“She only hopes,” Bliss said and Tiffany sighed contentedly, glad to be a part of this scattered, but loving, family.

Someday she might even forgive her father.

Someday.

For now, her focus was on loving J.D.

A FAMILY KIND OF WEDDING

A FAMILY KIND OF WEDDING

Chapter One

Chapter One

“I’m countin’ on you, boy. Now that Dave’s gone, all his mother and me got left is the thought that he might have left himself a son or daughter. Don’t know if it’s true, you know, but he mentioned something about it the last time we spoke to him.” The old man’s voice cracked. “You let me know, hear?”

“Will do,” Luke Gates promised, cursing himself as he slammed the phone down. How had he gotten himself roped into this mess? Sweat ran down his back, and the sweltering heat of the September day seemed worse in the confines of this tiny top-floor apartment of an old carriage house in southern Oregon.

In Luke’s estimation, Ralph Sorenson should do his own damned dirty work. What the hell was Luke doing, getting caught up in an old man’s hopes and dreams that were bound to cause nothing but heartache and pain? So the old man thought he had a grandson. So he hoped that Luke would find the kid. So he was going to pay him to do it. Big deal.

But it was. When it came to money, Luke had been born with a weakness, a hunger for it. Having grown up dirt-poor, tossed around from one aunt to another, constantly reminded that he was “another mouth to feed” and that he must “earn his own keep” had only fostered his drive and need to chase after the almighty greenback.

But this job might be too much.

Ralph was pushing. Too hard. But then, the old man was desperate.

Luke’s stomach curdled as he thought of the heavy-bodied man who had helped turn him from a hellion into a decent-enough businessman. Luke had never known his own father, and Ralph was the closest thing he now had to family. He supposed, under the circumstances, the reverse was true, as well.

But still, the thought of dragging forgotten skeletons out of closets and digging up innocent people’s lives didn’t appeal to him.

Not so innocent, he reminded himself.

Ralph Sorenson deserved to know his own flesh and blood. Who cared if it fouled up some woman’s life? And besides, there was a pile of money involved.

Telling himself it didn’t matter what he thought, Luke yanked on his favorite pair of boots and headed outside. Pausing on the upper landing of the staircase, he felt the impact of the late afternoon. The air was as dry as a west Texas wind and the September sun merciless. Just the way he liked it.