of affection wasn’t feigned. This was his brother’s baby and he was crazy about her.
But so was Catherine!
He approached her window, which she had to put down. “What time do you eat lunch?”
His deep voice disturbed her as much as his nearness. She might have known Cole wasn’t going to let this go. “Most of the time I don’t,” she said, playing for time so she could think.
“Then I’ll come by Girls’ Haven later and we’ll talk.”
“No!” she cried in panic. “That would be the worst thing you could do.” She clung to the steering wheel.
His presence would create a major upheaval, starting with Sylvia, the director, who would ask questions Catherine would be forced to answer. It could get her into serious trouble and he knew it!
A satisfied gleam had entered those silvery eyes. “We have unfinished business, Catherine. You name the place.”
“There
“My thoughts precisely.”
He had the upper hand. If she didn’t know better, she would think he was actually enjoying this.
“Meet me here at two. I can spare a half-hour. No more.”
Needing to get away from him, she started the car and began to back out. He stood there with his hands on his hips in a totally male stance. After driving away, she could still feel his penetrating eyes following her.
Cole’s motive for wanting to see her again was transparent. With family blood on his side, he believed she didn’t have a chance of adopting Bonnie. But rather than fight her he intended to use that potent Farraday charm to gain her cooperation in helping him win custody of the baby. He wasn’t the head of the Bonnibelle for nothing.
But Catherine didn’t plan to make Terrie’s mistake and be drawn in by male persuasion at the hands of a master. Watching Cole interact with the baby had given her an idea, one that grew as the day wore on. Under the cir cum stances it made the most sense.
A few hours later she tried it out on him. For an answer Cole’s mocking tone resounded in her living room. “You’ll grant
She’d been five minutes late returning to the condo from her work, and was still out of breath. They faced each other like adversaries.
“Yes. I’ve been thinking about it since I took the baby back to her foster family. You and I could petition the judge in the same pre-trial hearing. Don’t you see it might strengthen both our cases if we show that we’re willing to work together for Bonnie’s ultimate welfare?”
Cole’s mouth com pressed. “Who’s going to raise her during the day while you’re at work?” At least he’d cooled down enough to have a conversation.
She was ready for that question. “Terrie and I talked about it. There’s a wonderful daycare facility right across the street from Girls’ Haven. I’ll be close to her and can oversee everything on a constant basis.”
He made a dismissive gesture. “My house keeper could provide the same care, but I doubt the judge will be impressed with either scenario.”
“So what are you saying?” she blurted, trying to tamp down her alarm.
His gaze wandered over her features with a lazy sensuality he probably wasn’t aware of. “That your original assumption was correct. The ideal for Bonnie would be to have a stay-at-home mother whose husband provides the necessary income.”
His pessimism over her idea of a joint petition acted like a giant hand crushing her heart. If Cole, with all his resources and a last name like his, didn’t think they could sway the judge, what chance did she really have to fight for Bonnie on her own?
Tears glazed her eyes before she could turn away. She buried her face in her hands, trying not to make a sound. In searching for Buck, the dream world she’d been living in for the last five weeks had shattered. “No stranger will ever love her as much as I do.”
“That makes two of us,” he whispered behind her. “I see my brother in her, and it kills me.”
The pathos in his voice reached down to the core of her being. Catherine had no more desire to fight him.
She sniffed before wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. “I-if you plan to fight for her, I’ll help any way I can. The judge needs to hear how much Terrie loved your brother, and how much you loved him. Just promise me that if you win you’ll let me see her once in a while?” her voice throbbed.
“Oh, I plan to win,” he finally said in a low, husky tone. “I have an ace up my sleeve guaranteed to produce results.”
The hairs prickled on the back of her neck. Catherine turned to him, staring at him through blurry eyes. “What is it?”
“I’ve decided to get married.”
She received the news like a physical blow, but by some miracle she remained standing.
“Th-that ought to do it,” she stammered helplessly. “With or without my help.”
“I’ll need that too, but we’ll talk about it this evening over dinner. I’ll be by at six.”
“I’m afraid I can’t tonight. A new case is coming in. I probably won’t be leaving the office until nine or nine-thirty.” For once she was grateful she had to work late. The bombshell he’d just dropped had disturbed her in ways she didn’t dare examine.
“You can ask someone else to cover for you.”
“It would have to be an emergency.”
“What if I told you it is?”
He sounded deadly serious.
“I don’t under stand.”
“How could you when you don’t know all the facts?”
Cole seemed to be talking in riddles.
“Have you arranged to meet with your attorney? Is that why you need me there? So I can give him the relevant details?”
“We’ll do that too. But first I’ve made an appointment with a justice of the peace.”
She blinked. “Surely you don’t need me to witness your marriage-”
A strange smile broke out on his arresting features. “No. I need you to marry me tonight.”
She let out a caustic laugh. “Oh, please-”
“My word exactly,” he came back in a frighteningly sober tone. “Following that we’ll fill out adoption papers on Bonnie that my attorney will present to the judge. You were the one who warned me time was of the essence.”
The world tilted for a moment.
Catherine lost cognizance of time and place, because she knew Cole never said anything he didn’t mean, or wasn’t prepared to carry out.
“It’s the only solution,” he added, taking advantage of her silence.
