Yes, he had been.
“Maybe your mother never bought the story of his death,” Celia continued. “After all, she faked her own death, too, so maybe she suspected he was still out there all along.”
“One death for another...” Grant shook his head. “And I never knew. She hid this all from us behind a wide smile.”
Sullivan would never forget his mother’s beautiful smile.
Silence lingered in the room until Ava said, “Jeremiah finally tracked down our mother, with Ronald’s help.”
Celia’s voice was so quiet. “He wanted information from her. Or rather, from your father.”
“He said...our dad said he’d never tell...” Ava’s voice broke a bit.
“And he never did,” Sullivan said.
“No.” Celia shook her head. “He didn’t. He never revealed what had become of Susan Salenger. He never told Jeremiah where she’d been taken. Who she’d become.”
Grant surged to his feet. “Why the hell did she matter so much? Matter enough that Jeremiah killed his own sister?”
“She mattered...” Celia glanced at Sullivan, then continued. “Because she was pregnant. Ronald kept a file on Jeremiah, and in it he’d written that Jeremiah spent years looking for his child. Before Susan vanished, she was eight months pregnant. She had a baby, and Jeremiah wanted his son.”
“Hell.” Grant raked a hand over his face. “It was all about family.”
In Jeremiah’s twisted world, it had been. “I think the bastard wanted to punish Mom for betraying him—both for going to the cops after he told her to keep quiet, and then for taking Susan away...”
“Susan.” Ava glanced around the room. Then her gaze focused on Celia. “Do we know what happened to her? What happened to her baby?”
There was a faint knock at the door.
Sullivan glanced at his watch. Just in time.
The door opened. Monroe Blake stood there. The faint lines near his eyes had deepened and the man appeared far too pale. He’d been in the hospital, but Sullivan knew he’d fought to get out early.
From all accounts, Monroe had always been a fighter.
“Sorry,” Monroe said as he looked around. His golden eyes were wary. “I got a call from Celia telling me to be here.”
Because Sullivan had asked her to make that call.
“Come in,” Sullivan said. “You’re just in time.”
But Monroe didn’t move. “No,” he said. “I don’t belong here. I just—I came to say how sorry I am. I came to say—”
“You didn’t know he was your father,” Sullivan interrupted. “Not until it was too late.”
If possible, Monroe became even paler. “I’m nothing like him,” he rasped.
Sullivan nodded. “No, I don’t think you are.”
Monroe stared at them all, his eyes tortured.
Celia had already told Sullivan what had happened to Susan. She’d become Katie Blake, and she’d given birth to a son.
Monroe.
A man who’d grown up and become a SEAL. A man who had—because fate was twisted and mysterious—saved Davis McGuire’s life in battle, just as he, in turn, had been saved.
A man who was family, even though he hadn’t realized it.
“I don’t belong here,” Monroe said. Shame flashed on his face.
Sullivan rose and went to his side. “Yes, you do.” And it was time they all let go of the pain from the past. It was time the McGuires looked to the future.
To hope.
“Welcome to the family...”
* * *
CELIA’S STOMACH WAS in knots. She’d been given the all clear from the agency. No one was coming after her—there were no more secrets she had to keep. She was...free.
Sullivan and his family were making peace with the past, and they were fully embracing Monroe. Poor, shell-shocked Monroe. The guy had killed his own father in order to save Sullivan.
She owed him. They all owed Monroe. She was sure the debt would be repaid.
They were back at the ranch. At the bluff that overlooked the lake. The water was still, and it reflected the sun, throwing the bright light back at her. But she didn’t mind that light. After being in the darkness for so long, she found it nice.
“Are you hiding?”
She didn’t tense at Sullivan’s voice. After all, she’d known that he was coming. Deep inside, she’d always known they’d come together again.
Known. Hoped. Same thing.
She turned her head and found his gaze on her. Celia smiled at him. She barely even felt the pull of her stitches. Her new scar was nothing compared to what she could have lost.
Sullivan. And every hope she’d ever had.
“Not hiding,” she said. “Just enjoying the sunset.”
He reached for her hand. He was so warm and strong. And he was—
Kneeling.
“Sully?”
He had a ring in his fingers. “Will you marry me?”
“We...I...I think we are married.” That part of Ronald’s story had proven true. She just hadn’t been able to tell Sully sooner because of—
He smiled up at her. “Then will you promise me forever, Celia? Because that’s what I want. Forever, with you.”
She couldn’t speak.
His smile dimmed. “I’ve made mistakes. I know I’ve made so many, baby, but I swear, you are my world. I will do anything and everything to make you happy, I will—”
“I love you,” Celia said.
His eyes darkened.
“And you’ve always had my forever.” He’d had every part of her.
