The Billionaire's Daddy Test

by Charlene Sands

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, eyes wide as a schoolboy’s.

  “Okay, fine, Adam. If that’s how you want to play this. There’s really nothing much more to talk about. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some work to do before the party tonight.”

  “Mia, don’t dismiss me.”

  She lifted her face to his, shaking her head and wishing for things to be different. “Then tell me the truth, Adam.” The plea in her voice was softly spoken. “Talk to me.”

  “I’ll tell you one truth.” He cupped her face in his hands and, before she knew what was happening, placed a solid, smoldering kiss on her lips. A guttural moan rose from her throat as he drew her closer, his body pressed to hers, hips colliding, chests crushing.

  He ended the kiss abruptly and spoke over her bruised lips. “Compatible.”

  He was almost to her door, when he turned to her and tossed out, “For your own sake, stay away from my brother, Mia. He’s trouble.”

  Nine

  Trouble was charming. Trouble offered her a drink and bantered with her during the party, while Adam stayed back overseeing the celebration with his foot braced against the wall on the veranda. Trouble wasn’t trouble at all. He seemed like a man eager to get to know his niece. Brandon would leave Mia and Rose’s side and venture to the opposite end of the patio to entertain one of his mother’s guests and then come back to say something clever to Rose. Mia had no interest in Brandon, other than he was Rose’s uncle and so far, proved to be a pretty nice guy, yet Adam hadn’t balked at the chance to warn her about him. Why?

  “I can’t believe she’s my granddaughter,” Alena said, rocking the baby gently, with the expertise only a mother would know. Rose seemed to enjoy it. So far, not a peep out of her as Alena held her. Adam had given Rose the outfit she wore today. It was a lavender satin little thing, with frills and lace, made by a designer. Her shoes and socks and bonnet all matched. Several of Alena’s friends surrounded her, their gazes focused lovingly on grandmother and baby. Alena was in birthday heaven.

  “She’s lucky to have you,” Mia said. She couldn’t begrudge the baby the love of her grandmother. Rose deserved to be loved by everyone in her family.

  Alena’s eyes welled with tears. “Thank you. It’s nice of you to say. I hope to be seeing a lot of her. She’s the blessing I’ve been praying for.”

  “I think Rose would enjoy spending time with you, Alena.”

  Rose, as if on cue, began to fuss.

  “There, there,” Alena said, changing her position and rocking her a little more forcefully. Rose was having none of it. Her mouth opened to tiny cries that grew increasing louder. “Whoops, I think she needs her auntie Mia.”

  Alena transferred the baby into Mia’s arms, just as a hush came over the twenty-five other partygoers. Mia turned to see what the big deal was all about. In walked Dylan McKay, only the most celebrated movie star of this decade, with a young woman on his arm. He smiled amiably at everyone and strode directly over to Alena. He took her hands in his. “Alena, happy birthday,” he said, giving her a big smooch on the cheek.

  Women had swooned over far less attention from Dylan McKay.

  “Dylan, I’m very glad you came.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it.” Alena’s face was in full bloom.

  “This is Brooke, my little sis.”

  “Hi,” Brooke said. She was very attractive and up until that moment, Mia suspected she knew what had been on everyone’s mind when Dylan had walked in with her. Dylan McKay was fodder for the tabloids and the entire world supposedly knew who he was dating, made-up scandals or not. “Nice to meet you.”

  “The very same here, my dear. Thank you both for coming.”

  “I hear there’s someone else for me to meet.” Dylan turned her way. “Hi again, Mia,” he said. “We’ve met once before.” His daunting blue eyes bored into her, and she almost swooned herself.

  “Yes, we have. Hello, Dylan. It’s nice to meet you, Brooke.”

  Alena sent an adoring look at Rose. “And this gorgeous little babe is my granddaughter, Rose.”

  Mia wasn’t new to celebrities. First Clips catered to a high-end clientele, but she’d never spent time with anyone in the same caliber as Dylan McKay. Adam never mentioned to her he’d invited them, but of course, why would he break the mold? After that kiss today, her relationship with him was even more complex than ever.

  Adam finally left his wall space and approached the group. “Dylan, Brooke,” he said amiably. “Welcome.”

