“And your other reasons?” she prompted.
“The Ridgeways aren’t fit guardians.” He made the statement in a flat, absolute voice. “They despised Lisa, and there’s not a question in my mind that Mikey will ultimately pay the price for their attitude toward his mother.”
“I agree,” Angie murmured unhappily. “Mrs. Ridgeway, in particular, seems almost zealous in her determination to make sure Mikey doesn’t take after Lisa in any fashion.”
“Lisa had her flaws, but one thing I know for certain. She adored Mikey. She was like a lioness with her cub when it came to her son.”
Angie regarded him with grave eyes. “But there’s another reason you’ve decided on this course of action. I can tell.”
“That’s none of your business,” he stated gently.
“I disagree. If I’m to be your wife, if I’m to be Mikey’s mother, I think it is my business.”
He had zero intention of answering her, she could tell. But then to her utter astonishment, the words escaped in a whispered confession, full of pain and regret, spilling into the heavy darkness of the car.
“Mikey could have been mine.”
Seven
Angie stared at Lucius in disbelief. “What?”
He flicked her with a brief glance with pit-black eyes, enfolding himself in remoteness.
“Lucius… The timing was that close?” she pressed.
“Yes.”
“Did you… Has it occurred to you—”
“That Mikey might be mine? Of course. After Lisa announced her pregnancy I approached her privately and asked. She promised to have a DNA test done after Mikey was born.”
“Talk about awkward.” Angie caught her lip between her teeth. “I assume Geoff knew about—”
“Our encounter, for lack of a better word? Yes. Our friendship survived it. Barely. After Mikey was born, Lisa was quite up-front about the test. She arranged for it to be conducted, all very discreet and private, all of us very polite and sophisticated about the situation. Geoff was certain Mikey was his. As it turned out, he was right. But that doesn’t change anything. I could have been the father just as easily as Geoff. And if our situation were reversed, I would have wanted him to stand for me if I’d orphaned my son. And Geoff would have done it, too. He was that sort of man.”
Angie caught the black pain underscoring his words and her heart went out to him. More than anything she wished she could take him in her arms and soothe the hurt. But she couldn’t. Not only were they in a moving car, but they didn’t have that sort of relationship. She fought back a pained laugh, one she didn’t doubt would be edged with hysteria. They’d made love. They planned to marry. But she didn’t dare comfort her future husband. Could it get any more bizarre?
They arrived at the hospital just then, putting an end to the conversation. Parking proved more problematic since visiting hours hadn’t yet ended. Lucius finally slipped into a space a good hike from the emergency room entrance. Right before they walked through the sliding doors, he annoyed her by giving her hair a quick ruffle, tumbling the curls into just-out-of-bed disorder.
They found Tabby Ridgeway in a jam-packed waiting area. Somehow she held herself aloof from the noise and bustle and misery. She cradled a sleeping Mikey in her arms and sat with her eyes closed, the deep lines carved into her face revealing age and exhaustion and fear in equal measure.
Sensing their presence, she glanced in their direction and drew herself up as though steeling herself, a regal hauteur snapping into place along with her spine. Her gaze shifted from one to the other of them and in that instant Angie realized Lucius had been right. As usual. A woman’s awareness filtered through Tabby’s obvious distress, one that took in Angie’s hair, the not fully fastened buttons of her blouse, the lack of makeup. A hint of outrage flashed through her cold eyes, then was gone.
“How’s Benjamin?” Lucius asked. He gently unburdened Tabby, ignoring her instinctive flinch to prevent him from taking the baby. Mikey stretched and opened his eyes, grinning and babbling excitedly when he saw who held him. “Is there anything we can do to help other than take Mikey?”
She registered the word we by switching her attention to Angie and narrowing her eyes. “I shouldn’t have called. Clearly, I’ve interrupted something.”
“You did. Angie and I were celebrating our engagement,” Lucius replied easily. “But don’t worry about it. All that can wait. It’s not like it’s come as any surprise to either of us. We’ll celebrate tomorrow when we pick out the ring.” He switched his attention to the baby. “You can come along and help us decide which one is best, can’t you, little guy?”