Mrs.Hope was not only the local librarian, but she was also secretly writing romance novels under a pen name.Said she didn’t want her three teenage boys to get weirded out or picked on over the steamy, romantic books she wrote.After Miranda started checking out several books a week, she made friends with the middle-aged woman and they kept each other’s secrets.
“How are things out on the ranch?”Mrs.Hope asked.
“Still alright, but I’ve got all my eggs and then some piled in the same basket.Counting on these breeder horse shows where I’ll basically be pimping out my two studs to mate and promising thoroughbred ponies.”
“Good.No time for doubt.Stay the course and you’ll make it happen.You’ve got the grit, Miranda.And what about that other issue?”
“You mean my second failed engagement, and being treated like Hester fromThe Scarlet Letterat last week’s Beach Club event?”
The librarian nodded as she walked behind the large desk where she had a stack of new books for Miranda already picked out.
“Well, they were all going to figure out I was a fraud at some point.I can’t afford to pay the dues there anymore anyway.And I refuse to marry some old man twice my age just to save the ranch my father double-mortgaged into debt.”
“Good.I was worried for a minute there.”
“I really thought Mr.Dubois wanted to help, but it became very clear he wanted much more than that.”She shook off the creepy feeling she’d had when her father’s friend gave her an ultimatum—either she would become his real wife and give him another son, or he was going to end their engagement.
So, she ended it on her terms but not without some drama.For so many years she’d been a part of that upper-class beach-club scene.She’d been engaged to Mr.Dubois’ son, John, for a year before she found him cheating on her.Then she panicked when her dad died suddenly, and she discovered how much debt they were in.Mr.Dubois had said he’d help her get out of debt if she agreed to be his business partner, then he’d proposed a marriage of convenience, but in the end, she couldn’t go through with it.So now she needed to figure out how to turn a profit in the next two months with her horses or she was going to have to make some aggressive decisions about selling the ranch.
“I better get back out there—I don’t like leaving Sara too long.”
“You’re a good girl, Miranda Sutton, so good I’ve decided to name my next fearless heroine after you.You’re going to love this one.Her estate is at risk—there will be pirates, and an unexpected benefactor.”
“I hope she gets ravished by a handsome scoundrel who is actually madly in love with her,” Miranda said as she repacked her library tote with all the new books her friend had selected for her.
“Obviously, and I think I’ll give him broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline.”
“Very original.”They both laughed.“I’ll see you next week,” Miranda said, and waved before leaving.
Back outside she looked around for any handsome strangers, but the sidewalk was empty on her route back to her beat-up truck.Her fancy car had been the first thing she’d sold when she realized she couldn’t keep up with all the expenses on the ranch and couldn’t afford to live a lie.But she had people counting on her so she couldn’t fail.She’d have to figure it out one way or the other.
CHAPTER TWO
Renn
A Second Look
“Idon’t seeit.You don’t look like my dad, me, or either of my brothers,” Wes said.
Renn shrugged.“I guess it doesn’t really matter if you see it.Either way, our DNA proves it.”
“If the paperwork is proved to be legitimate—my attorney is still trying to confirm the test results from twenty-five years ago.”
Renn tried to tame his instinct to storm out.Clearly Wesley Hart, his half-brother, thought he was a liar, which was infuriating.Except for the fact that if he were in the other man’s shoes, he probably wouldn’t believe him either.
“Look, I get that this is a lot to process, and that you probably won’t want anything to do with me.But I needed to know.”
“Know what?”Wes asked, leaning against the desk in his sheriff’s office.He projected complete indifference and authority.But something about the way he was staring at Renn’s every move told a different story.If he was a betting man, he’d wager his half-brother wasn’t sure what to believe.
“I needed to know if you and your brothers have known about me all this time and just didn’t want anything to do with me.Or if he lied to you too.”
“My father never lied, which means if you are my half-brother he either didn’t know or had a really good reason to keep it a secret.”
Renn nodded.“He knew.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because I met him once when I was ten.The month before he and your mom died.”
