Well, she couldn’t pay forever. She motioned with her hands. “I…I don’t want to live like this. Whatever it was we felt for each other—” She choked on the words and pressed a hand to her throat, willing herself to go on. “I know it’s still there if you give us a chance.”
“I don’t know if I can trust you again.” Without saying another word, he went back to his work.
“Can’t we at least talk about it?” she demanded, hurt that he was pulling away, falling back into his old pattern of retreating from her. “Only days ago, you said you were trying to change, to learn to communicate.”
Nothing. He didn’t even look at her.
“Okay, Justin, I’ve told you how sorry I am. I was wrong to keep Timmy’s birth a secret from you. But we were both wrong. If you ever believed that we could have a wonderful life together, then think about that now. I love you. I want this to work. I want us to be a family. Isn’t that what you wanted, too?” When he didn’t answer, she sighed with frustration and walked away, feeling as if she wasn’t making any progress.
Was she a fool to keep trying?
Twelve
“Oh, my goodness. Would you look at this beautiful little one?” Miranda held out her arms, and Heather passed Timmy over.
“Justin, you and Heather have given me the greatest gift!” she exclaimed. “Another grandchild!” Despite her elegant appearance and demeanor, Miranda oohed and ahhed all the way to the house.
“Come on in,” she called, then led them to the living room. Miranda and Heather sat on the large couch, while Justin chose to sit across from them on a matching chair. “He’s absolutely adorable.”
Heather managed a smile, her heart aching. “Thank you. I’m sure Justin told you his name is Timmy.”
Miranda nodded, glancing briefly at her daughter-in-law. Heather shifted her gaze to Justin, then back to his mother. His expression was stoic, his eyes cold. Tension stretched between them. She managed to carry on a conversation with Miranda, while Justin sat across from them and said very little.
After a while, when Timmy began to get fussy, Heather mentioned that they’d have to be going soon. Miranda looked at Justin. “The meeting is set for four o’clock this afternoon. Is that convenient for you?”
“I don’t see a problem with it. Will you and Timmy be all right while I’m gone?” he asked Heather as he stood and took Timmy’s things from her so she could carry the baby.
She nodded. “Sure.”
“I’ll see you then,” Justin told Miranda.
She walked them to the door, and Heather was sure that Miranda wasn’t oblivious to the strain between her son and his wife. “Please bring Timmy back again soon.”
A little while later, Heather changed Timmy’s diaper, while Justin prepared his formula. Heather had taught him how, and he had a new respect for mothers in general—and his wife in particular, he admitted to himself.
Taking the baby from her, Justin settled himself on the sofa and touched the nipple of the bottle to his son’s bow-shaped lips.
His son.
Justin’s chest swelled with pride as he watched the bundle in his arms. Somehow, the tiny infant had captured his heart, easing the pain over the baby he and Heather had lost. A movement across the room caught his eye, and he lifted his gaze. Silently Heather moved about the room, tidying it up a bit, adding some organization to their surroundings.
Despite his feelings of betrayal, he watched her graceful movements with fascination. In the space of a few months, he’d gone from living alone to acquiring a family.
Timmy’s presence in his life made up for all the hardships he’d endured through the years—the abandonment; the torture of living with foster families who never wanted him, only the money he could bring them.
From the first moment he’d held his son, they’d bonded. He’d felt it in his soul. Everything Justin had ever wanted—a wife, a child, a home—was within his grasp.
Why couldn’t he get past Heather’s betrayal? Why couldn’t he just let it go?
No answer came to him as he lifted his son in his arms and placed him on his shoulder.
His feelings for Heather were all mixed up inside him.
He loved her. He couldn’t deny it. But he had to wonder if love was really enough to make them a family. Once again, he was in danger of losing everything he’d ever wanted.
“I’ll be leaving soon. Should I put him in his crib?” Justin asked quietly so as not to awaken Timmy. Heather nodded, and he got up from the sofa and walked past her. After placing the baby in the crib, he turned back to her.
“Would you like some lunch?” he asked. “I can get you something from room service.”
Heather’s heart hammered. Well, that was a start. At least he didn’t want her to starve to death. “No, thank you. I’m not hungry.”
He put his hand in his pocket, and she could hear the jingle of his keys. “I guess I’ll leave, then.”
“Before you go—”
Her words stopped his movements, and he let go of the doorknob. “Yes?”
“I…want to talk to you.”
“Go ahead.”
She twisted her hands in front of her. “I’ve tried very hard to tell you how sorry I am, but you don’t even want to talk about it. I thought we had at least learned something from our past mistakes.”
“I thought I could trust you.”
She visibly trembled under his cold stare. “I’ve asked you to forgive me. If you can’t, if we can’t talk about this, then maybe we should get a divorce,” she said quietly.
His eyes narrowed on her. “A divorce?” he repeated.
She nodded. “Yes. I’m not saying it’s what I want, but I’m not going to pay for my mistake forever.”
He opened the door and turned to face her. For a moment, Heather thought he was going to say something further, but he just stared at her, then walked out, taking her heart with him.
