Читать книгу One Night in Texas - Linda Warren, Linda Warren - Страница 11

Chapter Four

The hallway went dark. Completely. Like a rabbit hole. And he was tumbling down, down, down. The only sound he heard was his heart slamming against his ribs in panic.

You’re Erin’s father.

He’d known.

Somewhere in his subconscious, he’d known. That was why he couldn’t leave the hospital. Angie had desperately wanted to get rid of him, and that had triggered his lawyer’s antenna. True, he’d just run into her child with his truck, but he’d sensed it was more than that. So he’d kept prodding. Kept insisting. Kept questioning.

Oh, my God! He’d hit his own child.

How could that be?

He rose to his feet like a drunk who’d spent too many hours in a bar. His head hurt. His nerves were shaky, and he couldn’t focus beyond the now.

You’re Erin’s father.

“We used protection. How could she be mine?” He was still holding on to the belief that it wasn’t possible he had a child and didn’t know.

“Condoms are not one hundred percent foolproof. You should know that.”

He shook his head. “No...no...” But from her steady gaze, he knew she wasn’t lying. “How could you do this to me?” burst from his throat.

Her head down, her hands clasped in her lap, she replied in a voice that seemed to echo through the hole in his heart. “How was I supposed to tell you when you weren’t here?”

“My father knew how to get in touch with me. You could have asked him.”

“I did. I made the trip twice, and both times he thought I wanted to speak to Rachel. He called her in Paris so we could talk. The second time Rachel didn’t answer and I asked about you. He told me you were engaged and getting married around Christmas. He added that you’d found the perfect wife for your political career. I couldn’t tell you after that. I could have ruined your life.”

“That’s supposed to make it okay?”

Angie kept her head down. “Of course not.”

“Why? Why would you keep it from me all these years?” He tried to keep his voice calm but feared he’d failed. He sounded like a drill sergeant.

“If you remember, you were in Europe. When I realized you were back and living in Houston, I tried your cell number and it wasn’t working anymore.”

“It was stolen in Paris, and I got a new one.”

“I was young and didn’t know what to do. You didn’t love me, and the fact that I was pregnant would only wreck your life, your career. That’s the way I saw it then.”

“So you thought it was better for your daughter and me to never know about each other. Wait. I’ve been back for over two years in Horseshoe and in that time you couldn’t find a moment to tell me the truth?”

She heaved a sigh. “I tried. Three times, if you’ll remember.”

“When?”

“You were home for a while before I even knew you were back in Horseshoe, but when I saw you talking to Wyatt outside the courthouse, I left the bakery and walked over. I asked if you had a few minutes to talk, and you looked at your watch and said you had a meeting in fifteen minutes and that you would catch me later. I waited, but you never made any move to get in touch with me.”

He remembered. “You didn’t make it sound important. I guess I forgot.”

“No, you didn’t forget. You just didn’t want to talk to me because there were two other times I tried to tell you and you brushed me off.”

He frowned. “When?”

“You were busy campaigning for the D.A. job, but I hung in there, wanting you to know you had a child. You were getting in your truck at the courthouse, and I stopped you and asked if you had a few minutes. A blonde walked up. You know those blondes you’re known for dating—a model type, perfect body. And once again you said you’d catch me later. Still, I didn’t give up. At Wyatt and Peyton’s at Christmas I asked again if we could talk. And you know what you did, Hardy?”

He clamped his jaw tight because he had no defense.

“You introduced me to your new girlfriend and you quickly forgot my request. I didn’t know how else I was supposed to tell you when you clearly didn’t want to talk to me. So don’t stand there and point the finger unless you are completely blameless.”

He wasn’t. He knew that, and he was struggling with the consequences of his actions. He remembered all those times she’d approached him and, God help him, he’d thought she had wanted to start their relationship over again. How could he be so blind? So self-centered?

He took a moment to gather his thoughts and tried to find some normalcy in this awful day. Tried to find a reason why he’d shut her out.

He said the first thing that came into his mind. “Why did you marry someone else?”

“My friend Dennis found me crying one day after class. He wanted to know what was wrong, and I told him what I hadn’t told anyone else. We studied together and went to the movies a couple of times. We were good friends, but Dennis wanted it to be more. His solution was we’d just get married and he’d raise the child as his. Out of fear of my mother’s wrath, I agreed.”

