The Baby Bargain

by Jennifer Apodaca

  The thought made her queasy. She hadn’t been afraid when he had grabbed her—she’d just woken him up. But she was a grown woman. “Adam, what were you dreaming about?”

  He looked away. “It’s just nightmares.”

  “About what?”

  He shook his head. “I can’t, Megan. Don’t ask me, I can’t.” He sucked in a breath, his chest expanding, his stomach pulling in, and misery coating him just like the blanket of sweat. “Just believe me when I say I’m sorry.” He turned away from her.

  “Wait, damn it! Stop walking away from me!” She was so tired of it.

  “I have to. For you and Cole. I have to.” He vanished into the bathroom.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Saturdays were usually Megan’s busiest day at her clinic. Today, however, she only had eight clients. Eight. Unbelievable. Her stomach twisted in anxiety as she walked out of the last exam room. Her waiting room was empty. She looked over at Jillian.

  Her receptionist frowned, her dark eyes clouding with concern. “That’s it for the day, Doctor. I’m sorry, we had a lot of cancellations.”

  Megan opened her mouth, but she forgot what she was going to say when she felt a cold nose in her hand. Looking down at Missy, a charming boxer mix, she smiled. “Did you lose your human again, Missy?”

  Mr. Campbell walked out, his cane tapping on the tile floors. “She knows you have treats.”

  He was her last client of the day. Missy and Mr. Campbell were among her favorites. Reaching into her lab coat, Megan pulled out a treat and gave it to the dog, who happily ate it and then went over to sit by her owner. “She’s a good girl, Mr. Campbell. And doing very well.”

  “Because you saved her life. I don’t believe that rubbish in the newspaper. Just wanted to say that. ’Bye now.” He turned to the dog. “Leash, Missy.” The dog picked up the end of her leash and held it up. Mr. Campbell took it and they headed toward the door.

  Megan walked over and held the door open. As he passed her, she touched his arm. “Thank you. It means a lot to me.”

  He smiled and headed out to his car.

  She spotted her own car pulling into the parking lot. Just in time. Trina had used the car to take a stray dog, a puppy one of her clients had brought in, to one of the foster homes the Animal Rescue League had set up. As Trina parked and got out, Megan was grateful the volunteers cared more about animals than her legal situation. “Any problems?” she asked as Trina handed the keys back to Megan.

  The girl shook her head. “Nope. The woman, Lori, was happy to have the little guy.”

  One less thing to worry about, Megan thought as she let the door close and faced her staff. Jillian, Dara, and Trina all hovered around the reception desk. “Clock out and go home. Enjoy your weekend.”

  As they all left, Megan went to her office, closed the door, and changed into the clean jeans and T-shirt she’d brought with her. Using a brush, she secured her hair in a fresh ponytail. Then she locked up the office and headed to Raven’s Pond Park. Her mom and Hayden had brought Cole with them, so all she had to do was show up.

  Her stomach knotted as she parked her car. Sitting there, she could see the canopies draped with the banners that read Catherine Sullivan for Mayor! It looked like much of the town had turned out. She could see folks playing volleyball, and there was also a small carnival games section. She spotted a large food area from the grill smoke billowing up that was surrounded by tables and chairs.

  Megan hesitated, feeling uneasy about getting out, walking into the crowd alone. Most of the people here would have at least heard of her arrest, probably seen the photo of her in handcuffs. She knew she’d get more looks, whispers…

  “Stop it.” She pulled her keys out of the ignition. Once she’d been insecure, afraid, and desperate for love, but she had grown up and made her place in the town.

  Just as she would prove her innocence.

  In the meantime, she refused to hide. Her mom wanted her there, so she’d be there. She tucked her car keys and cell phone in her pockets and walked toward the party.

  “Cole, there’s Mommy!”

  Recognizing the voice of her best friend, Bridget, she looked over to see the petite blonde heading toward her, holding Cole’s hand. Then Bridget let go, and the little boy ran toward Megan.

  Megan dropped down to her knees in the grass, opening her arms. Cole slammed into her, wrapped his arms around her and held on tight. “Mommy!”

  She lifted him up and looked him over. His cheeks were red, but she knew that had to be from exertion. Catherine always put sunscreen on Cole. “You been playing, little man? Having fun?”

