Colton Cowboy Jeopardy (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“I’ll come along,” she murmured, gently closing the door. No sense making it easy if Regina had followed her.

Tamara smiled indulgently. “Ah, little mother. Nothing will do but to see him with your own eyes.”

She nodded, her lips clamped together too tightly to speak as she followed the older woman down the hallway.

Tamara urged her to go on into the bedroom first. There in the portable crib, her tiny son slept, a vision of contentment. She watched his chest rise and fall and silently vowed to make sure he stayed safe. She stroked his soft cheek, followed the whorl of his curly dark hair as she listened to his soft breath. Lifting him gently, she snuggled him close before she buckled him into the car seat. He stretched his legs but didn’t wake.

Mia wanted to take the portable crib, but doing so would raise more questions and concerns. She’d make do or buy a new one at some point. She picked up Silas and reached for the diaper bag, but Tamara insisted on carrying it to the car for her. Mia swallowed the protest. If Regina or anyone else had caught up with her, it would be better to have another witness to any trouble.

“Thank you again,” Mia said at the car. After securing the seat, she closed the door and gave Tamara one more hug, praying it wouldn’t be the last.

With Silas snoozing in the back seat, she had a renewed sense of calm as she drove away. From the moment the pregnancy test showed positive, her life had come into crystal clear focus. Her son was her singular priority and she wouldn’t allow anyone or anything to hurt him, no matter what changes or precautions were required. She’d divorced, moved and launched herself into a new career. During her last trimester, she’d survived the helplessness and terror of the earthquake that rocked Mustang Valley. Her commitment wouldn’t falter now.

Breathing easier as she left the neighborhood without another incident or threatening call, she turned her mind to logistics. Since she was currently staying at her father’s house, she couldn’t go home and she didn’t dare call or drop in on him. Norton Graves had a mile-wide blind spot when it came to his second wife. He would never believe that Regina had threatened violence against his daughter and grandson.

Where did that leave her? She needed clothing for her and Silas, as well as cash and baby supplies. And then she needed a place to lie low while she decided what to do with the incriminating secrets she’d uncovered today.

She reached for the radio, turning on a soothing station for the baby. A few minutes later, an incoming call interrupted the music. The caller ID announced her father’s name. Wary about what Regina might have told him, she used the button on the steering wheel to answer.

“Hi, sweetie,” he said, sounding as jovial as ever. Maybe Regina hadn’t filled his head with more lies yet. “How did it go at the house?”

“Great,” she replied brightly. “Tamara said Silas was an angel.” There, she hadn’t lied to her dad.

“I had no doubts. How are you feeling? Your mother found it hard to leave you the first few times.”

“I survived.” Another truth. “It was an experience,” she said. “Knowing he was with Tamara helped.”

Her father chortled. “Tamara was the one who watched you for us so Dalinda and I could have a nice dinner.”

“Life just keeps circling, doesn’t it?” Her father rarely spoke about her mother, and never when Regina was within earshot. This was her chance to tell him what she’d seen, even if she couldn’t show him the video yet, before her stepmother twisted the story against her.

“That it does.” He cleared his throat. “One second. Come in. Mia? Regina’s here. I’m putting you on speaker.”

“Hello, Mia! How are you and the baby?”

She winced at her stepmother’s overbright greeting. “Doing great, thanks.” Her window of opportunity had slammed shut.

“We’re both eager to hear when you’ll get the listing up,” her dad said.

Her father always knew how to pile on the pressure, but when it came to work, she normally thrived. He’d entrusted her with the sale of the country house—probably because Regina wanted to buy something bigger and newer—and she wouldn’t let him down. “I’m not sure when the listing will go live,” she said. Although she hated lying to him, it was the best of her options. “I might actually have a private buyer interested in the property.”

“Already?”

“Might,” she repeated. Taking a page from Regina’s book, she put a sharp sparkle into her voice. “I mentioned the property to a few friends and apparently the word is out.”

“That’s fantastic news. For both of us. All of us,” he amended quickly. “You should see the smile on my bride’s face.”

Bride, shark—when referring to her stepmother, the words were interchangeable in Mia’s mind. “Super. I’ll keep you posted,” she promised. “Love you.”

She ended the call and a rush of angry tears spilled down her cheeks. Would it ever be safe to see her father again?

* * *

Jarvis Colton adjusted the angle of his hat against the afternoon sunshine flooding the Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch. He’d been riding fence all day on the Triple R, a task that was often

met with little enthusiasm.

Jarvis loved it. No one was more shocked by that revelation than him. He’d left a career as a management consultant—the suits, air-conditioned offices, deals over drinks and conference calls—to come out here and be a cowboy. A dark T-shirt, jeans, boots and his horse completed his new workplace uniform.