  Dylan nodded, his focus solely on Rose. “She’s beautiful, Adam. Congratulations.”

  He extended his hand, and the two men shook. “Thanks. Can I get you and Brooke a drink?”

  “Sure, I’ll go with you. Brooke, are you okay here?” Dylan asked.

  “Of course. You know I love babies. Do you mind if I hang out with you?” she asked Mia.

  “Not at all,” Mia said. “I’d like that.”

  “Great,” Dylan said. “I’ll be back in a little while.”

  Dylan walked off with Adam and Brooke turned her attention to Rose. “May I hold her?”

  Mia smiled warmly. “You can try.”

  * * *

  “So you’re a daddy now?” Dylan said, taking a sip of Grey Goose. They stood a few feet from the bar, out of the way of the bartender, who was making cocktails for the guests.

  Dylan’s appearance impressed his mother’s friends, but that was not why he’d been invited. Dylan truly cared for Alena Chase. She reminded him of his own mother, who was living a quiet life in Ohio as a retired school principal. And in his own way, Dylan McKay was old-fashioned about family. He was a good son and brother from what Adam could tell.

  “It appears that way. It came as a shock, but I’m getting used to the idea.”

  Dylan glanced into the crowd surrounding Mia and the baby. “The baby also came with a pretty hot-looking nanny. Or haven’t you noticed?” He grinned that winning megawatt grin that earned him millions.

  “I’ve noticed. But don’t let your imagination run wild. Mia isn’t her nanny. She’s Rose’s aunt and she’s off-limits.” To every man here under the age of sixty, he wanted to add, which meant Dylan and Brandon.

  “Possessive,” Dylan said.

  Adam shrugged. It did no good explaining the situation to Dylan. The guy formed his own impressions and usually they were dead-on. “Not really. Just looking out for my daughter’s welfare.”

  “Hmm. Yeah, I can see that. She’s living with you, isn’t she?”

  “Rose? Yes, she’s my daughter.”

  “I meant Aunt Mia.”

  Of course that’s what he meant. “It’s a temporary arrangement. Now change the subject, Dylan.”

  “Okay, but first let me say I’m very happy for you. It may not be a perfect situation, but that baby will bring you a world of joy.”

  Dylan wanted to find a woman he could settle down and raise a family with. He’d dated a bunch of women already and hadn’t found the one. The man loved kids and wanted a few of his own. Sometimes, fame came with a huge price, and he was never sure who he could trust, who was the real deal.

  Adam could relate. He didn’t trust easily anymore. He thought he knew what love was, but apparently he’d been wrong. Having his heart carved up and laid out on a silver platter could do that to a man.

  “Your mom looks happy, Adam.”

  “She’s getting exactly what she wants. Brandon and I have patched up our differences. The baby is the icing on the cake for my mother. A baby bonus.”

  “Yeah, well, babies have a way of softening people. So, you’ve forgiven Brandon?”

  One night over a bottle of fifty-year-old Chivas Regal whiskey, Adam had divulged his heartache about Jacqueline and his brother to Dylan. He was the only person who remotely knew the story. Apparently, Dylan had been dumped once, too, before he’d become famous, and the scars had left an indelible mark on him.

  “For the most part, yeah.”
>
  He glanced over to the fire pit. Brandon was standing beside Mia, and their laughter drifted to his ears. What did the two of them always seem to find so funny? Adam fisted his free hand as he sipped his drink.

  Dylan followed the direction of his gaze “You sure? Because you’re looking a lot like the jealous husband right out of my last movie about now.”

  Adam glared at Dylan.

  “Hey, don’t kill the messenger. Listen, if you’re interested in her, you should do something about it. She’s the whole package.”

  “How on earth do you know that?”

  “Hell, Adam. I read people. And if she wasn’t, you wouldn’t trust your baby with her or look like you want to strangle your brother right about now.”

  Adam drew a sharp breath. “Shut up.”

  “You know I’m right.”

  “What happened to changing the subject?”

  “Okay, fine. Are you going to Zane’s wedding next week?”

