The Paternity Pact (Texas Cattleman's Club: Rags to Riches 3)

“Harley Wingate.”

If Grant thought this revelation would amaze her, he was dead wrong. Rose snapped her fingers and regarded him in satisfaction.

“I knew it! I knew something had happened between the two of you at the TCC ball five years ago.”

Grant expected the next words out of her mouth to be a commentary on the difference in their ages, but once again, Rose surprised him.

“Are you sure the boy is yours?”

“Yes.”

She raised one perfectly arched eyebrow at his decisive tone. “You had him tested?”

He lifted his own eyebrow in reply.

“Hmm. I’d heard that Harley was pregnant when she left town and that she refused to name the father.” Rose had obviously found much in his news to muse about. “And that she came back to Royal because she’s struggling to keep her nonprofit afloat.”

“Whatever her reasons, I’m just glad I get the chance to know my son.”

His sister barely let him finish before continuing, “Has she spoken to you about financial support?”

Despite his ongoing doubts, Grant immediately jumped to Harley’s defense. “She didn’t tell me about my son in the hopes that I’d pay her off.”

Rose studied him for a long moment. “Maybe not, but she put half the world between her and Royal and out of the blue she’s back. That decision couldn’t have been made lightly. I guess you should be glad Wingate Enterprises has been having so much trouble lately or you might never have known you had a son.”

This fact wasn’t lost on Grant. Had she stayed away so long to avoid him or punish him? Deep down, Grant believed it was the former. Harley wasn’t vindictive. But if she assumed his feelings for her hadn’t changed, her pride would’ve prevented her from initiating contact.

But now she was back and their recent kiss had demonstrated their sexual chemistry was as potent as ever. The way they’d both been swept up in the moment promised there would be more such lapses in the future. Pleasure sparked at the thought. Something to look forward to then.

“Did she explain why she waited so long to tell you?” Rose continued.

“Our last encounter ended rather abruptly. She was angry at me when she left town.” Once again, regret twisted Grant’s gut into knots. If he’d handled things better, would Harley still have fled Royal and taken his son away? “Once Daniel was born, she had a change of heart but learned that I was engaged to Paisley.”

Rose nodded as if in approval. “So she took your happiness into consideration when she made her decision. But you and Paisley have been divorced for over a year. Why didn’t she tell you sooner?”

“She claims it wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have over the phone.”

“I guess that makes sense. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to tell you and then keep you from Daniel.” His sister looked thoughtful. “Of course, there’s another possible reason she delayed. Perhaps she didn’t know who the father was?”

“I don’t know,” Grant admitted. That scenario had also run through his mind, but he’d dismissed it as unimportant. “But it doesn’t matter. Daniel is my son.”

“I must say, I’m a little surprised that you of all people would’ve had something like this happen to you.”

“Accidents happen.”

“Not to you,” Rose pointed out. “You are the last man I would’ve expected to sleep with a teenager, much less get her pregnant.”

Five years hadn’t dimmed the mix of horror and irritation he’d felt upon discovering what an enormous mistake he’d made. “You don’t seriously think I would’ve gotten involved with an eighteen-year-old if I’d known her age.”

Yet, looking back on it now, could he have resisted Harley? He’d been immediately enamored with her at the party. So much so that his brain had completely disengaged. The chemistry between them had been that overwhelming. Nor could he say with confidence that if she’d confessed her identity before they’d slept together, he would’ve walked away. In truth, he suspected that doing the right thing in that moment had been beyond his usually unflinching willpower. Only confronted with being lied to by her had enabled him to push her away.

“You didn’t know? But you must’ve run into her at the TCC clubhouse. You had to have realized who she was before you got together.”

“I don’t think I did.”

“You don’t think?” she echoed skeptically. “Are you saying that you suspected, but that you ignored your instincts?”

Had he? After that weekend, he’d told himself that never in a million years would he have connected the sexy siren with the Wingate’s youngest daughter. Maybe a couple times over the course of their time together he’d noticed her behaving less mature than she appeared, but his actions had run counter to normal, as well. They’d had fun. More fun than he’d let himself enjoy in a long time. Entranced by her brilliant smiles and endearing sense of humor, his serious side had taken a back seat.