Travis Comes Home, page 13
How to convince her to stay and marry him.
Josie had been pacing the cabin ever since Travis’s phone call, twenty minutes ago. She didn’t know if her constant movement helped at all, but it was better than sitting and worrying about what to do. She’d had two days and still hadn’t been able to decide. Two choices were open to her: she could leave and never tell Hank who she really was, or stay and take a chance with the truth.
If she did stay, she could lose Travis. He would never forgive her for withholding her true identity. She thought back to the day in the office when he’d admitted he was crazy about her. She’d wanted to admit her feelings, too. That she loved him to distraction. She’d never dreamed she could feel this way about anyone.
Suddenly dread washed over her. And what about Hank? How would he feel about a woman claiming to be his daughter showing up at this time in his life? Would he think she was just after something?
Oh, God. She sank down into the kitchen chair. The last thing she wanted was for Hank to resent her. They’d developed a good relationship over the past few weeks. Tears pooled in her eyes. That was more than Josie had ever hoped for. And that was enough for her. A father had never been part of her life, so how could she miss what she didn’t have? She drew another breath and touched her stomach. The one who would lose was her child. Josie wanted to give her child grandparents. That wasn’t going to happen, so she had to stop torturing herself.
The sound of knocking broke into her thoughts. She drew a strengthening breath and went to answer the door. She’d been expecting Travis and wasn’t surprised to see him standing on the porch. But the sight of the man still caused her throat to suddenly go dry. His broad shoulders were covered by a starched white shirt tucked into a pair of nicely fitted ink-black jeans. In his hands, he held his black Stetson. Her gaze raised to the sun-streaked hair that fell across his forehead making a contrast with his dark-chocolate eyes. She ached to reach out and stroke the small cleft in his chin, but resisted. She couldn’t allow herself to touch him, or her resolve would vanish.
“Travis.” She stepped aside to let him inside.
He accepted her invitation and walked into the cabin. In one swift movement, he tossed his hat on the table, then reached for her, pulling her tight against him. A soft gasp broke from her as she allowed him to take her hands and put them around his neck, just as his head bent toward hers.
Then his hungry mouth claimed hers, taking long, deep kisses, and she clung to him. Her body burned as he stroked her from her waist to her breasts. When his hands covered her nipples they quickly beaded against his palms. She whimpered at the sheer ecstasy.
He tore his mouth from hers. “I’ve missed you, Josie.” He rained kisses over her face. “These past two days have been hell. Please, tell me that you’ve been miserable, too.”
She wanted nothing more than to confess her feelings to him. “I’ve missed you, too.” She stood on her toes and pressed her mouth to his. This time she revealed her hunger as her tongue teased him, sliding along his lower lip. He opened readily as she slipped inside timidly, drawing a deep groan from Travis. He tightened his hold and returned the favor. This time she was the one who moaned.
He pulled back, his eyes dark with desire. “We can’t keep going on like this, Josie,” he said breathlessly. “I want you too much just to be satisfied with stolen moments. I want a life with you. I want to marry you.”
Whatever Travis had expected from Josie, it wasn’t reluctance. But she suddenly stiffened in his arms. Damn. He’d known she was unprepared for his marriage proposal, but he thought she cared about him.
“Travis, you don’t know what you’re asking. We barely know each other.”
“Josie, time has nothing to do with it. I care about you. And I thought you cared for me.”
“I do. But…marriage?”
Although Travis resisted letting her go, she slipped from his arms. “Josie, if you’re worried…I mean, I would love the baby as if it were mine.”
“Oh, Travis…” she cried as tears flooded her eyes.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he said, feeling panicked. “I guess I read you wrong. I thought you felt the way I did.” He started to turn away when she reached for him.
“I do care about you, Travis. It would be a lot easier if I didn’t. But this is such a big step. Please…I need some time to think about it.”
Travis didn’t like the idea of waiting, but agreed. “Just promise me you won’t take off.”
