The little girl would look scared and would back away as Garland neared. “Nooo,” she’d shout.
Garland always shot up in bed just as Kai stepped off the curb. She would then burst into tears, feeling bereft and desolate and her body trembling and shuddering.
Tonight she pulled herself together quickly enough to check on Amya before returning to her room.
Wrapped in a cocoon of anguish, Garland padded barefoot into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. She then stared hopelessly at herself in the mirror. Her misery was so acute that it was actual physical pain.
* * *
Ryker leaned back in the leather office chair. He rubbed his eyes, which burned from lack of sleep. He’d woken up wanting to believe that yesterday had been nothing but a bad dream.
Pain stabbed now, causing Ryker to rub his chest. Kai was not his biological daughter. He searched every inch of her angelic face, looking for another answer but then he shook his head. It no longer mattered because DNA didn’t lie. The darling little girl he had brought home from the hospital belonged to Garland.
Ryker could not wait to meet the daughter he shared with Angela. He shuddered at the reality that he had never met his own little girl.
A shred of guilt snaked down his spine. He had been oblivious to the baby switch. He should have paid more attention when his daughter was born. This was something else he had screwed up. If Angela were alive, she would be furious with him.
Ryker vowed he would find a way to make it up to both of the girls one day. He did not know a thing about girly secrets, teen crushes, makeup or any of those things that were important to girls, but he was willing to learn. He would never abandon Kai or Amya.
How would Garland fit into his life? The question had popped into his head more than once throughout the night. But Ryker still had no answer.
It was complicated.
Ryker knew that she loved Amya with her entire being. He felt the same way about Kai. They could not just switch the girls—he was sure that Garland would never go for that. And he did not believe it was the way to go, either.
There was a time when he’d considered a relationship with Garland but convinced himself that it would be wrong, especially because her brother was his best friend. Under different circumstances, he could probably have appreciated the irony that he was now bound to her forever through Amya and Kai.
In a way, Ryker was relieved that Garland was the one who had raised his daughter. He knew that his daughter was loved and well cared for. He also knew that they would be able to find common ground because of their connection to Parker.
Hearing his mother’s voice in the hallway outside of his office snapped him out of his contemplation. Ryker knew exactly what she would want to happen—both girls to be raised by him. In truth, he rather liked the idea as well, but he knew that Garland would never agree to that arrangement.
The only alternative left was to grant visitation rights to Garland and vice versa. Although Ryker could live with this option, he would have preferred to be a full-time father to both Kai and Amya.
A knock on the door pulled him out of his reverie.
“Come in,” he said.
As Jordin walked in, he smiled at her. “You are just the person I want to see. I need some legal advice regarding family law and I don’t want to discuss this with my mother.”
* * *
“Miss Warner,” Ryker greeted when she walked into his office the following day.
“Please...we’re way past formality,” Garland responded, taking a seat in one of the visitor chairs facing his desk. “I’m sure you know why I’m here.”
Ryker seemed mildly surprised by her words. “Let’s talk.”
“I’d like to spend time with my daughter,” she blurted and then shook her head sadly. “This is still so awkward.”
He agreed. “I still don’t believe this is really happening. When the news first broke—I kept telling myself that it had nothing to do with my daughter.”
“I felt the same way,” Garland admitted. “I’m sure you’re just as anxious to meet Amya as I am to get to know Kai.”
“I am,” he admitted. “A chance reunion and now our lives are suddenly intertwined.”
“This is not easy on either one of us. It’s going to take some time before we’re all comfortable.”
He did not respond.
“I would like for you and Kai to come over for dinner this evening,” Garland stated. “The girls can get to know each another and we can talk.” She wanted to have their initial meeting on her turf. She would feel more comfortable in her own home.
Ryker met her gaze. “I agree that we need to talk about the children and their future.”
“Why don’t you and Kai come over tonight around seven?”
He nodded. “We’ll be there.”
Garland rose to her feet. “I don’t want to take up any more of your time.”
“I appreciate you coming by, Garland,” Ryker responded with a smile.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
Her visit left him in a good mood. To his surprise, Garland was ready to connect with him and Kai. He was also anxious to meet Amya but did not want to push her before she was ready. Garland coming to him paved the way for him to finally meet his daughter.
Chapter 8
Garland’s invitation to dinner made it easier on Ryker. He had been ready for this meeting from the moment they received the DNA results, but he had not wanted to pressure her.
Although they’d been thrown together under rocky circumstances, Garland was willing to work with him toward a viable solution. In her eyes and in the firming of her luscious lips, he could see that she was not happy about any of this—and she was not the only one twisted into knots emotionally.
We will find a way to make this work, he silently vowed.
Ryker was actually looking forward to spending the evening with Garland and the girls. He could not wait to meet Amya. He hoped that the two girls became close friends. He was not worried about his relationship with Garland. They had always gotten along well.
