“Look,” he said impatiently. “If you’re getting cold feet about meeting the Calhouns, then don’t. They’re just normal folks like you and me.”
Under any other circumstances, Sassy would have burst out laughing. She’d been raised in a very modest home. And after her adoptive parents died, all she’d been left with had been a small amount of money from their life insurance, a few changes of clothing and an old pickup truck. For the past seven years she’d supported herself by working as a maid for the Cantrells. And though she hardly lived in poverty, she was so far down the totem pole from folks like the Calhouns that it was ridiculous.
“Normal? Jett, their normal would be a far cry from mine. But that’s not the reason I’m having second thoughts about meeting the Calhouns.” She drew in a deep, bracing breath. “Okay, I’ll just go ahead and say it. A few minutes ago the doctor told me that I—I’m pregnant.”
A look of confusion washed over his face. “Pregnant? Are you saying you didn’t know until just now?”
Just getting the word out gave her a measure of relief. “I’ve not been feeling exactly like myself lately, but I put it down to stress. The news about the baby was quite a shock. So maybe you can understand why I think I should go home to New Mexico.”
“Why?” he insisted. “Is there an immediate problem with your health?”
She pressed fingertips to her forehead and tried to slow the chaotic spin of her thoughts. “No. But surely you can see why my mind isn’t exactly on meeting Finn and the other Calhouns right now.”
“I can see that you’re probably anxious to get home and share the news with your husband.”
Even though she had no reason to be embarrassed, a blush moved over her cheeks. He didn’t understand. And why should he? During the brief conversations she’d had with this man, she’d never mentioned whether she was single or married. She’d never really clarified her relationship with Barry, either. And now, because she was pregnant, he’d simply assumed she had a husband.
“That would be nice—if I had a husband. But I don’t. The baby’s father is—was Barry Landers.”
His brows shot up. “Barry Landers! I didn’t realize you were that close.”
The blush on her face grew even hotter. “We were more than friends. And now— The baby changes everything.” Bending her head, she closed her burning eyes. “Meeting with the Calhouns doesn’t seem that important anymore.”
Suddenly she felt his hand settle on her shoulders, and even through the thickness of her coat she could feel its warmth spreading through her, reminding her that she wasn’t completely alone.
“Besides your adoptive parents, do you have any other family?” he asked gently.
His words brought her head up and she stared at him through misty eyes.
“As I said, all my grandparents are deceased. There’re two distant cousins up in Oregon. I’ve never met them, though.”
He grimaced. “Then the way I see it, you being pregnant makes meeting the Calhouns even more important. If they can help you find your real parents, it would be good for the baby to have roots and a medical history.”
Fishing a tissue from her coat pocket, she dabbed her eyes, then lifted her chin. “That’s true. But I figure that snow falling in Death Valley would be more likely to happen than me learning I belonged on a branch of the Calhoun family tree. And so do you.”
Her reply put a clever arch to his brow. “Did I agree to that assumption?”
What was he doing, she wondered, playing some sort of game with her? With this man it was hard to tell exactly what he was thinking or feeling.
“Not exactly. But—”
He put the truck in reverse and quickly backed out of the parking slot as though everything had just been settled. “Call the hotel and cancel your reservations. You’re going home with me.”
Dumbfounded, Sassy stared at him. “What are you talking about? I’m not going home with you. I barely know you.”
He suddenly chuckled and the sound helped to ease her tense nerves.
“If you’re worried about my character I’ll stop by the sheriff’s department. Rafe, one of the Calhoun brothers, works as a detective in Carson City and the outlying county. He, or any of the other deputies, can vouch that I’m a man of honor.”
“I don’t need a character reference! I hardly think a prominent family like the Calhouns would employ a sleazeball for their lawyer. I’m thinking of all the bother I’ll cause your family by barging into your home.”
“That might be so—if I had a family. But I’m a bachelor.”
Even though he had that wild and free look about him, the news that he was a single man set her back somewhat. At his age a man usually had a wedding band on his finger and kids at home. Clearly Jett Sundell was not the typical sort.
