“I want you to marry me.”
She shook her head, handed Hailey to him and took a step back. “I think I need to leave.”
He stepped in front of her and put a hand on her arm. “Wait. Please. I’m not doing a good job of explaining. I’m still trying to figure it all out. Give me a minute, okay?”
“A minute to what? What do you think is going to change in a minute? Or ten minutes?”
“Your mind?”
She stepped around him.
If he had a chance of convincing her to agree, he had to tell her everything about Jane and Hailey. “Hailey isn’t my daughter. She’s my niece, and I’m about to be engaged in a custody battle.”
“Say what?”
“Can we sit down and talk?”
She hesitated for the longest seconds of his life. “Fine.”
He put an arm around her waist and guided her toward the sofa. When they reached it, she perched on the edge, as if poised to flee if he made one false move. He’d made a mess of things. Rather than lead with a proposal, he should have given her the backstory and gained her sympathy. Heck, if he’d said it right, she might have been the one to bring up marriage. Well, it was too late to start over. He’d just have to plow through.
Daniel settled Hailey into her baby saucer. Once she was contentedly swatting at a purple star that bounced up and down, Daniel turned back to Brittany. “It’s a long story.”
“I have time. And if you plan on convincing me, I suggest you don’t leave anything out.”
“I’ll start at the beginning.”
“That’s always the best place.”
She still sounded shocked, but given the circumstances, that was to be expected. And she hadn’t left, which gave him hope that she’d actually listen to what he had to say, and his fear subsided.
“Like I said, Hailey is my niece. She was my younger sister’s daughter. Jane was wonderful. So pretty.” He paused, letting the past wash over him.
“I remember the day my mom and dad brought her home from the hospital. She was so tiny. Even though I was only five, I knew she was special. I promised to be the best big brother in the world.
“I adored Jane and she loved me, too. She liked to follow me around when we were kids.” He’d included her as much as he could when he’d played with his friends.
He looked at Brittany. She was following his story intently.
“As I got older, I focused more on my studies. Actually, school was kind of easy for me. I skipped second and fifth grades. I earned my high school diploma in three years and started college at sixteen. But I went to school out east, so it was too far away for me to visit a lot. When I did come home for summer vacations, I worked construction and spent time with my friends, and it didn’t leave me a lot of time for Jane. Because I’d been distracted by my life, I hadn’t noticed the changes in hers.”
But he should have. And he would have if he’d bothered to look.
“What kind of changes?”
“Jane had struggled with depression and an eating disorder. Bulimia. She’d always been what our mother had referred to as ‘pleasingly plump.’ Jane hadn’t seen her body that way. Neither had the bullies in her high school, whose taunts only echoed the dark emotions that plagued her, feelings she’d been powerless to control.
“Our parents were big believers in higher education, and they’d wanted her to go to college. But she’d hated school and couldn’t wait to be done. When she graduated from high school, she got a job as a waitress and moved out of our parents’ house. After that, she barely kept in touch with them. Or me.”
That had hurt. He and Jane had been so close as children. He’d recognized his own responsibility in letting the relationship fade when he went away to school, and tried to keep in touch with her, but she’d grown distant, too. She hadn’t wanted him in her life in any significant way.
“It was obvious that she was floundering. Our parents tried everything they could to help her, offering to go with her to therapy, but all of their efforts failed. They just hadn’t been able to reach her.”
Daniel, too, had done his best to help Jane, offering to help with her bills or help her find a therapist she would trust, but nothing seemed to work. Time and distance had severed the bonds that once had seemed unbreakable.
Once their parents were gone, Jane hadn’t seen the need to maintain even minimal contact with him. May God forgive him, Daniel hadn’t forced the issue. He hadn’t tried as hard as he should have to remain a part of Jane’s life. Her repeated rejections had torn him apart. He’d loved her and thought eventually she’d recognize that and come back around.
“Then one day she was gone without a trace. I searched for her, but she’d vanished. It was as if she’d dropped off the face of the earth. When I couldn’t find her, I hired a private investigator. She tracked her to a house in a Dallas suburb. At the time, I was still living in Texas while this house was being built. She didn’t look good, so I asked her to move in with me. Not for forever. Just long enough for her to get well. She said no.”
He hadn’t been trying to run her life as Jane had accused. All he’d wanted to do was help her get healthy. She’d been so distant. So aloof. It was as if she was no longer the little sister he’d adored. No, that sweet young woman had been replaced by a stranger. She’d claimed she needed to stay where she was. She hadn’t elaborated. Nor had she mentioned being pregnant.
“I tried to keep in touch, asking her to meet for lunch or dinner or just to talk on the phone, but Jane kept rejecting me. One day I showed up at her house only to discover that she’d moved out. She hadn’t left a forwarding address. And she’d changed her cell phone number. She was gone.”
He looked at Brittany and saw the sympathy in her eyes. He’d never revealed just how devastating Jane’s rejection had been. He hadn’t said the words, but he knew Brittany understood.
