“You sure are a pretty little thing, Anna. Your mama will have to chase the boys off with a stick.”

Anna’s expression crinkled into a beaming toothless smile, and Justin chuckled.

An ache yawned in Meredith’s chest, a sad yearning for the father she hadn’t thought important only a year ago. She’d planned this baby, known she was going to raise her alone and had been prepared to be the only parent her child needed.

But that had been before. Before she’d seen Justin with his children…and with Anna in his arms.

“What’s a frown doing on that pretty face?” Justin asked as he reached out and touched her between her brows. Her skin warmed like a schoolgirl’s.

Meredith looked into his face, a face so darkly handsome and intriguingly expressive, and admitted a monumental truth to herself—she was attracted to this man. It was strong and exhilarating. And physical.

She was completely out of her comfort zone.

It felt…incredible.

CHERYL ST.JOHN

A peacemaker, a romantic, an idealist and a discouraged perfectionist are the terms that Cheryl uses to describe herself. The award-winning author of both historical and contemporary novels says that knowing her stories bring hope and pleasure to readers is one of the best parts of being a writer. The other wonderful part is being able to set her own schedule and have time to work around her growing family.

Cheryl loves to hear from readers! E-mail her at: SaintJohn@aol.com.

Child of Her Heart
Cheryl St.John

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Be a part of

Because birthright has its privileges and family ties run deep.

After a sperm-bank mix-up, single mom Meredith Malone got the shock of a lifetime….

Meredith Malone: She survived breast cancer and a fiancé’s desertion. Now the birth of her baby caused a scandal in the community. Meredith had to protect her child, so she fled to a vacation spot…and fell in love. Could she learn to trust again?

Justin Weber: A hotshot attorney determined to protect the Children’s Connection, Justin wanted to learn more about Meredith and her baby. As he spent time with her, he began to see his future in her eyes….

Nurse Nancy Allen: A devoted health-care worker, nurse Nancy went to the authorities with suspicions about a baby ring operating out of the clinic. But could her speaking out have been a fatal mistake?

Special thanks to the following for their assistance with factual details: RaeAnne Thayne, who shared her timely family vacation to Cannon Beach in vivid detail; Bonnie Blythe, who described the beaches and recommended informational links; and to the Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center experts for answering medical questions.

Thanks to Susan Mallery, Pamela Toth, Laurie Paige, Victoria Pade, Marie Ferrarella, Karen Rose Smith, RaeAnne Thayne, Gina Wilkins, Elizabeth Bevarly, Christie Ridgway and Anne Marie Winston, who worked hard to pull together the continuity threads and strengthen the series, and to Allison Lyons, who quickly and patiently answered questions and found solutions.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Epilogue

Prologue

“If the press gets wind of the mistake, the clinic’s reputation is shot.” Standing, Oliver Pearson leaned forward, one age-speckled hand on the polished mahogany table, and addressed the board of directors in his resonating deep voice. “I say we make a decision today. That baby was born nearly three months ago, and out of fear we’ve tabled the discussion long enough.”

Dianna March straightened her already rigid spine in her leather chair, the overhead fluorescents highlighting her elegant silver pageboy. “We had to give the woman some time, Oliver, for goodness’ sake! She gave birth to an African-American infant when she was expecting a child who looks like herself. How insensitive would we look if we rushed right into her hospital room and asked her to sign waivers of release?”

Albert Squires, a balding, paunchy, retired executive, joined the discussion. “Miss Malone has had time. Her lawyer is calling and threatening to sue. The Children’s Connection needs to offer compensation.”

It was a generous offer coming from a man who’d worn the same burgundy suit to board meetings since 1995.

“A payoff is an admission of wrongdoing,” Miles Remington, the youngest member of the board, disagreed. “Are we admitting responsibility?”

“The clinic is responsible,” Dianna replied. “Someone mixed up the sperm from the donors and fertilized her eggs with sperm from an African-American.”

“How do we know for certain that Miss Malone intends to sue?” John G. Reynolds asked, joining the conversation for the first time.

“Her mother’s lawyer is asking for compensation,” Oliver replied.

“The mother can’t sue without the daughter,” the man replied. “Perhaps this is a lot of blustering to see how much they can bleed us for without going public.”

Terrence Logan, retired CEO of Logan Corporation, stood and walked to a table laden with a silver coffee urn and assorted pastries. He poured himself a steaming cup and returned to again fold his six-foot frame into his chair. “We’ve kept tabs through her doctor and her counselor at the clinic. What we need is someone to talk to the woman directly. Check her out, see where she stands on the issues and discover whether or not she’s amenable to compensation.”

“Justin’s the man.” Miles emphasized his words by jabbing his doughnut in the air. “Why isn’t he here, anyway?”

Miles was referring to Justin Weber, the Logans’ close family friend and corporate attorney for Children’s Connection, one of the premier fertility clinics in the country.

“He’s flying back from Chicago this afternoon,” Terrence replied. “Late yesterday he settled with the insurance company over that fire incident.”

“Send him to evaluate the Malone woman,” Garnet Kearn said. She was a small woman with thin, wispy hair dyed a mousy brown and badly permed, making her head look like a large coconut. “That’s his job.”

“I don’t think that’s wise,” Terrence said. “He’s scheduled for his vacation, and I can’t ask him to postpone it again. He’s promised to take his boys to Cannon Beach.”

He was referring to the company-owned suites in an elegant inn on the coast of Oregon where their executives, board members and corporate attorney shared privileges.

“When does he leave?” Albert asked.

Terrence took a sip of coffee. “He should have returned this morning, but he stayed over to wind up this Chicago deal.”

Silence fell over the room. The clock on the wall ticked off the minutes like a time bomb.

Wayne Thorpe sat forward, his chair complaining beneath his considerable weight. The other board members looked to him with interest. He didn’t speak often, but when he did, his words were usually worthy of listening. His nose and cheeks were florid from his nightly appointment with a bourbon bottle, and he wore heavy gold signet rings on both pinkies. “Things are probably tense for Meredith Malone,” he said. “We need to consider her feelings in the matter. The board might be wise to give her more time to think over her situation and her choices.”

No one said a word, digesting the suggestion, wondering where he was taking it.

Dianna March nodded her agreement.

“I’m sure there’s an available suite at the Lighthouse Inn,” Thorpe added. “It’s February, after all, off-season.”

Terrence looked decidedly uncomfortable.

Dianna’s eyebrows rose.

As the implication sunk in, Thorpe’s proposal was met with nods and sidelong glances. Send Meredith Malone to the same inn where their attorney would be vacationing.

“It would keep her away from the media awhile longer,” Albert agreed.

