“Do you think it’s easy?” His words were low and tight with frustration. “The fact that I’m depriving him of grandparents he knows and loves?”
“Of course I don’t think it’s easy.” Her tone, warm as a stiff shot of fine bourbon, soothed the raw spot in his heart. “Have you considered inviting them here?”
He slammed his brows together. “Why would I do that?”
“To let them see how happy he is here, how close the two of you are,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Perhaps that would reassure them that Cam is right where he needs to be.”
“I briefly considered that option,” Winn admitted, but didn’t tell her that the thought filled him with terror. He’d lost his son once. He couldn’t bear to lose him again. Or have him hurt again.
“What are your reservations?”
Winn realized he was witnessing one of Hailey’s greatest strengths, this ability to calmly and rationally discuss a difficult issue without resorting to histrionics or picking a side without all the facts. Skills Vanessa had never mastered.
“What if they take him?” he asked, voicing his deepest fear. He thought how easy it would be for the couple to spirit the boy away while on an outing. How hard it would be to get him back. “They want him. What’s to stop them?”
Thankfully, she didn’t mention the law. They both knew that he’d eventually get Cam back, but not without further emotional trauma to the child.
“You could supervise the visit,” Hailey suggested. “Or hire someone to observe from a distance and only intervene if they attempted to take Cam out of Jackson Hole.”
“Are you suggesting I hire a bodyguard for the boy?”
“Well, that way his grandparents could take him to the park or out for pizza without us worrying. And, with someone watching, we’d be assured he was safe.”
Winn wondered if she even noticed she’d said “we.” Even if she hadn’t, he had, and it made him feel not so alone in this battle.
“I’m not sure I can take the risk, small though it might be,” he said honestly.
“Talk with Nick.” Those beautiful eyes, the color of the Wyoming sky, bore into his. “But remember, Cam loves them, just like he loves you. Sometimes with love you have to take a risk.”
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, instead of driving, Winn walked from the condo to Nick’s office in downtown Jackson. When he called at eight, he’d expected to wait several days for an appointment.
The assistant, a professional-sounding woman by the name of Esther, told him there had been a ten-o’clock cancellation and he could have that time slot.
Winn had agreed, even though it meant that Hailey would need to take Cam to the psychologist without him. He’d already spoken personally with Dr. Peter Allman about his concerns and Hailey knew Cam’s history as well as he did.
Today Pete, or his new associate, Dr. Gallagher, would speak with Cam privately. Winn decided being there wasn’t essential, except for moral support. He was confident Hailey could handle that task.
A series of melodious bells chimed as Winn pushed open the door to the stone-fronted building just off Broadway. Though much more casually appointed than the law firms he was used to in Atlanta, the gleaming bamboo flooring in a fossilized gray with charcoal-colored walls above cherry-wood cabinets bespoke a richness usually seen in only the top-notch firms of major cities.
The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with wavy brown hair and a friendly smile, looked up. “How may I help you, sir?”
“I have an appointment with Mr. Delacourt at—”
“What’s this mister business?” Nick appeared in the doorway of an office down the hall. Tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair, the attorney in a hand-tailored suit started down the corridor.
He reached Winn in several long strides, clasping his hand in a firm shake. “Can I get you some coffee? Double shot of espresso?”
“Thank you. I’m fine.”
Once the office door shut behind them, Nick gestured to a burgundy tufted sofa in one side of the large office. Winn took a seat and Nick settled into a chair to his right.
After a few minutes of casual conversation about mutual friends and sports, Nick lifted a sleek MacBook from a side table and placed it on his lap. His gaze fixed on Winn, his dark eyes inscrutable. “Tell me what I can do for you.”
“You’ll need some background information, beginning with the fact that Cameron isn’t my biological son.” Briefly, Winn recounted his history with Vanessa and Cam, making sure not to leave anything out.
Nick kept his gaze focused on Winn even as his fingers flew across the keyboard. “I’m surprised she left you in the will as his guardian.”
“I’m certain it was an oversight.”
“Perhaps.” Nick’s gaze narrowed. “Do you want to keep the boy?”
“Of course,” Winn said immediately, shocked by the question even though he realized Nick needed to ask it. “Cam is my son in every way that matters. I never wanted to sever our relationship. That was Brandon’s doing.”
“You plan to legally adopt him.”
“Yes.”
Nick sat back. “Tell me about the grandparents.”
“Larry and Jan Robinette are Brandon’s mother and father.” Winn kept his voice even, though emotions surged when he remembered their threats. “They made it clear they planned to fight for custody.”
Nick’s steely-eyed gaze was suddenly razor sharp. “When and how did they make it clear?”
“Cam stayed with them after Vanessa and Brandon were killed.” Winn recalled the day he’d gone to their home to pick up his son. “They didn’t want to turn him over to me, but the attorney they’d contacted had told them—”
“They’d already secured legal counsel at that time?” Nick interrupted.
“Apparently.” The vise that held Winn’s chest in a stranglehold tightened. “They said their attorney told them they had to comply. I know they plan on gaining custody of Cameron, asserting the boy is their flesh and blood not mine.”