He tried to tell the story unemotionally, but his voice cracked on the last word. He cleared his throat and soldiered on. “I could have tracked her down again, but I didn’t. What would have been the point? I decided to give her space, since that was apparently what she wanted. That was a horrible mistake.” One he’d yet to get over.
“The next time I heard Jane’s name was a little over a month ago from a police detective. She was dead.”
“Oh, Daniel. I’m so sorry.”
So was he. But that didn’t change a thing. The little sister he’d adored was gone. He’d failed her and now he’d never get a chance to make it up to her.
While grief and sorrow had pounded Daniel’s heart like a fist, the officer had continued talking. Jane had had a daughter. Daniel was her next of kin. Would he be willing to take care of his niece?
“That’s when I found out about Hailey. Jane and the baby’s father, Craig Larimar, had been in a car accident. Hailey had been strapped in her car seat, so she hadn’t been harmed at all. Craig died at the scene. Jane...” He swallowed “They rushed Jane to the hospital, where she survived for a few hours. While she was there, she gave one of the nurses my name and told the nurse that she wanted me to raise Hailey.”
Heartbroken over the loss of his sister, and grateful to have her child in his life, he’d brought Hailey home with him that day.
“Despite all my money, I couldn’t help Jane. I couldn’t make things better for her. Couldn’t protect her from the world. I may have failed my sister, but I won’t fail her child.”
Brittany placed her hand over his. The warmth from her skin soothed some of the hurt in deep places he hadn’t had a hope would ever stop aching.
“Looks to me like you’re doing a great job. Hailey is happy and loved.”
“That might not be enough now.”
“Why not?”
“The phone call I just received was from Craig Larimar’s parents. Apparently, they plan to sue me for custody of
Hailey.”
“I don’t see what the problem is. Your sister wanted you to raise Hailey. Therefore you should win the case easily.”
“I have no written proof of that. She didn’t have a will. And she’d never even mentioned me to any of her friends. Not only that, they’re a couple. I’m a single man. And before I had Hailey to think about, I lived like a single man. I dated. A lot.”
“So? That doesn’t make you a bad person.”
“But it doesn’t make me father material, either.”
“Says who? Single men can be great dads.”
“I’ll have a better chance of winning if I have a wife. Then it will be one married couple versus another. And we’re younger, so that should give us the advantage.”
“We?”
“Yes. We.” He infused his voice with more confidence than he felt.
“I didn’t agree to marry you.” Her voice quivered, but he didn’t know her well enough to tell if it was from nerves or irritation. Neither was welcome.
He tapped the tips of his fingers together, trying to cover his concern. Desperation was growing within him, but he didn’t want her to see his weakness. This argument wasn’t working. He needed to find a different way to convince her.
“What do you want, Brittany?”
“What do you mean what do I want?”
“I want to raise Hailey. Not just to honor my sister’s wishes, but because I love her.” He paused. “You’re smart. Ambitious. Too smart and ambitious to work for someone else for the rest of your life.”
“So?” She sounded cautious, but she hadn’t gotten up and left.
“You’ll want to open your own event planning business one day. I can help you do that. If you marry me, I’ll give you all the money you need to start your business. Not only that, I’ll introduce you to my friends and business associates, and suggest that they hire you to plan their events. With my help, your business will become a nationally recognized event planning company in no time.”
“And all I have to do is marry you.”
The flat tone of her voice worried him, but still he nodded. “Yes.”
She slowly rose and straightened her shoulders, standing as erect as a queen. Luscious lips pinched and eyes narrowed, she glared at him. “I’m not for sale. Not to you or to anyone. I can’t speak for Bronco Elite, but as for me, I will no longer be working on your party.” She picked up the folder she’d brought him. “And you, Daniel Dubois, can go straight to hell.”
“Wait.” He reached for her to try to explain, but she brushed by him and out of the room. He hadn’t meant to offend her. He’d only wanted to show her how marrying him could benefit both of them. Usually he was so much more eloquent than this. The fear of losing Hailey had turned him into a bumbling idiot.
Sagging back onto the couch, he decided that it was best to retreat and regroup. He’d shocked her. That was clear now. Given time, she would see the benefit of the deal he was offering and come around. A marriage between them would be a win-win situation.
Now he just had to come up with a plan to convince her.
Chapter Five
Brittany stormed down the walk, jumped into her car and sped down the driveway. Inhaling deeply, she tried to center herself, but she couldn’t. She was too furious. Had that man really tried to buy her like a piece of meat? She wanted to own her own company, but selling herself wasn’t part of the plan. She’d go back to working for that money-hungry Evan Cruise and that ghost tours company first. She couldn’t believe Daniel Dubois thought so poorly of her that he believed she would sell herself. True, they’d only known each other for a short time, so he didn’t know her character, but she’d thought he’d respected her as a person. Boy, had she been wrong.
As Brittany neared her office, she began to calm down. The conversation with Daniel, though insulting, was now in the past. Since she’d let him know in no uncertain terms that she was not for sale, she didn’t expect to repeat the conversation anytime soon. But as she stepped into the building, worry began to gnaw at her insides.
