The Switched Baby Scandal (A Scandals of San Sebastian Novel) (Entangled Bliss) (6 page)

“What’s so funny? Don’t you want to fly?” she asked in all seriousness.

He wiped the tears of mirth from his eyes, a soft smile lighting up his face. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t making fun of you, Emily. I just never thought of it that way. It’s a great idea.”

Emily smiled in return, nodding her head in agreement, then turned back to her mother. “Well, Mommy, when she gets back, can she teach me?” Taylor shifted her weight, bothered by the half-truth Reece was playing, but keenly aware that Reece had softened the idea for Emily, making it easier to move on to looking at pictures.

“Let’s talk about that later, okay?”

Emily screwed her face up in disagreement. “Okay,” she said with a sigh.

An oversize beige recliner rocker sat in one corner with a stack of picture albums beside it. “Where would you like to start?” Reece asked.

Taylor handed him the stack in her arms. “Why don’t we look at Emily’s first so Emily can tell you about them.” She sat down cross-legged on the floor, and Emily curled up between the two of them. His male presence was unsettling, especially when she was used to having Emily all to herself. It made them seem like a family, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for something so inclusive just yet.

“That was me when I was a baby,” explained Emily in her most grown-up fashion as she looked at Reece.

“You were very pink.”

Emily grinned. “I like pink.”

“So did Alyssa.”

Emily’s face became furrowed for a split second. “Reece, if this is Alyssa’s room, how can she fly in here?”

Reece pushed up from the floor and pulled back the drapes with his hand. “Through the window.”

Emily beamed. “Does she have extra wings here?”

Taylor stifled a smile. “Angels don’t have extra wings.”

“But I have extra shoes. Why doesn’t God give them extra wings in case they wear out?”

Taylor grabbed Emily in a hug. God bless little children who never saw the ugly side of life. They could see good in anything—and what they couldn’t see, they still believed in. “That’s a good question; maybe someday we’ll find out.” She flipped to another page of the album as Reece settled back down to the carpet on the other side of Emily.

“Ooh, that was my first tooth!” Emily pointed with excitement to the mischievous grinning baby in the photo proudly displaying a tiny white tooth in her smile as she sat in the bathtub.

Reece’s breathing hitched. She glanced at him and saw the sheen of unshed tears in his eyes and a flush of color to his neck and angled jaw. He looked away for a moment, obviously composing himself.

“Are you all right?”

After a moment he looked back at her. “I just thought about giving Alyssa a bath at that age. Her hair used to curl over that same way on the top.”

A thick lump lodged itself in Taylor’s throat. Able to see through her own doubts and grief, she suddenly realized how very painful this must be for him, too. She swallowed and stuffed down the knowledge that she was in for an emotional roller-coaster ride when he pulled out Alyssa’s albums.

“My hair still curls in the bath. Does yours, Reece?”

He gave Emily a small smile. “Yes, it does. How did you know?”

She grinned. “Mommy says I’m very smart.”

He touched Emily’s hair. “She’s right.”

Emily tugged at his sleeve, pointing to another picture. “Look at this one!”

After a half hour of flipping through albums, Emily’s endurance began to fade. Taylor was enjoying this time. It felt strange, but right. She stole a moment to glance away from the familiar pictures of Emily to the handsome man beside her. His strong angular jaw, now darkening with stubble the same shade as his hair, seemed at odds with the dimple that flashed now and again as he smiled at the album. Reece was such a contradiction in her world. A strong man, a professional man, with a soft heart. His tender gestures and teasing with Emily was something she’d missed from her own father. What would it be like to be with someone like that?

He glanced up and caught her staring at him. His pupils dilated, and he cleared his throat softly. “Would you like to look through Alyssa’s albums now?” he whispered.

Taylor nodded. The warmth of her daughter snuggled asleep against her didn’t take away the cold hollowness in her chest as she opened the first album and stared at the wrinkled, squalling newborn who turned into a plump, pink baby with a wisp of pure platinum curls on her head. She glanced down at Emily, whose dark head rested on her; she was sound asleep.

One picture in particular reached out and grabbed Taylor’s heart, giving it a sharp, painful squeeze. It was a picture of Becca holding Alyssa as a toddler. She touched it.

That should have been her holding the blond child. Her child. A swift burning raked across her skin, causing her throat to ache. She clenched her jaw, biting down on the howl of anguish she wanted to let out. She had to keep composed, had to control it. Coming unglued here in front of Reece with Emily asleep in her lap wasn’t going to do any of them any good. But still it hurt. God did it hurt.

“That was taken about a month before the accident.” His voice was thick and husky.

The burning sensation that she’d been fighting overtook her. Taylor’s eyes welled and she sniffed.

