by Brea Viragh
Then she remembered Mrs. Nunez next door and, torn, turned in a circle in her front yard. Dropped to her knees and screamed out as loudly as she could. A disturbed flock of birds took wing from the bare maple tree in her front yard.
Mama was hurt.
The fundraiser was tomorrow.
And her baby was gone.
Chapter 10
He’d stood and watched her for the longest time, feeling her agony deep inside of him. There was nothing he could do to take it from her. She wouldn’t want him to even if there was. He watched her break down into racking sobs, still telling him to go.
Get out.
That’s what he’d finally done. He’d taken himself home with his tail between his legs. Defeated.
He couldn’t sleep that night and ended up staring at his ceiling until the first streaks of dawn showed through the windows. His mind had spent hours racing in circles, like a snake devouring its own tail.
There was nothing left for him to do. Olympia didn’t want or need his help, and with Renee in CPS’s care, then he was worse than useless. It was a big change, trying to wake up from the picture of his life he’d come to love. He wanted to wake up in the morning next to her. He wanted to take Renee to the park, to cook dinner for them, and watch both their beautiful faces light in similar smiles.
Harlan was on his third cup of coffee when his mind screeched to a halt like he’d hit a roadblock. Why should he give up on the life he wanted, the life he deserved? Why...simply because Olympia told him to get out? She’d told him that before and he hadn’t listened.
Why was he listening this time?
“No,” he said out loud, looking out the window at the leafless trees and the sun shining down in cold streams. “No, this is bullshit.”
He set the cup in the sink. He wasn’t the type of person to roll over and expose his belly. If there was a fight, then he should step up to it instead of backing down. But where to start?
The fundraiser. Today was the big day.
HARLAN WASN’T SURE if he was still invited, but he dusted off his suit from his college formal anyway. It was a little tight around the shoulders and hips, but it still worked, fit well enough that he wouldn’t look like a hobo.
As soon as she saw him, she was likely to kick him out. That was fine with him, he fumed, tightening his tie and nearly strangling himself with it. But not before they had a chance to talk.
Maybe it was time to say the words. Words he’d said to no woman before.
It was high time Olympia knew exactly how he felt about her, and he would make sure she heard him. The thought should have terrified him, but it bolstered him instead. Harlan sighed, staring at his reflection in the mirror. Why did he feel so bad, then?
Because Renee had spent the night in the custody of Child Protective Services and there was nothing he could do about it. Not when he wasn’t her legal guardian. He had wanted to charge after Ms. Marshall and rip the little girl from her arms. She belonged at home. She belonged with Olympia. And me, he thought vehemently.
They belonged together.
Now he was faced with a legal tangle in which he was persona non grata, the woman he loved hated him, and he was probably about to ruin her fundraiser with his presence.
Well, too bad.
He would consider this a chance at redemption. It was an opportunity to make right what he’d done wrong. And she could call him pushy, she could call him unwelcome, she could call him whatever she wanted, but she was going to listen. Hopefully when they were done, although they might not see eye to eye, at least they could be on the same page instead of in different books.
He stepped through the front door of the gallery and stopped to survey the space, the details Olympia had worked so hard to get right over the last several weeks. The room was beautiful. Spotlights showcased the larger pieces of art, including three sculptures well over seven feet tall. The one closest to him was done in a combination of copper and wood, twisting toward the ceiling in intricate spirals. There was room for a four-piece orchestra directly across from him, and the strains of instruments tuning up filled the space. The fundraiser officially would begin at two in the afternoon. He was early but already people were milling around, curious to see the exhibition offerings. Stopping to look at rich oils and whimsical watercolors and imaginative sculptures. Carrying around flutes of champagne and tiny plates of appetizers and nodding like they understood the messages behind the artwork.
His tie was suddenly too tight. He loosened it until it dangled below his clavicle. Trying to appear nonchalant even as he felt his back break out in sweat, he stepped farther into the gallery. There was Olympia in the center of the room, clutching a glass of something and trying not to lose her poise.
To anyone else, she looked perfectly put-together. Her hair was twisted in a loose bun ending just below her neck. A burst of color on her cheeks drew attention to her tight smile, eyes lined with bronze to match her dress. Even through the strain he knew she was under, she was still gorgeous and in command.
Too bad for her. He was about to rock her world.
He’d taken his first steps toward her when a woman stepped in front of him, blocking his path. It took him way too long to recognize Ashleigh, resplendent in a dress the color of maple leaves in the fall. It clung to her figure, cut a bit too high at the thigh and a bit too low at the bust. A purposeful decision, he guessed, if the exposed cleavage was any indication.
“Harlan, wasn’t it?” she purred, flicking her loose blond hair over her shoulder. “So wonderful that you could make it for our little soiree.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” His smile was tight, holding in check the emotional storm raging inside of him. It was difficult not to stare over her shoulder at Olympia.
“If you like, I’d be happy to give you a personal tour. We have a few more interesting pieces in the back that weren’t approved for today’s display.”
“I’m sorry, I’m really not here for the tour. Excuse me.”
