Redheaded Stranger: A Cowboy Love Story (Bluebonnet, Texas) Read Free

dimples.
    "Well? What’ll it be?"
    "My vacation request came through." She took a sip of her drink and then set the Styrofoam cup down.
    "You want a trip home? For Christmas?" They hadn't been back to Oahu since the wedding, and her mom and dad hadn’t seen Darrach since he was first born.
    "Can I think about it?"
    "You better think fast if we want to make holiday reservations."
    "Give me a couple days, okay?"

Chapter Two: Keilana
    M y husband was in a world of hurt.
    I sat watching him eat his sandwich and joke with John, all the while my mind was on my mid-morning revelation. I’d come down for a break, planning to sneak out to the Starbucks a few blocks away, only to get stopped by the guard at the security check.
    "There’s Agent Boudreaux. She can help you!"
    I’d smiled at Ted, while initially wondering whom I was supposed to help.
    He'd quickly explained. "This man says he's your father-in-law, and Agent Boudreaux –your husband—isn’t answering his phone."
    I forced my smile to remain in place while checking out the older man standing on the other side of the checkpoint. He was tall, dressed in Khaki pants and a sharply creased teal button-down. He wasn't as slender as my Alex—Zander—but the resemblance couldn’t be denied. Especially not in those eyes—the same ones my son had.
    Eyes currently wide with shock.
    If all else failed, just leave it to a woman to fix things. Damn Alex for making such a mess of things!
    "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" I asked, giving Ted a wave and crossing through the checkpoint to greet my poor, shocked father-in-law. The last thing I needed was to air our family troubles in the middle of the Dallas FBI office.
    "Jerrod, right?" I offered him my hand with a smile and he shook it, then offered me his arm. Without another word, we crossed the semi-busy foyer and stepped into the damp December morning.
    Once we’d cleared the building’s front doors, he stopped and turned to me, a scowl on his face. "Care to explain just how it is I have daughter-in-law I don’t know about?"
    "Buy me a double mocha latte and I’ll tell you everything." I gave him my most charming smile and the stern, weather-beaten angles shifted, giving me the slightest hint of a smile. Albeit a wary one that didn't reach his eyes.
    We drove the few blocks to the coffee shop, stood in line and got our drinks, then settled at an outside table for privacy.
    "So what brings you to Dallas, Mr. Boudreaux?"
    "I think the bigger question is, is it true?"
    I nodded, almost embarrassed to say, "Yes, I’m your unknown daughter-in-law. Sorry for the confusion." Instead, I said, "He was supposed to tell you at Thanksgiving."
    He rubbed his chin, his eyes briefly focused on the ground. "When? When did this happen?"
    "Three years next month. We, um, we met at the Atlanta field office."
    "And you're an agent, too?"
    "Yes, sir, Mr. Boudreaux. I process crime scene evidence," I said with another nod.
    "Jerrod, please. I don't even know what to say. I came here to read my son the riot act." He threw his hands up, his pain and frustration written all over his face. "He did tell you what happened, didn't he? At Thanksgiving?"
    "He did." I popped the top off my latte and scooped up a fingerful of whipped cream thoughtfully. I loved Alex beyond anything, but he could be the biggest jackass. "I'm sorry about how things went with...your daughter—Delaney, right?"
    Many years ago, he’d cheated on his wife . He now had a daughter, a daughter who was currently living with them.
    The older man nodded. "I can’t believe that boy is so mad at me, that he didn’t tell us he’d gotten married. It’s one thing to not come home, but..." With a sigh, Jerrod eased back in the wrought-iron chair and sipped his coffee. Black. Just like Alex. "Why didn’t he bring you to his mother's birthday two years ago?"
    Grimacing, I put the lid back on my cup as I spoke, "I had a miscarriage shortly after we moved here."
    His face fell. "I’m