“Even so, I’m not sure that going to your house is the right thing to do.”
“Actually, it’s more than a house,” he corrected her. “It’s a ranch. The J Bar S. And before you jump to conclusions, it’s nothing like the Calhouns’. Just a little spread of my own. But it’s comfortable. And I think the solitude is just what you need. Besides, if you decide to faint again I want to be around to catch you.”
For some reason, his show of concern brought another rush of moisture to her eyes. She blinked it away and swallowed hard. “I’m not going to faint again,” she said flatly.
“How do you know? Your face still looks like a bowl of flour.”
“As soon as I get to my hotel room I’ll lie down and rest,” she argued. “And if I need help, I’ll have my phone with me.”
“How are you going to use the phone if you’re lying on the floor in a dead faint? No,” he said emphatically, “it’s decided. You’re coming with me.”
“But—”
“Look, if you’re worried about being alone in the house with a man you’ve just met, forget it. My older sister lives with me.”
“Oh.”
He looked at her and grinned. “I’ll take that as a word of disappointment.”
Straightening her shoulders, she settled back in her seat. “It was nothing of the sort. That was a word of confusion. My head is so mixed up right now it feels like it’s going to burst.”
He pressed on the accelerator and positioned the truck in a faster-moving lane of traffic. “That’s what a good lawyer is for. To help a person who’s confused and in need.”
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. There didn’t appear to be a tense muscle in his body and somehow that helped to calm her racing mind.
“I don’t know if you’re a good, bad or otherwise lawyer.”
He chuckled again. “Guess you’ll have to find that out for yourself.”
She wasn’t here in Carson City to bandy words with a sexy cowboy parading as a lawyer, or vice versa, she thought. She was here to meet the Calhouns and hopefully find some sort of clue to her past, her parentage and perhaps even her future.
Ignoring his last remark, she stared out the windshield at the passing shops and busy traffic. The desert town was totally different from the New Mexico mountains where she’d lived all of her life.
“Why are you going to all this bother?” she asked after a moment. “I’m not your problem. And you don’t have to pretend. It’s clear you think I’m chasing rainbows.”
“Like I said, you’re not a problem—yet. But now that I’ve met you in person, I get the feeling you’re going to stir up a pot of trouble whenever the Calhouns get sight of you.”
Turning her head, she stared uneasily at his rugged profile. “Why would the sight of me cause trouble?”
“Because you are a dead ringer for Finn Calhoun. Only a sight prettier, of course.”
Sassy gripped the armrest. Jett’s remark was almost exactly what Barry had said to her a few months ago. In fact, her resemblance to his friend Finn was the reason Barry had struck up a conversation with Sassy in the first place. Now Jett Sundell was implying the same thing.
Not wanting to let her hopes run wild, she said after a moment, “It’s just a coincidence.”
“Probably so. But it’s going to be fun to see all their faces when you walk through the door.”
Right now Sassy didn’t want to walk through any door. She wanted to run as hard and fast as she could. Away from this sexy, provocative man, away from the news of her pregnancy and the fact that her life was taking as many turns as a wild roller coaster.
But Sassy wasn’t a coward. She’d never run from a problem; she’d always faced them head-on. And she was going to prove to Jett Sundell and the powerful Calhoun family that she was more than a pitiful orphan without a direction.
Chapter Two
J
ett’s ranch, the J Bar S, turned out to be more than just a little spread. Ten miles north of town they turned off the main highway and onto a red dirt road, where they passed beneath a rustic entrance made of rough cedar posts. Once the truck rattled over a wide cattle guard, the flat land covered with shrubby chaparral stretched toward the east as far as the eye could see. To the west, low hills were decorated with twisted juniper and ponderosa pine, and behind them, somewhat taller mountains were thickly forested with evergreens.
The direction of the road eventually changed and took them straight to the mountains, then curved and climbed its way onto a small mesa. Once the truck reached the flattened strip of land, a rambling L-shaped house, nestled in a copse of tall pines and cottonwoods, came into view. Some hundred yards to the right of the house stood several barns and a maze of wooden corrals where a herd of playful horses were stirring the dust.
