The Cowboy's Secret Son Read online

  Lone Star Daddy

  After battling a serious illness, Grace Cameron realizes one thing: her son needs his father. But how can she face Nathan Teague after seven years of lies? To ease into it, she enrolls her boy in the Cowboy Camp run by the Teague family on their Texas Hill Country ranch. Little Evan is bursting with excitement over horses, ropin’ and hanging around real cowboys! Oh, my!

  Nathan is in shock when Grace comes back to town. Then when he discovers he’s the father of her cute little boy—a miniature Nathan—he’s not sure if he should be angry, grateful or both. He decides to go with angry. For a while, at least...until he gets the sense that Grace is still hiding something. What’s the secret—and how can he ever trust the woman who stole his son from him?

  “He’s your son.”

  All the oxygen disappeared from around Nathan. At least it felt that way.

  “What?” He stared at Grace, thinking he couldn’t possibly have heard her correctly. “That’s not possible.”

  She looked up at him. “I assure you it is.”

  Nathan snatched his hat off and ran his fingers through his hair. He took a couple of steps away from Grace, away from the words she’d spoken. A wild storm of denial and curiosity whirled within him.

  “You got pregnant that night at the party?” he asked without turning back toward Grace.

  “Yes.”

  Heat rushed through him. “And instead of telling me then, you decided to run away?”

  “I didn’t have a choice.”

  She said it so matter of factly that an unusual anger roared inside him. He spun back toward her, met her gaze. “You always have a choice.”

  “Maybe you did, when you decided to pretend nothing had happened between us.”

  Dear Reader,

  Welcome to Blue Falls, Texas, home to endless fields of colorful wildflowers, a rich German heritage and the Vista Hills Guest Ranch. Vista Hills is home to the Teague family, including three swoon-worthy, cowboy brothers—Nathan, Ryan and Simon.

  In The Cowboy’s Secret Son, you get to meet Nathan, the middle brother, the one with the closest connection to the family ranch. I’m fascinated not only with the ranching lifestyle but also with a strong and abiding connection to the land such as that held by the Teague family. It’s as much a part of who they are as the air they breathe and the heartbeats in their chests.

  I found inspiration for Blue Falls in several Texas Hill Country towns—Fredericksburg, Marble Falls and Gruene among them. I hope the residents of these places and the rest of the Hill Country can see a little of the places they call home in the stories of the Teague brothers and the women with whom they fall in love. And that everyone else will be anxious to visit the area as soon as they can.

  Trish Milburn

  Trish Milburn

  The Cowboy’s Secret Son

  Books by Trish Milburn

  HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

  1228—A FIREFIGHTER IN THE FAMILY

  1260—HER VERY OWN FAMILY

  1300—THE FAMILY MAN

  1326—ELLIE: COWGIRL BRIDE

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Trish Milburn wrote her first book in the fifth grade and has the cardboard-and-fabric-bound, handwritten and colored-pencil-illustrated copy to prove it. That “book” was called Land of the Misty Gems, and not surprisingly it was a romance. She’s always loved stories with happy endings, whether those stories come in the form of books, movies, TV programs or marriage to her own hero.

  A print journalist by trade, she still does contract and freelance work in that field, balancing those duties with her dream-come-true career as a novelist. Before she published her first book, she was a finalist eight times in the prestigious Golden Heart contest sponsored by Romance Writers of America, winning twice. Other than reading, Trish enjoys traveling (by car or train—she’s a terra firma girl!), watching TV and movies, hiking, nature photography and visiting national parks.

  You can visit Trish online at www.trishmilburn.com. Readers also can write to her at P.O. Box 140875, Nashville, TN 37214-0875.

  Don’t miss any of our special offers. Write to us at the following address for information on our newest releases.

  Harlequin Reader Service

  U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

  Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

  Grace Cameron, the heroine of The Cowboy’s Secret Son, has two close, special friends who have helped her through the hardest times of her life.

  I’m fortunate to have had the same. So here’s to my two oldest friends—love ya, Allison and Kristy!

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  A rolling sea of bluebonnets in full bloom flowed out from where Grace Cameron sat at a roadside table. Her son, Evan, ran back and forth, pretending to ride an imaginary horse. But not even his boyish antics could lift her mood today.

  Once, hills blanketed in bluebonnets had soothed her, allowing her to believe there was hope and beauty in the world beyond her daily existence. Now, the sight of them and the town in the distance caused fear and uncertainty to swirl inside her like a Texas twister.

  Texas. She looked toward the horizon, soaking in a tiny sliver of Texas’s vast and varied expanse. When her parents had dragged her away nearly seven years ago, she’d thought she’d never see it again. Later, she’d avoided the state for fear she’d lose more than she already had. And yet here she sat gazing out across the spring-painted Hill Country, on the verge of taking the final step in a decision that she’d second-guessed every moment since she’d made it.

