Texas Heir by Linda Warren

Author:Linda Warren [Warren, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2008-12-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Richard sat in his study with the door locked, a bottle of bourbon in front of him. Untouched. He kept staring at it, knowing solace and forgetfulness were within.

But he had to remember.

Everything.

He twisted the bottle. Marisa, Colter and the kids were in the kitchen with Vanessa, making cookies. Craziest idea he’d ever heard of. Vanessa wanted to make something for Reed when he returned. She had decided Reed wasn’t dead. Richard supposed it was the only way she could cope and he didn’t have the energy to make her see the truth. Evidently Marisa didn’t either because she went along with the insane plan and had even tried coaxing him into joining them. He wasn’t in the mood for company, though. Not even his grandchildren’s.

Marisa said they needed to be together, so the whole family was spending the night. He didn’t think the kids needed to be told yet, but Marisa and Colter had felt otherwise. Now they were in the kitchen talking and sharing.

As the Michaelses had. Thank God they had finally gone home. But Richard still didn’t have any peace.

A tap sounded at the door.

“Go away!” he shouted.

“I just wanted to know if you needed anything, sir,” Winston asked, his voice muffled.

Richard jumped up, marched to the door and yanked it open. “Yes, Winston. I would like to be left alone. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir.”

Thirteen-year-old Ellie strolled into the room. She was a blond beauty, a replica of her mother, except she had her father’s green eyes.

“Mommy sent me to get you, Grandpa.” She linked her arm through his. “You have to be with family. Grandma is cooking and it’s a sight to see. Uncle Reed would be freaked out—I sure am.”

He went with her like a dutiful puppy. She should hate him for what he’d stolen from her—her mother. It had taken eight years for Marisa to discover her daughter was alive and living with her father. But Ellie had a forgiving soul and a loving heart. Richard had Colter to thank for that.

He never had, though.

As they entered the big kitchen, he saw Colter and Jack, his four-year-old grandson, sitting on bar stools at the granite countertop island.

Marisa and Vanessa stared at something in a bowl. No servants were around, so Vanessa must have dismissed them.

“Now cream the eggs and sugar,” Marisa told her mother.

“Hi, Grandpa.” Jack raised a hand. “Grandma is making sugar cookies for Uncle Reed and we’re going to decorate them. Right, Daddy?”

Colter put an arm around Jack. “Right, son.”

“Do you mean add cream?” Vanessa asked, her linen pantsuit covered with a white apron.

“No, Mother,” Marisa answered in a patient voice. “You beat them together until the mixture is creamy.”

“What do I beat it with?”

Good grief. He was surprised Vanessa had even found the kitchen. He rolled up his shirtsleeves. “This is how you do it.” He picked up a spoon and whipped the ingredients until the mixture was creamy. He remembered doing this as a kid at his uncle’s during the holidays.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.