Hold Me by Lucianne Rivers Page B

her sisters would react when she brought Zach Caldwell home. Growing up without a father had affected them, even though they’d barely known the man. Would they want to get to know him? Jane planned to call Margo this evening and tell her to return home as soon as possible.
    “Why did you leave us?” Jane asked again. What could have possibly kept him away from his wife and children?
    He shook his head, sighed, and took another swig of beer. He patted one of his knees. “See this bum leg?”
    Jane nodded, eyebrows low.
    “Blown up by a landmine. In Iraq.” He sounded haggard, his voice raspy from too many cigarettes. “I was alone, scouting a village. Damn thing exploded just feet away and almost ripped my leg off. Some locals took me in, hid me from the enemy. I was in bed for weeks, unconscious. After I woke up, it took months for my memory to come back. By then,” he appeared close to tears, “you’d already grieved and got on with your lives.”
    Jane shook her head, aghast. Tears trailed down her cheeks. “Oh my God, no. How could you have thought that? You should have come home.”
    “I hate to see you cryin’, Jane.” Zach said. “But I believed I did the right thing.”
    “Why?” Her throat stung.
    “I had to stay away.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Damn Army had me gone all the time. Your mother couldn’t handle it. She said it damaged you. When I didn’t come home for almost a year, I thought it would be best just to stay away for good.”
    Jane shook her head. “I remember the day an Army officer came to the ranch to tell us you had died. Mom was devastated. So was I.”
    But her father wasn’t dead. He sat right in front of her, looking happy to see her.
    Zach leaned forward and propped his elbows on his khaki-clad legs. “How is your mother?”
    Jane drew in a sharp breath and her throat constricted with sorrow.
    “She passed away recently,” Cady said.
    Zach’s mouth flapped open and then shut again, his eyes dazed.
    “That’s why I’m here,” Jane said, finding her voice. “She bequeathed some of her estate to you in her will.”
    God, it was hard to say those words.
    He sat back and the rickety chair squeaked. “I’m sorry to hear about Candace. But I find that last part hard to believe.”
    “We all did.”
    “All?”
    “Allison and Margo.”
    “Of course. Are they both well?”
    “They miss Mom. If you come back to New Mexico I think it’ll help them. You will come back, won’t you?” He had to.
    He rubbed his jaw and finished his beer. “Let me think about it, Jane.”
    She pressed her lips together and bowed her head.
    “It’s a lot to take in,” Zach said. “I just need some time to process everything.” He dragged his age-spotted hand down his face. “It’s such a shock.”
    Jane understood. She’d been shocked by all this, too. “Why wouldn’t you come back to New Mexico with me?”
    He made a sweeping gesture. “I’ve got a life here, as you can see.”
    Some kind of life.
    “And that’s a long way.” Zach said.
    They sat quietly for what seemed like forever to Jane.
    “When you goin’ back?” Zach asked.
    Jane’s stomach tightened. “Tomorrow. That’s all the time I have here. All the time the station would give me. I’ve taken off a lot recently—because of Mom.”
    Cady squeezed her arm.
    Zach rubbed his knuckles against his scruffy jaw. “That’s awfully quick.”
    Jane had to restrain herself from begging him.
    Zach bunched his dry lips and looked around the dilapidated shack, shaking his head. “I need to tell you, I was wrong. I know that now. I often thought about you girls. And your mother. I wondered if I’d made the wrong call.”
    “But you can come back now. Mom’s gone, but Margo, Ally and I… ” Jane swiped a tear from her cheek. “Just give us a chance.”
    Zach stood, limped to the makeshift kitchen, and got another beer.
    Cady cleared his throat.
    Zack nipped his beer. “Come on back tomorrow, then. I’ll go