Free Change of Heart by Fran Shaff

relationship with her, but he knew it was
pointless. Her life was in Chicago; his was on his ranch. She’d
never fit in with his way of living, and he’d choke in a city.
    He’d have done anything to win Marietta’s
love if he’d thought he had a chance at enticing her to stay, but
he knew such efforts would be wasted. He’d have to be content for
all his life with the memories of the gazes she’d given him, the
words they’d exchanged, and the quiet magic of their moments
together.
    He guided Beaumont into the fort and urged
him toward the Carson home. Marietta was on the porch sitting next
to a soldier, smiling at him. The image ripped Jase through the gut
like a knife through a vital organ.
    His reaction to seeing her with another man
surprised him. He tried to toss the nasty feeling aside, but it
wouldn’t leave. His head told him he had no right to feel the way
he did, but his heart made it clear that Marietta was special to
him, and there wasn’t a thing he could do about that.
    The instant Marietta caught sight of the
approaching riders, she hastened to her feet and lit the entire
fort with her smile. Jase’s heart beat even faster when his eyes
locked on the most beautiful sight in five hundred miles. She was
absolutely breathtaking.
    The soldier next to Marietta stuck something
in his pocket and came toward Jase when Beaumont reached the
hitching post. “Let me take the boy,” he said, reaching for
Zack.
    Jase handed Zack to the soldier, who promptly
placed the child in Marietta’s arms.
    “There you go, right back where you belong,”
the soldier said to Zack. “Thank you, Miss Randolf. I’ll be leaving
now.” He tipped his hat and strode off.
    Jase dismounted and climbed the steps to the
porch. “Hello, Miss Randolf.”
    “Hello, Mr. Kent.”
    Jase couldn’t help but wonder if the delight
in her eyes was solely a reaction to having her nephew back, or if
some of her happiness was the result of seeing him again. He
removed his hat and fidgeted his fingers around its brim.
    “The boy stowed away on James Richards’
buckboard.”
    “I was so worried.” Marietta continued to
hold Zack closely as she lifted her emerald gaze to meet Jase’s. “I
didn’t know what happened to him. I thought maybe someone had...”
She pulled Zack away from her and looked at him. “Don’t ever do
anything like that again, darling. I couldn’t stand it if anything
happened to you.”
    Zack looked down. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I missed
Jase so much I couldn’t stand it.” He lifted his eyes and stared
into Marietta’s loving gaze. “Can’t I please stay at Jase’s until
we leave for the city. I’ll be good, I promise.” Tears slid from
the child’s gloomy blue eyes. “I just want to be on the ranch. Please. ”
    She kissed Zack and squeezed him hard. “I’ll
talk to Mr. Kent about it.”
    The breeze from the wing of a gnat could have
knocked Jase over when he heard her response to Zack’s request.
He’d have been less surprised to see his bull grow an udder than to
hear her say she’d consider letting the boy stay on the ranch. In
just a few words, she’d undone all the convincing Jase had done to
make Zack understand that he had to stay with her.
    Zack pushed away from her and jumped down to
the porch. “Talk to Jase now. I’ll go inside and see if Miss Amy
has any gingerbread men.” He looked up at Jase. “You listen to her
when she tells you how much I need to be at the ranch, Jase. She’s
my aunt, and I got to do what she says, so listen to her.” He sped
into the house before either Marietta or Jase could say another
word.
    Jase stretched to his full six-foot-two-inch
height and folded his arms. “You’ll talk to me about it?” he asked,
lifting a brow. “What does that mean? The boy belongs with you. The
two of you need to build family ties.”
    “I know.”
    “Then why did you speak as though you’d
consider letting him come back to the ranch with me?”
    “Because I can’t