“And give her some private time with her baby,” Garnet said. “The clinic is all about families.”

Terrence shook his head, but every person in the room, including him, knew something had to be done.

“Who will make the offer?” Miles asked.

“The chairman?” Wayne Thorpe suggested.

“Excellent idea.” Oliver slapped the table as if banging a gavel. Murmurs of agreement echoed.

Dianna March was the chairwoman this term. Fitting that a woman should make the offer. As she tucked her hair behind one ear, diamonds glittered on her slender hand. “I’ll see to it this afternoon.”

One

Leaving Portland, Meredith Malone drove west along the Sunset Highway. Sweeping wheat fields bordered by verdant hills and towering mountains soon gave way to orchards, which gave way to forests of spruce, alder, cedar and hemlock. In places the highway cut in so deeply that the bases of the huge trees were eye level on both sides of the car, giving the feeling that she was an infinitesimal part of the endless forest. She drove in the shaded wilderness for an hour before seeing sunlight and sky again.

Here, an occasional gift shop dotted the sides of the road, joined by deserted fruit stands that would be busy in later months. During the summer even antique dealers displayed goods along this stretch of road, and tourists with RVs, towing ATVs or with bike and surfboard carriers slowed traffic considerably. This time of year, however, hers was one of only a few cars, so she made good time.

She descended the last hill from Saddle Mountain, pleased that she’d planned the drive for after her three-month-old daughter had been fed and was ready to sleep most of the morning.

She drove through a small river valley and climbed through the dense foliage along the coast. She hadn’t been to the coast for years, and as she started the last descent toward Cannon Beach junction, the Pacific Ocean appeared, vast and surprisingly familiar. Ahead was a fleeting distant view of Haystack Rock, projecting a couple of hundred feet out of the water. From almost untouched countryside, she drove the steep loop down to Cannon Beach and into the small town.

From her car seat in the rear, Anna woke and let Meredith know she was hungry with tiny rooting sounds and a long wail of complaint.

“We’re there, sweetie. Mommy just has to find the address.”

She glanced at the piece of paper on the seat beside her and followed directions through the quaint little community to a multicolored brick inn near the beach. White shutters made the windows look welcoming, and each guest suite sported a sunny balcony. Shrubs bordered the building and lined the drive and the walk.

Meredith unfastened the carrier, grabbed Anna’s bag and her purse, and carried the seat holding her baby. She would come back later for the rest of her belongings. Traveling with an infant was an enormous task. She had packed diapers and clothing and blankets and toys, and still she’d wondered if she’d remembered everything she would need for her stay. Once again she said a prayer of thanks for the blessing and ability to breast-feed. At least she didn’t have to worry about bottles and formula.

It may have been a perfectly natural thing to a million women, but for her it was a gift she never took for granted.

Anna was red-faced and wailing by the time Meredith entered the lobby, set the carrier on the carpeted floor and checked in.

“Sorry,” she said above the crying to the woman at the counter. “She’s hungry.”

The woman nodded. “Can I help you carry your things to your room? Maybe she’ll settle down if you take her out and hold her.”

“You’re probably right.” Meredith leaned over, unbuckled Anna’s restraints and picked her up. Anna immediately quieted as she peered at her new surroundings and blinked at her mother.

“You’ve been cooped up in that seat for a while, haven’t you, sweetie?” Meredith smiled and turned back for the room key.

The clerk was staring at Anna.

Pain stabbed in Meredith’s chest. Anna was a beautiful child with black hair, near-black eyes and velvety skin the color of coffee with cream. Meredith, on the other hand, was as fair-skinned as could be.

Would she ever get used to people staring at the two of them? She waited for a question—people often blurted the first thing on their minds. But this woman displayed a modicum of tact and said nothing.

With a cheerful smile pasted on her face, she came around the wall from the little room she’d been standing in and picked up the carrier and Meredith’s bag. “I’ll show you to your room.”

Not “what a pretty baby” or “what is her name?” Meredith tamped down the hurt as the woman walked her down a hallway and led her to a set of double doors. Meredith used the plastic key card and let herself in. The hotel employee set her belongings just inside. “Have a nice stay.”

“Thank you.” Meredith closed the door and locked it. Her first impression was that the suite was as large as her apartment at home, but far more elegantly furnished.

Anna was fussing again, so without taking time to investigate the rooms, she hurried into the bedroom, placed the baby on the king-sized bed and changed her diaper. Then Meredith unbuttoned her shirt, settled in a comfortable overstuffed chair and placed Anna at her breast.

Dark eyes looked at her trustingly, smooth dark skin and lips a vivid contrast against Meredith’s scarred white breast. She touched her baby’s face and smiled. The drive had been beautiful and relaxing, but she was tired from packing and planning and following directions. She kicked off her shoes and propped her feet on a matching ottoman.

The past few months had been tension-filled and emotionally draining. No, the past couple of years had been tension-filled and emotionally draining. But the recent months had been worse, rife with her mother’s constant disapproval and pressuring. Every time Meredith thought about her mother’s reactions, renewed hurt knifed through her heart. Breathing deeply, she worked to fight back her anger before her tension seeped through to the baby in her arms.

Meredith’s mother had wanted her to give up Anna for adoption. Meredith wouldn’t hear of it. She’d loved her baby from conception. She’d adored her on sight and cherished her more every day since.

But Veronica was embarrassed. She’d been mortified when her daughter gave birth to an African-American child. She wanted the world to know Anna’s birth was not by choice or by natural means and she threatened at every opportunity to feed the information about the mistake made by Children’s Connection to the media in hopes of having the public’s sympathy.

Veronica’s obvious shame hurt Meredith more than she could say. She’d been surprised when she’d seen her baby, yes, of course. But ashamed? Certainly not. She was tired of fighting her mother on every front and constantly heading off her confrontations and insistence that Meredith sue Children’s Connection. This was her mother! She should accept Meredith’s decisions and love her grandchild.

Tears stung her eyelids and she determinedly blinked them away. She needed this time away from everything—especially from Veronica. She craved privacy. She was looking forward to peace and quiet, time alone with Anna without pressure or censure.

For a few blessed weeks, she wouldn’t have to cook or clean; she’d have attendants to help tote and carry. She could see the local sights at her leisure and return here whenever she wanted to put her feet up and do nothing.

She glanced around the elegantly appointed room. This was just the getaway she needed.

Two

The morning news had predicted temperatures in the sixties and Meredith was glad for the unusual warmth. Shortly after her arrival the day before she had discovered a place nearby to rent all types of beach equipment, and she was eager to try out her canvas chair and umbrella.

The sand was deliciously warm from the sun, and though she knew the water was freezing cold, a few die-hard surfers in wet suits rode the waves onto the beach.

