“I talked to my former coach and got a list of editors from every sports magazine in the country last night. I called them all after Emily went to sleep. Not one of the magazines has had any contact with Irene in the past year.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“You were tired when you got off work.”
“But this morning—”
“It was a fruitless search. I didn’t see any reason to disappoint you on such a beautiful morning.”
What else hadn’t he told her? Joanie wondered. “You don’t really want to find her, do you?” she guessed, her heart breaking a little at the knowledge.
He gave her a frank, unapologetic look. “Not if it means a custody fight over Emily or trouble in my romance with you, no.”
Was that what they were having? Joanie wondered fifteen minutes later as they packed a now sleepy Emily up in her stroller and headed back toward Bride’s Bay hotel. A romance? Or was Steve simply in search of a good, loving mother for the child he suddenly found himself saddled with? He had said he couldn’t imagine taking sole care of Emily and working, too. And Steve was the kind of goal-oriented man who needed to work. Plus, the job he’d accepted at Bride’s Bay involved some travel. He would need someone to care for Emily while he was on the road.
Pushing the stroller with one hand, Steve wrapped his free arm around her waist. “But just for the record, I did hire a private detective yesterday to aid us in tracking Irene down.”
So he was doing the decent thing, Joanie thought, relieved. “Good.” But even as Joanie lauded his efforts, she knew she didn’t really mean it. She didn’t want Irene in their lives any more than Steve did.
“I want to close the book on Irene and move on,” Steve continued, stopping the stroller on a deserted section of the walking path under a live oak dripping with Spanish moss.
“And suppose you find that Irene wants the three of you to be a family?” Joanie challenged, resting against the tree, her hands behind her.
Bracing himself with one arm against the tree, Steve leaned in close. “Is this some kind of test to measure exactly how committed I am to you?” he asked softly, probing her upturned face.
Joanie couldn’t deny she still had her doubts, although they were dwindling so fast she had to struggle to hang on to them. “Maybe,” she said, aware her heart was suddenly pounding against her ribs and her knees felt weak. She wanted to forget all that kept them apart, rush headlong into his arms and inhale the fresh, masculine scent of his skin. She wanted him to kiss her and make wild, passionate love to her until they forgot all that kept them apart.
And he did look as if he wanted very much to kiss her then and there. But instead, he acted with restraint. “I can see I still have to prove myself to you.”
Ignoring the unchecked passion swirling around in her, Joanie angled her chin up at him. “I guess you do at that,” she retorted.
He smiled at her gently, then stepped back. The absence of a kiss left Joanie feeling oddly bereft.
Steve shrugged with amiable intent. “Then I better get moving on it. I’ll start by checking in with that detective I hired just as soon as we get back to the resort.”
Back at their quarters, Joanie put the still-sleeping Emily down in her crib while Steve called his detective.
“Irene quit magazine writing altogether to work at some newspaper in the Midwest,” Steve reported a few minutes later.
Part of Joanie didn’t want Irene to be found. She was enjoying being Emily’s mama even temporarily. She was enjoying being the woman—the only woman—in Steve’s life. But realistically how long could that last? Sooner or later, someone would come forward with the truth about Emily.
“So we’re getting closer to tracking her down,” Joanie said.
“Yes.” Steve looked at her with grim optimism. “According to the detective, we should have all the answers we need very soon.”
“IS THIS WHERE you pick up the applications for summer employment?” Phoebe Claterberry asked.
Steve looked up from the desk in his new office. Although he didn’t officially start until the following week, he’d wanted to get a head start filling out the paperwork involved with starting a new job.
“No, you’ll have to talk to Elizabeth Jermain or her granddaughter about that.” Able to see there was something on Phoebe’s mind, Steve put down his pen and continued affably, “Do you want to apply for a job?”
“I’m thinking about it,” Phoebe admitted as she edged closer. “I’d love to summer here.”
“But—” Steve sensed some reservation in her voice and attitude, almost as if she was hiding something.
