A Family, At Last

by Susan Crosby

  Vaughn’s eyes twinkled. “We still have to ride home.”

  “Can we come out again tomorrow?”

  “Don’t see why not.”

  By the time they got home and groomed Beauty, hours had passed. Karyn drove her car back to the house, while Vaughn and Cassidy rode. But when Karyn came down the driveway, she spotted a white SUV parked in the front yard. It was too late to hold back and wait for Vaughn. The driver would’ve spotted her car already. She just hoped it wasn’t an old girlfriend—or current girlfriend. He had said he’d seen a woman, or women, on occasion.

  But the driver turned out to be a man, and there were Washington license plates on his car. She knew without the introduction who he was.

  “I’m Jason Humphreys. Is Vaughn Ryder at home?”

  She stared at him, looking for a resemblance to Cassidy. He had blue eyes, and his hair was light but not blond. He was taller than Vaughn but not in the same fit condition. “He’ll be along in a minute. Actually, there he is now.”

  “With his daughter?”

  Karyn didn’t answer. She saw Vaughn’s gaze land on the car with the Washington plates.

  “I’ll walk your horse,” she said, handing him Belle’s crate then taking the reins.

  “You won’t be able to unsaddle him, so just leave it on for now.”

  “Who’s that, Daddy?”

  “I’m Jason Humphreys,” the man said right away.

  “Go with Karyn and cool down your horse.”

  If Cass was surprised by his abruptness, she didn’t let on but did as she was told.

  More than anything, Karyn wished she could listen in on the conversation. It would probably be as good as watching him in a courtroom.

  * * *

  Vaughn invited the man into his office for two reasons. He didn’t want Cass overhearing any of their conversation, and if there was a chance he was her biological father, Vaughn would have dealings with him in the future. It wasn’t smart to alienate him. He didn’t, however, offer him refreshment.

  “This is quite a spread,” Jason said.

  “It’s been in the family a long time.”

  “I looked it up. Since the gold rush. That’s quite a legacy. You’re used to the power that brings.”

  “I don’t take it for granted. We’ve gained and lost through the years. Have a seat.” Vaughn sat behind his desk, keeping separation between them. “You said you would wait for the other DNA results.”

  He smiled grimly. “I changed my mind. She’s a beautiful child.”

  “You’ll get no argument from me.”

  “I see Ginger in her.” He shook his head. “I can’t picture Ginger living on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, however.”

  “She’s not.”

  “Touché.”

  “My daughter knows nothing of this situation, Mr. Humphreys, and I plan to keep it that way—at least until we know the truth.”

  “I won’t tell her anything. I just wanted to see her in person.”

  “Now you have. In the future, please call me first.”

  “How do I know you’ll tell me the truth?”

  “Ginger put ‘unknown’ for the father’s name on the birth certificate, so there was nothing to prevent me from just adopting her without seeking the truth. I didn’t. And I won’t keep the truth from you either.”

  Jason was the first to break eye contact. “I’ll give you until January third. Five days. If you don’t have results from the other person being tested, we’ll go ahead with mine.”

  “That’s fair. What will you do in the meantime?”

  “I’ve got a hotel room in Medford.” He stood. “You know how to reach me.”

  Vaughn followed him outside, waiting on the porch until he left, then he returned to his office and made a call. “I’ve got a job for you,” he said to the private investigator on the other end. “Jason Humphreys. I want to know what kind of toothpaste he uses.” He wanted to know everything.

  He gave the P.I. the details he had on the man. “I want it yesterday.”

  Vaughn hung up and plowed his fingers through his hair. More than anything, he wanted Kyle Lambert to have fathered Cass. He thought there might be complications with Karyn. They would be nothing compared to Jason Humphreys.

  He could lose Cass. If only Ginger had married him before she gave birth, then there would be no question of legal paternity, not after all these years. But maybe that was why she’d put him off until after Cass was born. Maybe she’d had a master plan, and he’d bought right into it. It had played right into her hand that Cass was premature.

  Vaughn headed for the paddock, where Karyn and Cass were walking their horses side by side, talking and laughing. Karyn had surprised him, taking to riding so easily, clearly enjoying herself. Although he did notice she was rubbing her rear now and then, which made him smile. He well remembered how that felt.

  As the day went by, she moved more and more slowly, sitting carefully, wincing when she moved, even after taking ibuprofen.

  “I have a feeling you’re not going to want to ride tomorrow,” he said late that night after Cass was in bed. They were sitting in front of the fire. Belle was draped over Karyn’s lap, and she idly stroked her soft fur.

  “I don’t know. Isn’t it something you just do, and at some point it gets easier?”

  “If it causes you pain, you should let yourself recover. It’s probably better to skip a day.”

  They ignored the elephant in the room—when she would leave and under what circumstances. Vaughn had received preliminary reports on Jason Humphreys from the P.I. Divorced for three years. No children. He’d been a stockbroker for eleven years. Credit report was good. No police record. Five previous residences, including San Francisco for six months around the time Cass would’ve been conceived.

