One Baby, Two Secrets

by Barbara Dunlop

  “No. Not tonight. I know he’s getting the very best care. I wanted to tell him about Shetland Tech.” Brody had looked forward to telling Blane directly. “Maybe I should have told my mother. The good news might give him a lift.”

  Kate tucked her arms around his neck and just stayed there, silently holding him close. After her traumatic day, he found it nothing short of amazing that she had it in her to comfort him.

  He hugged her back, burying his face against her fragrant hair and closing his mind to everything but the peace she seemed to bring to his world.

  Her small body curled against him, soft and yielding. He held her close, feeling her heartbeat, his chest hollowing out with emotion. He touched her face. Then he gave in and kissed her neck.

  She smoothed her palm over his cheek, then she cradled his face, drawing back, gazing deeply into his eyes. He willed her lips to his, and she moved toward him, her kiss a gentle whisper of empathy.

  He kissed her back, then again, and again. Desire flowed through him like honey.

  “Is this okay?” he whispered.

  “Yes,” she returned, her kisses growing deeper. “It’s...” She arched against him. “Good.”

  He splayed a hand across her back, turning her into the soft bed. Her crazy hair stood out against the white pillow, her breasts rose and fell with her breaths, her pink nipples beautiful in the dim light. He loved her breasts. They were soft, smooth coral-tipped wonders. He loved her neck, her stomach, her face. He could have gazed at her for eternity.

  Desire, tenderness and hope all rose within him, neutralizing the exhaustion of the day.

  He kissed her, then he kissed her again, then he deepened the kiss and let her essence fill him.

  “You aren’t too tired, are you?” He didn’t want to be selfish. She’d been through enough.

  “Don’t stop,” she whispered.

  He moved on top of her, skin to skin. He ran his hand from her shoulders down her back, to her hips and bottom, pulling her intimately against him.

  “Oh, Brody.”

  “You bring out the best in me, Kate.” His kisses roamed her neck and her bare shoulder, moving to the softness of her breasts.

  “I need you,” he rasped.

  “You’ve got me. Please make love to me.”

  He’d never heard sweeter words. He eased her thighs apart, pressing slowly inside, drinking in every inch, every second as her heat surrounded him. And then he was inside her, rocking against her, kissing her tenderly, and feeling her heartbeat sync with his.

  He closed his eyes and gave himself over to sensation. He could hear her breaths and her small moans. He could smell her scents, fresh and floral, deep and earthy. She was soft to his hard, gentle to his harsh.

  He rode the sweet rhythm, until the waves grew larger, their crests going higher. He tried to hang on, never wanting the feeling to end.

  But sweat broke out on his body. His muscle fibers tightened their way to the breaking point. He couldn’t slow down. He had to speed up.

  “Yes,” she cried against his mouth. “Just...like...” Her body contracted around him, and he roared his way to paradise.

  * * *

  It was early.

  Kate was sated and content in Brody’s arms. The sun was barely filtering through the sheers on the hotel window. They had minutes, maybe seconds until Annabelle woke up.

  Annabelle was an early riser, but a happy one.

  “Did you know this could happen to your brother?” she asked Brody.

  His brother’s health scare was their one immediate worry.

  “I didn’t expect it.” Brody was behind her, his body spooning hers, his arms wrapped around her. “There are dozens of potential complications. This is the first time it’s hit his lungs.”

  “It must have been hard.” She toyed with his fingers where they lay against her stomach. “To leave when Blane was sick.”

  “It was. But I had no choice. And he was doing quite well last time I saw him.” Brody paused. “But I was the one who put my family’s fortune at risk. And it was up to me to fix it.”

  “How did you do it? How did you put it at risk?”

  “You going to make me show you my weakness, aren’t you?”

  “I’m going to make you be honest.”

  “And if I’d rather not tell you? If I’d rather you thought of me as the brave and dashing hero who saved your life yesterday?”

  “You’re going to use that one for a long time to come, aren’t you?”

  He turned silent, and she regretted her words. They were too lighthearted for this conversation. And they were presumptuous. She was implying they’d be together for a while. He’d never suggested any such thing.

  “I got into trouble because I got cocky,” he said. “Blane and my father wanted to go into the hotel business. It’s much safer, but the financial returns are low and a lot slower coming. We needed money right away, so I took a risk.”

  “And you lost the money?”

  “Not at first. At first, I had some real success with software development. But I got carried away. I wanted to be the savior. I wanted Blane to be able to build his dream hotel and run it for years to come. I thought...”

  Kate waited. “Thought what?”

  “I thought if he could live his dream, his health might improve. I thought taking money worries off the table would allow him to get out and meet a great woman. But it had the opposite effect. When I lost the money, he worried even more.”

  “Did he meet a woman?” Kate hoped he had. If he was anything like Brody, he deserved to be happy.

  “No. And now it may be too late.”

  She turned in Brody’s arms. “Don’t talk like that. They haven’t found anything wrong with him yet.”

  “Except for Newis Bar Syndrome.”

  “Which he’s had all along, and has nothing to do with anything you did or didn’t do.”

