“Drew, Daddy is such a good man,” she told the little boy as she put him in the high chair. It was the first time she’d actually acknowledged aloud what she’d recognized for a few days. Rick was a terrific father.
He’d coaxed Torie from her fear of men. Now she ran to Rick when he came into sight. He’d begun to pay more attention to Drew, too, as if finally realizing he too was a person, even though he didn’t speak.
Sometimes Megan worried that Drew wasn’t making much effort to speak, but her mother assured her that often happened with the second child. Torie spoke for both of them.
She fixed Drew’s breakfast and celebrated the day by letting him try to feed himself. Though it was a messy experience, she and Drew were both pleased by the process.
In fact, after she put him in the playpen they’d set up in the kitchen, she cleaned the room, singing as she moved.
Faith and Torie came in together an hour later.
“My, someone’s in a good mood,” Faith commented, a smile on her face. “Your evening must’ve been pleasurable.”
Megan’s immediate thoughts brought a bright blush to her cheeks. Then she remembered the rest of the evening. “Yes, we…we had a nice evening. But Mac had some bad news for me.” She lowered her voice even more. “Drake may be out of prison soon.”
Faith had begun to prepare breakfast for herself and Torie. Now she stopped, her eyes wide. “When?”
“Maybe in a week or two,” Megan whispered.
“I’m hungry!” Torie announced from the table, already in place, watching her aunt and grandmother.
“Coming right up, sweetie,” Megan assured her. Then she squeezed her mother’s shoulder in silent support of her fears.
They both worked through their concerns, quietly talking when the children were occupied, cleaning the house as they did. Megan had repeated Rick’s assurances, hoping they comforted her mother as much as they did her.
She had just started preparing lunch when the phone rang.
“Is Mr. Astin there?”
“He’s outside working. May I take a message?”
“Who’s speaking, please?”
With a thrill that she attempted to hide, she said, “This is his wife, Megan.”
“Oh, yes. This is his business manager, Gerald Roberts. I need to talk to him about the opportunities in Fort Worth. I think the mayor has something he’ll be interested in. And also there are some bills from a Mac Gibbons, Attorney-at-Law, I need his approval on. When will he be in?”
“He should be in for lunch.”
“Great. And, uh, I’m afraid a reporter may have gotten his phone number from me by accident.” The man really sounded nervous now, and Megan wondered if this fact had been the real reason for the call.
“A reporter?”
“Yes, I’m sure Rick has told you to make no comment if someone calls or comes out.”
“Is this about the custody battle?” she asked sharply. The mayor of Fort Worth had been at the custody hearing, she remembered. And that was the only reason for a reporter to want to contact Rick. But how would they know about his business manager. And why did he have one? And why hadn’t he mentioned that fact to her?
“No. The reporters have all been trying to find him since he disappeared last year. The custody battle gave them a clue. I told him he shouldn’t have appeared in public.”
“He disappeared?” Her mind was spinning with all the information she was receiving. Information she wasn’t sure she wanted. It was bursting the bubbles of her happy future.
Suddenly, the man sounded unsure of himself. “Uh, surely he’s told you—I mean, you’re aware of his past, aren’t you, Mrs. Astin? About CAP Computers?”
“No, Mr. Roberts, I’m not, but you can tell me.” Her voice had grown hard. After all, the biggest bubble of all, her husband’s honesty, had just burst all over her.
“Uh, no, I don’t think—tell your husband to call me, please.” And he hung up.
Megan slowly replaced the receiver and leaned against the wall, her eyes closed.
“Megan? Is something wrong?” Faith asked, coming to her side.
“I don’t know. I need to go upstairs for a minute. Can you watch the kids?”
“Sure. Shall I go ahead with preparing lunch?”
“Please, Mom, thanks. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Once she reached the top of the stairs, she entered Rick’s room, not hers. The room she’d shared with him last night and felt such complete happiness.
But it wasn’t the bed that drew her this morning. It was the computer. A CAP computer.
She wasn’t a computer expert, but she knew how to operate one. And how to search the Internet for information.
In a matter of minutes, she had more information than she ever wanted on that company…and the man who’d created it, Richard Astin.
And sold it for an incredible amount of money before disappearing.
But she knew more than appeared on the screen. Because she knew where billionaire Richard Astin was, and what he was doing with his life. She didn’t know why, but she knew where.
And she also knew he wasn’t what he’d appeared to be when she’d proposed to him, offering him five thousand dollars to marry her. He must’ve laughed his head off.
Why had he agreed? He could afford a hundred housekeepers and never notice the money spent. Instead he’d accepted her offer and taken on her and her family.
And last night he’d made love to her.
Or had sex with her.
He hadn’t said he loved her. Just that he didn’t want the marriage to end. After all, he liked her cooking. And she appeared to be an apt pupil in bed.
As he’d said, quite a bargain.
What was it Mac had said about wealthy people? Many of them were stingier than the average person. Rick must’ve figured he should get more for the bargain he’d made. Cooking wasn’t enough.
She turned off the computer, tears streaming down her cheeks. She hurried to the bathroom to wash her face and compose herself before she faced her mother.
