The Baby Truth

What was he thinking of her now? she wondered. That she was the type of woman who didn’t take men seriously? Or that she was incapable of having a meaningful relationship with one special man? That idea bothered her far more than it should have. She wanted Jett to think highly of her, to see her as a smart, responsible woman, not as a flighty airhead who took impulsive risks.

“So, now that you’ve had a little while to think about things, how do you feel about the baby?”

Feeling his glance sliding over her, she forced herself to look his way. “The circumstances could be better,” she admitted. “But in spite of that, I’m happy. And I’m going to be the best mother I can possibly be to this child.”

“I’m glad you feel that way, Sassy. Real glad.”

The sincerity in his voice caressed her like a soft hand and filled her with warmth. Clearing away the tightness in her voice, she said, “And I’m glad you’re going to be with me when I step into the Calhouns’ home.”

“Don’t worry,” he assured her. “I’ll stick to your side.”

She was wondering about the connotation of that remark when they rounded a curve in the narrow road and entered a long lane lined with tall pines and poplar trees. At the end of it, she caught a glimpse of a huge three-story redbrick house nestled against the foothill of a mountain.

This was the Silver Horn ranch house. The Calhoun home. It was even more majestic than she’d imagined, and suddenly the idea that an orphaned maid could be related to this family was completely comical.

Jett parked to one side of the circular drive then took her arm as they walked up a long concrete walkway lined with low-growing evergreens.

At the double-door entry, a young maid, with brown hair slicked tightly back from her face and fastened in a ballerina knot, promptly answered the ring of the doorbell and ushered the two of them down a long foyer.

After giving Sassy a curious look, she took their coats, and said, “You’ll find everybody in the family room, Jett.”

“Thanks, Tessa,” he told the woman. “We’ll find our way.”

The maid nodded, then disappeared through a nearby doorway. Watching her go, Sassy suddenly clutched his arm. “I’d feel better if I was going with the maid.”

With a shake of his head, he urged her forward. “No backing out on this now.”

They passed through what seemed like an endless maze of halls and doorways, then finally stepped downward into a long carpeted room with one glass wall that looked over a wide yard and a sky full of falling snow. The space was occupied with several people, all of them men, and it seemed to Sassy that the whole group turned at the same time to stare directly at her.

“Jett! You’re finally here!”

The owner of the voice emerged from somewhere in the back of the room, and as he grew closer Sassy was astounded to see a male version of herself walking up to them.

Jett wasted no time in introducing the tall, auburn-haired man. “Sassy, this is Finn Calhoun, the man who wrote you the letter. He’s the second youngest of the Calhoun boys.”

Dazed, Sassy managed to offer her hand to him. “Hello, Finn. I’m— I don’t know what to say. Do I look like you or do you look like me?”

The man, who appeared to be near her own age, threw back his head and laughed, then beamed a grin at Jett. “This is awesome! Just awesome!” Whirling around to the rest of his family, he motioned them closer. “Come on you guys. Come meet Sassy!”

The group of men surged forward, all of them talking in an excited rush. Except for one. The older, silver-haired man was standing a few steps away from the rest of the group, his expression grim as his narrowed eyes burned a hole in her.

As the younger men reached to shake her hand and offer their greetings, Sassy tried to ignore the daunting figure and focus on each name and face. But after a moment, the outsider plowed his way through the men and fixed an angry glare at Jett.

“Get this woman out of here! Now!”

The outburst caused a hush to come over the group, and feeling as though a knife had been rammed into her chest, Sassy turned to Jett and clutched his arm.

Before she could beg him to take her away, Orin walked over to the older man and latched tightly on to his arm. “What the hell are you doing, Dad? You’re behaving like a rude bastard!”

Turning into Jett, she muttered close to his ear, “I don’t want to stay here. We’d better go.”

Overhearing her reaction, Finn quickly protested, “You’re not going anywhere, Sassy.” He stabbed his grandfather with a burning glare, then turned toward his father and three brothers. “Is she, guys?”

“Not by a long shot,” the one named Clancy replied. He stepped forward and reached for her hand. “Come along, Sassy, and have a drink with us. It’s really nice to have a woman in the house again. I think I can say that for all my brothers.”

“Absolutely!” the brother named Rafe exclaimed. “Bowie, the baby of the bunch, isn’t here. He’s in the Marines and down in southern California now, but I can safely say he’d be happy to meet you.”

Evan, the one with chestnut-colored hair and broad shoulders, rubbed his hands together with gleeful anticipation. “This is a treat. Let’s break out the best brandy and have Tessa bring in the cake that Greta made for our special guest!”

Seeing that his order was being totally ignored, Bart Calhoun jerked away from Orin’s grasp, then turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. At the same time, Clancy was pulling Sassy deeper into the room and she glanced helplessly up at Jett, who was staying close by her side.

“What am I supposed to do now?” she asked.

He shot her a wry smile. “Maybe you should let the Calhoun family tell you that.”

Chapter Four

Wondering if she was being led into a den of wolves, Sassy moved along with the Calhoun men until they reached a furniture grouping placed strategically near the roaring fireplace.

“Sit here, Sassy.” Clancy, the tawny-haired one, maneuvered her over to a big armchair covered in cream-colored leather. “It’s real comfy and you’ll be nice and warm.”

“Not there, Clancy!” Rafe quickly protested. “If she sits there none of us can sit next to her.”

Clancy shot a droll look at his younger brother. “Precisely. She doesn’t need you or Finn cozying up to her.”

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Finn protested. “Sassy’s here because of me. I should get to sit next to her.”

“Sassy is here tonight because I brought her,” Jett suddenly reminded the group. “Maybe the whole bunch of you ought to remember that.”

Standing near the fireplace hearth, Orin leveled a pointed look at Jett. “I don’t think you’ll have to remind Bart of that fact.”

From the corner of her eye, Sassy watched one of Jett’s brows arch with speculation and though he said nothing in response to Orin’s remark, she couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking. From what Jett had told her, he’d worked exclusively as the Calhoun family lawyer ever since he’d passed the bar. If her coming here had jeopardized his position, she’d feel worse than terrible.