“Are you crying?” he asked softly, brushing his fingers against her cheek.

She shook her head…and sniffed again, her shoulders bunching with a deep, convulsive sob. Instinctively he reached out to her, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and turned her in to his chest. Scents of sandalwood and citrus clung to his clothing and the solid warmth of him was comforting. Something she hadn’t had in far too long. It was one thing to have her mom try to comfort her and totally something else to have a pair of strong arms around her, not asking for anything, just holding her.

The tears came hot and fast, soaking into his shirt. She wanted him to tell her everything would be all right, but the truth was it never would be. She was missing a part of herself she could never get back.

So was he.

He rocked her gently back and forth, comforting them both. He was solid and warm and it felt good to be held. And just as she was sinking into the sensation, he pulled away, making her acutely aware of the loss.

Emily woke at the movement.

“I want to stay here tonight,” she mumbled.

Taylor roughly brushed her damp cheeks with the back of her hands. “No. We need to go home now, Emily.”

Emily was instantly wide awake. She crossed her little arms. “I’m staying here.”

The words
staying here
lodged in Taylor’s brain like a bullet, shattering her last fragile bit of emotional control.

“You’re welcome to stay here in the guest room if you like,” Reece offered.

Anger replaced pain and she took hold of it, knowing she could do more with it than she could with the debilitating loss. “Look, I’m going. Emily is going. She’s not spending the night under a stranger’s roof.”

Taylor quickly gathered up the albums and hurried Emily downstairs. Once in the car, they had barely passed through Reece’s gate when Emily started her lecture.

“Mommy, you did not play nice at Reece’s house,” she said as she patted and stroked her new zebra. “You were very mean to him. You should tell him you’re sorry.”

But I don’t want to
. “What makes you think I was mean?”

“Because he was being nice to you and you didn’t want to stay.”

You mean I don’t want him to butt into our life. Take it over.
Make me feel things I’m not sure I can handle.
“Honey, things are a little more complicated than that.”

“Why?”

Because I can’t let him get too close.
“Because mommies have a lot of other things to work on than just being nice. I have to worry about taking care of you, too.”

“Reece is very nice. If you would just give him a hug, you would see.”

Taylor rolled her eyes.
Sure, that would fix everything.

Chapter Seven

Although Reece called to talk to Emily during the two weeks between their family dinner and the court date, Taylor didn’t speak to him beyond a simple greeting as she handed the phone off to her daughter. She didn’t trust herself to.

The dinner at his house had left her shaken and confused. She was angry because of his decision to pursue joint custody in court, grateful because he had let her cry and said nothing when her emotions had become too much to bear, afraid because Emily seemed to become attached to him in a way she couldn’t control, and worried that she might find it far too easy to lean on him herself. He’d been so good with Emily, and her daughter only thought Reece was a special friend. What would happen once she discovered Reece was her father?

The morning of the court appearance, Taylor took special pains to make sure her powder-blue suit was immaculate. She dropped Emily off at preschool and drove to the courthouse downtown, her hands damp as they clutched the steering wheel.

“They can’t take Emily from me. They won’t take Emily from me. They’ll see she belongs with me,” she kept chanting to herself under her breath until she turned in to the parking lot and stopped the engine. Anything less than sole custody was having her daughter taken from her. If Reece wanted to be legally responsible for Emily, as he’d said, couldn’t he just petition to be put on her birth certificate or something? Was joint custody really necessary? She closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, then got out of the car and hurried past a number of local news vans assembled on the side of the building.

The halls of the courthouse echoed with hushed voices and shuffled feet as people went to the various courtrooms. Taylor glanced down at the paper she’d put into her purse confirming where she was to meet her attorney.

Alex West waited for her by the double doors of room 3B. He gave her a reassuring smile and guided her with a hand at the small of her back. “I’m glad you came early. We need to get you into the briefing room.” He steered her into a small area just off the entrance and closed the door.

It was simple but comfortable, with a dark wooden table and six wooden chairs. A few minutes later, Taylor could hear the outer doors open and the muffled sound of Reece’s voice.

Taylor tensed. Alex leaned across the table. “Don’t worry about this. We’ve got Judge Harris. She’s very sensitive when it comes to custody issues.”

She managed a small smile, but felt completely vulnerable and unsure. “We can hope.”

“I’ll be back for you shortly. I have to make an opening statement, and I want to hear what Wallace has to say before we put you up there.”

Thirty minutes later there was a knock and Taylor rose. The court bailiff led her out of the room and up the narrow aisle between rows of empty benches. Before her she could see the back of Reece’s head.

