air.
Lana did not pick up her daughter at school, but that did not mean she was a bad mother. That did not mean she should lose her daughter this way. Kait had not a doubt that Lana would fight tooth and nail for joint custody of her daughter.
And surely she loved Trev Coleman. Or surely, she had once, six years ago, fallen in love with him—and it hadn’t had
anything
to do with his money.
She was blinded now. Blinded by hot tears.
Trev Coleman’s expression blazed in her mind.
She slowly straightened. He didn’t merely want a divorce, she thought, stunned. He hated his wife. She had seen it in his eyes.
But she had seen more than that. He didn’t merely despise his wife; he hated her with a vengeance.
And he intended to have his vengeance, too.
CHAPTER 3
Before she could truly comprehend the situation, before she could even begin to analyze it and consider its ramifications, the front door opened. Kait was standing near the window where she had left and lost her handbag. She glanced outside. The Land Rover was parked between her car and Trev Coleman’s blue Dodge Ram.
Elizabeth was speaking in the foyer. “And I just baked them this afternoon.”
A pause ensued. A soft, childish voice said, “Is Mommy home?” There was something hesitant and tentative in Marni’s tone; oddly, Kait’s heart broke. She rushed into the foyer. “Marni!” she cried.
The little girl looked up, wide-eyed in surprise.
Kait cautioned herself not to be too emotional—she was Lana now, who missed her daughter, who had been away for a mere three days. She was not the aunt whom the child had never before seen, a thirty-two-year-old single woman who no longer enjoyed her career and was lacking love and a family. “Hello, darling,” she said hoarsely, barely able to believe that the beautiful little girl standing by the door in her tiny navy blue blazer, pleated skirt, and knee socks was truly her niece.
“Mommy,” Marni said, smiling a little, anxiously. Her long, dark, curly hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a red ribbon.
“I have missed you,” Kait breathed, kneeling and holding out her arms. “Come here, I need a hug.”
For one moment Marni did not move; she resembled a surprised and confused doe caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Then she smiled again and came forward. Kait swept her into her arms, far too hard, but the child did not protest. Instead, she clung.
Kait breathed in baby powder and baby shampoo, clean cotton and
Ivory soap, and as she held Marni in her arms, she thought about what a treasure she was, and how lucky Lana was. And Kait believed that Trev Coleman had been exaggerating about everything he had accused Lana of. Perhaps his accusations that Lana was too busy to be a mother—that she was not functional as one—were the groundwork he was laying for his divorce case. Kait felt certain that she should not take Trev’s opinion of her sister as gospel.
Lana surely treasured the beautiful child now in Kait’s arms.
Kait pulled back a little and said, “I have a present for you.” She had been at FAO Schwarz the moment they opened that morning in order to buy Marni a play stable that they could assemble together for all of her horse models.
Marni’s eyes were wide and searching. “Really?” She smiled a little, her small mouth quivering.
“It’s upstairs.” Kait straightened and took her hand. “Do you want to help me unpack?” How right the child’s small hand felt in her own!
Marni stiffened with surprise. Then she nodded eagerly. “Marni needs a snack, Mrs. Coleman,” Elizabeth said brusquely. Kait glanced at her and saw disapproval and frostiness all over the older woman’s face. She felt certain that her earlier instinct that Elizabeth was territorial where Marni was concerned was accurate. Kait intended to draw a new line in the sand. She smiled grimly at the housekeeper. “Would you mind sending up the milk and cookies?” She then grinned down at
Lana did not pick up her daughter at school, but that did not mean she was a bad mother. That did not mean she should lose her daughter this way. Kait had not a doubt that Lana would fight tooth and nail for joint custody of her daughter.
And surely she loved Trev Coleman. Or surely, she had once, six years ago, fallen in love with him—and it hadn’t had
anything
to do with his money.
She was blinded now. Blinded by hot tears.
Trev Coleman’s expression blazed in her mind.
She slowly straightened. He didn’t merely want a divorce, she thought, stunned. He hated his wife. She had seen it in his eyes.
But she had seen more than that. He didn’t merely despise his wife; he hated her with a vengeance.
And he intended to have his vengeance, too.
CHAPTER 3
Before she could truly comprehend the situation, before she could even begin to analyze it and consider its ramifications, the front door opened. Kait was standing near the window where she had left and lost her handbag. She glanced outside. The Land Rover was parked between her car and Trev Coleman’s blue Dodge Ram.
Elizabeth was speaking in the foyer. “And I just baked them this afternoon.”
A pause ensued. A soft, childish voice said, “Is Mommy home?” There was something hesitant and tentative in Marni’s tone; oddly, Kait’s heart broke. She rushed into the foyer. “Marni!” she cried.
The little girl looked up, wide-eyed in surprise.
Kait cautioned herself not to be too emotional—she was Lana now, who missed her daughter, who had been away for a mere three days. She was not the aunt whom the child had never before seen, a thirty-two-year-old single woman who no longer enjoyed her career and was lacking love and a family. “Hello, darling,” she said hoarsely, barely able to believe that the beautiful little girl standing by the door in her tiny navy blue blazer, pleated skirt, and knee socks was truly her niece.
“Mommy,” Marni said, smiling a little, anxiously. Her long, dark, curly hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a red ribbon.
“I have missed you,” Kait breathed, kneeling and holding out her arms. “Come here, I need a hug.”
For one moment Marni did not move; she resembled a surprised and confused doe caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Then she smiled again and came forward. Kait swept her into her arms, far too hard, but the child did not protest. Instead, she clung.
Kait breathed in baby powder and baby shampoo, clean cotton and
Ivory soap, and as she held Marni in her arms, she thought about what a treasure she was, and how lucky Lana was. And Kait believed that Trev Coleman had been exaggerating about everything he had accused Lana of. Perhaps his accusations that Lana was too busy to be a mother—that she was not functional as one—were the groundwork he was laying for his divorce case. Kait felt certain that she should not take Trev’s opinion of her sister as gospel.
Lana surely treasured the beautiful child now in Kait’s arms.
Kait pulled back a little and said, “I have a present for you.” She had been at FAO Schwarz the moment they opened that morning in order to buy Marni a play stable that they could assemble together for all of her horse models.
Marni’s eyes were wide and searching. “Really?” She smiled a little, her small mouth quivering.
“It’s upstairs.” Kait straightened and took her hand. “Do you want to help me unpack?” How right the child’s small hand felt in her own!
Marni stiffened with surprise. Then she nodded eagerly. “Marni needs a snack, Mrs. Coleman,” Elizabeth said brusquely. Kait glanced at her and saw disapproval and frostiness all over the older woman’s face. She felt certain that her earlier instinct that Elizabeth was territorial where Marni was concerned was accurate. Kait intended to draw a new line in the sand. She smiled grimly at the housekeeper. “Would you mind sending up the milk and cookies?” She then grinned down at
Similar Books