  Country superstar Zane Williams had been his other next-door neighbor on Moonlight Beach until he’d fallen in love with Jessica Holcomb, his late wife’s sister, and moved back to Texas. “I am. How about you?”

  “I’m bummed that I can’t. I’m set to film up north next week.”

  “Are you taking Brooke with you?”

  Dylan’s gaze reverted to his foster sister, who was playing with little Rose. “No, Brooke’s too busy with her new business. She’s moving into her own apartment this week,” he said. “Things are going well for her.”

  The chef interrupted his next thought. “Dinner is ready, Mr. Chase. Would you like to announce it, or shall I?”

  “You do it, Pierre, and thank you.”

  Adam and Dylan walked over to the fire pit where Rose was staring at the stone gems casting off light and heat. She seemed fascinated by the crystallized display, and Adam got a kick out of seeing life through her untarnished eyes.

  “Mom, we’re ready for dinner. Chef made all of your favorites.”

  His mother looked up. “Mia and Rose will sit with us at our table?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Brandon, too?” she asked.

  “Of course, Mom. Today is all about family.”

  Mia’s head lifted. Her eyes softened as they met his, and Adam winked at her.

  She tilted her head to one side.

  Then she smiled, a beautiful, heart-pulling smile that settled around his heart.

  * * *

  “The party was really nice,” Mia said to Sherry on Monday morning as they prepared to open the doors at First Clips. The first appointments were due at nine. Sherry arranged her hairbrushes, combs and scissors, while Mia looked over the appointment book. Rose was perfectly happy swatting at the toys hanging over the handle of her infant seat. “Adam’s mother is smitten with Rose. She said it was the best birthday of her life.”

  “I would imagine. Learning that she had an adorable granddaughter could only put a smile on her face. But, Mia, was it hard seeing her with the baby?”

  Mia thought about it a second. “Not really. I thought it would be. Gram is the only grandmother Rose has known, so I worried that it might seem strange and, I don’t know, kind of disloyal. But it wasn’t that way at all. Alena is a warm person and she’s careful not to be heavy-handed when it comes to Rose. She stayed over the weekend, and we got to know each other a little. For her birthday, I had a picture of Rose taken shortly after her birth blown up and framed. Alena cried when I gave it to her and told me how much she appreciated it. She left this morning and you should’ve seen her when she kissed Rose goodbye. It was really touching. “

  “So, now it’s just you and the hunky architect living in that big old mansion again?”

  “Technically yes. But it isn’t like that, Sherry.”

  “Okay, if you say so. Did I tell you how jealous I am that you partied with Dylan McKay? Mia, you’re mingling with Hollywood royalty.”

  “About ten times this morning.”

  “Oh man, Mia. If I didn’t love you so much, I’d hate you.”

  “Thanks... I think.”

  Rena walked in wearing a cerulean satin princess gown à la Cinderella. Her hair was piled up on her head; a tiara dotted with gemstones caught the overhead lighting. “Morning ladies. How’s everyone today?”

  “Dylan McKay was at the party over the weekend,” Sherry announced.

  “No way he was,” Rena said. Contrary to her words, her face lit up. “He wasn’t there, was he?”

  “If I promise to tell you, you have to promise not to hate me.”

  Rena gave Sherry a glance. She was feigning a frown and nodding her head. Rena’s eyes widened. “I promise,” she said. “Now tell me all about it.”

  She recounted the brief conversations she’d had with Dylan to her friends, and as they worked through the morning, they managed to keep all their appointments on schedule. Five boys and seven girls were clipped and groomed and had walked out with smiles on their faces. By eleven-thirty, Mia’s stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten much that morning. As she headed to the back lounge, taking the diaper bag with her, she spotted Rena and Sherry ogling a man through the shop window.

  “He’s heading this way,” Rena said. “Would you look at him? He’s a ten, if I ever saw one.”

  “Ten and a half,” Sherry added. “Bone structure counts extra, you know.”

  “I take it you’re not talking about shoe sizes,” Mia said, preoccupied with getting Rose’s bottle out of the diaper bag.

  “No, but oh man, Mia. This guy is hot. I bet he’d put your Adam to shame.”

