The Maverick's Baby Arrangement

by Kathy Douglass

  “So that’s it. They disrupt my life, threaten Hailey’s security, and then drop everything. No apology. No nothing.” Daniel was at once angry and grateful. He expected he’d run the whole gamut of emotions before the end of the day.

  “Why? Why are they dropping the suit now after putting me through all this? It doesn’t make sense.”

  “Apparently, Mrs. Larimar was recently diagnosed with cancer and her husband doesn’t feel capable of raising a baby right now.”

  “I see.”

  “I’ll forward the documents. Congratulations again.”

  “Wait,” Daniel said abruptly before his attorney could hang up. He exhaled the bitterness he felt. Hailey’s happiness was still his number one priority. “If they want to maintain contact with Hailey, they can. We can arrange visitation in the future. In the meantime, I’ll bring Hailey to visit them if Mrs. Larimar is up to it.”

  “I’ll pass on your offer and get back to you.”

  Daniel ended the call and turned to Brittany. Her bright smile was a balm to his soul. “I’m so happy for you, Daniel. And for Hailey, too. You’re a family and you’re going to stay together. You should be happy.”

  “I am happy.” He noticed that she’d excluded herself from the family. She was already distancing herself from them. Perhaps she was mentally returning to her regularly scheduled life.

  “You don’t look happy.”

  “I am. I was angry for a second, but I’m not anymore,” he insisted.

  “That’s good. But something else is wrong. I can tell.”

  “It’s just...” He blew out a breath.

  “Just what?”

  “This is another loss for Hailey. I don’t know the kind of cancer her grandmother has or her prognosis, but that’s one more person she can potentially lose.”

  “That’s not necessarily so. People are surviving cancer these days. She could live for a very long time and be a positive part of Hailey’s life.”

  He nodded. Naturally, Brittany would think of something that hadn’t occurred to him. “True.”

  An awkward silence settled over them and he searched for something to say. Before he could find a subject, Brittany spoke.

  “So, I guess that’s the end of things for us. Now that you aren’t at risk of losing custody of Hailey, you don’t need me anymore.”

  He didn’t need her anymore? He only wished that were true. In the short time they’d been married, he’d grown close to her. He enjoyed every moment they spent together and had anticipated sharing many more in the future. After last night, he’d begun to hope theirs would become a marriage in every sense of the word. That hope was now completely dashed. Brittany wanted out.

  He could tell her that he wanted her to stay, but he wouldn’t. He knew her too well. He knew she might stay for his and Hailey’s sakes, sacrificing what she wanted to keep him happy. That wouldn’t be fair.

  Not only that, he could ask her to stay and she could say no and leave. She had every right. There was no need to open himself up for the agony such a rejection would bring. His heart had been battered enough in this lifetime. It had hurt to be rejected by a sister he’d loved so much, devastating to be shut out of her life only to lose her forever. And he was still recovering from the loss of his parents. He couldn’t open his heart again when he knew it could be pummeled.

  Oh, he was sure Brittany would do her best to let him down easy—she was too sweet to do anything else. But she was also too honest to pretend to want a life with him when she didn’t. And he wasn’t going to put her in a position that would leave both of them uncomfortable. So he decided to tell her the part of the truth that didn’t leave him open to hurt and that would set her free at the same time.

  “I will never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve done. Though our marriage is ending a lot more quickly than either of us anticipated, I hope that you’ll stay in our lives. Hailey really does love you.”

  He was wrong when he thought that would save him from being hurt. The pain of those words nearly undid him.

  * * *

  Hailey really does love you. Brittany had to give him credit for being subtle. His statement of Hailey’s feelings with no mention of his own might as well have been yelled from the rooftop. She heard him loud and clear. Daniel didn’t love her and was too considerate to utter the words. Not that the situation required he make such a declaration. She’d gone into this marriage knowing that it would be in name only. The fact that they’d somehow ended up making love last night didn’t change the agreement or his feelings, obviously.

  Though she was disappointed and maybe even a little bit hurt, she understood. He might have made love to her with such tenderness that she’d begun dreaming of a future where their vows become real, but wanting something to be true didn’t make it so. And he’d been very clear from the beginning why he’d wanted to marry her. A future with her wasn’t one of them. Since she’d insisted that their marriage be in name only and end once he’d gotten custody, she had no right to be upset that he wanted to stick to the terms.

  She might want to see if their marriage could last, but that was her problem. She wasn’t going to try to change his mind or to make him feel guilty. She was a big girl and would act like one.

  She pulled the sheet higher on her chest and wiggled up on her pillow. “I enjoyed myself. And, of course, I’ll keep in touch. Hailey is important to me, too.”

  She hadn’t been the least bit self-conscious last night, but now she was uncomfortably aware that she and Daniel were completely naked beneath the sheet. The dress she’d worn to the party was on the floor in a puddle of red silk. She couldn’t reach it without getting out of bed and baring her nude body was out of the question now. But she couldn’t lie there so close to him that she inhaled his masculine scent with every breath. The heat of his body had her longing to get closer, but she wouldn’t. Last night’s sweet magic was gone, leaving only the bitter taste of disappointment behind.