Justin was met at the lawyer’s office by his mother. Together they went inside the elite offices and were soon greeted by the attorney handling her holdings. The attorney showed them to an enormous conference room, and everything was ready for them. Along with the lawyer, she took a seat, but Justin remained standing.
The lawyer explained the details, then laid the pen on the papers. Miranda quickly put her signature on the correct lines. Then she turned the documents toward Justin. He hesitated, lifting his eyes to his mother. “You know I don’t need this,” he stated, uncomfortable with the whole idea of discussing money with her.
Miranda smiled at her very prideful son. “Yes, I know. You’ve done quite well for yourself. I don’t know if it matters to you, but I’m proud of the man you turned out to be. Regardless of whether you need it, this money is your birthright. You’re a Fortune, Justin, just like your sister and your cousins.” She got up and walked around her chair to stand beside him. “Please.”
He nodded and picked up the pen, then quickly and efficiently scrawled his signature on the lines indicated. Silence engulfed the room as the lawyer gathered the papers and excused himself.
“This makes you officially part of the Fortune family,” she commented.
Family.
Being a part of a family was what he’d always wanted. Wasn’t it?
Images of Heather and Timmy raced through his mind, and Justin shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
You and Heather and Timmy could be a family if you let go of the hurt and forgive her. Do you want to give them up?
Miranda’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Well, Emma’s already signed hers. Storm and Jonas will be signing theirs soon. That leaves Holly Douglas.”
“Holly?” Justin absently raised an eyebrow as he dropped the pen on the table.
“Yes. You remember I told you about Holly? We’ve been so fortunate with the rest of you that we never expected she might not want to come here.” Disappointment shadowed her expression.
“You can’t force Holly to come here and be
a part of the Fortune family,” he warned, gentling his tone, not wanting Miranda to be disappointed.
“Yes, I know. But we can certainly try. We’ve hired a bush pilot named Guy Blackwolf to find her and bring her here. We’re hoping she’ll come around.” She smiled wryly and gently touched him on the forearm. “You did, and so did Emma.” Giving him an affectionate pat on the arm, she said, “Justin, I’m so happy to have you in my life.”
Miranda’s fervent words touched a dark place in Justin’s heart. He opened his arms, and she went into them. It was the first time he’d let anyone other than Heather that close, and Justin closed his eyes as he allowed himself to accept her affection. Then, without thinking about it, he held her tighter, putting his past behind him and accepting Miranda as his mother.
Accepting the Fortunes as his family.
He’d learned over the past few months that the Fortunes pulled together and truly cared about one another. They valued family relationships, above all, loving each other despite any problems they faced.
Family. The world reverberated through his mind, reminding him that because of his pride, he was going to lose his little family. If you let Heather go, you’ll be giving up your own dream. She and Timmy are your family, too.
He’d forgiven Miranda. In the deepest part of his soul, he no longer held any resentment for her abandoning him and Emma. Didn’t Heather, the woman he loved, deserve the same forgiveness?
Justin could suddenly see that his own mistakes had played a large part in his relationship with Heather, making him just as responsible for their marriage falling apart. If he’d been open and honest with her when she’d lost their baby, they never would have separated. He would have been there with Heather when she’d discovered she was pregnant again, would have been able to enjoy spoiling her during the ensuing months when she needed pampering.
She tried to tell you. You refused to listen.
He was guilty of not listening when she’d tried to explain to him. He’d been so hurt that he had closed his heart off from further pain. Being abandoned as an infant and growing up in foster care had made him feel unwanted and unloved. He’d never been with any one family long enough to learn how to trust another person. Every time he’d taken a chance and let down his guard, had started to accept the family he was with, he was taken away and shipped somewhere else.
So he’d protected his heart by not allowing another person close enough to hurt him. And he was going to pay the price by losing Heather if he didn’t do something awfully damn quick to prevent it.
He stiffened and pulled away from Miranda.
“Justin?”
He looked at her absently, his thoughts on Heather.
“Justin, is there something wrong?” she asked. “I know it’s none of my business—”
“Actually, yes.”
“Darling, what is it?” Miranda asked with concern.
“I left something very important back at the hotel.”
My heart.
Miranda stared at him with confusion.
Justin felt exuberant as the haze he’d been in totally lifted, clearing his thoughts. “Never mind. I need to go.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve got a marriage to save.”
Justin couldn’t get back to the hotel suite fast enough. He’d finally come to his senses, and he couldn’t understand how he could have been so blind. He’d allowed his upbringing and his past insecurities to cloud his thinking, endangering his marriage and his relationship with his own son.
“Heather!” He rushed into the apartment, and the silence there hit him hard and fast. The hair on the back of his neck stood up when he realized that she and the baby weren’t there. He felt as if he’d had the wind knocked out of him.
Glancing around the room, he noticed that the diaper bag was gone. He made a mad dash into the bedroom. Heather’s things were still there. But the queasy feeling in his stomach intensified. She hadn’t mentioned anything about going out.
Dammit, where was she?
She talked about a divorce. Maybe she left you.
No, she wouldn’t do that.
Why not? Because you love her?
“God, yes,” he said aloud, to no one but himself. “I love her.” What a fool he’d been to hold onto his pain and anger. Dejectedly, he walked into the living area of the suite and sank into a chair.
