The Doctor's Accidental Family

by Jacqueline Diamond

  “It can’t hurt to ask.”

  Her friend’s fingers drummed the table. Her usually pristine nail polish was chipped, Zady noted.

  “Okay.” Alice rose abruptly. “I’ll call Bill and propose it. One last chance. Either he cancels the seminars and hightails it home, no matter how much money we lose, or I’m moving out.”

  An ultimatum might backfire, Zady reflected, but it beat having Alice file for divorce without warning. “If you decide it’s easier for Linda to stay here a few more days, I’m happy to watch her.”

  Her friend sighed. “That depends on how Bill responds. Zady, you’re the best friend I ever had. Thank you.”

  “You know I care about you and Linda.” Quickly Zady added, “And Bill.”

  After hugging her and checking once more on her sleeping daughter, Alice departed. Clearing away the teapot and cups, Zady hoped her advice would accomplish what the couple’s traveling hadn’t.

  A rustling noise revealed Nick’s entrance. He lounged in the doorway, arms folded. “You never told me you were Linda’s biological mother.”

  “Why should I have? Besides, you had no business eavesdropping,” Zady snapped.

  “The walls are thin,” Nick replied in a level tone. “Not that I’m surprised. She’s a carbon copy of you.”

  “Her eyes are green, like Bill’s,” Zady protested—weakly.

  “You also didn’t tell me that you consulted with the new therapist. Let me guess—my cousin referred you? I gather they’re old friends.”

  “Yes, no, yes.” She clunked a saucer into the sink with more force than she’d intended. Luckily, it didn’t break.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Yes, I talked to her at lunch. No, I didn’t officially consult her, and yes, Marshall suggested it,” Zady said. “It isn’t a requirement of my nanny job that I tell you everything I do, is it?”

  “No,” he conceded. “But I had the impression we were being open with each other.”

  That didn’t require spilling all her secrets, such as the egg donation, Zady thought tartly. Furthermore, she didn’t believe he was telling her everything, either.

  “There’s nothing you’ve failed to bring up?” she prodded. “I’m one hundred percent current on your life?”

  Exasperation fleeted across Nick’s face, followed by sheepishness. “I did get a voice mail from my father. It’s the same old same old—he feels a compulsion to unload on me, which I’m ignoring.”

  “There you go.” After rinsing the china and putting it in the dishwasher, Zady dried her hands.

  “There I go where?”

  “Keeping secrets.”

  His lip curled in an expression halfway between a snarl and a laugh. “You’re deliberately provoking me.”

  “Provoking or arousing?” The remark reminded Zady that they’d been about to scoot off to the bedroom and make love. At the memory, her knees grew weak and her prickliness threatened to dissolve into a puddle of goo.

  She’d been saved by the bell, literally. Now she had to hang tough. “I know your dad let you down, but would it harm Caleb to hear about his other grandfather? Stop!” Spotting the storm clouds forming in Nick’s expression, she clarified, “I mean, would it hurt to confront the guy and assess whether or not he’s changed?”

  “You described what he did as ‘letting me down.’” Standing there, Nick loomed large, but he didn’t seem angry, just stern. “He did more than that. He betrayed my trust and my mother’s.”

  “Didn’t you say he was mentally ill?” Zady stopped puttering around the kitchen, despite the urge to keep her hands busy, and focused on Nick.

  “He’s bipolar,” Nick confirmed. “I can make allowances to an extent, but my grandparents offered to pay for treatment and Dad refused. And that was during his relatively healthy periods.”

  “He wasn’t always—” Zady wasn’t sure how to describe it “—confused?”

  “He had stable periods between episodes of depression and hyperactivity,” Nick said. “But he chose to abandon us rather than undergo treatment that might be uncomfortable for him. When you bring a child into the world, you have to be willing to put them first, and he never did.”

  Much as she wished Nick and his father could reconcile, Zady couldn’t argue with his logic. And, she reminded herself, it was none of her business. “You have to do what you believe is best for Caleb.”

