The Texan's Surprise Son

She continued packing her suitcase, taking a mental inventory. Underwear. Toiletries. Four pairs of shoes. Workout clothes. Sleepwear.

Sleepwear? What should she bring? Mariana had never cohabitated with a man in a platonic relationship. She’d never cohabitated with a man period. Not that she was a prude. She’d spent nights at her boyfriend’s place before. When she’d had a boyfriend. Sleepwear wasn’t an issue then.

She settled on her two least-sexy pajamas and threw in a thick robe for good measure. Cody sometimes woke up during the night. She’d be appropriately covered should they find themselves wandering the house.

Helena, Mariana’s secretary, had proved invaluable. She’d ordered a portable crib, a portable changing table, plastic crates to substitute for dresser drawers and all manner of small necessities. Then, she’d had the items delivered to Jacob’s house. She’d also located a childproofing service. They were scheduled for later in the week.

Mariana saw no need to move Cody’s furniture and belongings just yet. Best to wait and see how things progressed. Jacob might reconsider. His insistence on this arrangement was a knee-jerk reaction to her insistence that they wait.

And she’d only insisted because her mother had come unglued. Mariana’s staying with Jacob seemed like a good compromise.

What had gone wrong the other day? she wondered. Mariana was usually good at coaxing people into doing what she wanted. It served her well in her profession. Yet she’d failed to coax Jacob into moving slowly. Was she blinded by his looks and appeal? She didn’t want to label it attraction. She couldn’t possibly be attracted to him. He wasn’t at all the kind of guy she went for. Besides, he’d fathered her sister’s child.

“Where’s Cody?” Her mother peered down the hall, her expression anxious.

“In his room. Packing a suitcase.”

“You’re not leaving that up to him!” Her mother started for the door.

“Mom, come back. He’s just playing.”

To keep Cody occupied while she packed, Mariana had put a second suitcase on the floor of his room. That was all it took. Cody had spent the past twenty minutes filling the suitcase with mostly toys and picture books. She’d have to sneak in later when he wasn’t looking and repack with clothes and shoes.

“How soon are you leaving?” Her mother’s frown shouted her unhappiness.

“Soon. I promised Jacob we’d be there before dinner. We need to settle in before Cody’s bedtime.”

“Doesn’t he rodeo every weekend?”

Would her mother ever call Jacob by his name?

“Yes, but he’s planning on coming home early Sunday. To spend as much time as possible with Cody and get to know him.”

Her mother harrumphed. “Your dad had every chance in the world to get to know you and your sister, and it didn’t matter. He still chose rodeoing.”

“Not every man is like Dad.” Mariana picked through her jewelry box, selecting earrings and necklaces to take with her.

“You can’t right his wrongs, you know.” Her mother sniffed.

“What are you talking about?”

“Telling Cody’s father about him. You think that Cody having a father in his life will make up for you and Leah missing out.”

Mariana gaped at her mother. “That is so far from the truth.”

“Is it?”

She couldn’t possibly be trying to re-create the past by manipulating the present. Telling Jacob about his son was a matter of principle. Or wasn’t it?

Leah had easily dismissed their father, content to live her life as if he never existed. Mariana had been different. She’d experienced an entire range of emotions where Zeb Snow was concerned. Anger at him for abandoning her, resentment that he wasn’t there, longing to know him, hope that he’d change and come back for her.

No, Cody didn’t deserve to grow up like either she or her sister had. Jacob Baron would be a good father. She had to believe that.

An hour later the three of them were loading the car, Cody again “helping.” The Infiniti’s small trunk and backseat were full to bursting.

“Have you got everything?” her mother asked. She’d already loaded her small suitcase into her car in preparation of returning to Austin.

Mariana wiped her forehead. “Probably not.”

When they were finally ready to leave, her mother held Cody and cried as if he were leaving for a year.

“Mom, please. You’re upsetting him.”

Indeed, the boy had started whimpering. Though he could simply be tired. It was nap time.

Her mother straightened. “Call me when you get there.”

“I will.” Mariana lifted Cody and placed him in his car seat. His attention was immediately drawn to the boxes and bags piled on the seat beside him.

“My blanky.” He slapped a plastic bag.

“That’s right. It’s your blanket.” She thought he might sleep better with his own bedding.

“Bye, darling.” Mariana’s mother leaned into the car and kissed his forehead. “I love you.”