Anna slept peacefully on a thick blanket under the umbrella, and by late morning Meredith was a third of the way through a mystery novel she’d been wanting to read. She poured herself hot decaf coffee from the thermos, sipped leisurely and her eyes grew heavy.

“I think her baby’s sleeping.”

“She’s sleeping, too, Lamond. Don’t bother them.”

“I’m not bothering them, I’m just lookin’.”

The soft voices brought her out of her restful state, and she opened her eyes to find two handsome young black boys in jeans and T-shirts peering at Anna.

“Hi,” she said.

The oldest boy glanced at her with eyes widened in surprise, but the younger one gave her a friendly smile. “Hi. That your baby?”

“Yes. Her name’s Anna. I’m Meredith.”

“I’m Lamond and I’m four.” He held up the appropriate number of fingers. “This is my big brother, Jonah.” He’s seven.

“Nice to meet you both.”

“Can your baby swim?”

With a smile, Meredith shook her head. “Not yet.”

“I saw babies on TV what could swim,” Lamond said matter-of-factly. “The moms and dads just put ’em in. They had a camera underneath the water so you could see ’em with their little faces all scrunched up.” He demonstrated and giggled. “It was cool.”

“It sounds cool,” she replied. “I’ve heard of teaching infants to swim.”

Taking a step back, he pointed toward the ocean. “Maybe you could put her in the water and see if she can do it,” he suggested.

“I’m pretty sure you’d have to teach a baby in a heated pool,” she replied with a grin. “The ocean’s too cold.”

“It’s too cold for me,” Jonah said with a shudder.

“Not for me,” Lamond said, puffing his chest out. “I’m tough. My dad says so.”

“I’ll bet you are.”

“Your baby’s real pretty,” he said. “Can I look at her up close?”

“Sure.” Meredith got out of her chair and knelt beside the baby, peeling back the blanket that protected her cheek from the elements.

Anna’s rosy lips puckered and she made an instinctive little sucking motion.

“Aw.” Lamond chuckled. “That’s so cute.”

Meredith smiled at the child who had captured her heart in record time. She thought everything Anna did was darling, too.

“D’you live around here?” Jonah asked.

“No, we’re vacationing.”

“Us, too,” he replied. “We’re staying at the Lighthouse Inn, but the only lighthouse is on the sign.”

“There’s a painting in the foyer,” she told him. “We’re staying there, too.”

“We’re going to see a real lighthouse,” Lamond added.

“That sounds like fun.”

“Are you boys bothering the lady?” The rich timbre of a male voice interrupted their discussion.

Both boys turned toward the tall man who had approached and bent to peer under the umbrella.

“We’re not bothering her, Dad,” Lamond said. “This is Meredith. We was just lookin’ at her baby, Anna. Isn’t she cute?”

Khaki trousers and a pale yellow shirt contrasted with the man’s dark skin. The hands he placed on his knees as he bent forward were large, his nails blunt and pink. “She’s a beauty all right,” he replied with a grin. He had an energy and masculine presence that Meredith could almost feel. When he directed his attention to her, his gaze was like a physical touch.

She waited for censure in his expression…a question….

“Are these guys driving you crazy?” It wasn’t the question she’d been anticipating.

His voice melted her senses like hot fudge on ice cream. “Not at all. I was glad for someone to talk to. Anna is a joy, but she doesn’t have much to say.”

He grinned. “Give her a couple of years and you won’t be able to get a thought in edgewise.”

“The voice of experience, I take it?”

He nodded good-naturedly.

“They’re staying at the Lighthouse Inn, too, Dad,” Lamond said.

“I guess we’re neighbors, then. Temporarily anyway. Justin Weber,” he introduced himself politely, “father to these two rascals.”

She raised a hand and he shook it, his fingers warm, his grip firm, but gentle. The simple handshake shouldn’t have given her butterflies in the pit of her stomach, but it did. “Nice to meet you.”

He released her hand. Immediately, she wondered if there was a Mrs. Justin Weber, but she didn’t ask because she didn’t want to answer questions posed to her.

“Where’s your dad?” Lamond asked.

Meredith blinked, but understood momentarily.

“Her husband you mean,” Jonah corrected.

“I don’t have a husband,” she replied. It was a relief to be asked an easy question for a change, one she didn’t mind answering. Most people asked probing questions about Anna’s parentage, and Meredith found them offensive and rude.

“Did he die?” Lamond’s young face took on a sad expression. “Our mom died.”

The answer to her wondering was a disturbingly sad one and her heart extended even further to the motherless boys. “No, honey,” she said, her voice soft with sympathy. “I never had a husband. I’m sorry about your mom.”

Her gaze was drawn to the man’s, but his dark one didn’t reveal emotion.

“We have a nanny,” Jonah said. “She’s sort of like a mom.”

Not knowing what to say, Meredith simply listened.

“Her name’s Mauli,” Lamond supplied. “It’s Hawaiian. She knows how to do cartwheels.”

Jonah nodded. “And she can multiply and divide in her head. Without a calculator.”

“And she makes macaroni and cheese without a box.” Jonah looked up at his dad. “Doesn’t she, Dad?”

Justin nodded.

Meredith smiled at their exuberant praise of their nanny. “She sounds like a prize.”

“Couldn’t get along without her,” the man said.

“Is she traveling with you?”

“Oh, yes.” Justin glanced in the direction of the road that led away from the beach. “She’s shopping. She gets plenty of time to herself while we’re on vacation. Trips are one of her job perks.”

“That’s nice for her.”

He nodded. “Well, boys, we’d better leave Miss…Meredith to her book and finish our walk. It was nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”

“We’re going to see the lighthouse now,” Lamond said.

“Have a good time.”

“You could come with us,” Lamond added, in the innocent fashion of a child. “It’ll be really cool.”

Again she met their father’s eyes, but the man seemed a little uncomfortable this time.

She smiled. “Thank you, but I’ve planned to rest today. Anna and I are enjoying the beach. You have a good time.”

“When we see you, we’ll tell you all about it.”

His innocent assumption that she would just naturally be interested in his account of their sight-seeing trip was endearing. “I’ll look forward to it.”

They said their goodbyes, and Justin straightened to walk away. Lamond tugged on his arm, and he swept the boy up onto his shoulders.

Meredith watched the small family as they strolled away on the tawny sand, and couldn’t help noticing Justin Weber’s fine form—broad shoulders, narrow hips and long legs. Sad that they’d lost their wife and mother. Nice that they were all the same color.

Whoa! Where that thought had come from, she didn’t know, but she’d surprised herself with it.

