“Are you having fun?” she asked the little girl.
“Yeah! This is awesome!”
Bobby looked at Maggie over his daughter’s head and winked, smiling. He was beyond grateful to Maggie for taking the unscheduled visit in stride. She’d even taken off work on Friday afternoon so that she could stay with Savannah when he’d had to leave for the studio.
He’d arrived home late that night to find the little girl fast asleep in a makeshift tent constructed out of a blanket draped over a card table.
“We decided to pretend we were camping,” Maggie had explained with a smile.
When their skating session ended, they sat together changing out of their skates and into their shoes. Finished first, Bobby stood and grinned at them. “How about I go turn in my skates and see about getting us some hot chocolate?”
“Yes! Hot chocolate!” Savannah shouted, pumping her fist up and down as Maggie worked to remove the child’s skates.
“Take your time deciding, now,” her father teased. “You wouldn’t want to be too hasty.” He and Maggie laughed, and Savannah joined in without really knowing why.
“I’ll be right...” The ringing of his phone interrupted him. He glanced down at the screen and frowned. “Deanna,” he mouthed to Maggie. She nodded and resumed unlacing Savannah’s skates.
“Hello,” Bobby said.
Curious, Maggie stole glances at his face while she put on Savannah’s shoes and tied them. “What do you mean?” He shot a meaningful look at Maggie before turning his back and walking away from them.
“Where’s Daddy going?”
“Oh, he has an important call. Tell you what, how about you and I go get some hot chocolate for the three of us while Daddy finishes talking on the phone?”
Bobby glanced back over his shoulder and Maggie motioned to let him know they were going to the concession stand. He nodded sharply and turned back around. Even from a distance, Maggie could see the tension in his face.
She smiled warmly at Savannah. “Okay, let’s go get that hot chocolate.”
Steaming brown paper cups in hand, they found a small table and sat sipping warm creamy cocoa. Savannah occupied herself playing a game on Maggie’s phone. Maggie could still see Bobby pacing back and forth on the other side of the rink, from time to time gesturing with his free hand.
“I’m not going back to Texas,” Savanna said softly without looking up from her game.
“What do you mean?” Maggie frowned slightly.
“Mommy says I’m staying with Daddy now. She can’t take me to Saddle ’cause I’m a brat.”
Maggie’s frown deepened. “Take you where? Why would you think you’re a brat? Is that what they were yelling about, sweetie?”
The child nodded, her eyes glued to the screen where birds were being propelled toward a stone wall. Maggie patted Savannah’s back and looked around desperately for Bobby.
* * *
“I couldn’t believe the things she was saying,” Bobby said. His voice was low as he held Maggie, her head resting on his shoulder. They hadn’t had a chance to talk until Savannah had fallen asleep. Now in bed, Maggie listened as Bobby recounted his conversation with Deanna. She’d already told him what Savannah had said during their outing.
“It was all about how I’ve been free to get on with my life while she’s been saddled with a kid.” He looked down at Maggie. “She used those words. And apparently, Gary has been traded to Seattle. They’re moving up there and he doesn’t want the responsibility of raising my ‘brat.’ Also her word.”
“Oh, Bobby, I don’t know what to say.” She pushed herself up on one elbow. “You know Savannah is welcome to stay with us forever.” She regarded him earnestly. “This hits me hard. There will never be one moment when that child doesn’t feel loved or wanted. I swear it on my life.”
Bobby’s eyes softened, and he leaned up to gently kiss her. “I know that, cher. I love you so much.” He sighed deeply. “Deanna said now that they’re back from Paris, she’s packing up all Savannah’s things and shipping them to New York.”
“We’ll need to push up finding a place to live,” Maggie said. “And get her into school, although I can’t see doing that until we know where we’ll be.”
Bobby sighed again. “You know what I keep thinking?” Maggie looked up at him expectantly. “What happens when this thing with Gary goes south? And you know it will. So what then? She’ll want Savannah back again?”
Maggie opened her mouth and closed it again, looking at him sheepishly.