“What happened to the marriage?”

She twisted her fingers together. “When I was about seven months, Dennis asked if I loved him. I knew what he wanted to hear, but I couldn’t say the words. He said he’d hoped that I would grow to love him and it was clear that was never going to happen. We ended the marriage amicably. I took back my maiden name. He later married someone else and now has two children.”

“Your sister said he left you.”

“He did. I just never told them the reason why because then I’d have to tell them the truth about Erin.” She took a breath. “At the time I took full responsibility for what happened between us and planned to raise my child alone.”

“She wasn’t just yours.”

Angie buried her face in her hands, and he stilled himself against the emotions churning in him. She raised her head. “How would you have felt if I’d told you back then?”

He swung away and jammed both hands through his hair, irritated he couldn’t respond with an honest heart. His marriage hadn’t lasted. It hadn’t taken him long to figure out he wasn’t in love with Lisa. But still, that didn’t make what Angie had done right.

He swung around. “I would’ve taken care of my kid. She would have known that I was her father. Now I’m a stranger to her. And that’s your fault, Angie.”

“Yes. It’s my fault,” she said without offering one word in her defense. That irritated him even more.

His insides rumbled like thunder before a storm, and any minute Angie was going to feel the full impact of his wrath. To stop the rage building in him, he walked into his daughter’s room and stared at the girl in the bed. Her head tilted to the left and her brown hair clumped around her face. One side of her face was blue, and the white sterile strips on her forehead stood out vividly. She wore a pediatric pink gown that made her skin look even paler. His throat closed up.

My daughter.

Was she okay?

He’d injured his child.

Thoughts pounded at him like hail from the storm brewing in him. He had to get away and make sense of everything. He turned, and Angie stood there, watching him.

“We need to talk,” she said in a low voice.

“I don’t want to hear anything else,” he told her. “Nothing you can say is going to make this better. I have to get away from you. From myself.”

“Hardy, please. I need to know—”

He walked out the door and down the hall. He had no idea where he was going until he reached the entrance. The parking lot loomed in front of him, and he did a quick scan to locate his truck. After climbing inside, he started the engine and headed for somewhere. Or nowhere. He wasn’t quite sure, but any place was better than dealing with a woman who had deceived him.

Angie. Sweet, irresistible Angie had just shattered his heart. And there was no way to forgive that.

Ever.

* * *

ANGIE STARED OUT the window toward Horseshoe. It was dark, but she knew the direction.

She touched the windowpane and the coolness of the glass shot all the way to her heart. She was cold and empty. Somewhere deep inside she found the courage she’d been running on for years. It was like high octane keeping her going. But being strong had cost her more than she’d ever imagined.

She exhaled deeply, turned back to Erin and sat in the chair by the bed, her hand stroking Erin’s face.

After Dennis had left, she hadn’t known how to tell her mother that the marriage was over. Being a strong Catholic, her mother didn’t believe in divorce. So, with her stubborn pride intact, she’d had Erin alone, but after the birth she’d called Patsy and Peggy. She’d needed someone. They got her through it, and then she’d gone home to her parents.

There had been tons of questions from her mother, but her pit-bull sisters had fielded every one of them. And she’d let them protect her until she found the courage once again to stand on her own. It hadn’t been easy, and now she was about to lose it all.

She laid her head on the bed, tears rolling from her eyes. Everyone thought Dennis was Erin’s father, even her family. She’d told no one, not even Dennis, that Hardison Hollister was the father of her baby. That had been her secret.

Looking at her precious daughter, she had one thought. It was over. Her secret wasn’t a secret anymore. Hardy knew he was Erin’s father. She should feel some sort of relief, but the boulder on her chest felt that much heavier. Because it really wasn’t over. The worst was yet to come.

* * *

HARDY’S HEAD POUNDED, and he cursed under his breath. Where was he? It was dark, and he was sitting outside on a bench. A warm breeze touched his face and ruffled his hair. Reaching up to brush it out of his eyes, he realized he had a bottle in his hand. A whiskey bottle.

Just what he needed. He took a swig. Oh, yeah, Tennessee whiskey. It should solve all his problems, or maybe just drown them.