Anna made tiny waking noises, and Meredith glanced at her watch. She’d planned to stay on the beach for another couple of hours, so she changed Anna and nursed her.

Occasionally someone on the beach nodded a hello, but she enjoyed the tranquility of the crashing waves and the solitude. She’d left her cell phone in her room because she didn’t want Veronica to reach her and ask where she was.

Finally getting hungry, she packed up her belongings, slid Anna into the sling she wore to carry her and made her way back to the inn. As she kicked off her shoes and shook out sand at the entrance, a young male employee hurried to help her and store her beach rentals.

Meredith went to her room where she locked the door and placed Anna in the crib the inn had provided. There were four messages on her cell phone, all from Veronica, all pleading with her to call and listen to reason. Meredith deleted them, turned off her phone and took a nap.

Waking rested, she fed Anna, took a quick shower and dressed in trousers and a silky blouse. She carried Anna out to the car and glanced at the food and entertainment guide she’d discovered in a rack inside the inn. They all looked good and the addresses were meaningless, so she headed down a main street.

The first restaurant she found was a seafood place with weathered clapboard siding, a wooden walk-way with posts and rope strung between them to mimic a wharf, and a shark’s jawbone over the door. Meredith liked the authentic look and it had a good rating in the guidebook, so she parked and entered.

A hostess asked her seating preferences just as a young voice called, “Miss Meredith! Miss Meredith!”

She turned to discover Lamond Weber racing across the foyer toward her. She shifted Anna’s seat to her other hand. “Well, hello.”

Dressed in a fresh white sport shirt, Justin walked forward and greeted her with a warm smile. “We were just being shown to a table. Will you join us?”

Meredith glanced from Justin to Lamond to the hostess and couldn’t think of a single reason not to accept his offer. “Thank you. I’d love to.”

“Great. We’ll need another chair, miss,” he said. “And one of those bases to put the car seat on.”

“What’s that?” Meredith asked.

He stepped beside her and touched his hand to the small of her back to guide her through the tables. She was keenly aware of his warm touch through her clothing.

“They have high chairs that flip over so you can fasten your infant seat on top,” Justin explained. “Some places have an aluminum or wooden frame for the same purpose. Gets the baby up on your level, and you don’t have to leave her in her seat on the floor or try to hold her while you eat.”

The hostess appeared then with just such an invention and showed Meredith how to safely place Anna’s carrier into the base.

“Isn’t that ingenious?” Feeling like the novice she was, Meredith smiled and thanked the young woman.

In a gentlemanly gesture, Justin held Meredith’s chair, then helped Lamond get settled on a booster seat.

“I take it you haven’t been out to eat much since Anna’s arrival,” he said with a good-natured smile.

“If you don’t count carryout or drive through, this is my first dinner out.” She picked up a menu and glanced at the selections. The list of grilled salmon, albacore tuna and fresh salads made her mouth water.

“What’s Anna going to eat?” Lamond asked.

“She won’t be hungry for a while,” Meredith replied. “I fed her right before we came here.”

“Oh. Read me the kids’ food, Dad. Please?”

Justin opened his menu and read the selection of children’s dinners.

“I want the tuna melt. Can I have two?”

Justin raised an ebony brow at his son. “You’re going to be growing out of all your clothes again, you keep eating so much.”

Lamond giggled.

Jonah opened a backpack he’d carried in and took out two coloring books and a box of crayons. The boys settled down to color brightly hued racing cars.

Meredith thanked the waitress who set glasses of water before them. She took a sip. “What a good idea to bring along something to entertain them.”

Justin had a nice smile that revealed even white teeth and disturbed her comfort level. He had a manner of looking at her that made her feel he was thinking more than he was saying. “It’s either that or constantly be nagging them not to play with the silverware and the condiments. Mauli’s great about picking up things to amuse them. She seems to know just what they like.”

“Where is Mauli tonight?”

“Taking in a movie with a girlfriend she met yesterday.”

Studying the menu, Meredith intuitively sensed stares from a nearby table and glanced in that direction. A couple with three children were seated at a round table. The youngest of the children played with an action figure on the tabletop, but the other two, a boy and girl of about seven and nine, stared at Jonah and Lamond, then at Anna in her seat and gave Meredith and Justin inquiring looks.

Their mother caught their attention and whispered something Meredith could only partially hear, but they reluctantly turned away. Meredith locked gazes with the woman momentarily, and seeming embarrassed, the young mother looked away quickly.

It was all those two children could do not to turn their heads and stare again. The woman had taken hold of the younger boy’s wrist on the tabletop as though warning him.

Discomfort at being the center of attention flooded Meredith, and warmth rose in her cheeks. Her stomach dipped nervously. She glanced around to see how many other people were looking at them, but didn’t notice anything unusual.

Returning her gaze to the menu but not able to concentrate, she glanced up and found Justin studying her solemnly.

Justin had seen the children’s curious gazes and hadn’t thought much of it. People probably saw them and assumed they were a family. His boys were quite dark-skinned, but if an onlooker thought Meredith was his wife, then they would just quite naturally think Anna was their child together.

He didn’t really care much what people thought, but it was apparent that Meredith did. The expression on her face and the tilt of her chin clearly showed a defensiveness that surprised him.

She was obviously uncomfortable with the attention that her child—and probably Justin’s company—drew. He didn’t need any complications in his life, in fact had vowed not to take on any, but for some reason he had the feeling that this young woman could use a friend.

Hell, everyone could use a friend. Even him—especially one this lovely. Though he surprised himself with the thought, he admitted he wouldn’t mind getting to know her better.

A whole lot better.

Three

The boys were happily coloring and hadn’t noticed the curious looks they’d received. Obviously embarrassed, Meredith took a calming breath.

Justin gauged her reactions.

Meredith seemed at a loss for words, her cheeks pink, her eyes overly shiny.

“What are you feeling?” he asked softly.

“Embarrassed.” She glanced to the side. “Defensive.”

“Deep down?” he asked. “What are you feeling underneath all that?”

Tears welled in her eyes and she blinked, holding her lips in a stiff line. “Disappointed. And hurt,” she said softly.

They’d only just met, but he knew it had been difficult to reveal those very private feelings.

Justin nodded and studied Meredith’s delicate features, her trembling lips. “Children are just naturally curious.”

It was difficult enough adjusting to a new baby and the changes that a child brought to one’s life, but she was apparently doing it on her own. As the mother of a half-black child, she’d no doubt already experienced her share of prejudice. She was feeling defensive with good reason. But that baby had been conceived by a black man. Hadn’t she ever gone out to dinner with the baby’s father, hadn’t she seen people’s reactions before?

