One Week in Your Arms (21 page)

“You sound just like Marla. Damn. I'm not going to ruin my kid's life, okay?”

“Then you'll have to make peace with her mother.”

Olivia's words resonated through him as Marla drove the SUV south on the interstate. Two days ago, all he had wanted was a future with Marla. Now, he understood the apprehension he had often seen in her eyes and felt in her presence. He knew why the conversation about the prenup disturbed her, why she'd bought the plane ticket, and why she wanted him to delete her number.

Sophie
.

Life can throw you a curve ball when you least expect it.

His phone vibrated and he reached in his pocket for it. “Hey, Rick,” he spoke to Truman's son. “How's the old man?”

“He's good. Fussing about his new diet.”

Carson chuckled when he heard Truman in the background.

“We're going to be here a couple more days and then we're going home,” Rick said. He explained they were taking Truman to a heart center in Dallas. “I'll let you speak to Dad.”

“Glad to hear you're doing better,” Carson said when Truman came on the line.

“I'm too ornery to die,” Truman said. “Rick said you and Marla had gone home.”

“Yeah. Something came up.”

“Well, you just be sure you don't let her get away. She's a keeper.”

No comment on that.
“I'll tell her you said hello.”

As he ended the call, Marla spoke for the first time since they'd left the hotel. “Was that Truman?”

“He's doing well,” Carson replied, his voice short and she nodded.

She drove the SUV down the exit ramp and onto the state highway that led to Lafayette Falls. The highway curved through farmland and hills where the people lived pastoral lives that reminded Carson of growing up on his grandfather's ranch. Once his mother had taken him on a picnic where they had viewed the waterfall that had been discovered over two hundred years ago by a French-Indian trader named Justin Lafayette.

Carson had good memories of this area, and he regretted he had not visited more often, especially when his grandmother was alive. But with his success-driven life, he had little time for leisure. He supposed the longest vacation he had taken was the summer he had met Marla
. Look how that turned out
.

The Bluetooth system in Marla's vehicle lit up and announced she had an incoming call from Kayla. Marla tapped a button on the steering wheel to answer the call.

“Hey, Thelma!”

“Louise! Where are you?”

“Near Old Shelbyville Road. I should be at Royal Oaks in about fifteen minutes or so.”

“We're already here,” Kayla said. “And Sophie has gone wild over this place. Mrs. Deaton raises peacocks and she flipped over them. They are really cool. We're both wearing peacock feathers in our hair.”

Marla laughed. “Can you put Sophie on the phone?”

“She's gone in the house with Mrs. Deaton. They are working on a surprise for you,” Kayla answered. “Is the baby daddy with you?”

Carson glared at Marla, who grinned. “Yeah, he is.”

“Hi, Baby Daddy, how's it going?”

“My name is Carson Blackwell. Not Baby Daddy.” He pressed his back into the seat and folded his arms across his chest.

“He's still a little put out over all this,” Marla supplied.

“A little?” He cut his eyes toward her.
Count to ten
.

“Hi, Carson Blackwell. I'm Dr. Kayla Vance and I'll be the one to deliver the baby if you and Marla decide to get slap happy again and have another one.”

“Dr. Vance, I can assure you that will never happen.”

Kayla started laughing. “You wouldn't believe how many men I meet every day who once said the same thing.”

It wasn't going to happen to him.

“Marla, the reason I called is that I've got some crappy news.” Now Kayla's voice was serious for the first time. “About an hour ago, they found Fletcher passed out in the ambulance bay.”

“Oh no. Is it drugs?” Marla stopped the vehicle at a stop sign where two country roads intersected and butterflies fluttered around a mound of wildflowers.

“They're running a tox screen on him. One of the paramedics said Fletch was using oxycodone, and Doctor Sheldon is suspending his staff privileges immediately.”

“I guess the rumors were true after all.”

“Fletch was working ER today so now they are short a doctor until seven.”

“Kayla, I just got back. I can't go to work.”

“Well, poor old Doctor Hughes was at the hospital and volunteered. He's trying to handle it alone. Bless his heart.”

“No way.”

“I was thinking we could both go in and help out until Fletcher's relief gets here.”

Carson glanced at her. “Do what you have to do.”

He saw a little smile on her lips. “See you in a few,” she told her friend as she ended the call and turned her vehicle onto Old Shelbyville Road. “How about some happy music?”

“I'm not in any mood for happy music, whatever that is.”

“Do you mind if I turn on some music?”

“No. Knock yourself out.”

