Harlequin American Romance May 2014 Bundle: One Night in Texas\The Cowboy's Destiny\A Baby for the Doctor\The Bull Rider's Family (44 page)

“If you’re still absolutely determined to seek adoption at that time, I’ll sign.”

“Define
absolutely.
”

Her response startled a chuckle from him. “You missed your calling. You should have been a lawyer.”

“Don’t change the subject.” She left her hands in his.

“You have to be willing to discuss the issue frankly,” Jack said. “No avoidance.”

“That’s my survival strategy,” she protested. “Duck and run.”

“Like hiring an attorney to break the news to me.”

She flushed. “Sorry about that.”

“So you agree to be straight with me about adoption? If your feelings change, I have a right to know.”

Slowly, Anya nodded. “Okay, after we get the results of the DNA test, I’ll think it over carefully. But if you fail your part and don’t take care of me to my satisfaction, you’ll sign after two weeks
without
a DNA test. Because if you won’t even inconvenience yourself that much, you have no business insisting I raise a child.”

“
Help
raise a child.”

“Mothers do two-thirds of the work even under the best of circumstances.”

“It depends on the father, but let’s stay on topic.” Although tempted to demand an objective standard for judging his cooperation, Jack had to admit that would be difficult. And he didn’t believe Anya intended to cheat him. He’d already insulted her enough by requiring a DNA test to confirm his paternity. However, he still had to be clear about this bargain they were striking. “I’ll let you decide whether I’ve kept my part of the bargain, but your demands have to be reasonable.”

“Define...”

“...reasonable,”
he finished for her. “No jerking me around.”

“Such as?” she demanded.

“No phoning in the middle of the night for something minor like rubbing your feet, unless you allow me to move in with you.” Jack hadn’t been angling for any such thing, but now that he thought about it...

“That won’t be necessary,” she said quickly. “What else?”

“No interrupting my work unless it’s an emergency.”

“Of course not.” Anya regarded him indignantly. “I’d never interfere with patient care. Even if I keel over during surgery, you keep at it. Somebody else can cart me off.”

“We’ll see.” Jack hoped nothing like that would happen. “Have we covered everything?”

“I guess so.” Anya released a long breath.

He transferred her right hand into his and shook it. “Done. Jack Ryder agrees to approximately two weeks of catering to Anya Meeks’s pregnancy-related needs. In return for which she agrees to take a DNA test.”

“And then he agrees to sign the relinquishment.”

“If she’s still set on adoption,” he concluded. “Can we stop referring to ourselves in the third person now?”

She chuckled. “This is a funny bargain.”

It felt strange to Jack, too—but rather pleasant. “As long as we’re both satisfied, I deem these negotiations successful.”

“You actually listened to me,” she said with a touch of wonder.

“That surprises you?” He hadn’t meant to ride roughshod over her in the past.

“It’s not what I’m used to.” She tilted her head. “What now?”

“Vanilla,” he said, rising.

“With caramel ripples. Better get extra,” she warned. “My roommates are a hungry lot.”

“Anything else you need at the store?” Jack asked. “Fresh vegetables? Yogurt? Milk?”

A few minutes later, shopping list in hand, he decamped. Darkness had fallen over the marsh, punctuated by chirps and whirring noises above the thrum of the ocean. A sea breeze had eased the rotten egg smell, and a pale winter moon hung low in the sky.

Jack’s instincts warned that by agreeing to sign the waiver, he was embarking on a path that would affect him for the rest of his life. Until now, in many ways, he’d been in control of his destiny, or he’d imagined he was.

Not anymore.

The idea of losing his child, knowing those special moments and precious photos would belong to another family, nearly made him rush inside to retract his offer. Yet these days, birth parents weren’t necessarily kept in total ignorance of their child’s well-being. The right parents could notify him and Anya about the baby’s health and progress. He’d know for certain that his child was loved and happy.

A lump formed in Jack’s throat. He’d never expected to face such a difficult situation. And not only in regard to the baby.

The sight of Anya stumbling, flailing in vain for a grip and falling, had wrenched at him. She was in this vulnerable state partly because of his actions.

Fortunately, there was an upside to their pact. Although he couldn’t be here every minute to catch her, their agreement meant he didn’t have to keep his distance either.

His spirits rising, Jack set out for the market.