She was struggling, hurting, and he didn’t know whether it had been a good idea to subject her to his company and the stares that accompanied it. She hadn’t seemed to mind their company on the beach, but being with other people was a different matter.

Meredith seemed tenderhearted and vulnerable, and that combination of innocence intrigued him. “I think you’re extraordinarily sensitive right now,” he said. “Possibly reading things into what’s merely simple curiosity.”

“You’re probably right. Thanks.”

He liked the way her smile lit up her hazel eyes. Today they’d seemed lit by the sun, but now they were dark and almost green. “Shall we enjoy ourselves?”

She nodded, grateful for his sensible and reassuring words. When the waitress returned, Meredith ordered and Justine ordered for himself and the boys. “Would you care for wine?” he inquired.

“Thank you, but I can’t,” she replied. “You go ahead.”

“Just a glass for me,” he said to the waitress. “You’re nursing,” he said after she’d gone.

She nodded, a little surprised at his frankness, but not embarrassed.

“Wise choice. How do you manage when you go to work?”

“I’ve taken a leave of absence from my job.”

“That’s great. What do you do?”

“I’m a pediatric physical therapist.”

One side of his lips quirked in a half smile. “No wonder you’re so good with kids.”

Her fair skin blushed prettily. “I love kids.”

“They like you, too.”

The waitress brought his wine and refilled Meredith’s water glass.

“What about you?” she asked. “What do you do?”

“I’m an attorney.” He raised a palm as though to ward off her reaction. “No lawyer jokes, now.”

“I don’t think I know any.”

“That’s refreshing.”

“You hear a lot of lawyer jokes?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Like what? Tell me one.”

She was serious. He chuckled. “No.”

“Not dignified enough for you, I suppose? I’m trying to picture you in your three-piece suit.”

“I look pretty good.”

She laughed. “You’re one of those GQ guys, aren’t you? You have a dozen suits and a hundred color-coordinated ties and matching socks.”

He shrugged.

“You do. And you buy Italian shoes.”

“What do you know about men’s shoes?”

“I had a— Well…” She looked away. “I knew someone who liked to dress well.”

The baby’s father? Where was he now? What kind of man left a woman pregnant and alone or with a baby to raise by herself? Maybe he hadn’t known about the baby. Maybe he’d died. Justin was certainly curious about this woman’s private life, and he had no right to be. She was just an acquaintance he’d met on the beach. “Do you think my taste in shoes says something about my character?”

“Probably. But I wouldn’t know what it would be. I’m not a very good judge of people.”

Justin absorbed that remark silently.

Meredith glanced away, suddenly self-conscious about saying something a little too revealing.

Jonah showed his dad the picture he’d colored, and the conversation turned to sports cars, of which Meredith knew nothing, so she listened to father and sons.

Their salmon arrived with spicy slaw and mango-papaya salsa on the side, and they ate leisurely. The boys finished, pulled a miniature magnetic checkerboard from Jonah’s backpack and played the game.

Anna squirmed in her seat and a telltale odor rose.

Lamond wrinkled his nose. “Is that your baby?”

“Uh-oh,” Meredith said. “Excuse us for a moment. We’ll be right back.”

She unbuckled Anna and carried her to the women’s rest room. As she was finishing the change, the door opened and a matronly woman entered.

She glanced at Anna and her eyebrows rose indignantly. “Where did you get that baby?”

Meredith thought her lips moved a minute before she could find a response. “She’s mine.”

“But you’re not her mother? Where did she come from?”

“She came from my uterus and I most definitely am her mother.” Indignantly, Meredith stuffed the baby-wipe container in her bag, picked up Anna and closed the changing station. Those were the kind of remarks that made her suspicious of every glance she received. The kind that angered her and dented her faith in mankind.

Outside the rest room, she paused and collected herself before making her way back to the table where she placed Anna back into her seat.

The boys had packed their belongings and sat on the edges of their chairs.

Justin stood, but looked at her curiously. “I guess we’re ready to go. Everything okay?”

Meredith reached into the bag to dig for her wallet. “Fine.”

Justin touched his long fingers to her wrist. “I got dinner.”

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

“It was a pleasure to have your company,” he replied, then picked up the infant carrier. “I’ll help you to your car.”

Accepting his aid, she walked ahead of him out into the cool evening air. He seemed to be a nice guy and she wanted to believe he was as kind and sincere as he seemed. The boys jumped from the boardwalk onto the stones below and knelt to look more closely at the rocks.

Meredith’s car was parked right in front, and she used her remote key ring to unlock the doors.

Justin glanced at the license plate. “You’re from Oregon.”

She nodded. “Portland.”

That half smile inched up and creased one cheek.

“You, too?” she asked.

He nodded. “Small world, eh?”

Her mind whirled with the possibility of developing a friendship with this man, a friendship that would last once they’d both gone home.

Justin looked over the seat and the base, and efficiently buckled Anna into the car in no time.

“You’re good at this,” she commented.

“I’ve had a little practice.”

“That’s nice to see.” She closed the back door and opened the front. “I feel like I owe you.”

He glanced toward the sun setting over the ocean in the distance. “You can buy me dinner next time.”

Meredith’s heart felt as though it dipped in her chest. Was he suggesting a date?

He looked directly at her. “Do you have a problem being with me and the boys in public?”

Heat flashed through her chest and up to her cheeks. “Did you— You didn’t think that I was embarrassed to be sitting with you in there.” She pointed over her shoulder. “Did you?”

He raised his eyebrows and set his lips thoughtfully before speaking. “I wasn’t sure. You said you were embarrassed.”

Meredith glanced at the boys still selecting rocks. “Like you said, I’m extra sensitive right now.” She wanted to mention the woman in the rest room, but didn’t know how to put it that wouldn’t sound self-pitying or be insulting to him. “I’m embarrassed to be singled out. I’m angry that Anna’s skin color has to be an issue at all.”

She looked up at him, silently pleading for understanding. “I wasn’t embarrassed to be with you or your sons, Justin. Please don’t think that.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

His simple word hung between them, amiable closure to a touchy subject. Its very simplicity and his acceptance of her feelings lightened her spirits and made her smile.

A breeze caught her hair and his attention focused on it for a moment, then found her eyes.

“We’ll see each other again,” she said, finding the words bold, but not wanting to miss the chance.

“Actually,” he said, “I’d like for you to meet Mauli.”

She thought about it and didn’t see any reason to say no. She gave a little shrug. “All right.”

“Do you have plans for tomorrow?”

“Yes, I have an important meeting with the beach. Is there rain in the forecast?”

“This is February on the coast. There’s always rain in the forecast.”

“I was afraid of that.”

“If it’s warm and clear, we’ll meet on the beach. Say around one?”

