The Secret Truth at Dare Ranch (22 page)

When
she nodded, he exhaled a deep breath and continued. "The last thing I even
wanted to do was hurt you, Lex. Usually when the Foundation makes a deal they arrange
to purchase the land only. It took some fast negotiating but there's more to
the deal than just 50 acres and the house.” A spark of hope glimmered in her
eyes. "They plan to use horses as part of their treatment plan and they
would like
you
to supervise their riding clinics."

With
a ragged gasp, she pressed a hand over her mouth and turned abruptly toward the
stove. The shrill whistle of the tea kettle filled the kitchen. She turned off
the burner then gripped the edge of the counter and lowered her head. "Riding
clinics," she said in a choked voice. "You included
me
, not
just the land, but
me
in your deal. That will mean a steady income for
me and Dani. Along with training horses and working directly for the hospital,
we'll be okay financially.” Her voice came out in a broken whisper. She turned,
lifted her head and gazed at him. "Why Mitch? Why did you do that for
us?"

He
walked slowly toward her. When he reached her side, Mitch lifted his hands and
cupped her face. He lowered his head and stroked his mouth over hers, gently,
softly until he heard her breath sigh from between her lips.

He
lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. He saw love there. Bright, shining
love, a love he hoped would burn forever. Joy rose inside him like a warm,
Chinook wind until ever cell in his body felt warm and renewed. "Don't you
know?”  She shook her head and kept her eyes firmly fixed on his. "You're
not the only one who lost something, Lex. I lost my heart and I wasn't ever
sure I wanted to give it to anyone...until you, sweetheart.” He smiled and
shook his head. "I don't know how it happened. One day my life was on
cruise control and the next I'd derailed. You and Dani--own my heart."

Tears
ran down her cheeks in tiny, crystal streams. He wiped them away with the pads
of his fingers. "I love you, Lexie. I love you with all my heart and soul.”
A smile trembled over her lips at his words. "I want to make a family with
you and Dani. I want us to have more children. I can't live my life without you
and Dani in it."

"Are
you sure, Mitch? Are you absolutely sure that's what you want?" she asked
in a soft voice. "What about your job? What about the foundation and your
jet-setting life?"

He
smiled and drew her to him in a fierce hug then pulled back and grasped her
shoulders. "The only life I want is right here with you and Dani. I'm
changing careers."

"What?"
she said with a shake of her head.

He
kissed her solidly on the mouth then drew back and smiled. "When we were
building the new barn I rediscovered how much I enjoy working with my hands. It
felt good to use a hammer again and to smell freshly cut wood. I've had a
hankering to design some furniture. What do you think?"

"What
about all the money you made? It will take some time to build a new business."

Mitch
smoothed some hair back from her face. "It isn't always about the money,
Lex. I took that job because of what happened to Parker. I wanted to make up in
some small way for what happened to him. I couldn't do anything that day to prevent
the accident, to stop him from dying, but by working for the foundation I knew
I could help injured people in the future.” He drew her into his arms again and
reveled in the feel of her warm, soft body next to his. "Then I discovered
I had a daughter and everything changed," he murmured next to her ear.

She
drew out of his arms and rested a soft, loving hand on his face. "Guess
I'd better tell you my news. Tommy Flowers came by a couple of days ago. It
seems that Mason Flowers isn't my father after all."

His
head spun. "What?"

"Shocking
isn't it? Tommy and my mother had an affair during her marriage to Mason. Tommy
Flowers is my real father."

He
couldn't believe it. Her declaration gave him a jolt all the way to his toes. But
she seemed okay with it. Her voice sounded clear, not hurt or even angry. "How
do you feel about that?"

She
cocked her head to one side and pursed her lips. "At first I was shocked,
hurt and angry that I didn't know.” She looked away. "It's like my entire
life has been a lie," she stated quietly.

Mitch
cupped his hands around her head again and drew her gaze back to his. "No,
Lexie, no. Nothing about you is a lie, sweetheart. You're the most truthful
thing in my life."

She
blinked against a fresh batch of tears welling in her eyes. Lexie leaned
forward and brushed her lips over his. "That's the nicest thing you've
ever said to me."

