of South America and left you pregnant. Maybe it wasn’t fair of you not to tell him about Max, but you didn’t. But to me, the most unfair thing is to make Max pay for what other people did. And it’s not fair of you to deprive him of his name and his heritage.”
Lainey could only stare at Richard. Was he right? Should she marry him so Max could take his rightful place in the DeHan family? She doubted if Ash would ever settle down enough to know the son he’d fathered. He’d had no problem leaving her, and a child wouldn’t make that much difference either. But marriage was a big step, and angry as she was at Ash, she still loved him. She probably always would.
So if there was no possibility of her falling in love with another person, why not accept Richard’s offer to give her what she wanted, what she thought best for Max? Somehow it still didn’t seem fair to Richard. He was a good man, maybe the best one she’d ever known, and she didn’t want to hurt him.
Could she live with him as his wife and still think about his brother? This decision couldn’t be made on the spur of the minute.
She pulled her hands free from Richard and stood up. “I don’t know what to say, Richard. You’ve taken me by surprise, and I don’t want to be unfair to you. Let me think about this and give you an answer tomorrow.”
He nodded and stood up. “Take all the time you need. But keep one thing in mind. I do love you, Lainey.”
She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m honored, Richard, and I thank you for what you’re offering me. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
He didn’t say anything as she left the room and climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She went straight to the desk, opened the top drawer, and pulled out the framed picture she’d kept there ever since she’d come to live at Edward’s home.
The photograph had been taken last summer when she and Ash had gone back to the shelter where they’d met. Another hiker had been there, and he’d taken the picture of them sitting on the bench where they’d first sat and talked.
She ran her fingers over the glass that covered their smiling faces, and her heart pricked at how happy they’d been that day. They were in love, and the world was theirs. But that had all come tumbling down, and now she was left to raise a fatherless child. How could Ash have left her alone?
She hugged the picture tighter and lay down on the bed with it clutched to her chest. Tears rolled down her face, and her heart broke for the second time. But this time it was for Max,
the little boy who would never know his father. Richard was right. She couldn’t let Max suffer because she and Ash had made mistakes.
After a long time, she stilled, her decision made, and surrendered to the sleep that overtook her.
Chapter 14
Richard and Edward were already eating breakfast when she entered the dining room the next morning. They both smiled and stood, as was their custom when she entered the room, and murmured their good mornings in unison. She returned the smile and glanced from one to the other as she settled herself in her chair.
Millie swept in from the kitchen, set a glass of orange juice in front of her, and poured her a cup of coffee. “I’ll have your oatmeal and fruit ready in a few minutes, Miss Lainey. Is there anything else I can get you this morning?”
Lainey shook her head. “No, thank you, Millie. That sounds good.”
When Millie had disappeared back into the kitchen, Lainey glanced across the table where Richard faced her. He glanced down at his plate and picked up his fork. As he shoveled a bite of eggs into his mouth, his hand trembled. He darted another glance at her and then picked up his coffee.
Lainey couldn’t help but smile at his discomfort. For the first time since she’d known him, she realized how his feelings drifted up from inside him and shone through on his face. And she also realized he probably was the first person she’d ever met who had no
Lainey could only stare at Richard. Was he right? Should she marry him so Max could take his rightful place in the DeHan family? She doubted if Ash would ever settle down enough to know the son he’d fathered. He’d had no problem leaving her, and a child wouldn’t make that much difference either. But marriage was a big step, and angry as she was at Ash, she still loved him. She probably always would.
So if there was no possibility of her falling in love with another person, why not accept Richard’s offer to give her what she wanted, what she thought best for Max? Somehow it still didn’t seem fair to Richard. He was a good man, maybe the best one she’d ever known, and she didn’t want to hurt him.
Could she live with him as his wife and still think about his brother? This decision couldn’t be made on the spur of the minute.
She pulled her hands free from Richard and stood up. “I don’t know what to say, Richard. You’ve taken me by surprise, and I don’t want to be unfair to you. Let me think about this and give you an answer tomorrow.”
He nodded and stood up. “Take all the time you need. But keep one thing in mind. I do love you, Lainey.”
She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m honored, Richard, and I thank you for what you’re offering me. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
He didn’t say anything as she left the room and climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She went straight to the desk, opened the top drawer, and pulled out the framed picture she’d kept there ever since she’d come to live at Edward’s home.
The photograph had been taken last summer when she and Ash had gone back to the shelter where they’d met. Another hiker had been there, and he’d taken the picture of them sitting on the bench where they’d first sat and talked.
She ran her fingers over the glass that covered their smiling faces, and her heart pricked at how happy they’d been that day. They were in love, and the world was theirs. But that had all come tumbling down, and now she was left to raise a fatherless child. How could Ash have left her alone?
She hugged the picture tighter and lay down on the bed with it clutched to her chest. Tears rolled down her face, and her heart broke for the second time. But this time it was for Max,
the little boy who would never know his father. Richard was right. She couldn’t let Max suffer because she and Ash had made mistakes.
After a long time, she stilled, her decision made, and surrendered to the sleep that overtook her.
Chapter 14
Richard and Edward were already eating breakfast when she entered the dining room the next morning. They both smiled and stood, as was their custom when she entered the room, and murmured their good mornings in unison. She returned the smile and glanced from one to the other as she settled herself in her chair.
Millie swept in from the kitchen, set a glass of orange juice in front of her, and poured her a cup of coffee. “I’ll have your oatmeal and fruit ready in a few minutes, Miss Lainey. Is there anything else I can get you this morning?”
Lainey shook her head. “No, thank you, Millie. That sounds good.”
When Millie had disappeared back into the kitchen, Lainey glanced across the table where Richard faced her. He glanced down at his plate and picked up his fork. As he shoveled a bite of eggs into his mouth, his hand trembled. He darted another glance at her and then picked up his coffee.
Lainey couldn’t help but smile at his discomfort. For the first time since she’d known him, she realized how his feelings drifted up from inside him and shone through on his face. And she also realized he probably was the first person she’d ever met who had no
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