Marla tapped the car's stereo system and he looked her way as the sound of guitars, banjos, and fiddles streamed the inside of the SUV. Fast-paced bluegrass music blared from the speakers.

She swayed and tapped her fingers against the steering wheel as she kept time to the music. Her smile widened as she traveled along a road so familiar to her she could have driven it blindfolded. She was practically glowing.

And he knew Marla wasn't just home physically. The Tennessee girl was home spiritually. She sang along with a song about keeping on the sunny side of life.

“I play the banjo,” she said.

“Banjo?”

“Yeah.” Her smile widened. “Like in
Deliverance
.”

His frown deepened the lines in his face.

“I was trying for cute,” she remarked.

She didn't have to try for cute, but he wasn't going to tell her that. He stared out the passenger side window as they rounded a curve bordered by rolling pastureland where cattle fed on emerald grass and water rushed over a rocky creek. Lafayette Falls was pretty country and it had been home to his grandmother, his mother, and now his daughter.

He glanced toward Marla and memories flooded his mind. She was walking beneath the branches at Royal Oaks. They were sitting on the porch swing with a glass of Estelle's lemonade. They were walking in his grandmother's rose garden, where he had snapped off a blossom and tucked it behind Marla's ear.

When she slowed the SUV to turn onto the road that led to Royal Oaks, she shot him a lively smile with a come-hither glint in her green eyes.

He felt sucker-punched.

Arousal raged through him like a wildfire rolling across a field of dry timber. How was that possible? The World's Most Irritating Woman pushed all his buttons with just one smile. He groaned.

She turned down the music. “Did you say something?”

“I like the music.”
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em
.

She flashed him another smile and turned up the volume.

They blazed into Royal Oaks to the tune of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.”

D
espite her anxiety about the future, Marla was home and everything that was comfortable and familiar to her was in Lafayette Falls. Everyone she loved. Her family. Her friends. Her little girl. She drew strength from this place.

She felt like she could cope with anything now. Even Carson.

She couldn't believe he liked bluegrass music.

At Royal Oaks, a historical marker stood mounted between brick columns at the entrance of the driveway. The house had been built in 1859. Since that time, the house had gone through several transitions. After the Civil War, it had been a girls' finishing school. Then it was empty for a while until Carson's great-grandfather, a wealthy banker, bought the house and surrounding land in 1910.

Although he had kept the structural Greek Revival features, he had modernized the home and added two wings. He had restored the house and grounds. He'd added new gardens and trees, renovated outbuildings and put up new ones. The five-hundred-acre estate had become a showplace where grand parties and social events were held at the turn of the century. The guest lists had included Vanderbilts, Astors, and Roosevelts.

Royal Oaks was still impressive. As she drove down the long driveway, she glanced at the rolling green lawn and recalled the day it had been full of people attending the fundraiser. Laughing and having a good time. She had come to do her part. Buy a couple of things.

She hadn't known how her life was about to be changed forever. That once Carson moved from the veranda and strode into her life, everything would turn upside down. She grinned. Her grandmother would have said, “that's what you get for not keeping your legs together.”

She followed the paved drive to a parking area and free-standing garage near a garden.

“Doctor Grant.” Estelle Deaton waved to Marla as she and Carson got out of the SUV. Across from the parking area was a tidy brick home, built as a caretaker's residence decades ago. Henry and Estelle Deaton had lived there for more than forty years. Estelle was a sturdy woman who liked the smell of sun-dried sheets and grew her own vegetables because that stuff at the store was full of poison. Marla had seen her as a patient several times.

Estelle and Henry came over to greet them. “Look at you.” Estelle gave Carson a hug. “It has been too long, son.”

“I know.” He embraced Henry, who wore overalls and a denim shirt. “It's so good to see you both.”

“I've got a pineapple upside-down cake baking in the oven just for you,” Estelle told him.

Carson lit up. “Oh, I can't wait!” He turned to Marla. “Estelle makes the best pineapple upside-down cake ever.”

Henry and Estelle grinned at her, and she knew what was in the backs of their minds. They had been living at Royal Oaks when she and Carson met and stayed in the carriage house together. Now they had to have guessed that she'd had Carson's child while she was married to another man. It was a matter of connecting the dots and it had all the makings of a great scandal.

Tomorrow morning, she would call Ben first thing. Then she would have a talk with her parents. She could only imagine their shock. Her mother, who was a Sunday school teacher, would croak when she found out the truth.

She turned to Estelle. “Where are Sophie and Kayla?”

