The Texan's Secret (12 page)

When she reached the living room, she heard Darcy scream.
Oh, no.
Were the Bennett boys teasing her again? Shay hit the back door at a dead run, then stopped so fast she almost flipped.

Darcy had Chance by the hand and was leading him toward the car. “This is our new car,” she was telling him. “It’s white,” she added, as if Chance were color blind. She yanked open the passenger door. “This is where I sit. No one sits there but me and Tiny. Cool, huh?”

“Very cool, hotshot.”

Darcy slammed the door. “Can I sit in your truck?”

“Sure.”

Shay folded her arms across her chest. “The car has lost its appeal, huh?”

“No.” Darcy made a face at her. “I can sit high up in Chance’s truck. I can go through creeks, rivers, hills, mountains and all kinds of mud. I don’t want to get our car dirty.”

“Oh.” In a child’s mind pretend was what it was all about.

Darcy looked up at Chance. “Can I wear your hat?”

“Can I wear your hat, please?” Chance corrected her.

Darcy frowned. “I don’t have a hat.”

With a grin, Chance knelt down in front of her. “It’s polite to say please when you want something. It’s good manners.”

“Oh.” Darcy seemed to straighten her little frame. “Can I wear your hat, please?”

“Yes, you may,” Chance replied, and plopped it on her head.

Darcy was out the door in a flash, Tiny on her heels.

“You’re so good with her,” Shay said, and moved into his arms, pressing against him and just loving the man he was.

He kissed the top of her head. “I couldn’t stay in that apartment without you. I hope you don’t mind me coming here.”

She played with a button on his shirt. “Mind? I was trying to think of a way to get out tonight.”

He leaned back, hope in his eyes. “Can you?”

“No.” She took his hand and they walked into the house. “Is Darcy okay in your truck?”

“Yes, but I better go let the windows down so she doesn’t suffocate.”

Shay poked him in the chest. “That would be nice.”

And so their evening went. They were together, that was the main thing. Darcy wanted pizza for supper, but Shay wanted her to have something healthy. Chance solved the problem by offering to pick up pizza and stop for a salad.

He looked at Darcy. “Would you like to go with me?”

Her head shot up. “You mean, like, in your truck? It’s gonna be moving and everything?”

“I hope so.” He smiled.

“Oh, wow. Golly gee, yes.” Darcy ran for the door.

Chance kissed Shay. “I really hope we don’t have to go through any rivers or creeks.”

“Not with my kid,” she called as he went out the door.

When they came back, Darcy’s eyes were almost popping through her glasses with excitement. “Wow, Mom, you won’t believe it,” she said, placing the salad on the table. “You push a button and the window goes up and down. You push a button and the seat moves and you push a button and the air-conditioning gets cooler or hotter. And you push a button and the seat gets warm. Really, Mom. And I had my own control. How cool is that?”

“Supercool.” Shay winked, taking the pizza from Chance.

“I like buttons,” Darcy said, sliding into her seat.

“I like buttons, too.” Chance looked at Shay’s mouth and warmth suffused her whole body.

Almost in slow motion, she licked her quivering lips.

Chance walked past her to get to his chair. He patted her butt and whispered for her ears only, “Stop teasing.”

She giggled and they sat down to eat—like a real family.

That phrase lingered in her mind. That’s what she wanted—a real loving family. It was a fantasy, though. She knew a fallout was coming and she had to be prepared. For now she was selfishly clinging to her secret, clinging to Chance. The truth would only hurt him and she was trying to protect him from the pain.

Would he understand that?

B
EFORE
C
HANCE KNEW IT
, June had arrived but he hardly noticed. He was happier than he’d even been, and it was all because of Shay. She’d reached his heart when no one else could. At times he found it hard to keep his mind on business. But he managed. Since the weather was nicer, the rigs were drilling.

He’d taken the helicopter in for service and it was being delivered back today. Then he’d be off for the Giddings field. He cleared up his paperwork and left notes for Cadde and Kid on the Crocker Number One well. The geologist predicted this would be their biggest producer so far. Cadde wanted it watched closely.