  “You’re lost in thought,” Karyn said.

  “Sorry.”

  “Thinking about Jason Humphreys?”

  “As a matter of fact.”

  “You’re worried.”

  He nodded. He didn’t really want to discuss it, didn’t want to dwell on it until it became a real issue. He changed the subject. “Thank you for all you’ve done to help my mother prepare for her vacation.”

  After taking a second to catch up, she said, “It was my pleasure. I think she wanted Jenny to help, but she has spent a lot of time away from the homestead.”

  “She’s been working with Annie on the farm.”

  “Oh, how nice. For a particular reason?”

  “Jen’s majoring in farm management. She’s getting hands-on experience for a report she’ll be writing this final semester.”

  “Will she be competing with Annie?”

  “No.”

  Karyn smiled at his short answer. He was keeping his sister’s confidences. She liked that.

  “What’s the strangest request you’ve had as a personal shopper?” he asked.

  “I was asked to purchase a car as a gift for someone’s about-to-be-sixteen daughter.”

  “Did you?”

  “Sure. The commission to me was great. Her mom told me exactly what she wanted, then I was sent in to negotiate the deal so that no one knew who was really buying it until the paperwork was put together. I had a blast.”

  “What else have you done?”

  “I’ve been flown to Paris twice to pick up gowns. Can you believe that? They were willing to buy a second first-class seat to give the gowns a place of their own. That’s the most extravagant job I’ve had. I do lots of grocery shopping in addition to the usual clothing and gift items. I do reverse shopping, too, by selling things anonymously for clients.”

  “What’s the most fun?”

  “Seeing how the stars live and realizing I’m happy not being o
ne. There’s a lot of pressure on them in exchange for their success. No, thank you.”

  “You’ve never had a desire to act?”

  “None. I guess I’m still just that small-town girl from Vermont.”

  “Who lives in Hollywood.”

  She smiled. “Funny, isn’t it? I do like the atmosphere, and it’s a short drive to the beach, which is my favorite place to go. When I wake up each day, I rarely know what I’ll be doing. It’s a last-minute kind of profession. That’s kind of exciting, too. Very little is routine.”

  “You’re looking forward to getting back to it.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “I heard more enthusiasm in your voice than I’ve ever heard when you talk about your work.”

  “I think I’m feeling good in general, and I’ve been away from it, so everything is looking okay at the moment.”

  He wondered about that. Obviously she was good at her job. When you’re good at your job, you want to do the job.

  He watched her lean to one side then the other, grimacing.

  “Why don’t you go take a warm bath? I’ll bring you something that should ease your predicament.”

  “Sleeping pills?”

  “Much better than that. I’ll take Belle for a walk, give you some time.”

  She rose carefully, then before she walked off, she kissed him. “I’ve been wanting to do that all day.”

  She hobbled away and climbed the stairs slowly. After sitting for a while, the discomfort had probably all set in.

  “Greenhorn,” he said to the dog, who jumped and wriggled.

  A half hour later, he knocked on Karyn’s door. She opened it, looking pink-cheeked and fresh. He held up a small brown bottle.

  “What’ve you got, horse liniment?” She grinned.

  He came into the room and shut the door, locking it. “How’d you guess?”

  Her jaw dropped. “You’re not serious.”

  “Best remedy. It’s been approved for humans, and there’s no strong scent. I’ve used it on occasion. Trust me, you’ll appreciate it in the morning. Go climb in bed before your muscles lose the heat from the bath.”

  This time the bedside lamp was on. She didn’t turn it off, so he didn’t either.

  “Unless you want this put on through your clothes, you need to slip those bottoms off.” For all that he’d thought he liked the darkness last night, he’d already gotten hard just thinking about seeing her in the light.

  She turned her head, eyed him thoroughly, then with a satisfied smile, shoved her pajama bottoms off and stretched out.

  Vaughn folded back the blankets and simply admired her for a moment. As satisfying as it would be to go all the way, he’d been enjoying the slow escalation between them, the every-minute anticipation that occupied his thoughts and dreams. He wanted to shower with her, to watch her walk across the room naked, to sleep all night with her, skin to skin....

  * * *

  Karyn waited for the first touch of his hands, the anticipation sharpening all her senses, but he didn’t touch her. Confused, she said, “I’m cooling down.”

  What she hadn’t expected was the touch of his mouth, the press of his teeth into her flesh, the drag of his tongue, the graphic compliments he uttered. He really was a different man in bed, earthy and bold. She felt sexier than she ever had, more wanted. More of a woman. He made her feel dainty and strong at the same time.

  She had no idea how long he massaged and tasted and aroused her. It seemed like an hour, like time was passing in slow motion and she was outside her body, watching him do all those wondrous things to her. Then he sat up and started applying the liniment.

  “My inner thighs are killing me, too,” she said primly.

  He applied the liniment there, too. She could already feel the pain subsiding.

  Then he capped the bottle and walked away without another word. She stared at the closed door, caught between frustration and— Well, she was way too relaxed to be frustrated.

