by Judy Kentrus
“Not yet. Let that simmer for a while. By the time I’m finished with your back, you’ll be fully cooked and ready for me to test out my new riding skills. Now turn over, my love.”
“You’re a tease, and I’ve created a monster,” he grumbled and carefully rolled over.
When he settled on his stomach, she carefully straddled his legs but didn’t add any pressure to the back of his thighs. “I promise to be gentle with your family jewels,” she whispered in his ear. “One last question. Did you bruise your magic finger?”
Caleb grinned and wiggled his finger to prove it was in perfect working order. “Radar primed and ready to go.”
“Perfect. Now shush, close your eyes, and enjoy.”
Wednesday afternoon Caleb turned on the lights in the garage. The kids would be here in a little while. This would be the last working session of the Super Flyer’s club. He had really enjoyed spending time with the three rascals who added so much to his life.
His muscles were still a little stiff, but he felt a great deal better. Erin’s massage had done wonders for his body in more ways than one. She’d been hesitant at first, never having taken the initiative to be on top, but she’d caught on quickly and rode him like a wild mustang. His pain and discomfort was totally forgotten. Neither of them had remembered to use protection the second time, but he didn’t care.
Three brisk knocks—two short and three long—at the side door, interrupted his musings. That was their signal. He also noted they were ten minutes early.
“Hey, Mr. Thompson,” Danielle said the moment she walked in and hopped up on the stool in front of her workbench.
“Hi, where are the others?”
“They’ll be here soon but I wanted to talk to you alone.”
“Sure. What can I do for you?” Caleb sat on Jayden’s stool that was closest to Danni’s workbench.
“It’s about my mom.”
Here it comes. “What about your mom?”
“You like her a lot.”
“I do, very much. I also like you very much.”
“I know you’re not a cowboy, but I had a talk with Santa, you know, his helper at Hughes, and he said I should give you a chance because you might surprise me.”
“I’m not a cowboy, but I went horseback riding the other day.”
“You did!”
The happy smile on Danielle’s face was a reward for all his aches and pains. “At the Double C. I overdid it and got a little sore. I would like to go back in a couple of weeks.”
“Maybe I can go with you!”
“I’d like that very much.” Progress, he thought and decided to push his luck. “Do you like hockey?”
“I don’t follow it too much, but I’d like to see a game.”
“A friend of mine has season passes for the Dallas Stars. How would you like to see them play against the Philadelphia Flyers the Saturday before Christmas? We can take my company plane to Dallas.”
“Really? But what about my mom? She doesn’t like sports and it’s not on her schedule.”
“I think it’s about time we introduce your mother to the world of sports.” Caleb held out his hand to give Danielle a high-five. “What do you say?”
“All right! Can we buy her a shirt?”
“I’m sure we can.”
“Next Tuesday night there’s a holiday play at my school. Will you come and see me?”
“I’d like that. What part do you have?”
“I’m playing the archangel Gabrielle. I think the teacher chose me because the spelling is close to my name.”
“An angel. You should be honored. I will definitely be there.”
“Before the other kids get here, it’s okay with me if you kiss my mom.”
The following Tuesday evening, Caleb looked in the mirror over his dresser and adjusted his red and black tie. It felt strange dressing up in one of his black executive suits, something he hadn’t done in weeks, but he wanted to look nice for the women in his life. He was going to the play alone because Erin and Danielle had to be at the school an hour before the performance.
He walked into the kitchen to get the small nosegay of flowers he’d purchased to give to Danielle after the play. She needed gentle reminders she was a female.
He was looking forward to the weekend. Saturday would be the last day for Santa Traditions so what better way to end the day than go to a hockey game. When they told Erin, she looked at them like they had grown two heads. She hated to fly and hockey was a very rough sport. Rather than make an immediate decision, she had to give it some thought. When Danielle had gone to bed, Caleb reminded the woman he loved they were making sacrifices. It would be the perfect event to show the three of them as a family. He’d used his magic finger and at the height of her release, he asked if she would go to the hockey game. She’d rasped, “Yes, yes, yes.”
He was about to leave and was surprised when the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find Ryan Rainford, his lawyer, standing on his doorstep. They’d been friends since grade school, but he didn’t take his life seriously until he turned thirty. He went back to college to finish his law degree, and had recently partnered in a prestigious law firm. His blond hair was windblown from driving with the top down on his classic Mustang. The top button on his gray shirt was open and the silver tie was pulled away from his neck.
“This is a surprise. How did you find me?” Caleb stepped to the side when his friend walked into the house. “Let’s talk in the kitchen, straight ahead.”
“What the hell are you doing here? This place is smaller than your pool house.” Ryan took off his custom leather sports jacket and threw it on the back of a wooden chair. “Tracey gave me your address. I was in New York the past two weeks partnering on a big case and want to get these forms signed so that we can establish the foundation so you don’t get hit with mega taxes. Did I catch you at a bad time? Going on a date?”
Caleb noted the time on his watch. “I have ten minutes before I have to leave. I’m going to the holiday show at the Davy Crockett Primary School.”
“Who are you?”