He placed a hand on her shoulder to gently guide her out of his way, ignoring her sputtered response as he walked away. His eyes were fixed on the one woman in the room who mattered to him.
“Harlan!” Her eyes widened when she saw him. “What are you doing here?”
He took hold of her arm instead, drawing her away from the sculpture she’d been showcasing to an elderly couple. “We need to talk.”
Her face twisted into a pretty scowl. “There is nothing to say. Unless you’ve come here to rake me over the coals for working instead of trying to get Renee back.”
“Should I?”
“How dare you judge me!” She dug her index finger into his chest, forgetting where she was for a moment. “You don’t know what I’ve been thr—”
“Enough, okay? Enough arguing and enough blame. I’m not here to see what you’ve done. I’m not here to do anything except talk to you, which I’d like to do in private. Unless you want an audience.”
The pesky flirtatious Ashleigh was watching them, as well as a new crowd of people coming through the door. It was obvious she’d gotten about the same amount of sleep he had. Which was to say, none.
At once he felt guilty for pushing her. Despite the makeup she’d applied, there were dark circles beneath her eyes and her skin was so pale she looked almost transparent.
No, he couldn’t back down now, especially not when he wanted to gather her close and protect her from any further hurt.
“What are you really doing here? I’ve made it clear where I stand on this,” she said with a shaky inhale. “I don’t want a relationship, not with you or anyone else.”
“I’m not here to badger you about our feelings for each other. Although I will tell you I’ve been in love with you since the first time I saw you.” He stopped when her eyes went wide with panic. “Yeah, I’m sorry, there was probably a better way to tell you I love you, but there it is. We can talk about that later. Right now, we need to figure out a way to get Renee
back.”
“Don’t you think I’ve tried? I was at the lawyer’s office this morning before they even opened, waiting at the door. His secretary told me no one had seen him for days. I tried calling his cell phone, I tried talking to his partners, and no one could tell me anything. I went down to the social services office and threatened to break in if they didn’t give me my daughter back, but they still wouldn’t let me inside. I’ve pulled every possible string I can. I’m going out of my mind.” She pushed at him when he attempted to take her in his arms. “Don’t touch me.”
He tried to keep his hands to himself but found they had a mind of their own. Yup, there they went, settling down on her waist and keeping her with him, keeping her from bolting away. “Olympia, we are going to solve this together.”
“How many times do I have to tell you? There’s no we here, Harlan. There is me, and there is this shit storm, and everyone around me is laughing and having a fabulous time while I’m—” She let out a hysterical laugh. “I’m losing my mind.”
Enough was enough. “Now look. I’m done putting up with your attitude.”
She pointed to her chest and knocked a few sequins loose. “My attitude! Are you kidding me?”
“No, I’m not kidding you,” he retorted, gently but firmly guiding her out of the middle of the room. There were still eyes on them, he knew, but he’d get her as far away as possible before she stopped him. “This needs to be aired before it spoils. You’re acting selfishly.”
“You can’t be serious right now. Me, selfish? All I’ve done is try to help other people and look at where it got me,” she replied.
He snorted. Prepared to go head-to-head with her. “Help people, sure, but you push others away when they try to give you a hand. You pushed away someone who was solidly in your corner. You don’t want to talk about your pain...hell! You don’t want to talk about anything. Any kind of difficult topic and you run away, throwing yourself into your work because that’s how you’ve gotten through tough situations in the past. I’m here to tell you this is one situation you can’t outrun because I’m not going anywhere.”
There was a moment of hesitation where he saw Olympia wavering. Another push, he thought, and she’d topple like a tower of Jenga pieces. He wanted to stop. Too bad it had to be done.
“You’re going to spiral down into a depression and lose it all. Is that what you want?”
Cheeks red with temper, she marched toward the hallway. Stopped halfway. Turned to him. “No, of course not. I’m not depressed.”
“It’s not too late to make things right,” he continued.
“What if it is?” she countered. “What if it is too late? With you. With Renee. With everything.” She bit her lip, head dipping down to hide her face. “It’s too late.”
“Not if you let me help you. Take my hand, Olympia. Take it.” He held it out for her, fingers trembling.
She bit the inside of her lip and he saw the tears at the corners of her eyes. The room around them stood still as he waited for her to decide. Seconds later, she slapped her hand against his. “Let’s go get our baby, Harlan.”
His face split open. “We’ll fix it together. I promise.”
She lifted the corner of her dress and they ran toward the exit, through the crowd, pushing past a red-faced Ashleigh and a confused Carl. “Where are we going?” she had to know.
“Back to your lawyer’s office.”
She sent him a horrified look. “What do you expect to get done that I haven’t tried already? They couldn’t tell me where he was, and no one else in the office was authorized to retrieve his paperwork.”
“Yeah, well, I have a feeling that this time they’ll tell us exactly where he went.”
“How can you be so sure?” She stepped back and let him help her into his car.
“Trust me. I’m going to make a few phone calls.”
They drove to the lawyer’s office in terse silence, her hand still clutching his. It was a start, he knew, and more of a sign than she would ever admit. It was vulnerability. It was need.
His father was waiting for them when they pulled in the parking lot.