“What?” Bobby asked.
She shook her head, pressing her lips together. “It’s not my place to say anything.”
“It’s your place to tell me exactly what you think. This is a partnership. Ceremony or no ceremony yet, I’m yours and you’re mine. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
Maggie chewed her lip. “She can’t do that. She can’t jerk the kid around like a rag doll or something.” She turned onto her stomach and looked at him squarely. “You need to talk to Michael. You need to file for sole custody to prevent that kind of thing from happening.”
Bobby looked thoughtful. “Maybe that’s not a bad idea. Get everything done legally so Deanna can’t play games.” He kissed her lightly. “I’ll do it. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
* * *
Michael let out a low whistle. “You definitely need to take care of this.” He shook his head. “Otherwise, she’ll keep making life miserable for you and Savannah. Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.”
“So what do we do?” Bobby asked.
“The best thing is to get all our ducks in a row, then blindside her. We’ll make an offer to settle this privately, get her to sign the papers and walk away.” Michael saw Bobby’s puzzled expression. “A guy in your position doesn’t want to turn this into a media circus. You don’t need cameras camped out on your doorstep. Maggie’s doorstep.”
Bobby swiped at his mouth with the palm of his hand. “No. I most definitely don’t want that.” He pictured Maggie and Savannah being dogged by reporters.
Michael nodded. “I’ll send my investigator to Texas, see what kinds of things he finds. If the kid has heard things, you can bet that so have baby sitters or teachers or neighbors. Then you and I will go down there, meet with Deanna and her attorney, and get her to see it your way.” Bobby looked doubtful.
“Don’t worry. This is what I do,” Michael laughed humorlessly. “Just ask Mags.”
* * *
“He’s right, you know.” Maggie spoke quietly while Savannah slept once again in her tent. “Michael doesn’t go into a meeting until he knows he has the evidence he needs.”
She watched as Bobby packed a small bag. He and Michael were leaving first thing in the morning for Dallas. Maggie worried about how Michael would be able to physically handle the trip, but the fire in his eyes the past two weeks had been worth it. This case was exactly the kind of thing Michael Rannigan lived for.
Bobby shook his head miserably. “I didn’t want it to be like this. I wanted us to be civil for Savannah’s sake. But Maggie, the things she’s said about her own child... The things Savannah has heard... It’s unforgivable.” He sank onto the edge of the bed beside her.
Maggie laced her fingers in his and leaned her head on his shoulder. “You did what you were supposed to. This isn’t your fault. But you can make it right.”
At the airport eight hours later, Maggie and Savannah stood ready to say goodbye to Bobby and Michael at the entrance to the security line. Bobby turned to hug Maggie. “I love you more every day, cher.”
Maggie kissed him. “I love you. Get this done and hurry back.”
“I’ll be back before you know it, June bug,” Bobby said to Savannah. “In the meantime, be a good girl. Maybe I’ll bring you a prize.”
Maggie spoke softly to Michael. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”
His eyes twinkled. “Are you asking if I’m ready? I was born ready,” he quipped, more like the old Mich
ael than he’d seemed in a long time.
Maggie laughed as she watched the two men make their way through security and disappear out of sight.
Chapter 25
Michael sat back in his chair at the large oak conference table and relished the feeling of being in control. It had been too long since he’d done real casework. He’d forgotten how it felt, the rush of knowing that he held all the right cards. His charcoal grey suit hung a little loose due to the weight he’d lost, but he still knew how to project a confident presence. Figuring it would negatively impact his intimidation factor, he’d left his oxygen in the rental car.
Bobby sat quietly beside him, tension radiating from his body. Michael had thoroughly prepped him. “Don’t say anything. If they speak to you, look at me. Above all, don’t let them bait you.”
Across the table, Deanna in her white blouse and navy blue knee-length skirt with her honey blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, looked more the sad abandoned single mother than the scheming opportunistic gold-digger that she was. Her gaze flitted nervously between Michael and Bobby. Beside her sat her attorney, a stocky middle-aged man with a sad brown comb-over who tried and failed to stare down Michael.
