Because of the Baby(65)

“Any idea how to keep that from happening?”

Sean had been the Holts’ lawyer for the last twenty years. He’d been involved in every lawsuit and countersuit that the two families had thrown at each other.

“I’ve heard you’ve been staying with Lark and helping her out with your niece. Does she have any pull with Tyrone? Maybe if she spoke to him.”

Keaton shook his head. “Even if I thought it would help, I’d never ask her to do that. This is my battle with Taylor.”

“Well,” Sean said, his expression somber, “that’s what it’s going to be. A battle. Do you want me to get the court documents started?”

Keaton hesitated before answering. He picked up the envelope with a copy of the bill of sale. “I’ll call you in a couple hours.” Before he moved forward, he had to tell Lark and then her father.

He wasn’t looking forward to either conversation. Lark deserved to know before anything happened, but she was preoccupied with her sister’s recovery and didn’t need to be worried about how the discovery of the lost document was going to impact her family. She’d probably insist on going with him to confront her father.

Tyrone was going to rant and threaten and end up taking his frustration out on Lark because he would view her as a traitor for suggesting they try for an amicable solution.

She was at home when he called looking for her. This relieved him. He wouldn’t have told her at the hospital where her reaction might have been noticed by her coworkers. The twenty-minute drive gave him plenty of time to prepare the best strategy for approaching the subject of the long-lost bill of sale. He hoped that she’d be sensible when she found out he intended to take the land back.

The woman who greeted him at the door wasn’t the bubbly, optimistic woman who’d headed for the hospital earlier that day. She threw herself into his arms and clung as if he was the only thing keeping her safe.

“What’s wrong?” he murmured against her hair, wondering if something had happened to Skye. “Is your sister okay?”

Lark pushed out of his arms and ran her fingers under her eyes to scoop up the moisture. “I’m such a mess.”

“You’re beautiful.” He cupped her cheek in his palm and leaned down to kiss her. His heart thumped against his ribs as she yielded beneath his lips. Before the chemistry between them flared, he broke off the kiss and drew her toward the couch in the great room. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Dr. Wakefield came to see Skye today while I was there. He’s concerned about her memory and warned me she may never be back one hundred percent.”

Keaton had done some reading on head trauma and knew the recovery was slow and sometimes not complete. He hadn’t said anything to Lark about it, figuring as a medical professional she already knew the odds and didn’t need him heaping worry on her.

“But she’s young and strong. And she has a beautiful baby girl to motivate her.”

They sat down on the couch and Lark made a move to kiss him. Keaton drew back and she regarded him in confusion. Now it was her turn to ask what was wrong.

“While moving the records at the town hall, I made a discovery.” He began his tale in gentle tones, knowing what was to come would be jarring.

“What sort of discovery?”

“An old bill of sale that’s been lost for years.”

She stared at his face, and her expression froze. “The one our families have been battling over for years?”

“That’s the one. It was behind one of the antique filing cabinets in the records room.”

“Rather convenient that you found it,” she said, her tone flat.

“It’s not a forgery if that’s what you’re implying. It’s been authenticated.” In his rush to avert her suspicions, he didn’t consider the conclusions she’d draw from that.

She shifted away from him. “How long ago did you find it?”

“A few days.”

“Days?” She looked stricken. “How many?”

“I found it the day Skye woke up for the first time.”

“We’ve been together a bunch of times since then.” She scurried off the couch. “We...we made love. You should have told me. I deserved to know.”

“You were worried about Skye. I didn’t want to distract you.”

She clenched her hands into fists. “Distract me? Seems more like you wanted to deceive me. I trusted you.”

“You still can.” Keaton stood. Had he subconsciously known her deep-seated distrust of his family would overwhelm any faith she’d placed in him? Was that why he’d waited so long to tell her? “I didn’t want to upset you unnecessarily if the document wasn’t valid.”