  “As you did for Linda.” His manner softened. “You love her a lot, don’t you?”

  A lump forming in her throat, Zady nodded.

  “And now you have to say goodbye again.”

  How annoying that tears clouded her vision. “Not exactly. I’ll still be involved in her life. I hope.” Unless Alice chose to move out of the area, to be farther from Bill. Zady would rather not dwell on that possibility.

  “As long as I’m being nosy,” Nick said, “you mentioned once that living with Caleb and me would interfere with your plan. You never explained what you meant.”

  She’d nearly slipped up badly by jumping into bed with this man. Might as well tell him the truth and widen the gap between them.

  “My plan is to find the right guy and have kids of my own,” she said. “A guy who doesn’t have a lot of old baggage. A guy I can trust and who trusts me. Who doesn’t keep demanding I prove myself.”

  “Ouch.” He ducked his head like a boy caught in a prank.

  Zady’s traitorous hand was tempted to reach out and rumple his hair. To brush the stubble on his cheeks while her body pressed against his.

  Damn, damn, damn. Not twice in one night. “I’m off to bed,” she said. “Alone.”

  Disappointment darkened Nick’s eyes. “Just when we were having such fun sticking pins in each other.”

  “See you in the morning.” She hurried past him, nearly breaking into a run like a coward—but a coward who would live to fight another day.

  * * *

  ZADY HAD SAVED them both from a mistake, Nick reflected later. They’d moved into this house for the children’s sake, not to indulge their desires.

  Yet he wondered about the imaginary Mr. Right. What might the guy offer Zady that Nick couldn’t? A future full of kids? As far as he knew, he was capable of becoming a father again, and she’d grown attached to Caleb. A house that he owned outright, like Marshall? She hadn’t mentioned that as a qualification.

  On Sunday, after viewing the possum photos, the kids spent an hour prowling around the yard, trying to find the little family. They succeeded only in rousting a few lizards. Later, they drew pictures of possums and read about the marsupials in their picture book.

  After dinner, Nick was in the mood for romantic comedy, although his usual taste in movies ran to action films and science fiction. The four of them gathered in the living room with a bowl of popcorn, and ended up laughing and calling encouragement to the characters of a madcap story of love lost and found. Although much of the film was above the kids’ heads, they enjoyed it.

  When the hero knelt to propose to the heroine, Caleb asked, “What’s he doing?”

  “Asking her to marry him,” Zady said.

  “He loves her.” Linda clasped her hands to her heart.

  The little boy peered up at Nick. “Did you do that with Mom?”

  Zady’s sympathetic gaze met Nick’s. He decided to rise to the occasion by telling the truth.

  “No,” he said. “Maybe if I had, she’d have accepted my proposal.” Not that he believed he and Bethany would have been happy if they’d gotten married, but they could have tried, for their son’s sake.

  He caught the sparkle of tears on Zady’s lashes. Why? Because he’d expressed affection for the woman he’d once had a child with? Or because she wished for a man to open a ring box and make her dreams come true?

&n
bsp; It was unrealistic. Yet that week, Nick felt as if things were changing between them. He’d begun to depend on her, to trust that he could count on her loyalty.

  Late Sunday night, when Alice reported that Bill was headed home, he noted Zady’s mixed reaction. Pleasure that her friends planned to work on their marriage, and perhaps also that Linda could stay in this house another few days to allow the couple to concentrate on each other. Also, though, sadness that her little girl would soon be departing.

  Nick held her sympathetically but released her quickly. When the time came to make love, and he believed it would, he didn’t want to take advantage of her in a vulnerable moment.

  On Monday, Nick was glad he’d made the extra effort to meet with Jack’s group of rebels, newly joined by Samantha Forrest. The fiery, sharp-featured pediatrician wasn’t afraid to be confrontational, and her ferocity energized the others.

