She twirled and faced him. “Scientific, huh?”
“Absolutely.”
“Where’s Michelle?”
“Upstairs.”
“By herself?” she squealed.
“Calm down. The house has an intercom system, so I can hear her if she cries. But let’s go. You’ll feel better when you see her.” He hustled them up the stairs to the second floor. Then he led Alexis into his huge game room, where she made a beeline toward the crib.
Michelle was asleep. Dan was content to watch Alexis stare at her niece. Devour her niece was more apt. She embraced Michelle visually as though they’d been apart for months, not two days. Her love for that baby was easy to see, and for the first time, Dan’s confidence wavered.
He tamped down his uncertainty. He was the father! He and Kim had longed to be parents and Michelle was the child they couldn’t have together. The baby belonged with him. Period.
Alexis approached him now. “So, you bought two cribs?”
He nodded. “Of course. There’s one upstairs in her bedroom, but I almost live in the game room here,” he said with a wide gesture, “when I’m not training. Pool table, card table, hi-def television, small fridge. Here’s where I study videos. So Michelle has to have a comfortable place with me.”
She gazed around the huge room, which ran the width of the house. “Wow! From babyhood to teenage-hood, she’ll have everything a girl could want except…” Blushing, she turned away from him.
“Except what?” he asked.
“Um, are you going out with anyone special, Dan? Any significant other in your life?”
He’d never figure out how a woman’s mind worked. Where had she pulled that question from?
“You’ve got to be kidding. I have no intention of getting involved with anyone, ever again. Do I look like a glutton for punishment?”
Silence greeted his reply, then a smile spread slowly across Alexis’s face. “Truthfully, Dan, each time you take to the field, you’re asking to be pummeled. So, my answer is yes. As in, yes, you’re a glutton for punishment, all right.” Her grin brightened further.
The woman was more than pretty. He itched to hug her, but didn’t. “Well, well, well. Alexis Brown can joke when she wants to.”
“Alexis Brown hasn’t had much to laugh about recently,” said the woman who now stared at her niece. “And I never thought I’d have to relinquish all custody….” She shook her head, murmuring, “Sorry, Sherri.”
The happy light in her eyes dimmed, but an angry heat rose inside him. She’d approached him, after all. It wasn’t as though he’d asked for this responsibility. “Change the tune already, will ya? I’m tired of hearing it. I’m not the bad guy here,” he bit out, and immediately regretted it. The woman was understandably upset.
She met his gaze, and he saw resignation. “You’re not the bad guy at all. Any regrets I have, I brought on myself.”
“What could you have done differently?”
“I don’t know.”
But he knew. The unthinkable idea had been lurking inside him since she’d shown up with his daughter. He’d questioned her about it once already, and she’d avoided givng him a direct answer.
“You could have kept Michelle away from me forever, and I’d never have known. But you didn’t, because you needed money. You contacted me only because you were stuck for cash.”
Her eyes blazed. “Is that what you really think? That money was my only motivation?”
Self-righteousness overflowed. Her explanation would be a doozy. “That’s exactly what you told me. You said a little child support was all you needed, and that’s almost a direct quote. What other reason could you have had, counselor?” He was baiting her, hoping for something more. For something more honorable.
“You stupid…stupid…athlete! All brawn, no brains.” She walked toward him, looking ready to poke his eyes out with her extended pointer finger. She poked him in the chest instead.
“Cash flow may have been the immediate catalyst, but what would I have told Michelle when she grew up and asked about her daddy? When she asked me—the one person she would trust? Could I lie to her and say I didn’t know who her father was?” She shook her head hard. “No. Lying is no way to raise a child, no way to build relationships.”
Relief surged through him, and he was ready to divert her, but she was on a roll.
“Just as she has the right to know about her mother, Michelle also has the right to know her father. Every child wants to know their parents and deserves the truth. And if the truth stinks, it’s still better than a bunch of lies.”
He heard her breath come hard and short, as though she was asthmatic. “Okay, okay, I believe you. Calm down.”
