Who's the Daddy

by Judy Christenberry

  He pulled them to a stop. “Would you rather go home and go to bed? I’ll understand if you do.”

  “No. I want to have dinner with you, but I’d like to go home and change. I meant to do so before you got there, but Chelsea came up to talk to me and I forgot.”

  “Sure. We’ll go back to your house and you can change.”

  Once they were in his truck and headed back on the freeway, Caroline said, “You know, that’s another thing.”

  “Am I supposed to know what you’re talking about?” he asked, squeezing her hand as he held it against his thigh.

  “Sorry, I was thinking aloud. You always touch me.”

  “You’re complaining?” he asked, startled.

  “No! No, I love it, just as I love touching you. But Adrian doesn’t touch me.”

  “He’d better not!”

  His jealousy pleased her, but it wasn’t her point. “No, Max, think about it. If we were sleeping together on a regular basis, as Adrian says we were, wouldn’t he be used to touching me?”

  He leered at her. “It’s hard to sleep together and not touch.”

  She chuckled, as he’d intended, and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I mean when we’re not in bed. We’re touching. That’s the first thing you do when we meet. You reach for me, whether it’s my hand, my mouth, my shoulders, you touch me.”

  “You’re pretty hard to resist.”

  “Adrian doesn’t seem to have any trouble.”

  “You want him to touch you?” Max sounded jealous.

  “Don’t be silly. I’m just trying to think rationally about what’s happening here.”

  “I agree with you, Caroline, but I don’t think that line of reasoning is going to impress your father…or anyone else. And if you tell Adrian that, he’ll just start touching you, to prove you wrong.”

  “I’ll keep it to myself, then.”

  “Good girl,” Max agreed, dropping her hand to put his arm around her shoulders and cuddle her close against him.

  They pulled into the driveway and paused at the closed gate, Max pushing the button. While they waited for a response, he kissed her, a kiss that roused the desire simmering just below the surface every time they were close to each other. His hand was caressing her breast as the intercom came on.

  “Yes?”

  Max reluctantly pulled back, his gaze still on Caroline, as he answered Mrs. Lamb. After the gate swung open, he drove up to the house.

  Just as he stopped the truck, Caroline said, “Oh, Max, I think I should tell you that there’s a camera attached to the intercom system. Mrs. Lamb saw everything we did.”

  Like a schoolboy caught looking at dirty pictures, he flushed bright red up to his hairline.

  “And that will teach you to laugh when I’m in an embarrassing situation,” she teased before slipping from the truck.

  With a growl, Max came racing around the truck and she scampered ahead of him into the house, laughing at his antics.

  Until she almost bumped into Adrian.

  And her father.

  “Oh! Hi.”

  “Where have you been?” her father demanded.

  Though he was speaking to her, James’s stare was directed at Max.

  “I had an errand to run.”

  “And you couldn’t do it alone?” James demanded.

  The seriousness of the situation eluded Caroline, especially when she applied his question to the past hour. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “I find it inappropriate for my fiancée to be running around town with another man,” Adrian said stiffly.

  Caroline stared at the man she was supposed to marry in two days and remembered Chelsea’s words. “Then perhaps I shouldn’t marry you, Adrian.”

  Both her father and Adrian stared at her as if she’d just announced the outbreak of World War III. Max’s hand came to her shoulder.

  “Don’t be ridiculous!” her father sputtered. “You promised to marry the father of the baby!”

  “That’s right,” Adrian chimed in. “And I presented proof. That’s more than he did.”

  “Adrian, I know I promised to marry the father of my baby. But I don’t love you. I think it would be wrong for us to marry. I’d like you to release me from my promise.” She wasn’t sure when she’d made the decision, but Caroline felt she was making the right one.

  Adrian’s face took on a hurt expression that even convinced Caroline, making her uneasy. “I realize you don’t care for me anymore, Caroline, but I think you owe me the right to make my child legitimate, to be its legal father. If, after it’s born, you don’t feel you can live with me, then we’ll discuss a divorce. But at least give me the right to protect my child.”

  In spite of herself, his speech touched her. And made her angry. Even though she thought he was lying, he’d certainly made her feel like a despicable person, a fickle female, toying with his heart.

  Before she could answer, Max said, “You aren’t the father of her baby, Meadows, and you know it.”

  James answered before Adrian could. “I’ve seen his proof. Do you have any? Have you shown us anything to convince us that you’re telling the truth and not just attempting to feather your nest with my fortune?”

  “Daddy!” Caroline protested even as a sharp pain hit her between the eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Caroline, but you have to be careful. I’ve warned you about men using you to get to me. And yet you still believe him.”

  “I don’t care anything about you or your fortune!” Max roared. “All I care about is Caroline!”

  “Easy to say, but like James said, I don’t see any proof,” Adrian taunted, triumph in his voice.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “WHAT DO YOU HAVE?” Joe Perkins asked, gripping the telephone receiver tightly.

  “Nothing so far. You?” Don Knowles asked in return.

  “Nothing. This man covers his tracks well. I think there’s another woman, but I can’t find any proof of it.”

