Surprised by Family: a Contemporary Romance Duet (39 page)

He narrowed his gaze at the brunette. “You know, I don’t appreciate you coming into my house with all these accusations based on what some person who obviously doesn’t even know me told you.”

“Mr. Mallin, surely you can understand we only have your niece’s best interests at heart. It’s unfortunate her mother is not around, but exposing a child to a revolving door of strange women does not provide for a stable home life.”

The sound of the back door forestalled the torrent of words that flew to the tip of his tongue. Nikki entered the kitchen, Ella perched on one hip, the stroller dragging behind. She glanced toward the living room and a big, welcoming smile lit up her face as she brushed her windblown blond hair from her eyes.

“Hey, you’re home early.”

The case worker’s words echoed in his head.
Best interests of the child. Stable home life
. Him by himself, added to the rap sheet the woman must’ve seen if she’d requested security for this visit, probably wouldn’t measure up in her prim, judgmental opinion.

He attempted to stabilize his racing pulse by filling his suffocating lungs with as much oxygen as possible. It didn’t work. How could he fix his past to make sure Ella wasn’t taken away? How the hell did a person redeem themselves from a list of offenses like drunken disorderly, aggravated assault, and resisting arrest in a matter of mere minutes?

He hadn’t had so much as a parking ticket on his record in over eight years, but the cop sitting next to Emma Winston convinced him that consideration was low on her list.

Nikki carried Ella into the living room after removing both their jackets. She pulled up short when she saw his visitors. His gaze remained fixed on her. With her wind-blown hair, casual sweater, and faded jeans tucked into a pair of calf-high boots, she defined the Girl Next Door. Not only beautiful, but reliable and trustworthy.

Best interests of the child. Stable home life.

The only stable home life he’d ever witnessed from afar involved two parents. A dad
and
a mom.

Taking the baby in his arms, he turned to face the case worker and Officer Parker. “
I
also have my niece’s best interests at heart, Ms. Winston. This is Ella, and I’d like you to meet Nikki Rowen—my fiancé.”

Fiancé?

Already off-kilter from the sight of her friend and former manager’s brother in uniform in Sam’s living room, Nikki’s smile froze in place when she heard Sam’s declaration. She lifted her shocked gaze from Shane’s in time to see Sam bending down to drop a kiss on her chapped lips. It was a replay of the grocery store, only this time she couldn’t even blink under the intense plea radiating from his eyes.

“I thought you said Nikki was your babysitter?” the woman on the couch said, her voice steeped in suspicion.

“She is.”

“Why didn’t you mention you were engaged earlier?”

“Um, ah...Nik hasn’t told her family yet, so...”

The fumbling explanation spurred Nikki into action. She didn’t know why he’d told the lie, but she’d gotten to know him well enough these past couple weeks to believe he had a good reason. Desperation darkened his gold-flecked eyes, and the police presence reinforced the seriousness of the situation.

She stepped forward with a bright smile that she directed at Shane. “Please don’t go saying anything yet, okay? If Mallory told anyone, it’d get back to my sister in no time.”

“Let me be the first to offer congratulations.” He came around the couch and took her hands to pull her into a hug. His pointed squeeze of her ring-less left hand was accompanied by a barely audible question against her ear.

“You okay?”

“Yes,” she whispered. She stepped and in a more normal voice, said, “Thank you.”

Sam’s speculative gaze shifted between her and Shane. “You two know each other?”

“We went to school together,” she explained. “Although he was a few years ahead of me. Shane’s sister Mallory was the manager at Sunny Days before the daycare closed.”

“I won’t spill the news,” Shane assured her. “But Ms. Winston will have to put it into her report.”

“And what report is that?” she asked the brunette, who’d also risen to watch the exchange with extreme interest.

“I work for Child Protective Services. We’re here investigating an allegation of possible neglect.”

At the mention of CPS, Nikki cut her gaze to Sam. He hugged Ella close as if he were afraid someone would try to pry her from his arms. No way she’d let anyone take their angel away if she could help it. Sam met her gaze.

“Apparently, someone has claimed I’m too busy running around with numerous women to take care of Ella.”

The ludicrous idea would’ve made her laugh if everyone’s expressions weren’t so grim. Sam’s crazy claim that they were engaged was beginning to make more sense, especially if his prior record was part of the equation. Obviously, he was desperate.

