“Why don't you get us something to drink? I'll be right back,” she said.
“What are you doing?”
She drew in a breath of courage and smiled up at him, feeling confident for the first time in a long time. “I think it's time Lillian and I had a woman to woman chat.”
Mitch shook his head. “I don't want you anywhere near that woman. There's no telling what she'll do.”
Sara chuckled. “You don't have to protect me, Mitch. I’m pretty steady on my feet right now.”
His dark brows drew together. “What are you going to do?”
“Do you trust me?”
“With my life,” he said.
He gave her a crooked grin and bent his head to kiss her lips. As he drew back, he was about to say something, hesitated, and then shook his head.
“Don't worry,” she said, touching her hand to his cheek.
“I’ll go see if they serve any herbal teas here.”
It wasn't what he was going to say. It had been an afterthought, Sara knew. As she pushed through the restroom doors, she wondered just what it was he'd held back.
Lillian was staring at her reflection in the mirror, applying a fresh coat of lipstick as Sara approached.
Sara didn't waste any time getting to the point.
“Tell me something. Did you just marry Mitch to get his money?”
“What do you think?” Lillian glanced at Sara's reflection and shrugged. “Mitch is a good man.”
“I won't argue with that. What about Jonathan?”
“You know what they say about the passion of wedding nights. I didn't trick him or try to trap him. After Mitch told me there was no will and that anything his grandfather had would probably go to his father, I didn't see any need to stay married to him. I mean, I wasn't going to go traipsing through manure on some cattle ranch in Texas until Mitch saved enough money to buy a ranch in some equally boring town.”
Lillian was facing Sara now. “After Mitch had gone back to Texas, I realized I was pregnant. I wasn't even sure it was Mitch's baby. It didn't make any sense to tell him unless I knew for sure.”
“I’m surprised you chose to have Jonathan at all.”
Lillian's expression hardened. “I thought about having an abortion. It would have been my choice if I had. But I had the baby, figuring I’d give the baby up for adoption. But when I saw how much Jonathan looked like Mitch—”
“You knew Mitch would do anything to keep his son. Even pay you for him?”
“I hired a detective while I was pregnant and found out there actually was a will. And the best part of all is that Mitch gets it all. Grandpa didn’t leave anything to Mitch’s daddy. So I didn't go through with the adoption. I brought Jonathan to Texas instead.”
“And waited until Mitch was so in love with his son he'd do anything to get him back. Is that how it was?”
“Something like that.”
Sara held back a retort and counted to ten to calm herself. “To think I was actually on your side.” Thinking about it now made Sara sick.
Lillian smiled. “Good, then you can help Mitch see things my way so we can stop all this silliness.”
“No, I can't,” Sara said, shaking her head. “And I'm sorry if that disappoints you. You see, Mitch has a mind of his own and he doesn't allow me or anyone else to control him. Nor does he control anyone else.”
She reached into her purse and pulled out the small micro-cassette recorder she'd placed there that morning before she'd left Mitch's mother's house. She rewound it just enough to give Lillian a taste of what was on it.
In case you haven't notice, I'm not mother material. She snapped off the cassette player.
“You little witch,” Lillian said, with a twist of hate and appreciation all in one.
“It's all here. The conversation in front of the courthouse where you demanded money in exchange for Jonathan. And everything you've said just now.”
“He's not going to win and neither are you.”
“I wouldn't write Mitch off just yet. Once the judge hears this tape, there is no way he'll give you custody of Jonathan. He’ll believe Mitch was telling the truth all along.” It hurt Sara deep in her heart to say the words, even though she knew there was no love in Lillian's heart for the baby. She ached for Jonathan and for what he'd never had, and would never have, in Lillian.
“You're just like me, little Cherokee,” Lillian said. “I'm not going sit back and let you take what is rightfully mine.”
“Apache.”
Lillian frowned and then rolled her eyes. “Same thing.”
Standing tall, Sara replied, “That's where you are wrong. You see, Apache people are warriors. And deep in my culture were people who knew how to fight for what is right. Unlike you, I'm not doing this for money. I'm doing it out of love,” she said, depositing the tape in her bag.
Sara turned to walk away, but stopped short and spun on her heels.
“Before you walk into that court, I'd think a little bit about how you're going to spend any money you might be able to swindle from Mitch while you're behind bars for extortion.”
Lillian's back straightened. “You can't use that tape.”
“Really? Are you so sure that you're willing to take the gamble? I can walk right out this door and hand it over to the District Attorney if you'd like. You can take your chances with him.”
Lillian tossed her lipstick case into her purse and zipped it closed, soaring past Sara on her way to the door.
“You're Jonathan's mother,” Sara said, stopping Lillian at the door. “You haven't even asked about him once. Nothing. Not how he's coming along. Not whether or not he's rolling over or...anything. Don't you even care?”
Lillian's lips twisted into a snarl, but it did nothing to stop Sara from speaking her peace.
“If you were doing this out of love for Jonathan, he would have been first and foremost on your mind. Mitch's money wouldn't mean a thing.”