  “Several people have recognized the picture of Meadows you gave me. He was a tightwad tipper. But not the picture of Miss Adkins. They remember he was with a woman, but they’re sure it wasn’t her.”

  “Have you tried to find the photographer?”

  “Yeah. There must be a million of them. I’ve looked at so many photos, I’m going crazy. I’ve got three more photographers to check out. Two of them are on vacation. The third one has disappeared.”

  “The wedding’s tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  CAROLINE SLEPT LATE the next morning. The day before had exhausted her. And also frustrated her.

  She was sure Adrian was lying, but his request to be the legal father of his own child, as he said, put her in a difficult position. And easily convinced her father her behavior was outrageous.

  If she simply refused to marry Adrian, she would be alienated from her father. She didn’t want that. Her family might not be like most families, but she loved them.

  She reached for her crackers and nibbled slowly. How long before she got past morning sickness? Chelsea was six weeks ahead of her and she had no trouble with it.

  Six weeks? Surely she wouldn’t have to wait so long.

  By then she supposed her fate would be sealed. All the mental debating would be over. And if she could find a way to avoid marrying Adrian, she’d just have to find a way to bring her father around.

  “Too bad he’s such a hardhead,” she muttered. Though she really couldn’t complain since she shared that particular trait.

  And in spite of his great disappointment when she’d left his company, he’d supported her decision. Which made it all the more difficult to consider hurting him again. Which also explained why she was still living at home instead of having her own place, as she wanted.

  With a sigh, she sank back into the pillow, covering her eyes. Too many decisions. Too many people to please. Too much she couldn’t remember.

  The phone rang. She checked her watch. Ten o’clock.
<
br />   “Hello?”

  “Good morning, Caroline.”

  Max’s baritone warmed her to her toes.

  “Mmm, good morning,” she replied, snuggling into her pillow, wishing it was Max’s shoulder.

  “Are you feeling okay after yesterday?”

  “Yes. I’m just not moving very fast.”

  “I guess Adrian hasn’t confessed all?”

  At dinner last night, they had discussed such a possibility, but they’d both admitted it wasn’t likely.

  “No. And Daddy is firmly entrenched on his side.”

  “Yeah. I gathered that. I think my first clue was the glares he kept shooting my way.”

  “It’s not you personally, Max. He just wants me to marry Adrian. He probably already has the honeymoon planned.”

  “Without consulting you?”

  “Given the choice, my father would plan my entire life without consulting me. He always thinks he knows best.” Even as she finished talking, a sudden thought struck her. “Max! What about after the wedding?”

  “That depends on whose wedding.”

  “No, Max, think! If we were getting married tomorrow, wouldn’t you have made plans for afterward? Where we would live, where we would go?”

  “We are getting married tomorrow, and I was hoping you’d want to live in my house. And I know what room we’ll be spending all our time in.”

  Caroline shivered under the covers as she thought about the time already spent in Max’s beautiful bedroom. “Oh, Max, I would love it, but that’s not the point.”

  He chuckled. “It never seems to be with you.”

  “Max! Stop teasing. Don’t you see? Adrian hasn’t made any plans for after the wedding. At least, I don’t think he has.” Somehow she thought she was on to something here. “I think I should go to Adrian’s apartment. Maybe I’ll find something there that will give us proof.”

  “You’re not going to that man’s apartment alone!”

  “Well, it wouldn’t be appropriate to take you.”

  “Look, sweetheart, I wasn’t going to tell you because I didn’t want to get your hopes up, but I hired a private investigator.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah. So let him do the investigation, okay?”

  “I hired one, too.” She waited for his response, but he remained silent. “Max? Are you there?”

  “Yeah. I’m just surprised.”

  “Why? Did you think I wanted to marry Adrian?”

  “No, but—have they found anything?”

  “No. At least, they haven’t called me. Yours?”

  “No. I called this morning and his secretary said he was in Vegas, working on it.”

  “I’ll call mine.”

  “Call me right back,” Max insisted.

  “Okay.”

  Two minutes later, she called Max. “He said they think there’s another woman, but he has no proof. He sent a woman to the office this morning, hoping to get something out of his secretary, but she wouldn’t tell her anything.”

  “Damn.”

  His forlorn tones made her want to put her arms around him. That and her desire to make love with him again. Were pregnant women supposed to think about such things? She’d better get her mind on important matters. “That’s why I need to go to his apartment.”

  “Promise me you won’t go alone.”

  Caroline promised and then hung up the phone reluctantly. She hated to break contact with Max. As long as she was with him or talking to him, she believed that they would somehow find a way to be together. And she desperately needed to believe.

  Her body craved Max’s. But even more importantly, her heart wanted him by her side. Forever and ever. She wanted to know that whatever she faced, Max would be by her side, sharing her life.

  At least she’d found something she could do, and she felt a sudden burst of energy. She called her sister, hoping to persuade her to accompany her.

  “Well, of course, you should see where you’re going to live. Do you want to start moving your things?”

  “No, Chelsea. I just want to see his apartment. Will you come with me?”

  “I suppose so,” Chelsea agreed with a sigh. “But I must say, your wedding is consuming all my time.”