Phoebe shrugged. “I’ve already got another job offer,” she admitted without much enthusiasm.
“But there are problems with this other offer?”
Phoebe nodded. Sighing, she walked all the way into the room and sat. “There are plenty of reasons I shouldn’t take this other offer, the primary one being the loss of my—”
She stopped as Dennis Wright appeared in the doorway. He gave Phoebe a stunned look. “Is it true, Phoebe? Shad Teach told me you were going to try to find a summer job here.”
Phoebe nodded reluctantly. “Yes.”
“What about the jobs I’ve already secured for us?” he asked.
Phoebe raked both hands through her hair. “I’ve thought about it and changed my mind.”
“Without telling me?” Dennis asked, hurt.
“I was going to,” Phoebe said.
“Yeah, right.” Disbelief glistening in his eyes, Dennis bolted from the room. Phoebe got up and rushed out after him.
“What happened?” Joanie asked seconds later, coming in. She looked elegant and flawlessly beautiful in her pale yellow business suit.
Steve stood. “They had a lovers’ quarrel. At least I think that’s what happened. I’m not really sure.”
“Oh.” Joanie looked relieved.
Steve saw the manila envelope in her hand. “Something up?”
“Yes. This came for you at the front desk.” She handed it to him. “Since I was headed back to see you, anyway, I told them I’d bring it to you.”
Steve ripped open the seal and looked inside. He smiled with satisfaction. His surprise was intact. Pocketing the envelope and its contents without revealing anything to an obviously curious Joanie, he said, “Where’s Emily?”
Joanie smiled. “She was invited upstairs to visit Elizabeth and the judge in their private quarters. One of Liz’s brothers stopped by with his two-year-old son, Troy, and they thought he and Emily might have a good time playing together. I just went up and checked on her. She had no desire whatsoever to come with me at the moment. Elizabeth and the judge both want her to stay and play with Elizabeth’s great-grandson. I said it was okay and that I would pick Emily up at three this afternoon.”
“Which kind of leaves you at loose ends in the interim,” Steve noted casually, determined not to give his plan away.
“Yes.” Joanie nodded. “With two hours, twenty-three minutes and forty-nine seconds to spare.”
Steve caught the fragrant floral scent of her hair and skin as he neared. “Not that this mothering business has gotten under your skin,” he teased.
“Oh, heavens no.” Joanie rolled her eyes. “I’m completely calm and cool about it at all times.”
Grinning, he tucked his hand beneath her elbow. “Got time to run an errand with me in one of the hotel minivans?” He could finish the paperwork, what little of it remained, tonight.
“Sure,” Joanie said, falling into step beside him as easily as if they took off together on a whim every day. “Where are we going?”
He took her hand in his and just grinned.
FROM THE WAY Steve was behaving, Joanie had the feeling this was not going to be just an ordinary Saturday afternoon.
“Why are we stopping here?” she asked as Steve parked the minivan in the drive of one of the private estates.
He switched off the engi
ne and removed the keys from the ignition. Smiling, he turned to face her. “Don’t you like it?”
“I love it.” The place had sprawling grounds and a magnificent ocean view, and was wildly expensive. “But I don’t think anyone’s living here at the moment. Last I heard it was for sale or lease.”
“Not anymore.” Steve opened the manila envelope and extracted a key and lease. “Starting now, it’s all mine.”
Joanie stared at him, wondering what this all meant. “How long did you lease it for?”
“Six months. If it works out okay, I’ve got an option to buy.” He climbed out of the van and walked around to open her door. “Want to take a look around inside?”
“It’s as beautiful inside as it is out,” Joanie said, admiring the sophisticated kitchen with its black granite countertops and state-of-the-art appliances. The parquet floors were covered with area rugs and polished to a high sheen. Living room, dining room and kitchen all featured floor-to-ceiling windows and ocean views. Beyond was a screened-in porch, also facing the ocean and complete with cushioned white wicker furniture, a ceiling fan and myriad plants and flowers.
