His Tempest

by Candice Poarch

  Anybody else would have gotten fired for taking such liberties, but the wiry old geezer figured he’d been there long enough to speak his mind.

  “She looked okay, didn’t she?” Colin was stupid enough to ask.

  “Damn. If she’da looked any better I woulda had to turn the heater off.”

  Frustrated, Colin glared at the smart-mouthed old man. “George isn’t here, but I can still fire you.”

  His only response was an outright laugh and shake of the head.

  “Think you can contain yourself enough to pick up George from the airport?” Colin said.

  Backing up, Ron held up his weathered arthritic fingers. “On my way,” he said.

  “Check and make sure she got home okay, will you?” He could have kicked himself, but the words materialized before he could check them. He shouldn’t give a damn.

  “Will do,” Ron said. “Got to go that way anyway.” Shaking his head, the older man shut the door behind him, but Colin heard him talking to the secretary on his way out. They both laughed before the outer door opened and closed.

  Why the heck had Noelle been out driving in the snow on a day like today, anyway? Showing up on his turf only to get herself stuck in the ditch and then she’d told him to drop dead? She had some kind of nerve.

  And after the pep talk he’d given himself to get her out of his system, she came right back like a stray cat that didn’t know when to quit.

  He donned his coat and gloves. “I’m leaving,” he told his secretary. “You can reach me on my cell phone.”

  Noelle was sitting in front of the fireplace reading a book and sipping a cup of hot chocolate when her doorbell rang. She felt the cold all the way to her bones when she answered it.

  She hadn’t expected Colin to show up at all.

  “Oh, so you finally decided to respond?” She went back to the sofa and sat, wrapping the blanket around herself.

  Gritting his teeth, Colin entered the room slowly, shutting the door behind him.

  “What did you want?” he asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You called a thousand times.”

  “Right now I want to hit you.”

  “I wouldn’t advise it.”

  “I called to discuss Cindy’s call. I’m not here to hurt the farm in any way. Yes, I had planned to meet you while you were in Memphis, but not to date you. Things got out of hand.”

  “You brought me over here to tell me that?”

  Noelle reminded herself she was dealing with a man and his stupid pride.

  “I wanted to meet George.”

  “Why?”

  There was no option but to tell him the entire tale. “I’m the product of artificial insemination. Mackenzie was my donor father.”

  Colin laughed. Roared, actually. Noelle really wanted to sock him this time.

  When the laughter subsided he wiped the moisture from his eyes. “I have to give it to you, lady. William needs to take lessons from you. You get on the inside, get the lay of the land, so to speak, before you broach George. You’re a lot smarter than the other woman.”

  “I am not lying. Mackenzie Avery is my donor father. My mother conceived by artificial insemination when Mackenzie was in vet school in California. She asked him to be the donor and he complied. He gave me the right to contact him when I turned eighteen, but my mother didn’t tell me that until years later. I put off contacting him for a while. You see, I had a dilemma. Franklin Greenwood is my father, a great father. I didn’t want to make a move that would upset him.”

  Noelle took a swallow of chocolate for fortification. Then she warmed her hands around the cup. At least Colin was listening, had stopped that stupid grinning.

  “Last May I called Mackenzie. I didn’t know what to say. He made it easy, he kept the conversation going. Told me about his father and that he didn’t have any other children. He told me about his veterinary practice. He said he wanted to meet me, and of course, I wanted to meet him.” She took another swallow of chocolate.

  “He was coming to see me the week he died.” Tears ran down her face. Before she knew it, Colin was holding her in his arms. Mackenzie had died on his drive to the airport to catch a plane to Memphis.

  “It was an accident. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “But—”

  “No buts. You don’t have that power.”

  She took a tissue and blew her nose.

  “Is he Gregory’s father, too?”

  “No. Dad’s Greg’s natural father.”

  Colin wouldn’t get into that. “You have to tell George,” he said.

  “He’ll hate me.”

  “He needs you. He needs a reason to go on.” Colin didn’t know why he believed her, but he did. He still hated the way she’d used him to meet George.

  From the depth of her eyes he glimpsed wariness. “So you believe me.”

  “Of course I do. Why would you lie about a thing like that?”

  “I wouldn’t.”

  “If you had just told me, I would have helped you,” he said. “But it’s all water under the bridge.”

  “I wasn’t going to say anything at all. I just wanted to meet him. That’s all. Maybe get updated medical information.” She sighed deeply. “Who am I fooling? I wanted to know if I took after him. If I looked like him or…I don’t know. If there were pictures of his ancestors I favored. And then you told me about the vultures circling and I knew I could never tell him.”

  “George will answer all your questions.”

  As much as Colin wanted to hold on to his anger he couldn’t. Their relationship was over, and God help him, he still had strong feelings for her, but this wasn’t about him. Then he realized he hadn’t completely purged his anger; it was still there, lingering beneath the surface. But George was suffering. He needed to know.

  “We have to tell George,” Colin repeated.

  “I’m not ready.”

  “I never took you for a coward. George needs you.”

  Noelle inhaled deeply. “Okay.”