Her
words touched him deep in his soul. How could he have stayed away from this
woman all those years? How could his heart not have seen that he needed her in
his life?

"From
the first moment I saw you after being away for so long I knew...I knew in my
heart that you were the only one for me.” He pulled her back into his arms
kissed the soft, warm skin below her ear. "It scared me; it scared me down
to my soul. I didn't know how to act or what to think. I've always been in
control, of my work, my life, my emotions. Until you.” He drew back so he could
look into her eyes and see her reaction. "I made that deal so I could give
you three things: the land, my love and a father for Dani...if you'll have me.

A
cry of joy broke from her lips. She nodded her head in a jerky motion then
smiled and touched his face. He laid his hand over hers. "I admit I was
afraid, horrified in fact that I had a little girl. I wasn't sure if I could be
a good father or what it meant to be a father. But Dani and you have shown me
that it's what I want more than anything in this world. When you came by Dad's
the other day and said you didn't want to see me again I felt like I died
inside.” He paused fro a moment remembering the horrible fear and anger he'd
felt over losing Lexie all over again. Only now, he knew deep in his heart that
he hadn't lost her. She was in his life. This time, for good. "It terrified
me like nothing I've ever experienced in my life.” He gazed into her eyes and
kissed her lightly on the mouth. "I thought I'd lost you for good. I can't
lose you, Lexie, I can't. Will you marry me?"

Laughing
and crying at the same time, Lexie threw herself into his arms. "Yes, Yes,
Mitch, I'll marry you," she exclaimed.

Mitch
pulled her close and knew that no matter what happened along life's road ahead
of them nothing would ever tear them apart.

# # #

Hand
in hand, Lexie and Mitch climbed to the top of the small hilltop behind the
house and faced her father's grave. The words on the headstone were shadowed by
the dwindling afternoon light. Wind swept around the grave, brushed through the
grass making a soft, rustling sound. Lexie read the lettering on the stone once
more.

A
light glimmered briefly at first inside her heart, like a flame sucking in
oxygen trying to grow larger, brighter. She wrapped her arm around Mitch's
waist and snuggled against his left side. She felt the press of his mouth as he
kissed the top of her head. "Thank you for coming out here with me,"
she said softly.

"You
don't have to thank me, baby. You're a part of me. There's nothing I wouldn't
do for you. I hope you know that."

She
smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "I do now. I really do.” Gradually
the light, deep within her heart grew brighter until it illuminated the deepest
truth of all inside her. She was still Lexie Dare, although Tommy Flower's blood
flowed through her veins. She knew who she was and how far she'd come. Mitch
was right. Her life was not a lie.

She
looked at the headstone. People always forgive those they love. Hadn't she said
that to Tommy just a few days ago?

After
a moment, she moved away from the warmth of Mitch's embrace and knelt down on
the ground with her hands stuffed in the pockets of her coat.

“Dad,”
she began, talking to the headstone and the wind. “I know the truth now and it's
okay. I know why you couldn't love me.” She inhaled a deep breath of cold air
and pushed the last of her hurt and anger at Mason Dare out of her mind and heart.
“But the truth is you're the one who lost. You lost out on having a daughter in
your life. I know how much you loved Parker. But I deserved your love too. Now,
I have Tommy's love. I plan to give him mine right back and together we're
going to cherish the rest of our lives.”

No
more tears burned behind her eyes whenever she visited the grave site. But she
stared at the headstone as if her father’s voice would echo from the granite,
telling her he loved her. Oh God, she wished he could have forgiven her for so
many things. “Good bye, Dad.”

Something
lightened around her heart after she said the words, a subtle feeling at first,
like a feather being swept away on a sudden gust of wind. The feeling grew and
grew until her burden of never pleasing her father blew completely away. She
didn’t need to please him anymore. She only had to please herself. Lexie felt a
smile crease her lips.

She
rose from her perch on the ground and wrapped her arms around Mitch. Her eyes
were dry now, her heart lighter. She gazed steadily at the man she loved. “I love
you, Mitch. I’ll always love you, and if you’ll have me, I intend to spend the
rest of my life with you.”

     The
wind moaned and sighed around the headstone, sounding

almost
human. Lexie smiled, turned and clasped Mitch's hand.

Together
they walked toward home and the rest of their lives.