his eyes with a thumb and forefinger. “I wish I knew what Dee had been thinking.”
“Do you still believe she made a mistake when she appointed you as Breanna’s guardian?”
“Hell, yes, she made a mistake. A huge one. Even if Breanna is mine, which I sincerely doubt, Dee should have chosen someone else.”
She chose to be practical. “She didn’t, so you’ll have to accept it and move on.”
He pressed his mouth into a hard line. “I heard from my lawyer today. We’re supposed to be at the lab at one o’clock tomorrow for the paternity test.”
She’d hoped he had changed his mind, but he was clearly eager to find an escape clause from Dee’s will. “You’re certain you want to go this route?”
“I need to know the truth, Maggie. One way or another.”
While situations were easier to accept when all questions had been answered, she was more afraid the knowledge could affect his relationship with his daughter for ever.
“Is it really that important?” she asked softly.
“It is to me.”
“The truth is sometimes a mixed blessing,” she said, speaking from her experience with Arthur. She’d been devastated when he’d announced he was leaving town so he could get back together with his childhood sweetheart. While she’d been planning their future, Arthur had been revisiting his past with his ex-girlfriend over the Internet.
“At times,” he agreed, “but it’s the only way I can make sense out of Dee’s decision.”
Somehow she suspected his vehemence was rooted in his own childhood, but his set jaw warned her not to press that sore spot.
“If you’re that determined, I can’t stop you, but I won’t stand by and let Breanna suffer as a result.”
“She won’t. Now, can we talk about something else?”
They may as well, she thought, aggravated by his thickheaded maleness. On the other hand, she had another weapon in her arsenal…He obviously needed more moral support than she was providing. Perhaps if it came from another direction—from the station crew—he’d feel more optimistic and less inclined to break his promise.
Not that he would, but she didn’t want to risk the possibility.
“By the way,” she tacked on, “Captain Keller told me if there was anything you needed, to let him and the rest of the guys know. In fact, as an FYI, Shep’s daughter is babysitter age, so if you ever want an evening free, I’m sure she’d be happy to watch Breanna.”
“It’s sad to think a fifteen-year-old kid can do a job that I can’t,” he muttered.
“Who said you can’t? You’ve done well so far.”
“Sheer luck.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. My brother felt the same way you did when he brought his first child home. A week later, he was handling Sam like a pro.”
He eyed her carefully. “What makes you certain I’ll do the same? Some men simply aren’t cut out to be fathers.”
“You aren’t one of them,” she said simply. “You’re a man who does what needs to be done, regardless of the situation—a man who’s made rescuing people his life’s work. I’ve only worked with you for a few weeks, but I know how you hate to fail at anything. As far as I’m concerned, Breanna couldn’t have anyone better watching over her.”
“Yet you called and stopped by to check on us.”
“Only out of curiosity,” she defended, unwilling to admit that she’d been too impatient to wait another day to see him again. “One partner looking out for the other.”
Her face warmed with her half-truth and his gaze grew speculative, as if he could tell she wasn’t being completely honest—that in spite of their careers being a temporary stumbling block, she wanted an opportunity to kiss him again.
“Is that all it is?” he asked.
“No,” she grumbled. “As crazy as it sounds, I just wanted to see you.” Because she didn’t want his head to swell, she added, “And Breanna.”
He answered with a lazy grin. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” she said
“Do you still believe she made a mistake when she appointed you as Breanna’s guardian?”
“Hell, yes, she made a mistake. A huge one. Even if Breanna is mine, which I sincerely doubt, Dee should have chosen someone else.”
She chose to be practical. “She didn’t, so you’ll have to accept it and move on.”
He pressed his mouth into a hard line. “I heard from my lawyer today. We’re supposed to be at the lab at one o’clock tomorrow for the paternity test.”
She’d hoped he had changed his mind, but he was clearly eager to find an escape clause from Dee’s will. “You’re certain you want to go this route?”
“I need to know the truth, Maggie. One way or another.”
While situations were easier to accept when all questions had been answered, she was more afraid the knowledge could affect his relationship with his daughter for ever.
“Is it really that important?” she asked softly.
“It is to me.”
“The truth is sometimes a mixed blessing,” she said, speaking from her experience with Arthur. She’d been devastated when he’d announced he was leaving town so he could get back together with his childhood sweetheart. While she’d been planning their future, Arthur had been revisiting his past with his ex-girlfriend over the Internet.
“At times,” he agreed, “but it’s the only way I can make sense out of Dee’s decision.”
Somehow she suspected his vehemence was rooted in his own childhood, but his set jaw warned her not to press that sore spot.
“If you’re that determined, I can’t stop you, but I won’t stand by and let Breanna suffer as a result.”
“She won’t. Now, can we talk about something else?”
They may as well, she thought, aggravated by his thickheaded maleness. On the other hand, she had another weapon in her arsenal…He obviously needed more moral support than she was providing. Perhaps if it came from another direction—from the station crew—he’d feel more optimistic and less inclined to break his promise.
Not that he would, but she didn’t want to risk the possibility.
“By the way,” she tacked on, “Captain Keller told me if there was anything you needed, to let him and the rest of the guys know. In fact, as an FYI, Shep’s daughter is babysitter age, so if you ever want an evening free, I’m sure she’d be happy to watch Breanna.”
“It’s sad to think a fifteen-year-old kid can do a job that I can’t,” he muttered.
“Who said you can’t? You’ve done well so far.”
“Sheer luck.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. My brother felt the same way you did when he brought his first child home. A week later, he was handling Sam like a pro.”
He eyed her carefully. “What makes you certain I’ll do the same? Some men simply aren’t cut out to be fathers.”
“You aren’t one of them,” she said simply. “You’re a man who does what needs to be done, regardless of the situation—a man who’s made rescuing people his life’s work. I’ve only worked with you for a few weeks, but I know how you hate to fail at anything. As far as I’m concerned, Breanna couldn’t have anyone better watching over her.”
“Yet you called and stopped by to check on us.”
“Only out of curiosity,” she defended, unwilling to admit that she’d been too impatient to wait another day to see him again. “One partner looking out for the other.”
Her face warmed with her half-truth and his gaze grew speculative, as if he could tell she wasn’t being completely honest—that in spite of their careers being a temporary stumbling block, she wanted an opportunity to kiss him again.
“Is that all it is?” he asked.
“No,” she grumbled. “As crazy as it sounds, I just wanted to see you.” Because she didn’t want his head to swell, she added, “And Breanna.”
He answered with a lazy grin. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” she said
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