Daniel Dubois was a powerful man who clearly thought he was entitled to whatever he believed his money could buy. What if he’d called her boss to complain? What if he’d insisted that she be fired, thinking that putting financial pressure on her might force her to give in to his demand? She wouldn’t have suspected him of being that low before, but now? Now, she wouldn’t put anything past him.
Stepping inside the office, she looked around. Linnea, her boss, smiled as she came toward Brittany. “How did your meeting go?”
Brittany wasn’t sure how to answer that. Mentioning that she’d told a client to go to hell didn’t seem the way to go if she wanted to advance her career. Even if Linnea was willing to listen to Brittany’s explanation, what could she say? That Daniel wanted to marry her so he’d have a better chance of keeping custody of his niece? That might convince Linnea not to fire her, but Brittany knew Daniel didn’t want anyone to know about Hailey. Even as hurt and angry—and yes, disappointed—as she was, she wouldn’t betray his confidence. She had integrity even if he didn’t.
Brittany opened her mouth to answer Linnea’s question as honestly as possible when Reese, another one of the event planners, approached. “Sorry to interrupt. Linnea, do you have a minute?”
Linnea looked at Brittany, who nodded. “We can catch up later. I don’t have anything new to tell you at this point.”
“Good enough,” Linnea said as she and Reese walked away.
Brittany sighed with relief as she went to her office and closed the door. She didn’t know how such a perfectly planned day had gone awry, but it had. Now she had to figure out how to get the proverbial train back on the tracks.
She managed to keep her mind focused on work for the rest of the day. Since she hadn’t been summoned to her boss’s office and read the riot act, she surmised that Daniel hadn’t called to complain. And since she didn’t want to mention to her boss that she’d told a client to go to hell, there was no way around it. She was going to have to plan the event. That meant she was going to have to meet with him again. They hadn’t discussed the details of the party today and she still needed him to sign off on her ideas and menu suggestions.
Given his home situation, she didn’t expect him to come to her office. She doubted he’d be leaving his ranch in the next few days. So she had no choice but to meet with him at his house again. Fine. She was a professional. She could handle that. She’d do whatever was necessary to get this project over and done with as soon as possible so she wouldn’t have to see him again.
But she wouldn’t mind seeing that cutie pie Hailey again. Not that she was becoming attached to that sweet baby. She wasn’t. Brittany had just enjoyed spending time with her, that was all.
Amanda wasn’t home when Brittany got there, so she decided to make an early night of it. After soaking in the tub long enough for her fingers to prune, she smoothed on lotion, put on her favorite silk pajamas, wrapped her hair and then got into bed. Closing her eyes, Brittany instantly fell asleep. But instead of her normal peaceful rest, she dreamed she was alone in her apartment. There was a baby crying, but no matter where Brittany looked, she couldn’t find the baby. The crying grew louder and more despondent, and Brittany became more frantic in her futile search. She called out to the baby that she was coming, but she never did find the child and the crying never stopped.
Brittany awoke with a jerk, tangled in her sheets. Sitting up, she wiped a palm across her sweaty forehead. She leaned against the headboard and then checked the clock on her bedside table. Four thirty. Way too early to get up, yet she didn’t think she’d be able to fall asleep again. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. She might not be a psychiatrist, but even she could interpret this dream. She was worried about Hailey. What would happen to her if she was taken from Daniel and placed with her grandparents? Would the older couple love her the way D
aniel obviously did? Would all of the upheaval at such a young age affect her ability to bond with people in the future?
Brittany frowned. Why was she so worried about it? This wasn’t her problem. She’d only just met Daniel and Hailey. Besides, Daniel had money and could afford the best lawyers. He could solve this problem without her help.
Brittany grabbed the mystery she’d been reading, determined to distract herself from a problem that wasn’t hers. When, after finishing a few chapters, she still was on edge, she rose and took extra care getting ready for work. She wouldn’t be able to function until she had clarified her status with Daniel. If they were going to move ahead with the party, she needed his approval. If not, she needed to know that, too.
She decided to stop by his ranch before going to the office to leave the information with Marta or Mr. Rogers.
Pulling into the driveway, she thought of one of her favorite movies, Groundhog Day, where the main character kept living the same day over and over. This wasn’t quite the same, but she was spending quite a bit of time at the Dubois ranch trying to get Daniel to look at her work. Maybe today he actually would.
When the front door swung open, she was once again greeted by his smiling housekeeper. Despite Brittany’s protests, Marta insisted on ushering her inside, through a different wing than she’d used before, and into an enormous kitchen. There were oceans of marble countertops, professional-grade appliances and cabinets that reached the high ceiling. The feature she liked the most was the wall of glass doors with its gorgeous view of nature. If she’d had even the slightest interest in cooking, this would be her dream kitchen.
Daniel was seated at the table, feeding Hailey, who was sitting in her high chair. The remains of a smashed banana and baby cereal were smeared in a plastic bowl. Bits of food were in Hailey’s hair and on her face and scattered on the stone floor.
The Maverick's Baby Arrangement Page 5
