Free After Tex by Sherryl Woods Page A

form of a request, but it was evident from this final paragraph that it was a whole lot more than that. Megan was to stay on the ranch with Tess indefinitely, become the rancher he’d always wanted her to be—or lose everything. Her choice, or so he wanted it to seem.
    â€œHe expects me to stay here?” she demanded, staring at Jake for confirmation of her own interpretation of the letter.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œOr?”
    â€œThe ranch will be sold—to me—and the money will be put in trust for Tess.”
    â€œHe can’t mean it,” she whispered, even though she knew that he had.
    â€œHe did.”
    â€œBut I can’t go on living here. I can’t just walk away from my career, everything that means anything to me.”
    Jake shrugged. “You have a choice. Stay, or go and lose the ranch. Tess can stay on here with me.”
    â€œThat’s no choice. I don’t give a damn about the ranch. I never have.”
    â€œThen walk away. You certainly don’t need his money or his land, right?”
    â€œNo,” Megan agreed. She didn’t need land or money, but she had always craved Tex’s approval, and she knew that even from the grave he’d withhold it if she didn’t at least try to do as he asked.
    Besides, she thought, who else was there? Not Jake, no matter how calmly he had declared his willingness to step in. She wouldn’t have him doing what was by rights her duty. She—Lord help them both—was all Tess had, just as Tex had once been all Megan had had. She would manage just as Tex had. O’Rourkes always did what was expected of them. It had been her grandfather’s mantra.
    â€œSo, what’s it going to be, Meggie? Will you stay or go?”
    â€œYou’d just love it if I left, wouldn’t you? You’d stay here, do the noble thing, be a hero.”
    â€œI’m not sure I’d be declared a hero, but your leaving would ease the way toward me getting this ranch.” He shot her a lazy grin. “But I can wait. Having you around again might be even more fascinating.”
    Â 
    That night was the longest of Megan’s life. She felt as alone and every bit as afraid as she had when her mother had abandoned her on Tex’s doorstep years before. The only thing that kept her from sinking into despair was knowing that, as bad as she felt, Tess probably felt worse—more frightened and even more alone.
    Not that the child would show it. Tess had avoided her for most of the evening, and when Megan had offered to go upstairs with her and tuck her in, the girl had jeered, “I ain’t no baby,” and stalked off with shoulders squared proudly.
    In the moments that followed, Megan had longed for someone she could confide in, but the only person who came to mind was Jake, and she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her vulnerable and uncertain.
    By the time it occurred to her that Peggy wouldhave listened and probably offered sensible, down-to-earth advice, it was too late to call.
    â€œGet a grip,” Megan muttered to herself when the illuminated dial on her bedside clock ticked on toward four o’clock.
    She reminded herself that she ran an entire media conglomerate, that she had all sorts of resources at her disposal, that she was known worldwide for her creative solutions to all sorts of social dilemmas. Surely she could come up with something that fit the fix she was in.
    By five she was up, dressed and in the kitchen searching for the coffee grinder. When she found nothing but a store brand of already ground, ordinary Colombian beans, she sighed heavily, put them into the automatic coffeemaker and waited to see what sort of pitiful brew emerged. She grimaced at the taste, but it was hot and loaded with caffeine, so it would do.
    At five-thirty she reached for the phone and called her office. Todd picked up on the first ring.
    â€œHow’s it going back there?” she