The Bride Said, 'Surprise!'. Cathy Thacker Gillen

five-year-old up the sidewalk. “I think you can leave your wagon parked beside the porch. It’ll be okay.” And would also serve as a red flag to Meg if she noticed Jeremy was missing before Luke had a chance to call her.

      He and Jeremy stepped inside and made their way quietly to the kitchen. Luke seated Jeremy at the kitchen counter and got out his blender. “So, how’d you get this idea?”

      Jeremy propped his elbows on the counter and his chin on his hands. Oblivious to the fact his dark-auburn hair was standing on end, he watched Luke bring out ice cream, milk and chocolate syrup. “My teacher at the day care center at the hospital read us this book. It was about a little bear cub who lost his mama, and couldn’t find her anywhere. So he went off through the forest and asked all the other animals if they knew where his mama was. The chipmunk didn’t know. And the blackbird said he didn’t know, either. Anyway, the little bear just kept going until he finally found someone who knew where his mama was.”

      “And where was she?” Luke asked, as he scooped ice cream into the blender.

      “In the forest, down by the river, looking for her baby bear.” Jeremy’s brows knit together as he shifted closer. Still watching Luke inquisitively, he continued his recitation in all earnestness. “She was crying, too, because she couldn’t find her baby bear cub.” Briefly Jeremy’s eyes clouded up as he recounted wistfully, “They were real happy when they found each other. So I’m going to do the same thing.” Jeremy swallowed hard, then continued in a voice laced with heartfelt determination, “I’m going to ask everybody if they know who my father is until I find him. And then we’ll both be happy, too.”

      “It could work,” Luke agreed slowly, irked that no one else seemed to realize how desperately Jeremy wanted and needed his father in his life. What had Meg been thinking to deprive Jeremy and his father of each other’s love? Maybe she hadn’t meant to be cruel, but she had been. And the situation was going to get worse.

      Luke poured milk and chocolate syrup over the ice cream, put the lid on tight and set the glass pitcher on the base. “But first don’t you think you should get a good night’s sleep?”

      “I can’t go home,” Jeremy said emphatically as color swept into his fair, freckled face. He regarded Luke defiantly. “I already left.”

      And if Luke took him back now, before talking some sense into Meg, Jeremy would turn right around and leave again. Perhaps to disastrous results, Luke thought, knowing what kind of things could happen to unattended children. No one was taking this kid seriously, Luke thought furiously. Especially Meg. “I can see your dilemma.” Luke blended the shake, then poured Jeremy a glass and one for himself. He found straws for both of them and then sat down at the counter next to Jeremy. “How about putting a bedroll on my sofa just for tonight, then. You’ll go farther if you get a good night’s sleep.”

      “I am kinda tired.” Jeremy finished his shake, then rubbed his eyes.

      Luke got Jeremy settled on his sofa. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Luke picked up the phone and dialed. Meg answered on the first ring. Luke identified himself, then said, “I think you’d better come over here. Now.”

      “I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” Meg responded, piqued. “Jeremy’s asleep.”

      “He sure is,” Luke agreed grimly.

      There was a pause on the other end. Suspiciously Meg asked, “How do you know that?”

      “Because your son is sacked out on my sofa.”

      A scant minute later Meg was at Luke’s door. She was dressed in a pair of pink cotton pajamas that buttoned up the front, and her auburn hair was damp. She smelled like soap and perfumed bath salts. “How did he get over here?” she demanded in shock and dismay as Luke ushered her in.

      “He ran away from home,” Luke said.

      Color rushed into Meg’s cheeks, highlighting the delicate curves of her cheekbones in her oval face. As she glanced past him at the living room sofa, where her son was curled up sound asleep, she was vulnerable in a way he hadn’t seen her since the night, the only night, they had ever made love. It was all Luke could do not to take her in his arms and hold her close.

      But, knowing that was not what she—or Jeremy—needed now, Luke escorted her in to check on her son. As soon as she saw for herself he was indeed all right, Luke led her out to the kitchen, where they could talk without fear of waking any of the children. Trying not to notice how lovely she looked, Luke got out a couple of glasses and a pitcher of ice water and explained Jeremy’s thinking.

      Meg felt her way into a chair. “He’s been peppering me with questions for weeks now.” She shook her head, her lower lip trembling slightly, her aqua eyes full of regret. “I had no idea he was this determined.”

      Luke tore his eyes away from the soft curve of her lips and took in the enticing swell of her breasts. Returning his glance to Meg’s face, he warned her bluntly, “You’re going to have to do something.”

      “I will.” Meg nodded, enthusiastically. “I’ll talk to him first thing tomorrow morning,” she promised.

      “And tell him the truth?” Luke asked.

      Meg nodded firmly. “That he and I are it, as far as family goes. Plenty of kids grow up in single-parent homes these days. I admit it’s a lot more common in Dallas, where we were living, than here in Laramie, but it happens just the same, and the families do just fine.” Meg shrugged her slender shoulders, the movement jiggling her breasts just enough to remind him she wasn’t wearing a bra under her pajama top.

      “It’s not as if he doesn’t have any men in his life,” Meg continued defensively. “Now that Dani and Jenna are married, he will have uncles around to do guy stuff with him.”

      Luke sat back in his chair. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, bumped Meg’s under the table, then shifted them to the side. “That’s probably true as far as Jake Remington goes, since he’s an independent businessman who owns a ranch. But Beau Chamberlain is a movie star. He’ll be off making movies a lot.”

      “That’s true.” Meg also sat back in her chair, oblivious to the way the curve of one breast was revealed in the gape of her pale-pink pajama top. Meg kept her eyes on Luke’s as she continued defending her game plan. “Beau will have to go off on location. But he is also building a sound stage near here so he can work a lot of the time in Laramie. He’s already said Jeremy can come over and watch filming whenever he wants. The same goes for Jake. He said Jeremy is welcome out at the J&R ranch to play with his daughter, Alexandra, anytime.”

      Luke shook his head. “What you are offering Jeremy is not the same as having a father, Meg.”

      Meg gave him what he considered to be an outrageously self-righteous smile. “It’s the best I can do,” she said icily, slaying him with a glance. “And I would appreciate it if you would back me up on this.”

      How could he, Luke wondered, when Jeremy was suffering so, and Meg was clearly in the wrong?

      Meg leaned forward earnestly. “Please, Luke.” She took both his hands in hers. “Help me make Jeremy see it is okay for me to be both mother and father to him. Obviously, he’ll listen to you in a way he won’t listen to me.”

      Maybe because I listen to everything your little boy has to say, Luke thought, not just what I want to hear him say. Luxuriating in the feel of her soft, slender hands warmly gripping the backs of his, Luke said, “Have you asked Kip to be a father to him?”

      “Luke, I’ve told you.” Meg dropped her grip on him and sat back abruptly once again. “Jeremy isn’t Kip’s responsibility. He’s mine.” She pushed away from the table and began to pace. “You need to get that through your head, and so does Jeremy.”

      “Meaning what?” Luke watched the sway of her hips beneath the loose-fitting pajama bottoms. “You haven’t told him? Or you told him and his reaction wasn’t favorable.”

      Meg