“Guess you have all the answers.”
Sara blew out a slow breath. “I wish I did.”
“You haven't won,” Lillian bit back.
“This isn't about winning. It's about making sure a little boy gets the love he deserves from people who truly love him.”
* * *
The cup of coffee Mitch had downed too fast while he waited for Sara to come back after talking to Lillian felt like mud in the pit of his stomach.
“Don't worry,” Sara said. How could he possibly not worry? In all likelihood, his son was about to be taken away from him before he even had a chance to get to know him, before he had the opportunity to grow and become his own person. And there was nothing Mitch could do to stop it.
Almost immediately, the air in the courtroom changed. Mitch was having a hard time breathing and wished to God he could take off this noose of a tie and end this charade.
Lillian and her lawyer walked in to the courtroom just as the judge approached his bench.
“If it pleases the court, I'd like to approach the bench,” Lillian's lawyer asked.
“It's a little late to add any more information to this case, counselor.”
“There has been a drastic...change of heart.”
The judge scowled. “What kind of change?”
“If I may approach the bench?”
“Anything said at this point should be on record, Mr. Davis. If you feel you must address the court before my decision is heard, then go ahead.”
Mr. Davis was clearly unhappy that he was not allowed a private say, but he proceeded. “My client has decided to drop all further action against the baby's father.”
“Meaning what?”
“She wishes the child to remain in the custody of Mr. Broader.”
A hush swept across the room. Mitch couldn't believe what he was actually hearing. Apparently, neither could the judge.
“Say that again?”
“My client would like to relinquish her parental rights to her minor son, Jonathan Broader.”
Lillian cleared her throat. “Mitch is a good father. I believe he can take better care of Jonathan than I can.”
Judge Babcock didn't appear convinced. “I want you to think a minute before answering me. Is this decision one that you've made of your own accord?”
“Yes, Your Honor.” She glanced at Mitch, her face unreadable. What was going on? What was Lillian up to now?
“And you haven't been pressured in any way?”
“No.”
“I'm not sure I like this turn of events and I'm not satisfied that coercion of some sort hasn't come into play here.”
When the judge turned to Mitch, his heart pumped harder than a wild horse on the run.
“Mr. Broader, I can't say that I'm still not concerned by this situation. But since the mother has decided to relinquish rights and you are the child's father, you will get full custody by default. There's no evidence to show you are unfit to take on that responsibility and you can provide for your son. But I'm not sure a life being raised by a nanny will enable this child to have the love he deserves. Furthermore, having a different nanny coming in and out of his life and having a father who works the long hours that are required on a ranch doesn't give much emotional security. It's hard being a single parent. How do you feel you'll manage that?”
Mitch thought of Sara and all the nights she'd pushed him to bond with his son. Emotion swelled inside of him just thinking about all she'd done for them, for him.
“Well, Your Honor, that's where Lillian was wrong.” He turned and glanced at Sara. “Ms. Lightfoot is more than just a nanny. She came into my life at a time when I was confused and scared witless about being a father, and she made me take the reins. She's turned a shell of a house I lived alone in into a home that is bubbling over with life.”
And love, he thought. She'd filled both his heart and his home with the very essence of love.
He kept his eyes on Sara as he spoke. “I'm not looking to change things at all. I like them just the way they are, except for one thing. I'm hoping one day Sara and I will be married and become a family with a mother and father for Jonathan.”
Judge Babcock nodded. “Answer me one thing. If this strange turn of events hadn’t happened and the situation hadn't turned out in your favor, what would you have done? Texas is a long way from Baltimore. How would you have been a father to your son then?”
“If Jonathan was here in Baltimore then I would have chosen to be near my son. He means the world to me. And I can't remember what life was like before he came into mine.” He shrugged. “And I would have prayed that Sara would have chosen me.”
That brought a smile to the judge's face. “Full custody is awarded to Mr. Mitchell Broader, the child's father. Paperwork will be drawn up for Lillian Broader to sign to relinquish parental responsibility.” And with another strike of the gavel, it was over.
With a sneer on her lips, Lillian sailed past Mitch without a word. Mitch didn't want to think past his joy to wonder what had happened or what had brought it about. All he cared about was that Jonathan was going home with him. He couldn't wait to hold his son in his arms again.
He hooked his arm around Sara's and walked out of the courthouse in silence, not wanting to waste another moment in case Lillian changed her mind.
Once inside a taxi and heading to his mother's house, Sara wrapped her arms around Mitch and kissed him on the cheek.
“Congratulations, Mitch. You must be so relieved this is over.”
He kissed her back, this time on the lips, feeling his heart soar with excitement over the days turn of events.
“What happened between you and Lillian to make her change her mind?”
“What makes you think I had anything to do with it?”
He cocked his head to one side. “Don't tell me you had a heart to heart and she miraculously realized the error of her ways.”
Sara sighed, opening her purse and pulling out a small tape recorder. “Before I left Dave for good, I got smart. I told you I did despicable things that I'm ashamed of. Well, one of them was taping his abuse. I threatened to expose him in court, to show it to all those so-called-friends who had defended him the first time I left. I had boxes of tapes when I finally went to the lawyer for my divorce.”
