Nathan's Child - By Anne McAllister Page 0,28

or just walked on the beach and talked to her father, she couldn’t have had a better summer.

Carin couldn’t have been more of a wreck. Of course she was happy that Lacey was forming bonds with her father. But for herself, as she heard daily the tales of Nathan and Lacey fishing, helping move books at the library, taking photos in the cemetery or going swimming or snorkeling, Carin felt bereft.

She felt hollow. Lonely.

And she couldn’t help thinking about what it would have been like if they could have done these things together as a family—the three of them.

That was stupid, of course. If they had been a family, Nathan would never have been able to do what he’d done. He wouldn’t have been able to pursue his dreams, find his path, focus on his goals. He would have grown to resent her—and their child.

Too, if she’d announced she was pregnant with his child, she would have caused a huge rift between him and Dominic. Lacey talked a lot about her dad and his brothers when they were growing up. She loved to recount the “Nathan and Dominic and Rhys stories” that her father told her. It was clear they loved and respected each other. And there was no way Carin would have wanted to come between them.

So it was just as well she’d kept her mouth shut. Just as well she’d accepted her fate—and there was no sense in bemoaning the fact that they had no memories together.

But you could have now, some niggling little inner voice kept telling her. You could have said yes when Nathan asked you to marry him.

But she was selfish. She didn’t want Nathan marrying her out of duty. In her heart she was still a romantic. She wanted to marry for love.

She was thinking about this when Hugh stopped by on Friday after work. He stuck his head in the studio and asked, “How’s it going?”

And Carin said wearily, “It isn’t,” because thinking about Nathan had depressed her and she hadn’t been able to paint much for the last half hour. She decided to take a ten-minute break and have a cup of tea before sending Hugh on his way.

Now he was leaning against the kitchen counter with a bottle of beer in his hand. watching her sympathetically as she paced and muttered. “I don’t know how I’m going to get this done.”

“You’re trying too hard. You need to relax. Come out to dinner with me.”

“I can’t. I’ve got to work. But every time I try I start to think. And then I stop working. I don’t know what to do!”

“Kiss me.”

“What?” She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“Kiss me,” Hugh said. “Now.” He set the beer on the counter, took two steps across the room and hauled her into his arms.

Carin was so amazed she let him. She wrapped her arms around him to keep her balance, and was the recipient of a deep hungry kiss.

“Hard at work, I see,” a voice drawled from the front porch. “Don’t let me interrupt.”

Carin froze at the sound. But Hugh took his time finishing the kiss before he drew back and looked over Carin’s shoulder at Nathan.

“Not a problem. We can continue later,” he said smugly. “Looking for Lacey?”

“As a matter of fact, I’m not. I’m looking for her mother. I came to see if you—” he looked pointedly at Carin and not at Hugh “—wanted to join us for dinner, seeing as how you’ve been working so hard all day.” Scorn positively dripped. “Figured I’d give you a ride over. Lacey thought it might save you a little time if you didn’t have to cook. Give you more time to paint.” His gaze narrowed and his tone became even more scathing. “But I see you’ve got other, more important things to do.”

Carin flushed guiltily and was annoyed that she was reacting at all. It wasn’t his business what she was doing! Or with whom.

“Hugh stopped by after work and I took a few minutes’ break,” she began.

“You don’t owe me any explanations.”

“You’re damned right I don’t!”

“So don’t waste your breath. Are you coming with me for dinner or are you going to be too busy going to bed with lover boy?”

“Now there’s a thought.” Hugh grinned.

Carin glared at him, then at Nathan. “I’m going to paint, damn it. So you can both just get out of here now.”

Hugh sighed. “Ah, well, I can wait,” he said easily, then bent his head