Heart of Texas Volume 2: Caroline's Child. Debbie Macomber

himself.” She slapped both hands over her mouth as though she’d blurted out a secret.

       “How many did you eat?” Caroline wanted to know. It would be just like Richard to let the child spoil her dinner with cookies.

       “Too many,” Savannah answered for her, giving Caroline an apologetic half smile.

       “We’ll have a late dinner,” Caroline said, dismissing her friend’s worries. “I had a big lunch.” She was about to tell Savannah about her lunch date when Grady burst out of the barn.

       “Have you seen Richard? Has he shown up yet? He’s got to be around here somewhere.” Grady’s face was distorted with rage.

       Maggie edged closer to Caroline and wrapped her arm around her mother’s waist.

       “Grady,” Savannah said in that low calming way of hers.

       If Grady noticed Caroline, he gave no indication.

       “Did I hear someone call for me?” Richard said, strolling out of the house as though he hadn’t a care in the world. He was a handsome man, lean and muscular, probably the most attractive man Caroline had ever known. But in Richard’s case the good looks were superficial. She’d watched as he skillfully manipulated and used others to his own advantage. Even Grady and Savannah. She was amazed that Grady had allowed him to continue living on the ranch—yet at the same time, she understood. Like Savannah, Grady wanted to believe that Richard had changed.

       Grady whirled around at the sound of Richard’s voice. “We need to talk.” His voice boomed and Maggie hid her face against Caroline’s stomach.

       “Max Jordan said he hasn’t been paid,” Grady shouted.

       A shocked look stole over Richard. “You’re joking! He didn’t get the check? I put it in the mail two weeks ago.”

       “He never got it because you didn’t mail it.”

       “What do you mean?” Richard demanded.

       The two men faced off, Grady’s anger spilling over in every word and Richard looking stunned and hard done by.

       “Grady, please,” Savannah said, hurrying toward her older brother and gently placing a hand on his arm. “Now isn’t the time to be discussing this. Leave it until later.”

       “She’s right,” Richard said. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we have company.”

       It was obvious that Grady had been so consumed by his anger, he’d barely realized they weren’t alone. “Caroline,” he murmured, and his face revealed both regret and delight. He seemed uncertain about what to say next. “Hello.”

       “How’s my cupcake?” Richard asked, smiling at Maggie.

       The little girl loosened her grip on Caroline’s waist, turning to Richard as he spoke. He threw his arms open and she raced eagerly toward him.

       “That’s my girl,” Richard said, catching Maggie and sweeping her high into the air. He whirled her around, the pair of them laughing as if it’d been days since they’d seen each other.

       Savannah sidled closer to Caroline. “Grady’s been looking for Richard all afternoon,” she said in a quiet voice, “and he’s been conveniently missing until now.”

       Caroline understood what her friend was saying. Richard had played his cards perfectly, appearing at the precise moment it’d be impossible for Grady to get a straight answer from him. Then he’d used Maggie’s childish adoration to make Grady look even more foolish.

       “Maggie,” Caroline called.

       Richard set the child back on her feet. Together the two of them joined Caroline and Savannah.

       “I do believe Maggie has stolen my heart,” he said, his eyes bright with laughter.

       “Does that mean you’ll marry me?” Maggie asked, grinning up at him.

       “Sure thing.”

       “Really?”

       “He won’t marry you,” Caroline said, reaching for her daughter’s hand.

       “Don’t be so certain,” Richard countered. He crouched down beside Maggie, but he was looking at Caroline.

       “Hi, Maggie,” Grady said, choosing that moment to try again. The anger had faded from his face, but he still held himself rigid.

       Caroline gave him credit for making the effort to win Maggie over.

       Her daughter wasn’t easily swayed, however. She buried her face in Richard’s shoulder.

       “There’s no need to be afraid of Grady,” Richard whispered to Maggie—a stage whisper that carried easily. Then he smiled in a way that suggested Grady was wasting his time. In other words, Grady didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of convincing Maggie he wasn’t an ogre. Richard’s meaning couldn’t have been clearer.

       “I don’t like Grady,” Maggie announced, pursing her lips.

       “Maggie!” Caroline admonished her.

       “She’s right, you know,” Richard said, teeth flashing in a wide grin. “Grady just doesn’t get along with kids, not like I do.”

       Caroline clamped her mouth shut rather than reveal her thoughts. She didn’t trust Richard, couldn’t trust him, not after the way he’d used his family. Used anyone who’d let him.

       “I’m thinking Maggie needs someone like me in her life,” Richard said. “Which means there’s only one solution.”

       “What’s that?” Caroline knew she was a fool to ask.

       “You could always marry me,” he said and leaned over far enough to touch his lips to Caroline’s cheek. “Put me out of my misery, Caroline Daniels, and marry me.”

       “Oh, Mommy, let’s do it!” Maggie shouted, clapping her hands. “Let’s marry Richard.”

       2

      GRADY WAS PLEASED THAT HIS SISTER HAD convinced Caroline and Maggie to stay for dinner. Now all he had to do was behave. It never seemed to fail—whenever he had a chance to make some headway with Maggie, he’d do something stupid. He wanted to blame Richard, but as usual he’d done it to himself.

       His brother brought out the very worst in him. As Grady washed up for dinner, he hoped this evening would give him an opportunity to redeem himself in both Caroline and Maggie’s eyes.

       The table was already set and the food dished up in heaping portions. A platter of sliced roast beef rested in the middle, along with a huge bowl of mashed potatoes, a pitcher of gravy, fresh corn on the cob and a crisp green salad. There was also a basket filled with Savannah’s mouthwatering buttermilk biscuits. His sister was one fine cook. He’d miss her when she moved into her own house with Laredo. But it was time, well past time, that she had a home and a life of her own. He knew from his talks with Laredo that they’d already started to think about adding to the family.

       “Dinner looks wonderful,” he said. Grady made an effort these days to let Savannah know how much he appreciated her. Over the years he’d taken her contributions for granted, discounting her efforts with her roses and her fledgling mail-order business—a business that now brought a significant income. He’d even made fun of her goats, which he considered pets rather than livestock. Now that she was married and about to establish her own home, Grady recognized just how much he was going to miss her.

       Savannah flushed with pleasure at his praise.

       The compliment had apparently earned him points with Caroline, too; she cast him an approving smile. Grady held in a sigh. He needed all the points he could get when it came to Caroline and Maggie. If everything went well, this evening might help him recapture lost ground with the child.

       Everyone