He slid the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit, and the diamond gleamed in the light. “You’ve always had my heart,” he said gruffly. His fingers curled around hers. “Right here, it’s been in the palm of your hand all along. You own me, Celia. Body and soul, and there is nothing I would not do for you.”
Her own heart was pounding far too fast.
“I will love you forever,” he promised her.
And she knew it was true. She could see that love on his face, in his eyes. And when he kissed her...she could feel it.
Forever.
The past was over, and their future waited.
* * * * *
Keep reading an excerpt from ROPING RAY MCCULLEN by Rita Herron.
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Roping Ray McCullen
by Rita Herron
Prol
ogue
Ray McCullen hated all the secrets and lies.
He despised his father, Joe McCullen, even more for making him keep them.
In spite of the fact that his brothers, Maddox and Brett, thought he didn’t care about them or the family, he had kept his mouth shut to protect them.
God knows the truth about their father had eaten him up inside.
Only now, here he was back at home on the Horseshoe Creek ranch waiting on his father to die, grief gnawing at him. Joe McCullen wasn’t the perfect man Maddox and Brett thought he was, but Ray still loved him.
Dammit.
He didn’t want to, but the love was just as strong as the hate.
Maddox stood ramrod straight in the hallway outside their father’s room, his expression unreadable while Brett visited their dad.
Ray moved from one foot to the other, sweating. He and Brett had both been summoned to the ranch at their father’s request—he wanted to talk to each of them before he passed.
Suddenly the door swung open. Brett stalked into the hallway, rubbing at his eyes, then his boots pounded as he jogged down the steps. Maddox arched a brow at him indicating it was Ray’s turn, and Ray gritted his teeth and stepped into the room.
The air smelled like sweat and sickness, yet the sight of the familiar oak furniture his father had made by hand tugged at this emotions. His mother had died when he was just a kid, but he could still see her in that bed when he’d been scared at night and his daddy wasn’t home, and he’d sneak in and crawl up beside her.
His father’s cough jerked him back to reality.
Ray braced himself for a lecture on how disappointed his father was in him—Maddox was the perfect son who’d stayed and run the ranch, and Brett was the big rodeo star who’d accumulated fame and money—while he was the bad seed. The rebel.
The surly one who’d fought with their father, left home and never came back.
“Ray?”
The weak sound of his father’s voice forced his feet into motion, and he crossed the room to his father’s bedside. God, he didn’t want to do this.
“Ray?”
“Yes, Dad, I’m here.”
Another cough, pained and wheezy. Then his father held out a shaky hand. Ray’s own shook as he touched his father’s cold fingers.
He tried to speak, but seeing his father, a big brawny man, so thin and pale was choking him up. Joe McCullen had always been larger than life. And he’d been Ray’s hero.
Until that day...
“Thank you for coming, son,” his father said in a raw whisper.
“I’m sorry it’s like this,” he said, and meant it.
His father nodded, but a tear slid down his cheek. “I’m sorry for a lot of things, Ray. For hurting you and your mama.”
Ray clenched his jaw to keep his anger at bay.
“I know I put a heavy burden on you a long time ago, and it drove a wedge between the two of us.” He hesitated, his breathing labored. “I want you to know that your mama forgave me before we lost her. I...loved her so much, Ray. I hated what I did to her and you.”
Grief and pain collected in Ray’s soul, burning his chest. “It was a long time ago.” Although the hurt still lingered.
“I wish I’d been a better man.”
Ray wished he had, too.
“When you find someone special, Ray, love her and don’t ever let her go.”
Yeah. As if he would ever tie himself down or fall in love. His heart couldn’t handle loving someone else to only lose them.
His father coughed, and Ray swallowed hard, the weak sound a reminder that this might be the last time he saw his dad. He wanted to tell him that nothing mattered, that he wasn’t ready to let him go yet, that they still had time.
But he’d been called home because they didn’t have time.
“The will...” his father murmured. “I tried to do right here, tried to take care of everyone.”
Ray tensed. “What do you mean—everyone?”
Joe squeezed his hand so tightly, Ray winced. But when he tried to pull away, his father had a lock on his fingers. “Ray, the ranch goes to you boys, but I need you to explain to Maddox and Brett. I owe...”
His voice cracked, his words fading off and he wheezed, gasping for air. A second later, his body convulsed and his eyes widened as if he knew this was his last breath.
“Owe what?” Ray asked. Did he tell Maddox and Brett about his other woman?
“Dad, talk to me,” Ray said, panicked.
But his father’s eyes rolled back in his head and he convulsed again, his fingers going limp.
Ray jerked his hand free, then rushed toward the door shouting for help. Maddox barreled inside the room and hurried to the bed.