  So she put her pajama bottoms back on and curled up under the blankets and sought the refuge of sleep.

  Chapter Twelve

  Vaughn avoided Karyn as much as possible the next day. She made it easier by not making eye contact, spending time with Cass, sketching and then the two of them taking off after lunch to help Annie and Jenny prepare a bon voyage party for his mom and dad that evening.

  Vaughn took Gatsby for a long, hard ride. Some of the cattle were wintering elsewhere, and some were penned close in, so he didn’t come across strays as he would in summer. He wouldn’t have minded the thrill of the capture and return of a stray to the herd. Instead he was free to just think. Dangerous territory, that, especially because he tended to overthink.

  What was he supposed to take away from last night? In the living room, Karyn spoke fondly of her work, of the lack of routine, living a fast pace, and being close to the beach. How opposite could her life be from that on Ryder Ranch?

  And why was he even worried about it?

  The sexual allure was strong for him. He’d had relationships before and since Ginger, but nothing like what he wanted from Karyn. From her he wanted everything, every day.

  He didn’t know what to do now. It unnerved him waiting for the test results, especially knowing he only had four days or Humphreys would start action of his own. He’d called the lab again this morning but only got an outgoing message saying they were closed until January second, three days from now. Damn holidays.

  Still restless when he got home from his ride, he undecorated the Christmas tree, dragged it outside and cut it up for firewood. He mucked out the stables, even though a ranch hand was responsible for cleaning the main barn as well as Mitch’s and his own.

  Finally, he showered and dressed for the party. As he was walking out the door, his P.I. called.

  “I don’t know if this is good news or bad,” he said, “but I can’t find anything negative on Humphreys. I’ll scan and email you my report, and I’m going to dig a little deeper, but I thought you’d want a prelim.”

  “Thanks.”

  Genuine fear settled in him. If Humphreys was the father, he had rights. Ginger hadn’t notified him and should have. Vaughn had known of cases where a child in similar circumstances was given to the biological parent.

  In a fog, he drove to Mitch and Annie’s house, a ranch style not far from his own. Annie and his mother were planning a flower garden when the weather warmed, but it was barren for now.

  As Ryder celebrations went, it was low-key. There was luau-type food and everyone wore a plastic lei. Hawaiian music played in the background. Annie had found a DVD for beginner hula lessons, and everyone was supposed to try. As Vaughn expected, Karyn had the best form—great hips and graceful hands. She’d kicked off her shoes, and everyone remarked on how short she was, but really she was probably five-foot-six, which wasn’t particularly short.

  “She’s a lovely girl,” his mother said to him, standing and watching with him.

  “She lives in Hollywood, Mom.”

  “Since when would you let a little thing like geography matter, son? Your convincing skills are top-notch. Look how she is with our Cassidy.”

  Our Cassidy. Would she continue to be? By the time his parents got back, everything could be different. He wanted so much to confide in his mother, to get comfort and assurance from her, but he wouldn’t burden her or his father with the possibilities, especially not before their first vacation in years.

  “I barely know Karyn,” he said instead.

  “You’ve heard your father say he knew I was the one the moment we met. Look how that’s turned out. Trust what your heart says.”

  “I did that once before. Didn’t turn out so well.”

  “Ginger was a good pretender,” she said.

>   “Karyn could be, too. How would I know?”

  “You know. I know.”

  He sipped his wine. “Are you getting excited to leave tomorrow?”

  She allowed the change of subject. “Actually, I’m kind of nervous. Is it normal to be so scared you want to back out of a trip?”

  “Yes. But, Mom, you and Dad deserve this.”

  She leaned her head against his arm. “Yes, we do. Thank you for the reminder.”

  “Dori! Come join us,” Annie called.

  “My hips are already tired.”

  “Come on, Grammie,” Cass pleaded.

  “My fans await,” Dori said, joining them.

  She hadn’t been gone two seconds when his father came up beside him. “You should see the clothes she’s got me wearing.”

  “Karyn told me. I think you’ll find the shorts and shirts more comfortable in the heat and humidity.”

  “I don’t get overheated.”

  “But you’d look out of place.”

  “Not important to me.”

  Vaughn shrugged. His father rarely changed his mind. It wasn’t worth the battle.

  “Your mother thinks the world of that girl,” Jim said, angling his head toward Karyn.

  Vaughn couldn’t escape talk of her, apparently. “So she said.”

  “You want my opinion?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  His father chuckled. “I think she’s having a good vacation here.”

  “Which is a subtle way of saying she isn’t a ranch woman. If you follow that logic, neither is Annie.”

  “Annie understands getting up early and working hard physically all day. She knows that sometimes she won’t have control over her life, that the animals take precedence sometimes.”

  “She won’t ride a horse.”

  “She will one day.”

  “Don’t count on it. Look, Dad, I appreciate your thoughts, as always, and I know you’re saying them now because you’re a little worried about flying, which is something out of your control, so I’m going to just let it go without further comment. I want us to part on good terms.”

  Jim was quiet a few seconds, then said, “Thanks for bringing the trust up to date.”