Chapter Eight

“I should never have let you go to that house alone.” Rod, his gray-laced brown hair sticking out wildly, stalked around the apartment living room. “You’ve been railroaded.”

“Brush your hair,” Jack told him.

“What?” Patting the top of his head, the older man stopped pacing. Earlier, he’d taken Danica out for brunch while wearing his fedora. Now, he smoothed his disheveled mop, though it was a lost cause. “Don’t change the subject.”

“I wasn’t trying to.” Stretched out on the sofa, Jack used his phone to order underwear and socks from his favorite online retailer. The old stuff had become frayed, and you never knew who might see it.

“You made this unholy concession Friday night and you’re only breaking the news to me on Sunday afternoon—that means you’re embarrassed about it,” Rod declared. “Didn’t you learn anything from my mistakes?”

“I have enough trouble learning from my own mistakes,” Jack replied. “As for why I’m just telling you now, I was working Saturday and by the time you got back from feeding the animals”—his uncle volunteered at the Oahu Lane Shelter—“I wasn’t in the mood to discuss it.”

“Because you knew I’d hit the roof.”

“That, and you smelled like a barnyard.”

“Barnyards smell healthy,” retorted his uncle.

“And you say this based on your vast farming experience?” As far as Jack was aware, the closest his uncle had come to a barnyard was a visit to a petting zoo when his daughters were young.

Rod leaned in the kitchen doorway. “You promised her you’d waive your paternal rights. That’s huge. You should consult a lawyer. You also should have consulted me.”

They’d already been over this, so Jack cut to the chase. “Anya might rethink her decision to give the baby away. If she doesn’t, I have no idea what it would take to be a single dad to an infant. Neither do you, for that matter.”

“They don’t play video games?” Rod asked waggishly.

“Not that I’ve heard.”

“However, I doubt they run away from home either,” his uncle said.

Jack saw no point in arguing with such nonsense. “Can we move on, please?”

“To what?”

“Almost anything.”

As his uncle fell silent, his smile disappeared. Jack was startled to notice new lines around Rod’s mouth and eyes. As his closest friend and relative as well as his roommate, Rod had become a fixture in Jack’s life—and like any fixture, he rarely drew close inspection. Now, Jack took a second look at his thin, graying uncle.

Forty might not be old, but the years weighed on Rod. Perhaps the sudden reconnection with Tiffany—followed by ten days of agonizing silence—had reawakened old sorrows. He also seemed unduly upset by the discovery that Jack might lose a chance to be a father.

If only the guy had a girlfriend, he’d be a lot happier. Jack loved his uncle, but Rod needed more than him. Anger flared at Portia, who’d not only robbed her husband of his family but who’d soured him on women in general. Since his divorce, Rod had shied away from all but the most casual relationships.

The older man had apparently held his tongue as long as he could bear to because he returned to his previous theme. “At the very minimum, as that Edmond fellow recommended, you ought to hire your own lawyer.”

Jack shook his head. “That risks turning this into a battle.”

“There’s nothing wrong with protecting your rights.” Rod’s phone sounded. “Now who could that be? Probably another salesman for solar panels.”

In Jack’s hand, his phone also beeped. “I hope this isn’t a citywide emergency.” He checked the readout. “Nope, it’s Anya.”

Rod had vanished into the kitchen. Good.

“Hey,” Jack said into his phone. “What can I do for you?”

“You don’t have to be at Labor and Delivery until 8:00 p.m., right?” she said.

“Yup. And I’m ready for action.” He’d been almost disappointed at the lack of a request yesterday.

“We’re having our weekly house conference at four,” Anya said. “It was supposed to be after dinner, but it got moved up. Anyway, I forgot I’d promised to bring a snack, and I’m kind of tired. I wondered if you were willing to run out to the store again.”

This was exactly the kind of thing Jack had volunteered for. “Glad to. What kind of snacks did you have in mind?”

“Chips and dip will be fine.”

“No problem.” It was almost three now. Jack had plenty of time to swing by the Suncrest Market.

“You can just drop the stuff off,” Anya added.

Eager to get rid of him, was she? He’d see about that. “Sure.”

As they ended the call, Jack was already figuring out a healthier alternative to chips and dip. He might not be able to raise his child, but he could provide a healthy start for him or her. Celery sticks with cheese or peanut butter, perhaps. Or fruit would be excellent.