  Daniel stared off into the distance, as if lost in thought. Perhaps he’d moved on mentally and had already forgotten she was there. But he was the one with a robe on the foot of the bed, not her. Well, since he didn’t seem inclined to move, she scooted to the edge of the bed and managed to grab his robe without revealing too much of herself. Not that he was looking.

  Once she’d put on his robe, she stood and tied the belt around her waist before glancing at him. His eyes were a mixture of humor and confusion. Apparently, she hadn’t been as graceful or inconspicuous in real life as she’d been in her mind.

  “I think I’ll shower and get dressed. Then I guess we can go to my parents’ house and get Hailey.”

  He nodded.

  “Then I’ll come back here and pack. Good thing we didn’t bring everything I own.”

  “There’s no hurry, Brittany. It’s not as if I’m evicting you.”

  “Maybe not, but there’s no reason to draw things out unnecessarily, either. Besides, my place is a lot closer to my office. Now that I’ve landed the Taylor account, I’ll be super busy. I’ll need the extra time I’ll save on the commute.”

  His eyes narrowed and, for a minute, she thought she’d seen pain flash in them. But then he smiled and she knew she’d imagined it. Why would he feel anything remotely resembling pain? He’d gotten everything he’d wanted and, as far as he was concerned, the contract had been fulfilled. No need to prolong the inevitable goodbye.

  “Okay, then,” he said. “I guess I need to shower and get dressed myself.”

  “I’ll bring back your robe in a little while.”

  “Sure.”

  With that awkward conversation now over, Brittany gathered her discarded clothes and shoes and then went to her room. When the door was firmly closed behind her, she sat on the bed and ordered herself not to cry. There was no reason for her heart to be breaking. No reason at all. But then,
love wasn’t ruled by reason.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Daniel walked past the now empty bedroom for the umpteenth time. Brittany had been gone for five days, but he still missed her like crazy. The hint of her perfume lingered in the air, making him long for her even more. She’d forgotten one of her scarves and he’d placed it in his sock drawer where he saw it every morning. He knew he was being ridiculous and that he should return it to her, but that scrap of silk made him feel closer to her.

  He shouldn’t have let her go. But what choice had he had? She didn’t want a family. She’d been clear about that. Brittany had married him for the money that he’d promised to give her so she could start her own event planning company. She’d lit out of here so fast he hadn’t had the chance to hand her the check he’d written for the agreed-upon amount. When he’d noticed it on his desk two days later, he’d torn it up, filled out a check for twice the amount and dropped it in the mail. He could have delivered it to her in person, but he was afraid if he saw her, he might beg her to come back to him.

  Hailey began rousing from her nap and he went to her nursery so he’d be there when she was fully awake. He stood by her crib, wishing that Brittany was there beside him as she’d been over the past weeks. Though he had Hailey, his heart still ached from loneliness. And unrequited love.

  He sucked in a breath and was momentarily dizzy. What? Had he just thought that he was in love with Brittany? He couldn’t be. But as he pondered the words, the truth sank in and he couldn’t avoid it. He was in love with Brittany. He probably had been for quite some time. He’d just been too blind to see it.

  But in his defense, it had happened so gradually, he hadn’t noticed when his feelings changed. One minute he’d thought her a competent employee. Then he’d thought of her as a friend. And, finally, a lover. She was beautiful, so his attraction hadn’t been unexpected. But love? That had caught him off guard and he hadn’t known what name to give it. And now it was too late.

  He’d been so sure his growing feelings would disappear if she wasn’t around. Instead he found himself prowling the house as if she would magically materialize in the family room. Or better yet, in his bed. The night they’d made love had been more than he could ever imagine, and he wanted to duplicate it every night for the rest of his life.

  It had almost killed him to let her go. Standing by silently with a fake smile on his face while she’d packed her belongings, and then helping her load his SUV so she could leave him, had been a colossal mistake. But what was he supposed to do? She was the one who’d said it was time to leave the morning after they’d made love. The night that had changed everything for him hadn’t affected her at all.

  The phone had still been in his hand when she’d announced that she was leaving him. She’d made up some lame excuse about her condo being closer to her job and then turned her back on him. She’d said he’d gotten everything he’d wanted. The truth was, she’d gotten everything she’d wanted. Or she would have, the minute she cashed the check.

  He fought against the bitterness welling inside him. Brittany hadn’t done anything wrong. In fact, she’d given more than she’d agreed to. Falling in love hadn’t been a part of it. Nor had staying with him. So he shouldn’t be upset that she’d gone.

  Once he’d changed Hailey’s diaper, he carried her downstairs and gave her a snack. He hadn’t tried to find a new nanny since Brittany had left. Instead, he’d made room for Hailey in his office. He’d brought in a playpen and some of her favorite toys so she could play while he worked. He wasn’t as productive as he’d been when he’d had help, but he enjoyed her company. Now, after settling her in the playpen, he picked up the mail.