  “He’s not my Adam.” She was curious enough to move over to the window beside her friends. She followed their line of vision and oh! Thump. The overfilled diaper bag slipped from her hand. She gulped. “That is Adam.”

  The girls shrieked. “That’s Adam,” Sherry said. “Oh, Mia. Now I really do hate you.”

  “Me, too,” Rena said.

  “Oh, be quiet, you two.” What was he doing here? Adam was too busy perusing the storefront sign to notice the three of them all lined up, gawking at him.

  The next thing she knew, he was reaching for the doorknob. The overhead chime rang out a rendition of the Star Wars theme and he walked in. The girls bumped shoulders, waiting in attendance. They probably looked like the Three Stooges on a bad day.

  “Hello,” he said, eyeing the girls first. Mia had to admit, their starship captain and princess getups were a bit distracting.

  “Hi,” the two chorused in unison.

  Mia stepped up. “Adam, what are you doing here?”

  He shrugged. After he lifted his shoulders, the beige zillion-dollar suit he wore slipped right back into place. “I came to see your shop.”

  Rena made an obvious throat-clearing sound, and Mia got the hint.

  “Oh, right. Adam, let me introduce you my friends. They staff the shop along with me. This is Rena and Sherry. Adam Chase.”

  He took both of their hands and gave a gentle one-pump handshake. “Nice to meet you ladies. I’ve heard good things from Mia about you.”

  “Same here,” Sherry said. “I mean, Mia talks about you all the time.”

  Mia nibbled her lip.

  Adam glanced at her, and she looked away.

  “Where’s Rose?”

  “She’s in the lounge, napping,” Rena volunteered. “We take turns with that precious bundle. Sherry and I are her honorary aunties.”

  Adam nodded. “I know she’s in good hands.” He turned to Mia. “If you have a minute, I’d like to speak with you.”

  “Now? Here?” She was curious. Why couldn’t it wait until she got home?

  “Yes, if you have the time.”

  “Oh, um. Sure. Follow me and I’ll give you the nickel tour. We can talk in the back room, and you can see Rose.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  It really did only take two minutes to show Adam the entire shop. They wound up in the lounge area where Rose was sleeping. “S
he’s still asleep,” she whispered. “Sometimes she sleeps in the infant seat and sometimes I put her down in the playpen. I keep this place spotless and she’s in good hands with Rena and Sherry, so you don’t—”

  Two of his fingertips brushed over her mouth, stopping her from saying more. The pads were rough over her lips, but a sweet tingle washed through her anyway. “Mia, you don’t have to explain. I’m not here to inspect the place.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “I came by to see where my daughter spends a lot of her time. And I came to ask you to lunch.”

  “Lunch? You want to have lunch with me?”

  “You look surprised. Don’t you take a lunch break?”

  “Yes, but...why?”

  He released a big sigh. “I’m trying, Mia.”

  “Trying to do what?”

  “Not be so closed off.”

  * * *

  They sat across from each other in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Santa Monica, three blocks away from her shop. Seaboard Café boasted the best seafood in town. The baby enjoyed the short walk in the stroller and was now sitting in her infant seat next to Mia, taking in the surroundings with inquisitive eyes. Mia’s heart seemed to be in a perpetual state of melt mode lately. She’d gone gooey soft inside when Adam confessed he was trying not to be so closed off. For her? If only she could be sure. But oh wow, that seemed to come out of the blue. And it made her giddy.

  Adam stood for a moment and removed his jacket. “You mind?”

  She shook her head. He could undress in front of her anytime he wanted.

  He unfastened his tie and folded it into his jacket pocket and then unbuttoned the first two buttons on a crisp cocoa-brown shirt. He’d come into the shop looking sharp and handsome, but he was no less gorgeous now. The girls would never let up on her now that they’d laid eyes on him.

  He sat down, shot his daughter an adoring look and said, “I like your shop. It was hard to picture in my mind. Now, I can visualize children sitting in those chairs getting their hair cut.”

  “We still have our challenges. Sometimes we get a child who is frightened or stubborn. All the bells and whistles in the world won’t get them to sit in the chair. Sherry has actually cut a child’s hair, sitting in the rocket ship, while the child stood up. The kid absolutely refused to do it any other way. We have learned to be flexible.”