Chapter Four

"No one's going to question Chad being mine." Nick stood in front of Hannah's dresser, his hands on her shoulders. He was just about to leave, and the two of them had just had quite the heated discussion as to whether Nick really had to go on the round up-though Nick had shocked himself by actually controlling the volume of his voice. Nick felt that; maybe, he should go ahead and turn things over to Heath. Only Hannah had fought him tooth and nail on it. 'The deal was that you carry on life like normal' had been her exact words. She was right, and he knew it. However, he was still going to on insist on taking one precaution.

"Your cousin was right when he said the boy looks too much like me, especially with those dimples of his. Audra will probably want to take him into town and show him off; I know her. She adores children. That's okay. I'll just make sure she, and everyone who works for us, knows to refer to him as my son, even though Jarrod hasn't made it legal yet. However, I don't like leaving you right now. Promise me, you won't leave the ranch until I get back." He didn't figure he needed to tell her to high tail it to her room if she saw anyone suspicious; they'd already talked about that one earlier.

Hannah turned and leaned against the wall. For a few minutes it looked as if she was deep in thought. "Won't that make your family suspicious? I mean, people who move to a new place usually want to see what it's like." There was confusion in her eyes and in her voice.

Nick shook her head and told her it wouldn't be a problem. "After the war I had problems for a little while going places, couldn't even wear my spurs for the noise they made. As you've said before, you've been around and seen a lot. I'll just tell them due to your past experiences you're extremely skittish around people and don't really want to go into town. I'll say that I was lucky you were actually off your cousin's land and relaxed just enough to talk with me when we met; youwere uptight when we met. It will make them question my wisdom in getting involved with you, but questioning my decisions won't exactly be new. That is, not with my history with women."

"Don't know if you consider yourself lucky. You might wind up wishing my cousin had remained silent when you started talking to him and me." Hannah couldn't help but chuckle as she replied to his suggestion.

Nick just smiled at her comment and then said, "Just promise me you won't leave the ranch. You can do anything you want to this room, just don't move the saddle." He nodded towards the saddle he'd had since he was six. "And don't mess my dresser. There's no reason to."

"Fine, but you best go talk to your family." Hannah stepped away from the dresser and looked toward the open door. "Audra's already asked me to go to town, and I told her I'd seriously consider it."

"I'll do that now, before I pack for the round up." He headed for the door only to stop dead in his tracks when Hannah threw out another question, one he had tried not to think about.

"What about Jarrod? You said he was a lawyer. In that business, sooner or later, he might hear something and; maybe, put two and two together. If he does that, he might get four or he might get twenty-two. Either way, he'll want answers. The way you talk about him, he'll probably be demanding them."

That was something Nick did not doubt in the least. He just hoped nothing would warrant any questions until he got back, if it had to happen at all. "If he does, stand your ground and tell him you'll only talk to him with me around." He said as he turned around and looked at her. Nick didn't want her to have to explain anything to anyone unless he was home; he didn't care how strong she was. "Trust me; I'll take care of you and the boy."

Out of the men she'd met through the years, Nick Barkley had to be the most trustworthy one she'd ever met. It made her both happy and sad. If his family was as good as he said they were; which he had no reason to lie, they shouldn't be kept in the dark. "All right, I'll do as you say. I just wish…" she sighed as she sat down on the bed. "I just wish we could tell your family everything."

Nick let out a slow breathe. He knew how she felt, but neither of them were free to do that at the moment. "A promise is a promise, and I intend to keep mine." He started to turn to leave, but turned back around at the last second, surprised her by crossing the floor and kissing her. "I'll see you when I get home." He then left the room, leaving Hannah's heart pounding just a bit faster as she tried to get her mind back on the room and just what she wanted to do with it.

~oOo~

"What?" Victoria, Audra and Jarrod looked at Nick in surprise while Heath simply sat back and listened. The first three Barkleys had thought Hannah seemed relaxed and pleasant enough at dinner the night before, and now Nick was implying something very different. On the other hand, what Nick was saying only confirmed in Heath's mind something else was really going on.

While he more than understood their reaction, Nick didn't feel like repeating himself. The sooner he and Heath started the roundup, the sooner he could get back. "She has a slight anxiety problem." Nick took a deep breath and then apologized for the last words he'd said to them. "You're the best family a man can have, really. If you weren't, I'd never have been able to show up with a wife and son you'd never met. Please, just give her the space she needs." 'She needs it more than I can tell you' was a thought he added silently.

While they still were shocked to hear the young woman had a problem that would restrict how much she associated with people, the family-after looking at each other and communicating silently-agreed to abide by Nick's wishes. "But I still get to take Chad into town right? I mean, it's not every day I have a nephew to show off."

Nick couldn't help but grin as his words to Hannah were proven to be spot on. "Of course, you can. You just make sure to refer to him as my son." He looked at Jarrod, "I don't care if big brother hasn't had time to make that part official."

"Oh, don't worry I will!" Audra was beaming.

"I'll go get my things." Nick looked at Heath. "Do you need to get yours?"

"Nope, already to leave," Heath answered. "I was just waiting for you."

"Good," Nick said as he hurried to grab what he would need for the next week, while Audra and Victoria left the living room, saying they had to get a few things from the attic before heading to town.

"What's going on that you're not saying?" Jarrod, who noticed Heath had not reacted as the others had to Nick's news, realized that Heath had reacted differently from the beginning. It made him think Heath knew more than he did.

"Nothing," Heath answered as he stood up and looked Jarrod in the eyes. "You know as much as I do." "Just don't go asking what I am wondering,' Heath thought as he walked out of the room and disappeared outside.