“Bye-bye. Bye-bye.” He waved out the window when Mariana shut the door.

Pivoting, she found herself engulfed in her mother’s arms and the recipient of a hug as fierce as the one she’d given Cody.

“I hope you’re not making a terrible mistake.”

The statement, delivered in a foreboding tone, stayed with Mariana the entire drive to Jacob’s house. She felt no better when she arrived and saw him standing outside, waiting.

Chapter Four

There was something surreal about sitting at the table with Jacob, lingering over breakfast while Cody played on the floor with Buster. They weren’t a family, not in the traditional sense. Yet to anyone looking through the window, they could have passed for one.

“I’m glad all Cody’s fussing didn’t wake you,” Mariana said, striving to keep her voice light and conversational.

Jacob unnerved her. His casual attire—T-shirt, jeans and bare feet—combined with his slightly tousled hair advertised just how recently he’d crawled out of bed—a bed located in the room across the hall from the one she and Cody occupied.

“He did wake me,” Jacob said over the rim of his coffee mug.

“Oh. You didn’t come out.”

“I figured you’d have a harder time getting him back to sleep if Buster and I were there distracting him.”

“You’re probably right.”

Mariana tugged self-consciously on the wrist of her long-sleeved jersey shirt. At home, she’d have stayed in her pajamas and robe until noon if the mood struck her. Here, she’d dressed in what amounted to workout clothes. Well, in her defense, she might push Cody around the block a few times in his stroller. It was good exercise.

“More toast?” Jacob held up a platter.

Mariana started to say no, then changed her mind. “Hate to see it go to waste.” She snatched up the last piece.

Cinnamon toast. Prepared to perfection. She and Cody had both gobbled up an obscene amount, downing it with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Thank goodness her stay was temporary. Another month of meals like this one and the lasagna they had for dinner last night, and she wouldn’t fit into her clothes.

“Have you always liked to cook?” she asked, resisting closing her eyes in ecstasy as she took another bite of toast.

“My mother taught me. She was quite accomplished in the kitchen. More home cooking than gourmet.”

“I didn’t realize.”

“You’re not alone. Most people took her for a socialite. Which she was. Being married to Brock calls for that. But she was a great mom, too.”

“It was sad how she died. So unexpected.”

“I’m not sure anyone ever gets over losing a loved one. You know that better than anyone.”

“Yes, but we had time to prepare.” Mariana absently twirled a spoon in her coffee. “A few months.”

“Is it really better having time or not?” He looked away as if remembering. “I sometimes wonder what I’d have done differently if Mom had months to live rather than hours.”

Such a serious conversation. Not at all what Mariana had intended when she inquired about his cooking abilities. But then, Jacob was apparently a lot deeper than she’d given him credit. Besides being intelligent and talented, he cooked, kept a semi-immaculate house, had a knack with animals and contemplated the meaning of life.

Hmm. Take away the rodeoing, and he’d be exactly the kind of man she’d always pictured herself with. Except, he did rodeo.

Which come to think of it, wasn’t so terrible. His pastime provided a built-in safeguard to prevent her from losing her heart. With that stray lock of dark hair falling attractively over his brow, she was going to need every safeguard available.

“Varoom, varoom.”

On the floor beside them, Cody made noises mimicking a roaring engine as he drove his toy truck up Buster’s neck and between his ears. Mariana saved a piece of toast crust to slip to the dog later. He’d earned a reward for his boundless patience.

Her cell phone rang, calling to her from the guest bedroom down the hall.

“Excuse me.” She started to rise, her glance darting nervously to Cody. “Can you watch him for a second?”

“Sure.”

“If not, I’ll—”

“I think I can manage to keep him out of trouble for thirty seconds.” He quirked one brow in amusement.

Good grief, he was handsome.

Pulling herself together, she dashed to the bedroom and grabbed her phone off the dresser. Her first instinct was to hurry back. She resisted, certain she’d look stupid and distrusting. The whole purpose of her staying here was to teach Jacob the skills he’d need to properly care for Cody.

Her boss’s number appeared on the phone’s display.

“Hi, Saul.”

“We have a new client I want you to meet with tomorrow. 8:00 a.m. sharp.”

It was just like him to get straight to the point. No greeting. No apologies for interrupting her scheduled day off. No inquiry as to how was she doing.

“Okay.” She dug in her purse for the notebook she always kept there and a pen. “Shoot.”