She nodded. “One it is.”

He turned and called to his boys. “Come on, fellas, let’s go. Tell Miss Meredith good-night.”

Jonah waved, but Lamond ran over to where she stood at the open car door and looked up at her. He was as endearingly straightforward and open as his father. “I think you and Anna are real nice. And pretty, too. Bye, Miss Meredith.”

“Bye, sweetie.” She instinctively reached out to touch his face and found his cheek as smooth and warm as Anna’s.

“Step back from the car,” Justin called and Lamond obeyed.

Meredith got in.

“See ya later, alligator!” Lamond called with an energetic wave.

She returned the wave and called, “After a while, crocodile!”

He broke into giggles and ran to join his father and older brother.

Meredith closed the door and started her car, a good, warm feeling replacing her earlier chagrin. She would see the Webers again tomorrow…if it didn’t rain. Glancing at the sky, she turned on the radio to find a weather report.

At 6:00 a.m. when Anna woke to nurse, it was raining. Meredith settled in the comfortable chair near the bay window that overlooked a portion of the beach and watched the gray drizzle coming down. She wasn’t here to socialize, anyway, she told herself with glum resign. She’d accepted the Children’s Connection’s offer in order to escape her mother’s constant harassment and have some time alone with Anna to think.

Adoption, as her mother had insisted from day one, had never been an option. She’d wanted this baby. She’d gone to extreme measures to have her, and Anna was the fulfillment of her dreams. Just because she wasn’t the particular baby Meredith had imagined didn’t mean she didn’t love her and want her.

Her fears were about her own inadequacies. She hadn’t been prepared to raise a child of mixed race. Right now Anna’s needs were simple and Meredith had the capabilities to meet them: breast milk, clean clothing, hundreds of diapers and a lot of love. But later—maybe only three or four years from now—her daughter would begin to recognize the differences in their appearance. She would notice the stares and hear the comments and need skills to cope. And how would Meredith know how to instill those tools, give her child the confidence and sense of identity she would need?

Whenever Meredith gave in to those thoughts, she sank into a pit of self-doubt and insecurity.

During Anna’s wakeful time, she bathed her, sang her nursery songs and admired her toothless new smile.

Her main dilemma was the question of responsibility. No, she did not want to sue the clinic. But neither did she want a terrible mistake to be made again—perhaps to someone who couldn’t accept their unexpected child.

She could probably discover who the sperm donor was, but in her heart she didn’t want to know. It couldn’t possibly matter. The one thing she knew with confidence was that she had to be certain her own eggs were used in the in vitro process. In her heart Anna was her own child and always would be. She’d carried her inside her body, underneath her heart, and had gone through the birth process. Anna was her baby. But was she truly her biological child? If one mistake was made, why not another?

Time and again she stared at her child, trying to find similarities in appearance, wanting more than anything to see physical traits. But Anna was a baby. A dark-skinned baby. And it was difficult to tell.

While Anna slept, Meredith checked her voice mail and deleted all the messages from Veronica without listening to them. Then she called her counselor at Children’s Connection.

“I need assurance that my own eggs were fertilized and implanted. I don’t care about the donor. I don’t want to know and I don’t want anyone else to ever be able to find out.”

“I understand perfectly,” the woman said. “I’ll check all the paper trails and I’ll call you when I have an answer.”

Already feeling less burdened, Meredith hung up and gave herself a manicure and pedicure, using a bright shade of red nail polish she’d received in a basket of personal items as a gift from her friend Chaney.

Thinking of the bubbly redhead, Meredith glanced at the clock and called her friend’s cell phone, hoping Chaney had it turned on where she worked at a medical billing company in Portland.

Chaney answered the phone. “Hey, it’s about time you called.”

“I’ve been settling in.”

“How’s the Lighthouse Inn?”

“It’s marvelous. I have a huge suite with a bay window and a balcony that’s only a few hundred feet from the beach. There’s a whirlpool tub and a little kitchen.”

“Been in the whirlpool yet?”

“Not yet. It’s an executive suite decked out so well that a person could live here.”

“I figured it would be pretty classy. They’re trying to buy you off.”

“You’re probably right. But I couldn’t pass up the chance to escape for a while.”

“She’s called me twice a day demanding I tell her where you are.”

Meredith knew Chaney referred to her mother. “Don’t cave, Chaney.”

“Never. She needs to give you some breathing room. How’s my favorite girl?”

“Anna’s perfectly content. She doesn’t care where we are. She eats and sleeps oblivious to anything but her tummy and her bottom. I think she’s becoming partial to my singing, however.”

“Nah, she still likes my rendition of ‘Lonely Days, Lonely Nights’ the best. I got her first smile with that one.”

“You did not.”

“Did so. You’ll have to stay up nights practicing to outdo my performances.”

Meredith laughed. “Okay, okay, you’re probably a micrometer better at entertaining in that department. But I can feed her. Thank God.”

“Low blow, girlfriend.”

They laughed, and Meredith said, “I needed this. You keep me centered and laughing at myself.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes you have to laugh.”

Meredith glanced at the windows, then at the clock. It was nearly one. “The sun is shining! I’d better let you go back to work.”

“Call me tomorrow.”

“I will. Bye.”

Four

Justin and his boys were waiting on the beach, the sand darkened from the morning’s rain. With them was a young woman in her early twenties, with dark hair and tanned-looking skin. The closer Meredith got, the more she noticed about the girl. She doubted that was a tan; her skin was a little darker than Anna’s, but her hair was straight and her eyes blue. She was quite obviously of mixed race.

She smiled and peered into the sling to see the napping baby.

“Meredith, this is Mauli,” Justin said. “Mauli, this is the lady and the baby we told you about.”

“The boys couldn’t stop talking about your Anna,” Mauli said. “They said she was the cutest thing ever, and I have to agree.”

“Thanks. I’m partial, but I agree, too.”

“It’s really too wet to spend time on the beach this afternoon,” Justin said, disappointing Meredith.

She nodded in agreement, however.

“I thought we’d find something else to do,” he suggested. “Spend some time seeing the sights. Will you join us?”

Warm relief swept over her at his suggestion. She shouldn’t be reliant on others for a good time, but she’d eagerly been looking forward to today. Justin and the kids were so accepting and friendly. They didn’t know about her dilemma or have opinions about what she needed to do. She could relax and enjoy herself around them. “I’d love it.”

“Great. We’ll take my vehicle.”

“Are we going to see the whales and dolphins, Dad?” Lamond tugged on his father’s hand.

“No, that’s tomorrow, remember?”

Justin led them to a Lexus SUV with a cherry sheen so deep it was almost black. “Give me your keys and I’ll get Anna’s car seat. Do you have a stroller in your trunk?”