She noticed he sat alone, without an attorney. Her stomach twisted. Of course he was alone. He
was
an attorney—a family law attorney. Why wouldn’t he represent himself? She resisted the urge to curl up into a ball and instead lifted her head and forced a confident posture into her shoulders. Alex nodded at her and smiled. The invisible weight pressing on her chest lifted slightly, but not enough to give her the confidence she was faking.

She stepped into the witness box and was sworn in before sitting in the chair.

Alex stood and approached the stand. “Ms. Lawrence, how long have you been the sole parent of the minor, Emily Lawrence?”

“Since her birth.”

The questions continued on in the predictable pattern she had practiced with Alex. Although it was going as planned, she felt like a spring, coiling tighter and tighter. Every time he asked a question and moved away to make a point, she sat facing Reece. His dark hair was smooth and he looked amazing in his gray suit that emphasized those broad shoulders she’d leaned into so easily. Otherwise the courtroom was empty except for a man in a black sweater and jeans in the far back who scribbled away on a small notepad.

When Alex finished his questioning, Reece rose and approached her. The tension in the air increased, vibrating between them. He looked her straight in the eye, his face impassive and calm, but his deep brown eyes begged without words for her to understand that this was just procedure, that he cared about Emily. “We have no further questions, Your Honor.”

The bailiff led Taylor back to a seat beside Alex.

Judge Harris pulled at her glasses, looking over the top edges. “Normally, I would take some time to deliberate such a matter, but as the facts seem clearly outlined to me in this case, I am ready to render a judgment at this time.” She pushed the glasses back into place on the bridge of her nose.

Taylor’s body was aching with the prolonged tension of the day, and her breathing stopped. “Ms. Lawrence has done an exemplary job in raising the minor Emily Lawrence. She is to be commended and this court recognizes her as the primary caregiver to this minor. Because of this, she shall be awarded full custody of Emily Lawrence at this time.” The tightness in her chest eased.

“However…”

Taylor’s stomach sunk to her knees and her hands turned cold.

“Since the minor has to this time not known her biological father, this court awards liberal weekly visitation to the father, Reece Wallace, so that he may have the opportunity to become part of Emily’s life. Visitation will be no less than three days per week. We shall review custody in two months time.”

The gavel hit with a resounding crack that made Taylor feel as though she had been hit instead. She grabbed hold of Alex’s sleeve as she rose from her seat when the judge exited the chamber.

“Taylor, are you all right?”

She gave Alex a faint nod but refused to look up, since she didn’t want to see Reece across the aisle. “He gets her whenever he wants, doesn’t he?”

Alex rubbed her arm as they walked toward the chamber doors. “Just three times a week, but you still have full custody. You still have the right to tell him when, where, and for how long. That’s huge, Taylor, especially since you aren’t even Emily’s biological parent.”

Taylor pinched the bridge of her nose to stem the ache building there. It didn’t feel like a huge win. It felt miserable. Reece now had a claim to Emily she couldn’t refuse. He was going to be part of their lives, whether she wanted it or not. And right now, it was definitely a not.

Alex stopped her before they exited the courtroom. Just beyond the doors she could hear the faint buzz of voices. “Wait for one moment while I speak with Judge Harris.” Taylor nodded and opened the courtroom door to step out.

Several bright lights and the snap of a half-dozen camera flashes blinded her. She’d been so focused on the judge’s ruling she hadn’t thought about the media waiting outside. An eruption of voices hit, the questions running over one another as they were shouted at her from all sides. For an instant she froze, unable to move or speak.

“Ms. Lawrence, how do you feel about Judge Harris’s ruling?”

“How is Emily holding up?”

“Is it true your daughter is dead?”

“Has the hospital made any amends yet?”

“Are there plans for a lawsuit against the hospital?”

“Are you and Mr. Wallace on speaking terms?”

Taylor felt the reporters pressing in closer, but she couldn’t move, her muscles rigid and refusing to cooperate. It was getting hard to breathe as the crush moved in, and her vision faded to black at the edges.

Behind her the door opened. A light touch at her back sent electric sparks shooting down her spine. Without even looking, she knew it was Reece. She could smell his cologne and feel the warmth of him close to her.

He bent his head so his breath was warm at her ear and said in a low voice, “Just start moving through them. You don’t have to say anything. We’ll head for the elevator. I’m right here with you.”

His presence launched a war of sensation within her. She wanted to withdraw, but her knees were softening like warm wax. She wanted to shut him out, but at the moment he was the salvation she needed to cling to in this awkward situation. He was both enemy and white knight, and she couldn’t process it.

The black camera lenses shifted to Reece.

“Mr. Wallace, what kind of arrangements have you and Ms. Lawrence made?” The man in the black sweater from the back of the courtroom shoved a microphone in Reece’s face, a cameraman waiting behind his right shoulder with a lens focused on them both.