But who the hell would’ve—

A flash of realization settled like lead in the pit of her stomach as she turned to Shane. “It was Joe, wasn’t it?”

When he wouldn’t look her directly in the eyes, her guess was confirmed. As a play to get her back, it was a stupid move Joe was smart enough to know wouldn’t work, so she assumed he was seeking revenge for her rejection.
That jerk
. He’d left her, damn it. Messing up Sam’s life was just plain vindictive.

“What happens if the baby goes away?”
Sam murmured, repeating Joe’s words from that day in the yard. “
That sonofa
...”

He trailed off without finishing the curse. Guilt made it difficult for her to meet his narrowed gaze.

“We’ve already established the caller will remain confidential,” Ms. Winston stated with a hint of annoyance. “I’m more interested to hear, when is the wedding?”

“Ah...” Renewed alarm glittered in Sam’s gaze when it locked with Nikki’s.

“Ms. Winston,” Shane protested. “Obviously the engagement is recent if they haven’t even told Nikki’s family. They probably don’t have a date set.”

Thank you, Shane.
His defense demonstrated trust in Nikki and her judgment.

“Oh, I don’t doubt the engagement is
very
recent,” the woman agreed. “But let me be perfectly clear. Lying about something like this only makes me believe you have something you’re trying to hide. Makes me wonder if I don’t need to look into your background a little further.”

Nikki held Sam’s troubled gaze as her thoughts whirled. This was on her shoulders. Joe’s payback was her fault, and no way she’d let Ella or Sam be the ones to suffer.

She took a fortifying breath and moved over by Sam’s side to link one arm with his while rubbing her other hand on his bicep. “The wedding will be a week from Saturday.” His muscles flexed beneath her fingers, but she squeezed his arm and forged ahead in a clear, decisive voice she barely recognized as her own. “Since we both prefer a small ceremony with just family, we didn’t see any point in waiting.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Shane’s forehead furrow, but she kept her gaze locked with the CPS worker’s suspicious green eyes. No way she was going to back down first. Finally, the woman gave a slight nod and turned around to slip her papers into her briefcase. Nikki expelled a silent breath at the same time as Sam.

Ella provided a welcome distraction as she began to whine, so she backed toward the kitchen. “I’ll get the diaper bag. We took a walk to the park, so she’s due for a change.”

She let Sam do the honors so Ms. Winston could observe how well he handled the baby. After watching him with Ella for the past three weeks, she recognized his nervousness and tried to catch his eye to assure him it’d be okay. Yes, Joe’s charges were invalid, and she hadn’t appreciated the woman’s earlier antagonistic mistrust, but Nikki understood she had to do her job, and it was best if they cooperated without complaint.

“By the way, I didn’t catch your first name,” she commented to make conversation and ease the quiet tension in the room.

“Emma.”

She offered a handshake and a smile. “Nice to meet you, Emma.”

“Likewise, Ms. Rowen.”

“Nikki.”

She noticed the woman lean forward during the diaper change to search for any signs of neglect or physical injuries. She wouldn’t find any, but Sam’s anxious sideways glance prompted Nikki to keep talking.

“I know you can’t confirm who called CPS, but if it was Joe Holder, you should know he’s an ex-boyfriend of mine who resents my relationship with Sam.”

The woman remained silent, her lips pressed together in a thin line as she watched Sam. Nikki raised her eyebrows toward Shane, but all he did was shrug.

“Anyone in my family would be happy to testify to Sam’s character—and Joe’s,” she added.

“Something like that is for the courts to take care of,” Emma advised formally. “I’m simply here to observe and report.”

Nikki nodded. She knew the basic proceedings, but couldn’t help providing the information Joe was sure to have left out.

When Sam finished with Ella’s diaper, Emma requested to hold her. He hesitated, but Nikki gave him an encouraging nod. For the sake of the children the woman was charged with protecting, she couldn’t fault her for being so thorough.

After a bit of play time, the case worker handed Ella back to Sam and signaled she was ready to go. Shane rose to his feet as she gathered her things. Facing them at the door, she said, “My initial assessment leads me to believe the information provided to CPS is likely unfounded.” She paused, glancing pointedly from Nikki to Sam. “However, I will hold off filing my final report for...oh, a couple weeks.”