Oh, you poor uninformed little man. I used to eat guys like you for breakfast. Michael slid his benign poker face into place.
On the other side of Deanna sat Gary Olsen, formerly a Rangers outfielder, now headed to Seattle. He wore an aqua polo shirt with jeans, and he radiated anger as he absently cracked his knuckles, his eyes drilling into Bobby with unconcealed hostility.
“Well,” said Michael, “Mr. Beaulieu and I have come an awfully long way to just sit here and look at each other. Let’s get down to business.” He let his gaze drift across the three seated on the other side of the table. “I know we can settle this thing today, without some prolonged trial. Here’s the deal; we don’t want full custody just for now, just until you change your mind.”
He spoke directly to Deanna as he slid her a set of documents. “If you walk away now, it’s for good. My client is ready to give you a very generous settlement in exchange for your giving up full parental rights in perpetuity. You’ll also be required to sign a nondisclosure agreement, obviously.”
The other attorney cleared his throat. “I’m not sure that’s what Mrs. Beaulieu has in mind.”
Deanna shook her head, her pony tail swinging at odds with her head. “No way. We want to go to court. He owes me more money than that.”
Michael smiled coldly. “I’m reasonably certain that Mrs. Beaulieu would prefer to avoid a prolonged trial. I’ve done a little research.” He removed a file from his brief case.
“You know a Mrs. Silvia Avelar, right? Isn’t she your housekeeper? We have a sworn affidavit by Mrs. Avelar stating that on more than one occasion she heard you and Mr. Olsen arguing about Savannah. According to Mrs. Avelar, you both referred to the child as...” he pretended to scan the document, “a brat.” He looked back up at Deanna. “And this was in the presence of the child.”
“What I said was,” interjected Gary, “I’m not going to be suckered into raising this fucker’s brat offspring.” He pointed at Bobby emphatically.
Michael saw Bobby look down at the table, his jaw shifting tightly. The other lawyer cautioned Gary to be quiet. Michael turned his gaze back to Deanna.
“I have another sworn statement by Gloria Stevenson who says that you once arranged for her to babysit Savannah for the evening and that you failed to return home that night, instead calling her the next day from Mexico?” He allowed an amused twinkle in his eyes. “Wow. That’s not exactly responsible parenting, is it?”
Michael started to put the paper down but immediately picked it up again. “Oh, and it was Mrs. Stevenson who came to pick up Savannah when you were arrested under suspicion of DUI and the little girl was in the car with you.”
Bobby’s head jerked up and he looked from Deanna to Michael and back again. Michael chewed his lip to keep from smiling. Sam Mainor had discovered a wealth of information that even Bobby didn’t know. His priceless reaction helped shepherd Deanna where they needed her to go.
“We’re not here to beat up on Mrs. Beaulieu. She just wants to make sure that she’s not cheated in this process,” the other lawyer said.
Michael smirked. Finally this guy jumps in.
“Unbelievable,” Bobby muttered, his gaze returning to the grain of the table.
“Really? You’re going to judge me?” Her face twisted with anger. “Let me tell you something. I thought if I married you I’d be happy and we’d have a fabulous life. I wasn’t ready to be a mother. I got pregnant on purpose because I didn’t think there was any other way.”
Bobby slowly raised his eyes and spoke softly. “I always knew that. I didn’t care. I loved you and I love my child. I won’t stand for you to mistreat her. Walk away, Deanna.”
“Now, you have our terms, which I think you’ll find are more than generous,” Michael said. “Understand, it’s a limited time offer. If you refuse to sign today, the offer is off the table, and we take it to court.”
He smiled sympathetically. “In court, I present all this testimony, plus some more I didn’t bother with today. You lose Savannah, and you lose the settlement we’re offering. Hell, you’ll end up paying my client child support.”
* * *
At the airport, Michael and Bobby were greeted by a few photographers snapping their pictures and shouting questions. “Beau! Why do you want sole custody of your daughter?”