Meredith dug her keys from her bag. He returned quickly and fastened Anna’s carrier in the rear seat, facing backward. If this man was as efficient in court as he was with babies, he was a force to be reckoned with.

They all piled in and buckled up. Meredith chatted with Mauli while Justin drove south on the highway. Mauli had been frequenting the gift shops in the little beach town and described the delightful presents she was storing away for Christmas and birthdays.

When Justin parked, it was at a wharf area, and they got out. Their first stop was the public rest room in a charming cluster of shops built to look as though they’d been there a hundred years. While Meredith changed Anna, Justin unfolded the stroller he’d stored in the back of his vehicle. Lamond asked to push it, but Justin told him that was Meredith’s job.

Funnel cakes caught Lamond’s attention next, so Justin bought enough to go around.

“You’re a bad influence,” she said as the boys ran ahead and Mauli hurried after them. “I don’t usually eat this stuff.”

Justin leaned toward her and brushed powdered sugar from her chin. Her heart skittered at the touch and at his attention. Her reaction surprised her.

“Yeah, I’m bad to the bone,” he replied. “Watch yourself. I might suggest ice cream later.”

She laughed and felt Justin’s warm gaze.

“That’s a nice sound,” he said.

Warmth bloomed in her cheeks and she glanced aside.

Justin shifted his attention ahead. “Turn up here, fellas.”

After they’d turned right, a fantasyland of metal sculptures came into view, some intricate, some sturdier, all of them turning and spinning in the wind. Meredith’s attention was riveted. “Oh, my!”

“Isn’t it great? I kicked myself for not getting one of these last year. This time I’m buying something for myself and having one shipped to my mom, as well.”

Jonah and Lamond wound through the display of art. “Dad, I like this one!” the younger boy called.

Justin went to study the sculptures with his sons.

“Come on,” Mauli said to Meredith. “The guy who designs them works inside this building. If we’re lucky, he’ll be making something.”

Sure enough a tall young man in a cap was seated at a bench pounding metal into hollow shapes the size of half baseballs. He looked up. “Hi, ladies.”

They watched as he shaped half a dozen of the cups, all the while talking about his craft. He then fastened the cups to a frame that looked like a small windmill. It already had a dozen or more of the wind catchers attached. Finally he placed the whole piece before a huge fan. When he turned it on, the gadget came to life, smoothly rotating in the breeze.

Justin and the boys had entered the shop, and the boys made appreciative exclamations.

“I like that one, Dad!” Lamond said.

“You like all of them,” Justin replied with a laugh.

“But I like that one the best.”

“I do, too.” He turned to the artist. “Can I pay for that one and when it’s ready have it shipped to my home address?”

“No problem,” the man replied. He pushed an intercom button. “My wife’ll come down and take care of the details.”

“Now let’s find one for your grandma,” he said to the boys, and they began a new search.

Meredith pushed Anna’s stroller back outside and admired the metal sculptures, wondering if she’d regret not buying one today. It would be fun to have one in her yard as a remembrance of the ocean breezes.

She decided on a piece with six long, delicate, gently curving arms, the wind cups fashioned like shells and a counterweight on the opposite side of the wheel. As the wind caught it, the arms spun the shells in a whirl of shining metal. Pleased with her choice, she went inside and paid for her purchase.

“It’s only a few dollars more to ship two together,” the short, friendly faced wife of the artist said. “Unless you need priority or express shipping?”

Meredith blinked, turning the words over in her mind. “I only want one, thanks.”

“Your husband is having one shipped home, too, dear. Oh my, you haven’t disagreed on which one to get, have you?”

The woman’s assumption came clearly into focus. “I, uh, we’re not—”

Justin came to her rescue. “No, we want both of ours sent to the same address. I don’t need priority delivery, do you?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“We’ll save a few bucks on shipping this way,” he said to her. “I’ll bring yours over when they arrive. That okay?”

She nodded. “Sure.”

Purchases and delivery confirmed, they walked outside.

Meredith didn’t know what to say. The woman had assumed they were married.

“It’s okay,” Justin said to her. “It’s perfectly natural for a casual observer to assume we’re a couple, since we’re shopping and sight-seeing as what must look like a family. I’m sorry if you’re embarrassed.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” she replied, almost defensively.

“Then there’s no problem.”

“None whatsoever.”

“Then let’s continue our holiday.”

He walked forward and she caught up to him.

Their next tour was of a boatyard. The owners built reproductions of rowboats and fishing boats dating back to the 1800s, and all the boats were available to rent and take out on the water.

“I’ll try this one,” Justin said, pointing to a particular rowboat bobbing on the calm inlet. “Who’s coming with me?”

Jonah and Lamond ran forward, but Mauli hung back. She glanced at Meredith and shuddered. “I don’t think I want to be on the ocean in a boat that small with those two kids jumping around. You go ahead, though. I’ll stay here with Anna.”

Meredith shook her head. Anna was awake and fussing. “I’ll just sit here with you, thanks.” She called across the distance, “We’ll stay here. Have fun.”

He and the boys scrambled into the boat and Justin rowed out in the water.

Meredith and Mauli bought drinks and sat at a round table with an umbrella. Gulls swooped nearby, pecked at the ground then flew off.

Meredith placed a receiving blanket over her shoulder, took Anna from her stroller and opened her nursing bra to place the baby at her breast. “So you’re a student?”

Mauli nodded. “I’m in my third year.”

“What’s your major?”

“Ethnic studies. African-American history last year.”

Meredith’s interest picked up. “Do you want to teach?”

“Teach or counsel. Kids probably.”

“Big surprise.”

Mauli smiled. “Yeah, I like kids.” She sipped her soft drink and glanced at Meredith. “You haven’t asked. My dad is black and my mother is white and Hawaiian. In Hawaiian, my name means dark-skinned.”

“I wouldn’t have asked.”

“You’ve heard a lot of questions about Anna, haven’t you?”

Meredith nodded.

Mauli set her paper cup on the table. “I’ve heard them all. And so have my parents.”

“Some of them are so…hurtful.”

“Yes,” Mauli agreed. “But some are just thoughtlessly curious.”

“I guess so.”

“People get uncomfortable when they can’t easily categorize you.”

Meredith thought over the girl’s remarks.

“There are five standard racial pigeonholes,” she said, holding up one hand. “If you don’t fit, you stand out. Probably the questions I heard the most while growing up were ‘Is that your dad?’, ‘Is that your mom?’ and ‘Are you adopted?’”

Meredith imagined what it must feel like for a child to hear those questions. “Last night a woman asked me where this baby came from,” she told Mauli, revealing something she’d never thought she would have shared. “The question makes it seem as though Anna is an alien or something.”