But Chance drew the line at working late. He usually landed on the roof about five, showered, changed and was at Shay’s by six. No way was he giving up time with her, especially Tuesday and Thursday nights, when she came to the apartment after her classes at the University of Houston. Cadde could yell all he wanted, but Chance wasn’t clocking in twelve to fourteen hour days.

He had other interests besides the oil business.

His main interest was a green-eyed lady named Shay.

As he was about to leave, his phone buzzed. He
picked up the receiver. He really needed to hire a secretary.

“Yes,” he said into the receiver.

“Mr. Hardin.” The receptionist’s sugary voice came on the line. “There’s a Mrs. Renee Calhoun here to see you. What do you want me to do?”

“Send her up,” he replied, wondering what Renee was doing in Houston.

He opened the outer door and ushered Renee in. She looked elegant, as always, in a beige designer suit and pearls.

As she took a seat, he asked, “What’s up?”

She sat her purse on the floor. “I came to ask a favor.”

“Fire away.” He leaned back in his chair. “I’m pretty easy.”

“You’re a very nice young man. I miss you at the ranch.” She looked around the office. “Your new venture seems to be going well.”

“So far so good.” He paused. “So what’s the favor?”

Renee reached for her Louis Vuitton bag and rifled through it. She pulled out a black velvet ring box and placed it on his desk. He’d seen that box before. Blanche’s rings. This was a puzzling development.

“Could you please give those to Shay?”

He looked at the older woman’s face and saw nothing but peace there. “I thought you’d never change your mind. You were very angry.”

She folded her hands in her lap. “Sorry you had to witness that.”

“It was a normal reaction.”

“It was a jealous reaction,” she corrected. “But I got over it.”

“What changed your mind?”

“When I heard that Shay was not Jack’s biological daughter, something shifted in me and I could see my behavior for what it was—pure jealousy.” She waved a hand toward the box. “Those are Blanche’s rings and she should have them. I know what a wedding ring means to a woman. Besides, I really don’t want to keep them in the house any longer.”

“That’s very generous and forgiving.”

She rose to her feet. “What can I say? I’m a saint.”

Chance stood, too. “Can I ask you a favor in return?”

She slipped the purse over her arm. “Sure.”

He pushed the rings toward her. “Would you please give these to Shay yourself?”

“Oh, Chance.” Clearly that was something she didn’t want to do.

“She feels bad about trying to steal them, and if you two met again I think it would close that door on the past forever.”

Renee picked up the rings. “For you I’ll do it, but I really would rather not see Blanche.”

“Don’t worry. She never leaves her bedroom.” He quickly scribbled directions on a piece on paper. “The house is easy to find and it’s on your way out of town.”

Chance walked around his desk and handed it to her. “Thank you.”

“Yeah. That’s the problem with being a saint. You’re an easy target.” She headed for the door.

“Renee.” Chance didn’t know how to phrase his
question. He didn’t even know why he wanted to ask it, but it was there at the front of his mind, urging him on. He had to know.

“Yes.” She looked at him.

“May I ask you a personal question?”

“Depends how personal.”

“No.” He shook his head. “It’s not about you. It’s about me.”

“Oh, well then, ask away.”

Chance took a long breath. “Did you ever see my father with another woman?”

“Heavens no. He was devoted to your mother.”

Chance watched her face. “You said that a little too fast.”

Her skin paled. “Chance, I don’t know anything.”

But she did. High Cotton was a small town and gossip was rampant. “What do you know?”

“Nothing, really.” She slipped her purse higher on her arm. “Your mother came to the ranch collecting donations to send the basketball team to state. She came in, we had coffee and talked.”

“And?”

“We got to talking about men and relationships. She said she’d loved Chuck since high school and there would never be anyone else for her. But she added that lately Chuck had been distant and working a lot of overtime. I think she suspected he was seeing someone else.”

“He was,” Chance said. “I just don’t know who.”

“Chance.” Renee touched his arm. “Let it go. It’s been over twenty years. Let them rest in peace. It’s
time to live your own life. Take that from a woman who knows.”

