Read Online A Dad At Last by Marie Ferrarella - Free Book Online Page B

other woman dangerous and obviously felt Lacy couldn’t handle herself.
    Not that he had proof to the contrary, Lacy mused. After all, Janelle had manipulated her. But Janelle had managed to manipulate everyone to a greater or lesser degree. And besides, that was the old Lacy. She’d done a lot of growing this past year. Never mind that some of it had been as Sara, the woman she’d been when her memory was gone. She’d kept with her all the experiences that Sara had gone through, all the lessons that Sara had learned. They had helped forge a backbone for her that wasn’t easily bent.
    Not even for a man she loved.
    Politely extracting himself from these strangers who had become, through the whimsy of fate, his siblings, Connor sidestepped his mother. Megan took his place in the center of the circle, filling the void. He expected nothing less. Ever since he’d arrived here, it seemed to Connor that there had been endless talking and activity around him.
    The Maitlands certainly didn’t value their quiet time, he thought.
    Taking Lacy by the arm, he guided her out of theroom to the adjacent living room, mercifully leaving the din behind.
    â€œI need to talk to you.”
    He sounded tense. Despite promises to herself to let him have his say and remain calm, Lacy felt her back go up.
    â€œIf this is about going to see Janelle—”
    He cut her off before she could start. “No, this isn’t about going to see Janelle.” He set his jaw. “It’s about the future. Yours and mine.”
    Connor’s stoic expression baffled her. Lacy hadn’t a clue what he was trying to say. “You know, for a man who’s just been taken into the bosom of a loving family, you don’t look like you feel very happy.”
    He was honest with her. Of everyone in the house, she was the one who at least had a history with him. As well as a son.
    Knowing he had a child only added to his tangled web of emotions.
    â€œI don’t know what I feel right now. Confused, mostly,” he admitted before his face hardened again. “But that’s my problem.”
    He was shutting her out again. Why did she expect anything different? Lacy silently upbraided herself. “Right, I remember. You’re very big about defining borders. I won’t trespass on your problem.” For two cents, she would have taken her fists and beaten some sense into his hard head. “Now what is it you want to talk to me about?”
    He thought of the deed that was still hot in his pocket. “I bought a ranch this afternoon.”
    Lacy could only stare at him. He hadn’t said anything to anyone about wanting to buy property. “You did what?”
    â€œBought a ranch,” he repeated. “It’s down the road from Garrett Lord’s place.” Garrett had gone with him to look at it. It had taken only ten minutes for him to make up his mind. They’d gone to a lawyer to draw up papers this afternoon. “The guy who owned it had been thinking about selling it for a long time, and I figured that since I’ve just found my real mother, maybe I should stick around here for the time being. There’s nothing for me in Montana.”
    â€œMontana? Is that where you went off to?” He’d disappeared right after she’d left the ranch. No wonder it had been impossible for her to contact him once she’d decided to give it one last try.
    Montana. Somehow, that suited him, she thought. Vast stretches of land where you wouldn’t come across another living soul if you didn’t want to. It was Connor’s kind of country.
    â€œYeah.” He didn’t want to talk about where he’d been. He needed to talk about where he was going, before common sense kicked in and prevented him from doing what he knew he needed to do. “Look, that part doesn’t matter. I bought a ranch and there’s a house on it, ready to be moved into.” Damn it,