As she entered the kitchen, the phone rang again. She waved to her mother as she picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Is this Rick Astin’s residence?”
“I think you have the wrong number,” she said, trying to sound disinterested.
“Wait! Who’s speaking?”
She hung up the receiver.
“Who was that?” Faith asked.
“Wrong number. And if the phone rings again, I’ll—”
It did. She lifted the receiver. “Hello?”
“Don’t hang up. I’m sure—”
She hung up. “Same person.”
“I’ve got lunch almost ready. You want to wash Torie’s face and hands? Is Rick coming in for lunch today?”
Megan closed her eyes. Facing Rick was going to be difficult. As she contemplated that disaster, the phone rang again.
“I told you—” she began.
“Megan? It’s Cal. Is everything all right?”
“Yes, yes, sorry. I thought you were a wrong number.”
“Oh,” he said, chuckling. “Those can be annoying.”
“Yes.”
“Look, I’m calling because a social worker stopped by to get directions to your house. Seems the court in Fort Worth has sent her out to do a home observation. I’m going to bring her out and, uh, Rick suggested I be an extra witness, you know?”
“He knew she was coming?”
“Yeah, didn’t the judge say someone would?”
“Oh.” She’d meant today, but obviously Rick had made the suggestion when they’d gotten back to Cactus, before she arrived. “I appreciate it, Cal. Are you coming now? Shall we set two extra places for lunch?”
“Hey, that’d be great. We’re on our way.”
Megan hung up the phone. “Mom, there’ll be two more for lunch. Is there enough food?”
“Yes, of course. I made extra, thinking we’d have leftover
meatloaf later in the week. Who’s coming?”
“The social worker and Cal. I’ll set the table.”
After doing so, she took both children upstairs to clean up for lunch, all the while trying to make sense of a suddenly upside-down world.
She couldn’t say anything to Rick about his lies while the social worker was present. She couldn’t demand an explanation for his actions. She couldn’t scream and rage at him as she wanted to do.
Should she give him the message from Gerald Roberts?
She supposed she should, the man had said it was important. Apparently more important than her and their life together. After all, the man hadn’t been surprised with her identity, so he must know about her.
But she’d had no idea he even existed.
The happiness with which she’d awakened this morning seemed so long ago and so foreign to the confusion and heartache she now felt, Megan could scarcely remember it. But she had to pretend a marital bliss that wasn’t possible, a happy home that didn’t exist, a united front of parental responsibility.
So she could keep the children.
While she wiped Drew’s face and hands and supervised Torie’s enthusiastic splashing, she shored up her defenses and her courage. It was going to be a long lunch.
RICK DIDN’T always come in for lunch, but he wouldn’t have missed today’s for anything. He hungered for more than food. He wanted to touch Megan again, to hold her against him. To kiss her.
He wanted to be sure she was feeling okay. The first time she experienced sex could be traumatic for a woman. And he wanted to tell her he loved her.
Saying those words wouldn’t be easy. But he regretted not saying them during the night. He wanted her to know that she had his love, his devotion. And he wanted to hear her say the same thing to him.
He discovered the kitchen empty except for Faith when he came in. “Hi, where’s everyone?”
Faith had a slight frown on her face. “Megan and the children are upstairs, cleaning up for lunch. And you’d better, too. The social worker and Cal are coming to eat with us.”
“Okay. Thanks, Faith.”
Cleaning up wasn’t what chased him up the stairs double-time. He rushed because he wanted to see Megan. But as he reached the top of the stairs, she and the children were coming down.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he said enthusiastically, grabbing her for a quick kiss.
She pulled away and, grabbing Torie’s hand, brushed past him.
“Megan?”
“Wait!” Torie squealed. “I want Daddy to kiss me, too.”
“Later,” Megan said, never stopping.
“Megan, what’s wrong?”
“The social worker’s on her way.”
And that was the only explanation he got. Panic streamed through his veins. He’d been right to worry. Megan was unhappy.
He dashed into the bathroom for a quick washup. Maybe it was the sudden appearance of the social worker that had frightened her. He’d done what he could to protect her by asking Cal to come as a witness.
That must be what it was. Megan was thinking about the social worker and had set aside her private life. He felt a little reassured at his deduction. After all, he’d seen Megan shut him out before when she’d been worried about the children.
After the social worker departed, they’d talk. He’d explain that he was on her side, always. That they should share their concerns. She’d agree.
That’s what marriage was all about, sharing the good times and the bad.
Even though he hurried, Cal and the social worker were coming in the backdoor when he got to the kitchen. There would be no talking to Megan now.
MEGAN DREW A deep breath and calmly greeted Cal. Then she extended a hand to the woman beside him.
“Thank you for coming. I hope it wasn’t too hard a trip.”
The woman smiled, seeming friendly. “Not at all. I’m delighted because it gives me an excuse to visit family in Lubbock.”
Megan introduced the children and her mother, then Rick. She’d known the moment he entered the kitchen, but she hadn’t acknowledged his presence until now.