  “It could be bad,” he said.

  She looked into his eyes. “And it could be nothing.” She leaned across his chest and reached for his phone. “Call him again.”

  He accepted the phone but stared at it without dialing.

  “Not knowing won’t change anything,” she said.

  After a long moment, he pressed a number. Then he raised it to his ear.

  It occurred to her that he might want privacy, so Kate started to rise. But he held her back.

  “Stay right there,” he said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close.

  She settled in against him, trying not to feel too desperate about this stolen time together. Annabelle would wake soon, and they’d attend the custody hearing later today. Then Brody would return to Scotland. And Kate would go back to Seattle. In the blink of an eye, this unexpected feeling of closeness would be nothing but a memory.

  “Hey, Blane,” Brody said.

  Kate closed her eyes in relief. Then she let the timbre of his voice vibrate against her skin. She loved his voice.

  “You feeling any better?” Brody asked.

  Kate listened to his heartbeat, felt his chest rise and fall, smelled the tang of his sweat, and tasted the salt of his skin.

  “They did?” Brody asked. He sounded relieved. “That’s fantastic news. But don’t go home too soon.”

  She couldn’t help but smile.

  Brody laughed. “You’ll be dancing again in no time. But don’t let Mother pick your suit.” He paused. “I don’t care if it’s tradition. There’ll be women there, eligible women. You need to look like you live in this century, not the last.”

  Brody absently stroked Kate’s hair.

  “You’re a viscount, heir to an earldom. You’re eligible alrea
dy.” He chuckled again. “You use what you’ve got, man.”

  Kate felt a sudden desire to meet Blane. It was clear the two brothers had a close relationship. Was he as smart and interesting as Brody? It was hard to imagine there were two such men in the world.

  Then just as quickly as the idea had formed, it disappeared. She knew it would never happen.

  “I have more good news,” Brody said, pure joy evident in his tone. “Our cash flow problem is solved. It’s a bit of a long story, one you don’t have to worry about right now. But nobody will be illegally using our intellectual property.”

  Kate gave him a hug, remembering yesterday all over again, gratitude blooming inside her.

  “I can, and I will,” he said. “Soon. You rest and get better.”

  Brody signed off and set down his phone.

  “That sounded good,” she said.

  “It was only congestion. His lungs are fine, and he’s on the road to recovery.”

  “I’m so glad to hear that.”

  Brody slid down in the bed and cuddled her closer. “It’s a huge relief.”

  They both lay quiet for a few minutes.

  “They didn’t know the details, did they?” she asked him. “Your family didn’t know what you were doing over here.”

  If they’d known about Quentin, Brody’s brother would surely have asked some far more specific questions.

  “I didn’t want to worry them all. There was nothing they could do, and I was hoping I could solve it before we went bankrupt.”

  “Bankrupt?”

  “It was a possibility. If Beast Blue had made it to market first with their game, Shetland would have folded. And with the loan guarantees we signed, we’d have lost the castle.”

  She turned her head to look up at him. “I can’t believe you have a castle.”

  “It’s on the River Tay.”

  “It’s a castle.” Its location wasn’t the most pertinent information as far as Kate was concerned. She was trying to come to grips with Brody’s expansive lifestyle, his family, Brody himself.

  “It’s not as exciting as it sounds. It’s old and pretty drafty. It’s been in my family for twenty-two generations.”

  “I’m sorry, Brody. One more time. You have a castle?”

  “We’re the Scottish nobility, Kate. Everyone has a castle.”

  “I have a thousand-square-foot condo,” she said, mustering up a faux note of superiority.

  “You told me that.” There was answering humor in his tone.

  “It’s been in my family for nearly a year.”

  “That’s impressive.”

  “Well, half of it, anyway. My friend Nadia owns the other half.”

  “I bet it’s not drafty.”

  “Tight as a drum.”

  “I’d like to see it sometime.”

  “Well, you coming to Seattle seems a lot more likely than me going to Scotland.”

  “I’m serious.” He sat up. “It makes sense. I’ll go with you and Annabelle to Seattle.”

  She couldn’t tell if they were still joking. He seemed serious, but he wasn’t making sense. “We don’t need an escort. The danger is past.”

  As if hearing her name, Annabelle vocalized from her crib in the living room.

  “I’ve become invested in the little tyke,” he said. “I want to make sure she’s in a good place. I’m definitely coming to the hearing.”

  “My condo is a good place. It might not be a castle, but it has everything she needs.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way.”

  “What way did you mean it?”

  “I want to make sure she stays with you.”

  Kate rose from the bed and retrieved one of the hotel robes, tightening it around her waist. “Is this because you changed her diaper?”

  “I like to think we bonded over that.”

  She couldn’t help injecting a note of teasing sarcasm. “You were definitely her knight in shining armor.”

  He got up and shrugged into the other robe. “A few generations ago. Yeah, I could have done that.”

  “Can you ride a horse?” she asked, moving into the living room to get Annabelle.

  “I play polo,” he called from behind her.

  “Oooh, la di da. Hello, sweetheart,” she crooned to a smiling Annabelle. “Uncle Brody is here to change your diaper.”