“You blackmailed him?”
Sara closed her eyes, shame filling her. “I'm not proud of it. Even in doing it, he fought me tooth and nail during our divorce, and I felt I had no choice.” She rewound the tape a little ways and hit the play button.
After Mitch told me there was no will and that anything his grandfather had would probably go to his father, I didn't see any need to stay married to him. I mean, I wasn't going to go traipsing through manure on some cattle ranch in Texas until Mitch saved enough money to buy a ranch in some equally boring town.
She clicked off the tape and spared Mitch the rest.
“I told Lillian I'd go to the D.A. if I had to. I'm sorry.”
Mitch sighed, then chuckled, relief filling him completely. “What for? You fought fire with fire. Thank you for doing that. If you hadn't, Lillian would have gotten away with taking Jonathan and God only knows what kind of life he'd have had.”
“You're not angry?”
“How could I be? If I'd had an ounce of sense, I would have known that Lillian would only respond to the same kind of treatment she dished out. She doesn't know the meaning of fair play.”
He wrapped his arms around her and she settled against him, molding to his side and making him feel whole again.
“Sara, what I said in court-”
“Hmm, I wondered when you'd get to that.”
“I don't want you to feel like I'm putting pressure on you to stay at the ranch. I was feeling pretty desperate in there and—”
“Did you mean what you said?”
He gazed down into her eyes, replaying in his head his own words spoken in front of the judge just a short time ago and knowing they were true. “Yes.”
“All of it?”
He smiled. “Every word. Except I forgot to say the part about how much I love you.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “Really?”
“I love you, Sara. I'm a patient man, so if you need time then I'll give it to you. If living on the reservation is what will make you happy then, I guess we can have ourselves a ranch there someday, can't we?”
“You would do that for me?”
“If it means keeping you in my life, yes.”
“Mitch, do you have any idea why I came to Baltimore, even after you told me not to?”
“You said it was because I needed you.”
“That's right. And you know what? I needed you, too. I sat there in the house I grew up in and all I could think about was being with you and Jonathan. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. That little house on the Double T has been more of a home to me in these last few months than all the years I spent in California. And I realized it wasn't the house or the reservation that made me home. It was you. It doesn't matter where I am as long as I'm with you. And in case you're wondering, if things hadn't turned out this way, if Lillian had won, I would have chosen to be with you.”
He bent his head and kissed her lightly on the lips, his heart singing. “I love you, Sara.”
She chuckled softly, her dark eyes shining brightly. “I love you, too, Mitch. And don't you think for one minute I'm going to let you off the hook about marrying me.”
He laughed hard and then kissed her and oh, what a kiss. It was filled with the promise of a lifetime of love.
“I wouldn't dream of it,” he said, smiling down into her deep brown eyes, watching her love for him shining back at him. “In fact, I might just take you back to the courthouse and marry you before you change your mind.”
“Not a chance, cowboy. Let's get our
son and go home.”
THE END
Dear Reader:
Thank you so much for reading Book 2 in my Texas Hearts series, His Heart for the Trusting. I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, please help others find this book.
This book is lendable, so send it to a friend who you think will enjoy it so that she/he can discover me, too.
Help other people find this book by writing a review.
Check my blog, http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com for news about upcoming books in the series. There are two more books featuring sexy cowboys!
Follow me on Twitter @LisaMondello
If you haven’t read Book 1 Her Heart for the Asking, you can find that online at your local book retailer.
Book 3 in my Texas Hearts series is THE MORE I SEE, the story of Cody Gentry. When I pictured Cody, I actually pictured him as the most handsome of the Gentry brothers. He was confident and sure of himself as the manager of the Silverado Cattle Company Ranch and as a top notch cutting horse trainer. He had everything going for him until one day he heroically saves an ignorant ranch hand from making a mistake. Saving the boy leaves Cody blind. Suddenly, everything he knows about himself and his world has changed.
Since Cody is so handsome and sure of himself, it was only natural for his heroine to be the opposite. Although Lyssa McElhannon isn’t an ugly duckling by any standard, she certainly isn’t the beauty she wishes to be. But it’s Cody who makes her feel beautiful for the first time. I hope you’ll read THE MORE I SEE, a story that was inspired in part by my friend Diane, who for a time was blind and needed the help of a seeing eye dog named Otis. Diane’s Otis was the inspiration for Cody’s Otis in THE MORE I SEE. I’ve included a bonus excerpt of THE MORE I SEE below for your enjoyment.
Many thanks,
Lisa Mondello
EBooks available by Lisa Mondello
The Marriage Contract ##
All I Want for Christmas is You ##
The Knight and Maggie’s Baby##
Her Heart for the Asking ++
His Heart for the Trusting++
The More I See++
Nothing but Trouble
Material Witness
His Heart for the Trusting (Book 2 - Texas Hearts (Contemporary Western Romance) Page 15