“They're in the big house,” Estelle said, referring to the old white-columned mansion. “They're looking at the upstairs.”

“Estelle's got the picnic table loaded up. We got plenty to eat.” Henry motioned. “So y'all just come on and help yourselves.”

Marla turned to Carson, who wasn't looking as tense as he had been. “Go get something to eat,” she said, as they hadn't eaten anything since leaving Nashville. “I'll check on Sophie and Kayla.”

He gave her a nod as he glanced toward the large white house as if it contained something he could not fathom. Marla only hoped that Kayla wasn't letting Sophie demolish the place. Sophie was always into something. An energetic extrovert, she never slowed down. Carson had no idea he was about to be hit by a mini tornado.

Marla trotted up the steps to the rear veranda that stretched the width of the old home. The porch swing and white rocking chairs spoke of summer evenings and easy living. She went through a screen door that led into the typical antebellum main hallway that ran from the back door to the front door. The hardwood floor, original to the house, creaked as she stepped inside and the interior had a faint musty scent as if it needed to be aired out.

A beautiful spiral staircase made a graceful curve from the second floor down to the hallway. Marla heard her daughter squeal as she came sliding down the staircase banister. Sophie whipped off the end of the banister and landed on her feet.

“Mommy!” she shrieked when she saw Marla.

Marla scooped her up. “Baby girl, it's good to see you. Love you.” She gave her a big hug and they exchanged kisses. “I've missed you so much. I think you've grown some.”

“That's what Papaw says. I've been having fun today,” she said. “Did you bring me the surprises and the Aloha doll?”

“We have to wait until we get to our house to get surprises and the doll.”

Sophie cocked her head. “I'm a little diva now.”

“What?”

“Hey. Welcome home.” Kayla rode down the banister on her hips. She was still as lean and pretty as she had been when she was twenty and working as a model to help pay for her education. Standing five eleven, she was taller than Marla, who envied Kayla's gorgeous deep copper-colored hair. At the moment she had her hair pinned up in a French twist and decorated with two peacock feathers.

Sophie squirmed in Marla's arms. “Aunt Kayla bought me a new outfit, Mommy.”

Kayla laughed. “She's my little diva-in-training. Rich girl's got to be raised right.” The tall redhead winked.

“Here.” Marla set Sophie on her feet and looked at the new short-sleeve purple pullover that Sophie wore with matching ruffled trimmed shorts.
Diva Sophie
was written across the front in glittering silver letters. “It's cute.”

“Let's show Mommy how to be a little diva.”

“Okay.” Sophie stepped back and Kayla grinned as she directed Sophie, who put her hands on her hips. “I
love
going to the mall.”

Kayla pointed at her feet and Sophie stuck up her foot. “I love new shoes.”

Kayla tapped her ears.

“And Harry Winston earrings.”

Kayla put her hands on her hips.

“I love Vera Wang.”

Marla hung her head while Kayla turned an invisible steering wheel.

“BMW!” Sophie exclaimed. “Oh, I would love a pony, too.”

“Give me five, Little Diva.” Kayla held up her hand and Sophie slapped it.

Sophie's eyes widened. “Oh! Me and Miss Estelle made you a hat, Mommy. It's in the big room with the fancy stuff. I'll go get it.”

Sophie raced into the front parlor and Marla turned to Kayla. “I'm at a loss.” Then she noticed a painting of a young girl wearing a flowing white dress hanging in the hall. She walked over to it. The girl had long, black ringlets, blue eyes, and a dimpled smile.

“I was wondering if that might have been Sophie's grandmother,” Kayla said. “There's so much resemblance.”

“I think that's Carson's mother.”

“Does he look like her?”

“Yes. The genes definitely got passed down to him.”

“Here you go, Mommy.” Sophie returned with an old straw sunhat. One side of the brim was pinned up and adorned with peacock feathers and a daisy. “It's a Musketeers hat!”

“I love it.” Marla smiled as she put it on and adjusted it. “Do I look like a musketeer?”

“All you need is a sword,” Kayla said.

“There's one over the fireplace in that room.” Sophie pointed to the parlor. “We can get it.”

“No.” Marla shook her head. “We can't get it. We need to leave the stuff in here alone. It's all old stuff and it might break easily. Then we'd be in trouble.”

Sophie wrinkled her short nose. “I'm going outside.” She took off in a run toward the back door.

“Sophie. Slow down. Don't run in the house,” Marla called as she and Kayla headed down the hall.

“Okay,” Sophie answered as she sailed out the door.