Winn waited for Nick to tell him not to be concerned because not only was he listed as guardian in the will, he’d been the only father Cam had known for six years.
Heaviness settled over Winn when the words weren’t forthcoming.
“I’ll need to do some research.” Nick’s gaze grew thoughtful. “I know the Georgia legislature passed a bill in the last few years making the state grandparent-friendly for visitation. I assume Brandon didn’t have a will?”
“No.”
“Did Vanessa include a Letter of Explanation with hers?”
Winn inclined his head. “What is that?”
“Parents are encouraged to leave a written explanation as to why they chose the person named in the will to be the guardian of their minor children.” Nick met Winn’s gaze. “I encourage my clients to include the letter with their will, especially if they think a judge could have reason to question their choice.”
“I don’t believe there was such a letter.”
“I’ll check to be sure,” Nick said.
Winn leaned over and reached into his briefcase, pulling out a file of papers. “This is everything I have.”
Nick took the packet. “Have you been contacted recently? At breakfast it sounded as though a challenge to your guardianship was imminent.”
“I haven’t heard from their attorney. Not yet, anyway. But I received a text on Friday from a friend who still lives in Georgia. He was the one who initially introduced me to Vanessa and we’ve stayed friends.” Winn pushed to his feet, too wound up to sit. He moved to the window and stared unseeing out into the sunlight. “Anthony wanted me to know he heard through the grapevine that the Robinettes definitely plan to pursue full custody.”
“Your friend did you a favor.”
Nick gazed at the folder Winn had handed him. “I appreciate your thoroughness. Coming here before you’re served with papers was a smart move. It’s always best to be prepared.”
Winn didn’t feel prepared. He felt off balance and unsteady. “What factors will the judge consider when determining Cam’s best interests?”
“His preference. Who can best meet his needs in terms of stability and continuity of care. Moral fitness of the guardian. The relationship between you and Cam.” Nick smiled reassuringly at Winn. “The fact that Vanessa named you as guardian and never took you out of her will, even after discovering you weren’t Cam’s father, is very much in our favor.”
“A custody battle will be hard on Cam.” Winn grit his teeth. “I’ll never forgive Brandon’s parents for adding to his turmoil.”
“He is their grandson.” Nick’s tone was matter-of-fact. “It appears they’ve been an active part of his life the last two years.”
Winn narrowed his gaze. “Whose side are you on?”
“Yours,” Nick said promptly. “That’s why I’d like you to at least consider reasonable visitation. We may be able to head off a full-blown court battle by making that relatively minor concession.”
Relatively minor? Winn opened his mouth to say it’d be a cold day in hell before he’d let those people near his boy again, but instead he found himself confiding in Nick.
“Hailey actually suggested I invite them here for a visit. She said if they see how happy he is with me, perhaps they’ll be less likely to sue for custody.”
“Smart woman.” Nick’s lips quirked up. “Too bad she’s only your temporary nanny and not your wife. I need to warn you, the fact that you’re single may weigh against you.”
Winn’s heart dropped, but he refused to worry about his marital status. It was what it was. “As an attorney, do you believe allowing them access to Cam would be wise when everything is so up in the air?”
“It would definitely show goodwill, but I’d suggest having a child advocate with them on any outing where you’re not present. I can get you names of ones the firm has used in the past.” Nick rose to his feet. “I’ll be in touch.”
Winn left the office, his insides a mass of churning emotions. Not in the mood to think about the battle he might be facing and the detrimental effect on his son, Winn covered the distance to his condo in long, ground-covering strides. By the time he reached the steps leading to the second floor, the tightness bunching his shoulders had eased.
Yet he still didn’t know what he was going to do.
Not about Cam and the boy’s grandparents.
Not about his feelings for Hailey.
Life, he mused, had been easier when he had only business concerns to worry about.
Easier, he thought, but incredibly empty.
* * *
Hailey had listened intently to Winn’s account of his meeting with Nick. As they discussed the pros and cons of giving Cam’s grandparents access, she’d felt good about being included in the decision-making process. It showed Winn understood how much she cared about Cam and valued her opinion.
As she stood in front of Winn’s door on Friday evening, she wondered when he was going to make a decision. She assumed he hadn’t yet or she’d have heard. Wouldn’t she?
Stop being ridiculous, she told herself. You’d be the first person he’d tell.
Hailey knew part of her sour mood stemmed from the last-minute summons, er, invitation, to a barbecue at Winn’s father’s ranch. Jim couldn’t carve out an hour or two to see his grandson, but he obviously had time to host a party to introduce some new assistant he’d hired.
The worst part was, since Winn had to hire a sitter to watch Cam this evening, he’d regretfully bowed out of escorting Hailey to her friend’s wedding tomorrow afternoon. Children weren’t invited to the nuptials or the reception and Winn didn’t want to leave Cam with a sitter two nights in a row.
Because Hailey would be helping Cassidy with the makeup for the wedding party, that meant she wouldn’t get to see him or Cam at all tomorrow.
But it wasn’t as if they didn’t have plans already in place for Sunday—church followed by breakfast at the Coffee Pot. Encouraged, Hailey plastered on a bright smile and rapped on the door. By the time Winn answered her knock Hailey had shrugged off most of her melancholy.
