just wanted to tell you goodbye. I don’t expect to see you again for a long time. I don’t think I’ll be back this way.”

  She blinked, and all the color drained from her face. She raised her chin. “My second goodbye to you. This one is probably permanent.”

&
nbsp; Luke crossed the room and swept her into his arms to kiss her, crushing her against his chest, kissing her as if it was the last kiss of his life.

  Shocked, hurting, Scarlett clung to him until he swung her up, gave her a look that made her tremble. She started to reach for him, but then he was gone, slamming her office door behind him.

  Stunned, Scarlett stared at the door. That had not been the kiss of a man who wanted to tell a woman goodbye. She touched her tingling lips with her fingertips. That had been the kiss of desperate man. One would have thought he’d left to face a firing squad.

  She stood blinking, trying to figure out what had just happened besides Luke saying goodbye—a goodbye that sounded permanent—and then rushing out of her office as if he were chased by demons. What was going on with him?

  Her intercom buzzed, and she rushed to answer in case he was coming back. Instead, it was Tracie reminding her of an appointment. She had dog surgery, and she had to stop thinking about Luke and his kiss and focus on her patient, which she did.

  For almost the next two hours, she was busy with her patient. Once the surgery was over, one of the assistants would take over for the night to check regularly on the dog and make sure everything was all right and that the dog wasn’t in pain.

  Scarlett glanced at a wall clock. She tried to call Luke, but his phone was turned off, and she knew he was airborne, heading back to his California life and flying out of her life, maybe forever. One question kept niggling away at her, over and over again. Why had he been so desperate to get out of town? Luke set his own schedules, so if he hadn’t really wanted to go back to California yet, he wouldn’t have done so. Was he trying to get away before he broke down and proposed? She might think that, except he could get very iron-willed when he felt strongly about something, and he felt strongly that his “bad genes” would ruin not only her life, but Carl’s also.

  And if he really felt they had no future together, why such a frantic, possessive, final kiss that conveyed so much desire it made her knees weak and her heart race? For the first time since she was a teen, she felt that Luke loved her. That kiss had been filled with love. What upheaval had happened in his life to send him running for California, but first to come kiss her goodbye?

  She ran a comb through her short hair and headed out to her car to drive home. Tanner was waiting for her in the parking lot. “You don’t look as if you’ve been working all day. It’s wonderful to see you again, Scarlett.”

  “Tanner, what are you doing here? This seems a waste of your time and mine.”

  “Not at all. Give me a chance. I know you’re angry with me, but what we had at one time was good, and we planned a wedding together.”

  “A wedding you walked out on. You act like that never happened. It happened. Live with the consequences. We all live with consequences.”

  Her cell phone rang and she saw it was Toby. “Excuse me, Tanner. This is Toby,” she said and walked a few steps away, wondering what was happening.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked him.

  “That’s why I called and what I was going to ask you. I saw Tanner today. He’s back, and I just want to make sure you’re all right.”

  She smiled. “Tanner isn’t the violent type, Toby. Go play with Ava or hug Naomi. I’m fine.”

  “Okay. I know I’m butting in, but he was sneaky before, and I just wanted to make sure everything was all right. He said you’ve gotten back together.”

  She frowned. “He told you that?” she asked, stunned that Tanner would lie about their relationship. Who else had he told that to?

  “That’s what I thought. I didn’t think you’d go back with him the minute he showed up again. I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t up to something. He obviously wants back in your life.”

  “You’re a very good, considerate protective brother, Toby. Thank you. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, and I’ll talk to you later.”

  “I heard Luke went back to California, and I thought maybe that was why you went back with Tanner.”

  “Oh, no. I haven’t gone back with him and I won’t.”

  “Frankly, Scarlett, I’m glad. That’s a crummy guy who will walk out and leave you stranded at the last minute before a big wedding. I’ve been angry with Luke for hurting you, but you two were teens. Luke was up front with you about everything. He didn’t blindside you when he left and then come try to take you back. Okay. I’ll stop being nosy big brother.”

  “You did good, bro. I love you for it. Thanks.” She ended the call and hurried back to find Tanner still leaning against her car. “Tanner, have you been telling people today that we’re getting back together?”

  “It may have been premature or presumptuous, but, yes, I have, because I think we will. I want to, and if you’ll give me half a chance, I think you’ll want to, too.”