“Good news!” Rod reappeared, grinning. “That was Helen. The girls are arriving next weekend for a three-day visit.”

“Great.” It was too early in the year for spring break, Jack noted. “What’s the occasion?”

“A week from Monday is Presidents’ Day, and there’s no school. The kids’ve been nagging hard, I gather, and their parents caved.” Rubbing his palms together, Rod added, “Helen liked my idea that they volunteer at the animal shelter on Saturday.”

“Where they’ll run into you,” Jack said.

“Purely by chance,” his uncle tossed off blithely. “I’ll bet we can think of other ways for them to stumble across me, too.”

“You bet—as soon as I get back.” Sticking his phone in his pocket, Jack explained about the errand.

“Just one sec.” From the hat tree that held his assortment of toppers, Rod selected a gray fedora.

“You’re coming with me?” That might not be the best idea, in light of Rod’s attitude.

The older man tipped his hat by way of an answer.

“No digs at Anya,” Jack ordered.

“I’ll be on my best behavior,” his uncle answered easily.

Jack didn’t find that statement reassuring. “Exactly what constitutes your best behavior?”

“I’m there for your protection,” his uncle said. “In case you haven’t noticed, it’s not safe for you to be alone with those people.”

“We work with those people,” Jack reminded him.

“Different context.” Rod pocketed his keys from the side table. “What’s on the menu?”

“Celery and...hmm.” An idea occurred to Jack that might let him stick around for the house conference. He’d love to hear what those folks were up to.

It was worth a try.

* * *

A
NYA
’
S
HOUSEMATES
STARTED
wandering into the den at a quarter to four. From the kitchen, Karen called out that there was hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks. “Help yourselves.”

“Jack should be here any minute.” Anya felt a little guilty about passing her responsibility to him, even though he deserved it after his ridiculous demand for a DNA test.

“Let’s get started,” Lucky said once they’d filled their mugs with steaming, aromatic cider. “We’re all here, and we can take a break when the food arrives.”

Their first item was a disagreement about the kitchen. Karen and Melissa preferred that all dirty plates, cups and tableware be placed immediately in the dishwasher. Zora and Anya were accustomed to accumulating items in the sink between meals.

“It’s more efficient than having to open the dishwasher a dozen times a day,” Zora said.

“Except someone else might need to use the sink,” Melissa pointed out. “I had to put away your coffee cups this morning so I could bake muffins.”

Anya had enjoyed the blueberry muffin Melissa had shared with her. “I guess that’s reasonable.”

Zora shrugged. “Okay. It isn’t a big deal to me.”

Lucky had stayed out of this one, Anya was glad to see. She’d been concerned that he might try to boss the women around, but it appeared he’d learned better. Or perhaps he simply didn’t care about this particular matter.

“Next item.” Karen tapped her list. “Do we each stock our own toilet paper, or should we purchase it in bulk? And what about paper towels? We can’t very well have separate rolls for each of us.”

Before anyone could answer, the doorbell rang. Anya rose quickly. “That should be for me.”

As soon as she opened the door, a green T-shirt stretched across Jack’s muscular chest dominated her field of vision. Next, she noticed the well-filled grocery sacks he carried on each side, while, behind him, Rod Vintner’s arms encircled a third bag.

She stepped out of their path. “You didn’t have to buy out the store.”

“I figured this late in the day, we might as well bring dinner.” Jack moved past her into the family room. “Don’t let me interrupt,” she heard him announce. “We brought cold cuts and bread for sandwiches. I’ll set these out in the kitchen.”

Anya found herself face-to-face with Rod. His flicker of reproach vanished so fast she wondered if she’d misinterpreted it.

“Tiffany and Amber are visiting next weekend,” he said in a mild tone. “I’m sure your suggestion helped. Thanks.”

“I’d love to see them.” From the way he lingered in the entryway, she sensed he had more to say. “What?”

His gaze dropped to her abdomen. “Congratulations.” The curl of his lip indicated she
hadn’t
mistaken his reaction to her.

“Don’t start on me,” Anya warned.

Rod gave a jerk of surprise. “What did I say?”

“It’s what you were thinking.” No doubt this man who’d lost all rights to his daughters held a strong opinion about the future of his great-niece or nephew.