Jett parked the truck beneath a carport located at the west end of the house. While she waited for him to skirt the vehicle, she took a moment to study his home.
The walls were made of very dark brown logs with natural rock coming halfway up the sides. A walkway made of planked wood ran along the front of the house, until it reached a small porch where a holly bush blazed with bright red berries. Two black-and-white collies suddenly appeared from a far corner of the yard and jumped in excited circles around Jett’s legs.
He ordered the dogs to give him space, then opened her door. “Here we are, Sassy,” he said, as he extended a hand up to her. “Don’t mind the dogs. They love people. I’ll help you in, then come back for your bags.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she no longer felt faint or needed his help to walk, but she quickly bit back the words. The men she’d spent time with, including Barry, had always treated her like a tough, outdoorsy girl who could take care of herself. This was first time in her life that she’d ever had a man treat her like a delicate lady. She might as well enjoy the special treatment for as long as she could.
With his strong hand wrapped around hers, she climbed out of the truck and stood beside him. The dogs immediately rushed to her and she made a point of greeting them before she turned her attention back to Jett.
“Before we go in, I want to thank you, Jett. In spite of some of the things I said to you, I really do appreciate all that you’re doing for me.”
He smiled at her, and for a moment Sassy forgot everything, including the reason she’d even come to Nevada. There was something in his eyes that made her feel welcome, that said he was glad she was here. But that didn’t make sense. Jett didn’t know her. Not really. And if he did, what would he think? she wondered. She was a maid and lived on a salary that kept her bills paid and food on her table, but little more.
He linked his arm through hers and started down the long sidewalk. “I have plenty of space and time. And it’s not often that I get a client like you.”
“Oh. I thought the Calhoun family were your clients. Not me.” She would have preferred him to describe her as a friend. But that hardly mattered, she told herself. She was here to search for her parentage, not for a man.
“Technically you’re right. But I have a protective nature. Especially when it comes to pretty women. So I’m making you my client, too.”
He added another grin to the last of his words, and Sassy figured he’d never had a problem manipulating a woman’s heartstrings. But she didn’t need to worry about losing her heart to this charming cowboy. She was carrying a baby. That should be more than enough to turn off any man’s ardor.
Compared to the Cantrell’s elaborate, two-story house back on the Chaparral Ranch, Jett’s home was a modest, though very comfortable, size. After passing through a small foyer, they entered a living room furnished with a wood-framed couch done in dark green-and-brown fabric, a matching love seat and two armchairs. In one corner, a television was tuned in to the weather, while a mug of coffee and a newspaper littered a varnished cedar coffee table. Braided rugs added splashes of color here and there across the inlaid wood floor. At the far end of the space, a fire burned low in a rock fireplace and filled the room with delicious warmth.
“Bella! Come here! We have company!”
Jett’s shout brought a flurry of movement from somewhere in the rooms beyond, and then a woman with a long, dark ponytail appeared in an open doorway, followed by a black cat with a red collar around its neck.
“Oh! Jett, I wasn’t expecting you back home so early.” She walked toward her brother, who was still holding on to Sassy’s arm, then suddenly she stopped in her tracks and stared incredulously at the both of them. “Who—?”
“Sis, this is Sassy Matthews from New Mexico. She’s going to be staying with us for a few days.”
Her gaze traveling keenly over Sassy’s face, the tall, attractive woman stepped closer and extended her hand. “Hello. I’m Bella Sundell,” she introduced herself.
Seeing the same warm light in Bella’s eyes as she had in Jett’s, Sassy felt immediate relief. “Nice to meet you, Bella.” She shook the woman’s hand. “And I apologize for barging in like this. Your brother insisted it would be okay.”
“It’s no bother.” Bella shot her brother a shrewd glance. “In fact, this is quite exciting. Jett never brings guests home. Especially ones who look like you.”
“Bella! What kind of remark is that?”