“I’ll try,” he promised.

She hugged him. “I think you’ve found someone to help you. Am I right?”

He tried to hide a smile, but couldn’t. “Yes, I’m seeing Shay. She’s a wonderful person, just like we thought from the start.”

“Trust those first instincts. They’re almost always right.” Renee reached for the doorknob. “Now I have a delivery to make. Goodbye, Chance.”

“Bye,” he called, and fumbled for the phone on his leather belt. Shay answered immediately.

“Renee Calhoun is coming your way,” he said. “I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”

“What? Chance, why is she coming here?”

“Relax and trust me.”

“Chance…” He clicked off and headed for the helicopter pad, ignoring his ringing phone. He hoped she trusted him enough to know that he wouldn’t send Renee over there with murder in her eye.

No way would he let anyone hurt Shay.

She was the one thing in his world that was rock-solid good and he intended to hold on until the last turn of the Ferris wheel.

S
HAY WAS SO NERVOUS
she could barely finish Mrs. Willet’s hair. What did Renee want with her? Chance had said to relax and trust him, and she found that was all she could do.

Mrs. Willet paid for her services and walked to the door. “My, there’s a big old Cadillac driving up.”

Mrs. Taylor jumped out of Nettie’s chair to look. “Wonder if she’s lost?”

“I’ll take care of it,” Shay said, and removed her smock.

Darcy joined Mrs. Taylor at the window. “Golly, she looks like a fairy godmother.” School was out, so Darcy had to go to work with Shay and sometimes she grew bored. “I want to go.”

With her hand on the door, she said, “No. You stay here with Nettie.”

“I wanna come,” Darcy wailed.

“Read your book. I won’t be long.”

“No,” Darcy snapped in anger.

Nettie came to Shay’s aid. “If you don’t mind your mother, I’m going to turn you into a big fat toad.”

Darcy whirled around. “You don’t know how to do that.”

Before Shay could intervene, Nettie flung out her arms. In the gypsy blouse she looked like a bird about to take flight. “Abracadabra, saints and sinners, doubters and believers…”

Darcy scurried to her chair and buried her face in her book, peering over the top at Nettie.

Nettie lowered her arms and winked at Shay. Those made-up incantations had worked on Shay as a child and still seemed to be potent—at least to a little girl.

Shay opened the door and went out to meet Renee, who stood by the Cadillac looking elegant and sophisticated.

“I’m sorry,” was all Shay could say.

Renee waved a hand, her diamond rings flashing. “Don’t worry about it, sugar. I know Blanche and how she can manipulate people.”

“Still, it was wrong, and I should never have—”

“I could write a book about the ‘never haves’ in my life, so let’s just leave it in the past where it should be.”

“You’re so gracious—not at all like the woman I’d heard about for so many years.”

Renee lifted a fine arched eyebrow. “The bitch, huh?”

Shay nodded.

“That works both ways, sugar. Blanche and I used to be friends, two young girls from poor families looking for a better way of life. We just happened to fall in love with the wrong man.”

“Jack Calhoun,” Shay murmured. “If I never hear his name again, I’ll be happy. For so many years I believed he was my father.” She looked down at her hands, and the scent of permanent solution wafted to her, reminding her of who she really was. “I have to be honest. The main reason my mother was able to talk me into going to Southern Cross was that I thought I had…a right…a right as Jack’s daughter to be there. When I saw how beautiful the place was, I felt cheated out of so much…but it was all a lie. My life was a lie…”

“Oh, sugar.” Renee hugged her, and the scent of Chanel replaced the putrid permanent solution. “Blanche needs to be horsewhipped.”

“I think God took care of that.” She brushed away an errant tear.

“How is Blanche?”

“Not good. Breathing is very difficult for her and she’s confined to her room now.”

“Do you take care of her?”

“Yes, with the aid of Home Health.”

“Blanche is lucky to have you. Most daughters would have put her butt in a home by now.”

Shay wiped her hands on the back of her jeans. “I thought about it, but couldn’t.”