  She glanced at Evan, at his miniature cowboy boots and hat, the pint-size Wrangler jeans, and couldn’t help but smile despite her inner turmoil. When she’d told him they were taking a vacation to Texas, that he was going to attend Cowboy Camp for Kids, he’d transformed into a bouncing ball of joy and excitement. While other little boys his age were into Star Wars and anime cartoons, he loved the reruns of old Westerns. His favorite cartoon character was Woody from Toy Story. He thought horses were God’s greatest creation and believed everyone should have at least one.

  You couldn’t fight DNA.

  “You ready to go, kiddo?”

  Evan stopped midgallop. “Are we almost there?”

  She nodded and pointed across the field of wildflowers. “See that town?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s Blue Falls. The camp is just a few miles on the other side.”

  His face lit up so much Grace wouldn’t have been surprised if he started glowing. He raced to the car and was inside strapping on his seat belt by the time she managed to stand. She stared toward Blue Falls a bit longer, at the waterfalls that gave the town its name, the shimmer off the lake around which the town was built. Thousands of tourists flocked here each year, and all she wanted to do was turn around and leave it far behind.

  But this trip wasn’t about what she wanted. It was about what was best for her son.

  Her feet felt as if they were encase
d in wet, heavy concrete as she headed for the car. She placed her hand on her stomach as if the action would calm the nausea plaguing her.

  As she drove through Blue Falls, it felt familiar, and yet not. Some businesses she remembered from her youth were gone, others still there. She’d swear the same old coots were sitting out in front of the Primrose Café swapping probably the same old stories. The Blue Falls Music Hall had gotten a sorely needed facelift in the intervening years.

  Taking in the view of her hometown was a little like having an out-of-body experience. She wasn’t the same Grace Cameron who’d lived here before, but that didn’t keep a flood of old feelings from washing into every part of her body.

  Evan stretched toward the window as far as his seat belt would let him. “I don’t see any cowboys.” The disappointment in his tone made Grace want to laugh and cry at the same time.

  “Don’t worry, they’re around. A lot of these people are probably on vacation, like us.” No doubt here for the popular wildflower tours. The appearance of the bluebonnets in March of each year made people crazy for wildflowers.

  “Oh.”

  Grace looked at the faces they passed, too, searching for someone familiar.

  Searching for Nathan.

  For what seemed like the millionth time, she imagined all the ways he might respond when he found out he had a son. Shock. Disbelief. Anger. Probably all three. And he’d be entitled to each one.

  She shook her head. No sense in torturing herself with possibilities. She’d find out the reality soon enough.

  They waited at the last stoplight while a tour bus made the wide turn onto Main Street. The words Wildflower Tours stretched down the side of the bus, and little painted bluebonnets peeked out from around the letters. Grace wondered what it would be like to visit Blue Falls without any previous ties to the town or the people here.

  “The light’s green, Mom.”

  “Oops.” She reined in her wandering thoughts and proceeded through the intersection.

  They began the winding climb out of Blue Falls, and before she was ready—would she ever be ready?—they reached the Vista Hills Guest Ranch. Her palms grew sweaty against the steering wheel as she made the turn and started down the driveway lined with cedar and gnarled live oak trees.

  Panic threatened to overwhelm her. What was she doing here?

  She was here because Evan had a father.

  And Nathan had a son.

  Someday that relationship might be the most important one in the world—to her, at least.

  When she rounded the last curve that brought her within view of the heart of the ranch, she had to take a deep breath. She didn’t want Evan to sense how nervous she was. He might be only six, but he was observant and not easily fooled. As she pulled into a parking space next to the ranch office, Grace noticed a few other families with small children. They really were here for a vacation, to allow their kids a bit of cowboy fun. How she wished the days ahead would be that simple for her.

  She eyed the other guests, but from her vantage point she couldn’t tell if Laney and her daughter, Cheyenne, were among them. Grace didn’t know if she could have come here without Laney for moral support.

  “Mom, look! Horses!”

  Grace looked toward the barns and surrounding corrals, remembering their locations as if she’d been here only yesterday. Half a dozen horses stood in the fenced enclosure next to the stables, and two families were gathered there as their little ones climbed up the fence for a better view. She noticed a man in jeans and a cowboy hat inside the fence talking to the group, but from this distance she couldn’t tell if it was Nathan, one of his brothers, or an employee.

  “Can we go look at the horses?”

  “In a few minutes. We have to check in first.”

  “But, Mom!”

  “Honey, the horses aren’t going anywhere. You want to see our cabin, don’t you?”

  “Not as much as the horses.”

  The way he said it, all dramatic and pouty-faced, caused a laugh to escape her. Evan met her eyes in the rearview mirror, not at all amused.