  He nodded. “Want puppy!”

  “Max?” Maybe he wanted to go home and play with their dog?

  He shook his head. “Water, Mommy!”

  Confused, she looked at Bridget for help.

  “Dunk tank. If you sink the person, you get your choice of prizes. One prize is a big stuffed puppy with long ears. Cole wants him.”

  “Ah.” Hugging her boy, she said, “You can show me after we say hi to Grandma.”

  He wiggled. “Down.”

  She slid him down to the grass and caught hold of his hand. The three of them walked toward the groups of people. She looked over at Bridget. “Love the new haircut.” Her friend been threatening to cut her long, unruly blond hair forever. It looked really good on her. She had that California girl thing going.

  Bridget shrugged. “Too busy to fuss with it. Work’s crazy, but I wanted to take a couple hours off and be here. It’s great to see you. You look good for a felon. The picture didn’t do you justice.”

  “Shut up.” But Megan laughed.

  “I can’t believe this nightmare, Megan. Who in their right mind would believe you’re a criminal?”

  Megan spotted her mom chatting with a group of people. Catherine saw her and waved, then went back to talking. “Roughly half my patients.”

  Bridget stopped walking. “No way.”

  Snarling outrage colored her friend’s face and changed her eyes to liquid dark chocolate. “’Fraid so.”

  “Those bast—” The blonde cut off what she was going to say, glancing at Cole. Then she muttered, “Jerks!”

  Megan hugged Bridget with her free arm. “Thank you for that. Just thank you.” Some of the day’s stress, the helpless feeling of being a victim, melted away.

  Bridget scooped Cole up and grabbed Megan’s hand. “I know what you need. Come on.”

  They passed the face painting and caricature stations. There was a photo station that had silly props of shark, dolphin, and mermaid bodies. At the very end was the big attraction—the dunk tank.

  “Puppy!” Cole cried, pointing to the wall of prizes set up by the dunk tank.

  But Megan’s gaze was riveted on the tank. Sitting inside, wearing a pair of board shorts and a taunting grin, was Adam. His bare arms, shoulders, and chest gleamed in the sunlight, his muscles flexing as he moved around, teasing the person throwing the baseballs at the target.

  The ball dinged the target but slid off. Adam threw back his head and laughed.

  She was transfixed. Gone was the tortured man she’d seen last night and this morning. This was charming Adam, playing around and having fun. She could tell from the way his hair curled that he’d already been dunked. Exactly as Cole’s did after a bath.

  He obviously didn’t care, but instead was enjoying himself. She noticed a lot of women standing around soaking up the view.

  “He volunteered,” Megan’s mom said, coming up next to her. “And he brought other volunteers. All ex-Marines. War heroes here to support my campaign and to show the town that they support you.”

  Megan couldn’t tear her gaze away.

  “Puppy, Mommy! Please!” Cole said, tugging on her hand.

  Somehow, Adam must have heard him, because he turned, his gaze locking in on Megan. Then he smiled, slow and wicked.

  He was daring her.

  Megan answered him with a smile of her
own. “You want that puppy, Cole?”

  He bounced in Bridget’s arms. “Puppy!”

  “Then let’s go dunk Adam.”

  She pulled out some money, bought one ball, and strode to the line.

  Three people tried and failed to dunk Adam. He was bursting with cocky attitude by the time she got to the front.

  “Megan, darling,” Adam called out, “whatcha doing?”

  “I’m winning a puppy for my son.”

  Both his eyebrows went up. “With one ball? That’s only one try.”

  “I only need one.” She tossed the ball straight up but missed it. The ball hit the ground and rolled.

  Adam snorted.

  Her mom picked up the ball and handed it back to her, hiding her grin.

  Adam leaned forward on the bench. “You do realize you’ll have to hit the target with the ball?”

  She frowned. “Really? That target?” She pointed to the lever that had the target painted on it.

  “Don’t worry, little vet. I’ll win our son a puppy later.”

  She heard him claim Cole, loudly and clearly. Around them, conversations erupted in waves. Megan remembered those whispers. The pity at father–daughter events, the entire town knowing her father wanted nothing to do with her. The hot shame and sickness. When Adam left, how would she protect Cole from that?