“And how could I live with myself if I kept your identity a secret from her forever?”
Her tone, her body language, her outraged expression. It hadn’t been simply happenstance that had brought his daughter to him. It had been this woman. She might have had her own timetable, but she’d taken the honest path.
“I believe you, Alexis. You did everything right and reasonable.” He shrugged. “I apologize if I’ve insulted you. So, if you have no regrets, it’s time to move on.”
“Move on? Like you have?” she snapped. “Someone in this room is living in a glass house, and it’s not me.”
Her barbed arrow pierced his soul. He understood her meaning at once and resented it. Resented her. She had no right. She hadn’t loved…she hadn’t lost….
“Look, Michelle’s waking up.” Alexis stepped to the crib, their discussion forgotten, at least for the moment. He joined her in time to see his daughter’s delight, her unabashed excitement, when she recognized her aunt.
When the baby laid her head on Alexis’s shoulder and nuzzled, when he spotted the tears in Alexis’s eyes, a shaky feeling hit the pit of his stomach. He was wrong. Alexis had loved and lost. Twice. Sisters count, too. His confidence wavered for the second time that afternoon. Alexis and Michelle loved each other. Was he doing the right thing?
If he weren’t playing the next day, he would have reached for a drink.
The thought made him fidget. He touched his mouth, his leg. Couldn’t relax. He looked at his daughter. Would he have really poured himself a glass? A wave of uncertainty shimmied through him. He didn’t trust himself. His life was becoming as complicated as a playbook. A beer could become six too easily. He had new responsibilities now, and he couldn’t afford to slip up.
CHAPTER FIVE
“MY FOLKS SHOULD BE here within the hour,” said Dan, glancing at his watch the next morning, then at the door.
“We’ll be fine. Go. The driver’s waiting.” Alexis couldn’t hide her amusement. The big quarterback who made split-second decisions on a constant basis was pacing the hallway, first kissing the baby in Alexis’s arms, then looking out the window at the car. Not sure where to go, or when.
“Thanks for coming over last night,” he said for the third time. “Best night’s sleep in three days.”
“That was the whole point, wasn’t it? Now, you can go win a game.”
“Oh, yeah. That was the goal.”
His wicked smile and gleaming eyes made her forget to breathe. She had to admit that her enemy was gorgeous—she’d thought so from the beginning. She was sure, however, the man with the powerhouse arm had no clue how powerful his smile could be.
“Winning is a lot more fun than losing.” He was almost at the front door when he turned back to her again. “Everything should be normal tomorrow when the nanny comes. I won’t have to ask for favors anymore.”
Blinking herself back to reality, she flicked her hand in the air, brushing his remark away. “I’m very happy to spend time with Michelle. You should know that by now.” She didn’t care that her voice sounded hard. When it came to Michelle, there was no such thing as a favor. “And please let me know how your Mary Poppins works out tomorrow. I’d be more than happy to meet with her myself.”
Without replyin
g, he walked out and was gone.
“Well, he sure didn’t seem to like that idea, did he, sweetheart?” she murmured to the baby. “But now I’ve got you all to myself and we can play.”
Fifteen minutes later, their solitude was broken by a ringing doorbell. Leaving Michelle in her swing in the kitchen, Alexis ran to the door and opened it.
An older couple stood there—Dan’s parents, she assumed—their arms filled with packages.
“Hi. I’m Alexis,” she said, pasting a smile on her face and opening the door wider. “Come on in.”
But the couple didn’t move. In fact, the blonde woman with the chic do simply stared at Alexis, eyes popping. She moved her mouth, but nothing came out. Then, she leaned against her husband and moaned. Alexis grabbed her packages. Dan’s father reached for his wife, and his own bundles hit the floor.
The man glared at Alexis and, walking slowly, supported his wife to the living-room couch. “Get her some water,” he barked.