Most of the women he had known over the years enjoyed being around him because of his family’s wealth, but Garland and Angela had been different. Garland had always been able to find beauty in the most unlikely places. She had never been interested in high society or making connections through him.
She still managed to affect him, cut through his defenses and take him to a place he was not used to finding himself. Ryker had learned to control his emotions after Angela’s death. That would come in handy now—it was important not to break down in front of Kai. He was her father, her protector. He had to be strong for her.
He knew that with Garland, it would not be so easy. She had always been able to affect him in ways no other woman could, including Angela.
This is about the girls, he reminded himself. Amya and Kai had to come first. Ryker was not ready for a relationship with anyone because he needed to focus on raising both Kai and Amya. Regardless of the mixed emotions Garland drew out of him, he would never act on them.
* * *
After setting up the dinner date with Ryker, Garland made her way toward the double doors in the reception area of the law firm.
“Miss Warner?”
She turned around, surprised to find Ryker’s mom standing there. “Mrs. DuGrandpre, it’s good to see you.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I came by to see Ryker. I invited him and Kai over for dinner.” Garland had no idea why she mentioned that they were planning to have dinner together. She regretted it the instant the words were out of her mouth.
“I see,” Rochelle responded, her arms folded across her chest. “You’re certainly not wasting any time, are you?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Garland stated as calmly as she could manage.
“I don’t know what you’re planning, but I want to be clear. We are not going to let you yank Kai out of our arms, Miss Warner. We are not going to let you keep my biological granddaughter away from us, either.”
“That’s not what I’m trying to do.” Garland shifted her purse to her other hand, imposing an iron control on herself. “You don’t know me, Mrs. DuGrandpre, but Ryker does. Your son and I are going to find a solution that works best for both girls.”
“I hope you will consider the psychological implications for these children—”
“They are our first priority. Now if you will excuse me, I need to get back to the boutique,” Garland said cutting her off.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know my other granddaughter,” Rochelle said pointedly. “You have a good day, Miss Warner.”
She walked away before Garland could respond.
As she headed to her car, she fought hard against the tears she refused to let fall. During the drive back to Edisto Island, Garland considered how grateful she was that Ryker was nothing like his mother.
Trina was waiting for Garland at the boutique when she arrived.
“I came by to check on you.”
She clenched her jaw to kill the sob in her throat. “I can’t begin to tell you how I’m feeling right now.”
“Did something happen?”
“I invited Ryker and Kai over to the house for dinner this evening.”
“That is a good thing, right?”
Garland nodded. “His mother stopped me when I was leaving his office. She gave me the impression that they want both girls.”
“They can’t keep you from your own daughter,” Trina stated.
“But what about Amya?” she questioned. “I know she’s not the one I gave birth to, but I can’t just let her go.”
“I can’t imagine what you’re going through, sweetie.”
“Do you think I should get some legal advice?”
“Definitely. You need to be prepared for whatever the DuGrandpre family may have in mind.”
* * *
Ryker and Kai arrived at Garland and Amya’s home early.
He parked his SUV at the curb outside of her house. It was just as he’d imagined—flower beds crowded with color and scent.
“Look it,” Kai murmured, pointing at the flowers.
“It’s pretty, isn’t it?”
Kai smiled and nodded.
Ryker’s gaze fixed on Garland as she stood on the porch. It took them only seconds to join her there and then follow her into the house.
Her house was small, but warm and cozy. She had sprinkled a solid collection of pieces by local artists around the living room. An olive-colored sofa and two overstuffed chairs sat opposite each other in front of a stone fireplace.
Kai clung to Ryker’s leg, and he noticed that Garland was struggling not to stare at the little girl. He knew she did not want to make her uncomfortable.
“Sweetie,” he said, swallowing hard. “This is my friend Miss Garland. Do you remember meeting her at the store where you got your princess bear?”
Garland could not seem to tear her eyes away from Kai. “Do you remember me?”
Kai nodded. In a sudden bout of shyness, she buried her face in his thigh.
Garland seemed to understand that the little girl needed to time to get comfortable, so she said, “Amya, our guests are here. Come say hello.”
“Okay, Mommy,” Amya answered from the kitchen.
“I have a little girl who wants to meet you,” Garland said. “Her name is Amya.”
“Mya,” Kai whispered.
Ryker took a ragged breath when Amya came running into the room. She glanced up at him and broke into a grin. “Hello,” she greeted.
“Hello, little one,” he murmured. “You must be Amya.”
“Yes,” she answered in a low voice. “Me.”
Amya caught sight of Kai peeking around Ryker’s thigh and walked over to her. “Hello.”
Kai waved and then hid her face against Ryker’s trouser leg once again.
Amya looked back at Garland.
“She’s shy, sweetie,” Garland explained.