She didn’t need to spell out the reason why. Nor did she wait to see the effect her words had before thanking Shane for his assistance and striding to her car. Shane gave them a bleak smile.

“I gotta get back to the station, but I hope this all works out for you.” His concerned gaze locked with Nikki’s as he backed down the sidewalk. “
Both
of you.”

The two of them drove away in their separate vehicles as she stood with Sam on the porch, Emma Winston’s words of warning repeating in her mind.

Oh, sweet mother of God, where had her brain gone?
A week from Saturday?
Why not six months from now? Or even a year! People had long engagements all the time. After everything was settled with CPS, they could’ve quietly ‘broken up’ a few weeks—or months—later.

Except, she didn’t want to break up with Sam—not even from a fake engagement.

Whoa.
Where’d that come from?

Hell, she knew exactly where it’d come from. During the past three weeks of spending time with him, she’d discovered under that sexy exterior he was a great guy. The way he’d stepped up with Ella would forever make him a hero in her book. In addition, he was smart, and funny, and a good listener. More than once he’d made comments based on a previous conversation that proved he paid attention to every word when they talked.

His work ethic impressed her when he came home after a ten hour day and went to work on her house right after dinner. Then, even when he was tired, his gentle, loving care of his niece never failed to warm her heart.

More than anything, she wanted the love in his eyes when he looked at Ella to remain when he turned that golden-flecked gaze in her direction. Was it really such a shock that she’d jumped at the chance to make his engagement story stick?

Ella’s baby gurgles finally registered over her whirling thoughts. Nikki glanced sideways to find Sam studying her profile. Heat flooded her face, and she hurried back inside to escape his serious scrutiny.

She heard the door click closed behind her. Raising her hands, she covered her face, eyes squeezed tight as she wondered how the hell to explain what she’d done.

“Nik...”

Dropping her arms back to her sides, she turned to face him for her apology. “I—”

“I’m sorry.” Genuine remorse shone in his eyes. He abruptly turned to carry Ella to the playpen, talking as he went. “She kept repeating
best interests of the child
and then Missy showed up for her damn pie plate and your cop friend smirked at me and then you walked in and...and...it just came out.”

Boy, did she know the feeling.

He laid the baby in the playpen, then straightened to brace his arms on the edge, his head bent. “All I could think about was how good you are with Ella, and how you’ve turned my house into a home, and how much I—”

His words cut off so abruptly, she held her breath, hoping he’d continue. Her thumping heartbeat underscored the silence, along with a growing ache in her chest from what his words revealed—even after the time they’d spent together and her thinking they’d made a connection, what was most important to him was what she did for Ella.

A controlled exhale gave her something to concentrate on other than the hurt. Sam turned around and lifted his gaze to hers. She was stunned to see a glimmer of moisture brightening his eyes.

“What am I going to do? I can’t lose her.”

The vulnerability in his expression broke her heart. She took a step toward him, then halted. “You won’t lose her, Sam.”

“You heard her. She’s waiting to make a final decision just so she can prove we lied.” He paced toward the kitchen, hands fisted at his sides. “God, why did I do that?”

“What if it’s not a lie?”

He swung around to face her, surprise written all over his face. Her pulse hammered in tandem with each millisecond that passed.

She took a deep breath and pressed on. “What if we get married, next Saturday, just like we told the case worker? They won’t take Ella from a two-parent household, and she’ll have the family she deserves.”

“Why would you do that?”

“I love her as much as you do, Sam.” She shifted her gaze to Ella in the playpen, her throat clogged with additional emotion she was too shell-shocked to define.

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

She lifted her chin in determination. “You don’t have to. I’m offering.”

He stared at her, eyes narrowed, considering. His gaze swept down the length of her body, and his Adam’s apple worked furiously in the tanned column of his throat. The spark in his eyes when he raised them to hers kept her heartbeat in a race with no finish line.

Forcing a teasing smile to her lips, she tried to recapture the camaraderie they’d shared the past couple weeks by teasing, “Is the idea of marrying me so awful?”

“No.”

His rough, low denial stirred the already fluttering butterflies in her stomach. The air seemed to thicken around her, and it suddenly felt like she was back in high school, running the four hundred meter dash.

“Then what do you say?” she ventured breathlessly.

He nodded once, his smile grim. “Let’s get married.”