made her wonder if it sounded reasonable to him.
“I’ve got things to do,” Ruth declared. “If you want to accuse me of anything else, you’ll find me in the nursery.”
Dylan didn’t make any attempt to apologize or follow the woman. Probably because he heard the same sound she did. There were thudding footsteps making their way down the hall, and for a moment, she braced herself for yet another confrontation with Curtis. Or worse. She prayed that Rodney Harmon hadn’t wormed his way into the house.
But it wasn’t either of them.
It was Deputy Jonah Burke.
“Well, thanks to you, I’m stuck here at the ranch for Thanksgiving,” Jonah complained, aiming that complaint at Dylan. “The fire chief just called. The road between town and here is now officially closed.”
“Closed?” Collena repeated, groaning. Well, that was just wonderful.
She had no car and no way to leave. This day just kept adding more and more obstacles. She wanted Dylan to get that DNA test to the lab, and that wasn’t going to happen with the roads closed.
“Jonah, I’ll make up the upstairs guest room for you,” Millie volunteered. She stopped though and looked at Dylan. “What about Ms. Drake? Should I get a guest room ready for her, too?”
The impact hit Collena full force. Yes, the road closure would hinder the DNA test and getting replacement copies of her documents, but if Dylan actually let her stay, then she would be under the same roof as Adam.
She might get to see her son.
But she rethought that when she and Dylan turned toward each other at the same moment. That wasn’t exactly a welcoming or inviting look he was giving her.
“She’ll stay,” Dylan said as if he were speaking profanity. He turned to Millie. “Have Hank check the security system. I want all perimeter and internal alarms set to the highest levels. Lock all the doors and windows. Make sure no one gets in without my permission.”
Millie’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “Dylan, are you expecting trouble?”
“Trouble’s already here,” he mumbled. “There’s a fugitive on the loose,” he added in a louder voice, apparently for Millie’s ears. “He’s dangerous, and I don’t want him anywhere near the house.”
“What about Adam?” Millie stared at Collena when she asked that question. “What should we do with him to make sure he’s…safe?”
Safe, and away from Collena.
“Keep Adam in the nursery until you hear from me,” Dylan ordered.
Another nod and Millie walked away, apparently ready to do her duty by making sure Collena didn’t see her little boy.
Dylan would have walked away, as well, if Collena hadn’t grabbed his arm. “Adam has my eyes. My mouth. My hair. He’s my son, and I want to see him.”
She could see the debate start. It seemed to make its way through every muscle in his body.
Dylan glanced back at the photo of her that he’d turned facedown on his desk. He was likely feeling sorry for her again. Part of Collena despised that—she hated pity—but another part of her was willing to do anything to see her child.
That included begging.
Still, she wasn’t certain that even begging would be enough to convince Dylan.
They stood there. Long, long moments. While his mental debate continued. Collena had her own. To speak or not to speak. And she decided there was nothing she could say that would help her cause.
He groaned softly. “Come with me,” he finally said. “And don’t make me regret this.”
Collena was too afraid to hope that he was leading her in the direction of the nursery.
Chapter Six
Dylan knew this could be a huge mistake.
After the incident with the car fire and Collena’s suggestion of marriage, he wanted nothing more than to distance himself from the woman who could take Adam away from him. But he also knew that distancing himself wouldn’t make this situation go away.
One way or another, he had to convince Collena that he should be the one to raise Adam. He couldn’t
“I’ve got things to do,” Ruth declared. “If you want to accuse me of anything else, you’ll find me in the nursery.”
Dylan didn’t make any attempt to apologize or follow the woman. Probably because he heard the same sound she did. There were thudding footsteps making their way down the hall, and for a moment, she braced herself for yet another confrontation with Curtis. Or worse. She prayed that Rodney Harmon hadn’t wormed his way into the house.
But it wasn’t either of them.
It was Deputy Jonah Burke.
“Well, thanks to you, I’m stuck here at the ranch for Thanksgiving,” Jonah complained, aiming that complaint at Dylan. “The fire chief just called. The road between town and here is now officially closed.”
“Closed?” Collena repeated, groaning. Well, that was just wonderful.
She had no car and no way to leave. This day just kept adding more and more obstacles. She wanted Dylan to get that DNA test to the lab, and that wasn’t going to happen with the roads closed.
“Jonah, I’ll make up the upstairs guest room for you,” Millie volunteered. She stopped though and looked at Dylan. “What about Ms. Drake? Should I get a guest room ready for her, too?”
The impact hit Collena full force. Yes, the road closure would hinder the DNA test and getting replacement copies of her documents, but if Dylan actually let her stay, then she would be under the same roof as Adam.
She might get to see her son.
But she rethought that when she and Dylan turned toward each other at the same moment. That wasn’t exactly a welcoming or inviting look he was giving her.
“She’ll stay,” Dylan said as if he were speaking profanity. He turned to Millie. “Have Hank check the security system. I want all perimeter and internal alarms set to the highest levels. Lock all the doors and windows. Make sure no one gets in without my permission.”
Millie’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “Dylan, are you expecting trouble?”
“Trouble’s already here,” he mumbled. “There’s a fugitive on the loose,” he added in a louder voice, apparently for Millie’s ears. “He’s dangerous, and I don’t want him anywhere near the house.”
“What about Adam?” Millie stared at Collena when she asked that question. “What should we do with him to make sure he’s…safe?”
Safe, and away from Collena.
“Keep Adam in the nursery until you hear from me,” Dylan ordered.
Another nod and Millie walked away, apparently ready to do her duty by making sure Collena didn’t see her little boy.
Dylan would have walked away, as well, if Collena hadn’t grabbed his arm. “Adam has my eyes. My mouth. My hair. He’s my son, and I want to see him.”
She could see the debate start. It seemed to make its way through every muscle in his body.
Dylan glanced back at the photo of her that he’d turned facedown on his desk. He was likely feeling sorry for her again. Part of Collena despised that—she hated pity—but another part of her was willing to do anything to see her child.
That included begging.
Still, she wasn’t certain that even begging would be enough to convince Dylan.
They stood there. Long, long moments. While his mental debate continued. Collena had her own. To speak or not to speak. And she decided there was nothing she could say that would help her cause.
He groaned softly. “Come with me,” he finally said. “And don’t make me regret this.”
Collena was too afraid to hope that he was leading her in the direction of the nursery.
Chapter Six
Dylan knew this could be a huge mistake.
After the incident with the car fire and Collena’s suggestion of marriage, he wanted nothing more than to distance himself from the woman who could take Adam away from him. But he also knew that distancing himself wouldn’t make this situation go away.
One way or another, he had to convince Collena that he should be the one to raise Adam. He couldn’t
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