Through the pounding he kept hearing You’re Erin’s father.

He took another swallow, but the sound wouldn’t go away. Damn! He needed more booze.

“Hardy, is that you?”

Hardy blinked and saw at least two Wyatt Carsons standing there. He knew it was him because the moonlight reflected off the badge on his shirt.

“Yeah.”

“What are you doing sitting on the bench in front of the courthouse?”

“Hell, I don’t know.” He turned the bottle up again.

“Are you drunk?”

“Good guess. You’re not the sheriff for nothing.”

Wyatt sat beside him. “Are you drinking that straight?”

“Straight as an arrow to my gut, and I’m waiting for the numbness to knock me on my ass.”

“What’s wrong with you? I know it’s been a rough day, but I’ve never seen you drink like this and I’ve known you all of my life.”

“You know me pretty well, huh?”

“Pretty good.” Wyatt nodded.

“Do you know I have a kid?”

“What?”

“I have a kid, and I found out tonight.”

“You’re talking out of your head.” Wyatt stood. “Let’s go over to the jail and I’ll make some coffee and you can sober up. Then you can tell me what’s going on.”

“I’m telling you now. Damn it! Can’t you hear me?”

“The whole town can hear you, and I don’t think you want them to see the D.A. drunk on his ass.”

“Like I give a damn.” He tipped up the bottle again.

Wyatt jerked it out of his hand. “You’ve had enough.”

Hardy sat with his elbows on his knees, his face buried in his hands. “I have a kid, Wyatt. A kid I know nothing about.”

Wyatt sat down again. “Are you serious?”

“As serious as I’ve ever been.”

“How did you find this out?”

Hardy ran his hands up his face, trying to wipe away her voice. But it was right there, taunting him. He exhaled deeply. “She told me.”

“Who told you?”

“You’d never guess in a million years.”

Wyatt sighed. “Let’s go get some coffee.”

“Angie.”

Complete silence followed the word, and he could see his friend was flabbergasted.

“Are you talking about Angie Wiznowski?”

“Is there another Angie you know?”

“You mean...?”

The storm that had been brewing in him suddenly hit. He jumped to his feet, which was a trick because the world suddenly tipped. His stomach roiled and didn’t give him any time. He threw up everything he had in him, holding on to a tree. Sinking to his knees, he felt like the lowest scum who had ever walked on earth.

Wyatt put an arm around his waist and helped him to his feet. They made their way to the sheriff’s office.

Stuart, a deputy, opened the door, and Hardy headed for the bathroom. After rinsing out his mouth and washing his face, he took a moment to gather his composure. He walked into Wyatt’s office and sank into a chair. A cup of coffee was pushed into his hand, and he held it as if to steady the world around him. After downing two cups, his mind began to clear, but his head felt as big as the Alamo.

Wyatt sat in his leather chair across from him. “Stuart, you can go home. I got it.”

Stuart was thin and wiry and known to have the curiosity of a gossip columnist. “I can stay, Sheriff.”

“Thanks, Stu, but Lamar will be in soon, so go home early.”

“Okay.” Stu ambled slowly to the door, obviously hoping to hear a tidbit of gossip that would be all over Horseshoe in minutes.

“How did you know I was at the courthouse?” Hardy asked. “It’s still dark.”

“Stuart saw you drive up on the curb and watched you for a little bit, and then he called me. He was afraid to approach you. You know, being the D.A. and all, who is known as a respectable man around town.”

Hardy winced. “Okay. Drive it in with a sledgehammer.”

Wyatt got up and brought him another cup of coffee. “Talk, because you weren’t making much sense earlier.”

He sipped the dark brew. “I’m Erin’s father. I wonder how long I’ll have to say that before I’ll really believe it.”

Wyatt tapped a pencil on the desk. “You’ll have to tell me how that’s possible. Angie married some guy she met in Temple. He left her, and she brought the baby home to Horseshoe. How do you fit into this picture? You were in Houston, I believe.”

“It happened before I went to Houston and before Dad and I took Rachel to Paris.”

“And...” Wyatt prompted.