  “He should be home from the airport soon. I’ll come back to get you.”

  “Thanks, Colin, for making this easier.”

  He smiled and let himself out.

  Colin left because he couldn’t stay in the same house, in the same room as Noelle, without wanting her. And he couldn’t bring her with him and have her at the barn disturbing his peace. Or in the house with Leila clucking over her.

  If he’d thought it was bad before, once George found out she was his granddaughter, he’d never see the last of her.

  Colin drove back to the farm grateful there was always enough work to do on a thoroughbred farm to keep his mind occupied.

  “Noelle,” Leila said when she answered the door later that day. “I’m so pleased to see you again.”

  “Where’s George, Leila?” Colin asked, coming in right behind Noelle.

  “In the den. He’s a bit tired from the trip.”

  Noelle was nervous as Colin led her into the den where a cozy fire burned in the fireplace.

  “Hello, there,” George said, standing. “Nice to see you again, Noelle.”

  Noelle gave him a nervous smile.

  “How was your trip, George?” Colin asked.

  “Florida is nice, but it’s good to be back home. We placed well, though.”

  While they talked shop, Noelle perused the pictures around the room. There were many of Mackenzie at different ages, starting from the time he was a baby.

  Mackenzie had his father’s eyes, she realized. Her eyes. They must be a strong family trait. There were pictures of George’s wife, too. Noelle remembered very little of the woman, though she’d been alive when Noelle visited her grandparents.

  She placed the photo back on the table and stood by the window.

  “Have a seat, George,” Colin said, leading him to a wingback chair.

  She joined Colin on the couch.

  “What’s going on?” George asked.

  Colin too
k Noelle’s hand in his and waited for her to tell George. She inhaled a deep breath.

  “Although I’ve always planned to open my grandparents’ summer camp and run it, I had another reason for coming here at this time. I wanted to meet you.”

  The older man gazed at her with a puzzled frown. “Why?”

  “It’s a long story. You see, my parents had tried to conceive for several years, but were unable to. My father’s sperm count was too low. So finally they decided to try artificial insemination. My mother didn’t want the sperm of a stranger, so since she knew Mackenzie and he was nearby in school, she asked him to be her sperm donor.”

  “Sperm donor?”

  “Yes. Mackenzie is my donor father.”

  “Mackenzie was your daddy?”

  “No. Mackenzie was my donor father. Franklin Greenwood is my father. He raised me and loved me. He’s a good father.”

  “Mackenzie’s wife couldn’t have children.” He peered at her closely. “You have his eyes.”

  She regarded Colin before she focused on the older man. “So I’ve been told.”

  “He knew you were his child. I’m sure that’s why he spent so much time with you at the camp and brought you here during the summers.”

  “I guess so. I didn’t know at that time. I only found out a year ago.”

  “And in all those years, you never saw each other. That must have been difficult for him.”

  George watched Noelle closely. Silence crackled in the room.

  “You’re my granddaughter. I have a granddaughter,” he said softly. “I can’t believe it. I thought…I thought…” He grappled with his words, as if he could barely believe what was happening.

  Noelle reached out and touched his hand, and his fingers closed tightly around hers.

  He cleared his throat. “You’ll stay to dinner. There’s plenty of food. Leila always cooks too much. You’d think she was feeding a family of ten.”

  “Maybe some other time. I’m afraid the roads will freeze when the temperature drops. I think I should get home.”

  “Spend the night here. Another storm’s coming in tonight. What if the lights go out and you’re all alone in that old house.”

  “I’ll be fine. Besides, I didn’t bring any clothes.”

  “Colin can go get some for you. I’ll worry if you’re there all alone. Spend the night,” he repeated. He glanced at Colin. “Get a move on, son. If you’re late to dinner, Leila won’t like it.”

  “But—” she started.

  “Dinner’s in an hour.”

  “But—”

  “Come on,” Colin said, urging her out of the seat. “Tell me what I should bring back with me.”

  “I can’t spend the night,” she whispered once they were in the hallway.

  “I’ve seen more life in him tonight than I’ve seen in months. Just humor him, okay? It’s just for one night. You can give him that much.”

  “Okay, but I’m going back with you.”

  Outside, the roads were already beginning to freeze, but Colin had no trouble negotiating them.

  “Pack enough for a couple of days at least,” Colin called out when she went upstairs. “And don’t forget your bathing suit.”

  Noelle smiled with hope as she added the suit to her overnight case. She’d need her hair dryer and shampoo if she used the pool. A simple sleepover was turning into an adventure.

  “I can’t stay that long.” But she packed enough for three days.

  When they returned, Leila was setting the dining-room table with the best china and linens.

  “Why he wants fine china for chili is beyond me. But I’m just the hired help,” Leila mumbled.

  “You act as if you own the place,” Colin said.

  “Who asked you?” Leila snapped back.

  “May I help?” Noelle asked.

  “George is waiting for you in the sitting room. Better not keep him waiting. He’s been waiting on pins and needles for y’all to get back, as if Colin suddenly forgot how to drive.” The older woman shook her head.