“Now you’re a mind reader?” The man feigned innocence about as effectively as a toddler with chocolate smeared on his face and a plundered cookie jar behind him.

“Yes,” Anya said. “Watch it.”

At the hospital, he might be a lordly doctor. Well, semi-lordly; anesthesiologists didn’t have the same cachet as surgeons. But in
her
house, he’d better behave like a good guest.

After a tense moment, Rod yielded. “My nephew would agree.”

“He’s a wise man.”

She rejoined her housemates in the den. After greeting the small assembly, Rod trailed Jack into the kitchen.

Anya sneaked a glance at Lucky, half expecting him to complain about the intruders. Instead, he leaned back with a satisfied air.
Oh, right.
It was his week to cook, and they were relieving him of the duty.

The roommates returned to the topic of paper goods, agreeing it would be sensible to pool their money and buy in bulk. Karen promised to set up a kitty to which they would all contribute each month.

During the discussion, Anya remained keenly aware of Jack’s quiet presence as he set a series of platters—breads, cheeses, sliced meats—on the table. He’d gone to a lot of trouble.

The others wrapped up the meeting quickly, no doubt enticed by the sight and smell of food. Rod seemed to take pride in arranging a stack of pastries pyramid-style on a plate. “No meal is complete without dessert,” he informed the residents as they poured in from the den.

Anya decided against reminding Jack he was supposed to drop off the snacks and then depart. That would be ungracious. Besides, her housemates were clearly relishing the treat.

From a cabinet, Karen took a stack of plates. “There’s plenty of apple cider left if you doctors would like some.”

“I’ve seen you at the hospital but we haven’t been formally introduced,” Rod said to Karen. “I’m Rod Vintner.”

She smiled. “Karen Wiggins. I’ve seen you, too.” Her pleased expression hinted at an attraction.

Rod beamed right back at her. “You do such interesting things with your hair. I liked the dark color with the pink stripe, but this reddish-blond is nice, too.”

“It’s called strawberry.” She stood in the middle of the kitchen, unaware that everyone else was waiting for her to set down the plates.

“Why don’t we eat in the dining room?” Melissa asked. “The table’s larger.”

Her words stirred Karen into action. “Great idea.”

“I’ll bring the silverware.” Lucky lifted the entire organizer from a drawer.

“We can use the kitchen table as a serving buffet,” Zora added.

Everyone pitched in. Jack gravitated to Anya’s side. “I get why you moved here. It’s like being part of a big family.”

No, because they aren’t ordering me around.
“It’s better than a family,” she said softly. “We respect each other.”

“Don’t families do that?” Jack murmured. “Good ones do, surely.”

“I suppose.” Because no one appeared to be listening at the moment, she added, “Jack, this whole setup—I wasn’t expecting you to bring dinner.”

“The surprise is half the fun.” He snagged a plate from the pile Karen had set down. “Can I fill this for you?”

It felt weird, having someone offer to wait on her. Weird, but nice. Too nice. “Thanks, but I’m not an invalid.”

“Understood.” Jack handed her the plate and stood back to let her serve herself. Both he and his uncle were in good spirits. They might not have been invited, but she was glad now that they’d joined the group for dinner.

In the dining room, Karen opened the curtains. Late-afternoon sunlight played over the backyard—the brick patio, the lawn and the plot of cool-weather vegetables. Around the perimeter, bougainvillea, honeysuckle and climbing roses obscured the fence with a wealth of pink and orange blossoms. Beyond them stretched the marsh with its subtle shadings of brown and gold.

“It’s beautiful here.” Rod gazed out admiringly. “There’s only one drawback.”

“The smell?” Karen said.

He tilted his head in agreement. “You must get used to it.”

“Yes. I grew up here,” she said. “And I’m grateful for this full house so I can afford to stay.”

The seven of them took seats around the oak table, which Melissa and Zora had set with place mats. Jack wound up between Lucky and Melissa, which should have pleased Anya, but she missed him. She was wedged between Rod and Karen, who talked over and around her.

That felt familiar.

A smile played across Jack’s face as he observed his uncle and Karen. Anya shared his pleasure at seeing sparks ignite between the couple.

She’d moved here to put distance between her and Jack. It didn’t seem to be working out that way.