By the time Marla and Kayla reached the veranda, Sophie was in the yard. She charged toward the picnic table where Carson stood with Henry and Estelle. But she was distracted by the hummingbirds fluttering around a feeder that hung from a tree limb beside the carriage house. She went to investigate the birds.

Marla saw Carson watching Sophie. Then he started toward the veranda where she and Kayla stood. She drew in and exhaled a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

“He's not bad,” Kayla offered her assessment of him. “I can see how you ended up in this mess.”

Marla pressed her hand to her waist. “I never thought I'd see this day come.”

“Look.” Kayla nudged her. “Sophie's noticed him.”

Sophie turned from the hummingbird feeder. She circled around to his left, checking him out. He stopped and smiled at her. She glanced toward the veranda where Marla and Kayla stood. Marla started to move, knowing it was time to introduce father and daughter. Kayla stopped her.

“Wait.” Kayla grinned as she gave her head a slight tilt. As if on cue, Sophie strutted toward Carson. “She's got this.”

Marla tapped her hand against her lips as Sophie came to a halt in front of Carson.

“Look.” Kayla bubbled with excitement as Sophie pressed her cheek against her hands. “She's doing the little diva thing. Ohmigod. She's so smart. Watch her wrap the new daddy around her finger.”

“I can't think right now.” Marla sank down in one of the rocking chairs as Carson squatted before Sophie, who was in constant animation as she talked to her father. Marla could only imagine what she was saying. The child was never at a loss for words.

“Are you okay?” Kayla removed the peacock feathers from her hair.

“I'll be okay. I just have to realize this is really happening. I'm not gonna wake up and find out that it was all a dream.” She took off the musketeer hat. “It's real and I'm going to have to deal with it.”

Kayla sat in the rocker next to Marla. “It was the right thing to do.” She rested her hand on Marla's arm in a gesture of support. “It was what your heart told you to do and in the end, you'll never regret that. Look at them.”

Carson was sitting on the ground and Sophie stood before him, her hands folded on her chest as she appeared to be reciting lines, probably from the
Star Wars
play she'd been in last month.

“He's impressed,” Kayla said. “She's confident and charming. Thanks to you.”

“She was born like that.”

“Give yourself some credit. And cheer up.” Kayla pushed out of the rocker. “Put on your musketeer hat. We've gotta go take care of some sick folks.”

Estelle came out of her house carrying a plastic pitcher of lemonade and foam cups. Sophie took off in her direction, leaving Carson sitting on the grass.

“Can you get up?” Marla asked as she came down the veranda steps, followed by Kayla. “Without a sofa?” She couldn't help but grin as she recalled him going over to the sofa in the penthouse to get down on his knees.

“I most certainly can,” he retorted. He managed to get to his feet with limited effort. As he brushed off his pants, Marla introduced him to Kayla.

“Mommy,” Sophie called from the picnic table where she sat with Henry, who made her a chicken salad sandwich. “You want some lemonade?”

Marla shook her head. “Be careful and don't spill it on your clothes.”

“I think I'm going to have some lemonade before we go.” Kayla took off toward the picnic table, leaving Marla with Carson.

Marla noticed he seemed to be struggling to keep a straight face. “Is it the hat?”

His grin widened.

“Your daughter made it.”

“It's quite fetching.”

She touched the brim of the hat that shaded the side of her face as she glanced across the courtyard. The carriage house was almost hidden behind the sprawl of an ancient magnolia tree. She smiled, thinking of the summer nights she'd spent there with Carson. Of the small bed that barely contained the two of them. Her thoughts drifted from the rural tranquility of Royal Oaks to a different place. A large mansion hidden behind walls and a gate. Surrounded by the busy chaos of Los Angeles.

Life and love were never easy.

“I won't be gone but about four hours or so. Maybe we can talk when I get back?”

“Yeah,” he said with a solemn face as he looked toward the picnic table where Sophie and Kayla were eating chunks of watermelon. “There are some things that definitely need to be settled.”

She didn't like the word
settled
. He gave it a legalese sound that made her uneasy, but now was not the time to challenge him. “I can take Sophie over to my mother's while I'm working this afternoon.”

“Why would you do that?” he asked, sounding wounded.

“Carson, she can be a handful.”
Just like you
.

Frowning, he said, “Henry and Estelle raised four kids and they have a ton of grandchildren now. I would think between the three of us, we can manage to take care of one little girl if she wants to stay.” He strode toward the picnic table without waiting for Marla.