“Yes, Your Honor.”
And that was it. The Templetons would raise Brady. He swallowed back any resentment he felt. His bottom line was still Brady’s well-being.
Everyone rose as the judge left the room. Tuck saw Eli and Caleb standing at the back, and to the right stood Grace. His heart leaped. For a brief moment he thought she was here for him, and then he realized she was here for the Templetons. They were her friends and her firm represented them.
For some reason that hurt.
Opal gave Tuck a hug. “I’m sorry, but I told you. Don’t worry, though. One day I’ll find the perfect child for you.”
“Thanks, Opal.”
“Even if you are single,” she whispered under her breath and walked away.
Tuck smiled slightly as Eli and Caleb strolled toward him.
“Sorry, man,” Eli said.
“Me, too,” Caleb added.
“Thanks,” Tuck replied, feeling the need to be alone. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Grace speaking to the Templetons. Was she congratulating them?
“We’re meeting Jake at Metz’s Park to shoot some hoops then we’re going out for a juicy steak.” Caleb was talking, but Tuck’s attention was on Grace. Her hair was loose around her shoulders again, making her green eyes vibrant and her features soft and appealing. She was beautiful. Why had he never noticed that before?
And why was he noticing it now?
“Tuck?”
He swung his focus to Caleb. “It’s not even three in the afternoon. I’ll be fine, guys. I appreciate your being here, but go back to work.”
Eli shook his head. “No can do. Jake’s on his way and he’s dropping Elise and the kids at my house. Macy and Zoë are already there and Josie will arrive after work. It’s all planned.”
Tuck took a moment to absorb this. It felt good to be included as one of the McCains and no way was he letting them down. He needed to burn off some restless energy and what better way than to fool around with friends who knew what he was going through.
“Okay,” he said and picked up his hat, placing it on his head. As he did, his eyes caught Grace’s and she walked over to him.
Being perceptive guys, his friends moved away to give them some privacy.
“I’m sorry,” she said, and he got the feeling she really meant it.
“I knew it was a long shot, but I had to try.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks, feeling nervous again and he didn’t know why.
“Brady will have a good home.”
“I’m counting on it.” He tried to smile and failed.
They stared at each other and he wasn’t sure what to say, so he said the only thing he could. “Bye, Grace.” Walking toward his friends, he felt this was goodbye in more ways than one.
Without warning, a pang of regret hit him.
GRACE FELT BAD FOR TUCK and she couldn’t get his hurt expression out of her mind. So she spent the rest of the afternoon in her office, working, staying busy to keep from thinking about Tuck.
She had three messages from her father, all irate that she wasn’t taking calls, all about Derek Mann. After returning the calls, she sat in deep thought. Her father was nervous and she had to wonder why. She had taken over the firm so why was he stepping back into the picture? He was a U.S. Congressman and not affiliated with the Whitten Law Firm anymore. Or that was the picture he presented to his constituents and his adversaries. What was going on?
She flipped through the impressive résumé of Derek Mann. He’d attended law school at Baylor University and had received a law degree from University of Houston. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class. After that, he clerked for some impressive judges in Texas and Washington. The last year he was a partner in a big-name firm in Boston. Why did Mann want to come back to Texas? And what did he have to do with her father?
Pushing a button on her phone, she said, “Nina, I’d like to see Chuck as soon as possible.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ll let him know.”
Chuck Wallace and his father, Charley, were the firm’s main private investigators. Sometimes they hired outside investigators if they needed extra help on a case, but Charley Wallace had been on the payroll since her father’s days at the firm. She’d hired Chuck three years ago and she knew she could trust his discretion. Charley was very loyal to her father and she wanted to avoid questions she felt she didn’t need to answer.
Her cell buzzed. It was Caroline.
“Are you okay?”
Her hand gripped the phone. “Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You don’t have to appear tough with me, Grace. I know this day was hard for you.”