What was he going to do? Where would she go? She hadn’t taken her things, so maybe she hadn’t gone far. Of course, she could have been so upset that she went without them.
His mind in turmoil, Justin stared blankly at the ceiling. He wanted to leave and search for her—but she could be anywhere. If she’d really left him, she’d be en route, so there was nothing he could do but sit and wait.
Hell, he couldn’t just sit and do nothing. Getting out of the chair, he began to pace. He walked over to the window and looked out, hoping to see her, but knowing in his heart he wouldn’t.
An hour passed, and Justin thought he would go crazy. Desperate, unable to stand doing absolutely nothing, he called Kathryn. She hadn’t heard from her daughter. Cursing his stupidity and pride, he slammed down the phone. Then he heard the door to the suite open, and his gaze flew in that direction.
Heather stood in the doorway with Timmy in her arms.
Relief washed over him like a flood on dry, parched land. Thank God!
“Where have you been?” he demanded, then caught her defensive expression. “I’m sorry. I was worried.” He swallowed hard.
“We went to the mall,” she said, coming into the room and depositing Timmy in the crib. Putting some packages down, she turned to face her husband, saw the worry lines on his face. “Is everything all right?”
“I hope so.”
Heather stared at him with open curiosity. Something was different about his manner, about the way he was looking at her. Like he was relieved to see her. Had he thought that she’d left him?
“A little while ago you talked about getting a divorce,” he said, then shoved his hands in his pockets. “It made me stop and think about what I was doing to both of us.” He glanced at his son, who lay sleeping, then turned his gaze back on Heather. “To all of us.”
She didn’t say anything, and he felt as if he was teetering on the edge of a cliff. “I love you, Heather.” He saw her shudder when his words registered, then she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
She didn’t believe him. The fear of losing her left a coppery taste in his mouth.
“I do love you,” he said again, then moved toward her, stopping only inches away. She had to listen to him.
I promise I’ll never let you go. His words came back to haunt him.
“I was a fool for not listening to you, for shutting you out again. God knows, I don’t deserve it, but I’m asking you to give me another chance.”
Her gaze met his, and a rush of tears gathered in her eyes. “I never meant to hurt you,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I swear with all my heart that I didn’t.”
Justin stared at her, so thankful that she was still standing there, that she hadn’t left him. “I think I know that now. I’ve made a lot of mistakes,” he confessed. “But the biggest one was not listening to you. I was so caught up in my own misery, I guess it was hard for me to see how much you were hurting, too.” He stopped short of putting his hands on her shoulders. “I was blinded by my pride and couldn’t see what you were trying to tell me. You were right. We both made mistakes in the beginning. If I had shared what I was feeling when we lost the baby, none of this would have happened.”
“What are you saying?” She stared at him, her eyes still filled with caution.
“That I forgive you for not telling me about Timmy.” He reached out and touched a lock of her auburn hair. “And I’m asking you to forgive me for leaving you.”
Justin dropped his hand, unsure of what she was thinking.
Was he too late? he wondered.
“I love
you, honey. I have since the day I married you. I couldn’t say the words before, but I can now.” His heart in his throat, he forged on, “I can’t promise I won’t make mistakes in the future, but I’ll work on being more open about my feelings.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Heather sobbed, then rushed into his embrace. She knew at that moment just how much Justin had changed. “I didn’t want to leave you,” she murmured against his chest. “I love you so much.” She trembled in his arms, and he gathered her closer. As she lifted her face to his, he kissed her hungrily, tasting the salt of her tears.
Heather couldn’t believe she was being given this second chance for happiness. Sliding her arms around his neck, she molded her body to his. When he lifted his lips, she held his face with her hands and looked into his blue eyes. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about Timmy,” she said, gasping for air as she continued to cry. “I was so afraid of being hurt again. I was only thinking of myself and not you.”
“Hush, honey. I’m just as guilty. I didn’t know how to be a loving, supportive husband. I thought if I provided well for you, that you’d love me.”
“I did love you,” she whispered fiercely. “I think after my father left me, I never trusted anyone but my mother. Then when I met you, I wanted to believe you would never hurt me, but I couldn’t. So I shut a little of myself away. I had to protect myself from being hurt again. I never let you close enough to me, and I blamed you when you left.”
“I shouldn’t have walked away from you.” His jaw tightened, then relaxed. “Heather, you know how I was raised. I didn’t let anyone close to me. Then I met you, and took a chance. When we lost the baby, I thought that if I gave you some space, you’d come around. I couldn’t talk to you about it, and I know now that by being distant, I made you think I didn’t care. But I did. I wanted you to need me. I thought by needing me, you’d love me.”
“Oh, Justin.” She sighed, then hugged him to her. “I’m so sorry. For everything.”
“I know. I really do. So am I. I guess it took finding my birth mother to teach me about trust and love. When I met the Fortune family, I realized how much they cared about each other. Family was important to them, important enough for them to find me. I knew then that I wanted the same happiness, and that I had given it up when I left you. So I came back for you.” He kissed her mouth, then frowned.
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