Mack’s chin tilted up. “Of course we can.”
Cole’s hand hefted her off the couch.
“Don’t go to any trouble. I don’t have anything important here. Nathan got all the good furniture in the divorce because we still owed on it.” She scanned the dreary room, furnished with pieces from the secondhand store. “Everything that means anything to me is either at my parents’ house or in one of the boxes in my bedroom. I never had the heart to unpack them.”
“Whatever you want,” said Mack.
A meaningful look passed between the two men, and Brooke suspected Mack would use all his resources to protect her measly possessions. She was too tired to fight it. And hungry. Her stomach made rude noises that didn’t subside when she pressed her hands against it.
“Grab your suitcase. We’ll get something to eat on the way.”
Cole’s smile was so big that she could see all of his perfect white teeth. Knowing she’d put that smile on his face made her feel strangely warm inside.
“Okay.”
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
CHAPTER 10
“Hang on a minute, Garner.” Winded, Cole answered the cell phone on his watch as he pressed the button to gradually bring the treadmill to a stop. He wiped his face with a towel before collapsing on the weight bench. “What’s up? Why are you calling before seven a.m. on a Saturday?”
“Because the attorneys at Millionaire Matchup started trying to reach me at midnight. They were surprised to hear you’re getting married.” He cleared his throat. “As was I.”
“What do you mean? I told you that was the plan.” Cole took a long drink from his water bottle.
“At six p.m. yesterday, you told me the wedding was off.”
“I thought it was. But last night I gave her chocolate and brought her out to the ranch. In fact, she’s asleep in the guest suite right now.”
“So you’re getting married after all? Have you both signed the prenup and the parental rights form?”
“You’re kind of jumping the gun,” said Cole. “I haven’t quite talked her into marrying me, yet.”
Garner groaned, “Unbelievable!”
“I was going to call you as soon as I had a definite answer,” Cole defended.
“Cole, if all you need is someone to marry for a couple of months to get out of the Matchup contract, I’m positive I can line up at least three women in my office who’d be glad to do it. One of them is my law partner. And you wouldn’t have to go to extreme measures to persuade them.”
“If I wanted to marry someone who wanted to marry me, I’d go ahead and do the show. That’s what I’m trying to avoid.”
“Let me get this straight… Your goal is to marry a woman who has no desire to marry you?”
“That’s right. A strictly platonic relationship with no strings attached. Marrying Brooke gets me out of the contract, and it’s guaranteed to be drama-free when it’s over.”
“Can I point out the absurdity of mentioning a pregnant woman and ‘drama-free’ in the same sentence?”
“Not if you want to remain my attorney.”
“That’s currently up in the air.”
“Well, if you’re done,” said Cole, ignoring Garner’s sarcasm as easily as his attorney had ignored his. “I need to get back to my run.”
“There’s one more thing.” Garner used the gentler tone he reserved for bad news, and Cole’s gut tightened. “That news report mentioned Hayward Home, so now you’re on their radar. I’ve got no hope of making anonymous inquiries into your birth mother’s records. If they pull her file and see her baby was born thirty-five years ago with a deficient arm, they’re bound to put two and two together.”
For a moment, Cole couldn’t swallow. He hadn’t considered that particular complication, but it made sense.
“I guess I’ll never find out the truth, then… at least not from Hayward Home.”
“To be honest, there was never much chance of that,” said Garner. “The privacy rules have always been strict, especially at religious institutions.”
“You told me that. But I was hoping for a miracle.” Cole didn’t feel like finishing his workout. He tossed the towel over his shoulder and headed to take a shower. “I’m sure you’ll think of some way to get me the information about my birth mom. I’m counting on you.”
“And I’m counting on you to give me a big fat ulcer.” Garner’s sarcasm returned with a vengeance. “Oh! What do you know? Already happened.”
Saturday morning, still in her sleepshirt, Brooke sat cross-legged on the comfy cushion that covered the bay-window seat in her bedroom. Her first daylight view of the ranch revealed a grassy expanse littered with oak trees that were probably older than the state of Texas. Beyond a barbed wire fence, a herd of cattle milled about, heads to the lush green grass beneath their feet.
She nibbled on a saltine cracker, one of several from a Ziploc bag Cole had insisted she have at her bedside. The trick had worked to settle her morning queasiness, but now she was craving something to drink. Her mouth was bone dry, but not simply because of the saltines. Before she went out to face the day with Cole, she had to make a decision. One that could change the rest of her life. Thus the reason for the cell phone in her hand. With a quick selection from her recent calls, she had her sister on the phone.
“Hi,” said Harper in a soft, muffled tone, as if her hand might be scooped around her mouth. “I got called in to work in the clinic today, so I hope you’re not on the way here.”
“No, but I need your advice.”
“Just a sec. Let me move into the hallway, so I can talk.” A few seconds later her voice was back, her concern evident. “What’s going on?”
