Читать книгу Formula: Father - Jolie Kramer - Страница 9

THE BABY GURGLED, and Janelle forced herself to laugh. She tickled the baby’s tummy as she widened her smile. Then she saw that the damn snooty butler, Harold, had finally left the room and she could relax. But not too much. Anyone could walk in at any second. Megan Maitland was the biggest nuisance, but at least she was convinced that Chase was her grandson and Connor her real son and that she, Janelle, was the nicest, sweetest, most loving daughter-in-law-to-be in the world.

She couldn’t put it off any longer. She had to change the baby’s diaper. Nothing made her want to gag more. Well, nothing except seeing the self-righteous Maitland family being all lovey-dovey with each other. That was enough to make anyone sick.

All she had to do was keep it up for a little while longer. Just until Petey and she made their money, and then it was adios to Austin, to the Maitlands, to this…. She took off the old diaper and winced at the smell.

She didn’t dare do anything less than a thorough job, though. Megan or Harold would check. They always did. Like they didn’t trust her or something.

She laughed. Man, her only regret was that she wouldn’t be around to see their faces when they realized what she’d done. How she’d tricked them all.

Ironically, she figured Megan would be the one who could appreciate her work the most. Megan, who was tough as nails behind that angelic facade. Megan, who hadn’t gotten where she was by being a Goody Two-shoes. No one made that kind of money by being sweet.

Megan had had to be smarter than the other guy, one step ahead. Just like Janelle. And that’s why it was all going to work, pretty as you please. Then she’d live her life in the kind of luxury she deserved. As for Petey… If he behaved, he’d be right there next to her. If he didn’t?

Sacrifices had to be made sometimes. God knows, changing diapers should have been sacrifice enough. But if she had to do this alone, so be it.

Petey. So damn good-looking. So malleable. But not exactly the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Actually, it was probably better that he wasn’t. Wouldn’t want him getting too many ideas of his own.

Finally, the kid was changed. And Megan would be down any second to take the brat to the Maitland day care. Janelle could wait. She’d learned all about waiting.

She picked up the baby and held him to her chest. As she walked around the room, bouncing him gently, a thought occurred to her. What if she didn’t leave? What if she stayed right here in Austin. Took Megan Maitland down a few hundred pegs. Took over the mansion!

Wouldn’t that be a day. My, my. This would require some thought. Some serious thought.

“YOU’RE STILL HERE!”

Darcy nodded as she walked toward Beth. “I’m on my way out. I just thought I’d stop in and say a quick hello first.”

Beth stepped over a pile of Lego, dodged a headless Barbie and maneuvered deftly around a See-n-Spell that mooed for no apparent reason. “Did you and Abby have a nice lunch? I was so sorry to miss out.” She embraced Darcy in a fierce hug, then her hands grasped Darcy’s upper arms, which she held as she studied her friend’s face. “I swear to God, you are more gorgeous than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Oh, come on.”

“I’m not kidding.”

Darcy smiled, knowing that Beth meant it as a compliment and not as an opening line to precede a favor.

“You know I’m not lying. You could always tell when I was.”

“And you did plenty of it, if my memory serves.”

Beth’s grin was exactly the same as when she’d been seven years old, and Darcy had been her babysitter. “I was a perfect angel as a child. And I refuse to believe anything different.”

Darcy couldn’t help but laugh. Beth had always been so cheerful, so excited about life.

“Do you have a minute? I want to hear what Mitchell said when you told him why you were here.”

“That won’t take long. He said—”

“No, not yet. I’m supposed to be on a break, so why don’t I walk you to your car.”

“Really?”

She nodded, sending her dark curly hair bobbing down her back. Darcy wanted to tell her what a beautiful woman she’d become, but she decided to wait till their next meeting. She didn’t want it to sound as if she were just returning Beth’s compliment.

“I’ll be one second.” Beth scurried to the far side of the day care to speak to an older woman who was helping a little boy fix a toy truck.

Darcy’s gaze swept the large, cheerful place until she noticed the garden outside. Lush and green, with all sorts of intriguing plants, it seemed a perfect place to find peace and quiet.

At that thought, a great shriek rang out, and Darcy spun to find a little girl—she looked to be around five—howling like a banshee, her face scrunched up in a mask of pure misery. Darcy rushed over to her, searching for blood or a broken bone at the very least. What she found instead was a baby doll with black marker on its face. Two big dark circles, as if the doll had lost a barroom brawl.