“And back this way are five bedrooms and four baths,” Steve said.
“There’s plenty of room for a crib in here,” Steve said, showing her the first room, a child’s nursery with plenty of built-in shelves and a window seat. “Come see the master bedroom.”
Unlike the other bedrooms, this room had an ocean view. A stone fireplace was at one end, a Jacuzzi next to it. A quilted blue-and-white bedspread in an island print covered the king-size bed. The tub, shower and twin sinks in the adjacent bathroom were done in pearl white marble and gold-plated fixtures. There was plenty of bathroom cabinet space, two walk-in closets and a separate vanity.
“It’s beautiful, like something out of a fantasy,” Joanie said breathlessly.
Steve came up behind her. He wrapped both arms around her and drew her back against him. “Yet you look sad.”
“For purely selfish reasons, I assure you.” Staying safely in his arms, she turned to face him. “I’m going to miss having you next door to me in the staff quarters.”
Steve tightened his hold on her possessively. “I’m going to miss you, too. But the staff quarters are no place to raise a child. Emily deserves a real home. After all the years on the road, going from one competition to the next and then fulfilling my endorsement contracts, I want a home, too. A real home.”
What he said made sense. “I can understand that,” she said softly, struggling against the more immediate sense of loss. “That’s one of the reasons I took the job at Bride’s Bay, because I thought I could make a real home here for myself.”
She turned away from him, aware that suddenly there was a lump in her throat. It was ridiculous, but she felt as if she was losing him all over again, as if he was already walking away. She hugged herself as a chill went through her. Struggling to hold on to her equilibrium, she asked, “When did you rent the place?”
“My second day here.” His voice was very low and very close.
Joanie’s eyes widened and she spun around in surprise. “But you didn’t know that Emily was yours yet.”
“But I knew the most important thing—that I was falling in love with you all over again, just as helplessly as before. Only this time, when I came to you, I wanted to have something concrete to offer you.” He took her in his arms and held her close. “A home, marriage, family. Everything you’ve always wanted, Joanie. Everything we’ve both always wanted.”
Chapter Eleven
“My, don’t the two of you look happy,” Elizabeth Jermain commented when Steve and Joanie arrived to pick up Emily. Troy and Emily were sitting on the sofa side by side watching a Barney video.
“Yes, they’re positively glowing,” Cameron Bradshaw agreed with a smile.
Joanie felt herself grow even warmer. Was it that obvious she had completely fallen in love with Steve?
The judge regarded Steve with a twinkle in his eyes as he ambled toward them. “So, Steve, I heard you leased a home?” he said in his distinct Southern drawl.
Steve acknowledged this with a dip of his head. “Word travels fast.”
Judge Bradshaw’s grandfatherly face split in a smile. “It’s a small island. Elizabeth and I like to think nothing on it escapes our attention. When are you planning to move?”
“Not for a few days.”
Joanie felt relieved. She still was not anxious to see him go, even if he’d be only a mile or so away.
“I’ve got some personal stuff being shipped in,” Steve continued amiably, bending down to gather up Emily’s jacket and diaper bag. “I think I’ll wait until it arrives before moving in.”
“You’re wise to take your time,” Elizabeth said, handing Steve one of the storybooks Emily had brought with her. “Although there’s also something to be said for not letting the best opportunities go by.” She glanced at Joanie, adding, “Sometimes you have to follow your heart and act quickly, regardless of all the expert advice to the contrary. Isn’t that right, Cameron?” Elizabeth reached out and took the judge’s hand.
“Absolutely,” he said, smiling at his wife.
The video ended with a flourish. Emily and Troy were quickly off the couch, singing and dancing to their own largely unintelligible version of the Barney theme song.
Five minutes later Emily was in her jacket, and thankyous and goodbyes were said. Joanie and Steve, a happy Emily in his arms, headed down the sweeping staircase and out the rear doors of the hotel toward the staff quarters.
