Page 72 of Kayla's Cowboy

Madison made a disgusted face. “Much as I hate to admit it, my brother can be a jackass when it comes to women. But he’s a good dad,” she added hastily, “so you can feel okay about him and Alex.”

Unsure how to respond, Kayla just nodded. She was getting the idea that Madison and Alaina weren’t at ease with Jackson, which was odd since the McGregors were such a close-knit clan. Kayla didn’t know how deep Jackson’s chauvinism went, but between that, his reputation for one-night stands and his distrust of women, it had to be a stumbling block for his sisters.

Kayla glanced at Jackson as he and his father debated whether the hickory wood coals were ready in the barbecue. They were laughing, despite the mock argument, and a curious sensation went through her. The adult Jackson had become a good person, who truly wanted to do what was best for his son, even if he didn’t always know what that might be.

Damn.

She was starting to like him.

Resolutely, Kayla turned her attention back to Madison in time to see the other woman spill cola on her legs.

“Oh, dear, I’ll be back.” Madison got up and headed for the pool house.

Kayla was grateful for a quiet moment and focused on her children. Now that Alex had gotten over his initial anxiety about Jackson, he seemed happy about their extended stay in Montana, especially now that Sandy was coming for a visit. DeeDee appeared equally pleased, especially with the welcome she’d received that day from the McGregors and Nelsons.

Unfortunately, Kayla didn’t share their feelings. She wasn’t a quitter, but what she felt around Jackson was making her more uneasy by the minute.

* * *

AFTER HER RUN the next morning, Morgan sat and watched the big TV in the family room, stewing. She missed running with Kayla, who’d offered to join her sometime, but today she was taking Alex and DeeDee to pick up their friends at the airport in Billings.

Heaving a sigh, Morgan thought about calling some of her own friends, but didn’t feel like it. She didn’t feel like doing much of anything.

“What’s up?” her dad asked, coming into the room.

“Nothing,” she muttered. It was stupid to say stuff she knew made him mad, but she couldn’t seem to stop.

“Can we turn off the TV?”

Crap. He wanted to have one of his little talks and they usually made her feel worse. Slowly she pressed the power button on the television remote. She glanced at him. Jeez, the last time he’d gotten so serious, it was when he’d explained to her about Alex.

“Morgan, honey,” he said, “I’ve told you I made a lot of mistakes when I was in high school.”

“That’s what you said when you told me about Alex,” she said flippantly. “So we’ve already had this chat.”

“And you know that your mother was expecting you when the two of us got married.”

She froze. “Uh, yeah.”

“I’ve been wondering if you have any questions?”

Sure, she had plenty. Like, did he hate her because he couldn’t go to college because he had to get married? She hunched her shoulders and stared at the floor.

“You wouldn’t have married Mom if it hadn’t been for me, would you?”

“Honestly, no. It’s been hard to talk about because I didn’t want to admit we weren’t in love. But now I’ve realized there’s something important you need to know.”

He paused and Morgan gulped, butterflies jumping in her stomach. His face was so serious, she was afraid she knew what was coming.

“It was a mistake to have been so careless back then,” he said, “but you were a gift that came out of that mistake, and I’ve always been grateful.”

Morgan tried to ignore how her eyes were stinging. What he’d said was so nice, but she might as well ask the big question. “But...what if...what if I’m not your daughter?”

“Lord, why would you ask that?” he asked, and she was pretty sure he was surprised.

“Because I don’t look like you the way Alex does.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. I don’t look like Grandma and Grandpa, but nobody thinks I’m not their son.”

“It’s just that I...I heard Mom slept around. A lot.” There. The horrible words were out of her mouth. Maybe now she’d know the truth. She had felt lower than a snake’s belly ever since she’d overheard Aunt Madison talking about it with Grandma last summer.

Her dad’s eyes closed for a second and she noticed his fists clenched until the skin turned white over his knuckles. Finally he looked at her again and came over to sit on the couch, pulling her close.

“Sweetheart, I wouldn’t care one bit if I wasn’t your birth father.”