“Take it from someone who wants to be a mother more than anything: even if she is pregnant, she doesn’t want the baby. She doesn’t have it in her to be a mother.
“You’re obviously an important and wealthy man.” She looked at the little girl and covered her ear with her hand and whispered, “Don’t let her make a jackass out of you. She’s a liar and”—she looked at the girl again—“worse. She’ll ruin this little girl if you let her.”
Why did it piss him off to hear her echo his thoughts back at him. He was a jackass. He knew he was a jackass. He didn’t need her telling him too.
Don’t shoot the messenger. How many times had he told himself that in business? Make sure you aim at the person who deserves to be targeted.
Marti hadn’t done anything but tell him what he already knew and suspected. She’d heard Shelly saying something in the bathroom to make her believe Shelly was a liar—and worse, bad for his daughter.
He’d already figured it out himself when she’d yelled at Emma and went after her. No one spoke to his daughter that way. He didn’t care who they were, or what they said about being pregnant with his baby.
He rubbed the back of his neck. God, this woman was getting under his skin. The longer he watched her hugging and loving on his daughter, the more endearing she became. If he didn’t know better, he’d think Emma belonged to her.
Two dinners and Shelly hadn’t managed to get one tenth as close to Emma as Marti had by simply picking her up, giving her a pet name, and telling her a joke. A silly, stupid joke, but it had done the trick with Emma. Her smile returned and the innocence of childhood filled her eyes again. He owed Marti for that and more.
“Listen, I know you mean well and you have my daughter’s best interests at heart. I’m holding on to my temper and my sanity by a thread tonight. I appreciate what you did by stepping in and rescuing Emma. If nothing else, you made her feel better. I would appreciate it if you let Emma join you and Knight, while I try to wade through the muck my life is mired under.”
He rubbed at the back of his neck again. He wanted to say more. He wanted to keep her near and drink up all the good feelings inside him, watching her holding his daughter. He didn’t get the choice. Elizabeth came over to help with Emma.
“Marti, please, join George at your table. I’ll take Emma.”
Emma grabbed on tighter to Marti. “No. I’m going to sit with Marti and Knight.”
Cameron rubbed his hand from the top of his daughter’s head and down her back. “You promise to be a good girl.”
“I promise. Marti is nice.”
“You’re nice too, Sugar Bug. What were you making in the kitchen?”
“Pastries.”
“Yum.” Marti said with enthusiasm. “Elizabeth, Sugar Bug and I will have a pastry. Tonight, I’ll have dinner backwards. Dessert first, and then the main course.”
“You can’t. Daddy never lets me have dessert first.”
“Well, I heard you already had mashed potatoes and gravy. Sounds like you already ate dinner. I, on the other hand, have the ultimate reason for having dessert first.”
Marti really did get an earful in the bathroom. Damn. Shelly must have really let her true feelings show.
“What’s the reason?” Emma asked, very interested.
“I grew up into an adult and can do whatever I want. When you grow up, you can have dessert first.”
“No fair. I thought it would be something I could use to get dessert first.”
“You can use it. You just have to grow up first. And the only way to do that is . . .” Marti waited to see if the little girl finished the sentence.
“Eat my dinner first,” Emma said with a dramatic roll of her eyes.
“You, Sugar Bug, are a smart girl. Let’s eat. I’m starving, and poor George is waiting for us.”
Marti took Emma to the nearby table and plopped her into a seat. She brushed Emma’s hair over her ear and smiled down at her. Emma’s smile notched up a few megawatts, making Cameron feel lighter.
“Too bad you didn’t meet her before the martini-swilling, bulimic, child-hating monster waiting at your table with a look of triumph and disgust that defies the human expression.”
“Rub it in, why don’t you.” Cameron put his arm around Elizabeth, needing her support.