  “Listen closely. No, I don’t want to—now or ever. Sorry, Tanner. Best wishes for a happy life.” She unlocked her car door and pulled it open.

  “Scarlett, don’t go.”

  “There’s just one man for me. I’m going to try to save a Texas cowboy from himself,” she said, smiling and driving away, trying to avoid speeding.

  Now she knew the reason Luke had kissed her as if life was going to end. He loved her, bad genes or not.

  Maybe this time he’d be willing to stay.

  Eight

  The next morning, Luke walked through his Silicon Valley mansion. It was quiet, filled with all kinds of electronic conveniences. The house was mostly glass, giving spectacular views of the California countryside. It was contemporary, with large expensive modern oil paintings by famous names and unique, one-of-a-kind furniture. He had enjoyed it, felt at home in it, loved the contrast to the old-fashioned ranch home he grew up in.

  He had a huge-screen television, streaming shows that he liked, a gym. Why did it seem so empty and cold since his return? He had a cook who did an excellent job, with two assistants to help in the kitchen if necessary.

  Luke didn’t feel like eating. He missed Scarlett. Hell, he missed Carl, he missed Royal and his friends. What had happened to him on his trip home? It wasn’t as if he didn’t have friends here. He called one of the women he enjoyed the most and talked about twenty minutes and ended the call without asking her out. He didn’t want to go out with her. She was a beautiful blonde singer who was hitting the top of the charts and he’d had fun with her. But his mind wandered while he talked to her, and he knew he couldn’t get through an evening with her.

  “Scarlett,” he said, talking to an empty room. “What have you done to me? What have you done to my life?” All the years growing up, he dreamed of the life he had found in Silicon Valley. Now it felt empty and not what he wanted at all. He felt alone and restless, and when it got right down to it, he missed Texas, Royal and his life there.

  He groaned and stared out a window. He had been a workaholic, billionaire bachelor, but from his sterile, modern marvel of a home in Silicon Valley, his carefree, no-strings existence was beginning to feel like a whole lot of lonely. And his heart was far from free. It was very solidly in the possession of a stunning, take-no-prisoners Texas cowgirl.

  Was he tossing aside a wonderful family and life because he was scared he couldn’t control himself enough to avoid becoming a drunk like his father?

  Luke hadn’t ever stopped to think about whether he could have enough self-control, but he’d spent all his life using self-control one way or another. Why had he let his parents’ addiction change and govern his life?

  He sat in his silent house and then went out by his pool and sat watching a waterfall and a fountain in his pool, thinking about his future. With Scarlett as his wife and little Carl his son, he would never turn to drink. He loved them too much.

  Why the hell had he thought he couldn’t have enough control to avoid losing them because of drink?

  He had been
through college, built a company, developed a successful smartphone, developed programs. He’d had deadlines, stress, tests in college—why did he think he would just buckle and become a drunkard, dependent on booze like his dad? All his life his mom and dad had fought. Maybe that had driven them to use alcohol excessively. He didn’t know, but maybe he was all wrong in assuming he would be like them. He was in his thirties and had no problem dropping alcohol altogether. He ran four miles a day. That took self-discipline. He worked out an hour a day besides the running. More self-discipline.

  Had he lost Scarlett and little Carl all because of wrong assumptions about himself, unfounded fears that he had let control his life?

  Could he go back in time to fight for Scarlett’s love? He didn’t think she was in love with Tanner. She hadn’t sounded like she was.

  He got out his phone and called her and didn’t get an answer. He made arrangements with his pilot to fly back to Royal in the morning.

  He sent Scarlett a text message, but didn’t get a response.

  Was he going to ask Scarlett to move to California and settle in Silicon Valley and give up her thriving vet practice? She might be willing to. Or would he like to open a West-Tech office in Dallas?

  That appealed to him. He would be near Royal and friends, Scarlett would be near home and her family. She could keep her practice, while he would have the challenge of starting up another West-Tech branch in a city he loved in a state he loved while he lived with a woman and baby he loved. Damn, but he’d been blind.

  He was going back to Texas to fight for her love.

  He couldn’t wait for morning, so he called and asked his pilot to get ready to leave at four in the afternoon.

  He remembered some of his mother’s jewelry that had been passed down from his grandmother and got a box out of his safe and carried it to a table to search through necklaces, lockets, bracelets. It didn’t take long to find the necklace of small diamonds and a golden heart covered in larger diamonds. Scarlett didn’t wear a ton of jewelry, but she did wear some.