  “Sorry,” Caroline apologized meekly, but she suspected Chelsea would’ve expected so much more had it been her wedding.

  An hour later, with Chelsea driving, they arrived at the address her father’s secretary had given them. Caroline was determined to see the apartment without telling Adrian.

  The security guard in the lobby of the high-rise apartment building smiled at them as they approached.

  “Good morning, ladies. May I help you?”

  “Yes, you can,” Caroline assured him, hoping her confidence would sway him. “I need you to let me in to my fiancé’s apartment.” She giggled and fluttered her lashes. “He forgot to give me the key, and we’re getting married tomorrow.”

  The man’s smile took on a paternal air. “Now, just who would that fiancé be?”

  “Adrian Meadows.”

  The smile disappeared.

  “Mr. Meadows didn’t say anything about getting married. And I’ve never seen either one of you with him before.”

  Chelsea appeared affronted by his words. “Certainly not. I’m a married woman.”

  “You haven’t ever seen me before?” Caroline asked. “Not even in the evenings?”

  “I don’t work the late shift.”

  “Oh. That would explain it.” She’d hoped she’d maybe found more proof, since Adrian said they made love in his apartment most of the time. Maybe she could find the night man. “But it’s all right. I’m his fiancée.”

  “I’ll have to call Mr. Meadows for his approval.”

  “Oh, surely that’s not necessary. After all, after tomorrow, I’ll be living here, too.” She hoped she wasn’t, but so far she wasn’t making much progress.

  The man ignored her and picked up the phone.

  “I think this man is rude,” Chelsea complained in a whisper. “You should complain to Adrian.”

  “What’s your name?” the security guard asked.

  “Caroline Adkins.”

  He repeated the name to whomever he was talking. “Yes, ma’am. Just a minute.” He held the phone out to Caroline. “His secretary wants to talk to you.”

  “Hello?”

  “Miss Adkins, this is Mary Lambert. Mr. Meadows is out of the office at the moment. You needed to see his apartment?”

  “Why, yes. Since we’re being married tomorrow—” The sound of the phone hitting the floor stopped Caroline. “Hello?”

  “I’m sorry, I dropped the phone. You’re being married tomorrow, you were saying?”

  “Yes, Adrian and I are being married tomorrow. I thought I should see where I would be living.”

  “I expect Mr. Meadows to return in an hour. I’ll have him call you when he comes in.” She sounded as if she was about to hang up the phone.

  “Wait! Can’t you just tell the guard to let me in? I don’t want to have to make another trip over here.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Miss Adkins. I’ll have Mr. Meadows call.”

  Caroline was left holding the receiver, the dial tone in her ear. She looked at the guard, watching her intently, wondering if she could fake her way past him, but it didn’t look promising. Finally she handed the phone back to him. “He’s out of the office.”

  “Maybe he’s with Daddy,” Chelsea offered.

  “Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? May I borrow your phone again?”

  The guard reluctantly handed over the phone and Caroline dialed her father’s office.

  “Daddy? Is Adrian with you?”

  “Yes, he’s here, but we’re in the middle of a meeting. What do you need?”

  “I want to see his apartment, to see where we’ll be living, but the guard won’t let me in.” She hoped her voice conveyed some enthusiasm for the prospect of living with Adr
ian.

  “Oh. Of course. Adrian, you need to give the guard at your condo permission to let Caroline in. She wants to see your place, though I guess she’s seen it a few times, hasn’t she?” he added with a chuckle.

  Caroline wished she’d been able to see Adrian’s face. Finding him with her father was so much better than him being in his office, alone. She heard a strangled protest.

  “Why not?” her father asked, plainly puzzled. There was a mumbled response that Caroline couldn’t understand.

  “Adrian says the place isn’t clean. He’ll show it to you this evening.”

  “But aren’t we having the rehearsal this evening? After all, the wedding is tomorrow night,” Caroline insisted.

  “No, your mother called and they’ve scheduled the rehearsal tomorrow at three.”

  “The day of the wedding?”

  “Yes, Caroline, and I really have to get back to the meeting. Be a good girl, and Adrian will take you to his place this evening.”

  She hung up the phone. “I don’t want to see it this evening!” she protested bitterly to her father, who could no longer hear her. Chelsea and the guard stared at her.

  “Come on, Chelsea, let’s go.”

  The guard said nothing as they walked away.

  “What did Daddy say?”

  “He said Adrian would show me the apartment this evening. After he cleans it. Can you see Adrian pushing a vacuum cleaner?” Just the thought cheered her, but she also knew that she’d lost the opportunity to surprise him. If she had to look at the apartment tonight, there wouldn’t be a single shred of evidence.

  “I’m not surprised you’re irritated,” Chelsea agreed. “Why, when Roddy and I were getting married, we made all our decisions together, picked out the house and furnished it before the wedding.”

  “Yes, but you had more than three days.”

  “Well, of course. It takes months to plan a wedding.” Chelsea apparently realized she might have caused her sister concern. “I’m sure your wedding will be nice, too, Caro, but—but it would’ve been better if you’d had more time.”