“But it was still a mistake?”
She nodded and then dropped her head, unable to bear the look of hurt in his eyes.
They fell silent with only Emma’s soft cooing in the background.
After a long while, Garrick reached for her hand. “What if I said that I didn’t care?” he asked.
Leila glanced up questioningly.
“What if I said that I didn’t care if you didn’t want children?”
Her lips quivered into a smile. “Then I’d know you were lying.” She removed her hands from his grasp. “Let’s just say that last night was a one-time thing and let it go.”
Muscles twitched along Garrick’s jawline as he finally dropped his gaze. “All right.” He stepped back and drew in a breath.
“I hope this doesn’t mean that we can’t still be friends,” she added.
Garrick said nothing but turned and strolled over to Emma. “Bye, sweetheart.” He leaned down and kissed the baby’s upturned cheek.
When he walked away, Emma’s wide eyes followed him out of the kitchen. Once he was out of sight, the baby scrunched up her face and began to cry.
Leila rushed over and picked up her niece. “It’s okay.” She bounced the child in her arms. “I know exactly how you feel.”
Even though she left a part of her heart in beautiful Barbados, the moment Roslyn and her family touched down at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport, she was glad to be home again. Not to mention that her heart raced at the mere thought of having another baby in the house.
Patrick and the children also couldn’t contain their excitement. Upon returning home, everyone pitched in to turn the home office into something suitable for Emma.
“You’re not pregnant, but you’re glowing,” Patrick observed as his wife ushered into the room carrying piles of old baby paraphernalia.
“What can I say? I’m happy.”
He nodded, but turned thoughtful as she continued to organize the room. “Has, uh, Leila heard anything from Samantha yet?”
Roslyn’s hands slowed as she folded blankets. “Not yet. She really hasn’t had the time to really look for her.”
“You know…Samantha never really stays gone for long.”
The statement hung between them for a time before she finally glanced over at him. “What are you saying?”
He sighed as his shoulders slumped. “You know what I’m saying. Sooner or later Sam is going to come back.”
Roslyn shrugged. “It doesn’t mean that she’s going to want a child.”
“She already has a child.” He moved over to stand next to his wife. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“You mean that you don’t want me to get too attached to the baby.”
“I know it’s going to be hard—”
“It’s going to be impossible,” Roslyn corrected.
Patrick nodded. “It will be for all of us. I’m equally worried about how this will impact our girls.”
Tears crested her eyes, but she mopped them with her hands before they had a chance to fall. “It’s not her fault, you know?”
He said nothing.
“Momma did this to Sam,” Roslyn offered as an excuse. “Mom’s suicide was the hardest on her. She never got over that somehow it was her fault. I think each of us believes that we had something to do with it. If we were better children, she wouldn’t have left. You know, that sort of thing.”
“It’s not true.” He drew her into his arms.
“I know, but Sam—”
“I’m not judging Sam,” he said. “But we all have these horrible demons to fight for one reason or another. Sooner or later Sam is going to have to fight her own. Not you—not Leila. If not for her sake, for Emma’s.”
More tears splashed down Roslyn’s face. “I know you’re right.”
The phone rang and Courtney raced through the hall. “I’ll get it!”
Roslyn and Patrick smiled and broke apart. “Okay, I’ll promise not to get too attached to Emma staying here.”
“That’s all I’m asking.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Now, I better get up to the attic and get some more of those boxes.”
“Daddy, Daddy,” Courtney said, rushing into the room. “Telephone.”
Patrick rolled his eyes as he headed over to the cordless. “I guess the world knows we’re back home.”
“We had to come out of hiding some time,” Roslyn joked, drying her eyes.
“Hello.”
“Yes. Mr. Sanders? This is Dr. Benjamin Ray. I’m calling about your father.”
Chapter 16
Leila moved methodically around the baby room, packing everything she’d bought in the last seven days. The task proved harder than she’d expected, but it was one she was determined to get through.
Emma watched her from the playpen as she crisscrossed the room.
“Trust me. You’re going to love living at your aunt Roslyn’s,” Leila promised. “You’ll have your uncle Patrick and your cousins Courtney and Breanna to play with.”
“Aaah!” Emma shouted, clapping her hands. In the last twenty-four hours, the child seemed to really enjoy the sound of her own voice.
Leila smiled and resumed what she was doing. One thing was for sure, she could finally get back to her job. She still needed to hunt for a new distributor. The magazine’s next issue was due to go to press in the next week—and of course there was still the issue of searching for Sam.
She sighed. In the chaos, Sam had slipped Leila’s mind. She hoped her sister was okay—prayed that she didn’t do something stupid—again. After so many years, it was hard to deal with someone who made it a point to emotionally hijack Leila every time she came around.
“Now, don’t think this is going to be the last time you see me,” Leila told Emma. “I’m going to visit you at Roslyn’s every chance I get.”
“Aaah!” Emma grabbed her plastic keys and jiggled them around.
Leila’s heart melted as she cast another sidelong glance at the child.
Children are an extension of ourselves—a little piece of immortality.
She cocked her head and could clearly see Samantha and even Nicole.
