Baby of Fortune

by Shirley Rogers

  Justin strolled into the room, his gaze taking in the bare walls and the tables with small plastic chairs stacked on top of them. “I see you weren’t kidding. You’ve about done everything, huh?”

  She approached him reluctantly, as if facing a firing squad. “Yes. I’m just finishing up.” Each teacher was responsible for breaking down her classroom so it could be used for summer school. Anything of value, they took with them on the last day. “I’m taking this box home,” she continued, pointing to the cardboard box on top of her desk. She walked over and quickly tossed the last few items in, then closed the lid.

  “Are you about ready to leave? I’ll take it to your car.”

  Heather glanced around the room, thankful she’d come in early. If she hadn’t, there’s was no telling what Justin would have seen. She snatched up her purse, not realizing it was open until the contents spilled out in disarray on the desk.

  “Oh!” Furious at herself, she grasped at the items, trying to prevent them from falling onto the floor.

  “Let me help you.” Justin grinned. He stopped a pen from rolling off the desk, then caught a compact before it, too, fell.

  Timmy’s pacifier! She spotted the little blue soother that she kept in her purse for emergencies, just as Justin’s hand started to reach for it. When he realized what it was, his gaze shot to hers, his eyebrows embedded in a deep frown.

  Thinking quickly, she blurted out, “Um, that’s my friend’s. I baby-sat for her one evening, and she left it at my house.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “I’ve been meaning to give it back to her, but I keep forgetting.”

  The frown left his face slowly. Shrugging, he picked up the pacifier and handed it to her.

  That was too close. Heather stuffed it in her purse with everything else, then snapped it shut. Mortified, she chanced a quick glance at Justin, but he didn’t seem at all suspicious. Clearing her throat, she motioned toward the door. “I guess I’m ready to leave.”

  Justin nodded, then picked up the box and followed her to her car. He deposited the box in her trunk, then walked to the driver’s door. Using the key, she unlocked the door, but Justin’s hand was on it before she had a chance to open it. She turned, then lifted her face to look at him.

  “It was nice of you to stop by.”

  He held on to the door, preventing her from opening it enough to get inside. “Is there anything I can help you with at the house?”

  Heather pretended to think about it, knowing there was no way she could let him come to the house. Her mother was going to bring Timmy home, then stay to help her finish packing. Planning to live at Heather’s while she was gone, Kathryn had already brought most of her things over. “No. Really, I’ve got it about done. Besides, Mom is coming by tonight.”

  Justin leaned forward a little, resting his weight against the open door. The mention of her mother’s name brightened his usual serious expression. “How is Kathryn?”

  Heather smiled. “She’s doing fine.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “About us? The truth.” She didn’t want any other secrets between them. “This past year hasn’t been easy emotionally. She’s been there for me more times than I can count.”

  Translated, that meant that she’d had a difficult time getting through the breakup of their marriage. Justin hoped to wipe the past year from her memory. Was it too much to ask? Would he be able to convince her they still had a chance to repair the damage they had done to each other?

  “I’m glad she was there for you.” Unlike Heather, he’d had no one to turn to. Not that he would have shared what he felt with anyone. He’d learned a long time ago to depend on himself and no one else, and he saw no reason to change that philosophy just because he’d met his birth mother and siblings.

  Some things couldn’t be undone with time. Justin hoped his marriage didn’t fall into that category.

  He raised a brow. “I guess you told her about going to Texas.”

  Nodding, she said, “She’s going to keep an eye on the house for me while I’m gone. I also mentioned to her that you’d met your biological mother.” She slid her hand along his arm, then quickly withdrew it. “She was very happy for you, too.”

  Justin could imagine that Kathryn would be. Other than Heather, she was the only other person who had seemed genuinely to care about him. How did she feel about him now? he wondered. He’d walked back into her daughter’s life without warning. More than likely, Kathryn was questioning his motives.

  He couldn’t blame her. He’d questioned his own and hadn’t come up with any definitive answers.

  “Tell her hello for me. I’d like to see her when we get back.”

  “I’m sure she’d like to see you, too.” Heather glanced around the deserted parking lot. Like her, most of the teachers had arrived early so they could be gone by noon. She knew the rest of the day would fly by, and she still had a lot to do to get ready for the trip. Most of all, she wanted to spend time with Timmy tonight. She still couldn’t believe she was leaving her baby for two weeks. Swallowing hard, she forced back the tears that threatened to appear in her eyes.

  “I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” He was reluctant to leave her, couldn’t quell the fear in the back of his mind that it was possible she’d change her mind. His heart wrenched at the thought.

  “Sure.” She moved to push the door open. Justin held it in place, which again drew her eyes to his.

  He leaned forward and gently kissed her mouth. “Thank you for agreeing to go and for taking another chance on us,” he whispered.