  She proposed an ambush for the following Monday. Samantha planned to visit her husband in his office, ostensibly to take him to lunch. Instead, she’d arrive with their group and demand he allocate a floor in the new building to obstetricians, pediatricians and others outside the urology program.

  It was a strong tactic, and rather devious, Nick supposed. However, if the leaders of the men’s fertility program hadn’t been so bigheaded, this wouldn’t be necessary.

  “It’s going to be brutal,” he told Zady that evening. They were fixing dinner while the kids played in the living room.

  “Mark Rayburn strikes me as a man who can handle situations like that,” she responded.

  “It bothers me that Samantha’s working against her husband,” Nick admitted. “Ambushing him seems disloyal on her part.”

  “That’s her choice,” she said. “She must believe she’s justified.”

  “Even if it means betraying his trust?” That reminded Nick of another point. “Maybe I shouldn’t have shared this information, considering that you work for the enemy.”

  “The enemy?” Zady paused by the pasta pot, a spaghetti fork in her hand. “I thought you realized that it is possible for me to respect your privacy and Marshall’s.”

  “Of course.” Nick hadn’t meant to question her integrity. “Let’s change the subject. Have you heard from the Madisons?”

  “Franca agreed to meet with them tonight at her old office.” The counselor had retained the space to accommodate her longtime patients. “I’m hoping they’ll make real progress. But being around Linda has been special.”

  After turning off the burners on the stove, Nick hugged her. “I know how hard this must be.”

  “I’m happy for them.” She sniffled. “Do you have a tissue?”

  He handed her one. And experienced a wave of guilt at the reflection that, once Linda was gone, Caleb would benefit from his and Zady’s undivided attention. And if he could trust Elaine’s commitment to get together on Sunday, Caleb might finally relax and settle into his new home.

  With luck, the situation with the new building would soon be resolved, as well. Then Nick and Zady could explore whatever lay between them at leisure.

  He could hardly wait to be done with all this drama.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “It never occurred to me that my spending on clothes and toys exacerbated Bill’s fear of financial instability.” With Linda bouncing in her lap, Alice spoke earnestly from Zady’s sofa on Saturday afternoon.

  Beside her, Bill rubbed his short beard thoughtfully. “And I lost sight of what’s important in our marriage. My dad went bankrupt when I was growing up. Mom had to shelve her music career for a teaching job that drained her energy.”

  “You learned all this in two sessions?” Zady was impressed that Franca had been willing to schedule them, and then been able to uncover so much in less than a week. And yet, one lunchtime conversation had opened Zady’s eyes about Dwayne’s children after years of confusion.

  “We’re not finished with counseling,” Alice assured her. “But I feel like we’re light-years from where we started.”

  “Also, we’ve worked out a schedule for the rest of our seminars,” Bill said, and explained how his wife and daughter would join him part of the time. “After this month, I’m cutting back.”

  “And I’m starting a spending journal to curb my impulses,” Alice added.

  “Mommy! Daddy!” Linda burbled. “Going home?”

  “You bet, sweetie,” both of them said, and burst out laughing.

  The front door opened to admit Nick, who carried a glossy red-and-white shopping bag from the Bear and Doll Boutique. “What am I missing? Sounds like fun!”

  “We were just wrapping up,” Alice said. “Where’s your little boy?”

  “With friends.” Nick’s gaze skimmed over Zady so quickly she almost missed the mischief in his expression.

  They’d agreed that watching Linda trot off with her parents might be hard on Caleb. After Nick awoke a few hours ago, he’d whisked Caleb out for brunch at Waffle Heaven, then over to Zora and Lucky’s house. Karen, Rod, Amber and Tiffany had asked for the children to accompany them on a planned outing to Disneyland, half an hour’s drive away, which they swore was much more fun with kids along. Linda couldn’t go, but Zady had urged Nick to accept for his son, and he had.

  It wouldn’t be Caleb’s first visit, she’d learned; Nick had treated him to the amusement park a few months ago, and the preschooler had been eager to revisit his favorite rides. Zady had expected Nick to go, too, but he’d offered to pick up the mended doll and return home.