He recited a name, an address, cross streets and a phone number. “It’s not far from your house.”

Mariana didn’t tell him she wasn’t staying at her home these days. “Is she expecting me?”

“She can’t wait to meet you.”

Another client. With their cases making the news on a regular basis, people Molinas had scammed were crawling out of the woodwork.

“All right,” she said. “I’ll check in with you when I get there.”

Without so much as a simple “Thanks” or “Enjoy the rest of your day,” Saul said goodbye and hung up.

She sighed. Her boss might not be the friendly, chatty type, but he had taught her a lot since she’d started working at Hasbrough and Colletti three years ago, and—this counted for a lot—he supported her bid for junior partner.

“Let me wash the dishes,” she announced upon entering the dining area, only to come to a grinding halt, her breath trapped in her lungs.

Jacob sat with Cody on his lap. The instant her nephew spotted her, he erupted in a piercing wail.

She covered the distance in the span of a single heartbeat. “What happened?”

“He fell.”

“How?”

“He tripped on the chair leg.”

“You were supposed to be watching him.” She reached for Cody, who held out his arms to her.

“I was. I watched him trip.”

“Men,” she huffed, cradling Cody’s head and bouncing him on her hip.

“He’s fine. Buster broke his fall. If anyone’s hurt, it’s him.” Jacob stroked the dog’s head. “I only looked away for a second.”

She cut him some slack. Cody could move quickly. “It happens. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

Cody abruptly let out a second wail and attempted to hurl himself from Mariana’s grasp.

“What’s wrong?” She glanced about and spotted the cause of his distress. “Buster has his truck.”

The dog, oblivious to the drama surrounding him, had picked up the plastic dump truck and was carrying it away. Probably to his toy basket in the family room.

“Buster.” That was all Jacob said. The dog turned immediately around. “Sit,” he commanded and held his open palm beneath the dog’s mouth. “Leave it.”

The undamaged toy fell into Jacob’s hand.

“Good boy.” He rewarded the dog with another petting.

Cody squealed with delight, fighting harder than before to get down.

Mariana deposited him on the floor, and he scurried over to Buster.

“Again,” the boy demanded, all smiles.

So much for worrying about his precious toy.

“You try.” Jacob gave the truck to Cody, who shoved it at Buster’s mouth. “Easy now,” Jacob coaxed. Once Buster had the toy, Jacob told Cody, “Say, leave it.”

“Weave it,” Cody commanded and broke into giggles when Buster obediently relinquished the toy.

Okay, another crisis averted, Mariana thought. And Jacob had somewhat redeemed himself. But what would he do when Buster wasn’t around?

They wound up washing the dishes together. Another surreal experience. The last man Mariana had performed domestic chores with was her boyfriend. Her long-ago boyfriend.

Deprivation. That must explain her interest in Jacob. She refused to use the words attraction or fascination.

“What time are you getting up in the morning?” she asked, carting another stack of dishes from the table to the sink. She’d deposited Cody in front of the TV and put his favorite “learning animal names” DVD in the player to watch.

“Five.”

“That’s early. I thought the rodeo was in Allen.” A ninety-minute drive at most.

“I have chores to do first, then I’m meeting Daniel at the Roughneck.”

“Good luck.”

“I’ll leave some coffee in the pot.”

He smiled, and her heart did that silly little lurch again. She waited until she could trust her voice. “I have an eight o’clock appointment myself. Cody and I will be out of here by seven.”

“I’ll give you a spare house key and the code for the alarm system.”

“Thanks.” She’d thought about a key but hadn’t felt comfortable asking.

“Was that a work call you got earlier? I wasn’t being nosy,” he added quickly. “More curious. What do you do at Hasbrough and Colletti?” Rinsing coffee mugs beneath the running faucet, he loaded them into the dishwasher. “Bail celebrities out of trouble?”

His last remark was delivered with a chuckle, so she didn’t take offense. Not that she would. Any number of celebrities, politicians and prominent local citizens had programmed Hasbrough and Colletti’s number into their phone’s speed dial. Without question, they were the top fix-it law firm in the Dallas area, if not the state.

When a starlet was busted on her second DUI, Hasbrough and Colletti hurriedly had her admitted into an ultra-private rehab facility, then kept her face out of the papers as much as possible. When a congressman was caught red-handed texting explicit messages and selfies to a woman not his wife, they suppressed the scandal, wrote carefully worded press releases and repaired his flailing career.

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