LITMIR.BIZ

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journal hadn’t said much, only how much she’d loved Clay. She’d worried about Merrick’s career, and she’d agonized over giving her baby away.

      Jade’s chest tightened feeling the rejection all over again. Had Kathryn even had the chance to tell Clay about the pregnancy? Had he been the one to insist she give the baby away?

      This had been what brought Jade to the River’s End Ranch—and the nursing job—and to the very real possibility that Clay Merrick was her father. She wasn’t even sure she could confront the man. If she did, would he listen to her, or would he deny it all?

      Jade folded the picture and put it away. All she knew was she couldn’t give up until she discovered the truth.

      Later that afternoon, Sloan finally got hold of the senator.

      “You should have been here to hire Mom’s nurse,” Sloan said as Jade Hamilton was getting settled in upstairs.

      “It was your mother who wanted to do this, son. Why, is there a problem with who she hired?”

      Only that Jade Hamilton was far too distracting for him. “No, so far as I can see. But you should still be here.”

      “I’ll be home as soon as I possibly can,” Clay answered. “Just after the vote comes to the floor.”

      Sloan knew the senator’s sense of duty. He also knew Clay loved Louisa, but lately he hadn’t been around much. Of course Louisa hadn’t been very receptive to her husband since her stroke. She had pushed Clay out of her bed, her room and practically out of her life.

      “I thought they had enough votes without you being there.”

      “How would it look if I’m not here working for my state?”

      “What about being here for Mom?”

      There was a long sigh. “I talk to Louisa every day. She doesn’t have a problem waiting another week until we recess.” There was a pause. “Of course, if there were someone to replace me here at the capitol, I could retire and be home full-time.”

      Clay had hinted about Sloan taking his senate seat since college. “Well, you’re going to have to look elsewhere, because I’m happy right here.” His father already knew that. Sloan had been involved in breeding free range cattle for the past five years, and that suited him totally.

      “Think about how much more you could do if you came to Washington. You could promote your projects. Maybe find some funding for research on drought tolerant grasses.”

      Wouldn’t the cattle industry love that, especially when he was promoting hormone free beef, Sloan thought. It was times like this, he felt he was letting his father down. “Sorry, Dad. Have you thought about Alisa taking your place?”

      “Son, your sister’s only been out of college a few years.” There was a pause. “Of course, she’s been pretty vocal on some issues. And there is the fact she is a natural born charmer.”

      And even though Clay had never made him feel different, Sloan was aware he wasn’t a true Merrick, not by blood.

      Clay had accepted and loved the eight-year-old boy when he married Louisa, then adopted him a year later. And Sloan adored his younger half sister. “Alisa would be the best choice to carry on the family legacy.”

      “Or … you can find the perfect woman and make me a grandfather. And I can start preparing my grandchild.”

      Sloan heard the humor in Clay’s voice, but something told him the older man was serious. Suddenly Jade Hamilton came to mind. “I’d really have to rush things along.”

      “I’m sure your mother would be willing to help you find someone.”

      Had that been the reason Louisa was so eager to have Jade here? Well, darn. Was his mother playing matchmaker?

      He shook off the thought. “Are you at least coming home to meet Mother’s new nurse?”

      “I’m sure you hired a competent person.” Commotion came over the line and his father said, “Look, Sloan, I’ve got to go. They need me back in the chamber.”

      As soon as Sloan hung up, the phone from the barn rang. “Yeah, Bud. What do you need?”

      “An extra pair of hands. Polly is having trouble with her foal. The vet is on his way, but it looks to be an hour or so before he gets here.”

      “I’ll be right down.” Sloan came around the desk and was headed out when he saw Jade Hamilton coming down the staircase.

      “Mr. Merrick, may I talk with you? It’s about your mother’s schedule.”

      “It’ll have to be later.” He hurried down the hall, past the dining room and through the kitchen. He grabbed his hat off the peg at the back door and turned around.

      “This is important.”

      “Do you think I don’t know that? But this ranch is my responsibility, too. Right now there are other pressing matters I need to look into.” He paused. Maybe he should show her what life was like out here. “Unless you want to help.”

      She looked up at him with those big green eyes. “At what?”

      He had trouble turning away, but knew he’d better. “Come on.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her along. “I have a foal to deliver.”

      “You’re kidding. You want my help.”

      “You are a nurse, aren’t you?” He walked at a fast pace but she managed to keep up as he hurried down the road to the barn. “Polly is having some trouble. No vet around to help, so you’re all I got.”

      Before Jade could say any more, he nudged her inside the large structure. The place smelled of horses and fresh straw, but everything was neat and orderly, the way he liked things. They continued down a wide center aisle, past several stalls until they reached the large birthing pen in the corner.

      His mare was already down in fresh straw, and her breathing was labored. “Hey, Bud. Has there been any change?”

      The foreman shook his head. “She hasn’t made any progress.”

      Jade looked at the large rust-colored animal. Okay, she was out of her element with this, but she found she couldn’t just stand there, either. She stepped through the gate and went to the horse’s head, knelt down and began to stroke her neck. “Hey, there, girl. It’s not going too well, is it?” She glanced at Sloan. “Well, it’ll be over soon.”

      He felt a strange connection with her. As if they could handle this together.

      He quickly turned toward his foreman. “Bud, this is Mother’s nurse, Jade Hamilton. Jade, Bud.”

      “Ma’am,” he said in greeting.

      “Hello, Bud.”

      The horse raised its head and whinnied as if to say, “What about me?”

      Rolling up his sleeves, Sloan washed up and poured disinfectant on his hands and arms. He looked at Jade, finding she was helping. “Keep doing what you’re doing. I need her to stay calm.”

      Jade nodded.

      He knelt down by the horse’s tail and began talking softly to the horse. After another contraction eased, he reached inside the animal and soon said, “Got it. I have a front leg.” He worked hard over the next few minutes to help progress things. Sweat beaded on his face. “Yeah, there’s the other.”

      Jade kept talking to Polly.

      “Get behind me, Bud, and help.”

      The foreman wasn’t as big as Sloan, but he wrapped his muscular arms around Sloan’s middle, dug his boots into the floor and together they pulled. Their work began to pay off when the hooves appeared. “Come on, Polly, help us here,” Sloan groaned. There was another contraction and more of the legs showed, then a muzzle.

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