Inherited:OneChild(11)

"It's not quite as modest as you requested," Jack warned. "But I think it'll do."

"I'm sure it'll be perfect."

Her quiet confidence in his abilities affected him more than he cared to   admit. He was thirty years old with a first-class education. He came   from one of the oldest families in all of Charleston. He owned and   operated a billion-dollar international company with countless employees   at his beck and call, most of whom were confident in his overall   abilities. But for some reason, he responded to Annalise's admiration   like a cat being presented a bowl of cream. If he wasn't careful, he'd   start purring.

"Part of the problem is that I need someplace that will allow me Internet access so I can stay in touch with the office."

"Of course," she agreed. "Perfectly understandable."

"And a location that protects our privacy."

"An unfortunate aspect of your position in life."

"Luckily, I have a friend who owns an estate with a guesthouse right on   the water. He's in Europe for the summer, so we're welcome to stay for   as long as we want. It's only two bedrooms, but it has a kitchen." A   sudden thought struck. "Do you cook?"

"Yes."

"Okay, now for the important question. Are you willing to? I realize   it's not part of your duties, but I'd be happy to compensate you for the   additional work."

"That's not necessary." Annalise turned her head to stare out the window. "I'm happy to help out."

"And yet, you sound annoyed." A sudden thought struck, one he could   scarcely credit. "Have I offended you by offering to pay you extra?" he   asked.

Annalise released a sigh and shifted in her seat to face him again. "Yes. The ridiculous part is, I can't figure out why."

Maybe not, but he could. "It's because of what happened yesterday. In the playroom," he clarified.

She stiffened. "You mean when we-" She broke off and spared Isabella a quick look. "You know."

"Yes, I mean when we you know. The 'you knowing' blended business with personal."

"Then I suggest we unblend them since there won't be any more of either 'you,' let alone 'know,' ever again."

He shrugged. "We can try, though I doubt we'll succeed. How do you take   the color green and turn it back into blue and yellow? We can say we're   going to keep all the colors separate, that we'll resist the  temptation  to … er … blend. But I can't even offer to compensate you for  the extra  duties you'll be taking on these next couple weeks without it  offending  you."

"I'll get over it, just as I'll get over the urge to do anymore blending."

"Be sure to tell me how that works for you. I'm afraid I'm still a vivid shade of green."

An attractive blush tinted her cheeks. She deliberately twisted around   and engaged in a one-sided conversation with Isabella. He didn't push.   There'd be plenty of time over the next couple of weeks to tempt her   with more blending. Even if he couldn't engage her on a personal level,   he hoped she'd become so attached to Isabella that she'd be willing to   accept his proposal for his niece's sake. He just needed to find the   right lever that would tip the scales in his favor.

He ignored the small prick of conscience that prodded him for his   cold-blooded plan. He couldn't afford a conscience, not if he wanted to   keep custody of Isabella. If his father had taught him nothing else in   life, Jonathan Mason had proved himself an expert instructor on how to   pursue one's goals with ruthless disregard. Nothing mattered but the  end  results. Not compassion. Not kindness. Not any of the gentler  emotions.                       
       
           



       

Jack had been brought up with a single motto: No matter what it takes.   And that was how he would respond to his custody battle. When it came to   Isabella, he would do whatever he had to, no matter what it took.

He pulled into a broad drive, guarded by a ten-foot-high stone wall and a   high-tech electronic security gate. He keyed in the code Taye had  given  him and, once the wrought-iron doors swung open, drove toward a  mansion  even more elaborate than his own. Beside him, Annalise's jaw  dropped.  He turned down a narrow, graveled pathway, just wide enough  for his Jag,  and followed it for several hundred yards to a bungalow  snuggled  between beach and marsh.

Beside him, Annalise relaxed, possibly because the bungalow was an   exercise in simplicity in comparison to the main house. "It's lovely,"   she said with all sincerity.

He smiled in satisfaction. "I hoped you'd approve." He thrust his door open. "Come on. Let's check it out."

Even Isabella lost her more typical apathetic mien and showed some   enthusiasm. She darted into the bungalow behind him, one arm wrapped   around her doll, the other around her stuffed lion. Jack couldn't help   but wonder if the lion was meant as a protector-not that he'd blame her   if that were the case. If it added to her sense of security, he'd   surround her with a dozen lions.

The front door opened onto a small foyer, which accessed the main living   area and a small dining room that he could use as a temporary office.   On the far side of the dining room was a snug kitchen. A hallway   branched off the living room and he led the parade in that direction,   fairly certain they'd find the bedrooms.

Jack opened the first door and a small, rusty "ooh" emanated from behind   him. His heart skipped a beat at the sound and he felt a surge of  hope.  Maybe Annalise was right. Maybe this vacation would turn Isabella   around. Maybe it would even get her talking again. He forced himself  to  stroll casually into the bedroom, not wanting to betray any sort of   reaction to that almost-word, afraid it might alarm her.

Isabella followed him in and made a beeline for a huge wooden structure   that was part bunk beds and part tree fort. She vanished into one   portion of the fort, climbed through trap doors and along secret   tunnels, ending up in a bed cradled in the branches of the manufactured   "tree," complete with fabric leaves and stuffed animals hidden in   various nooks and crannies. Her vivid green eyes glowed with happiness   and Jack realized that nothing had ever given him greater pleasure than   the sight of his niece's beaming face.

"Like it?" he asked, striving to keep all trace of emotion from his   voice. She nodded eagerly and her blondish-brown ringlets bobbed around   her flushed cheeks. "It's good to see her hair growing out," he  murmured  to Annalise, who came to stand beside him.

"Did they cut it off after the accident?"

He nodded. "According to the pictures I've seen, she had beautiful long   hair. But there were so many scalp lacerations, the doctors were forced   to cut away large chunks of it. It seemed best to even it up and then   let it grow out again. I just never realized how much work it would  take  to keep it from matting."

Annalise released a chuckle. "The hazards of curly hair, I'm afraid. I   can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to go for one of those   super-short hairstyles Isabella's sporting."

He studied her bone structure for a long moment. "You'd look good no matter how you wore it."

"Thanks." She actually blushed. "The nice thing is, it'll give me   something in common with Isabella. We can do our hair together."

He gave a short laugh. "Good luck. That was one of the battles her   former nannies fought on a daily basis. She doesn't like anyone touching   her hair."

"Probably because right after the accident it hurt her scalp. That   shouldn't be a problem any longer." She spoke with a confidence he hoped   would pan out, though he had serious doubts. "I'll work with her on   it."

Jack examined the room with a frown. "I didn't realize there would only   be children's beds in here. There's no way you'll fit in that tree   fort."

She shrugged. "No big deal. I'll sleep on the couch in the living room."

"Let's check out the other bedroom before we decide."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Your room? I don't think so."

"Relax. I just thought if it had two beds we could move one of them in here."

Her mouth tilted into a smile. "You sure, Mr. Mason? I could have sworn I saw a distinct green accent coloring that suggestion."