Darcy crouched so she was nearly eye level with the girl, who, she saw, would be extremely pretty if she ever stopped crying. “Honey, are you crying because of your doll?”

The girl sniffed and nodded, which caused a teardrop to fall on Darcy’s hand. She completely melted. Then she took the doll and tried to wipe off the black marker, but it didn’t help. The shiners were there for keeps. She’d have to try another tack. “What’s your name, sweetie?”

After another sniff, the girl mumbled something Darcy didn’t catch.

“What is it?”

“Courtney.”

“Oh, that’s a beautiful name.” She held up the doll. “And what’s her name?”

“Lizabeth.”

“That’s a beautiful name, too. But you know what?”

Courtney shook her head, still looking so woeful it broke Darcy’s heart.

“She’s going to need your help from now on.”

“What?”

“Lizabeth. She’s very special now, and it will take a very special little girl to care for her properly.”

“She’s no good anymore. Gilbert ruined her.”

“Gilbert didn’t ruin her. He gave her a cross to bear. Do you know what that means?”

Again, Courtney shook her head. But at least she’d stopped crying.

“It means that she’s different from all the other dolls. Her eyes make her different. Now, most people don’t like things that are different. They don’t realize how wonderful it is to love someone like Lizabeth.”

“Why is it wonderful?”

“Because you know what Lizabeth is really like. You know that behind all this marker, there’s a sweet, beautiful doll, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“So when your friends see you treating her as if she were brand-new and perfect, they’ll learn to see past the black marker, too.”

“Really?”

“Really. And before you know it, Lizabeth will be the most popular doll in the whole day care.”

Courtney wiped her face with the back of a perfect tiny hand. She reached for the battered doll, which Darcy put carefully into her arms. Then, without a goodbye, Courtney headed across the room.

Darcy watched her go to the playhouse and crawl inside, taking the doll with her.

“You’re gonna be one heck of a great mother,” Beth said.

Darcy looked up at her voice. She’d been so intent on Courtney that she hadn’t even realized Beth was standing right behind her.

“You know, we’re always looking for good help here.”

Darcy smiled as she rose. “No, thanks. With any luck at all I’m going to have a full-time job as a mommy very soon.”

“Which brings us back to what Mitchell said.”

“In a nutshell, he said he wasn’t keen on the idea of being my doctor.”

“Which you’d anticipated.”

“Yes, but now—” she looked at the playhouse once more “—now I know I need to convince him to take me on.”

“Why?”

“Because this is my home. And, like it or not, you guys are the closest thing I’ve got to family. And I’m going to need all of you to help me with this child.”

Beth held open the door for her and they stepped into the hall. “I’ll do what I can to help.”

“I know you will. And I appreciate that more than you can imagine.”

“I’ve needed the family to stand by me, too. Mitchell will come through. He always does.”

They were walking by the elevators when a very tall, very good-looking man approached Beth.

“Excuse me. I’m looking for Megan Maitland.”

“And you are?”

“Harrison Smith. I’m here to discuss my daughter’s care.”

“Is she a patient here?”

“No, but she might turn out to be one. If things check out.”

“I’m sure you’ll find there’s no safer place for your daughter in the world,” Beth assured him. “Or better care.”

He nodded, but Darcy had the feeling he wasn’t convinced.

“Megan Maitland’s office is upstairs. There’s a receptionist who will call her for you.”

“Thank you.”

Darcy took a step toward Beth as they watched the man ring for the elevator. They didn’t speak again until the doors had closed behind him and the elevator had started moving.

“What a stunner,” Beth said.

“How old do you think he was?”

“Forty. Maybe forty-five.”

“Did you see those dark blue eyes?”

Beth nodded. “And that thick black hair?”

“God, if Lagerfeld ever got a hold of a man like that,” Darcy said. “I can just see him on the cover of GQ.”

“Until a month or so ago, I know exactly where I would have liked to have seen him,” Beth said, leading Darcy toward the front door. “But not anymore. Harrison Smith might be tall, dark and handsome, but he can’t come close to Ty Redstone.”

“Aha. I was wondering when you were going to tell me about him. Abby hinted…”

Beth smiled broadly. “He’s the most wonderful man in the whole world. And, oh, Darcy, I can hardly believe it myself, but we’re going to be married!”

Darcy was happy for her old friend. Honestly happy. But that didn’t stop her heart from aching. From wanting her own eyes to shine with a love so deep and real, everything else in the world faded into the background.

