door.
“Can I help you?” Shay asked, not recognizing the imposing young man with long black curls and large gray eyes.
“I’m looking for a Mr. Shannon O’Shay. Can you tell me if I have the correct residence?”
Shay’s hand clenched the edge of the door, holding it firmly in place. He didn’t recognize the young man, but he recognized the accent and the tenor of the voice. He hadn’t heard either in almost twenty years. A sense of foreboding washed over him, cooling his skin, turning the drops of perspiration to salt crystals that burned his skin and threatened to burn his soul.
“Why are you looking for O’Shay, if I may ask?” Shay said, quite certain he didn’t want to know.
“He’s my father, and I’ve come a long way to see him. Can you direct me to his home? The woman at the grocery said I couldn’t miss it, but apparently I have.”
Shay’s heart hammered in his chest and he felt like a stranger in his skin, like he was observing himself from far away. His voice was clear and precise when he opened the door fully and gestured the young man forward.
“I think you’d better come in.” Shay said, closing the door after his son crossed the threshold.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Mary Campbell rushed into the room as Taryn fell, but Merlin held her firmly. “She’s in good hands, Mary”, he whispered, “Let this play out . ”
Since ‘letting it play out’ suited Mary just fine, she didn’t argue further. Taryn deserved to know her birth mother and Mary would insist, now that they’d found her, that her daughter give them a chance to be a part of her life, no matter how small. With only her and her sister-in-law Olive left, Taryn needed more family to love her.
Mary watched as Jesse Mohr picked up her daughter in his arms. He surveyed the room with a look that promised retribution if anyone tried to stop him from carrying out his duty to protect her. Then he silently walked out with Taryn cradled close to his heart.
Mary entered the library, capturing Reed’s attention. “Tell me that man is not biologically related to our daughter.”
Reed jerked back in her chair, her eyes rounding for an instant as if Mary slapped her. Then she seemed to relax as both of her husband’s hands settled on her shoulders for support. A smile replaced the sudden shock in Reed’s blue-green eyes. Reed’s genuine smile warmed the room with her appreciation for Mary’s not-so-subtle inquiry.
“Jesse is my adopted son. He came to me when he was fourteen.” Reed swallowed hard and seemed to weigh her words carefully.
“After the death of his parents.”
Her smile turned into a grin, making her look younger and naughtier than the elegant woman of the house exterior she presented. “So, no, Jesse is not biologically related to Taryn.”
Reed sobered a bit when her husband cut in. “Our apologies Mrs. Campbell. It appears Jesse’s desire to find Taryn has caused her to become a target. I can assure you neither he nor any of us want Taryn put at risk.”
Reed got up, her face flushing with embarrassment. Mary thought that odd until Reed gestured toward the couch. Please, Mrs. Campbell, sit.” Reed’s eyes flashed to Merlin. “Please sit, Mr .?”
Mary spoke before Merlin could as each of them took a seat across from Reed. “Please call me Mary. And this is Merlin, Taryn’s assistant. He was there this morning when the men attacked and helped fend them off.”
Reed quickly introduced Jordon and poured two cups of tea, placing them in front of Mary and Merlin. Jordon looked at Merlin, asking, “How did you manage to…ah… fend off Taryn’s attackers?”
Mary felt Merlin squirm next to her. “Golf balls.” He got out before stuffing an over-sized cookie in his mouth. Jordon raised a brow, but didn’t make any further inquiries. Mary was betting he’d get a full accounting from Jesse just as soon as Taryn was settled wherever it was that Jesse was taking her.
“What my husband
“Can I help you?” Shay asked, not recognizing the imposing young man with long black curls and large gray eyes.
“I’m looking for a Mr. Shannon O’Shay. Can you tell me if I have the correct residence?”
Shay’s hand clenched the edge of the door, holding it firmly in place. He didn’t recognize the young man, but he recognized the accent and the tenor of the voice. He hadn’t heard either in almost twenty years. A sense of foreboding washed over him, cooling his skin, turning the drops of perspiration to salt crystals that burned his skin and threatened to burn his soul.
“Why are you looking for O’Shay, if I may ask?” Shay said, quite certain he didn’t want to know.
“He’s my father, and I’ve come a long way to see him. Can you direct me to his home? The woman at the grocery said I couldn’t miss it, but apparently I have.”
Shay’s heart hammered in his chest and he felt like a stranger in his skin, like he was observing himself from far away. His voice was clear and precise when he opened the door fully and gestured the young man forward.
“I think you’d better come in.” Shay said, closing the door after his son crossed the threshold.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Mary Campbell rushed into the room as Taryn fell, but Merlin held her firmly. “She’s in good hands, Mary”, he whispered, “Let this play out . ”
Since ‘letting it play out’ suited Mary just fine, she didn’t argue further. Taryn deserved to know her birth mother and Mary would insist, now that they’d found her, that her daughter give them a chance to be a part of her life, no matter how small. With only her and her sister-in-law Olive left, Taryn needed more family to love her.
Mary watched as Jesse Mohr picked up her daughter in his arms. He surveyed the room with a look that promised retribution if anyone tried to stop him from carrying out his duty to protect her. Then he silently walked out with Taryn cradled close to his heart.
Mary entered the library, capturing Reed’s attention. “Tell me that man is not biologically related to our daughter.”
Reed jerked back in her chair, her eyes rounding for an instant as if Mary slapped her. Then she seemed to relax as both of her husband’s hands settled on her shoulders for support. A smile replaced the sudden shock in Reed’s blue-green eyes. Reed’s genuine smile warmed the room with her appreciation for Mary’s not-so-subtle inquiry.
“Jesse is my adopted son. He came to me when he was fourteen.” Reed swallowed hard and seemed to weigh her words carefully.
“After the death of his parents.”
Her smile turned into a grin, making her look younger and naughtier than the elegant woman of the house exterior she presented. “So, no, Jesse is not biologically related to Taryn.”
Reed sobered a bit when her husband cut in. “Our apologies Mrs. Campbell. It appears Jesse’s desire to find Taryn has caused her to become a target. I can assure you neither he nor any of us want Taryn put at risk.”
Reed got up, her face flushing with embarrassment. Mary thought that odd until Reed gestured toward the couch. Please, Mrs. Campbell, sit.” Reed’s eyes flashed to Merlin. “Please sit, Mr .?”
Mary spoke before Merlin could as each of them took a seat across from Reed. “Please call me Mary. And this is Merlin, Taryn’s assistant. He was there this morning when the men attacked and helped fend them off.”
Reed quickly introduced Jordon and poured two cups of tea, placing them in front of Mary and Merlin. Jordon looked at Merlin, asking, “How did you manage to…ah… fend off Taryn’s attackers?”
Mary felt Merlin squirm next to her. “Golf balls.” He got out before stuffing an over-sized cookie in his mouth. Jordon raised a brow, but didn’t make any further inquiries. Mary was betting he’d get a full accounting from Jesse just as soon as Taryn was settled wherever it was that Jesse was taking her.
“What my husband
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