Heart of the Raven by Susan Crosby Page B

Mr. Raven, friend of Senator Sterling.”
    â€œI’m not sorry.”
    Over the monitor they could hear Danny fuss. She threw back her blankets.
    â€œMy turn,” he reminded her.
    â€œBut I’m awake, too. He shouldn’t need to eat yet, so maybe just a little rocking back to sleep. I’m better at that than you are.”
    â€œBragger.”
    â€œIt’s true.”
    They faced off. She finally smiled. “How about if we go together?”
    â€œWhat a novel idea.”
    She laughed quietly, then hesitated a moment. Even though her pajamas weren’t see-through, it would be apparent she was not wearing a bra. The only other option was to get dressed, which seemed silly and obvious and immature, even. For all intents and purposes they were doing a job together, and that was all.
    â€œHe’s sounding very unhappy,” Heath said, his brows raised.
    She stopped debating with herself. Her priority was Danny, after all. “Well, let’s go cheer him up.”
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    Heath knew Cassie hated not being the one to hold Danny, but he wasn’t about to let her take charge. Thiswas his son, and she wouldn’t be there forever. He needed to learn how to care for Danny on his own, especially if he decided he only wanted day help.
    Danny’s crying was winding down. Heath paced the living room, bouncing him lightly, making soothing sounds. Maybe it had taken him longer than it would have taken Cassie, but Danny had finally settled down. Every once in a while he hiccuped but he was almost dead weight. Heath decided if he talked and Danny didn’t wake up, he would be asleep enough to put back to bed.
    He wanted to know more about her childhood. His own parents may have been a little on the flaky side, but at least he’d had a steady, loving upbringing. “Why wasn’t your father in the picture?”
    â€œI have no idea who he was. He was not named on the birth certificate, nor was I ever told a name.”
    Heath sat across from her on the sofa. “How was it living with your grandfather?”
    She smiled, reminiscence in her eyes. “He was old and sweet. He’d lost touch with my mom years earlier, and didn’t even know that I existed, so he was a bit bewildered when the Florida child welfare people tracked him down here in San Francisco. I know I was a huge responsibility for him at a time in his life he didn’t need any. Look, there was good and bad in my upbringing, as there is in everyone’s.”
    He heard the dismissal in her voice. A touchy subject for her. What happened? he wondered. If it had been a good experience, she would’ve said so. “Did you go to college?”
    â€œYes. I liked school.”
    She was stingy with her answers. It made him want to know more. “You were a good student.”
    â€œI decided I could be just as successful as anyone else. Maybe my hurdles were bigger than some, but they were also smaller than others. I didn’t want to become a stereotype.”
    â€œA stereotype? You mean as a product of the system?”
    â€œYes. I fought to stay at the same high school for all four years. Can we change the subject?”
    â€œI’m interested because we lived such different lives. Why are you so defensive?”
    â€œBecause I don’t look back.”
    The way she plucked at her pajama bottoms led him to believe there was a lot more to say. How much more could he push her tonight? “What was your major in college?”
    â€œCriminal justice.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œI wanted to be a lawyer.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you?”
    â€œI ran out of money for law school, so I took the job as an investigator for Oberman, Steele and Jenkins. I ended up enjoying it. Didn’t have to stay cooped up in an office or a courtroom all day.”
    He wondered about that. He would bet she still had dreams of becoming a lawyer, probably defending children’s rights.