“Send us DNA. We can rush it to a private lab and get results back pretty fast,” Badger said. “I think that’ll be one of the first things. Because, if Angel does have a leg to stand on, so do you, and it might require that leverage in order to find a good solution to this.” Badger stopped for another long moment. “How do you feel about being a father now?”
“She’s adorable,” Weston said warmly. “And I’m slowly coming around to the fact that she really exists. As for the future, I have no clue. But I think I would like to watch her grow up.”
“Think?”
“Hey, that’s progress. Yesterday I wasn’t even sure about that,” he said. “What I can tell you is, Shambhala has completely adopted her, and Sari’s adopted the dog. I’ll send you some photos.”
“Good enough,” he said. “We will check into the law in Alaska. Talk to you soon.”
Just then, Daniela walked back into the kitchen with an envelope and held it out. “The adoption papers.”
He nodded and reached for the envelope. As far as he could see, everything looked okay. “Do you have a scanner?”
She shook her head.
He nodded his understanding. “I can take pictures.” He took photos of everything in the envelope and sent them all off to Badger. When he was done, he turned to her. “I have another difficult request, and I don’t want you to take it wrong.”
Her face shut down. “What is it?”
“I want to take DNA swabs from Sari’s mouth and mine, to test to make sure she’s my daughter.”
Anger flashed in her gaze.
He shook his head. “Not to prove that she isn’t,” he said gently, “but to prove that she is, in case we end up with court issues. A father does have rights, and no judge will allow me to have any input if I can’t prove it. Angel could just as easily stand up in court and say she slept with six other guys, and I’m not the father.”
Daniela stared at him in surprise and then nodded. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that,” she said. “Angel told me that you were the father, and I just believed it blindly.”
“Turns out, you can’t believe a whole lot about what Angel says,” he said.
Daniela looked at her daughter. “So what do we have to do?”
“It’s simple actually,” he said. “But we should do it as soon as possible.”
“Just tell me what to do,” she said with a nod.
Chapter 11
Daniela hadn’t ever thought to check that he was the father, but, when they got back from overnighting the mouth swabs and hair samples to Badger, she clearly wondered. “You said you were only with Angel for one night?”
“Yes,” he said.
“So it’s quite possible you aren’t the father.”
“It’s a possibility, yes.” And that possibility tormented him. Already a bond was growing where he wanted Sari to be his, and what if they found out she wasn’t?
“I don’t know why I just believed her,” she cried out. “This could change everything.”
“Which is also why we have to find out,” he said calmly. “Information is everything.”
She stared at him. “Sure, but it could also be the end of my world.”
“No,” he said, giving her a light shake. “You adopted Sari. Me being the father or not doesn’t impact that. Angel hasn’t had anything to do with you and your daughter all this time, and now suddenly she comes back around? A judge will not just turn around and give her back.”
Taking a deep, slow breath, Daniela said, “I want to believe you.”
“Good,” he said.
“But it’s damn hard.”
“Of course it is,” he said. “As far as you’re concerned, Sari is yours. And you’ll do everything in your power to defend her.”
She looked up at him and nodded. “It’s a good thing you understand that, Weston, because it’s the truth. And that goes for you too.”
He shook his head. “I am not trying to take her away from you. Look at me, Daniela. I wouldn’t do that to Sari. And I wouldn’t do it to you.”
She took another slow, deep breath and then finally began to relax. “Thank you,” she said. “I really needed to hear that.”
“I’m sorry you’re still so insecure about her,” he admitted. “And I can understand why.” He motioned at the phone. “Angel’s not helping.”
Daniela snorted. “Angel is a menace. It was fine when she was out of our lives, but, now that she’s come back, it feels very much like a threat.”
“I agree,” he said. “But we can deal with this.”
She nodded and didn’t say anything more. As much as she wanted to continue the discussion, she also wanted to get away from it. She hopped up and said, “Are you up for a cup of coffee?”
“Always,” he said distractedly. The idea that Sari might not be his had thrown him for a loop.
She put on a pot of coffee, turned around and asked, “What will you do about Shambhala?”
He shrugged. “No decision as of yet. We need to sort out this Grant situation first.”
She nodded. “That’s just too bizarre.”
“Insane,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I’ll do some research. Do you mind if I work at the dining room table?” He looked at her as he started toward his room. He stopped, waiting for her to give him an answer.
She smiled. “Sure, no problem.”
She watched him go up the stairs. He was a huge man and very controlled. Obviously Angel’s call had bothered him too, and that was good. Because this was still his child. At least she hoped it was. God, what if he wasn’t Sari’s father? What if someone else was the father? Someone more like Angel? She turned, looking at her daughter, just shaking her head. “You can’t do anything about it, so let it go,” she murmured to herself.
When the coffee was done dripping, she poured two cups and took one to the dining room