Saying the words aloud made her head buzz for a few seconds, but it was liberating to get the frustration off her chest.

Mauli studied the shop fronts and the few passing tourists. “Four-point-five million kids under eighteen in this country are multiracial,” she said matter-of-factly, impressing Meredith with her knowledge. “In some areas one out of six babies born is of two or more racial heritages. Multiracial youth is one of the fastest growing segments of our population.”

“I guess numbers don’t necessarily mean acceptance, do they?” Meredith asked.

“I would love to unscrew the top of people’s heads and zap racism with a magic laser. That and the obsessive need to put everyone in a category.” The young woman’s voice held a note of wistfulness, but not the anger with which Meredith struggled.

Meredith had never before had a straightforward conversation like this with anyone except Chaney, and Mauli’s insights touched her.

“Acceptance really has to be here,” Mauli said, touching her fingers to her shirt over her heart. “Acceptance of one’s self first. Because fitting in is a challenge. But knowing who you are is the key.”

Meredith’s throat tightened with anxiety for her child. She felt so incapable of being able to teach those things to her child that it frightened her. “I’m afraid I won’t know how to help Anna,” she managed to say as she moved Anna to her other breast.

“There are plenty of people to help you,” Mauli assured her. “I belong to a couple of college organizations now. As long as you’re willing to help her explore her racial heritage, there is guidance available.”

Mauli was wise beyond her years. “If I was underhanded, I’d steal you away from Justin to be Anna’s nanny.”

Mauli laughed. “Now that would take some doing. But we live in the same town, right? I can sure be your friend.”

Emotion welled up in Meredith’s chest and tears blurred her vision. “Thank you. You’re the first person I’ve talked to who’s given me hope that I can actually do this.”

“Someday I hope you can meet my mom and dad,” Mauli said, handing her a paper napkin.

Meredith blotted her tears. “Where are they?”

“They live in West Virginia right now. My dad’s in the air force.”

“Well, you’ve dealt with it all, military upbringing, as well. New schools and all that.”

Mauli nodded. “Name a state with an air base. I’ve probably lived there.”

Anna had finished nursing and Meredith adjusted her clothing. Mauli asked to hold the baby.

Meredith hadn’t been paying much attention to the guys, but turned now to watch them returning to shore. Justin was rowing smoothly and both boys were sitting at his feet. “He’s a great dad,” she said, thinking aloud.

Mauli agreed. “The best.”

“Do you know how his wife died?”

“A freak thing,” she replied. “A bridge collapsed and her car was on the interstate beneath it. The people in the car behind hers were killed, too. She was on her way back from shopping. Started out as a regular day, I guess.”

“How awful.”

“I never knew her. Justin hired me about a month later. The boys were still small and all of them were grieving.”

“You must have been a big help to them.”

“I hope so. Actually it’s like being in a family. I have a place to live while I go to school, and I get paid to do laundry, shop and supervise the kids. It’s good for all of us.”

An attendant helped Justin pull the boat into its moor, and the boys scrambled out and ran toward the women. “That was cool!” Jonah cried, uncharacteristically vocal. “Did you see Lamond almost tip the boat over?”

“We must have missed that,” Mauli responded. She leaned toward Meredith. “Now you know why I stayed on shore.”

Justin joined them. “I worked up an appetite. Who’s hungry?”

Jonah and Lamond responded noisily. With Anna on her shoulder, Mauli said, “It’s early enough to beat the crowds for supper.”

“Let’s go.” Justin herded them back to his Lexus and drove until he spotted a family restaurant.

He took charge of getting a table and ushering everyone into seats. Meredith was shamelessly enjoying being pampered.

“Dad, there’s a game room,” Jonah said after they’d ordered. “Can we have some quarters?”

Justin took a few one-dollar bills out of his wallet. “At the counter ask very politely for change.”

“Thanks.”

The boys took off and Mauli followed, leaving Meredith and Justin alone, except for the sleeping baby.

Five

“Did you enjoy the afternoon?” Justin asked.

“Very much.” The waitress had brought her a club soda with a lemon slice on the rim of the glass, and she sipped the iced drink. “Thank you for introducing me to Mauli.”

“I thought you’d like meeting her.”

“You knew I needed encouragement.”

“Everyone needs encouragement.”

“You know what I mean.”

He threaded his long fingers together and placed his elbows on the table, looking at her thoughtfully. “I know.”

She could only imagine what he was wondering about her single-parent status. He was so straightforward, she wished she could share more with him. It was too much to go into so soon, and besides, she was enjoying her anonymity. “I chose to be a single parent.”

“I see. I imagined a guy who didn’t want to deal with fatherhood and cut out.”

She shook her head. “There was a guy once. But it wasn’t fatherhood he couldn’t deal with. I’m better off without him.”

“Probably. But you’re wary.”

“Yes.”

“And maybe that’s partly why you chose to have a child alone. You didn’t trust a man to stick around.”

Bingo. “Maybe.”

“So a man would really have to earn your trust to get anywhere with you.”

She didn’t have a reply, and she didn’t know if he was suggesting something or not, so she shrugged noncommittally.

“Tell me about your life,” he said. “Your family and your job.”

She waved a hand. “I don’t want to talk about my family. My job is great. As you know I work with children recovering from accidents or surgeries who have disabilities. I see a lot of special-needs kids. A couple of years ago, I got this idea that I wanted to start a camp for them, and call it Camp I Can. Some of those children want so badly to do normal things and be treated as equals.”

“What type of medical problems do these kids face?”

“The whole gamut. Kidney and liver transplants, leukemia and cancer among other things.”

Justin nodded thoughtfully. “We’re so fortunate.”

She leaned forward. “Creating something for these kids became my personal goal. I was fund-raising and doing a pretty good job of it until…well, until I had a few personal setbacks. Then the camp idea took a back seat to my pregnancy and Anna’s birth. But I’m ready to get involved again.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to pull it off. I can hear the passion in your voice.”

“I plan to return to work and get back to this project as soon as my vacation here is over.”

“How long are you here for?”

“Two weeks.”

“We’ve come to this beach for three years now,” Justin said. “When my wife was alive we used to go to Florida to see her family. Now I send the boys for a week twice a year to visit their grandparents. It’s too difficult for me to go back there.”

“A lot of memories?” she asked softly.

“Too many.” He propped his chin on a knuckle for a moment. “I met my wife in college, and we married when I graduated. She postponed the rest of her schooling to work while I clerked for next to nothing. We lived in a tiny little place. I landed better and better jobs, but by then Jonah had come along and then Lamond.

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