feeling like an intruder, yet worried that if he stood and
walked away, Ellie would follow him.
Slowly, he stood. Ellie watched him but seemed content to stay with Cole and Max.
Megan bent her head close to the boy, and the afternoon sunlight streamed in, picking
out the gold highlights in her hair. She laughed at something, her face glowing with
joy. There it was again, that foreign feeling in his chest.
He didn’t like it. Didn’t want it. It had taken him a long time to learn to stop feeling.
He’d never have endured his life after Brady otherwise. All the pictures of Brady
were stored away. His parents refused to speak of him, unless they were drunk. Then
the pictures and recriminations came out in words that cut Adam to shreds.
Silence was better. Not feeling was better. It was the only way he knew how to survive.
Megan moved up beside him. “He loves dogs.”
“Clearly.”
“He’ll get used to you.”
That got his attention. He looked at her, saw the strain in her eyes. “You weren’t
going to tell me, were you? If you hadn’t gotten into this mess, you’d never have
told me.” He kept his voice low and controlled.
She pulled her mouth tight, her gaze going to Cole playing with both dogs, and then
back to him. “I was going to tell you. After Saturday night…” She trailed off, wrapping
her arms around her waist as she stared at Cole. “I called you, but you didn’t answer.
I got your message you were out of town.”
“You didn’t say it was important.”
She looked up at him, her face flushing. “You always do that. You shut down just like
you did Saturday night. Then you leave.”
His gut brewed with the memory because for one moment when they’d stood at the door
of that cabin, he’d wanted to tell her…things. But the words were locked down tight.
Trapped. And it was better that way. “It was business, Megan.”
Her spine stiffened. “And that boy over there.” She indicated Cole. “He’s our son.
He won’t understand that business comes before him. So you’d better decide what you’re
really doing here, besides playing hero.” She sucked in a breath, her eyes darkening.
“You’re not going to let him come to depend on you, then vanish when you can’t handle
it anymore.”
He didn’t like her digging through him, touching raw places. He fought back. “You’re
the one I left, not him. I didn’t know about him.”
Something vital drained from her, and she swallowed. She turned her entire body away
from him. Shit, he didn’t have to be such a bastard to her. That was how his mother
had lashed out and he knew what it felt like.
“I have to go.”
She nodded, starting toward Cole.
Adam caught hold of her arm, tugging her back. “I left the key to your new locks on
your kitchen table.”
“You changed the locks, too?”
“I won’t take any chances with your or Cole’s safety. I also talked to Nathan. I told
him I’d try to find his dog. He’s upset, says Celtic Fire is going into heat.”
She pulled her mouth tight. “And he wants to breed her.”
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “The strain of the pregnancy could kill her.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Megan…”
Jerking her arm back, she said, “I didn’t take her, Adam. I don’t know who did.”
He sighed. “The point is, if I find her, we can clear your name.”
“And then you’ll go back to Los Angeles.”
A ball of anxiety swelled in his chest. “That’s where my company is. I’ll have to
go home after the golf tournament on Saturday.” He sucked in a breath. “I don’t know
anything about being a dad. Don’t know how. But I’ll figure out a way to…” What? Hell,
he didn’t know. He was so out of his depth here.
“What?” she asked softly, echoing his thoughts.
He shook his head. “You had nine months of pregnancy to get used to the idea. I haven’t
even had a day. Give me some time.”
…
“Cole, leave the dog
walked away, Ellie would follow him.
Slowly, he stood. Ellie watched him but seemed content to stay with Cole and Max.
Megan bent her head close to the boy, and the afternoon sunlight streamed in, picking
out the gold highlights in her hair. She laughed at something, her face glowing with
joy. There it was again, that foreign feeling in his chest.
He didn’t like it. Didn’t want it. It had taken him a long time to learn to stop feeling.
He’d never have endured his life after Brady otherwise. All the pictures of Brady
were stored away. His parents refused to speak of him, unless they were drunk. Then
the pictures and recriminations came out in words that cut Adam to shreds.
Silence was better. Not feeling was better. It was the only way he knew how to survive.
Megan moved up beside him. “He loves dogs.”
“Clearly.”
“He’ll get used to you.”
That got his attention. He looked at her, saw the strain in her eyes. “You weren’t
going to tell me, were you? If you hadn’t gotten into this mess, you’d never have
told me.” He kept his voice low and controlled.
She pulled her mouth tight, her gaze going to Cole playing with both dogs, and then
back to him. “I was going to tell you. After Saturday night…” She trailed off, wrapping
her arms around her waist as she stared at Cole. “I called you, but you didn’t answer.
I got your message you were out of town.”
“You didn’t say it was important.”
She looked up at him, her face flushing. “You always do that. You shut down just like
you did Saturday night. Then you leave.”
His gut brewed with the memory because for one moment when they’d stood at the door
of that cabin, he’d wanted to tell her…things. But the words were locked down tight.
Trapped. And it was better that way. “It was business, Megan.”
Her spine stiffened. “And that boy over there.” She indicated Cole. “He’s our son.
He won’t understand that business comes before him. So you’d better decide what you’re
really doing here, besides playing hero.” She sucked in a breath, her eyes darkening.
“You’re not going to let him come to depend on you, then vanish when you can’t handle
it anymore.”
He didn’t like her digging through him, touching raw places. He fought back. “You’re
the one I left, not him. I didn’t know about him.”
Something vital drained from her, and she swallowed. She turned her entire body away
from him. Shit, he didn’t have to be such a bastard to her. That was how his mother
had lashed out and he knew what it felt like.
“I have to go.”
She nodded, starting toward Cole.
Adam caught hold of her arm, tugging her back. “I left the key to your new locks on
your kitchen table.”
“You changed the locks, too?”
“I won’t take any chances with your or Cole’s safety. I also talked to Nathan. I told
him I’d try to find his dog. He’s upset, says Celtic Fire is going into heat.”
She pulled her mouth tight. “And he wants to breed her.”
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “The strain of the pregnancy could kill her.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Megan…”
Jerking her arm back, she said, “I didn’t take her, Adam. I don’t know who did.”
He sighed. “The point is, if I find her, we can clear your name.”
“And then you’ll go back to Los Angeles.”
A ball of anxiety swelled in his chest. “That’s where my company is. I’ll have to
go home after the golf tournament on Saturday.” He sucked in a breath. “I don’t know
anything about being a dad. Don’t know how. But I’ll figure out a way to…” What? Hell,
he didn’t know. He was so out of his depth here.
“What?” she asked softly, echoing his thoughts.
He shook his head. “You had nine months of pregnancy to get used to the idea. I haven’t
even had a day. Give me some time.”
…
“Cole, leave the dog
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