The Rancher's Surprise Son

“Thanks, Slim.”

“Do me a favor and hurry. I don’t want J.W. to see you leaving, so while he’s at A-2, take off.”

Cody slapped his friend on the back and hurried off to the fence line to cut through to the Double M. He couldn’t help looking back at the ranch house to see if there was the usual signal from Laura.

The shade on her right window was open halfway, but she didn’t live there anymore. Now, he’d have to look at her cottage for their signal to meet.

Both shades were open. Laura still wanted to meet him tonight at their usual spot.

God help him, he was going to be there.

* * *

Laura flinched when she thought of the horrible discussion she’d had with her mother at lunch. Thank goodness Johnny wasn’t there to hear what had transpired.

Mike Masters, J. W. Duke, Georgianna and Penny had once been friends who did everything together. Then the page had turned, and the two women soured on each other, then the two men. No. Maybe it was the other way around.

“Mother, that’s unkind,” Laura had said after her mother’s particularly venomous outburst about Georgianna. “You have no right saying things like that about her or anyone else, for that matter. What are you thinking?”

Penny was silent for a while, then snapped, “No right? You don’t know what you’re talking about. I have every right.”

“Mother, that’s ancient history, for heaven’s sake. And you’re still not over it?”

“I never will get over it. I loved Mike Masters back then, and Georgianna took him away from me. She said she was pregnant, so he had to marry her. But she wasn’t. That was a dirty trick.”

Laura sighed. She’d heard this all before, several times.

“But you ended up loving Dad and marrying him.”

“But it was still a dirty trick. And Cody is the son of the man who got away.”

“And you got stuck with a daughter when you and Dad both wanted a son.”

Her mother furrowed her brows. “We love you. That’s why we want the best for you, and Cody Masters isn’t the one for you.”

“Mom, why can’t you let me be the judge of that? And why can’t you just let the past go? It all worked out, and everyone married who they loved...eventually.”

Penny stared in the direction of the Double M. “And then Georgianna went and married that crazy Lindy guy. Too bad she didn’t get a dime after Cody killed him.”

“Cody didn’t do it! I know he didn’t.”

“So what did he spend three years in prison for? Jaywalking?”

“Mom, I know Cody didn’t do anything wrong. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Laura felt a pang of guilt. In her heart of hearts, did she really know that?

Penny’s fist came down on the table. “Don’t you dare try to defend Cody. He was found guilty in court. He went to prison. And as we always told you, you can do better than Cody Masters. And if I find that you’ve been seeing him, I’m going to file for custody of Johnny due to the fact that your judgment is impaired and that makes you an unfit mother. I don’t want Johnny in the company of a murderer.”

Stay away from Cody.

Cody will never amount to anything.

He’ll never be more than dirt poor, scratching out a living.

She’d heard it numerous times in her life, but that didn’t keep her and Cody from becoming friends, then lovers.

But this time, her parents had more ammunition. Cody was a murderer.

I’ll file for custody of Johnny...unfit mother.

“Don’t you dare do such a thing. You couldn’t be that cruel.”

“I can and I will. And you won’t be living here on the ranch anymore.”

Laura bit her tongue from screaming at her mother—it wouldn’t do any good—but before she changed her mind, she turned and walked away. She didn’t want her mother to see her cry. She had to be strong—like a Duke should.

Then she’d regroup and come up with a plan.

This time, the stakes were higher. Laura knew that she shouldn’t dare meet Cody, but she couldn’t help herself—and she needed to find out the truth from him.

* * *

Cody paced by the stream that ran from high in the mountains down to the boundary between the Double M and the Duke ranches. Now, during the monsoon season, spring to September, it could turn into a raging torrent of water. However, now, during the beautiful month of July, it was reduced to a stream—until the next monsoon.

He took a seat on his usual rock, but kept his flashlight on so he could see Laura approaching and she could see him. He didn’t like her having to come out this late at night. She could come face-to-face with coyotes or wolves or any of the nocturnal animals of the desert, any of which could be deadly.

Laura was an Arizona ranch gal, however. She’d carry a gun, especially at night, and had a knife in her boot at all times.

Cody was forbidden to carry a weapon. It was a condition of his parole that he couldn’t. He was a convicted felon now, so he’d lost that right. He’d also lost the right to vote and who knew what the hell else.

He smiled, thinking that Laura would have to protect him. Then he frowned, feeling like half a man for the same reason.

The sound of gravel being scraped snapped him to attention. He stood, almost falling over in his haste.

“Cody?”

“Laura?”

“Yes.”

Cody sloshed through the stream in his haste to get her into his arms. She was running, too, and didn’t seem to care a whit if her expensive boots got wet and muddy. They embraced in the middle of the water.

“Laura... Laura.” He couldn’t hold her tight enough.

“I know. I know.”

He buried his face in the curve of her neck and inhaled her perfume. He was expecting gardenia, and he wasn’t disappointed. It was her scent.

When they kissed, Cody felt as if he’d really come home. Home was Laura.