Nathan's Child - By Anne McAllister Page 0,4
you! So just go away again. Go off to Timbuktu or Nepal or Antarctica. Take your photos. Enjoy your freedom. It’s what you wanted!”
“Wanted,” he agreed. “Past tense. Like loved.”
“What do you mean?” she asked warily.
“I mean it’s not what I want now. And I’m not leaving.”
She stared at him. “Ever?”
“If that’s what it takes.” He had the look of his brother again. Hard and implacable. Determined to get his way.
“So you’re going to stay here,” she said conversationally. “Doing what, If you don’t mind my asking?”
“Being a father.”
It was the last thing she expected him to say—and it hit her right in the gut. She stared at him. “You?”
Kids had never figured in Nathan Wolfe’s universe. In the week they’d spent sharing dreams and hopes and plans, never once had he mentioned wanting a family.
His jaw tightened. “You don’t think I can be a good parent?”
“I’m surprised you want to.”
“Did you? Want to?”
The question caught her off guard. And the panic she’d felt when she’d discovered she was pregnant appeared unbidden in her mind. She banished it now as she had determinedly banished it all those years ago.
“I always wanted children,” she said defensively. “I love my daughter more than anyone on earth.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting our daughter.”
She wanted to say, Well, you’re not going to. She wanted to banish him from the island, from her—and Lacey’s—life. But she couldn’t, and she knew it. He was her daughter’s father, and ever since Dominic and Sierra had turned up, Lacey’s curiosity about him had been piqued. She’d studied his books avidly, asked a million questions, wondered whether she would ever get to meet him. And Carin had had to smile and act indifferent, as if it wouldn’t matter to her whether Nathan appeared or not.
“I’m sure she’ll be glad to meet you, too,” Carin said stiffly.
“Where is she?”
“Fishing.”
Nathan raised a brow. “Fishing?”
“Girls can fish, too.”
“I know that. I just didn’t think about it. I thought…school or something.”
“It’s July. No school in July. She went with her friend Lorenzo. He’s Thomas’s son.” Nathan knew Thomas. They were about the same age, and Thomas’s parents, Maurice and Estelle, were the caretakers of the Wolfes’ house. “They won’t be back until late.”
Not that late actually. Thomas brought his catch in before dinner every day. But Carin wasn’t having Nathan hanging around waiting, for the rest of the afternoon.
“I’ll just mosey on down to the pier then, shall I?”
“No! I mean…no.” She’d forgotten Nathan would know that unless a fisherman was going to be gone for several days—in which case he wouldn’t be taking a couple of kids—he’d be back in time to sell his catch to housewives looking for fresh fish for dinner. Carin wetted her lips. “You can’t just go. I need to talk to her first.”
“Come with me. We can talk to her together.”
“No. We can’t. I can’t. I have to keep my shop open.” And she didn’t want to show up on the quay with Nathan in tow. “Let me talk to her, Nathan. Let me prepare her first. Please.”
Nathan jammed his hands into the pockets of well-worn jeans. “Prepare her? How?”
“Tell her that you’re here. Have some consideration, Nathan. She thought as soon as you knew about her you’d come. You’ve known about her for months. You didn’t show up until today.”
“I had assignments. I had work. I didn’t want to come and leave again two days later.”
“Fine. Whatever. You did this on your timetable. Give me a chance now.”
“All right. You can have the rest of the day.”
“But—”
“How long does it take, Carin?” he said impatiently. “Just tell her I’m here. We’ll work it out from there.”
“We can’t—”
“Promise me you’ll tell her tonight. Or I’ll go down to the pier and tell her myself.”
“All right! Fine. I’ll talk to her. Tonight,” she added grudgingly when he lifted a brow, waiting.
“Do that.” He nodded. “And tell her I’ll come by tomorrow morning.”
She shrugged. “Come whenever you want. You obviously will anyway,” she muttered.
Nathan didn’t reply He just allowed her a ghost of a smile, then he turned and ambled toward the door. Opening it, he turned back. He leveled his blue eyes on her. “Don’t even think of running off.”
“As if I would!” she exclaimed hotly.
A corner of his mouth twisted. “See you in the morning,” he promised.
To Carin it sounded more like a threat.
So she wouldn’t marry him.
Nathan wasn’t exactly surprised, since she hadn’t even bothered to tell him he was a father! Damn it to hell!