Reece turned, placing himself squarely between Taylor and the onslaught that was following them toward the elevator. “At best this is a difficult time for everyone. Both parents plan on doing what’s in Emily’s best interest, no matter what it takes. We have no further comments at this time.” His strong hand propelled her forward past the opening metal doors. Thankfully the elevator was empty.

“What about your wife? Was her death really an accident?”

Reece’s abrupt change in demeanor surprised her. He whipped around, shoving at the lens pressed inches from his face. “Back off, or you’ll eat that camera.”

Taylor pushed at the button to close the doors. She shivered with a mixture of expectation and dread that he might touch her again. She turned away, feeling unsure of herself. As much as she wanted to turn in to his arms for comfort again, it was a bad decision. If she relied on him, chances were he’d just yank the rug out from under her. It had happened every time she depended on a man, and she doubted this would be any different.

“Taylor…”

She looked at his reflection in the highly polished wall of the elevator. His smooth, shaved jaw ticked along the edge. It didn’t detract from his great looks. In fact, it seemed to enhance his appearance even more. It was aggravating. It was enticing. And it was
frustrating
.

“Are you all right?”

She nodded curtly, not trusting herself as she caught her breath.

“Whatever I can do to make this easier let me know.”

She spun around to face him, to tell him that the best thing he could do was leave her alone. He was closer behind her than she expected and the quick movement brushed her breasts against his very solid chest, making her leap back from the contact.

All thoughts of telling him to leave her and Emily alone faded at the electric jolt of awareness and yearning that rippled through her body. The tension from the courtroom and the shock of the media hounding them must have turned her brain into mush. She immediately stepped back and crossed her arms to cover the hardened, sensitive nubs protruding beneath her blouse.

Taylor cleared her throat. “I think it’s best if we just take this slow.”
Good grief, am I telling
him
this or
myself
?

He nodded in agreement and smiled, bringing out his dangerous dimples in full force. The warmth inside her doubled, pooling low and deep within her. What woman wouldn’t melt at a sexy smile like that?

“How about a play date?”

The mere suggestion sent all kinds of subtle tingles through her.
He’s talking about Emily
, she reminded her traitorous body.

“I don’t have a choice now, do I?”

He reached out and rubbed her upper arms with his hands, making it feel as if warm honey drizzled in her veins. “You know I’m doing this for Emily’s benefit. The court papers are a necessity so I can legally be responsible to take care of her.”

Taylor shrugged. “You could have done that without the court.”

His hands dropped away. “Not if something happened to me. I want to make sure she’s taken care of no matter what happens to me. Accidents come out of nowhere. I needed to do this for her. I’m not taking her away from you. I just want to be part of her life. You understand that, don’t you?”

Instinctively she did know Reece wasn’t trying to hurt her or Emily, but the fact that she didn’t have all the control still stung. Having control was how she’d gotten through the worst times when the men in her life had let her down—her dad, her series of boyfriends, and, finally, her fiancé. She needed to know it wasn’t going to end the same way with Reece,
if
she decided to trust him.

“Would next Wednesday work for you for your visitation?”

“Can I take you both to Jungle Jane’s Playland for lunch?”

Taylor shifted her weight trying to regain some of her composure around him. “We’ll meet you at noon.”

His hand brushed gently against the back of her cheek. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

Taylor sucked in a breath. The doors opened and he smiled at her, leaving her shaken to the core, then walked out.

…

On Wednesday, Reece sat at a bright green table with three outrageously priced individual pizzas and soft drinks, waiting for them to walk in the door of Jungle Jane’s Playland. The front of the strip mall play area was a wall of glass, giving an excellent view to all who passed by and luring would-be patrons.

In the background shrilled the beeps and music of the video game arcade, the rattle and grind of the miniature midway rides, and the screams and shouts of preschoolers playing in the “jungle” gym and ball pit. The air reeked of buttery popcorn, pepperoni pizza, and the sticky sweetness of cotton candy. All in all, it was a place no sane adult would have even ventured into without kids.

He grinned when he saw them walk through the double glass doors. For a moment he couldn’t decide what was more humorous, the wrinkle of distaste on Taylor’s face or the fact that Emily’s mouth dropped open as she stared at the stuffed toy monkeys bouncing on mechanical vines from the ceiling.

He watched Taylor bend down to Emily and point in his direction. Emily handed her zebra to Taylor and was off like a shot, running toward him past the little half wall that surrounded the eating area squealing, “Reeeece!”

Reece stretched out his arms to catch the speeding little girl in a big hug. “Hi there, sunshine!”

Her little arms clenched in a death grip around his neck was the best feeling in the world. Reece closed his eyes and savored the sensation. What he had missed with Alyssa could never be regained, but he had a chance, here and now, to make a difference to his daughter Emily.