Linda Warren - A Texas Child

Jessie firmly believed in love and everything it encompassed, so how did Myra explain to her that she’d screwed up? Myra was angry enough to lay it all on the line this time and be honest. Mainly because Jessie would love her no matter what. She was that type of person.

Jessie was the motherless daughter of Roscoe Murdoch, the oil tycoon. When Roscoe’s niece had been kidnapped and murdered, he became paranoid about Jessie’s safety. He’d hired guards to watch over her, and Rosa and Felipe Delgado to care for her. Myra was two years older than Jessie and they’d grown up as best friends in the Murdoch household.

Since Jessie was guarded twenty-four hours a day, her life was a living hell. She rebelled numerous times, but Roscoe was always in control. Jessie gained her freedom the day Roscoe passed away. She fired the guards and went after what she wanted out of life—a man named Cadde Hardin. She was now happily married and living in High Cotton, Texas.

Myra set the GPS for the small town and sped down U.S. 290. When Jessie had lived in Houston, they saw each other all the time. But since she lived so far away now and had two babies, they had to make time for those special occasions.

As Myra drove, she thought of her next course of action. She wasn’t giving up. She’d promised Stu she’d do everything she could to bring the baby home and she intended to do that with or without Levi. Like he’d said, there were other investigators and she just had to find a capable one.

The urge to pull the car over and have a pity cry was strong, but she was stronger. She didn’t do the weak female crying bit. But, oh, God, she wanted to. However, she wouldn’t waste one more tear on Levi Coyote.

She’d never dreamed it would be so hard to see him again and to reexperience all the anger he still carried from her betrayal. It was time to let it go—for good. There was no going back and there was no more apologizing. She had begged Levi for the last time.

Taking the cutoff to the county road that ran through High Cotton, she soon pulled into the driveway of the two-story colonial. Jessie’s Suburban was in the garage, so Myra knew she was home. She glanced toward the house a short distance away. Cadde had built Myra’s parents their own home as a way to repay their service over the years. They wanted to be close to Jessie because they loved her and had taken care of her for more than twenty years.

Myra didn’t see her dad’s truck. That meant they were out. She was hoping to see them, but considering her state of mind, it probably was best if she didn’t. Her mother had a knack for ferreting out her moods as if she were five years old.

The back door was open, so she went inside. Childish giggles and laughter echoed through the house. “Jessie,” she called.

“We’re in the den,” her friend shouted back.

Jessie sat on the floor playing with four little kids, three boys and one girl. Jessie’s hair was in a ponytail and her eyes were bright with happiness.

“Hey, friend, what are you doing out this way?”

Myra squeezed into the little group on the floor. “I was out this way and thought I’d drop in. You know, unannounced, like my mama told me never to do.”

Jessie hugged her. “I’m glad you did.”

Myra looked at the shining little faces. Jacob, who was two and a half, toddled over to her and plopped into her lap. She hugged him a little tighter than she should have because she needed to feel loved today. Cadde Thomas, twelve months younger than his brother, also fell into her lap and she held them close.

“I think they remember me.”

“Of course they do.” Jessie reached over and kissed her sons. “They know Auntie My.”

Myra glanced at the other two children. “Are you running a kiddie day care now?”

“No.” Jessie poked her in the ribs. “There’s a problem with the oil well on the property. They’re fracking it or something, and the Hardin boys of Shilah Oil are keeping a close eye on it. You know how Cadde and his brothers are about the oil business. They have to personally supervise everything.”

Cadde had worked for Roscoe for years, and on his deathbed Roscoe had made a deal with Cadde: marry my daughter and keep her safe and I’ll give you half of my oil company. It was a dream come true for Cadde and he gladly took the offer. He just didn’t know that Jessie had put her father up to it because she’d been in love with Cadde since the first moment she’d met him. Luckily, it had all worked out, but not without a lot of heartache and pain. Myra wondered if real love had to be tested first, put through the bowels of hell before it could survive.

“That’s Cody,” Jessie was saying, “Chance and Shay’s son, and the blonde cutie is Carly, Kid and Lucky’s daughter.”

“She’s adorable.” Blond curls covered her head and a pink bow was clipped to the side.

The back door opened and Myra heard a rumble of deep voices.

The three boys jumped to their feet. “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” they chorused, and took off running for the kitchen.

Carly stood up and Myra was surprised. She didn’t think the little girl was old enough to walk. Cadde and Chance came into the den with their sons in their arms. Carly looked past them, her bottom lip trembling, and fat tears rolled from her eyes.

Jessie immediately gathered her into her arms. “Sweetie, Daddy’s coming.”

Kid burst through the door about that time. “Hey, what’s wrong with my baby?”

Carly smiled, slipped from Jessie’s arms and waddled to her father. Kid scooped her into his arms and everyone was happy.

Myra and Jessie got to their feet. Jessie hugged her husband and her boys and she seemed to melt right into them. It was clear how much love they shared, and it made Myra very aware that there was real love in the world. Jessie had been lucky enough to find it. For Myra, that would never happen, which made her a little sad. But only for a moment.

“Hello, Hardin boys,” Myra said with her hands on her hips.

“The wicked lady’s back,” Kid quipped.

“You better believe it.”

Kid grinned. “Always a pleasure, but I’ve got to run. We’re meeting Lucky for lunch and that’s a big part of our day.”

“Me, too,” Chance added. “Nice seeing you, Myra.”

“I’ll take the boys outside so you two can visit,” Cadde offered.

“Thanks, honey.”

Myra and Jessie sank onto the sofa. “What’s wrong?” Jessie asked.

Myra made herself comfortable. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”

Jessie sat cross-legged in shorts and a tank top. “Because you’re here in the middle of the day when you should be at work. And you look a little stressed.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re beautiful when you’re stressed.”

“I saw Levi today,” Myra blurted out.

“Levi Coyote?”

“Yes. There’s only one Levi.”

“I always loved his name. He was just so big and strong and indestructible and I liked to see him smile. He reminds me a lot of Cadde. You know, tough and unbending. It takes a woman to soften them up.”

“Levi’s found someone to soften him up. He’s getting married.”

“That bothers you?”

“I... No.”

“I think it does.” Jessie touched her arm. “Tell me why you saw Levi today after all this time.”

“You remember I told you about Natalie.”

“Yes, how is she?”

“Still in a coma and the police haven’t been able to locate the boyfriend or the baby.”

“How sad.”

“Stu, her father, and I had this insane idea that Levi would be able to find them.”

“So you asked him?”

Myra took a breath. “Yes, and the response was a big no with capital letters and an exclamation point.”