  Heather looked at him, and at that moment she truly believed they did have a fighting chance. Touching his hand, she let her gaze drift over his face, and she remembered how easily she’d fallen for him seven years ago. “I’m glad you came to see me.” That was all she could say, truthfully. It was all that she was willing to share. She wanted to believe in him this time, wanted to believe he wouldn’t hurt her again, yet mistrust lingered in her heart. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  As she drove home, Heather painfully revisited the option of telling Justin about his son. She knew that if she did, he’d insist on making their marriage work, rather than giving them time to see if it would. She wanted this opportunity with him to discover his true feelings for her. Would keeping Timmy’s birth from her husband be the right means to an end?

  When he found out the truth, would he forgive her?

  Heather wasn’t sure, but she knew she had to do this her way. Her entire future was on the line, as was Justin’s.

  And her baby’s.

  “I don’t think I can go through with this.” Cradling Timmy in her arms, Heather paced the tiled floor in front of the cooking island in her spacious kitchen. She pressed a kiss to his chubby cheek, then brushed her chin back and forth across his soft brown hair. “Why did I ever believe I could leave Timmy?”

  Panic began to consume her, and her heart pumped spastically. “I just can’t do this!” Her expression was frantic as she faced her mother.

  Kathryn glanced pointedly at her watch. “This is a fine time to think about changing your mind. Justin should be here in just a few minutes.”

  A stricken expression ignited in Heather’s eyes. “I can’t. I just…what if something happens and I’m all the way across the country? He could get hurt, or what if he catches something and gets sick?”

  Kathryn rolled her eyes. “Calm down, honey. Timmy will be fine. He’ll be with me, and you know I wouldn’t let anything happen to him.”

  “I know you won’t, Mom, but something beyond your control could happen. What if you’re in an accident in the car and he’s hurt?” She was beginning to sound neurotic, but she couldn’t stop herself.

  Kathryn tried to reason with her. “That could happen if you were the one driving.” She blocked her daughter’s path, preventing her from moving. “Look, honey, life is full of unknowns. You’ve got to pull yourself together.”

  “Oh, Mom—”


  “Well,” Kathryn stated pragmatically, “you can always tell him about Timmy.”

  Heather paled. “No!”

  “Then take a deep breath and calm down before Justin gets here. You’ve gone out on a long limb to make this work. Are you saying you’re willing to throw that all away? If you don’t pull yourself together, he’s going to wonder what’s wrong with you.”

  That was the last thing Heather needed right now. She followed her mother’s advice and breathed in deeply, letting out the air in her lungs slowly.

  “Now, I’ll take really good care of Timmy. He’ll be just fine. You can call every day to check on him.”

  “I know. It’s just that I haven’t been away from him before.” She lovingly stroked her baby’s head.

  “Well, this is for a good reason, right?”

  Heather nodded.

  “Then it’ll be worth it when everything works out.”

  “You mean if.”

  “I mean when. I have every belief that you and Justin will work things out.” Her gaze searched her daughter’s face. “You still care for him, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I still feel something for him. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing this,” Heather admitted. “I just don’t know if—”

  “This isn’t the time for doubting yourself, Heather. Just take it slow and easy these next couple of weeks. If Justin didn’t care for you, he wouldn’t have come back. When he found out about his family, he wanted to share it with you. And he wants them to know you. That means he still has deep feelings for you.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Her tone sounded unsure even to her.

  The doorbell chimed, and she jumped as if she’d received an electric shock. “That’s Justin!” She hugged Timmy close, then kissed his face all over. “Be a good boy, honey. Mommy will be back soon.”

  Kathryn took the baby, and Heather gathered her purse and carry-on bag. “Mom, thank you so much,” she whispered, hugging her fiercely. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too. Now, go. Don’t keep him waiting. He may want to come inside. I’ll stay here and keep Timmy out of sight.”

  “Thanks, Mom. I know you’re uncomfortable about this, but I appreciate your help.” She hated having to involve her mother in her deceit.

  “You’re welcome. Try and have a great time.” She shooed her daughter out of the kitchen and toward the foyer.

  Heather reached the front door as the bell chimed again. Stopping, she closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath. Then she lifted her eyes as she opened the door.

  Her gaze swept over her husband, causing her heart to lurch in a way that was becoming all-too-familiar when he was around. He’d shed his usual business attire for a conservative patterned sport coat, a polo shirt and matching trousers. His idea of casual.

  She stepped onto the porch, and quickly pulled the door shut behind her. As the June heat hit her, she was glad she’d chosen to wear a lemon-yellow sundress and white sandals. Justin looked so fresh and collected, and not at all disturbed by the hot weather. He had so much control, she figured he just decided he wouldn’t let the heat bother him—and so it didn’t.

  “Hi.”

  Justin kissed her cheek, and his lips lingered a moment longer than necessary. Heather’s nerve endings burned.

  “You’re ready?” he asked.

  She didn’t miss the tone of astonishment in his voice. “I haven’t forgotten that you’re punctual,” she replied, and she gave him a teasing smile. During their marriage, they’d had a few heated discussions over the merits of being on time, mainly because she hadn’t been especially organized and had often made them late.

  “And I haven’t forgotten how you always made me stand around and wait.”

  He winked at her, and she lost another little piece of her heart. His relaxed manner was such a direct contrast to his normally reserved demeanor that she felt goose bumps prickle her skin.

  “You mean ‘pace.”’

