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“He’s wrong.”
Her heart caught in her chest. Did he really believe her? After all this time? She hardly dared to hope.
Mac’s expression was bleak. “I suspected as soon as you left six years ago that I had made a mistake. But bringing you back to marry Jesse would only have made things worse. You deserved far better. And Jesse needed…well, who knows what Jesse needed. So many things…”
“Did you and Jesse ever discuss me?”
He shrugged. “Not directly. But I think he knew I was suspicious of his take on the story.”
“But you never put him on the spot and asked outright if he had lied?” That was what hurt so much.
The conversation had tired him. He was gray in the face suddenly and clearly exhausted.
Though it frustrated her, Bryn put her own feelings aside for the moment. She was here to help him, not make his life more upsetting. She took him by the hand. “Never mind,” she said softly. “It can wait a few more days. Let’s get you into bed for a nap.”
He allowed her to lead him back to the bedroom, but he was still agitated. “You can’t leave, Brynnie. Swear to me you’ll stay.”
She tucked him in and smoothed the covers. “We’ll have to take it a day at a time, Mac. I can’t promise more than that.”
After settling Mac for his afternoon rest, Bryn retreated to her room. She had no desire to run into Trent. She was still aching from the knowledge that he believed she had seduced Jesse.
She spent part of the afternoon on the phone with Beverly.
Her aunt picked up on the tone in her voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, Mac seems to have softened. I think he believes Allen is his grandson, but I haven’t had the heart to press the paternity issue yet. Mac’s really frail, and Trent is either hostile or suspicious or both.”
“You’d think that Trent would want the test to prove that you’re lying and let his family off the hook.”
“I think he’s afraid I’ll manipulate Mac’s emotions and get him to change the will regardless.”
“I didn’t get the impression that Mac was so gullible.”
“He’s not, definitely not. But the heart attack has changed him.”
“It will all work out, honey.”
“I hope so. But there’s more. I found some letters that seem to indicate Jesse might not be Mac’s son.”
Dinner that evening was painfully uncomfortable. Mac’s animated conversation was so out of character that Trent kept shooting him disbelieving glances. Trent never looked at Bryn at all.
Mac cleared his plate and finally dropped the “pleasant host” act. He glared at Trent. “Bryn’s talking about going home. And I’m guessing it’s your fault.”
Trent snorted. “If Bryn wants to go home, she knows where the door is. I’m not stopping her.”
Bryn’s temper flared. “Charming.” Trent Sinclair was a stubborn, arrogant beast.
He lifted an eyebrow and gazed at her coldly. “You can’t blame me for wanting to protect my father.”
Mac bristled. “I’m not feeble, dammit. Do you really think I’d let myself be manipulated by sentimentality?”
“It’s not you I’m worried about.” Trent scowled. “It’s her.”
Bryn felt her cheeks flush, especially because Mac watched the two of them with avid attention. In a flash, she was back on the mountaintop with Trent, his hand warm on her breast, his lips devouring hers. She cleared her throat. “I’m no threat to you or your father, Trent. And if you’d quit being an ass, you’d realize that.” Her cutting reply might have been more impressive had her voice been less hoarse.
But remembering what had almost happened earlier that day made her knees weak with longing. The past and the present had melded for one brief, wonderful moment. But it hadn’t lasted.
I wanted you so much, I was sick with it. The confession had been ripped from the depths of Trent’s soul, and the self-disgust in his voice said more than words what he thought of her.
But fool that she was, despite Trent’s obvious antipathy, she wanted him still. It was only sex. That’s all. Surely she didn’t really crave a relationship with a man who thought so little of her.
