Delivering His Gifts: A Mountain Man's Baby Christmas Romance(26)

I drove toward home, hoping maybe some of my contacts would be able to help us with Danielle. But as soon as I stepped into the living room, I regretted the decision. Eli was standing there, as if waiting for me.

“Where were you? We have a job in twenty minutes. We need to leave now.”

Dammit. We were doing security for a local politician speaking in Sunville. How could I have forgotten?

“I can’t right now, Eli. I’m sorry.”

I pushed past my brother, but he grabbed my arm. I yanked myself free and took the stairs two at a time.

“What is so damned important that you’re willing to throw away the family business over it?”

I turned on my heels. “You wouldn’t understand, Eli.”

My brother had his arms crossed in front of him, staring up at me with a face filled with rage. If his eyes could shoot lasers, he would have sliced me right in half.

“Try me.”

“I don’t have time right now,” I said, turning back around.

I heard his footsteps coming up the stairs behind me.

“You never have time for us anymore, Mason. I’m starting to think you’ve found another family.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

But I took the bait. “You know, family is more than just your blood, right? So yes, I have found another family. It doesn’t mean I’m replacing the one I have, though. So lay off, man.”

Eli grabbed the door handle to my room. The clock was ticking. I had to be there to pick up Danielle as we’d discussed or else… Greg would know they were leaving and might get there before I did. I didn’t know how far he’d go to hurt Danielle, and I didn’t want to find out.

And the way I saw it, I had two choices in that moment. Get into a fight with my brother, likely wasting necessary time dealing with him. Or come clean.

I decided the latter option was the best one.

“Eli, I’m going to be a father, and the mother of my child is in danger. I need to find a way to help her, and fast.”

Eli’s face shifted. His blank, hard mask turned into something softer as he loosened his grip on the doorknob and stepped back.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked quietly.

“Because I wasn’t ready to tell anyone yet. I’m still coming to terms with it myself, and I have no idea what I’m doing or what’s going to happen between Danielle and me, so I couldn’t answer everyone’s questions even if I wanted to.”

“How long—” He stopped and shook his head. “Never mind, we don’t have time for that,” Eli said. “What do we need to do? Should I get Graham and Sam involved?”

I opened my bedroom door and hurried inside, Eli right behind me. “I need to find a place that will let her, her daughter, and their pets stay with them,” I told him. I walked to my desk and grabbed my contact book, flipping through the pages of business cards I’d collected over the years, trying to determine if I knew anyone in real estate. “I don’t know if we have time to call on the others. I need to pick her up in about thirty minutes.”

I thought about the job we were supposed to be working and looked at Eli. It seemed like the moment I told him what was up, he forgot all about it.

“Can Graham and Sam do the job alone?”

“Yeah, they can handle it,” Eli said. “And I think I can help you with your problem. Let me make a phone call.”

Eli whipped out his phone and went into the hallway. I could hear his voice, but not what he was saying. I landed on a business card that might work. An old client of ours owned real estate all over the country. That could work. I dialed his number, hoping he’d remember me.

Before I could finish punching in the numbers, Eli burst in the room. “I got them a place.”

“You did?”

“Yep. Remember that job I took about two months back, the one I did alone because everyone else was too busy?”

I nodded.

“The guy owns several homes in the area, all rentals. He’s got an empty house.”

“You didn’t even ask how many pets they have. She’s got two dogs, including a giant one, some cats, and other small critters too. Think it’ll be a problem?”

“I’ll call back and ask, but I’m sure with enough persuasion, we can figure anything out,” Eli said, rubbing his fingers together to insinuate that money would be the persuasive element. “Worst case, cats and small critters can be left at home and we can check on them as needed.”

“We?” I asked, a smile pulling at my lips.

“Yeah, of course. We’re family, Mason. If you need help, I’ll be there for you.”

“Thanks Eli. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Eli placed a hand on my shoulder. “No problem, man. I understand. It’s water under the bridge now. Let’s take care of your woman.”