“Wait a minute. Reggie is a lawyer? The same Reggie who once beat up a funnel cake vendor?”
“He has hidden depths,” Harlan answered. He strode out of the car and into the waiting embrace of his father. “Thanks for coming on such short notice, Dad.”
“It’s no big deal. I’m retired. What else am I doing? Olympia, it’s lovely to see you again. You’re looking splendid as usual.”
“Thank you. Does he know the situation?”
“I might have filled him in last night. He’s ready to kick a little ass. Let’s get our little girl out of that CPS facility. Okay?”
“I have a few friends I can call in the local justice system. People I’ve worked with before,” Reggie told Olympia as they walked inside. “Don’t worry about a thing. This is going to be resolved quickly.”
Olympia tightened her grip on Harlan’s hand and he felt her pulse racing. His own matched.
“I don’t know who else to talk to,” she admitted. “I’ve already spoken to everyone in the office. As far as they know, Marvin Bower is MIA. So why did I even have to send in my signature if they won’t process it without him?”
“It’s a stall tactic,” Reggie told her. “That’s why you need me.”
He’d gotten dressed up, changing out of his habitual baggy t-shirt and comfy pants for an old business suit long ago relegated to the back of the closet. The buttons of the jacket were under enormous pressure from his father’s expanding belly, but Harlan wasn’t going to say anything. He was grateful for the help.
“Let me do the talking,” Reggie continued. He strode forward, hair wild, and approached the secretary at the front desk with a wide grin.
“Is this going to work?” Olympia whispered. She tugged her hand out of his to rub at her eyes. “I’ve been going out of my mind.”
“Clearly. You left your big fundraiser.”
Her sidelong glance told him everything. “Let’s be honest. They didn’t need me there.”
“Oh, I think they needed you.” Harlan kept his voice low. “You didn’t need them. Your priorities have shifted.”
“I’m going out of my mind. I don’t know what to do without her.” Her laugh was almost hysterical. “I’d once entertained the idea of putting her up for adoption because it would be better for her to be with a loving couple than a bitter woman with no family and no idea how to care for her. Now I’m feeling lost without her.” She cocked her head when Reggie shot them a thumbs up, then followed the secretary to an inner office. “This has to work, Harlan. It just has to.”
“Hey, come on outside. You could use the air.”
“I don’t want air.”
Still, she let him lead her out onto the front porch of the renovated two-story cottage turned lawyer’s office. He wanted to kiss her blind at that moment. To help dissipate the pent-up frustration, temper, fear, and anger until they leached out of her.
“I don’t know what to do, Harlan,” she admitted the second the door closed behind them. Her head tilted back on her neck and when he looked at her again there were tears streaking down her face. “I’ve spent my entire adult life focused on my job and getting things done there. Now I have a kid to think about. A kid I wasn’t sure I wanted because I thought my time for children had passed. Now that she’s gone...I’m beside myself. You called me selfish, and you’re right. I have been selfish. Thinking only about what I wanted and not in a healthy way. Not in a long-term focus.”
“Olympia, I—”
She held up a hand to stop him. “No, I need to finish this. I was wrong, Harlan, because you were right and I’m the one who pushed you away. I’m sorry for what I said to you.”
“Very straightforward of you,” he allowed.
“Yes, and that’s how I’ve lived until now. A straightforward woman with a tidy life. Then Renee came, and you broke through my wa
lls and turned everything into a maze. It gave me a lot to think about. I’m so sorry I made a big issue out of this. You are a natural caregiver and you were only trying to take care of me.” She gestured toward the office door. “You’re still trying to help me.”
“Don’t you get it, Olympia? I’m helping you because I love you.” He stepped closer and took her shoulders in his hands. She didn’t stop him when he bent to kiss her this time. There was no way he could have stopped himself even if he wanted to. Which he didn’t.
His heart turned over when she leaned into him.
“How can you say that after everything I’ve put you through?” she asked when they broke apart.
“Because I hope I can convince you.” Harlan would have said more but his father burst through the door.
“Break it up, kids. We have a baby to rescue.”
Olympia gasped. “We got her back?”
Reggie winked. “Piece of cake, sweetie pie. You just have to know the right people. Oh, and you’re going to owe me a new mallard for my collection. I can’t pull all these strings for free, you know.” He drew a bright yellow scarf out of his pocket and wrapped it around his neck. “Let’s go!”
It took another hour. Another hour to drive to the facility, sign a few papers Reggie had brought, and legally adopt Renee. There would be no more confusion.
Harlan blew out a breath, standing shoulder to shoulder with Olympia in the cramped foyer of the children’s home while they waited for Renee to be brought to them.
Her fingers were entwined with his. “You ready for this?”
“I was born ready.” This time, when she shot him a smile, it met her eyes, and the exhaustion was pushed aside under the weight of her excitement.
Reggie was to his left, rubbing his hands together. “This is it, ladies and gentlemen. This is it.”
“Just like that?” Olympia was still incredulous.
“Just like that. All you needed to do was push the right buttons.”
They heard the sound of little feet before Renee ran around the corner, wearing a borrowed shirt and pants.