  Grace shook her head as she got out of the car. If she gave Evan a couple of minutes, he’d forget being put out with her and move on to admiring something else.

  Evan’s boots clonked on the wooden front steps of the office, and Grace wondered if Nathan had looked like that when he was young. A full-grown cowboy in his mind but only a little boy in truth.

  With another deep breath, Grace opened the door and followed Evan inside.

  “Well, hello there, young man,” the older woman at the front desk said when she spotted Evan.

  “Hello. I’m here to be a cowboy.”

  Merline Teague laughed, totally unaware she was talking to her grandson. Grace’s throat went uncomfortably dry as she realized they’d just stepped beyond the point of no return.

  “Well, then, you’ve come to the right place. What’s your name, cowboy?”

  “Evan Cameron.”

  “Nice to meet you, Evan Cameron.”

  Evan flicked up the front of his tan hat the way he’d seen movie-star cowboys do in all those old films. Merline paused as she reached for the appointment book, looking at him a moment longer as if she’d seen something that surprised her. Grace held her breath as her heart did its best to crack her ribs with its frantic beating.

  Merline consulted her reservation book then looked at Grace for the first time. “Grace?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Merline glanced at Evan again, but only for a brief moment. “It’s so good to see you. Been a long time.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Jeez, could she say nothing else?

  Merline waved her hand in a “no need for that” type of gesture. “You’re a grown woman now. Call me Merline.”

  “Yes…” Grace caught herself before she three-peated her response.

  Merline eyed her reservation book again while Grace marveled at how little Nathan’s mother had changed. She was still trim and fit with a tan that spoke of lots of time spent outdoors. She wasn’t the type of woman to color her hair, but she didn’t need to because she had gorgeous silver hair cut in a bob just below her ears. She was casual and classy at the same time, a woman comfortable in her skin and her surroundings.

  “So you’re living in Arkansas now,” Merline said.

  Grace could almost imagine the unspoken words. Always wondered where you and your family disappeared to.

  “Moved there after college. My best friend was from the area, so we decided to set up shop there.”

  “What do you do?” Merline pulled a key from a rack behind her.

  “Interior design.”

  “Oh, I bet that’s fun. I love watching all those design shows on HGTV. I start watching one, and the next thing you know three hours have passed.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Even when you do it all day?”

  Grace nodded. “Can’t seem to get enough of it, I guess.” She supposed she was still trying to fill her life with beautiful things after so many years of being forbidden them.

  Merline handed Grace the key and a sheet of paper. “You’re in cabin twelve. Just take the drive behind the office.”

  “I remember.”

  Merline smiled, looking as if dozens of questions were swirling unspoken inside her. Could she possibly have put things together that quickly, especially since Grace and Nathan had never really dated? Grace fought the urge to grab the key and run, telling herself that her anxiety was causing her to see things that weren’t there. She tried not to think how Evan might have inherited his keen sense of observation from his paternal grandmother.

  “That’s the schedule for the weekend,” Merline said as she pointed to the paper she
’d handed Grace. “You’re just in time to get settled before the tour.”

  “Will we get to see the horses?” Evan was bouncing on the balls of his feet, unable to keep still.

  Merline smiled at him. “Yes, sir. Lots of horses.”

  “Awesome!”

  Grace laughed right along with Merline.

  “Excited, isn’t he?”

  Grace pushed down the front of Evan’s hat. “Yes, he’s talked about nothing else since I told him he was going to Cowboy Camp.”

  “Our boys were crazy for horses at that age, too. Still are.”

  The mention of the Teague brothers ratcheted Grace’s anxiety up another notch. She placed her hand on Evan’s back. “Let’s go, pardner. We need to unpack.”

  This time, Evan didn’t express how unpacking was way down his list of things he wanted to do. Instead, he turned and headed for the door.

  “Good to see you again, Grace.”

  Was there an extra layer of meaning in those words, or was she imagining it?

  Grace met the other woman’s gaze only briefly. “You, too, ma— Merline.” She stepped toward the door before she could stumble over something besides Merline’s name.

  Just as she and Evan reached the door, it swung open and a much larger version of her son stepped inside.

  “Mom, it’s a cowboy,” Evan said in awe.

  Yes, it was indeed a cowboy. And Nathan Teague still took her breath away.

  NATHAN LOOKED DOWN at the little guy tricked out in full cowboy attire. Whose idea had it been to let the ranch be overrun by munchkins all week? Oh, yeah, his. Temporary insanity, had to be. Already, two campers had cried when the horses got too close. One had screamed so loudly his parents had apologized profusely and headed back to Austin so they could check in to a hotel with a nice, big pool. He looked at their latest arrival and wondered how this one would react. Oh, well, he had to make the best of the situation.

  He touched the front of his hat. “Looks to me like there are two cowboys in here.”