“Aaah!” Emma jiggled the keys again.
Leila blinked out of her reverie just as the phone rang. “I bet I know who that is,” she said excitedly, and then extracted Emma from her pen. “Let’s go see if that’s Aunt Roslyn.”
She rushed down the hall and picked up the extension in her bedroom. “Hello.”
“Leila?”
“Hey, Ros. I told Emma it was you.”
An awkward pause filtered over the line before Leila caught the faint sound of a sniffle. “Is everything all right?”
“Actually, no,” her sister admitted. “There’s been a change of plans. We just received a call from a hospital in Boston.”
“Hospital?” Leila’s pulse leaped. “It’s not Sam?”
“No. It’s Patrick’s father. He’s suffered a massive stroke and he’s in a coma.” Roslyn sniffed. “We’re going to fly out there tonight.”
“Tonight?” Leila blinked, and then glanced down at Emma. “So that means—?”
“I’m not going to be able to take Emma until we get back. Is that going to be all right?”
A strange mixture of relief and anxiety rushed through her. “Yes. Yes, of course. How is Patrick holding up?”
“Fine so far, but…” Roslyn lowered her voice. “You know how close he is with his father.”
Leila bobbed her head and then remembered her sister couldn’t see her. “Yes, I know. Tell him I’m sorry and I’ll keep his father in my prayers.”
“I will. Kiss little Emma for me and I’ll see you both when we return.”
Leila said her goodbyes and then returned the phone to its cradle. Now what was she going to do?
“Aaah! Aaah!” Emma banged her keys against Leila’s head.
“Ow. Do you mind?”
Her niece giggled, and then shoved the keys into her mouth.
Garrick’s first day back to work was hectic at best and chaotic at worst. Yet, he didn’t mind it a bit. He welcomed anything that would keep his mind off Leila Owens.
Ned Griffin, Garrick’s right-hand man, breezed into his office. “There’s a delay with the Reynolds project out in Buckhead.”
Garrick leaned forward and steepled his hands beneath his chin. “What is it now?”
“Foreman says the measurements are wrong.”
“My measurements are never wrong,” Garrick boasted with a cocksure smile. “Who’s the foreman?”
“Arquette,” Ned said.
Garrick huffed. “Arquette is always complaining about the measurements and every time he’s wrong. How does this clown keep finding work?”
“He has a lot of friends. You want to give him a call or should I?”
“I’ll do it.” Garrick snatched up the phone, but halted when he heard a knock at the door. He glanced up, stunned to see Miranda standing in his doorway, swollen belly and all.
“Hi. Can I come in?” she asked.
Ned glanced from the doorway and then to his boss. “I’ll come back later.”
Miranda smiled as she sidestepped and allowed Ned to pass.
“Good seeing you again, Miranda.”
“You, too, Ned.”
Garrick rolled his eyes and returned the phone to his desk.
Miranda hovered near the doorway. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Sure. It’s a free country.”
Miranda hesitated, and then entered the room. “I came by to give you this.” She handed over a thick envelope.
“What is it?”
“The house sold,” she said. “That’s your half of the money.” She lowered her hands and fidgeted.
“You didn’t have to bring this over. That’s what lawyers are for.” He smirked.
Miranda burst into tears.
Stunned, Garrick blinked. When his brain kicked into gear he rushed around his desk. “I’m sorry. I was joking,” he comforted her awkwardly. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s all right. It’s just this pregnancy.” She fumbled and withdrew a tissue from her purse. “I cry all the time now.”
“Oh.” He relaxed and stepped back. “You scared me for a moment there. I thought something was wrong.”
“Oh, no. It’s just…” She twisted her face as she burst into more tears. “He left me!”
“What?” He directed her over to a chair.
“Mark left me.” She sniffed. “He said that everything was moving too fast and that he wasn’t sure he was ready to become a father. Ready. Can you believe that? He’s forty-nine years old!”
Lost for words, Garrick could do no more than stare at her. What was he supposed to say?
Miranda quickly drenched her tissue and dug through her purse for another. “I should have known better. Mark was never like you—kind, patient, and adored children.”
Garrick’s hackles stood at attention. She was going somewhere with this. “We were a long time ago.”
“I made a mistake.” She clutched his hand. “It was a big mistake. Can you ever forgive me?”
Garrick fingered his tie loose as the room grew scorching hot. “Miranda, there’s nothing to forgive. We were simply two people who wanted different things out of a marriage. It was what you would call a no-fault divorce. I don’t blame you.”
“That’s not true.” She shook her head vigorously. “I do want the same things. I want the house and the children and the picket fence.”
Garrick glanced down at her protruding belly.
Miranda tilted his chin up to meet her shimmering eyes. “I have to know. Is there any way you can give me a second chance?”
Chapter 17
As January melted into February, Leila’s life continued to change. After the Alison fiasco, she had given up the notion of finding a sitter or nanny for Emma. Instead, she hired movers and had Ciara and her office moved to her residence.
In retrospect, she didn’t know why she hadn’t thought of this solution before. Staff meetings were held during Emma’s naps and by video teleconference; same-day carriers delivered photo layouts, art direction proposals, and articles.