The world had gone crazy, Alexis thought as she filled a glass. And if these loons thought for one minute she was leaving Michelle alone with them, they had another think coming. As for Dan? Just wait, Mr. Big Shot. She had a few words for him, too. Realizing she was trying to squeeze the glass she held, she forced her fingers to relax and reentered the living room.
Mrs. Delito was sitting up now, her husband beside her. Alexis offered her the water.
“What the hell is going on here? Who are you, really? And I expect a straight answer.” Dan’s father again, as he helped his wife hold the glass.
Had Dan not told his family anything? Alexis leveled a courtroom stare at the man. “Back off, Mr. Delito, so we can start from the beginning. Before your wife’s fainting spell.”
“She’s not Kim.” A soft voice from the couch. “She can’t be.” The woman made a pitiful attempt to smile at Alexis.
“She sure doesn’t sound like Kim,” said Mr. Delito. “Not with that attitude.”
Good grief, thought Alexis, the pieces falling into place. These poor people had received a “good morning” they couldn’t have foreseen in a million years because Dan hadn’t warned them about her resemblance to his wife. None of which meant she’d leave the baby with them anyway.
“It seems,” said Alexis, “that I’m a ringer for your late daughter-in-law. I’m so sorry for your shock, but sorrier that Dan didn’t clue you in.”
“Not as sorry as I am,” said Dan’s father, rising from the couch. “What could that boy be thinking, getting involved with you? First, the drinking, and now—” He threw his hands up in disgust, and with narrowed eyes, stared at Alexis again. “And now—some imitation wife.”
Alexis, who’d survived much worse intimidation than this man could mete out, leaned forward and stared right back at him.
“My name is Alexis Brown, and you can bet your life that I’m no imitation. I’m my own woman.” She looked him up and down. “When you find your manners again, I might allow you to play with your granddaughter—if you really care about her.”
She walked from the room, leaving stunned silence behind her.
THE SMARTEST MOVE SHE’D made since contacting Dan was petitioning the court for visitation rights. She wouldn’t depend on Dan’s largesse or any ephemeral factor that might influence his mood. She needed to get Michelle out of this madhouse as often as possible.
Michelle had fallen asleep in the swing, and now Alexis lifted her out and walked past Dan’s parents to the front stairs.
“Where are you taking her?” Dan’s mother stood on the threshold of the living room, watching Alexis’s progress with an anxious expression.
“Upstairs to the game room, where there’s a crib. I’m going to hang out there, too, just until Dan gets home.” She gave the woman her best smile and continued upstairs.
“You’ll let us know when she wakes up, won’t you?”
“Absolutely. Mrs. Delito, you’ll be the first to know. In fact, you’ll hear her through the intercom.”
“That’s right. I almost forgot about the intercom. We installed it when Kimmy was so sick.”
The woman’s lips quivered in her effort not to cry. Alexis had handled enough emotion for the morning, however, and simply waved and ran upstairs. No doubt, Kim had been an angel on earth. A perfect person. A perfect wife and daughter-in-law. But with no luck in the end. And Sherri? Not so perfect. Also with no luck in the end. Both were mourned. Both had been loved—one by many, one by few. But both had had much love to offer. And that, Alexis realized, was the common denominator.
As she settled Michelle for her nap, a wave of grief settled in her chest. Except for Dan during the initial meetings, everyone except Alexis had overlooked Sherri’s existence. Dan’s parents were caught up in themselves. They hadn’t asked one question about Michelle’s mom and seemed more consumed by the past than excited about the present or the future. Weren’t they curious to learn about their granddaughter’s other family?
Once more, Alexis wondered if she’d made a dire mistake. Sherri, did I misread you about contacting Dan Delito now? Have I done wrong here?
Dan’s parents joined her in the game room a half hour later, and small talk got them through the morning. When the game finally started at noon, Alexis sighed with relief. Three hours of mindless football would replace forced conversation and pointed questions, like the one Dan’s father had asked five minutes ago.
“Didn’t Danny say you could leave this morning after we showed up? Rita and I can take care of the baby.”
