about it. I’m just going to give you the facts.”
“That would be best.”
Callie reached out to steady herself against the high back of a chair. “She’s here. She’s going to stay with us from now on.”
He looked as though he’d been shot.
“Grant, I know how you react to her but I’m sure that will fade quickly if you just let it…”
“No.” He was shaking his head emphatically. “No, it’s impossible.”
She turned her head, avoiding his eyes.
“Callie, it’s impossible. I can’t have her here. I just can’t do it.”
She took a deep breath. “Grant, I really think you should try to get over that.”
“Get over it?” He stared at her. “How do you get over having your life torn apart? How do you get over losing a child?”
She turned back to face him. “But, Grant, this is another child. A child who needs us. Wouldn’t redeeming the life of another child make up at least in part for what was lost?”
His face was cold and his jaw looked like granite. “No.”
“I know it was awful. It’s still awful.” She was pleading now. “But life goes on and you can’t take it out on a baby.”
He frowned as though he couldn’t believe she could be saying these things. “I’m not taking anything out on a baby. I’m just telling you what I can’t do. And I can’t live with the situation you suggest. I just can’t.” He sighed impatiently. “Surely Tina has some family somewhere who can take the baby.”
She shook her head, fighting the awful feeling of dread that was building in her.
“Oh, come on, Callie. Everyone’s got someone.”
“I don’t. Except you.”
She said the last two words so softly he might not have heard. He certainly didn’t react.
“And you want me to believe Tina didn’t, either?” he said levelly. “She couldn’t have been completely alone in the world.”
“Well, she does have a stepmother somewhere. But she hated her. Called her evil. I know they haven’t spoken in years.”
“Still, if she’s family…”
She met his gaze with her chin high. “The woman let Tina be sent to foster care rather than take care of her after her father died. Why would she want to take Tina’s baby in?”
She saw the hope fade in his eyes, but then he had an idea.
“Then how about some nice young couple looking to adopt? She’s a beautiful little girl. She wouldn’t have any trouble finding someone who wanted her.”
Callie’s jaw stuck out even further. “She already has found someone. Me.”
“Oh, Callie.” He shook his head in disbelief.
She was fighting tears now, but she was determined not to let them show. “Grant, this is Molly we’re talking about. My Molly.”
“Your Molly?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Tina did some paperwork and got me named as legal guardian a week ago. I’m going to adopt her.”
His eyes were flat and cold. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shook her head. “You weren’t here.”
He stared at her. There was no give in his face, no sign that he might relent. Her heart was breaking.
“I hate to put it this way, Grant, but my responsibility to Molly goes back further than my commitment to you. I can’t abandon her. I won’t.”
He stared at her, hardly able to believe this was the same loving woman he’d become so accustomed to these last few weeks. Where had this steely determination come from?
“There’s no one else to take her,” she was saying insistently. Her emotions were starting to show. Her voice was rising. “If this means it’s over between you and me, that’s the way it will have to be, because there is no way I can do that to this child.”
Looking at her, he saw the tragedy in her eyes and he realized what she was asking. Could he give her up? Why not? He could find another woman, couldn’t he? It couldn’t be that hard.
And suddenly, it struck him like a knife in the chest. He couldn’t do it. He was so attached to her now, he couldn’t imagine life without her. He had to have her nearby. His breath was coming faster than normal and he realized that the threat of Callie leaving scared the hell out of him. He couldn’t lose her. He would do just about anything to keep her. But could he do this?
Blinking rapidly, he tried to shift gears, tried to rethink things. Molly was a sweet little girl. It wasn’t her fault she affected him the way she did. Maybe…But no. Just thinking about it made him start to sweat. He couldn’t do it.
Surely there was someone out there in the world who could take her. Surely there was an aunt, a grandmother, someone. All they had to do was find that person. He had a very good detective agency he used at times for the company. He would call them in the morning. Surely they could find someone.
In the meantime, maybe he could deal with this new situation. He would have to. He couldn’t let Callie go. That was not an option.
But the words were difficult to speak.
“We could try it for a while, I suppose,” he said, his voice rough as sandpaper. Looking at the hopeful light in her eyes, he wanted to take her in his arms and hold her tightly to him. “We’ll see how it goes.”
He could see the relief in her face and it warmed him.
“So you want me to stay,” she said.
He grimaced. “Of course I want you to stay,” he said roughly, trying to control the emotion in his voice.
She sighed and let herself begin to relax. “Well, that’s good. Because…because I really should be here right after Christmas.” She tried to smile but she knew she looked like she was about to cry. “That’s when our baby is going to be born.”
“What?” He felt the room spin. It was his turn to reach for support. “You’re pregnant?”
She nodded, tears welling in her eyes as she smiled up at him. “Yes.”
“Callie.” He pulled her close and rained kisses on her face. “Oh, Callie. I’m the happiest man in the world.”
And for the moment, he actually meant it.
An almost comfortable routine grew up around their busy days. Callie and Grant ate breakfast together in the mornings, then Grant left for the office and Callie fed Molly and played with her until it was time for her to go to work. She took care of errands and shopping late in the afternoon. Then she went straight home to take care of Molly for the rest of the day into the evening. Grant usually didn’t come home until after Molly’s bedtime. It was best that way, she supposed.
Still, the situation wasn’t ideal and Callie wished Grant would make an effort to get to know Molly better. But she wasn’t in the position to be choosy right now. So she let it go for the present.
Her fear that Grant might not feel the need to pay much attention to her once she was pregnant, as though that project had been completed and it was time to move on, proved unjustified. Most of the time their relationship could have passed for a love-match to any casual observer-especially in the lovemaking department. Contrary to her fears, there had been no slacking off in that area. In fact, Grant seemed to relish her changing body, and she relished his interest.
Her pregnancy was progressing normally. Grant insisted on going with her to her first doctor’s appointment. The doctor pronounced her in great shape and Grant talked vitamins and danger signs he’d read about in the waiting room all the way home.
That meant he was home earlier than usual-early enough to witness Molly eating her dinner. The little girl was in her high chair and Callie had turned to the sink to wash off a toy when Grant walked into the room.
“Look at this mess!”
She whirled to see what was going on. “What are you shouting about?”
“There’s food all over the white rug.” He pointed down. “Look, it’s ruined.”
She looked at the fancy and probably very expensive carpet and then she looked at Molly. Molly was grinning