  He tossed aside the junk mail and then looked at the envelope addressed in his own hand. The check he’d sent to Brittany. She’d written “Return to Sender” and sent it back unopened. That didn’t make sense. The money was his part of the bargain. She’d earned it. She needed it to start her business. Yet she’d sent it back to him. What did that mean? Why would she toss away the opportunity to make her dream a reality?

  Daniel set the check aside and continued to go through the mail. After reading and rereading a three-paragraph letter without being able to comprehend a word, he knew it was futile to continue. His mind was too filled with thoughts of Brittany for him to focus.

  He’d always been able to think clearly when riding a horse. Unfortunately, given that he had yet to put Hailey on a horse with him, and there was no one she was comfortable with enough to watch her, that was out of the question. So he did the next best thing. He called Stephanos. His best friend possessed the ability to help him see things he couldn’t see.

  Once he’d reached Stephanos and explained the situation, Daniel listened for what seemed like forever while his friend laughed. He was starting to regret calling him and was in the middle of saying so when his friend spoke.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say,” Stephanos said once his laughter had died down.

  “I don’t know, either, but I certainly didn’t expect you to laugh at me.”

  “I always laugh at the ridiculous. You know that.”

  “What’s so ridiculous?”

  “This whole thing. You marry a woman you don’t love—a woman you barely know—because you’re worried about losing Hailey. Then it turns out that you don’t need to be married, after all, so she leaves. And now you’re upset with her. Am I missing anything?”

  “No.”

  Stephanos laughed again. “Oh, I think I am.”

  “What?”

  “The fact that you’ve fallen in love with your wife and are too scared to let her know.”

  “I’m not scared.” He just didn’t want to put Brittany in a bad spot.

  “Tell that to someone who doesn’t know you as well as I do.”

  Daniel dropped his head into his hands. He should have known better than to call Stephanos. They’d been friends too long to be able to deceive each other. “What should I do?”

  “I can’t believe you’re asking me that.”

  “Neither can I.”

  Stephanos laughed again and Daniel seriously considered finding a new best friend. “It’s easy. Go get your woman.”

  Go get your woman. That thought stuck with Daniel throughout the rest of the day. It echoed through his mind as he tried to sleep that night. Go get your woman was the first thing he thought of the next morning. And though he’d been hesitant at first, by the time he’d finished giving Hailey her breakfast, he knew what he had to do.

  * * *

  Brittany sat on the sofa and adjusted the pillow behind her back yet again. Though the condo had felt like home from the day she’d moved in, she felt out of place. The bed she’d slept in until she’d moved in with Daniel no longer felt familiar. While in the past she’d rested easily, she now tossed and turned all night and woke with a feeling of unrest that followed her throughout the day.

  She’d managed to get started on the Denim and Diamonds fundraiser for Cornelius Taylor. While she was excited about the possibilities the future held for her professionally, she was no longer certain about the direction of her personal life. Even though marriage and children hadn’t been part of her life plan, being with Daniel and Hailey had changed her. She suddenly felt herself longing for her husband and child. Their relationship might have been short, but it had been wonderful. What had started out as a pretend marriage had turned into a marriage so real she couldn’t even think about its loss without crying.

  Whenever she felt weak and considered returning to the ranch, one thing held her in place. Daniel didn’t want her. He’d been almost cheerful as he’d helped her move back into the condo. She’d half expected him to dance a jig on the way to his SUV after he’d carried in the last box. And all the while her heart had been breaking. But she’d kept it together and had given him her best smile.

  She didn’t know
how long she would be able to keep up the act. No one at work knew her marriage had ended. Every day she pretended to be a happy newlywed. Amanda knew something was up, but she hadn’t asked questions. She’d simply let Brittany know she was there if she wanted to talk. Worse, she hadn’t told her family the truth, either. They still had the impression that she and Daniel were together. She knew she needed to come clean and stop living a lie, but she couldn’t. But not just because of her pride. To do so would mean accepting that her marriage was over and the man she loved didn’t love her in return. She wasn’t ready to face that yet.

  One thing was certain. She couldn’t continue to live in the condo. It no longer felt like home. Now it felt like failure. Sadly the ranch that felt like home would never be home again.

  There was a knock on her door and she forced herself to her feet. Though she wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone, she was sick of her own company, too.

  “Coming,” she called when the knock came again. Apparently, her uninvited guest was anxious to see her.

  She ran a hand over her hair, then glanced through the peephole. Her mouth fell open. Daniel. She hurriedly unlocked and opened the door. “Hi.”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  He seemed panicked and her heart skipped a beat. “Where’s Hailey? Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine. I dropped her at your parents’ house before I came here. She could do with a little spoiling today.” He shifted his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Can I come in?”

  “What? Oh, sure.”

  “Thanks.”

  She led him to the living room and they sat on the sofa. He didn’t speak, and with every passing second she grew more uneasy.

  Was he here to talk about getting a divorce? Perhaps he’d already hired an attorney—something she hadn’t been able to bring herself to do—and wanted to tell her in person. She searched for something to say to break the silence. “Would you like something to drink?”