  Adam was watching her, and in his eyes, she saw a glimpse of the tortured man. Yet here he was, stepping up to make sure she and Cole were safe. And he wasn’t too proud to sit in a dunk tank.

  Adam wasn’t her father.

  He was Cole’s father. And it was Megan he didn’t want a real relationship with, Megan that he couldn’t trust with his secrets or heart. But she believed he’d find a way to forge a bond with Cole.

  Shaking it off, she forced a smile. “You’re a big talker for a man sitting in a dunk tank. I’ll win our son the puppy.”

  “Did I mention that I signed you up for a turn in the dunk tank?”

  “You did not.”

  “He kind of did,” her mom whispered. Then she burst out laughing. “I brought a suit and shorts for you.”

  Adam upped the wattage of his grin. “Maybe you should let Cole throw the ball. He’d probably have a better chance.”

  She turned to Cole and winked. “Think of names for your new puppy.”

  “Meg, don’t tease our boy.”

  She took a breath. “Adam?”

  “What?”

  “You might want to hold your breath.” She fired off her very best softball pitch. Hit the lever. The bench released and Adam dropped.

  The splash was awesome. She scooped up Cole and danced around, while saying, “Daddy’s all wet and we won!”

  The boy giggled in her arms and repeated, “Daddy all wet!”

  “Okay, folks,” an announcer said. “We’re taking a fifteen-minute break, then the dunk tank will be reopened.”

  She carried Cole over to the prize wall, where the same announcer gave him his coveted puppy. He clutched the huge dog, grinning. Then Cole burst out, “Aria!”

  Megan spotted the little girl from story time at the library, her mom Bella, and a few others. Smiling, she took Cole over. “Hi,” she said, setting Cole down to play with the kids.

  Payton scooped up her son, Levi. “What are you doing here? You were arrested. I can’t believe you have the nerve to show your face after blackmailing Nathan McCray and stealing his dog. You should still be in jail. If not for that, then for what you did to Adam.”

  Turn and walk away, Megan told herself. For years, she had studiously avoided the topic of Cole’s father. She just refused to answer people’s questions and the matter eventually dropped.

  But instead, she heard herself say, “What about Adam?”

  “He’s the hometown hero. And you hid his son from him. Then when you’re in trouble, you go crawling to him for money. You make me sick.” She said to the others, “Let’s take the kids to get their faces painted.” She stormed off.

  Some moms followed, but a few lingered, looking extremely uncomfortable. Finally, Aria’s mom, Bella, said, “I’m sorry, Megan. You know how Payton is.”

  “Is that what you all think, too? Is that what everyone believes?”

  Bella rocked from one foot to the other. “It’s the rumor going around. Everyone’s been talking about it today. I mean, you were arrested, that dog was found in your office…no one knows what to think.”

  “I’ll tell you what to think,” Bridget interrupted, her dark eyes furious. “Megan is innocent, someone in this town is framing her, and people like Payton? They are helping whoever it is destroy a woman you have all known for years. Think about that.”

  Bella turned red while the other moms mumbled excuses and made their escape.

  Cole stood next to Megan, his new toy clutched under his arm, staring as his friends left.

  Bridget crouched down. “Hey, Cole, how about we take your puppy for a little walk?”

  Megan watched as the two of them set off, with Cole chattering about what to name the stuffed animal. She knew Bridget needed to walk off her residual anger. In five minutes, she’d be good as new.

  “Be prepared for paybacks, Meg. I’ve got you signed up for after dinner.”

  The voice was right behind her, sliding down her back like a caress. Adam. She shivered, unable to keep up with her wildly shifting emotions. She turned and looked into his amused eyes. “You sure about that? While you were slumming it and traveling the world, I might have been playing a little softball.” She was the pitcher on the Animal Rescue Team.

  A few snorts caused Megan to look past Adam. She had been so caught up in him, she hadn’t noticed his entourage. “Oh, I see you brought some real men to help you.”

  He laughed. “These guys? Please, they throw like girls. You’ve already met Logan.”

  The tall, dark man with startling light green eyes smiled. “Pleasure to see you again.”