I know you can, Alexis conceded. Despite their initial shock and hostility at Alexis’s presence in the house, the Delitos had been nothing but kind to Michelle all morning. They were clearly as besotted with the baby as Dan was, which was encouraging. Admit it, Brown. You don’t want to leave Michelle with them because you don’t want to leave her with anyone. She simply smiled. “Sorry, but I don’t recall.” She focused on the in-home theater screen. “The game’s about to start. How about relaxing with some Sunday-afternoon football?”
“A great idea,” said Rita Delito. “Although I have to admit, I don’t exactly relax watching my Danny on the field.”
“She hides her eyes at the beginning of every play,” said Nick, stroking his wife’s shoulder. “Even when he was a kid, she couldn’t watch.”
“Really?” asked Alexis, amazed. “So why did you let him play?”
The couple glanced at each other and began to laugh. “Sorry, Ms. Brown,” said Rita. “It wasn’t a question of ‘letting’ him. He lived and breathed for the game from the moment he could hold the ball.” Her brow crinkled as though she were still trying to solve a puzzle. “We’d never seen anything like it. Our older son, Joe, can play a mean piano, and Theresa can sing like a nightingale.”
“But Danny,” interrupted her husband, “he couldn’t carry a tune on his back.”
Strangely, when the conversation focused on Dan, Alexis started to enjoy herself. “I guess he wanted to feel special, too.”
“You could be right.”
The Dallas Cowboys were out for blood. By the end of the first half, Alexis was covering her eyes as much as Rita did.
“I bet he’s not concentrating. Maybe he’s thinking about the baby,” Alexis said.
“Nope.” Dan’s father seemed sure of his response. “When you’re staring at eleven guys weighing in at an average of 250 pounds, who are all out to get you, you don’t think about anything else but football. His receivers aren’t where they’re supposed to be….”
“Well, they’d better shape up, or this little girl won’t have a daddy!” The words popped out of Alexis without warning.
An awkward silence filled the room. Alexis glanced from one guest to the other.
“We’re still getting used to that little fact,” said Rita. “That Dan is a daddy. It’s come as a bit of a shock, you know.”
“Oh, I definitely know. I know all about shocks…like my sister’s murder, for example.” She let her word
s lie open for a moment. “Michelle’s already lost her mother, so let’s hope her father quits getting sacked during the second half.”
She offered a tiny smile and, with surprise, watched Rita come over and knelt down on the play mat next to her and Michelle. “Both of you girls have suffered a major loss,” Dan’s mom said quietly, squeezing Alexis’s hand. “I’m so sorry, Alexis.”
“Thank you, Rita. Thank you very much.” Maybe this emotional woman had a good heart underneath.
Nick’s deep voice sounded behind them. “Is that where the baby gets her red hair? From her mother?”
“Sure does. You can thank Sherri for that strawberry-blond cap. But she might wind up with my eyes. A muddy hazel. Nothing to brag about.”
The game on TV resumed, but Alexis’s mind was elsewhere. The ice had been broken with these two important people. She’d put in a good day’s work on Michelle’s behalf.
Nick’s shouts grabbed her attention. “Touchdown! Touchdown! Way to go, New England!” He punched his hands in the air and grinned at her. “They must have had some discussion in the locker room during halftime. Suddenly, everyone’s where they should be, and if this keeps up, you know what that means?”
“Super—”
“Shush, shush,” said Rita, actually putting her fingers over Alexis’s mouth. “We don’t speak that word out loud around here. Might jinx it, you know?”
Alexis looked from one supposedly sane adult to the other. She began to laugh and couldn’t stop. They were all down the rabbit hole again. But this time, as crazy as it sounded, it was okay. They all got the joke, were on the same side. Maybe Dan’s family really was loving and supportive and exactly what Michelle needed.
When the game ended with a win, Alexis got ready to leave. Rita knew her way around formula and diaper changes. The baby was napping again. Alexis’s last bit of uneasiness evaporated.
She retrieved her belongings from the bedroom she’d used across the hall from Michelle, then stepped into the game room to say goodbye.
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