Her sister knew her better than anyone. “Yes,” she admitted. “I felt bad for Tuck. He really loves Brady.” That’s what bothered her the most—Tuck’s feelings for Brady were real, sincere. But then, she reminded herself, Lisa’s and Keith’s were, too. And those feelings would grow once they got to know Brady. They would make great parents. She really believed that.
There was a long pause on the other end. “You called him Tuck.”
“Yes” was all she could say.
“We’re having a girls’ night at my house,” Caroline said. “And you’re invited.”
“Caro, I’m busy.” She didn’t want to intrude. Everyone was married and had kids or were expecting. She’d feel out of place.
“The guys are consoling Tuck and you’re coming. Do you hear? No suit, either. I’m making double-fudge brownies and I have ice cream.”
“Caro…”
“And Jesse would like for you to come. He misses his Auntie Grace.”
Grace sighed. “You’re so good.”
“See you later.”
Grace clicked off with a thoughtful expression. She was glad Tuck had company tonight. At least he wasn’t alone. Or with Jennifer. Where did that thought come from? It came from the right side of her brain where jealousy was alive and well. She definitely needed a night out.
She checked her appointments as Nina buzzed.
“Yes?”
“Chuck’s here.”
“Send him in.”
A man in his thirties with disheveled hair and a worried expression entered. Chuck lived on antacids. There was always a roll in his shirt pocket. She noticed the bulge along with his pens and notepad. An ex-police officer, Chuck was injured in the line of duty and Grace was more than glad to have him as a member of the Whitten team.
“You wanted to see me?” Chuck asked.
“Yes. Please have a seat.”
He complied, sitting on the edge of a chintz chair. Chuck reminded her of a man always ready for action. He was never relaxed.
“I would like a job done, very discreetly, very professionally,” she told him.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And this is between you and me. No one else is to know, not even Byron or your father.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She pushed a file toward him. “I want to know what’s not in here.”
He picked up the file and flipped through it. “Very impressive,” he commented.
“Yes. It’s too impressive. I want to know everything about Derek Mann, his grades in high school and college, how he got all those distinguished jobs and why he wasn’t satisfied with them. I want to know what that résumé is not telling me.”
Chuck stood. “Yes, ma’am, I’m on it.”
“And, Chuck…”
“I know.” He held up a hand. “You can trust me.”
“Thank you.”
THE GUYS HORSED AROUND on the old asphalt basketball court until they were short of breath.
Eli jumped and made his famous three-pointer, then put his hands on his knees. “You know what?” he said in between deep breaths. “Running around on asphalt in cowboy boots isn’t as much fun as it used to be.”
Jake sank to the pavement with a groan. “I think we’re getting older.”
They gathered on the court in a circle.
> “Y’all might be, but I’m not. I’m the youngest,” Caleb said with a smirk.
Jake playfully pushed Caleb into Beau. Beau pushed Caleb back into Jake. After going back and forth a couple of times, Caleb stuck out both hands to ward off his brothers. “Okay, okay. Age is just a state of mind.”
“Yeah.” Eli nodded. “In your case it might be a state of good health.”
They all laughed.
Tuck had the ball and he twisted it around in his hands, feeling its firmness.
“Are you okay?” Caleb asked in a concerned voice.
Tuck looked at his friends. “Yes. I’m fine.” And he was. How could he not be with friends around him?
“I think it infringes on your civil rights to be denied custody because you’re single.” Beau still wasn’t convinced. “I might do some research just to make sure some lines haven’t been crossed.”
“No,” Tuck said. “I want Brady to have this chance at a life.”
“I’m not convinced that the Templetons are the better people to raise him,” Beau kept on.
“I’m not, either,” Eli said. “No one should have the right to say a man can’t raise a child because he’s single or has a high-risk job.”
