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anything she’d swing the chair out of his way and save her granny. Slowly, Chance dropped his clasped hands and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs.
    “Never speak of my grandfather to me again, do you understand? You never took the time to know him for who he really was.”
    Granny gave an indelicate snort at that.
    If possible, his features hardened even more. “I don’t know how this feud got started or why it’s lasted this long. I only know that it’s going to stop with Tessa and me.”
    Fearful he might give away her wish to her granny, Tessa shook her head vehemently, gaining his attention. She crossed her index fingers in front of her, and then made a half circle motion in front of her belly. Don’t tell her about the baby I want.
    He frowned slightly, and then shook his head. “It will end with our baby—”
    A horrified gasp escaped from granny. Shaking, Tessa leaned over the back of the velvet chair and clasped her granny’s bony shoulder, hoping to give some comfort. “No, not that…” Soft sobs racked the older woman’s body and Tessa ached inside. With each mention of a newborn, her granny reacted with heart-wrenching tears.
    Going around to her, Tessa gingerly sat on the arm of the chair and hugged her grandmother to her. The small frame shook uncontrollably. Her frail hands clutched at Tessa. Glancing down at the blue-veined, paper-thin skin, Tessa nearly choked. Hour after hour of her granny lovingly knitting the multi-colored pastel baby blanket, cheery yellow outfit, and tiny matching booties rushed back to her. The same ones Tessa kept carefully wrapped in tissue paper and hidden in the back of her closet.
    “Shhh, now, it’s all right,” Tessa choked out, feeling the sting of tears in her own eyes. The hole in her heart seemed to open even more. Gulping hard, she looked over at Chance. Shock was too mild a word to describe his expression. Thunderstruck was more like it.
    After he seemed to have collected himself, he reached into his back pocket and extracted his handkerchief. Gruffly, he said, “Here, yours is already soaked through.”
    Gratefully, Tessa accepted the gift. “Thank you,” she whispered hoarsely, and then helped granny mop up her eyes. “He didn’t mean to bring it up, Granny. How could he? He didn’t—” She stopped herself short, swallowing the words. He didn’t know. And God help me, he never will.
    Taking a shuddering breath, Granny composed herself as she pulled back from Tessa’s embrace, taking Chance’s handkerchief with her. She dabbed her eyes with the snowy-white cotton fabric. Softly, she said, “Please go and get my medicine for me, child. I want to talk to this young man while you’re gone.”
    Stunned, Tessa could only stare for a few moments. The color in the once paper-white face returned, allowing Tessa to see for herself that her granny really didn’t need her heart medicine at all anymore. Her request had more to do with Tessa leaving the room than anything more pressing like her health.
    Reluctantly she rose, first eyeing her granny, and then Chance. He shot her a grin to ease her worry, and then he winked. Her insides fluttered at the sexy look, but her mind still screamed, Warning! Warning!
    “Are you sure you don’t need me here?”
    Granny waved her hand, saying, “Off with you now. I’ll be fine.” She wiped her eyes and nose, gazing straight at Chance. Her whole body looked poised for battle.
    With trepidation, Tessa slowly exited only to go as far as the dining room. Once there, she lurked in the shadows, intently listening to every word spoken.
    Chance followed Tessa’s lithe graceful movements until she was out of sight, and then he focused fully on the older woman before him. The tears of a moment ago, having left him speechless and stunned at the time, had vanished. The mutinous expression that greeted him didn’t surprise him in the least. He dug in his heels, relying on every weapon in his arsenal.
    “You