“Promise. I need to think some things through. Alone.”
“Can’t I hang around and try to convince you?” he teased.
Josie shook her head and gave him a half smile. “We both need time.”
His hand covered hers. “No, Josie, I don’t need any time. I know exactly what I want. You.”
Josie wanted to scream that she wanted him, too. But the words stuck in her throat. She couldn’t say anything until the truth was out. “I promise I won’t take long.”
He kissed her nose. “I’m going to Chance’s. We’re having a meeting with Cade. I’ll have my cell phone with me just in case you need me.”
I need you every minute of every day, she cried silently. “Okay, I promise I’ll call you,” she said, nudging him toward the door. If she didn’t get rid of him soon, she was going to break down.
But Travis didn’t go easily. At the door, he pulled her to him and kissed her hard and deep, assuring her again of his feelings. Josie feasted on him, too, knowing that it might be her last chance.
She finally broke off the kiss. “Goodbye, Travis.”
He hesitated for a moment, staring at her with those mesmerizing coffee eyes. She trembled as she fought to resist him. It was hard, so hard that every cell in her body ached to return to the shelter of his arms and shut out the world. Somehow, she managed to pick up his hat from the table and hand it to him.
Travis took it and walked off. Then the door closed, and Josie sank against it. She drew several breaths as she fought back tears. With the sound of the truck driving off, she went into the alcove. Opening the dresser drawer, she pulled out her mother’s letter. It was time she talked to Hank. No matter what, it was time he knew he had a daughter.
Josie arrived at the Circle B thirty minutes later. She parked by the back door and climbed out of her car. Taking the opportunity, she glanced around at the state-of-the-art ranch Hank had spent years building. It would have been wonderful to grow up here, she thought as a lonely ache settled in her chest. But this wasn’t her home, no matter how badly she wanted to belong.
She walked up the steps and through the back door into the kitchen where she found Ella folding laundry.
She smiled. “Well, hello, Josie. I didn’t know you were coming by this morning.”
“I didn’t mean to disturb you, Ella. I—I just needed to see Hank for a few minutes.”
“Child, you don’t ever disturb me. I wish you were around more often.” The housekeeper frowned. “Are you getting lonely out there in the cabin?”
Josie tried to hide her nervousness. “No, I’m fine. It’s beautiful out there. A photographer’s dream. I was able to get really close to one of the mustangs yesterday. I’ll let you see the pictures when they’re developed.” But Josie wondered if she’d be around then.
“I’d like that,” the housekeeper said.
“Well, I think I’ll go see Hank. Is he in the study?” At Ella’s nod Josie walked through the sunny yellow kitchen and the formal dining room with its oak trestle table and high-back chairs. Emotion tugged at her heart as she remembered the meals she’d shared in here with Hank and the family. Struggling to keep her focus, she continued into the huge room where Hank liked to watch the big-screen television and play with the grandkids. Her chest tightened more as she wondered if her baby would ever be considered one of them.
Her steps slowed at the sight of the open study door. Her mind screamed for her to leave, but her heart made her continue on. This could be her one chance to put things right. She drew another breath and peered through the doorway where she found Hank at the desk, his head bent as he read something. She gazed lovingly at the man, from his thick gray hair to his tan, sun-weathered face. He was still handsome at sixty-five, with kind hazel eyes and a smile that put everyone at ease.
He glanced up, then stood. “Josie, how long have you been here?”
“I just got here.” She tried to slow her breathing. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Sure,” he said, and came around the desk. He took her hand and guided her to two rust-colored chairs. She sat down and he joined her. “What do you need?”
Josie closed her eyes for a second. “I don’t need anything. You’ve been very generous to me these past weeks. There’s something I need to tell you, though….”
Hank frowned. “If it’s about leaving, I want you to know that you can stay here as long as you need.”