She might not ever find that kind of love for herself, but she could give that kind of love to a child. To her child. But this was no time to be wrapped up in her own angst. Beth was going to be married. Darcy hugged her friend once more. “I want to hear all about him,” she said.

“Don’t worry, you will.”

“DON’T YOU HAVE an opinion?”

Mitchell focused on his mother, knowing he’d missed the gist of their conversation. The last thing he remembered clearly was telling her about Darcy’s sudden appearance. Then he’d gone somewhere else, even though he hadn’t left the room. “What was the question again?”

Megan Maitland shook her head, but her smile was sympathetic. “I imagine it’s difficult to see her again after all this time.”

He nodded. “But it’s also good. I mean, we sure went through a lot together.”

Megan studied him in that way she had, as if she could see inside him. She’d had that ability even when he’d been a child. He’d never been able to lie to her. She’d always known. “Sometimes,” she said, “the one we love first is the hardest to forget.”

He jerked in his chair. “Love? Who said anything about love? We were friends. Damn good friends. But it didn’t go further than that.”

“No? My mistake. Sorry.”

Mitch cleared his throat. “So who is this man we’re meeting?”

His mother didn’t answer, not in words, at least. But her gaze said she wasn’t fooled. As much as he hated to admit it, he wasn’t fooled, either. Darcy had been his first love. But that had been years ago. A lot had changed since then.

“His name is Harrison Smith. He’s here to discuss his daughter’s birthing plans.” She glanced at the antique clock on her desk. “And he’s late.”

“Why am I here? Shouldn’t he be talking to Abby?”

“I want your take on him. Something seemed a little off when he made his appointment. He wanted to make sure we knew how much money he had and that he was willing to spend it on his daughter.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Mitchell,” she said, scolding him, but lightly. “With all that’s gone on here in the last few months, you don’t expect me to ignore a gut feeling, do you?”

“Your gut feeling? No way.”

“Thank you. Besides, you know as much about the clinic as anyone, so you’ll be able to answer any questions he might have about the medical side of things.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“That’s all I expect.”

He got up and went to the window. He found what he was looking for in two seconds. The great old tree with their initials carved in the trunk. DT+MM FOREVER. Darcy Taylor plus Mitchell Maitland. He’d found it two weeks after she’d disappeared. And for the next five years, he’d wanted to forget that he’d ever seen it. It was a cruel joke by a sadistic universe. He’d been so shy he’d never been able to tell her his true feelings. And he’d certainly never guessed he was anything more than a friend to Darcy. And then to find out they’d wasted all that time. That they could have been so much more, if only they’d told each other the truth.

He’d often wondered if she might not have left if he’d had the nerve to tell her he loved her. The course of their lives would have been different. It could have been everything he ever wanted.

All because he couldn’t find the courage to say three little words.

“Mrs. Maitland?” The bright voice came over the intercom. “Mr. Smith is here for his appointment.”

“Bring him in, please.”

Mitchell found his seat again, prepared for a boring half hour. Then Harrison Smith entered the room, and boring wasn’t even in the ballpark.

Something happened between Smith and his mother. It might have been recognition. It definitely was a jolt. His mother never lost her cool, and yet, for a moment, when her hand touched Smith’s, she’d grown so pale he was afraid she might pass out. The next second, she was back to her old self. Stately, calm and more charming than any other woman he’d met.

Mitch’s gaze shifted to Smith to see if he, too, had felt something odd. But there was nothing to read on his face. The only thing slightly amiss was the way he looked at Megan. He stared, hard, as if memorizing her features.

Then Mitch got it. He almost laughed out loud when he realized what he was doing. Nothing was going on with Harrison Smith and his mother. It was a classic case of transference. What he’d seen in his mother’s eyes was his projection of what had happened to him when he saw Darcy. Of course. His old psychology professor would have had a good laugh.

He relaxed into his chair and listened to Megan talk about the clinic. Once she got going, no one could turn her down. Smith sat rapt, completely under her spell. He waited until she’d finished before he started asking questions. Even when Mitch answered, Smith’s gaze focused on Megan. That was a little odd. But the questions were all reasonable, if a little obsessive. It was obvious the man was concerned. He wanted to know about the food, the credentials of everyone from the nurses to the anesthesiologist, but mostly he wanted to know the history of the place.

As Megan talked, Mitchell’s gaze went to the window again. How remarkable that a moment’s decision could change everything. How sad that fear could lock so many doors and chip away at a man’s confidence.

Right then and there he decided to take Darcy Taylor as his patient. An unlucky man let fear rule him once. A fool did it twice.