The Secret Heir of Sunset Ranch. Charlene Sands

meet you, too, ma’am. Brett always went on and on about his aunt Mattie. Why, I’d say Brett’s talk about your peach pie got all the men in our unit longing for a piece of that pie.”

      “Oh, that’s nice to hear, son. Next time you come, I’ll be sure to serve some up to you.”

      “Will do. I’ll be by again before you know it. We’ll have that talk about Brett.” Justin grabbed his hat and walked to the door, glancing Kat’s way with a pointed look. “Kat, if you come outside to lend a hand, I’ll change that tire for you.”

      “Isn’t that nice,” Mattie said, settling back in the recliner.

      Kat forced a smile. The authority in his voice told her the marine sergeant wasn’t one to mess with. But the more she thought about Justin Slade lying to her, the more she couldn’t tamp down a surge of anger. She wanted answers. “I’ll be right there.”

      Once Justin left the room, she kissed Connor’s cheek and placed him in the play yard that sat three feet away from Mattie’s chair. Connor sank his butt down and immediately picked up a Baby Einstein musical toy. He pushed the button, something he’d just learned to do, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” rang out to placate him.

      “I’ll watch him,” Aunt Mattie said.

      “Thanks. I shouldn’t be long.”

      Mattie peered outside the window with a thoughtful expression. “He seems like a nice young man.”

      Kat practically choked out her agreement. “He does seem so.”

      Then she walked outside to confront Justin Slade.

      She had no doubt in her mind the fudge was about to hit the fan.

      * * *

      Justin set the jack on the ground and began hoisting up the underbelly of Kat’s ten-year-old Chevy. Kat kept a safe distance away, watching him work with rolled-up sleeves, his face tight, sweat beading on his forehead.

      Looking at him now, she took a subjective view of what had happened in New York and understood why she’d broken her rule with him. Normally, she didn’t date soldiers or any other man who might drag her down to the ditch she’d clawed her way out of. She was heading to the top and nothing would stop her. She’d gone the poor man’s route once before with a young man, and that had gotten her nothing but grief. But Brett...or rather Justin, had had enough charm to persuade her to make an exception. She’d been so lonely, so desperate for a true friend. And he’d been that for two solid days. She’d opened up to him about her life and the recent loss of her mother. He’d listened. He’d understood. He hadn’t pressured her for sex. He hadn’t made a move on her that first night. He’d slept on her tiny living room sofa without complaint. They’d toured the city on a dime, and had laughs. The whole time, Kat knew the weekend was going nowhere. There wasn’t enough charm in the world to get her to give up her dream. She wasn’t going to fall for some down-on-his-luck and out-of-money hog farmer.

      With the jack in place, Justin fastened the wrench he’d found in the trunk over a lug nut on the wheel. The nut refused to budge and Justin dug his heels in, determined. Corded muscles in his forearms strained and bunched with each powerful jerk he gave the wrench. A vein popped from his neck as he put the full force of his body behind each counter-clockwise turn. After he managed to loosen the first lug nut, he sat back on his heels, wincing against the afternoon sunshine, and then shot her a glare. “Is Connor my son?”

      “Shh,” she said, glancing at the front door. Hopefully, Mattie was dozing. “Don’t let Aunt Mattie hear you.”

      Justin fastened the wrench to the next lug nut and turned it sharply to the left. The nut released. “How many men did you sleep with before and after you met me?”

      One other, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. She was certain Brett Applegate was Connor’s father...or at least the man she’d thought to be Brett. “You lied to me. You told me you were Brett.”

      Justin finished removing the nuts from the wheel and rose, his grim expression aimed straight at her. He approached, taking slow predatory steps. “Just how hard did you try to reach Brett Applegate after you got pregnant?”

      Kat visibly shook at his tone. He was determined to get to the truth. She wanted that, too, but protecting Aunt Mattie came first. “We can’t talk about this here. You saw Aunt Mattie. That woman has been through enough heartache in her life. Her heart is frail. I’m convinced she’ll have another setback if she overhears any of this conversation.”

      He stared at her with the full force of his dark brown eyes. Connor’s eyes. As if reading her thoughts, he spoke with a rasp in his voice. “That baby has my eyes and dark hair.”

      It was true. Connor looked enough like Justin to make those comparisons.

      “Shh, Aunt Mattie loves Connor. He’s given her new life. We can’t...we can’t have this conversation right now. If you’re truly a friend of Brett’s you know how much he loved her. He wouldn’t want her getting hurt. And that’s exactly what would happen if you—”

      Justin took the hint and spoke more quietly now. “I don’t plan on hurting Brett’s aunt. But if that boy is my son I have—”

      “Please...” Her nerves raw, she glanced at the door again. “Don’t you get it? I’m not going to talk to you about this here.”

      “We’re gonna have this conversation, Kat. Meet me at seven at my house at Sunset Ranch. It’s twenty miles west of here.”

      Kat’s body shook. She couldn’t go to the Slade house. Showing up on Sunset Ranch would only complicate matters. And she wasn’t going to tell Justin why just now. “I can’t.”

      A vein throbbed against the side of his throat, looking ready to burst. “Why not?”

      “I’ll meet you somewhere else. Someplace neutral.”

      He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m listening.”

      “There’s a little café in Silver Springs called Blossom. Do you know it?”

      “I’ll find it. I’ll meet you there at seven.”

      “Eight. I have to put Connor to bed first. I read to him every night and we have a routine. He’s a pretty good sleeper. It’ll be easier on Aunt Mattie if he’s already in bed when I leave.”

      Justin’s eyes softened at the mention of Connor’s sleep habits and for a second or two, she felt a sense of relief that her son’s daddy wasn’t lost to him forever. Then, Justin turned a sharp eye on her once again. “If you’re not there, I’ll come looking for you.”

      Really? Did he think she’d run out on him? “I’ll be there. I want answers, too.”

      “You’ll get them.” Dismissing her, he turned around and walked back to repair the flat.

      Her heart beating like crazy, she walked into the house. Mattie was indeed dozing. Thank goodness. Little Connor took one look at his mommy, rose onto his knees and then hoisted himself up by the wall of the play yard. He stood on planted feet, holding on tight to keep his balance. His eyes sparkled with pride over his newest accomplishment and Kat beamed with love and that same sense of pride.

      Your daddy is alive, Connor.

      He’s also rich and powerful.

      The implication made her dizzy. But Kat couldn’t think about all of that now. She had Mattie’s welfare to consider. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Matilda Applegate would suffer heart failure if she learned the truth about Connor. Kat couldn’t let that happen. Mattie didn’t deserve any more heartache in her life. There was a tipping point, and this was it. Kat would do everything in her power to protect her. With her flamboyant red hair, and sweetly feisty spirit, the older woman had touched something fierce and protective in Kat.

      She picked up Connor from the play yard and hugged him to her chest,