She wanted to weep over his kindness. “That’s very kind of you. But I’m not sure you’ll feel that way when you discover that I haven’t been totally honest with you. I mean, from the beginning I should have told you who I was.”
“You’re not Josie Gutierrez?”
“Yes, that’s my name, but…” she began. With Hank’s confused look, she reached into her purse, took out the letter and handed it to him. “You sent this to my mother.”
Josie got up and walked across the room. She stared out though the windowed doors, wanting to give Hank time to absorb the news. It didn’t take long.
“You’re Elissa Romero’s daughter?” His voice was hoarse with emotion.
Josie turned to see a soft smile, but she knew it would disappear after she delivered the rest of the news. “Yes, I’m her daughter. But…I’m also your daughter. My mother got pregnant one of those weekends you spent with her.”
Hank’s smile faded and a multitude of expressions flashed over his face. Then silently he stood and walked to her. She trembled as his gaze moved over her face. “You look like Elissa. So beautiful.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “My daughter. I can’t believe this. All these years. Why? Why didn’t she ever let me know?”
Josie glanced down at the paper in his hand. “The letter. You told her that you didn’t want to see her again.”
He, glanced at the yellowed paper, then back at her. “But you’re my daughter. Oh, my God, you’re my daughter.”
“It’s a lie!” an angry voice rang out.
They both turned to find a furious-looking Travis standing in the doorway. The last thing Josie wanted was for him to find out this way, but it was too late. “Travis, I thought you were at Chance’s,” she said.
He glared at her. “That would have made this more convenient for you, wouldn’t it? Too bad I forgot some papers for the meeting.” He folded his arms over his chest. “I guess I interrupted your plans.”
“I was going to tell you, but I thought Hank deserved to know first.”
“The hell you were!”
Hank stepped in. “Travis, stop it. This doesn’t concern you,” he said.
“It concerns me if someone’s trying to use you. Someone’s been lying to us from the start. Believe me, I know what that’s like.”
“No, Travis, you don’t understand,” Josie pleaded. “I had to tell the truth—to tell Hank who I was. I never wanted to hurt anyone, but when you asked me to marry you, I had to tell the truth. But Hank deserved to hear it first.”
“Yeah, I bet you got a good laugh from that one,” Travis snapped. His jaw clenched, his gaze cold and hard. “You’re going for higher stakes. Well, I’m not letting you come here and lay claim to this ranch. So you can just pack your bags and leave.”
“That’s enough!” Hank shouted as he stepped in and faced Travis. “I told you this is between Josie and me.”
“No, it’s not.” Josie drew a shaky breath. This was what she wanted to avoid. “I never wanted this to happen,” she cried, fighting her tears. “I’ll leave,” she announced and started for the door. Even with Hank trying to stop her, she couldn’t stay. Not with the angry look on Travis’s face. She’d known the risk she was taking by telling Hank, but she’d never thought that Travis would react so hatefully.
Somehow Josie managed to make it to her car before the tears came, but she knew it would be a long time before they stopped.
Hank turned on Travis. “I hope you’re proud of yourself,” he said once they were alone.
“Come on, Hank. You don’t even know for sure that Josie was telling the truth.”
Hank stared at him. “She is telling the truth. I did spend weekends with Elissa Romero.”
A surprised Travis hesitated. “Well, that doesn’t mean she’s your daughter.”
Hank had no doubt Josie was his. In his heart, he knew. “If Elissa told Josie I’m her father, then I am. God, Travis, have you ever looked into Josie’s eyes? She has my eyes.” He cursed under his breath, then started out of the room. He had to find her.
“Where are you going?” Travis asked.
“To find my daughter,” he called over his shoulder, loving the sound of the word. Daughter. He had a daughter. He rushed out of the house and didn’t stop until he was in his truck. He started up the vehicle and headed for the valley. He had to reach Josie to tell her how much he wanted her here.
Ten minutes later, he reached the cabin and let out a breath when he saw the light on. On the porch, he knocked and waited anxiously until she finally opened the door.
