then he added, “When you’re ready to talk about it, I’m here. And if I can do something, let me know.”
“Find Maverick,” Wes said. “That’s what I need you to do. Keep everyone on it. I want to know who and where this guy is.”
“We’re working it, boss. Do what you have to do and don’t worry about what’s going on back in Houston. We’ll find him. I’ll be in touch.”
After Harry hung up, Wes tossed his phone onto the couch and grabbed the remote when he saw the stock report flash onto the television screen. Draining his coffee cup, he punched up the volume and then cursed as the anchor started speaking.
“Things are not looking good for TTG Inc.,” the man said in a low, deep voice. “Texas Toy Goods’ stock has taken a hard dip over the last couple of days. CEO Wes Jackson has not yet commented on the short-lived scandal that apparently was behind Teddy Bradford of PlayCo announcing the end of their much-anticipated merger.”
The stocks reporter then turned to the digital screen behind him and tracked the TTG stock on a downward slide. Meanwhile Wes’s temper inched up in an opposite trajectory.
“TTG Inc.,” the man said, “is down five points, and my sources say there are no immediate plans to put the merger back in play. PlayCo, the anticipated merger partner, on the other hand, has ticked up two points in the last twenty-four hours.”
Disgusted, Wes hit the mute button and wished fervently that his thoughts were as easy to silence. One thing he knew for sure. Once a stock started slipping, the whole thing took on a life of its own. People would worry and sell off their stock and his price would dip even lower.
He had to put a stop to this before he lost everything he’d worked for. Stalking to the carafe of coffee, he refilled his cup and carried it with him to the door when a knock sounded.
Who the hell could that be? Room service had already come and gone. He doubted very much that Belle would be dropping in for a visit. And he was in no mood to talk to anybody else. Riding on temper, he yanked the door open and demanded, “What?”
A tall man in a heavy brown coat with a sheepskin collar stood on the threshold. He had narrowed blue eyes, short, light brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard. Two men with a slight resemblance to the first man stood right behind him, and not one of them looked happy to be there. Wes braced himself for whatever was coming.
“You Wes Jackson?” The first man spoke while the other two continued to glare at Wes.
“Yeah, I am.” He met that flat cool stare with one of his own. “Who’re you?”
“Chance Graystone.”
Damn it. Well, Belle had warned him about her older brothers. Looked like he was going to meet the family whether he wanted to or not.
Chance jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “My brothers, Eli and Tyler. We’re here to talk to you.”
“That’s great.” They didn’t give Wes an opportunity to shut the door on them. Instead, all three of them pushed past him into the room. Each of them somehow managing to give Wes an accidental shove as they did.
“Well, sure,” he said. “Come on in.”
All three men stood in the living room of the suite, waiting for him. Their stances were identical. Feet braced wide apart, arms across their chests, features cold, mouths tight. They could have stepped right out of an old Western movie—three sheriffs ready to face the outlaw. Who would, he told himself, be him.
There was no avoiding this. Slowly, Wes closed the door then glanced down into the cup he held. “This is not gonna be enough coffee.”
Still, he took a sip to steel himself then deliberately took his time as he strolled out to meet Belle’s brothers. He had no idea what was coming. Did they want to talk? Fight? Ride him out of town on a rail? Who the hell knew? Setting his coffee cup down on the closest table, he faced the three men. Wes guessed Chance was the oldest, since he took the lead in the conversation.
“We’re here to set you straight on a few things.”
“Is that right?” Wes wasn’t intimidated, though he had the feeling the Graystone brothers were used to putting the fear of God into whoever happened to be standing against them at the time. Well, they were going to have a hard time with him. He didn’t scare easily, and he never backed down when he knew he was right.
“That’s about it,” Chance said in a flat, dark voice. “Isabelle’s our sister. Caro’s our niece. You do anything to hurt either one of them and we’re going to have a problem.”
Wes shifted his stance to mock the three men facing him. Arms across his chest, he glared at each of them in turn before settling his gaze back on Chance. “I’d say that what happens between Belle and me is our business.”
Chance took a single step forward. “Then you’d be wrong. You made your choice. You let her walk out of your life five years ago.”
Though he might have a point, Wes didn’t acknowledge it. “She didn’t tell me about our daughter.”
The two brothers behind Chance exchanged a quick look. “He’s right about that,” one of them said.
Chance nodded. “Yeah, she should have told you. I give you that.”
“Thanks,” Wes said wryly.
“We told her so when she first came home. It wasn’t right, her keeping it from you.”
“Agreed.”
“But Isabelle does things her way. Always has. She doesn’t take advice well.”
“Yeah,” Wes said. “Me neither. Who knew she and I would have that in common?” One of the brothers—Eli or Tyler, he didn’t know which was which—smiled at that. “Just how did you guys know I was here? Did Belle send you to scare me off?”
“This is a small town, man. Word started spreading the minute you drove up to Isabelle’s house, and the talk hasn’t slowed down since.” Chance laughed shortly. “Besides, there is no way Isabelle would have come running to us. Our little sister doesn’t need a man to protect her.”
Wes waved one hand at the three of them. “And yet…”
Chance smiled slightly. “Just because she doesn’t need it doesn’t mean she won’t get it.”
He could understand that. Family standing for family. But knowing that didn’t mean he liked being warned off or threatened.
“Fine.” Wes nodded and met Chance’s steady gaze with his own. “I’m not here to hurt Belle. I’m here to connect with my daughter. And,” he added, “there’s no way you can stop me.”
A long, tension-filled silence followed as the men took each other’s measure. Wes didn’t flinch. He’d faced down adversaries before. He’d been in his share of fistfights growing up, and he’d won them all. He’d looked across boardroom tables at competitors aching to take him down, and he hadn’t folded to anyone. Damned if he’d start now. A part of him admired Belle’s brothers. Loyalty was everything to him, and maybe that’s why Belle’s lies had cut so deeply. But he could understand these men standing up for their sister even as he knew it wouldn’t stop him from doing what he’d come to Swan Hollow to do.
Finally, Chance nodded. “Can’t say that I blame you for coming here. Actually, under other circumstances, I might even like you for it.”
Wes laughed.
“But we’ll be watching,” Chance promised. “You make Isabelle or Caroline unhappy—it won’t be pretty.”
“Seems fair,” Wes agreed. “As long as you three understand I’ll be staying in town as long as I please. I’ll see my daughter and your sister as often as I can manage it, and I don’t want any of you interfering. This is between Belle and I.”
Chance’s