  Because he understands how much I need him today.

  Zady was grateful that her friend and goddaughter belonged to a happy family once more. Nevertheless, the sight of Bill beaming at his wife and the prospect of losing Linda reminded her forcefully of how far away her own happy ending was—if it ever arrived.

  Having Nick around was a huge relief. And a huge temptation.

  “Here’s someone you’ve been missing.” Nick handed the bag to Linda. “Her arm’s back in place, good as new.”

  With a squeal, the girl dug through the tissue paper. “My baby!” She hugged her doll.

  “I’ll reimburse you.” Bill launched to his feet.

  Nick waved away the offer. “My son did the damage. It’s on me.”

  With that settled, the Madisons collected their daughter’s belongings, which Zady had packed earlier. After thanking her repeatedly and promising to call soon, the couple walked away with the excited child.

  Through the window, Zady watched until it hurt too much. Sadly, she turned away.

  “I stocked up on tissues,” Nick said.

  “I’m fine.” She cleared her throat. “This is the right outcome.”

  With nothing further to say, she stood trying to figure out how to take her mind off Linda. And off Nick.

  “Would a massage make you feel better?” he asked.

  “Thanks, but I have some reading to do,” Zady said.

  “What sort of reading?”

  “Educational reading.”

  “About nursing?” he asked.

  “Sort of.” She marched into the bedroom and would have stayed there with her book, except the sight of Linda’s empty cot was too uncomfortable. Hesitantly, she ventured into the living room again. No sign of Nick.

  Kicking off her slippers, Zady reclined on the couch and opened to the bookmarked page in her novel. She’d barely started reading, however, when Nick entered with a parenting magazine. As he approached, she debated whether to shield her cover, but decided that would only invite suspicion.

  “That’s fiction,” Nick observed.

  “Yes, it’s a romance novel.”

  He tossed aside his magazine. “You said it was educational.”

  “It is,” Zady replied. “The author is instru
cting us on how men ought to behave.”

  “That’s an interesting viewpoint.” Nick perched on the sofa, forcing her to scoot over. What did he aim to accomplish by crowding her? Other than raising wonderful thrills along her spine, of course.

  He studied the cover. “Do women honestly believe most guys have muscles like that?”

  “He’s Scottish.”

  “Scottish men are more muscular?”

  “They had to haul a lot of stuff around in the seventeenth century,” Zady said. When he didn’t respond, she added, “Like swords.”

  “I’ll admit, I’m not that bulked up,” Nick continued, indicating the shirtless hero. “Well, not in my arms and shoulders, but if we’re discussing swords...”

  “We aren’t!” She chuckled.

  “I’ll leave you to it, then.” He started to rise, but she put a hand on his arm.

  “What’s your hurry?”

  He studied her intently. “Are you saying...?”

  “Since when do heroes need an engraved invitation?”

  “I think I just received one.” Plucking the book from her grasp, Nick placed it on an end table. A swift movement and his strong arms surrounded her.

  This man put that Scottish hero—and every other man—to shame, with his spicy scent, the glow in his eyes and the firm, slow pressure of his mouth. Gathered against Nick, Zady luxuriated in his kiss.

  Sensations awoke, from a tingle in her lips to a simmering desire deep within. Winding her arms around his neck, she traced the pulse point of his throat and the sensitive coil of his ear with her tongue.

  Nick’s moan rippled through her. When he shifted position on the narrow couch, though, he started sliding toward the floor. They both grabbed in vain for support. Onto the carpet they tumbled, with Zady on top, barely missing the coffee table.

  “We should have kept your book,” Nick murmured. “Looks like we could both use instructions.”

  She straddled him. “Shut up and kiss me again.”

  He obeyed, wrapping her in his embrace. Heat flooded her, along with a powerful awareness of his arousal. Also, an awareness of the coffee table digging into her hip, and the fact that they’d be visible if anyone peered through the loosely woven front curtains. “We should move to another room.”