In contrast to her own slightly disheveled state, he might have strolled from a resort ad. Sporty and suave in casual slacks and an open-collared shirt, he had a coat slung over one arm, an expensive leather case in one hand and a laptop carrier in the other. The man would bring his computer to a retreat.
“Where are your skis?” she asked.
“I’ll rent some.” His eyes flew to Ginger. “Is she dressed warmly enough?”
“I bought a coat for her.” Although her granddaughter was unlikely to need it often, it did get cold in Texas. Besides, Heather didn’t mind the expense. It was a lot more fun buying clothes for the baby than for herself.
“I’m afraid I’ve got a slight problem,” Jason said.
“I hope you’re not planning to bring your dog!”
He blinked a couple of times. “No, he’s paying a visit to his former owners.”
“Then what…” Heather could guess. None too happily, she said, “Your car?”
“It’s making a funny noise.” Jason assumed an expression of innocence that Heather didn’t quite buy. “Normally, I’d take my chances, but I’d hate to get stranded in the mountains.”
“How are Alexei and Lisa getting there?” Although the two new doctors hadn’t showed up at Doctors Circle yet, Heather assumed they must have arrived in the area. “Maybe one of them could give you a ride.”
“I don’t know,” Jason said. “Look, I can see that this is awkward. I’ll go rent a car.”
That, Heather concluded reluctantly, was an obvious waste of money, since they lived in the same complex and were going to the same destination. “It’ll make you at least an hour late.”
“I’m sure you and our two new doctors will find plenty to talk about until I get there,” he said blandly.
Heather gave an inward shudder at the prospect of making polite chitchat with two rather intimidating strangers while they waited for Jason.
“Forget it. You can ride with me.”
“Thanks.” To give him credit, he didn’t gloat over his success, at least not where she could see it.
When they reached the car, he stowed their cases in the trunk while she strapped Ginger into her seat. The man deserved a comeuppance for presuming on her, Heather mused as she finished the task. Besides, as long as Jason was encroaching on her hospitality, he might as well make himself useful.
“Whoa!” she said when he started to get into the front passenger seat. “I’d prefer that you ride in the back. That way you can watch Ginger so I won’t have to pull over to check if she starts to fuss.”
She steeled herself for his protest. Instead, Jason’s face lit up. “Great!”
“Why?” she asked.
“Why what?” He moved to the rear door.
“Why aren’t you giving me an argument?”
“Because I don’t want to,” he said, and got in next to the baby.
Perhaps this wouldn’t be such a difficult weekend after all, Heather reflected. With Jason on his best behavior, it might actually be fun.
She was almost looking forward to it.
Chapter Ten
In the dim light, Jason gazed into two inquisitive green eyes. If he’d had any remaining doubts about Ginger’s parentage, her eye color—a match for his own—banished them.
“Hi,” he said.
“Ba ba ba,” said his daughter.
Alert and curious, she had pixielike features and perfectly formed little hands. A man could build a happy life with a child like this, taking her to the park, reading to her at night, holding her up to play with the ornaments on the Christmas tree.
It almost made Jason angry that Heather had tried to deny him these experiences. He had to acknowledge, however, that she had justification. In the grip of a hangover, he’d snarled that he didn’t want to hear any more about what had happened between them, and she’d taken him at his word.
It must have been a shock to discover that she was carrying his baby, especially since they’d apparently tried to use contraception. He hated to think what she’d endured, going through the pregnancy alone, hiding it from her coworkers. And matters weren’t necessarily easier now.
Jason had sometimes become impatient with colleagues who changed their schedules or left early because of day-care problems. Now he wondered how Heather managed. Obviously, she’d hired a nanny, but Olive seemed to feel entitled to take off an evening or an entire week whenever it suited her.
He almost said something right then. What was the point of continuing with this charade?
What stopped him was the probability that Heather would turn the car around and go home. Also, although she might be forced to acknowledge the truth, that didn’t mean she would agree to share Ginger with him.
A nasty court battle wasn’t in anyone’s best interest, especially not his daughter’s. It would be far, far better to improve their relationship to the point where Heather felt comfortable confiding in him and inviting him into her life.
Jason wasn’t sure what that was going to entail. Until last Sunday, he’d had no intention of starting a family or of making a commitment of any kind beyond acquiring a puppy. Even then, he’d made sure he had a backup caretaker.
The more he thought about his daughter, though, the more he wanted to be with her every day. That didn’t mean he was ready to get married, buy a house and plant roses. On the other hand, if they had their own house, Ginger could grow up with plenty of space and he wouldn’t have to sneak Frodo out for walks.
A house? Tension knotted in Jason’s throat. Taking on commitments meant limiting his future. It meant becoming like the many scientists he’d seen whose early promise dissipated after they settled down, sacrificing both their mobility and their edge.
He refused to worry about the future right now. The important thing was to focus on his goal: ingratiating himself with Heather and getting to know their daughter.
To distract himself and amuse the fidgeting baby, Jason pointed at a school they were passing. On the illuminated athletic field, a group of kids played a lively game of soccer. “School,” he told the baby.
“Ba ba?”