“Well, I don’t want to get beat up here.” Jake drew up his knees. “But I’ve been through this. I thought I could raise Ben alone and I was fully prepared to. Once Elise entered the picture Ben just blossomed under her nurturing and care. I could see it happening. It made me feel good and bad at the same time. I wanted to do it all for my son, but I’m telling you a baby needs a mother. I’m not saying the Templetons are better for Brady. I know Tuck would have made the better parent, single or not.”
“In my opinion Tuck is the better parent. He just got penalized for his life and that sucks.” Caleb spoke his views. “I admire any man who wants to raise a child alone. That takes courage. Me, I guess I’m a wimp because I want to do everything with Josie.”
Beau punched Caleb on the shoulder. “Youth and rose-colored glasses.”
“Really, brother Beau?” Caleb squinted at Beau. “I seem to see a pair perched on your nose. It wasn’t always like that, though. About a year ago we were sitting on another basketball court when you were going through a midlife crisis.”
“Mmm,” Beau murmured. They sat silent as they remembered the trials and heartaches they’d been through together. “I still believe Tuck is the better parent to raise Brady,” Beau finally added.
“Me, too,” Eli said. “And nothing will change my mind about that—not even my beautiful wife.”
“I’m not giving up on this case.” Beau made his position very clear.
“Beau…”
Tuck didn’t get to finish his objection. Caleb threw his arm over his brother’s shoulders. “We’re gonna nominate ol’ Beau for sainthood one of these days.”
“Hear, hear,” Jake said as they rose to their feet.
Eli patted Tuck on the back. “Let’s buy Tuck the biggest Texas steak we can find. Maybe a gorgeous motherly type will wait on us, and how does that country song go? ‘I woke up married.’ Maybe Tuck will wake up married and solve all his problems.”
“Or create more,” Tuck replied, laughing as they made their way to their vehicles.
Climbing into his car, he felt so much better. His friends’ support had done the trick. He’d learned a lot today. Maybe he needed to make some changes in his plans, his life. Maybe he couldn’t do everything on his own. Maybe, like his friends, he needed a woman to complete him.
That thought had always annoyed him before.
Tonight, though, he saw green eyes.
And again, he wondered why.
CHAPTER EIGHT
FIVE WOMEN SAT around the kitchen table eating hot double-fudge brownies with vanilla ice cream melting over the decadent treat. Talk of babies filled the room—babies, husbands and marriage. Grace swirled her spoon through her scoop of ice cream, trying not to be annoyed, trying to fit in. But she couldn’t stop the mental notebook forming in her mind. Two moms with children, one mother with a child expecting another, one woman expecting her first baby and one single, uptight, almost virgin.
Grace licked ice cream from the spoon. Was there such a thing as an almost virgin? Maybe she was a slightly used virgin. Either way, she was totally frustrated with her life. Caroline, Elise, Josie and Macy were all happy and in love with the men of their dreams while Grace was the powerful, single career woman. For her, that didn’t compute anymore. She wanted to feel that crazy-in-love sensation, talk about diaper changing, breast-feeding and a man who made her life complete. She wanted a life, not just a career.
She shifted uneasily. Being around this much happiness was making her head spin. It had been a rough day. No matter what she was doing, thoughts of Tuck kept intruding. She hadn’t planned on going to the hearing today, but found she couldn’t stay away.
“Grace, I love your T-shirt.” Elise’s voice reached her.
“Oh. Thank you.” She swallowed a mouthful of brownie and looked down at the front of her shirt. “Caroline said for me not to wear a suit and I found this in my dresser. I can’t remember where I bought it or why. I think someone gave it to me.” On the front of her white T-shirt was written in red letters I’m a Good Kisser.
Caroline gave a long, put-out sigh. “I gave it to you. And, Grace, when I said no suit, I didn’t mean starched jeans and an ironed T-shirt. Nobody irons a T-shirt.”
“Next time you’ll have to be more specific.” Grace didn’t bat an eye at her sister’s teasing.
“Don’t pick on Grace,” Macy said. “She always looks wonderful and I think we should all have ironed T-shirts just like Grace’s. We can wear them on nights like this when we’re just being women. On the back we could put That’s How I Got My Man.