  “Walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, you did.” Kate lifted Annabelle and handed her off to Brody.

  Twelve

  The more Brody thought about it, the better he liked the idea of going to Seattle. It would take Will a few more days to tie up loose ends in LA. They’d already put a team of lawyers on the case to make sure i’s were dotted and t’s crossed. It would take months for the techs to go through Beast Blue’s code.

  Brody could stay in LA until Will was done, or he could take a quick trip to Seattle, get Annabelle settled. Then he could come back to close things off before he returned to Scotland.

  For today, he’d borrowed one of the lawyers at their newly engaged firm to help with Annabelle’s case. Brody was encouraged by Kalvin Moran’s youth. He knew the firm was anxious to please Shetland Tech, so if they’d put a junior associate onto Annabelle, that meant they expected it to be straightforward.

  It was a small hearing room, with a single row of chairs behind the lawyer’s tables.

  “Ms. Dunhern is the child’s aunt?” the judge asked Kalvin.

  “Yes.”

  “Is she the only known relative?”

  “Mr. Roo’s parents are deceased. He has a half brother who is currently incarcerated in Illinois.”

  The judge read a paper on her desk. “The child’s grandmother, Chloe Dunhern is—”

  “Right here,” came a smoke-husky voice from the back of the courtroom.

  Brody turned along with everyone else to see a sixtysomething woman with spiky, dyed-blond hair walk shakily into the hearing room. She wore a pair of skintight black-and-white diamond-patterned slacks and a royal blue sleeveless sweater.

  “Oh, no,” Kate groaned beside him.

  “I’m Annabelle’s grandmother,” she announced with a little wave.

  “Mom, please,” Kate said.

  “Are you petitioning the court for custody?” the judge asked.

  “Yes,” Chloe Dunhern said. “Yes, that’s right.”

  “You can’t have custody, Mom.”

  “Hello, Kate. I don’t see why not.” Chloe pointed her finger. “You’re just after the money.”

  “Please address me,” the judge said.

  “Yes, Your Honor,” Chloe said. “Where do I sit?”

  Kate leaned over to Kalvin. “Ask her if she’s been drinking.”

  “She’s not a witness,” Kalvin said.

  “Can you ask?”

  Kalvin stood up. “Your Honor, can you ask Ms. Dunhern, Ms. Chloe Dunhern if she’s been drinking?”

  The judge’s brows went up. “Ms. Dunhern, have you had anything to drink today?”

  “Orange juice.”

  “Vodka,” Kate whispered to Kalvin.

  “Your honor, Ms. Dunhern has been known to drink vodka in her orange juice. Could we clarify if that’s the case today?”

  “Ms. Dunhern?” the judge asked.

  “Yes?”

  “Did you have vodka or any other alcohol in your orange juice.”

  “No.”

  “Breathalyzer,” Kate whispered.

  “Would Ms. Dunhern be willing to submit to a breathalyzer test?” Kalvin asked.

  “Ms. Dunhern?” the judge asked.

  “What about her?” Chloe asked, pointing at Kate while holding the ba
ck of a chair for support. “Nobody’s asking Kate to take a breathalyzer.”

  Kalvin looked to Kate.

  Kate nodded. “You bet.”

  “I’m ordering a breathalyzer test for both petitioners,” the judge said.

  “Well,” Chloe said. “Well, in that case...” She seemed uncertain about what to do.

  “Mom, we’ve talked about this,” Kate said, sounding carefully patient.

  “We didn’t agree on anything,” Chloe said.

  “We did agree, Mom. You’re busy. You’re tired. Annabelle will be a lot of work.”

  “I...” Chloe didn’t seem to have an answer for that.

  “Can we talk later?” Kate asked.

  Chloe looked around at the participants, seeming to be making up her mind. “I don’t need a breathalyzer.” She stated emphatically. Then she turned and walked from the room.

  “That’s my mother,” Kate said helplessly.

  There was a moment of dazed silence.

  “Your Honor,” Kalvin continued, regrouping. “Other than, uh, Chloe Dunhern, Kate Dunhern is the child’s only known relative. She’s a teacher in the Seattle public school system. She owns residential real estate in Seattle. We’ve submitted work and personal references, along with her credit report. She has no criminal record, and is willing and able to care for Annabelle on an immediate and emergency basis.”

  The judge looked at Kate. “Have you had anything to drink today?”

  “No, Your Honor.”

  “What is your average weekly consumption of alcohol?”

  “Two to three drinks.”

  “Ever in the morning?”

  “Only on Christmas Day. A mimosa with brunch.”

  “Very well.” The judge brought down her gavel. “I’ve reviewed all the submitted documentation, including the police reports, and grant temporary custody of Annabelle Dunhern to Kate Dunhern.”

  Brody gave Kate’s hand a quick squeeze.

  “Thank you,” she said to Kalvin.

  “Happy to help out.”

  Brody shook Kalvin’s hand. “Thanks.”

  “My pleasure, sir.” Kalvin shut his briefcase and took his leave.

  Brody pulled Kate into a hug. “Well done.”