Renee touched her cheek lightly. “Chance said our first instincts about you were right. You’re a very nice young lady.”

“Thank you,” she said, and felt herself stand a little taller.

“And speaking of Chance, I have something to give you.” Renee reached into the car. “He thought it would be better if I gave this to you instead of to him.” Renee pulled out a ring box and Shay gasped, taking a step backward.

“No, no.” She shook her head. “If those are Mom’s rings, I can’t accept them.”

“Well, sugar, we have a problem then.” Renee glanced down at the box in her hand. “I thought hell would freeze over or the Cowboys would win the Super Bowl before I’d offer these rings to her. But Jack bought them for her and she should have them. Just tossing them away would be destructive, and I’m not a destructive person. As Chance put it so gallantly, a person should be granted her dying wish.” Renee reached for Shay’s hand and placed the box in her palm. “Do what you want with them.”

“This is so generous, so forgiving.”

“As I told Chance, I’m a saint.” She laughed lightly and got into her car.

“Thank you,” Shay called.

Renee poked her head out the window. “One more thing, Shay. Don’t break Chance’s heart. He’s too nice of a guy for that.”

“Yes, he is,” she whispered as she watched Renee back out of the driveway. With the rings clasped in her hand, she walked toward the shop.

Don’t break Chance’s heart
rang through her head like an alarm she couldn’t turn off. There was no
don’t.
It was
when
she’d break his heart.

It was just a matter of time.

A
T LUNCH
S
HAY FIXED
tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich for Darcy and a protein smoothie for Blanche. The Home Health lady said she couldn’t get Blanche to eat, so Shay thought she might like something easy on her stomach.

“Lunch,” she said, entering her room.

“Go away,” her mother retorted, and turned onto her side.

“I have a surprise for you, but you can’t have it until you drink some of the smoothie.”

“A surprise?” She turned over, eager as a child for a toy.

“You have to sit up.”

“Oh, Shay.”

“Come on.” She helped Blanche into a sitting posi
tion and handed her the drink, while clutching the ring box in her left hand.

Blanche sipped at the smoothie.

“More,” Shay urged.

When it was half-gone, Blanche said, “I can’t drink any more.”

Shay took the glass from her and placed it on the nightstand. Then she opened her hand.

Blanche’s eyes opened wide and she glanced from Shay’s hand to her face. “Oh, oh, those are my rings.”

“Yes,” Shay replied.

Blanche grabbed the box and opened it. She gaped at the rings for a second, then removed them. Her hand shook as she slipped them onto her finger.

“They’re too big,” she cried.

“You’ve lost a lot of weight. I’ll get some tape.”

A few minutes later Blanche lay back in the bed, gazing lovingly at her rings. She looked ten years younger. Shay thought it strange that a material thing could bring her so much joy.

“How did you get them?” Blanche finally asked.

“I didn’t. Renee brought them.”

“That bitch.”

“No,” Shay corrected. “That very nice lady. She didn’t have to give you the rings, but out of the goodness of her heart she did.”

Blanche ignored her words, holding up her hand, the light catching the sparkle of the diamonds. “Jack is happy I have my rings. I was the love of his life.”

“Renee was the love of his life. You ripped them
apart briefly, but he married her again and they were a family until his death.”

“Hand me the album,” Blanche demanded, shutting out everything Shay was saying.

There was no thank-you. Nothing. But that was Blanche and her sense of entitlement.

Shay placed the album on the bed and left her mother to her world of make-believe.

S
HAY DIDN
’
T BOOK ANYONE
after four because Chance sometimes came early and she wanted to spend that time with him.

Darcy was restless and followed her from room to room. “When is Chance coming?”

“When he gets off work.” Shay stuffed clothes into the washing machine.

The change that Chance had made in Darcy was amazing. She’d never had a father figure in her life before, and she looked up to him and respected him.
Please
was now one of her favorite words and she used it sometimes when she didn’t need to, not wanting to disappoint him. Every day it was the same old question: “When is Chance coming?”