“I believe lunch is ready. Why don’t we go ahead and eat and then you can ask whatever questions are necessary and look around the house.”
They all sat down, Torie insisting on her now customary place beside Rick.
“Daddy, you didn’t kiss me like you did Mommy,” she immediately complained.
Rick leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Sorry, angel, Mommy was in a hurry.”
Megan noted the social worker’s observation and drew a deep breath. Torie was being a good witness without any prompting.
The next hour was nerve-wracking. After the meal, the woman asked a lot of questions. Rick never suggested he go back out to work, taking it for granted he should remain for the questioning.
Megan had hoped he’d excuse himself. Instead, he sat at the cleared table. He even reached out and clasped hands with her after Torie had gone to go play. She’d tried to hide her reaction, a sudden clenching of her nerves.
The woman hadn’t noticed, but she knew Rick had.
Finally, the woman stood. “Well, that’s all the questions. All I need now is to see the rest of your home. Then I’ll be on my way. Mr. Astin, if you want to get back to work, that will be fine.”
Rick hesitated, but Megan prayed he’d leave. She couldn’t maintain her calm exterior much longer.
“Okay, thanks.” He leaned over and kissed Megan before rising and striding to the door.
Suddenly, she couldn’t stand his hypocrisy any longer. Rising, she said, “Excuse me just a moment. I forgot to give my husband a telephone message.
“Rick?” she called as she reached the back porch.
He spun around, surprise on his face. Then he hurried to her, his arms outstretched.
She stepped back and he frowned, her message clear. “You had a phone call. Gerald Roberts, your business manager, asked that you call him right away.”
Her words must’ve given him a clue to the frost in her gaze. He reached for her again. “Megan…”
She took another step back, avoiding him. “He said it was important.”
Then she turned and went into the house.
Chapter Fifteen
Rick tried to think.
How much had Gerald revealed? Rick wanted to head back into the house, grab Megan and demand she talk to him. But the social worker was still there. He couldn’t do anything to risk the children.
He hurried to the barn and pulled the cellular phone out of his saddlebag. He’d approach the problem from another angle, Gerald.
A few minutes’ conversation with the man told Rick Megan knew enough to be upset. He wanted to fire Gerald. But he didn’t. The man had served him well for a number of years. He couldn’t blame his lack of honesty on Gerald.
“I hope I didn’t cause any problems. I didn’t mean for your number to get out.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Rick said wearily. “I’ll have to change the number, but I’ll let you know the new one. Only keep it locked up, okay?”
“I promise, Rick.”
Rick quickly dialed the local phone company, requesting a change of number, unlisted.
He debated what to do next. Though he considered going back out to work, he decided to do some chores in the barn, waiting until Megan finished with the social worker.
He settled down in the tack room, mending some of the equipment that had suffered wear and tear. As a boy, he’d done a lot of that work, under his father’s tutelage. His father had assumed Rick would follow in his footsteps, running the small family farm.
Rick had discovered a talent for computers, however, an intuitive understanding and an excitement he couldn’t ignore. He figured his dad would be amused if he could see him now.
As he worked on the pliant leather, the familiar scent bringing comfort, his mind turned to his present situation. He knew he owed Megan an apology and an explanation. But wh
at they’d shared, not only last night but during the past two weeks, had to count for something.
She would give him a chance to explain.
A few minutes later, he picked up the cell phone and called the house.
“Hi, Faith, it’s Rick. Is Megan there?”
“No, Rick, she had to go to work, remember?” Faith sounded impatient.
“I forgot. Is everything all right?”
“No. I’m going crazy answering the phone. Megan told me to say no comment to any questions, but for some reason, a lot of strangers are calling for you. What’s going on?”
“Sorry, Faith, I’ll be right there.”
“Where are you?”
“In the barn. Hang on. I’ll take over the phone as soon as I can.”
It was time to face his past and hope he could link it to the future. With Megan.
THE CONCENTRATION required for her job helped Megan get through the rest of the day. When all the patients were gone and her duties completed, she took a moment to gather herself together.
“Are you all right?” Samantha asked. The doctor had come into the last examining room without Megan hearing her.
“Of course,” Megan said at once, offering a weak smile. “How are you feeling? Is the pregnancy still making you tired?”
“So-so. Megan, are you sure everything’s all right? Today you seemed tense.”
It was tempting, so tempting, to tell Samantha her problems. But she couldn’t. Whatever his reasons, this was Rick’s home. She might leave after she gained custody of the children, probably would leave, because she couldn’t bear being around Rick without… “No, nothing’s wrong. The social worker came today, but I think everything went well.”
“What did she say?” Samantha asked eagerly.
“When she left, she said she thought our home was perfect, and the children were well-adjusted. She couldn’t see any problems.”
“That’s wonderful. Do you mind if I tell Mac?”
“Of course not, though probably Cal turned over the tape.”
“What tape?”
“After she left, Cal pulled out a mini tape recorder. He said he and Rick had decided to record her visit in case there was any, uh, undue influence when she wrote the report.”
The Great Texas Wedding Bargain Page 15