Mirrored aviators in place, Bobby kept his head down and followed Michael to the first class lounge. There they found a quiet corner and sank gratefully into a pair of large leather chairs. Casually, Michael turned on his small oxygen tank and placed the cannula in his nose, inhaling deeply.
“How did those reporters know to be at the airport?” Bobby asked, his voice resigned.
Michael shrugged slightly. “Somebody always talks. I doubt it was Deanna. She has too much to lose.” He glanced up at Bobby. “Listen, you may want to take Maggie and Savannah away for a few days until people lose interest.”
Bobby looked grim. “Maybe you’re right. We could go sailing around the Keys for the rest of the week. God knows, I could use a vacation after all this.”
Michael nodded. “Call Mags. Get her to meet you at the airport. I’ll make some arrangements for you while you do that.”
Taking his phone from the pocket of his jacket, Bobby called Maggie. “It’s over. She signed the papers.” He sounded tired.
“Good,” Maggie said. “I’m glad it’s done. How are you doing?”
He sighed. All he could think of was being in Maggie’s arms. “I just want to be where you are. I need you.”
“I’m here for you, babe. Come on home.”
“There’s a change of plans. I want you to pack enough things for a few days and bring Savannah to the airport.”
“What? Why?” she asked.
“Because even though we had Deanna sign a nondisclosure, somehow the word has gotten out. There were reporters here at the airport.”
Maggie blew out a long breath. He could hear her anxiety. “I suppose Rance will understand. What about your work?”
“They’ll get it. They don’t need this publicity any more than I do. When we get back I’ll just have to make it up to the people who cover for me.”
“Okay, then. We’ll see you at the airport.”
“I can’t wait. And Maggie,” he added, “pack tropical.”
As soon as they took their seats in first class, Bobby ordered a bourbon from the flight attendant. Michael glanced at him sympathetically. “You did well today.”
Bobby slugged down the amber liquid. “Then why do I feel like shit?”
The pair sat in silence for a while, each occupied with his own thoughts as they followed flight attendant instructions in preparation for takeoff. When they reached cruising altitude, Bobby ordered more bourbon for both of them. “I hate that we had to go throu
gh all this, but I want you to know how much I appreciate your help. Maggie was right, you were absolutely the best person to handle this for me.”
Michael sipped thoughtfully. “To tell you the truth, I’m glad you gave me the chance to get back to what I do best. I’d forgotten how it feels to win this kind of thing.” He grinned at Bobby. “It felt really good.”
Reluctantly, Bobby smiled back. They rode quietly for another few minutes. Bobby watched as the airplane icon on the screen in front of him incrementally inched toward New York. Toward Maggie.
“You really love her, don’t you?” Michael murmured.
Bobby looked at him, surprised. “Maggie? I love her with all my heart.”
Michael nodded thoughtfully. “I wanted to talk to you about something. I’ve been making arrangements for my estate, for settling things after I’m gone.” Bobby frowned and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Michael sighed. “We both know my time is limited. It’s important to me that Maggie is happy. I just...” He shrugged. “She’s the closest thing I have to family. It’s within my power to do some things to ensure that she’s taken care of.”
“I swear to you that I will spend my life taking care of Maggie. I will do everything I can to make her happy.” Bobby’s gaze was earnest.
“I know. Knowing that you two are together is a load off my mind,” Michael conceded. “But there are other things I want to do.”
Over the next hour, Michael outlined some of his plans. When he was finished, Bobby sighed deeply. “She’s not going to like some of that.”
Michael chuckled. “I know. That’s why I’m telling you now. So that when the time comes, you can help her see my side of this thing.”
* * *
Maggie watched as Savannah knelt at the glass and steel coffee table using her new crayons and coloring book. The first class lounge was quiet, and she hadn’t seen any reporters, but she and Savannah would hardly attract notice by themselves. It wouldn’t be until Bobby joined them that people would realize who Savannah was. This whole ordeal was bad enough, but for it to play out in the media as entertainment would be intolerable.
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