“A man whose life has made an about-face, thanks to the love of a beautiful woman.”
“Tracey warned me you’ve changed, and I was told not to ask any questions because the answers probably wouldn’t make sense.” Ryan opened his briefcase and pulled out a sheath of legal documents. “These need your signature. I left duplicates with Tracey for your files.”
Caleb signed his name ten times and passed the forms to Ryan. “I’m glad we were able to do this. Daniel would be pleased. If you don’t have anything to do this evening, come with me. There’s a little reception in the cafeteria after the show. I’d love you to meet Erin and her daughter. Christmas Eve, I plan to ask her to marry me.”
“You? Married?”
“This shouldn’t come as a surprise. I sent you a picture of her and her daughter last week and asked what adoption entails.”
“I lost my cell phone and just got back yesterday. I’m currently using a burn phone until I can get mine replaced. Before you can adopt, we have to make sure there isn’t a father who can step in and protest the adoption.”
“She’s never been married and was artificially inseminated.”
“That’s a plus. Aren’t you rushing things? You haven’t known her very long.”
“I know exactly what I’m doing.”
Erin and Meredith stood in the hall outside the door that led to the stage entrance, surrounded by happy parents and very excited children.
Erin gave her friend a high-five. “Well, you did it! The show was great!”
“Every year during practice I tell myself never again, but when the kids come together the night of the show, they surprise me and do us all proud. I caught a glimpse of your guy sitting in the audience. You two make such a cute couple. Is it serious between you two?”
“He asked me to marry him!” Erin blurted.
“That’s fantastic!”
“I haven
’t given him my answer.”
‘Girl, are you out of your mind? He’s gorgeous and rich. Do you love him?”
“With all my heart.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“The courage to tell him the truth.” Erin caught herself at the last minute before she blurted the one thing that had been weighing heavy on her mind the past few days. The truth behind Danielle’s birth. Caleb wasn’t the only one keeping secrets.
“What are you talking about?”
“Forget it. I’m just venting.”
The hall was almost empty, except for Danielle who was talking to Jayden and Louis. Their parents had already gone into the cafeteria.
“Okay, guys, let’s get some cookies and punch.”
As anticipated, the place was packed and most of the tables were occupied. Her heart did a slam dunk at the sight of Caleb, dressed in one of his rich business suits, standing beside the refreshment table.
“Who is that hunk with your man?” Meredith asked.
“Don’t know, so let’s find out.”
The Super Flyers spotted the head of their club and ran over to Caleb.
“Did you see us, Mr. Thompson?” they asked at the same time.
“You guys were great.” Caleb passed the small nosegay to Danielle. “These are for you for being a great archangel.”
Danielle accepted her gift, stared down at the pink baby roses encircled by white tulle and then back at Mr. Thompson. “Uh, thank you.”
“Caleb, I believe this is the first time since she learned to talk she’s speechless,” Erin said and moved to stand beside the man she loved when her daughter headed for the refreshment table.
Caleb slipped an arm around Erin’s waist. “Sweetheart, this is Ryan Rainford, my lawyer. He stopped by for me to sign the paperwork for the foundation I’m establishing for Daniel.”
Erin held out a hand. “Nice to meet you, Ryan. It’s so nice of you attend tonight’s performance.”
Meredith was never one to take a back seat and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Meredith Saltarelli.”
“Italian?” Ryan asked, accepting the lovely woman’s hand.
“Through and through,” she clarified with a flirty smile.
“Ryan Rainford, not Italian,” he added. “Slightly colorblind, but not enough to not appreciate a beautiful woman.”
Erin smiled up at Caleb. “I think we’ve just played matchmaker.”
“Mr. Thompson,” Danielle called, walking slowly toward him with a paper cup and napkin in her hand. “I brought you some punch and a cookie.”
“Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you.”
“Who is this?” Ryan asked.
“My daughter, Danielle.”
“You did a great job as an angel,” Ryan complimented. “How old are you?”
“I’m eight. How old are you?”
“Danielle!”
Meredith slipped a possessive hand around Ryan’s arm. “How about buying a lady a glass of fruit punch and then we can decide where we want to go for a real drink?”
“He seems very nice,” Erin said, watching them walk away.
“They’re very well paired. The barracuda and the shark.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope,” he said and put his barely-touched cup of punch on a nearby table. “How long do we have to stay?”
“We can leave in a few minutes. I’m beat. I can remove a dozen sticky notes from my board. Are we really going to that hockey game Saturday night?”
“You’re not backing out. You said yes, three times.”
“Those words were uttered under extenuating circumstances.”
“No comment.” Caleb wound his arm around her waist. “Let’s say goodnight to the lovebirds and find Danielle.”
“Good idea.”
Ryan reached for the trousers he’d tossed on the chair and glanced at the long, shapely body of the black-haired beauty sound asleep in the bed. They’d left the school and drove in separate cars to Wolff’s Roadhouse, where they closed the place. He’d invited her back to his hotel room and bought a bottle of champagne. They both agreed no strings attached, before they jumped into bed. His Italian beauty was a mixture of hot, spicy, and sweet. They exchanged numbers and he said he’d contact her when he came back to Fort Mavis.