With an impatient roll of her eyes, she asked, “Are you blind? She’s the spitting image of Finn Calhoun. A beautiful one, that is.” She turned back to Sassy. “Are you a relative of theirs?”
Sassy was amazed by the woman’s reaction. “No. I don’t think so.”
Jett looked at Sassy, and his expression said “I told you so.” To Bella, he said, “Actually, Sassy doesn’t know who she’s related to. And the story is too long to get into right now. Sassy had a nasty faint a bit earlier at the airport and we’ve spent the past couple of hours at the emergency room. She needs to eat and then rest.”
“Oh, my. I hope it was nothing serious.”
Deciding there was no point in keeping it a secret, Sassy replied, “I’m going to have a baby.”
Bella’s expression immediately changing to one of concern, she reached for Sassy’s arm. “That’s serious enough. Come along with me and I’ll find something for you to eat. Then you can rest.” She started leading Sassy out of the room, then tossed over her shoulder, “Jett, put her things in the bedroom next to mine, will you?”
“Sure. And don’t go plying Sassy with a bunch of questions,” he warned his sister. “She’s already had one lawyer digging at her today.”
He turned to leave the house and as Bella guided her down a short hallway, Sassy asked curiously, “Are you a lawyer, like your brother?”
“No. I work as a legal assistant, but I took the day off. I had a few personal tasks to deal with in town. And don’t worry, I’m not a nosy gossiper. I won’t bother you with a bunch of questions.”
“That’s the least of my worries,” Sassy told her. “I just feel awful about barging into your home like this. I had reservations at a hotel in town but your brother insisted I cancel them. Just because I fainted he seems to think I shouldn’t be alone. But I’m hardly his responsibility.”
“That’s Jett. He likes to help people. Anyway, it’s just the two of us living here, so you won’t be a bother to either of us. In fact, it’s great for me to have female company. It’s always just Jett or Noah, the ranch hand, roaming around the place.”
Since Bella Sundell wore no wedding ring, and was using her maiden name, it was fairly evident that she wasn’t married. Sassy gauged her to be somewhere in her thirties, past the age where most women became wives and mothers. Maybe she was wrapped up in an important career, Sassy thought. Or could be that the Sundell siblings just weren’t the marrying kind.
A few more steps took them inside a cozy kitchen with a round red Formica table and matching chairs, varnished wood cabinets and a black-and-white checked tile floor. The space smelled faintly of coffee and baked bread, and the scents had Sassy realizing she’d not eaten since early that morning, before she’d boarded the small plane in Ruidoso.
Bella helped her out of her coat, then hung it on a hall tree situated by the door.
“I should’ve asked if you feel like sitting at the table to eat,” Bella said. “If you’d rather lie down, I’ll bring a tray to the bedroom.”
Since Sassy’s job was to serve others, it felt strange to have this woman offer to do things for her. “Thanks, but I feel like sitting. And don’t go to any trouble. A half sandwich of anything will do. Lunch meat, peanut butter, whatever you have.”
Bella walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a loaf of bread from a wooden bread box. “That’s easy enough. Jett can’t live without salami. I’ll fix that for you. And to drink we have coffee, soda, tea, milk.”
“Coffee would be heavenly,” Sassy replied, then her lips parted as it suddenly dawned on her that she was now eating and drinking for a developing baby. She had to think before she put anything into her mouth. “Oh. Maybe I’d better drink something else.”
“I have decaffeinated,” Bella quickly assured her.
Groaning, Sassy reached up and massaged her aching forehead. “I’m sorry. I must sound crazy to you. But I—well, I just found out this afternoon that I’m pregnant. Before today I didn’t have a clue, and I think I’m still in shock.”
Forgetting her task, Bella turned on her heel and quickly returned to Sassy. “Oh, you poor darling!” she exclaimed as she eased down in the chair opposite Sassy’s. “You must be in a daze!”
Daze couldn’t quite describe it, Sassy thought. But she didn’t say that to Jett’s sister. Instead, she quickly explained the situation of Finn’s letter and her decision to fly out here to meet the Calhoun family.