Grief seized Ray as his father’s body grew still.
He bolted and ran down the steps, anguish clawing at him.
Damn his father. He’d done it to him again.
Left him holding the secret that could destroy his family forever.
Chapter One
Two weeks later
Scarlet Lovett parked in front of the sign for Horseshoe Creek, a mixture of grief and envy coiling inside her.
This was Joe McCullen’s land. His pride and joy. The place where he’d raised his family.
His real family. The one with his three beloved sons. Maddox. Brett. Ray.
Maddox was the oldest, the responsible one who was most like Joe in his devotion to Horseshoe Creek. He was also the sheriff of Pistol Whip, Wyoming.
Brett was the handsome, charming bull rider who was most like Joe in his flirtatious smile, his love for women and chasing dreams.
Ray was the youngest, the angry one who looked most like Joe, but he resented his father because he’d walked in on Joe with Barbara and knew about his indiscretion.
Scarlet watched a palomino at the top of a hill in the pasture as it stood alone, seemingly looking down at three horses galloping along together. Just like that lone horse, she had stood on the periphery of the funeral a few days ago, her heart aching, her anguish nearly overwhelming her.
Yet she’d felt like an outsider. She hadn’t spoken to the brothers. Had sensed they wouldn’t want her to share their grief.
She wasn’t part of that family. No, she’d lived with Barbara and Bobby, the other family Joe had kept secret.
The one the McCullen boys knew nothing about.
Well...except for Ray. And he didn’t know about her or Bobby...just Barbara.
Still, Joe had been the closest thing she’d ever had to a father.
She swiped at a tear, her hands trembling as she unfolded the letter he’d left for her before he’d passed.
My dearest Scarlet,
I was blessed to have sons, but I never had a daughter—until I met you.
My sweet girl, the moment I saw you in that orphanage and looked into those big, sad, blue eyes, you stole my heart. I admired your strength, your spunk and your determination to make it in this world, no matter what hard knocks life doled out for you.
You taught me how to be a better man, that family is not all about blood.
I’m sorry I didn’t have the courage to tell my sons about you and Barbara and Bobby when I was alive. In my own way, I thought I was protecting them, and protecting the three of you by keeping the two parts of my life separate.
Truthfully, Barbara and I...we were over a long time ago. She knew that and so did I. But I’m trying to do right by all of you now.
If you’re reading this, you must have received the envelope I left for you. I have willed you a sum of money to help you make a fresh start, and a piece of ranch land with a small cabin on it for your own home.
Bobby will also receive a share, although you know that he resents me, and he’s had his troubles, so I have placed stipulations on his inheritance.
But you...my dear, I know you will use your inheritance to further our work at The Family Farm and help the children, and that you will treasure everything Horseshoe Cre
ek has to offer.
Ranching and living off the land has always been in the McCullen blood, and in our hearts.
Know that you are in my heart, as well.
Love always,
Joe
Scarlet folded the letter again and slipped it inside the envelope, then shifted her Wrangler into Drive and wove down the path to the farmhouse Joe called home.
She wiped at a tear as she parked, and for a moment, she sat and admired the sprawling house with the big porch. It looked so homey and inviting that she could easily picture Joe here with his sons, enjoying family time riding on the land, big dinners over a table piled with homemade food and fishing in Horseshoe Creek.
But she had a bad feeling those sons wouldn’t welcome her.
Her stomach twisted at the idea of rejection, and she considered turning around and fleeing. Never contacting the McCullens and claiming what Joe had left her. Disappearing from Pistol Whip and starting over somewhere else.
Barbara and Bobby didn’t care about her. No one did.
Except Joe. He’d seen something in her that had inspired her to be a better person.
He’d made her feel loved, as if she was important, when she’d never felt loved or part of a family before.
She looked down at Joe’s handwriting again and remembered his words, and opened the door of her vehicle.
Joe had loved her and wanted her to have a piece of his land to remember him by.
She wanted it, too.
Like Joe said, she’d had hard knocks. She was a survivor and a fighter. But she also deserved love and a home.
She took a deep breath, strode up the porch steps to the front door, raised her fist and knocked.
* * *
RAY STARED AT the suitcase he’d brought with him when he’d come home, glad he hadn’t unpacked.
The itch to leave Horseshoe Creek burned in his belly. The burden of his father’s secret was just too damn much.
But the lawyer handling their father’s will had been out of town, so they still hadn’t dealt with that. And it would be something to deal with.
Maddox had also shocked him by asking him and Brett to stand up for him at Maddox’s wedding to Rose.
Dammit, seeing his oldest brother happy and in love had done something to him. Not that the brothers had repaired their relationship completely, but two weeks back together on the ranch had mellowed their fighting.