“You are my idol.” Ciara breezed over to her desk and handed Leila her afternoon coffee and Emma’s juice bottle. “I should have known you would figure out a way to run a magazine and be a full-time mom.”
“A full-time aunt,” Leila corrected while she played patty-cake with Emma.
“C’mon. You can’t tell me that you’re not enjoying yourself. You should see how you light up every time this little cutie is around.” Ciara bent down and pinched Emma’s chubby cheeks.
Emma giggled, prominently showing off her two bottom teeth.
“You know, it’s not too late for you to have one yourself,” Ciara said, patting her barely there bulge.
“So you keep telling me.” Leila rolled her eyes. “And I keep telling you it’s never going to happen.”
Ciara shrugged. “I know I can’t wait to have a little Elmo running around the house.”
“Heck, I can buy you one of those,” Leila joked.
“Ha. Ha.”
“What can I say? You walked right into that one.”
The phone rang and Ciara stretched across Leila’s desk to answer. “Leila Owens’s office.”
Leila settled her niece on her lap and fed her the juice bottle.
“Yes, just a moment.” Ciara placed a hand across the mouthpiece and whispered, “It’s Mr. Porter with Hearst.”
Irritated, Leila weighed whether she should take the call and then decided that it was just best to get the damn thing over with.
“Here, I’ll take her.” Ciara reached for Emma while Leila grabbed the phone.
“Mr. Porter, how nice to hear from you again.”
Every week Leila and Mr. Porter had the same conversation. Hearst would increase their offer and she would turn it down. Lately, it was getting harder to do so.
“I still think you’re crazy,” Ciara said in between blowing raspberries on Emma’s chest. “There’s no way I would turn down—how much are they up to now?”
“Eighty-two million.”
Ciara clasped a hand to her throat and pretended to choke. “Great Scott. You really have flipped.”
“Great Scott?”
“No cursing around the kid, remember?”
The small reminder was enough to send Leila’s thoughts careening toward Garrick. In the past month, she’d practically put herself under house arrest to avoid running into him.
The whole thing was silly. The lifespan of their relationship had only lasted a week. However, it didn’t explain her constantly peering through windows and hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
So far, she’d learned his bedroom light clicked on at five-thirty every weekday morning and eight o’clock on the weekends. When going to work, he dressed impeccably in a suit and tie and was out the door by 7:00 a.m.; and he was home no later than 7:00 p.m.
Fleetingly, she wondered if her actions constituted stalking, but she dismissed them as harmless curiosity. There was nothing wrong with checking to see how he was doing.
“Never mind. I see you’re zoning out on me again.”
Ciara’s words snapped Leila from her thoughts. “I’m sorry. What were you saying?”
“Apparently nothing you want to hear.” Ciara stood and placed Emma in her playpen. “If we’re going to continue to work this close together, you’re going to have to work on your conversational skills.”
“You got it.” Leila saluted and then resumed poring over paperwork. “Did Jeannie ever fax or e-mail her feature story?”
“Oh.” Ciara snapped her fingers. “I picked it up when I swung by the office this morning. I must have left it in my car. Since I’ve gotten pregnant, my memory has been shot
.”
“Put that on your list of things not to admit to your boss.”
“If you ever get pregnant, you’ll see what I mean,” Ciara said over her shoulder as she headed toward the front door.
She was still smiling when she stepped out of the house and walked over to her car. As she opened her passenger-side door, a car pulled into the driveway across the street. At long last, she was going to actually catch a peek at her boss’s good-looking neighbor.
Whatever she’d expected, it wasn’t the six-foot-plus brother with the body of a gladiator. He was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, and when he bent over to grab something from the trunk, Ciara swore she could bounce a quarter off his tight butt.
“Now that’s fine.” She snatched up Jeannie’s feature story, smiled, and then whistled on her way back to the house.
“What are you so happy about?” Leila asked.
Ciara plopped the story down on Leila’s desk. “The sight of a good-looking man tends to do that to me—and the one across the street is above grade-A quality. Girl, you weren’t lying about him.”
“Garrick.” Leila started to jump up from her chair, but caught herself. “He’s all right.” Leila dropped her gaze to read Jeannie’s story.
“All right?” Ciara thundered. “That’s not what you told me five weeks ago. You said, ‘gorgeous doesn’t do him justice.’”
“I thought you couldn’t remember anything?”
“I’m not going to forget his fine butt. Speaking of which, did you see it?”
“Oh, yeah. I saw all right.” Leila flipped to the second page of the article despite not reading a single word. However, she did have a perfect image of Garrick’s naked butt in her head—and a smile on her face.
Ciara cocked her head. “What is that supposed to mean? Why are you smiling?”
“Hmmm?” Leila pretended she hadn’t heard the question.
“Did you and your neighbor…hook up or something?”
“What?” Leila overplayed her reaction and could see Ciara didn’t buy it.
“You did, didn’t you?” she screamed and jumped up and down. “When? Where? Why didn’t you tell me? Are you going to see him again?”
Groaning, Leila rolled her eyes and dropped the charade. “Calm down. It’s no big deal.”
She’s My Baby Page 10