“Do you think Elizabeth was trying to tell us something?” Joanie asked, falling into step beside Steve.
He tilted his head as if it really didn’t matter to him either way and answered thoughtfully, “I think Elizabeth and the judge can tell how we feel about each other,” he said, reaching out with his free hand to grasp hers and pull her close to his side. “I think they can see it in our eyes every time we look at each other.”
Joanie squeezed his hand, aware how happy he had made her in so short a time. “Oh, Steve,” she whispered, “I want this to work out. But there’s so much still standing in our way.”
“Don’t think about it.” He threw his arm around her shoulder and shushed her with a kiss. “For now it’s one day, one hour, one moment at a time.”
“STORY!” EMILY DEMANDED a short time later as Joanie finished changing her diaper.
Steve smiled down at Emily fondly. “Okay. I’ll read you a story before your nap. You pick out which one, though.” Steve offered an array of books.
Emily pointed to a book with Kermit the Frog on the front, then toddled over to the rocking chair. Clearly this was where she wanted to be read to.
Before Steve and Emily could settle into it, there was a commotion outside. Joanie and Steve exchanged puzzled glances. Now what? Joanie wondered.
Joanie went to the door and edged it open. Beyond the low wall that edged the converted stables, she could see Phoebe Claterberry and Dennis Wright emerging from the formal gardens. Phoebe, who appeared to be crying, stumbled away from Dennis. He was dogging her every step. “You are such a jerk!” she shouted. “I don’t know what I ever saw in you!”
“Well, that makes two of us!” he shouted back. “Because I sure as hell never expected you to lie to me, and especially not about something this important! Damn it all, Phoebe, how could you betray me and my family this way? Don’t you have any heart at all?”
Phoebe planted her hands on her hips and regarded Dennis with an exasperation that seemed to grow fiercer with every second. “Of course I have a heart, but I have to do what I believe is right, and that’s what I’ve done!” she shot back.
“What you have done,” Dennis countered, “is betray me and my family. I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to forgive you for this, Phoebe, particularly when I realize how long the deception has been going on.” He glared at her. “Seeing you in there with Steve Lantz today really opened my eyes!�
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“What do I have to do with any of this?” Steve murmured to Joanie, amazed.
Unfortunately Joanie thought she knew.
But this was no way for Steve to find out who Emily’s real mother was. He and Emily both deserved better than that. It was up to her, Joanie thought, to talk some sense into Phoebe before this situation exploded before their eyes. Hurriedly she grabbed her blazer and looked around for her shoes.
“You keep Steve Lantz out of this!” Phoebe shouted back at Dennis.
“I will when you start leveling with me!” Dennis re turned.
“Maybe I better go break this up and calm everyone down before they disturb the guests,” Steve said.
Joanie glanced in the direction of the main hotel and hoped that the Jermains weren’t hearing what she was, or Dennis and Phoebe would find themselves off the island by morning. Scenes like this were not tolerated at Bride’s Bay.
Joanie reached for her pumps and put them on. She could already see that one of the bellboys had come out onto the porch and was peering over at the gardens. “Not a good idea, Steve.”
“Why not?”
Because there’d be even more of a scene, Joanie thought. She clutched Steve’s arm. “Dennis is obviously jealous of you. Besides, I think this needs a woman’s touch.” She paused to kiss Emily and Steve. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she promised.
Joanie slipped out the door and, waving the curious bellboy back inside, hurried toward Phoebe and Dennis. They were still arguing bitterly as she neared them, albeit a little more quietly.
When Dennis glanced up and saw her, he turned back to Phoebe and got in one last parting shot. “I’m never going to forgive you for this,” he vowed. “Never!” He stormed off.
Phoebe burst into tears and launched herself into Joanie’s sympathetic arms. For the next few minutes Phoebe sobbed as if her heart would break. Finally she lifted her head and dabbed her eyes. “I’m so s-sorry, Ms. Griffin. I tried not to make a s-scene.”
Matchmaking Baby Page 17
