From Midwife To Mummy. Deanne AndersЧитать онлайн книгу.
her uncle—not a stranger. And surely you can see the advantages of a child being raised among her biological family?” Trent said as he stared down at Lana.
“She’s not even two. She’s not really interested in your stock portfolio,” Lana said.
How had she let him sneak up on her like that?
“Dr. Montgomery—” the social worker started.
“Ma’am,” Trent said as he tipped his big cowboy hat before sitting down beside her. “Please, call me Trent.”
Lana watched as he gave the woman what she had overheard one of the nurses call his “killer” smile. He was such a suck-up.
“Trent, please take a seat.”
The social worker’s smile beamed back at Trent, causing Lana to knot her hands into fists in her lap when what she really wanted to do was wrap them around the man’s neck.
“I was just telling Lana that I know this is not easy for her. It must be hard for you too, having just lost your brother and now moving to Miami on such short notice. I was surprised when your lawyer notified me that you were relocating temporarily. I’m sure this has disrupted your life. You must have been very close to your brother to be willing to make these changes.”
Lana saw the smile on his face tighten. She didn’t have any doubt that there was a story there. Had there been trouble between the brothers? Was there something she could use?
“With my brother gone, I feel that it is my responsibility to make sure his daughter is taken care of,” Trent said, and then he turned in his chair toward Lana. “That’s what families are for. Wouldn’t you agree, Lana?”
Lana looked into Trent’s eyes. Somehow he had managed to turn the tables on her, making any protest she might come up with seem heartless and uncaring. Well, two could play that game.
“Yes, families are important. That’s why I’ve decided to agree to you spending some time with Maggie,” Lana said, and she watched Trent to see his reaction to this piece of news.
She’d thought her lawyer crazy when he’d advised her to consider the visitation, but after he had explained that it would be a way to show the courts that she was willing to allow Maggie to see her biological family after the adoption it had made sense. She was willing to do whatever was necessary to keep her little girl—even if it meant spending time with an irritating cowboy.
“That sounds great, Lana. I’m so glad that the two of you are working together so well,” Ms. Nelson said. “The reason I asked for this meeting was so that we could discuss where we go from here. I know the two of you are on different sides in this case, but I want you both to remember the most important thing to consider here is Maggie and her wellbeing.”
“Of course,” Lana said, and then looked over at Trent.
“Certainly, Ms. Nelson,” Trent said.
Lana watched the corners of Trent’s mouth twitch, as if trying to hold back a smile. Why did she suddenly feel she had fallen into a trap? A trap with a big, bad smiling wolf in it, waiting to devour her.
“Good,” said Ms. Nelson. “I take it you two will come to terms with the visitation arrangements, so unless there is anything else that comes up I won’t need to see either of you again till the DNA test results come back.”
“That’s fine,” Trent said. “I feel sure me and Lana will be able to come to an agreement.”
“I’m sure we will,” Lana said. An agreement? She’d have to remind him that she would be the person in control of their meetings.
“Thank you for your time, Ms. Nelson,” Trent said, blessing the social worker with another one of his smiles as they rose to leave.
Lana walked beside Trent as they left the office building. He’d been quiet as they had ridden down on an overcrowded elevator. It had been uncomfortable, being squeezed next to him. It seemed that no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t get away from the man.
They could play nice together in front of the social worker, but that was as far as she could go with it. Just standing next to him was enough to fire up her defenses. This man was a threat to her and she knew she had to stay alert.
Of course there was that saying about keeping your enemies closer than your friends. Was that what Trent was doing by coming to work where he knew he’d be able to observe her? Not that there was any dirt he could dig up on her. She had never lived much of an exciting life. She had even started to think lately that she was getting to be just plain old boring.
Maybe after Maggie’s adoption had taken place she’d take up a hobby, or get back in the dating pool. Maybe.
Thoughts of Joe and the way their relationship had ended left her shaking her head. Even though the man had professed that he loved her, it hadn’t been enough. Not enough to make him want a future with a woman who couldn’t give him children.
Her dream of a forever marriage—a marriage filled with love and support like her parents’—had been destroyed the day they’d broken up and she’d had to accept that she would probably never be able to find a man who would accept her as she was, damaged and broken.
No, she wasn’t going anywhere near heartache any time soon. She had created her own little family with Maggie and that was enough. Now she just had to find a way to keep her family intact and get this cowboy back to Texas. And, as much as it was going to kill her, it was going to mean spending some time with him.
“Look, we need to talk about this visitation. There will have to be some rules. Are you hungry?” Lana asked.
“Yeah, I skipped lunch so that I could get off on time,” Trent said.
“There’s a little Cuban deli I usually stop by when I’m down here,” Lana said. “The food’s good and the people are friendly.”
Lana watched as Trent’s lips twitched, as if he was unable to decide how to take her invitation, and then they parted. Something about his bright smile caused her warning bells to go off. Danger, danger, they said, but it was too late. For the second time that day she felt as if she was the fly that was getting caught up in Trent’s web.
Maybe from now on they should discuss these visitations over the phone.
“Sounds good,” Trent said. “Do we walk or drive?”
“Walk,” Lana said.
She found herself about to smile back at him before she caught herself. She couldn’t let herself be influenced by this man’s charms. They would discuss the necessary arrangements and maybe she’d also try to pry a little information out of him. This was about Maggie—not the stupid way his smile made her legs wobble as she started walking up the street.
She had found Café MaRita on one of her visits to the Children and Families Department office, and she was glad to see the two sisters who owned the deli were working when she arrived at the walk-up window.
“Hey, Rita,” Lana said, then waved to Mary in the back, where she was putting together the spicy sandwiches they were known for. “Can I get two Cubanos, an iced tea and...?” Lana turned to Trent questioning.
“A coffee, please,” Trent said. “A cafecito?”
The small Cuban woman smiled at his pronunciation of the word for a coffee topped with sugary foam.
“I like this one,” Rita said, and she winked at Trent. “He’s dark and hot. Like my coffee. If you decide to get rid of him let me know.”
“Oh, no,” Lana said as she felt heat spread up her face, “it’s not like that—”
“I’ll make it a point to look you up when she’s finished with me,” Trent said, interrupting Lana.
Did the man have to flirt with every