“Someday you might go to kindergarten there,” he told her.
“La!” she said approvingly.
“I don’t think she’s smart enough to go to school there at five,” came the unexpected remark from the front seat.
He bristled. “The heck she isn’t!”
Heather’s red hair shook from side to side. “Goodness, you’ve certainly taken a shine to her. I didn’t peg you as the fatherly type.”
You’d be surprised. Or rather, you will be surprised. “There’s no reason Ginger can’t go to kindergarten at that school, or anywhere she wants to.”
“Yes, there is.” They turned onto a thoroughfare leading toward the freeway. “It’s a middle school. Didn’t you take a look at the students?”
Although he supposed the children he’d seen might be a bit old for elementary school, Jason hated to admit defeat. “That doesn’t prove anything. Maybe the school loans out its athletic field to older kids.”
“It’s a middle school,” Heather repeated.
Grumpily, Jason asked, “What makes you the big expert?”
“I gave a talk there for the Moms in Training program on pregnancy prevention,” she said.
You must have had fun explaining how you landed in the same predicament. Jason clamped his teeth together to stifle the words. One remark like that and Heather would put him out on the pavement. He’d deserve it, too.
He remembered how she’d reacted to his remark that her nurse should have used birth control. Jason winced at the memory of his tactlessness. Too bad he hadn’t known then what he knew now, including the fact that he was as susceptible to unbridled passion as anyone.
As he watched Ginger explore a cloth book with rapt interest, he marveled at the miracle that had been created by accident. How could he wish that anything had happened differently when it might have deprived them of thi
s child?
Thank goodness he and Heather were adults, capable of supporting and caring for a child responsibly. The issues were much more complicated for teenagers like the ones she counseled.
A face appeared in his mind. Daniel, a buddy from high school. Jason had run into him a few years ago at their fifteenth reunion.
Back in high school, Daniel had gotten a girl pregnant. Angry and confused, he’d refused to have anything to do with her or their child.
At the reunion, Jason had learned the rest of the story. After college and a childless marriage that ended in divorce, Daniel had sought out his son. He’d discovered that the boy, adopted by a loving stepfather, had no interest in his birth father.
“He’s probably the only child I’ll ever have, and he doesn’t want anything to do with me,” Daniel had said in a voice ragged with regret. “I wish I’d had a crystal ball when I was young so I could see the future. I’d have done things a lot differently.”
Jason didn’t intend to make the same mistake. He was going to make sure Ginger grew up with a loving father.
DARKNESS HAD settled over the mountains by the time Heather parked in front of the A-frame cabin. Through the windshield, she gazed at a turbulent, starless sky.
“You don’t think it’s going to snow, do you? I forgot to check the weather report.” There were no other cars in the driveway or along the curb, she noticed. “I hope Alexei and Lisa won’t run into problems.”
“Let’s get inside and worry about them later.” Jason opened his door. “Do you want me to unstrap Ginger?”
He and the baby had gotten along amazingly well on the journey. In the rearview mirror, Heather had glimpsed Jason trying to teach Ginger how to play patty-cake, although he didn’t appear to grasp the principles very well himself. Later, he’d read to her in a rich voice that made Spot the Dog sound like a literary masterpiece.
When Heather stopped at a grocery store, he’d volunteered to stay in the car, although he’d insisted on providing money for food. It was a business expense, he’d pointed out. Thanks to the generous amount, Heather had loaded up on steaks, salmon and plenty of other items.
“I’d like to set up the playpen first so we have a safe place to put her inside while we unload.” Although so far Ginger wasn’t very mobile, Heather knew that a baby could start crawling without warning.
“It’s best to be cautious,” Jason agreed.
A few snowflakes swirled against Heather’s nose as she got out of the car, and the chill wind reminded her to retrieve her coat. “What time are you expecting the others?” she asked.
“Any minute now.” Jason went to unlock the front door before returning for the playpen.
They worked smoothly together, transferring the baby and their possessions indoors. Despite his strength, Jason moved with cautious gentleness. The way he held doors and insisted on carrying heavy items gave Heather an unfamiliar sense of being protected.
If he nudged against her more often than might be necessary, it only made her increasingly aware of his tangy aftershave lotion, which she didn’t recall him wearing at work. The scent brought back tantalizing memories of Atlanta.
Heather dragged her attention away from Jason and set to figuring out the sleeping arrangements. Downstairs, the cabin provided two bedrooms. An open staircase led to a large loft equipped with a skylight and furnished as a master bedroom. It didn’t require much math to figure that someone was going to have to sleep in the living room.
“I’ll take the couch,” she told Jason, who was bringing in firewood. “Ginger wakes up early. That way I can fix her breakfast without bothering anyone.”
“We’ll see,” was his reply.
“It makes sense.” Heather wanted a decision so she could figure out where to stow the rest of her gear before their colleagues arrived.
“Let’s find out what the others have to say.” Apparently the subject was closed. After a moment of internal debate, Heather decided not to make an issue of something so minor.
Jason knelt, layering the firewood and interspersing it with tinder. “I haven’t done this for a long time.”