When he saw Josie’s red eyes, he cursed Travis again. “Please, can we talk?”
“Maybe we shouldn’t,” she said. “I’ll just go back to El Paso.”
“And live where?” he asked. “You have no family.”
“I have a few friends who can help me out for a while. Oh, Hank, I never wanted…” Their eyes met, and she swallowed hard. Her voice broke as she spoke, “I didn’t come here to cause you any trouble.”
Hank stepped over the threshold and took her into his arms. “Oh, my dear girl, you could never do that.” He held her tight.
“I just wanted to see you…once. See what you were like,” she confessed in a teary whisper. “When I rode to the valley that first time, I meant to keep it at that. I was planning to leave when I hurt my ankle.”
Hank pulled back, trying to see her through his own tears. “Then I’m glad now you had to stay. I would hate to think I might have missed knowing you.”
“Really?” she asked brushing away her tears.
He nodded. “I knew you were special the first time I laid eyes on you. I just wish you told me sooner.” He gripped her shoulders. “But I understand,” he told her, then suddenly he began to grin. “I can’t believe this. You’re my daughter. You’ll never know how much I wanted a child.”
“Then why didn’t you come back to my mother?” she asked timidly. “Surely you knew there was a chance that you made her pregnant?”
Hank shook his head, then he released Josie and sank down in the chair at the table. “Mae and I never had children. I just took for granted it was my problem. When my wife died, I was so lonely. When I met Elissa…” He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “God, you must hate me. Your mother having to raise you by herself. If I had only known, Josie. I swear I would have been there for you. For Elissa.”
Josie sat down opposite him. “I know that now.”
He reached out and touched her face, unable to believe the miracle. “What a wonderful surprise you are. And so beautiful.”
Josie glanced away shyly. “Oh, yes. It’s every man’s dream to have his daughter appear on his doorstep and pregnant to boot.”
“Hey, you’re talking about my grandchild.” Hank didn’t think his heart could get any fuller, but it did. “Finding out I’m a father and grandfather in the same day, oh, my, this just gets better and better.”
“You’re happy?”
He kissed her forehead. “Oh, Josie, that doesn’t begin to express how I feel at this moment.” He couldn’t keep the tears from his eyes. “You’re my daughter.” He said the words as if he had trouble believing them. “I hope you don’t mind if I tell you I already love you.”
All her life, Josie had longed to hear those words from the man she ached to call father. “When I was a little girl, I dreamed about meeting my dad. I even pretended that he was looking for me.” She couldn’t contain her tears as they spilled over and ran down her cheek. “And one day he was going to come for me and my mother.” She swallowed as she searched Hank’s face, seeing his sadness. “And now I found you. Oh, Hank, I feel the same way about you,” she managed to say.
Hank pulled her into a tight embrace, and Josie hung on tight. How much time passed she didn’t know or care. Finally Hank pulled back and looked at her. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you when you were growing up.” He sucked in a long breath. “But I’m here now. And I’m going to take care of you. First, you’re going to move back to the house.”
“I can’t,” she moaned. Her chest constricted from the pain that she couldn’t go with him. “I won’t interrupt your life, Hank. You have family to consider.” Never again did she want to see Travis’s hatred. She had no choice but to leave. “I can’t stay.”
“But I just found you,” Hank said. “How can I let you go? Chance, Cade and Travis will come love you. I know Travis does already. He’s just in shock. He’ll get over his anger.”
She shook her head. “I understand why he despises me. I lied to him. I just hope one day, he’ll forgive me. Please, Hank, don’t make this any harder on me. The last thing I want to do is make you choose sides. No, I won’t split up your family.”
“But you’re my family, too. I want to get to know you.” He hugged her. “Please, Josie, this can work out.”
She wanted to believe him so badly, but she wasn’t holding out false hope. “I think it would be best if I move into town.”