I didn’t correct him and tell him that Danielle wasn’t mine.

Yet.





Danielle





My phone vibrated in my pocket as I headed out to the car to pick Skyler up. I answered it without looking at the number as I slid into the driver’s seat.

“Hey,” I said calmly, expecting Mason. “I’m on my way to pick her up now.”

“Don’t worry about picking her up.” Greg’s voice sent a chill down my spine even though he spoke in a normal tone. “I was in town and stopped by the Ellison's place. She’s with me.”

My heart stopped. “How did you know—”

“Mrs. Ellison called me by mistake,” he said. “Something to do with Charlotte running a fever all of a sudden. But this works out. I was meaning to tell you that I wanted her this weekend anyway.”

“It’s not your weekend with her,” I said through gritted teeth.

“No, it’s not, but it’s my mother’s eightieth birthday, and she’s my daughter too, Dani. My mom likely only has a little time left, and she wanted all her grandkids there. Tony will be there, so will his kids. You know how much Skyler loves to play with them.”

“Tony and Shelly will be there?” I asked, a lump in my throat, nearly making it hard to speak. His brother, Tony, was a good guy. I had to admit I liked him, and his wife Shelly had always been very kind to me, even through the divorce.

“Yep. Angela will be there too. She just had a baby and she’s dying for Skyler to meet her,” he said.

Angela was his sister. Also good people, as far as I could tell, even if we were never that close. She lived in New York and rarely made it to Utah. She loved spoiling Skyler.

Except for Greg - and technically his mom - his family was actually pretty decent. And I trusted them with my daughter.

But something didn’t sit right with me. Even if Greg was acting calmer than usual, I feared the worst. Did he know about our plan to flee the house? I never knew Greg to hold his emotions together when angry, however, so I was inclined to believe him.

Even if I didn’t want my daughter going with him.

Mason did say act natural, and if I fought too hard at this, what then? He already had my daughter with him and getting her back would lead to a fight and likely calling the cops. Greg would probably threaten to take me to court for a different custody agreement.

I sighed and closed my eyes to hold back the tears.

I didn’t even say anything, but Greg was already growing impatient with me. “Dammit, Dani,” he said, lowering his voice as if trying to not swear in front of Skyler. “She’s my daughter too. Sorry I forgot that my mom’s birthday was this weekend. Tony just reminded me this morning.”

Breathe, Danielle. Just breathe. He doesn’t know anything, I told myself.

“Can I talk to Skyler for a second, please?”

I heard a muffled sound as the phone was passed to her.

“Hi Mommy!” she said, her voice cheery as usual.

“Hi baby. Do you want to go with your daddy to Grandma’s birthday party?”

“He said Madison and Michelle will be there,” she said excitedly. “I haven’t seen them in years.”

I giggled at her hyperbole. She was simply repeating a phrase she’d probably heard in passing. She’d just seen her cousins a few weeks ago for one of their birthday parties at a waterpark, but to her, a few weeks probably did feel like years.

“So you want to go then?”

“Yes, please, Mommy?” she said, and hearing her beg to stay with her father tugged at my heartstrings. I didn’t want to pull her away from that side of the family. She deserved to know her aunts and uncles and cousins. My heart hurt, though.

“Okay, I love you baby. Can I talk to your daddy, please?”

More muffled noises on the phone as Skyler passed the phone to her father.

“Yes?”

“Is the party tomorrow?” I asked.

“Yes, tomorrow afternoon.”

“Have her back to me by tomorrow evening,” I said, speaking slow and steady.

“I’ll bring her back whenever I damned well please,” he growled, hanging up the phone before I could say anything else.

My hand was trembling, and I nearly dropped the phone.

Skyler was happy. She would be with her other family members. I would put off leaving the house for another day or two. It was unlikely Mason would find us a place to go that quickly anyway. I would just have to act normal until then.