Winn’s eyes widened when he saw her. He let loose a low whistle. “You look fresh as a summer parfait in that dress. I swear, you’ll be the prettiest woman at the party.”
His gaze lingered on the bodice of the white dress with tiny yellow flowers long enough to send blood humming through her veins.
“You don’t look half-bad yourself.” With a move that felt like second nature, Hailey stepped to Winn and he wrapped his arms around her.
She was lifting her face for a kiss, when she heard a throat being cleared. Hailey stiffened, realizing they had company.
Over Winn’s shoulder, Hailey saw Kate Dennes staring at them with a bemused smile.
“Don’t let me interrupt.” Kate waved a perfectly manicured hand in the air. “Just keep it PG-rated, ’kay?”
“Spoilsport.” Hailey brushed a chaste kiss against Winn’s lips then took a step back and smiled warmly at Kate. She’d always liked the popular doctor. “I didn’t know you were watching Cam this evening.”
“I’m not. This is Chloe’s first babysitting job since getting her certificate. She’s still pretty young.” Kate lowered her voice. “I thought it best if I stayed to observe.”
Hailey glanced around. “Did Joel come, too?”
“He and Sam are enjoying male-bonding time at home.” There was a warmth to Kate’s voice, one that was always present when she spoke of her husband or children. “Preliminary plans were to play a rousing game of blocks followed by a walk in the woods.”
“I assumed you’d be at the barbecue tonight.”
“We were invited,” Kate confirmed.
Hailey expected as much. Joel was a successful entrepreneur, while Kate was a prominent pediatrician. The couple was the type Jim liked to include on his guest list.
“Regrettably we had to decline.” The mischievous gleam in Kate’s eyes told a different story. “Chloe was so excited to watch Cam this evening.”
Hailey glanced around for the dark-haired girl who was the spitting image of her beautiful mother. “Where is Chloe?”
“Building a Lego space station with Cam,” Winn answered, then glanced at his black Hublot encircling his wrist.
Even though Winn was dressed simply in navy twill pants and an oxford shirt, the sight of him sent warmth coursing through Hailey’s veins. She wished she could spend the evening with him and Cam.
“I guess we should take off.” Hailey tried unsuccessfully not to sigh.
“You look adorable,” Kate told her.
Hailey glanced down at her dress. Normally, in Jackson Hole, an invitation to a barbecue meant burgers, brauts and beer. But Jim Ferris didn’t do casual or relaxed. Though there would be an abundance of delicious food and drink, any beer would be imported. Wine would be the drink of choice and the atmosphere would be just shy of formal.
That was why Hailey had not only worn a dress but paired it with strappy heeled sandals. She’d even taken the time to fix her hair into tousled curls around her shoulders.
Winn turned to Kate. “There’re a few things I need to explain about Cam’s routine—”
“I’d prefer you speak directly with Chloe,” Kate interrupted. “I’m simply a silent observer.”
Winn glanced at Hailey and she saw the question in his eyes.
“Go ahead.” She waved him on. “I’ll keep Kate company. Tell Cam I’ll be in to say good-night in a second.”
Winn leaned over and brushed a kiss across her mouth before leaving the room.
Hailey felt her cheeks warm under Kate’s speculative gaze. “Winn is a very affectionate man.”
“I never realized that before, but I can see it now.” Kate chuckled before her expression turned serious. “Are you watching Cam for the entire summer?”
Hailey didn’t even blink at the change in subject. Winn and Cam did it to her all the time.
“I am and it’s going way too fast. He’s a great kid.” Hailey would miss seeing Cam every day. “Winn already has him enrolled in a before-and after-school care program this fall.”
“Wonderful,” Kate murmured.
“Why wonderful?”
“Has Meg spoken with you?”
Hailey shook her head.
“She and I are planning a business venture.” Kate’s eyes danced with excitement. “We thought you might be interested in embarking on this exciting new project with us. You’ve done excellent work with the patients of mine that you’ve seen.”
“That’s kind of you to say.” Hailey took a seat at one end of the sofa and Kate sat at the other end. “Tell me about this venture.”
“We’re building a multidisciplinary therapy clinic. The clinic will provide physical, occupational and speech therapy for children and adults.”
“Meg already has her own physical-therapy clinic,” Hailey said slowly. “And the hospital has OTs and STs on staff for outpatients.”
“Meg plans to fold her practice into this endeavor. We’ve acquired a piece of land in the Spring Gulch business park, not far from Dr. Allman’s new clinic. Joel will break ground on the building next week.”
Apparently, Hailey’s continued confusion must have shown because Kate continued. “Mitzi McGregor, Meg and I will be partners. As an orthopedic surgeon, Mitzi sees a need for a clinic that offers more accessible hours for patients. Eventually, if you’re interested, you could buy into the practice.”
Hailey’s heart gave an excited leap. Working with Cam on his speech had only reinforced how much she loved her chosen profession. This sounded as if she’d be able to put in more hours doing what she loved.
Ready, Set, I Do! (Rx for Love) Page 16