  With the fine china in the formal dining room Noelle felt underdressed.

  “I should have brought something nicer to wear for meals.”

  “We never dress here.”

  “But still…”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s you he wants to see, not your clothes.”

  She reached for Colin’s hand. “Thank you for helping me through this.” She knew she’d lost him when he stiffened and pulled his hand from hers.

  “George is improving already. This is for him.”

  George was indeed waiting for them. “I’ll show you to your room and then you can join me in here,” he said, leading the way.

  They climbed the stairs to the second floor, and he led her to a huge bedroom suite decorated in blue and rose.

  “I had Leila fix a little hot toddy for us. Always good on a cold snowy night.”

  She thanked him.

  “Join us soon,” he said.

  Noelle quickly changed clothes and freshened up. When she went back down to the sitting room George and Colin were waiting for her. Colin, she noticed hadn’t bothered to change. Obviously this wasn’t a very special occasion for him.

  “I brought down some of the family albums. Mostly the ones with pictures of Mackenzie. There are pictures of his mother, too. I’ll have to take you by his practice as soon as the snow clears some.”

  “I’d like that.” He was clearly eager to share his son with her.

  “Colin and I will show you around the farm,” he said.

  “I’ve seen quite a bit of it already. It’s impressive.”

  “It’s part of your heritage. You need to know about thoroughbred horses.”

  “Mr. Avery, I’m not here to get involved with your farm. I just wanted to meet you. I wanted to learn more about my donor father.”

  He smiled brightly. “And I want to know everything about you.”

  The dinner of chili and cornbread was delicious. Leila was still puzzled about the special occasion until George informed her that Mackenzie was Noelle’s father. He totally ignored the donor part.

  “I knew there was something special about her,” she said. “I always knew it.”

  “Why?” George asked.

  “Because he was so taken with the child. I remember how he’d have her over here during the summers every chance he got. He was so patient with her. And you’re like him, Noelle. I think I’m just going to cry. So when are you moving in?”

  “I’m not,” Noelle said.

  “But this is a big house. No sense in you being over there alone.”

  “I like my grandparents’ house.”

  “It’s nice but…George?”

  “We’ll discuss it later,” he said.

  The last thing she needed was for Colin’s words to seem true. If she moved in, he’d think she was like William, that she was after what she could get. And she couldn’t bear that.

  Colin had to get out of there or bust. After dinner, he excused himself from drinks in the sitting room and drove to the barns. His trainer was watching the closed-circuit TV so he could observe a pregnant mare without disturbing her.

  “Looks like she’s going to drop tonight,” he said.

  Colin regarded the monitor. “Has her water broken yet?”

  “Not yet.”

  The mare was in the birthing barn, which had a special large stall that was round instead of rectangular. The floor was covered with a deep bed of straw.

  The mare was restless. This was to be one of Diamond Spirit’s foals, and they had great plans for its future.

  “I better give George a call,” the trainer said. “He wanted to bring someone down to see the birthing.”

  Colin stifled a curse. He’d wanted to get away from Noelle.

  Colin couldn’t have made it more evident that he wanted nothing to do with her, Noelle thought, pain slicing through her. She and George sat in the den talking. The curtains were open and w
ith the light outside they watched the snow drift slowly to the ground.

  George questioned her about her high-school and college years. What her favorite classes had been. What extracurricular activities she’d participated in. Her boyfriends. George wanted to know everything. If she mentioned something Mackenzie also did, he pointed it out to her.

  Finally the phone rang and George answered it. The conversation was short.

  “A foal is going to be born tonight. Why don’t we change clothes and go to the barn,” George said. “I had Leila put out an old coat and some jeans for you. Have you ever seen a foaling?”

  “No.”

  “Then you’re in for an experience.”

  Noelle quickly changed and George drove them to the barn. She saw Colin’s truck parked outside, and her stomach muscles clenched. When they went inside he and another man were watching the monitor.

  “How’s it going, Burt?” George asked.

  “She’s coming along.”

  “Have you met Noelle?”

  “Haven’t had the pleasure, sir.” The man stood and came to shake her hand. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” Then he turned to George. “The vet’s on the way,” he said. “He’ll probably spend the night. Getting slippery out there.”

  George nodded.

  From the monitor Noelle noticed the mare kept staring at her belly and becoming more restless.

  Burt left the room to check on her. When he came back, he said, “Her water broke. Shouldn’t be long now.”

  Colin and Burt left the observation area and went into the stall. Minutes later, the vet came in.

  “How’s it going?” he asked. “Sure could use some coffee. Busy night.”

  After George introduced Noelle, she offered to get the coffee. “What would you like in it?”

  “Just plain.”

  “Let me show you where the pot is,” George said, leading the way to another room with a table and small appliances. Hot coffee was already made, so Noelle filled a clean cup, taking it to the vet.

  With long gloves on his arms that extended all the way up to his shoulders, he was examining the mare. When he finished he peeled the gloves off and came for his coffee. But after he’d taken only a couple of sips, a whitish sack appeared from the mare.