Page 117 of Texas Glory
Dallas placed his sheepskin jacket on her shoulders. His arms circled her, and he brought her back against his chest.
To her mortification, she released a small wail and his hold tightened.
“I never even saw him,” she said, her voice ragged.
“He was so tiny, it was hard to tell … but I like to think he would have looked like you.”
“It hurts. God, it hurts.”
“I know,” he said in a raw voice.
“We lost so much when we lost him.”
“Everything,” he said quietly. “We lost everything.”
His words circled her on the wind.
Everything.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
Cordelia walked into the entryway and stumbled to a stop at the sight of Cameron and Duncan standing just inside the doorway. Joy swelled within her as Cameron looked up and smiled.
She rushed forward, taking his hands. He brushed a kiss against her cheek. Then she reached for Duncan.
“It’s so good to see you,” she said.
“Christmas isn’t the same without you,” Cameron said, and Duncan nodded his agreement.
“I’d hoped to come by today, but”—she pointed toward the stairs—“Amelia had her baby last night, and everything has been so hectic.”
Sadness filled Cameron’s eyes as he dropped his gaze to her waist. “We heard you lost your baby.”
The tears came suddenly, without warning, burning her eyes, clogging her throat until she could do little more than nod.
“I’m sorry, Dee,” Cameron said.
She pressed her hand to her lips, wishing she could control the overwhelming grief.
“Actually, that’s why we’re here,” Duncan said. “Boyd wanted to meet with Dallas.”
Cordelia swallowed back the tears. “Boyd is here?”
“Yeah, he’s in the office talking to Dallas.”
“About what?”
Her brothers averted their gazes, one staring at his boots, the other at the ceiling. Foreboding ripped through her. She rushed down the hallway and eased her way past the partially opened door.
Dallas stood before the window, gazing out. Boyd stood beside the desk, a scroll in his hand.
“So that’s the way I see it,” Boyd said. “The contract says if she gave you a son, you’d deed the land over to us. She gave you a son. It’s unfortunate he died, but that doesn’t change the fact that she upheld her end of the bargain. Now, I expect you to uphold your end—”
“The hell he will,” Cordelia said.
Dallas spun around, agony reflected in his gaze, just before he threw on a mask of indifference. “Dee—”
