look at him. “No, you don’t. We both know you can’t do that to Zack.” He paused, his gaze searching hers. “Do you love me?”
Lanie swallowed the lump in her throat. “You know I do.”
“Do you plan on sleeping with him?”
“No.” Tears welled in her eyes. “God, no.”
“Then we can get through this.”
“But I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered.
The smile he gave her was forced. “It hurts me more to see you torn in half like this.
As long as I know you’ll come back to me when it’s over, I can survive. And you know 3I’ll be here if you need me. I’m not going to vanish just because McAllister wants me to.”
“Lanie?” Sara was watching them both. “Is that what you want to do?”
“No, but it seems I don’t have much choice after all. I’ll give Quinn his three months. For Zack’s sake.”
* * * * *
Jared stood on the porch, one hand propped above him on the post as he watched Lanie’s truck follow Sara’s sedan down the drive. An agony of fear knotted his stomach until he thought he was going to be sick.
It had sounded so easy when McAllister offered him this chance. Just keep an eye on the man’s ex-daughter-in-law and grandson, make sure they were okay and didn’t need anything. In return, all his college loans were paid off and he got a practice handed to him on a silver platter. Easy.
Until he’d seen Lanie McAllister for the first time, and known instantly that she was the woman he’d dreamed about his entire life. Known he’d found the woman he wanted to grow old with, to have a family with.
And suddenly the job wasn’t easy anymore. Because Lanie had still loved her ex-husband. It had taken Jared four long, slow years of watching his every step before she’d finally agreed to marry him. Now, God help him, he was terrified that he was losing her. Because as much as she denied it, part of her loved McAllister and always would. He had been willing to accept that, even if it meant being second best. He loved her too much to live without her.
But now McAllister was back. Lord, how he’d wanted to tell her to refuse McAllister’s deal, to fight the man until the end. He took a deep breath and turned back toward the house.
Lanie was right. Even if it meant losing her, they had to protect Zack, the child he’d come to love to as his own. And he wasn’t going to simply step aside and make things easy for McAllister. He’d see Lanie every chance he got, remind her what they had together.
And pray like hell she never discovered why he’d moved to Wyoming in the first place.
* * * * *
Quinn let the curtain drop back into place as the taillights from Lanie’s truck vanished down the drive. She’d stayed locked in the office most of the afternoon, only coming out when Martha had announced supper was ready. And even then, she’d ignored him, answering only when he’d asked her a direct question.
3A soft patter of bare feet and the sound of bells came from behind him and he turned. Zack was standing in the door, clutching a doll and watching him warily. His expression made Quinn’s stomach clench. He didn’t want the tension between him and Lanie to affect his relationship with his son.
“Hi.” He kept his voice even. “I thought you were in bed.”
“Mr. Jingles isn’t sleepy.” The little boy glanced around the room. “Where’s Duncan?”
“He’s in the office setting up some equipment we brought.” Quinn moved to the couch and sat down. “Since Mr. Jingles isn’t sleepy, why don’t you come in and talk to me? I’m not sleepy either.”
Zack didn’t need a second invitation. He ran across the room and climbed onto the couch beside Quinn, staring up at him in fascination. “Does your mama make you go to bed, too?”
“She used to, when I was about your size. I think most moms do.”
Zack edged a little closer. Apparently with Lanie gone, his curiosity had overcome his divided sense of loyalty. “Billy’s mom makes him go to
Lanie swallowed the lump in her throat. “You know I do.”
“Do you plan on sleeping with him?”
“No.” Tears welled in her eyes. “God, no.”
“Then we can get through this.”
“But I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered.
The smile he gave her was forced. “It hurts me more to see you torn in half like this.
As long as I know you’ll come back to me when it’s over, I can survive. And you know 3I’ll be here if you need me. I’m not going to vanish just because McAllister wants me to.”
“Lanie?” Sara was watching them both. “Is that what you want to do?”
“No, but it seems I don’t have much choice after all. I’ll give Quinn his three months. For Zack’s sake.”
* * * * *
Jared stood on the porch, one hand propped above him on the post as he watched Lanie’s truck follow Sara’s sedan down the drive. An agony of fear knotted his stomach until he thought he was going to be sick.
It had sounded so easy when McAllister offered him this chance. Just keep an eye on the man’s ex-daughter-in-law and grandson, make sure they were okay and didn’t need anything. In return, all his college loans were paid off and he got a practice handed to him on a silver platter. Easy.
Until he’d seen Lanie McAllister for the first time, and known instantly that she was the woman he’d dreamed about his entire life. Known he’d found the woman he wanted to grow old with, to have a family with.
And suddenly the job wasn’t easy anymore. Because Lanie had still loved her ex-husband. It had taken Jared four long, slow years of watching his every step before she’d finally agreed to marry him. Now, God help him, he was terrified that he was losing her. Because as much as she denied it, part of her loved McAllister and always would. He had been willing to accept that, even if it meant being second best. He loved her too much to live without her.
But now McAllister was back. Lord, how he’d wanted to tell her to refuse McAllister’s deal, to fight the man until the end. He took a deep breath and turned back toward the house.
Lanie was right. Even if it meant losing her, they had to protect Zack, the child he’d come to love to as his own. And he wasn’t going to simply step aside and make things easy for McAllister. He’d see Lanie every chance he got, remind her what they had together.
And pray like hell she never discovered why he’d moved to Wyoming in the first place.
* * * * *
Quinn let the curtain drop back into place as the taillights from Lanie’s truck vanished down the drive. She’d stayed locked in the office most of the afternoon, only coming out when Martha had announced supper was ready. And even then, she’d ignored him, answering only when he’d asked her a direct question.
3A soft patter of bare feet and the sound of bells came from behind him and he turned. Zack was standing in the door, clutching a doll and watching him warily. His expression made Quinn’s stomach clench. He didn’t want the tension between him and Lanie to affect his relationship with his son.
“Hi.” He kept his voice even. “I thought you were in bed.”
“Mr. Jingles isn’t sleepy.” The little boy glanced around the room. “Where’s Duncan?”
“He’s in the office setting up some equipment we brought.” Quinn moved to the couch and sat down. “Since Mr. Jingles isn’t sleepy, why don’t you come in and talk to me? I’m not sleepy either.”
Zack didn’t need a second invitation. He ran across the room and climbed onto the couch beside Quinn, staring up at him in fascination. “Does your mama make you go to bed, too?”
“She used to, when I was about your size. I think most moms do.”
Zack edged a little closer. Apparently with Lanie gone, his curiosity had overcome his divided sense of loyalty. “Billy’s mom makes him go to
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