Zack took a good look around as they walked toward the house. It could use a coat of paint this year and the porch needed to be re-stained. He’d shore up the hinges on the sagging screen door and caulk the windows while he was at it. If he started on repairs right away, he might have them done before…before—damn! His breath caught in his throat and he had to make a determined effort to breathe…to appear normal. He wasn’t afraid of dying, but he hated the thought of leaving Bianca to raise their son and run the ranch alone.
“I’m going to try and locate my sons,” he announced as he jogged around the kitchen with Jerry on his back. It was a large country kitchen, recently remodeled to reflect Bianca’s taste and needs. “I should have done it years ago.”
“Good, but after all this time, they might not be so happy to hear from you.”
“Well, Rita may have prevented my ‘interference’ in their lives through a court order during their growing years, but the triplets would be twenty-seven now. Young men able to make their own decisions. I’d like to find them, make amends for not being there for them, if I can.”
Bianca turned and shook the salad spoon at him. “Zackary Hudson, you have nothing to make amends for. You’ve provided money, clothing, and toys all these years, for which they should be grateful.”
He smiled at the vehemence in her words as he buckled Jeremiah into his highchair. “They might not see it that way. Hopefully, Rita hasn’t moved out of the house I bought for them. Surely, she’d give me their current addresses.”
“I would hope so.”
“I’ll check with Bart after lunch and see if he has a phone number for her. That would save me from having to meet with her.”
“That’s a great idea. Why not let him do the digging for information? Lawyers have a way of getting to the truth of things that we know nothing about.”
“True enough. But he also charges a small fortune for his services. I can handle a phone call if he has the number.”
“Okay. It’s your choice. I just hope she’ll be reasonable about your wanting to see them.”
“Doesn’t matter. One way or the other, I’m going to find my sons.” A sudden thought came to him then. Would they want to move to the ranch? Help run things in his absence? He didn’t know what kind of men they’d grown up to be, but he’d find them and feel them out on the subject. They’d earn a share of the ranch upon his demise and that just might prove incentive enough. If so, it would ease his current burden somewhat.
“Why so determined all of a sudden?”
He glanced over at his wife of five years and noted that her face was pinched in a worried frown. “They have a right to know where they came from. This ranch is their heritage, too. I just want them to know that.”
“Uh huh. And what aren’t you telling me?” she asked as she set the table.
“Later, love. I’ll explain everything after we’ve eaten.”
Maybe by then I’ll be able to come up with the words to tell you.
“I’m going to try and locate my sons,” he announced as he jogged around the kitchen with Jerry on his back. It was a large country kitchen, recently remodeled to reflect Bianca’s taste and needs. “I should have done it years ago.”
“Good, but after all this time, they might not be so happy to hear from you.”
“Well, Rita may have prevented my ‘interference’ in their lives through a court order during their growing years, but the triplets would be twenty-seven now. Young men able to make their own decisions. I’d like to find them, make amends for not being there for them, if I can.”
Bianca turned and shook the salad spoon at him. “Zackary Hudson, you have nothing to make amends for. You’ve provided money, clothing, and toys all these years, for which they should be grateful.”
He smiled at the vehemence in her words as he buckled Jeremiah into his highchair. “They might not see it that way. Hopefully, Rita hasn’t moved out of the house I bought for them. Surely, she’d give me their current addresses.”
“I would hope so.”
“I’ll check with Bart after lunch and see if he has a phone number for her. That would save me from having to meet with her.”
“That’s a great idea. Why not let him do the digging for information? Lawyers have a way of getting to the truth of things that we know nothing about.”
“True enough. But he also charges a small fortune for his services. I can handle a phone call if he has the number.”
“Okay. It’s your choice. I just hope she’ll be reasonable about your wanting to see them.”
“Doesn’t matter. One way or the other, I’m going to find my sons.” A sudden thought came to him then. Would they want to move to the ranch? Help run things in his absence? He didn’t know what kind of men they’d grown up to be, but he’d find them and feel them out on the subject. They’d earn a share of the ranch upon his demise and that just might prove incentive enough. If so, it would ease his current burden somewhat.
“Why so determined all of a sudden?”
He glanced over at his wife of five years and noted that her face was pinched in a worried frown. “They have a right to know where they came from. This ranch is their heritage, too. I just want them to know that.”
“Uh huh. And what aren’t you telling me?” she asked as she set the table.
“Later, love. I’ll explain everything after we’ve eaten.”
Maybe by then I’ll be able to come up with the words to tell you.