And Baby Makes Three

Nightmares danced about her. It was happening again. He’d simply chosen to disappear.

She could have laughed at her own stupidity in ever believing in him. She’d feared that he might try to seduce her to get close to Mike, but he wasn’t even bothering with that.

Sam and Ethel looked up in alarm as she stormed home.

‘That’s it,’ she said. ‘I can forget any sentimental ideas I may have had.’

Briefly she described what had happened.

‘And when I try to contact him he’s just vanished again,’ she finished. ‘So now I know.’

‘You’re too ready to look on the dark side,’ Sam insisted.

‘Well, maybe the dark side is safer. I knew that before. I should have stuck to it.’

‘But he won’t just dump you if he wants to stay in touch with Mike,’ Ethel pointed out.

‘Oh, he wants his son, all right. But there are lawyers for that.’

At the word ‘lawyers’ she sensed a frisson go through her grandparents.

‘What is it?’

‘Just before you came home there was phone call from a firm of lawyers,’ Ethel said. ‘They asked for your e-mail address. Oh, dear!’

‘Well, at least I’ve been warned,’ Kaye said through gritted teeth. ‘Let’s have a look.’

The e-mail was already there, its message conveyed in plain, uncompromising terms.

Mr. Marriot is employing us to handle details of the financial situation between him and yourself concerning his son. He proposes a monthly fee for future support, and a lump sum to cover the previous five years. The amounts he suggests are-

‘Wow!’ Sam breathed, reading over her shoulder. ‘That is one helluva lot of money.’

‘Of course it is,’ Kaye said bitterly. ‘In return he expects to get Mike without trouble. His son is his property, you see, and he doesn’t want me to make difficulties. Oh, boy, is he in for a shock!’

Her voice sounded controlled, but inwardly she was screaming. She’d believed him. She’d even come to the verge of trusting him-a notable journey for her. And all the time this had been the underlying truth.

Her phone rang. She snatched it up, ready to unleash her bitterness on Jared, but she heard an unfamiliar female voice.

‘Ms Linton? I’m calling from Team Cannonball. I was given your number by Mr Marriot. We urgently need to hire someone who can speak several languages, and he says you would be ideal.’

‘Mr Marriot-said that?’

‘He praised you in the highest terms, and he seemed to think you might be available.’

‘I-well, I don’t have a job at the moment.’

‘Excellent. Everyone is in Spain for the Grand Prix, and Mr Vanner, our managing director, would like to meet you. Can you travel today?’

‘Yes-yes.’

‘Splendid! I’ll arrange your tickets and accommodation.’

She hung up, leaving Kaye in a whirl. Now she had no idea what to think. With one hand Jared seemed to push her away; with the other he invited her in. Hope was flowering anew. But she couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to believe it. Trust was too dangerous.

The phone rang. This time it was him.

‘I told them you were the best,’ he said, adding as an afterthought, ‘Spanish is one of your languages, isn’t it?’

‘Luckily, yes.’

‘Phew. That was a near thing. We’ll meet up later today.’

‘Jared-wait-’

‘We’ll talk tonight,’ he said, and hung up with a speed that might have led a suspicious person to think he was avoiding certain subjects. As for whether Kaye actually was that suspicious person, even she was no longer sure.

‘You see-you were wrong,’ Ethel said. ‘He’s not dumping you. Don’t judge people so quickly.’

‘Is that what I am? Judgemental?’

‘It’s not your fault, but you’re too ready to expect the worst, and the worst doesn’t always happen. Try to keep a more open mind, otherwise you could spoil your own life.’

Kaye kissed her. ‘Bless you. I’ll try to remember.’

The two of them, and Mike, came to the airport with her. Mike was sulking at not being allowed to come too, but at the last minute he relented and pressed a drawing into her hand.

‘I did it for him,’ he said. ‘Promise to give it to him.’

‘I promise, darling.’

‘Will passengers for Valencia please-?’

A round of kisses and she was on her way. During the flight she studied the sketch, which showed a racing car with a helmeted driver waving both hands above his head. It was childish, but skilled for his age, and she looked forward to Jared’s reaction.

Her own feelings were in a state of confusion. Only a few hours ago he’d seemed to have turned his back on her, inspiring in her a resentment that had been almost hatred. But then he’d persuaded his team to employ her and bring her to his side. On the telephone his voice had been friendly, but with an undercurrent of tension that kept her caution alive.

She must cling to that caution, she warned herself. Her heart might urge her to yield, but it was her mind that ruled these days. She wondered who would meet her at the airport. Not Jared himself. He would be far too busy preparing for the race.

But he was there, waiting as she came though Customs, and when he saw her he waved his hands above his head exactly as he did when he won a race-and as the sketch showed. But of course, sang the voice in her heart, refusing to be silenced a moment longer. Of course he’d come for her himself-just as secretly she had always known that he would.

But joy must wait just a little longer. There was a man with him who turned out to be Mr Vanner, the boss. Too impress him, Kaye put on a show, talking to officials in perfect Spanish, and she saw him relax and nod.

‘OK, I’m satisfied,’ he said. ‘We’ll talk money later. Now I’ll be off. I’m sure you two don’t need me.’

‘You bet we don’t,’ Jared murmured in her ear as he led her to a taxi.

As soon as the car started her pulled her into his arms. Years had passed since their last real kiss, and now she knew she’d longed for this from the first moment of his return. The feel of his lips against hers was like returning to life after a long sleep, and the life she rediscovered was glorious.