He’d planned to spend the night, but he had to get out of there. He grabbed his shoes from the floor and tiptoed out of the room and headed for his car. The two-lane road was empty at four o’clock in the morning and he hit the gas. Frustration drove him to press the pedal until the speedometer hit ninety.
His mind was exploding with questions about the little red-haired archangel. The color of the hair wasn’t definite, but that was expected because he was colorblind to certain colors, but the face was same. The woman had lied to Caleb, claiming she was artificially inseminated. He debated calling his best friend, but decided to deal directly with Erin MacKenna. There was no actual proof the child was Daniel’s daughter. Tomorrow he’d get her address and send out a registered letter. God help him if he was making a mistake.
Chapter 16
Monday morning, Erin walked into the house after taking Danielle to school, grateful for the personal day off. Christmas was five days away and she needed today to wrap presents and bake cookies. She was also exhausted. The weekend had been nonstop. The trip to the hockey game wasn’t as bad as she’d anticipated. There were only a few fights with bloody noses. She didn’t mean to elbow Caleb in the nose when she jumped up and protested a penalty against one of the Star players. The people in the first aid station said it happens quite a lot. When they got home, she was able to get the blood out of her new Star shirt. The swelling in Caleb’s nose had gone done considerably.
Yesterday, after church, Caleb broke down and decided to get a Christmas tree. They made a quick trip to Hughes to get what they needed and put up the tree in the afternoon.
She also needed this time to think. She loved Caleb with all her heart, but she couldn’t accept his marriage proposal without him knowing the truth behind Danielle’s conception.
She poured herself a bowl of Rice Krispies and sat at the kitchen table, reviewing her dry erase board. Christmas was the 25th, but she’d added Caleb’s birthday. She and Danielle still hadn’t decided on a gift. It still irked her how his parents had left him high and dry. Leaving him alone on his birthday this year was unthinkable.
The knock at the front door interrupted her thoughts. She didn’t recognize the postal delivery person who handed her a registered letter. She glanced briefly at the name of the law firm, based in Houston, on the upper left hand corner.
“I’m not expecting anything important,” she said and signed the card.
“Maybe it’s a letter saying you inherited a million dollars,” the man teased. “Have a nice day.”
“I should be so lucky,” she said, walking into the kitchen. She sat at the kitchen table and held the envelope and reread the name of the law firm. She recognized the name Rainford, Caleb’s friend. “Why would he be writing to me? Just open the letter.” Her hands trembled and hot tears dripped from her eyes by the time she got to the signature.
Dear Ms. MacKenna,
We met the other evening. I know who fathered your child and believe she has the
same candy-cane toe as her father. Danielle’s other family has a right to know she exists.
There is a great deal of money involved so we will need a blood test to prove DNA.
Please contact me directly and I’ll explain what I know.
Ryan
NO! NO! They are not going to take my child!” Her hands couldn’t stop shaking and blood pounded in her head. “This can’t be happening!”
“He’s Caleb’s friend. He’ll know what to do!” She gripped the letter and ran out the front door in a panic. Thank God, his car was in the driveway. She didn’t bother to knock but hurried into the house.
“Caleb!” she cried, running into t
he empty kitchen before heading toward his makeshift office. The panic in her voice made him meet her in the hallway.
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Did something happen to Danielle?”
She pounded on his chest with fisted hands before burying her face in his shoulder. “They want to take my daughter! I can’t let them take her.”
“You’re not making sense. No one is taking Danielle.” He guided her into the kitchen and set her in a chair at the table. He sat next to her but kept a tight grip on her hand. “Start from the beginning.”
Erin thought he meant from nine years ago and the words spilled out in a rush. “I got drunk out of my mind and slept with a guy. I can’t even remember what he looks like or his name and I got pregnant.” She thrust out the letter. “I got this from Ryan, your lawyer friend, and he knows who the father is. His family wants me to prove their son is Danielle’s father. They have a lot of money and will take her away from me. The hell with that! She’s my child!”
Caleb shook his head in confusion. “You told me you were artificially inseminated.”
Unable to face the man she loved, she lowered her head and let the tears flow.
“I lied.”
Caleb stood up on shaky legs and read the very brief letter. He knew. He knew Danielle was his brother’s child. Erin and his brother made that beautiful child. He should have recognized the smile they shared, the quirky sense of humor. He was too busy falling in love. Why hadn’t she trusted him and told him the truth?
“You lied to me,” he barely choked out the words. “Why? You were going to marry me and not tell me the truth about Danielle’s father?”
“I was going to tell you before I accepted your proposal. My two college roommates and I and met three guys at a bar in Galveston Island. We closed up the place and went to this beach house and partied more. I woke up the next morning in the guy’s bed. We were both naked. A month later I discovered I was pregnant. I was too ashamed to admit I got drunk out of my mind and slept with a stranger, so I made up that I was artificially inseminated. Despite how she was conceived, I’ve never regretted giving birth to Danielle. She’s my life. His family is not going to take my daughter.”