  “Whatever.”

  He grinned briefly, flashing that adorable dimple at her, and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Was it going to be like this now? she wondered. Would it be like when they first met? Flirting with each other, taking time to get to know one another again?

  He picked up her cases, which she’d put on the porch earlier, and started for the car. She fell into step beside him. When he pressed a button on his key chain, the trunk popped open, and he placed her luggage in with his. She walked to the side of the car as he shut the trunk, but before she could reach for the handle, Justin was beside her and opening the door.

  She felt the brief touch of his hand on her shoulder as she got in the car, and it sent a wave of warmth through her that had nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with him.

  He went around the car and seated himself, then started the engine. Heather glanced at him, then made work of adjusting her seat belt—anything she could do to settle her nerves.

  Only days ago she had been contemplating how she was going to spend her summer. Now she didn’t have an inkling as to what was going to happen in the next few hours. The only thing she was sure about was that she was going to miss her baby.

  She looked at the house, as the car backed out of the driveway. The curtain on one of the windows in the living room moved and caught her eye. Her mother was standing there, peeking out. The older woman moved slightly, just barely showing Timmy in her arms, and Heather had to swallow hard to prevent the sob that formed deep inside.

  Oh, God! Please take care of him! She fought back the sudden tears that stung her eyes and tried to cover her anxiety by staring quietly out the window. Justin made conversation on the drive to the airport, but by the time they arrived and parked, she couldn’t even remember what he’d said.

  Until they were seated in first-class on the plane, she thought she’d handled her emotions pretty well. But when the airplane’s wheels left the ground and the finality of her separation from her baby became real, tears sprang to her eyes. She clutched the arm-rests with her hands and turned her head away, trying very hard to act normal even as she was coming apart inside.

  Justin had been staring blankly out the window of the airplane when he heard Heather sniff. He turned to look at her, his expression curious.

  She was crying!

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his expression full of concern.

  “I’m fine.” Her tone was raspy, as if she had a sore throat.

  Reaching into a pocket of his sport coat, he retrieved a white handkerchief. “Here.” He was at a loss for words. What was going on? Had he done or said something to upset her?

  She took the handkerchief without looking at him, and he frowned. Going back over their conversation during the ride to the airport, he could think of nothing he’d said that would cause her to be so upset.

  He reached over and linked their fingers together, holding her hand tightly. “Do you want to talk?” he asked quietly, trying to be supportive.

  She shook her head. “Not really.” The tears came faster.

  Justin absently rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand. She didn’t want to talk to him, didn’t want to tell him what had upset her. He pondered the wisdom of forcing the issue. While he wanted Heather to need him, opening up, talking, was still difficult for them both. He knew it would take time for them to share what they were feeling about this reunion.

  He felt dejected, and scolded himself for it. Maybe he’d been too cocky believing he could whisk his wife away so they could be alone to try to repair the damage they’d done to their lives.

  Maybe it wasn’t that simple. What if he was wrong? What if he caused them both more pain and heartache in the end? Could he live with knowing he’d hurt her once again?

  Was he taking too much for granted by banking on their physical attraction to each other? He knew she still felt something for him, but was it enough? He didn’t want to think about the possibility that Heather didn’t care for him somewhere deep in her heart.
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  So he wouldn’t have to face an issue he wasn’t prepared to deal with, he turned his thoughts in another direction. Maybe she was anxious about meeting his mother and the rest of the Fortunes. He’d told Heather a little about them, and figured their wealth could be intimidating.

  Justin had been honest with Miranda when she’d first questioned him about his wife. It had been right after Emma’s wedding when she’d mentioned noticing his wedding band. Up to that moment, he hadn’t shared many details of his life with any of the Fortunes. Justin had simply told Miranda that he was married. When he didn’t offer further details, she didn’t push, but mentioned she’d like to meet his wife.

  Since he’d met his mother, Justin had visited her on several occasions. Each time, he’d found her a little easier to be with, but he still hadn’t gotten past his resentment of the way she’d abandoned her children.

  She’d explained in detail how she’d purposely left Justin and Emma on the steps to a sheriff’s office, thinking that they’d be adopted. She’d insisted that she had no idea they would end up in foster care for their entire childhood. Still, it was hard for Justin to erase the feeling of having been deserted.

  When Miranda first asked to meet Heather, Justin hadn’t even considered asking her to come to Texas. He didn’t know if she would come, and at the time, his family didn’t know about her miscarriage and the difficulty the tragedy had brought upon them both.

  But during subsequent trips to visit his mother and the rest of his family, Justin had begun to observe them closely. He’d seen how happy Emma was when she married Flynn. Feeling envious, he began to examine his feelings for Heather, and he discovered he still cared very deeply for her.

  That’s when he’d decided on a plan to win her back.

  She sniffed again, catching his attention and bringing him back to the present. He wanted to tell her not to worry, to promise her that everything would be all right. But he couldn’t. He’d already told her he wouldn’t make promises he couldn’t keep. Steeling his heart, he reminded himself that it was possible they wouldn’t make it. He didn’t like the sick feeling in his stomach when his mind registered that thought.