“Maybe because he was too damned trusting to suspect you’d dosomething like that. I’m not nearly so gullible where you’re concerned. Iknow how manipulative you can be. I like Jessie. I don’t like to think that youdon’t trust her.”
“Is that it?” Harlan demanded with a penetrating look.“Or is it something more?”
Luke felt as if he were standing at the edge of a mine field with one footalready in the air for his next fateful step. “Like what?”
“Like maybe your interest in her is personal.”
“Well, of course it’s personal,” he snapped, hoping todivert his father from making too much of his defense of Jessie by admitting straightout that he cared for her as he would for any other family member. It was a riskytactic. It appeared his father had been far more attuned to the undercurrents aroundWhite Pines than he’d realized.
“She’s my sister-in-law,” he pointed out. “Shejust delivered my niece in my bed a few days ago. I’d say that gives me cause totake an interest in her.”
“And that’s all there is to it?” Harlan inquired,skepticism written all over his face.
“Of course.” Luke uttered the claim with what he hoped wasenough vehemence. His father still didn’t exactly look as if he believed him, butto Luke’s relief he appeared willing to let the matter drop.
“You found out she was adopted, didn’t you?” Lukeprodded.
“Already knew that. Erik told us.”
“Did you find out anything about her family?”
“Now who’s asking too many questions?”
Luke scowled at him. “Just answer me. I have my reasons forasking.”
“So did I,” Harlan said testily.
Luke stood. “Never mind. I can see this was a waste oftime.”
“Oh, for goodness sakes, settle down. Yes, I found out about herfamily. They were good, decent, church-going people. Paid their bills on time. Gave hera good education. There was nothing to find fault with there.”
“I meant her biological family.”
An expression of pure frustration spread across his father’srough-hewn features. “Couldn’t get anywhere with that. Didn’t seemworth chasing after, once I’d met her. My gut instinct is never wrong and it toldme right off that Jessie’s honest as they come. If I hadn’t known it before,there was no mistaking it when she walked away from here without a cent after Erik died.She’s a gutsy little thing, too stubborn for her own good, if you askme.”
“An interesting assessment coming from you,” Lukeobserved.
Harlan’s expression turned sheepish. “So it is.”
Luke decided he’d better get out of his father’s office beforeHarlan picked up the issue of Luke’s feelings for Jessie and pursued it.He’d diverted his father once, but Harlan was too damned perceptive for Luke tokeep his emotions hidden from him for long. A few probing questions, a few evasiveanswers and the truth would be plain as day.
“I think I’ll go hunt down Mother,” he told hisfather.
“I believe you’ll find her in the parlor reading or planningsome social schedule,” Harlan said with a grimace. He turned back to his computerand sighed. “You know anything about these danged things?”
“Enough to get by,” Luke said.
“Maybe you could give me a few pointers later. At the rate I’mgoing, this year’s records won’t even be programmed before nextyear.”
Surprised by the request, Luke nodded. “I’d be happyto.” It was the first time he could ever recall his father admitting that one ofhis sons might have an expertise he didn’t. That single request went a long waytoward mending fences, hinting that perhaps they could finally find a new footing fortheir relationship, one of equals. Respect was all he’d ever really craved fromhis father. He’d known he had his love, but true respect had been far harder tocome by.
Just as Luke reached the door, his father called after him. “Itreally is good to have you home again, son. This house was built for the whole family.Never realized how empty it would be one day.”
Luke felt an unexpected lump form in his throat. He’d discovered thesame thing about his own house recently, as well. For a few brief days it had felt likea home. “Thanks, Daddy,” he said. “It’s good to behere.”
Oddly enough, he realized as he walked away, it was true. It wasunexpectedly good to be home. He wondered just how much of that could be attributed toJessie’s presence upstairs and whether from now on “home” to him wouldalways be wherever she was.
* * *
That night as he dressed for dinner, Luke conceded that his predictionof his mother’s reaction to seeing him had been right on target. She had beensuperficially pleased when she’d greeted him, but within minutes she’d beendistracted by a flurry of phone calls from friends confirming holiday plans. He’dbeen only too glad to escape to his suite, where he waited impatiently for some newsfrom Jim Hill. He doubted his mother had even noticed when he left the parlor.
Upstairs, he spent a restless hour wishing he still had a right to headout to his father’s barns and work the horses. He needed some hard exercise tocombat the stress of being home again, of being so close to a woman he hungered for andcouldn’t have. His shoulders ached with tension. His nerves were on edge. He wouldhave gone out and chopped wood, if he hadn’t seen a woodpile big enough to lasttill spring.
He supposed the real truth was that he’d been feeling tense and outof sorts ever since Jessie had appeared on his doorstep. It was as if he were beingripped apart inside, torn between desire and honor. If he’d thought his emotionswere frayed at his ranch, he realized now that the necessity for watching every word,every glance while under his father’s roof only compounded the problem. Hisconscience, never something he’d worried too much about before Erik’smarriage to Jessie, was taking a royal beating.
Eventually he tired of pacing. Worn out by tangling with his own thoughts,he started back downstairs. Outside Jessie’s door, he heard Angela crying andLara’s unsuccessful attempts to quiet her. He hesitated, wondering where Jessiewas. Perhaps she had already gone downstairs.
He tapped on the door and opened it.
