They pulled up in front of the ballet school. When Francesca turned into the parking lot, Kelly touched her arm. “You don’t have to stay. I’m going home with Cindy. Dad said it was okay.”
Francesca hesitated, then shrugged. “Okay. Have fun.”
“I will.”
Francesca watched Kelly as she headed for the side entrance. Despite being only twelve, the girl moved with a grace that made Francesca envious. When Kelly waved and disappeared into the building, Francesca backed out of the parking lot, then headed home.
Once there she flipped through her dissertation. Her mind raced with thoughts of her long-lost brother, the paper she should be working on, and her pregnancy. Nearly another week had passed. At some point she was going to have to come clean with Sam. And she would. Very soon. Just as soon as she figured out what to say.
She finally settled down to work about eleven. At three-thirty the phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Is Kelly with you?” Sam asked abruptly.
“No, she’s-”
He cut her off with a strangled growl. “If she’s not with you and she’s not home, where the hell is she?”
Francesca arrived at Sam’s place less than twenty minutes later. She walked into the house and found him pacing the length of the entryway.
“I haven’t heard from her,” he said, obviously furious and worried in equal measures. “Who is this Cindy person and why didn’t you get a phone number?”
Francesca wasn’t willing to take the fall on this one. “She said you had told her it was fine. I assumed you had.”
Sam had pulled off his suit jacket and tie and rolled up his sleeves. Even without all the trappings of success, he still looked powerful and angry.
“She told you I said it was okay and you believed her?” he asked, sounding incredulous. “We’re talking about a kid who thinks nothing of lying to get her own way.”
Francesca refused to be intimidated by his size or his temper. “When has she lied? To the best of my knowledge, Kelly is completely upfront about her wants and desires. Are you saying this morning she didn’t ask you about going to Cindy’s and you didn’t say it was all right?”
He opened his mouth, then closed it. Rage faded from his eyes.
She put her hands on her hips. Now it was her turn to glare. “What?”
He turned away and walked into the kitchen. “I was reading the paper this morning,” he mumbled.
She followed him. “So?” Then the pieces clicked into place. “Oh. You were reading and not listening. In fact, you can’t remember one thing your daughter may or may not have said. So for all you know she did tell you about going to Cindy’s. You might have even agreed.”
“Couldn’t you at least have gotten a phone number?” he asked, turning to face her.
“Couldn’t you have at least listened for thirty seconds?”
“I listened.”
“Obviously not. Kelly is your child and your responsibility.”
“You think I don’t know that?” he yelled. “I can’t take a breath without thinking about it. I didn’t ask for this responsibility, but I’m doing the best I can. Everything about my life is different, with no warning, no explanation.”
Francesca tried not to panic. Sam hadn’t actually come out and said he didn’t want his child, but he’d skated close to it. Close enough to make her press a protective hand over her stomach. This was not good.
Just then the front door opened. “I’m home,” Kelly called. “Francesca, you’re here. Did Sam call and ask you to-”
Kelly walked into the kitchen and looked from Sam to Francesca and back. “What?” she asked, suddenly looking wary.
“Did you ask permission to go to Cindy’s this morning?” Sam demanded.
Francesca winced at his harsh, accusing tone.
Kelly took a step back. “Of course I did and you said it was fine. I even wrote down her telephone number.”
Sam blinked. “You did what?”
Kelly stalked over to the pad by the phone and pulled off the top sheet. She carried it back to her father and slapped it down on the counter next to him.
“Well, hell,” Sam muttered. “I guess I overreacted.”
Kelly’s gaze narrowed. “Why are you all mad? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I know,” Sam said. “I came home early and when you weren’t here, I got worried. When I called Francesca, she said you were at a friend’s, and I didn’t remember us talking about it.”
Kelly took a step back. “You weren’t listening to me?” she asked, sounding both insulted and hurt. “Was I too boring?”
“Of course not. I was-”
She cut him off with a shake of her head. “You were reading your damn paper.”
“Don’t you swear, young lady.”
“Why not? You don’t listen. I thought you were different!” she yelled. “I thought you weren’t like her. But you are. You’re a lousy parent. You’re horrible. I hate you!”
Sam stepped toward her. “Kelly, I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. I never meant to.”
“You didn’t hurt my feelings. I don’t care anything about you. No, that’s not true. I’m sorry you’re my father. I wish you weren’t. I wish I’d never come here.”
She ran out of the room. Francesca hesitated, not sure if she should go after her.
Sam leaned against the counter and rubbed his eyes. “That would be my parental screwup for the day. Why can’t I get control of this situation? I can manage everything else in my life. Why not Kelly?”
“If you talked to her-” she began.
“I don’t want to talk to her.” Sam walked to the refrigerator and took out a can of soda. “I don’t want to have to deal with any of this. I want things like they were before she ever showed up.”
He offered her the can. Francesca could barely breathe, but she managed to shake her head. Her throat was tight, her heart heavy. She’d known Sam was still adjusting to having Kelly around, but she’d thought he was coming to care about his daughter.
“Unless you need me to stick around,” she murmured, “I should be going.”
“I’m sorry I called in a panic,” he said.
“You were worried. That’s okay.”
He walked her to the door. Francesca said a quick goodbye and hurried to her truck. She had to get away before she gave into the need to burst into tears. She’d been a fool, because in her heart of hearts, she’d actually hoped Sam might be happy about the baby. Now she knew he would consider the child nothing but an inconvenience and her little more than a liar who had tricked him into a situation he didn’t want.
Sam waited an hour before heading up to Kelly’s room. She didn’t answer when he knocked, but the door wasn’t locked. He considered that a good sign.
When he stepped inside, she was stretched out on the bed, her back to the door. He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the mattress.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have listened.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Sure it does.” He studied her red curls and the curve of her back. When she was going toe-to-toe with him, she seemed so grown-up, but here, curled up on her bed, she was small and defenseless. A child. His child.
He wanted to be in control, but Kelly was her own person. Maybe the best he could hope for was an alliance between them.
He smiled as he remembered plenty of fights with Gabriel. No doubt he’d been just as stubborn and difficult when he’d been growing up.
“What was it you called me before?” he asked. “A pinhead?”
She turned to face him. Her eyes were swollen and red, her face damp from her tears. The sight of her pain stabbed him right in the gut.