Amya then turned and ran off.
“Is she upset?” he asked.
Garland shook her head as she gazed at Kai.
Amya returned with two bears. She held one out to Kai. “I share.”
Kai walked from behind him and accepted the bear. “Tank you.”
He turned toward Garland, meeting her gaze. “This is incredible. I have pictures of Angela as a child. She is the exact image of her mother.”
“She has a lot of you in her, as well,” Garland said, her eyes shimmering with amusement and devilment. “Look at her ears. They stick out a little, just like yours.”
Ryker laughed. “You would notice that.” He remembered how she used to tease him about his ears whenever he and Parker gave her a hard time.
“Amya, why don’t you take Kai to your room?” Garland suggested. “You can show her your playhouse.”
He and Garland followed a few minutes later.
The room, decorated in pink and white, was filled with bits of chatter and laughter along with a bookshelf loaded with books, a chair filled with stuffed animals, a basket of dress-up clothes and a canopy bed.
“She’s so beautiful,” Garland murmured as she watched Kai and Amya playing.
“They both are,” Ryker responded.
“Is she with a nanny all day?”
He shook his head. “She goes to day care during the week.”
“Really,” Garland murmured. “I’m surprised you don’t have a nanny or au pair.”
“Do you really think of me in that way?” he asked her. “I don’t want someone else raising my daughter.” After a moment passed he said, “I wasn’t referring to you.”
Garland chewed on her bottom lip. “Where do you suggest we go from here? Should we get lawyers involved and let the courts mandate their futures?” She glanced over at Amya. “You can’t have her, you know. She is my daughter and I love her dearly. I’m her whole world and she is mine.”
Ryker’s mouth twisted. “It would seem that we have this in common. I’d fight to the death for Kai. If you think that you’re going to raise both girls, you’re wrong. Nobody is taking her from me, so you might as well put that right out of your mind.” Ryker eyed his daughter. “On Kai’s nightstand is a picture of Angela. She knows that her mommy lives in heaven. I’m not sure how to explain this situation to a two-year-old. Right now, she knows you as Amya’s mom.”
“Maybe all this will be less scary once they know us, Ryker.”
“Maybe,” he responded. “For now, we will just hang out as friends.”
“Something like that,” Garland stated.
“Kai is going to like coming over here to visit. She loves spending the day at the beach. I guess it comes natural to her.”
Garland smiled in response, then said, “Let’s settle the two girls in the family room in front of the television while I get dinner.”
“They are so beautiful,” Ryker murmured as he watched the two girls get comfortable on the couch.
“Moovie...” Amya said.
“Would you like to watch The Lorax?” Garland asked.
“Yessh,” Kai responded with a grin and a nod.
“This is Amya’s favorite movie.”
“Kai loves it, as well.”
She met his gaze. “Dinner is just about ready. Why don’t you join the girls while I set everything out?”
“I’ll help you in the kitchen,” Ryker told her. “We can talk.”
“I have a con
fession to make,” Garland stated as they entered the kitchen. “I never really pictured you as a father. I always thought you would turn out to be a bachelor for life.”
He broke into a grin. “I really didn’t think about parenthood until Angela told me she was pregnant. It was something we had talked about, but then we found out that she was carrying Kai...” Ryker paused a moment. “I’m sorry. She was carrying Amya.”
“It’s okay,” Garland assured him. “This would be a whole lot more awkward if we were complete strangers. If this had to happen—I’m glad it was with you, Ryker. I know I sound crazy.”
“No, I get it.”
Ten minutes later, the table was laden with a chicken and rice casserole, green beans and yeast rolls.
Ryker broke into a grin. “You remembered how much I loved your mom’s chicken and rice casserole.”
“It’s all she ever cooked whenever you had dinner with us.”
He noted there were two booster chairs at the table and his expression clouded, eyes going narrow. “When did you get the second one?”
“I’ve had it for months,” Garland responded. “I take it with us whenever we eat out.”
“Oh.” Ryker had wrongly assumed she was already preparing for Kai’s place in her life. Thankfully, she missed the assumption. He did not want the night to end on a sour note.
Chapter 9
After dinner, they sat down in the family room where the girls had already settled. Kai had warmed up to Amya and the two played and laughed as they watched TV.
“Amya looks so much like Angela. It’s so amazing to me.” Ryker glanced over at Garland. “I wish you two could’ve met.”
“She sounds like she was a wonderful person.”
“Why didn’t you come to my wedding? I invited both you and your mother.”
“Mom wasn’t up to it,” Garland said. “It was one of her low days. I’m sure it was a beautiful ceremony.”
“It was,” he responded, then changed the subject. “Garland, I have to be honest with you. I want to be a part of my daughter’s life. I’ve spoken to psychologists who have suggested that the girls are young enough to adapt if we switch them.”
Forever My Baby Page 7