The Daily Novel

| CHAPTER EIGHTEEN |
At the McCarey ranch, Jessie and Stephen huddled together in the living room, intently studying documents. Jessie quizzed: “Is there anything I can do, legally?”
“Well, Jess, the actions of the board will be based on their belief of what’s in the company’s best interests … financially. If the board chooses Buchannan over [...]

| CHAPTER SEVENTEEN |
1960
Jessie groggily raised her head from the pillow. Yes, that is the phone ringing. She wearily rolled out of bed to answer it, and, hearing MaryBeth’s worried tone, snapped to attention.
“Jessie, Ben’s real bad. The doctors don’t think he’ll make it through the night.  Please come.”
Telling MaryBeth she’d be right over, Jessie [...]

Chapter Twenty-One
Nona should have been happy at Brenna’s revelation. But while Brenna was out with Nick, Paul had called to talk to his mother. Ashley had brought the cordless into Nona’s room.
“So, what have you been doing this weekend, dear?” she’d asked him.
“I went out with Marie again last night,” he reported. He’d met Marie [...]

| CHAPTER THIRTEEN |
A few weeks later, Jessie worked late at the office. Strange … but she thought she heard the outside door. She glanced up just as Jason fretfully materialized in the doorway.
“Well, this is a nice surprise, kiddo. What brings you to the office?”
Jason looked soberly at Jessie. “Jessie, it’s Papa. He’s real [...]

Chapter Twenty
Though Paul wasn’t rigid and unyielding, neither was he mercurial. His moods, his thinking, his plans, his attitudes were usually pretty stable. Lately, though, he found both his emotions and his attitudes to be decidedly changeable. To a certain degree, these fluctuations had begun when he left Brenna, but it was after the breakup [...]

| CHAPTER TWELVE |
Jake paced, waiting for the operator to fuel his plane. He was completely frustrated about not getting that Tillman contract. Things were really tight lately, and he needed that contract. What would he tell Jessie? She had been so successful, he was more than a little intimidated by the amount of money [...]

Chapter Eighteen
Nick called Sunday morning. He had spent the night at Chaz’s house and wanted to have breakfast with Brenna. Could she get away? It was early—not even eight o’clock yet—but Brenna had already had breakfast. “Well, I remembered you were an early riser; that’s why I took a chance on calling so early. But [...]

CHAPTER NINE |
The next few months passed quickly. Big Spring grew as Oklahoma’s population continued to boom. A second surge of oil discoveries between 1915 and 1920 established nearby Tulsa as the “Oil Capital of the World,” where oilmen such as William Skelly and J. Paul Getty built stately mansions and modern headquarters.
Big Spring was [...]

Chapter Thirteen
On Monday, Brenna took Kyle to school and registered him. After he’d been shown to his classroom, Brenna had a talk with the principal, backgrounding him on Kyle’s abduction and return. Then, hopeful that Kyle would adjust to school better than he’d adjusted to being at home, Brenna left.
At three, Brenna returned to the [...]

Chapter Twelve
“You seemed to get through to Kyle better than I can. What’s your secret?”
“I’m not his mom,” Nona answered simply. “I’m not as much of a threat. I’m not trying to supplant that woman in his heart.  Give him time.”
It was Saturday morning, and Brenna had just had a call from Paul that had [...]