“I love the idea.” Josie swallowed a mouthful of chocolate.
“We’d have to leave the back of mine blank,” Grace said.
“Poor, poor pitiful Grace,” Caroline chided. “This isn’t like you. Where’s that strong, professional sister of mine?”
“I’m not sure.” With her spoon, she made more trails in the ice cream.
She could feel Caroline’s eyes on her. “Grace, it’s not your fault that Tuck didn’t win custody today.”
Grace laid her spoon on her plate. “Then why do I feel like it is?” She did. That was the problem. She couldn’t shake that feeling.
“Listen to me,” Caroline continued. “You stayed out of the proceedings. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. There was no way Tuck could have won this, especially since there’s a woman involved who can stay at home with Brady. Lisa and Keith were just the better choice.” Caroline took a drink of milk. “Now don’t get me wrong. I love Tuck like a brother but in this case, Brady needed more than Tuck could give him. He needed a mother.”
“I tried to tell Jake the same thing.” Elise brushed back her champagne-colored hair. A professor of American Literature, Elise was as beautiful as she was brilliant. “I reminded him how he thought he could raise Ben alone and how much easier it was when we worked together as husband and wife. But he was very adamant that in this case Tuck was the better choice. We agreed to disagree.”
“Caleb and I had the same conversation.” Josie’s dark eyes flashed. Grace often thought that Josie with her Spanish and American ancestry was one of the most stunning women she’d ever met. “I had to remind him of the difference in a mother’s role and a father’s role. He agreed up to a point, but he stuck to his belief that Tuck was best for Brady.”
“In our house we don’t have that discussion anymore.” Macy joined in. A strawberry blonde with naturally curly hair, Macy epitomized kindness and goodness. As a nurse, she cared for people with all her heart, and that caring extended to animals, as well. “Beau is one of those men who can do both roles effortlessly. What can I say? He’s special.” She smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. “But sometimes he can be just plain stubborn. He believes Tuck is the b
etter parent and nothing will change his mind, not even me.”
“Maybe because he’s right.” Grace heard the words and realized she’d spoken them out loud. Everyone watched her closely. In that moment, she made a decision. She wasn’t going to defend herself. It was the way she felt.
“Da-da, Da-da.” Zoë came running, chanting her favorite word and saving the moment. Zoë looked up at Macy. “Da-da.”
Macy lifted Zoë into her lap. “The second she hears Beau’s name she thinks its time for her daddy to come home.”
“Da-da,” Zoë repeated, reaching for Macy’s spoon. Macy fed her the rest of the ice cream then pushed the plate out of harm’s way.
Macy kissed one fat cheek. “Sweetie, can you tell everyone how old you are?”
Zoë held up one finger, smiling. “Un.”
“Whose girl are you?”
“Da-da, Da-da, Da-da.”
Grace watched the little girl’s animated expression. She clearly loved her daddy. Her big blue eyes sparkled and the strawberry-blonde ringlets bounced on her head. She sat in Macy’s lap, her head beneath Macy’s chin; it was hard to believe that Zoë wasn’t Macy’s biological daughter. They looked so much alike. But a bond had been formed that had nothing to do with biology, even though Zoë was Macy’s niece. Their bond had to do with the heart and the many facets of love.
A cry punctured the silence. Ben and Katie came running. At five, Katie was an absolute doll with blond hair and brown eyes. “Caroline, Jesse is crying,” Katie informed Caroline.
“Thank you, sweetie,” Caroline replied, getting to her feet.
Ben leaned against his mother and Elise kissed the top of his head. “Would you like some ice cream?”
Ben shook his head. “We…we…” As Ben struggled to find the words, Elise stroked his hair. “We have popcorn.” With dark hair and eyes, Ben favored his father. Grace watched the love on Elise’s face and it had nothing to do with biology, either. It came from the heart.
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