“At least in Boston it made sense to build fires, unlike where I grew up.” Heather lowered her granddaughter to a fluffy rug. “Most Southern California houses come with fireplaces, but you have to turn on the air conditioner to enjoy them.”
“That sounds like fun,” Jason said.
“It sounds like a waste of energy.” Heather and her mother had battled with her father and brother on that point, and lost. “It must be a guy thing.”
“What must?”
“Building fires,” she said.
Kneeling by the hearth, he swung around to regard her with amusement. “Are you implying that I’m fulfilling some kind of primeval mandate?”
“I would never describe you as a caveman.” As soon as the words were out, Heather remembered that she had once thought of him as a Neanderthal. Today, however, his behavior was not only civilized but charming.
“Never?” he teased.
“Rarely,” she amended. Outside, the wind rose. “Did you hear a forecast?”
“I’m afraid not.” Jason clicked on the TV and found the news.
Ginger paid no attention. She flopped onto her stomach, absorbed in the business of creeping.
“Doesn’t that hurt her?” Jason asked as the little girl, after making a valiant effort to crawl, pitched forward onto her nose.
“Sometimes.” Heather restrained her impulse to comfort the fussing child. Smothering an infant wasn’t healthy. Sure enough, Ginger soon tired of whimpering and resumed her struggles.
“That rug might not be terribly clean,” he said.
“It’s good for kids to be around dirt.” She’d read several articles on this point. “Some experts believe that children who don’t get exposed to normal household germs at an early age are more vulnerable to allergies.”
“I’d like to review their data,” Jason grumbled. “I’ll bet they fudged it.”
On the screen, an announcer said, “Now for the local weather. We’re expecting three to four inches of snow tonight, folks. The sky should clear tomorrow, so get ready to hit the ski slopes.”
“Perfect!” Jason said. “I much prefer natural snow to the artificial kind.”
“What do you mean, it’s perfect?” Heather demanded. “Alexei and Lisa still aren’t here. You should be concerned about their safety!”
“Of course I am.” Jason didn’t sound very convincing.
Heather wasn’t sure how, but she knew he was hiding something. “What’s going on? Is there some kind of delay?”
“You might say that.” He hesitated.
“Well?” she demanded.
Jason clicked off the TV. “I know I should have told you sooner. Alexei called to say he’d missed his flight, and Lisa…”
“When will they get here?”
He cleared his throat in the guiltiest manner Heather had ever witnessed. “That’s a matter of interpretation.”
“Don’t tell me they’re not coming!”
He ducked his head. It was as good as a confession.
“When did you find out?” she demanded.
“Just, uh…” His gaze fixed on Ginger. “She’s eating something. What’s she eating?”
Torn between concern for her granddaughter and frustration with Jason, Heather crooked her finger and swept it through the baby’s mouth. Out came a small thread the color of her sleeper. “Nothing that will hurt her. Now tell me about Alexei and Lisa. How long have you known they weren’t going to make it?”
He turned on the built-in gas jet in the fireplace. Flames leaped, igniting the kindling. “They weren’t ever coming.”
“What?”
“I apologize.” The man quirked a grin at her. “You and I got off to a rough start, and this struck me as an opportunity to smooth out our differences.”
“You set me up?” Heather couldn’t believe his nerve. “You manipulated
me into coming to the mountains alone with you?”
“More or less.” Catching her glare, Jason added, “Think of it this way. We both get a weekend’s vacation and we don’t need to spend any more time together than seems comfortable. Ginger can have her own room and so can you.”
“We have our own rooms at home.” If she hadn’t been so tired from the long drive and if the fire hadn’t looked so inviting, Heather would have headed for the car immediately. Darn the man!
“At home, we’d never have taken the time to develop a good working relationship.” Jason fixed the fire screen in place.
“And that’s all you have in mind?”
“Absolutely.”
“We already live practically next door,” Heather said. “You didn’t have to stage this craziness.”
“We live halfway across the complex from each other,” he corrected.
“You joined my health club.”
“We’ve only run into each other once.”
“On your first visit!” The man was outrageous. Cute, too, but Heather was in no mood to be charitable. “Did Patrick know you tricked me into coming here?”
A tinge of red stained his cheeks. “No.”
“You told him the same cock-and-bull story about a retreat?”
“I fudged.” Jason’s shoulders sagged. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“It was a lousy idea. I’m going home.” Heather didn’t want to, at this hour in the face of a looming snowstorm, but her innate stubbornness refused to yield.
“And waste all that food?” Jason had carried it to the kitchen himself, so he knew exactly what she’d purchased. “I’m cooking, by the way. Which would you prefer, the steak or the salmon?”
Heather’s hand flew to her mouth. “I bought enough for four adults for an entire weekend!”
“My point exactly,” he said. “We can’t leave now. It would be wasteful.”
“We can take it home and eat it there. Separately!” Heather climbed to her feet. “We’re leaving. If you don’t want to get stranded here, I suggest you begin loading the car immediately.”
“She’s sleeping.” He nodded toward Ginger. “I can’t believe you’d wake her.”
Prognosis: A Baby? Maybe Page 12