  “This is Hunter Reece.”

  The wiry man with dark blue eyes held out his hand and grinned. “Nice to meet the woman creating havoc in Adam’s world order.”

  Megan stared at him. “Uh, thanks?” They had to know about Cole, about her keeping him a secret from Adam. Was that what he meant?

  “And this is Griff Rankin,” Adam said just as his phone rang. He pulled it out, looked at the screen. “I need to take this.” Answering it, he walked away.

  Hunter took over the introductions. “Griff’s got a fancy diploma. Feel free to indulge his ego and call him ‘Dr. Rankin.’ ”

  Griff turned his gaze on Hunter. “I think I saw a Play-Doh station. Why don’t you go mold yourself some manners.” Then he reached out and took her hand. “Nice to meet you, Megan. May I say your mother is a lovely woman. I wish her the best of luck in her endeavor to win the seat of mayor.”

  Logan snorted. “Suckup.”

  Griff gently released her hand and smiled. “You’ll have to excuse the cowboy over there. He’s been thrown from his horse a few too many times.”

  “I’d like to meet the horse that could throw me,” Logan muttered. Then he flashed Megan a grin. “The guys call me ‘Cowboy’ since I come from a ranching dynasty. Griff is the ‘Professor’ since he’s as boring as drying paint. Hunter over there, he’s ‘Ghost’ because he thinks doing that pottery shit makes him sexy like that dude in the movie. One of our guys, Cooper, he’s not here. He’s…well, we call him ‘Lone Ranger.’ ”

  “Let me guess, because he’s a loner?”

  “Yep,” Logan said. “Being a team player doesn’t come easy to Coop.”

  “So you all have nicknames?” Glancing over to see Adam still on the phone, she couldn’t contain her curiosity. “What’s Adam’s?”

  Hunter answered that. “ ‘Shark.’ He’s a predator on water missions.”

  “Adam, a shark?” She didn’t see it. Sure, she knew he was dangerous, but to her, he was just Adam. And in all the years she’d known him, he’d never mentioned anythi
ng about water or swimming. She thought back. Had they ever even gone on a boat together? Swam? Hung out at the cove? She couldn’t recall doing any of that with him.

  “Trust me,” Hunter said. “The targets never see him coming.”

  Griff sighed. “He doesn’t like the name. Usually we just call him ‘A-Man.’ ”

  Megan turned to Hunter. “You had to tell me the name he doesn’t like?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t like the name ‘Ghost’ either. Think these guys give a rat’s ass? Besides, ‘Shark’ fits when he’s in the water.”

  “I’ll stick to just calling him Adam,” she said as she spotted Bridget and her son returning. Her friend laughed at something Cole said, clearly having regained her good humor.

  Cole slid his small hand into hers. She closed her fingers around his and decided to change the subject. “So you all work with Adam?” He had told her he hired former Marines.

  “Yes,” Adam said.

  She jumped, not having realized he’d ended his call and rejoined them. Okay, yeah, he moved quietly, much like she imagined a shark did in the ocean.

  “They’re here for the tournament.” He held out his arms to Cole. “Want to come to me, C-Man?”

  Ah, Megan thought quickly. Now she knew where he got “C-Man.”

  Cole let go of Megan and went right to his father. Adam lifted him up high. “And this is our son, Cole.”

  Megan felt a shiver rock her when he claimed Cole again. She couldn’t quite identify the feeling. Pride? Happiness? Worry? She was used to being in control of Cole’s world. She was definitely losing some of that. Cole had gone to Adam without a backward glance at her.

  With all the men’s attention on him, Cole got shy and buried his face in Adam’s neck.

  Bridget ended her uncharacteristic silence. “Maybe we should get some dinner. By the way, I’m Bridget. I’m the sassy and sexy best friend.”

  Megan rolled her eyes. “I was going to say ‘sweet and shy.’ ”

  Bridget laughed.

  “I have to get a rain check on dinner,” Logan said. “I’m up for the dunk tank.” He turned to Megan. “That’s a pretty awesome arm you got there, doc.” He sauntered off.

  The rest of them made their way to the food tent, with Adam carrying Cole. And there, Megan saw the story time moms sitting with Lawrence.