Shaking her head, Bella reached over and clasped both her hands. “Well, while you’re here you mustn’t worry about a thing. Jett will help you with the Calhouns. But I’m sure you already knew that before you came out here to Nevada.”
Actually, Sassy hadn’t known any such thing about Jett Sundell. Over the phone he’d had a nice voice and a patient manner about him. But he’d not seemed overly enthusiastic about her traveling all the way to Nevada to see the Calhouns. So she’d hardly expected this much help from the man. And it made her wonder why he’d had a change of heart. Because she really did resemble Finn Calhoun? Or because, like Bella had said, he simply liked helping people? Either way, she was going to have to be careful around the man and not let him see just how much he stirred her senses.
“Who says she’s going to need help with the Calhouns?”
Both women turned their heads in the direction of Jett’s voice to see him striding into the room. While he removed his hat and hung it on a hook next to Sassy’s coat, Bella returned to her sandwich making.
“Well, why won’t she?” his sister asked. “Bart is going to blow a gasket when he sees her. Especially when the family starts asking him who he was squiring twenty-some years ago.”
Jett glowered at her. “Damn it, Bella, that’s a crass thing to be saying in front of Sassy.”
“I’m not a child,” Sassy interrupted. “I’m twenty-four, to be exact. And if I do look like this Finn person, as you’re both saying I do, then I expect I’ll hear all sorts of nasty innuendoes from the Calhoun folks.”
Bella shot her brother a sly smile before she opened the refrigerator. “I knew she was a smart girl the moment I laid eyes on her.”
He moved over to the sink and washed his hands. “Well, I don’t know why you’d think she belongs to Bart. What about his sister up in Reno? Or could be that Orin wasn’t always totally faithful to Claudia.”
Bella slapped the salami between two pieces of bread, then sliced it diagonally. “That’s hard to imagine. Orin thought Claudia hung the moon. He was devastated when she passed away from a blood clot.”
Jett dried his hands on a paper towel. “That’s true. But Orin has always traveled around the Southwest buying horses and cattle. If he had straying on his mind he had plenty of opportunities.”
Heaving out a breath, Sassy said, “Look, before you two say any more about this, I want to make something perfectly clear. I’m not here to cause trouble. And I certainly don’t want anything from the Calhoun family. I’m going to visit with Finn—that’s all. If the family does happen to have any clues they might be able to give me about my parents, then that would be wonderful. But I’m not here to stir up any trouble.”
Jett ambled slowly toward the table and Sassy couldn’t help but notice how his presence filled up the room, prompting her gaze to follow his every movement.
“I don’t think it’s going to be that simple,” he said.
Bella placed the sandwich in front of Sassy, then returned to the cabinet and brewed a quick single cup of coffee.
“Neither do I,” Bella agreed. She carried the cup over to the table, then went after cream and sugar. “The family is going to be stunned when they get a look at you. And if, by some chance, it turns out that you are related to the family, then you might have a claim on the estate. Isn’t that right, Jett?”
Sassy felt sick to her stomach and the nausea had nothing to do with her pregnancy. “Oh, God, this is awful. I would never do something like that. I don’t own anything of value now and it’s doubtful I ever will. That’s not important to me.”
Jett pulled out the chair Bella had vacated and eased into it. “Eat your sandwich, Sassy. This isn’t anything you need to be worrying about.”
“Not worry? I didn’t come here to cause family upheaval!”
Because she thought it would help her queasiness, she picked up the sandwich and forced a bite down her tight throat.
He studied her closely. “Surely that concern entered your mind before now.”
Sassy shrugged as she spooned sugar into her coffee. “Sure it did. But not in a materialistic way. My mind doesn’t work in those terms. If these Calhouns are more worried about what they own than who they are, then I’m not sure I’d want to be related to them.”
Reaching across the table, he covered her hand with his and Sassy didn’t know if she wanted to jerk away from his touch or thread her fingers tightly through his and hang on.