Shocking Sapphires - Ann Omasta Page 0,16

for the cameras.” His voice was so quiet that it took me a moment to comprehend what he had revealed.

“Oh.” It was a lame response, but I wasn’t sure what else to say. Grant and Eva had always seemed like the perfect, madly-in-love couple that the rest of us aspired to be. Finding out their relationship was fake was a significant blow, even though it also gave me a secret little thrill that raced along my spine.

Changing gears, I asked, “Is Scout’s mother looking for him?”

“No,” Grant answered, sounding certain.

Finding that incredibly hard to believe, I said, “She must be worried sick about him.”

“She signed over her parental rights when she gave him to me. She made it perfectly clear she wants nothing more to do with him––ever. Once the paternity test confirmed that he was mine, I took responsibility for the little guy and decided to try to raise him on my own.”

I stared down at the chubby-cheeked cherub, not quite able to believe that anyone could want to be rid of him––especially not his own mother.

Since Grant seemed to be in a sharing mood, I decided to go for it with the other question that had been bothering me since the fateful night of the accident.

Trying my best not to sound accusatory, since I knew Grant regretted the decision, I asked, “Why did you leave Scout at the fire station?”

He took so long to respond that I thought I had overstepped and that he might simply ignore me. Eventually, he said, “He cried during the entire flight to Boston from L.A. It’s a good thing we had a private jet because we’d have probably driven everyone insane on a commercial flight.”

“Babies are sometimes fussy,” I murmured, thinking that was no excuse for dumping his child.

“I know,” he admitted before continuing. “He also screamed during the whole drive up from Boston. By the time we got here, I was frazzled and thinking that I didn’t have what it took to be a proper father to him. It seemed like he hated being with me.”

He ran a hand through his thick, dark hair before adding, “I was exhausted, and I must not have been in my right mind. I just kept thinking that he deserved better than me, so I left him there. I regretted it almost immediately and came racing back for him.”

That much I already knew. Hoping to reassure Grant, I said, “You’re his father. There is no one better for him than you.”

The warm look the man gave me from his hospital bed made my heart practically skip a beat. It seemed to jump into my throat when he said, “You’re pretty great for him, too, Molly. I’m glad you’re in our lives.”

13

Grant

The last thing I needed was for this woman to fall for me. She was taking excellent care of my son. We didn’t need romantic feelings for each other to begin muddying the waters, but I couldn’t seem to keep my damn blabbering mouth shut.

The starry-eyed gaze she gave me when I said I was glad she was in our lives made it obvious that she was starting to have feelings for me––the real me, not my slick persona that I shared on the silver screen.

It was tempting to see that through to find out where it would lead, but she was a complication that I didn’t need in my life. I had enough to learn to deal with right now without trying to make a long-distance relationship work with an enamored fan.

Deciding it was time to slide back into the comfortable role of playing the arrogant jerk, I began ranting about the medical professionals that had been caring for me, even though they’d been doing a superb job and miraculously hadn’t leaked the story of my accident to the press.

Twisting my face into a bitter scowl, I said, “These podunk Maine doctors probably don’t even practice modern medicine. I need to get a second opinion about my condition from a high-priced specialist out of Boston or New York. I can afford the best doctors, so I should have them. They might find a way to help me walk again.”

“First off, I can’t believe you actually used the word ‘podunk,’ without even cracking a smile, and you think we’re the hicks.” Molly shook her head and chuckled to herself.

I would never admit it out loud, but I enjoyed the fact that she didn’t take any shit from me.

“And?” I prompted her.

At her bewildered expression, I