“After our mother was killed, Rachel had a hard time. She was restless and very unhappy. Then she made friends with Angie, who was as calm as a summer’s day. She was a good influence for my sister. Dad threw Rachel a big going-away party and had all her friends over. Angie was there.” He stared down into the coffee cup, not really wanting to share this with his friend. But he had to tell someone. It didn’t take him long to tell about the summer with Angie and what he’d found at the party when he’d gotten home. He took a swallow of coffee to bolster his courage. “I let Angie sleep it off because I knew how her mother was. The next morning things happened that I wish had never happened. She was too young, and I should’ve known better, but I can’t go back and change it.”

“You didn’t see her after that?”

“I saw her in town a few days before we left for Europe. I told her how sorry I was and wished her all the best for the future.”

“It never crossed your mind she could be pregnant?”

“We used protection.”

“Come on, Hardy.”

He ran his hands up his face. “I’m so angry and I want to blame her, but—”

“Did she give a reason for not telling you?”

He set his cup on the desk. “Yeah. I was in Europe at first, but when she heard I was back, she approached my dad and he told her I was engaged. She didn’t want to ruin my life. That’s rich, huh?”

“Sounds like Angie to me. She doesn’t like to hurt people.”

Hardy stood and swiped a hand through his disheveled hair. “Well, she hurt me.”

Wyatt leaned back in his chair. “Did she give a reason for not telling you once you returned to Horseshoe?”

Guilt pounded at him with the force of a baseball bat. “She tried, but I brushed her off every time.”

“Why would you do that?”

He took a ragged breath. “That’s hard to explain, but I didn’t want to get involved with Angie again.”

“Why?”

“I’d rather not talk about it. First, I have to figure out a way to deal with all this anger inside me. And, yeah, a lot of it is at myself.”

“My advice to you is to get over to the hospital and talk to Angie and be there for her and Erin. Put your hurt feelings aside and think about what Angie’s going through now. Do you think you can do that?”

He looked at his friend through narrowed eyes. “You’re taking her side.”

“There are no sides here. You and Angie have to find a balance for Erin.”

“I know that. But what do I do with all this anger?”

“Lay off the booze, for one thing. And take it one day at a time. Once you get to know Erin, she’ll replace all that anger with love.”

“How many times have I seen her at your house playing with Jody?”

“A lot.”

“And I never suspected a thing. Remember that day she and Jody were playing hopscotch on the sidewalk and she fell and skinned her knee? I had just driven up. I picked her up and carried her into the house. She felt like a feather in my arms, a beautiful feather. I picked up my daughter, and I didn’t even know she was mine. That’s what makes me so angry. All the years I’ve missed and she was right under my nose. My child was there, and I never saw her.”

Wyatt came around the desk and patted him on the shoulder. “Sorry, man. That’s rough.”

Hardy drew a deep breath. “I’d better go home, get cleaned up and see how my kid is doing. And I have Dad and Olivia to deal with. I bailed on them last night.”

“Are you going to tell the judge?”

“I might wait before telling him. He’ll want to rush in and cause all kinds of problems. Right now I’m just feeling my way and hoping to see and spend some time with my child.”

“What about Olivia?”

“I don’t know, Wyatt. She’s not going to be happy, but I have a kid and I’m not walking away from her.” He frowned. “Do you have any idea where my truck is?”

“You jumped the curb at the courthouse and it’s parked half on, half off the lawn. The quicker you get it off, the better it will be for the gossip, because come daylight, your story is going to be all over town.”

Hardy headed for the door. “Thanks, Wyatt.”

“I take it the Wiznowskis don’t know you’re Erin’s biological father.”

He turned back. “I assume they think the ex is the father.”

“If you think Bubba is hard to deal with, wait until the news spreads through the rest of the family. You’ll have your hands full defending yourself.”

“I hadn’t thought of that, and I really don’t care about their reaction. I only care about getting to know my daughter.”

“What made Angie tell you now?”

Hardy shrugged. “I kept pressing her about Erin’s father. He needed to be there, and she was very evasive about him. Maybe she got tired of me pressuring her or maybe she just got tired of keeping her secret. I don’t know. She just blurted it out.”

“Good luck, man. I’m here if you need me.”

“Thanks.”

As he backed his truck off the lawn, he knew Wyatt was right. His name would be mud all over town. But he wasn’t worried about that. The only worry he had was how to make a connection to a little girl he didn’t even know.

Because he was her father.