“Today has not been my usual scene,” he conceded, aware she wanted to be given a reasonable explanation for his actions. “But it has felt surprisingly good and I guess I want to finish it up still feeling good.”
“Why were you in the park?” she asked, pinning him down to detail.
Because you were there.
Would she be flattered to hear that?
Or frightened?
His hunting instincts warned it was better to get closer to her before showing his hand. He shrugged and answered, “The whim of a moment. I’d spent the morning at Randwick Racecourse, meeting with my trainer. The Autumn Racing Carnival is coming up and he wanted to discuss the form of the horses I own. I was driving back into the city, thinking what a beautiful day it was.” His smile invited her to smile back at him as he added, “The urge to stop and smell the roses came upon me.”
She laughed at his whimsy. “There are no roses in that park.”
“Fresh air then,” he supplanted. “You don’t get fresh air and sunshine in boardrooms.”
Her eyes danced with amusement. “When was the last time you played hookey from your usual life?”
He shook his head. “I can’t remember.”
“And it still feels good—” she gestured to their downmarket surroundings “—being here?”
His eyes lightly teased as he answered, “How could it not when a princess sweeps in, wanting to bring joy to a child for evermore?”
“Oh!” Her hands flew up to cup cheeks that suddenly bloomed rose-red. “You really were listening to me tell that story!”
“You had those children—and me—totally rapt.”
“You liked it?” She glowed with delight, as though such an accolade was totally unexpected and an immense pleasure.
“You have a very special gift, Erin,” he assured her.
“That’s one of my favourite stories. I’m so glad it…” She stopped, frowned as though having second thoughts about the rush of uninhibited enthusiasm. Her lashes lowered and he caught the sense that she was hiding something from him.
“Go on,” he urged, wanting the happy animation on her face to return. It was so open and unaffected.
She flashed him a self-deprecating little smile and picked up her glass of water. “I was getting carried away by your compliment, Peter. And I do thank you for it, but let’s talk about the Harper family now. That is what you came for.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to deny it. He had come for her. He could have asked for and received a report on Dave’s ex-wife over the telephone. But it was probably too soon for Erin to feel comfortable about being the sole focus of his attention. Better to get the Harper family issue out of the way first.
Adopting an expression of eager interest, he opened up with, “I presume your aunt used my business card and explained my intervention on Dave’s behalf?”
“Not to begin with. She told Mrs Harper about Thomas’s father turning up in the park and…” Erin frowned over the recollection. “It was weird, Peter. Instead of being angry or frightened or agitated…she looked triumphant as though he’d walked into a trap she’d set for him. Her body language was all hyped up eagerness as she asked if the police had been called to take him away.”
Peter nodded. “That fits with Dave’s story. She wants Thomas to herself with Dave right out of both their lives, and she’s pursuing every nasty ruse to bring about that outcome. I imagine your aunt was subjected to a blast of angry frustration when the answer was negative.”
“It was like a bomb going off.” The shock of it widened her eyes and coloured her voice as she described the reaction. “Abuse, threats, insults. Mrs Harper’s face was red with fury by the time Sarah managed to cut through the tantrum, handing her your business card and relaying your support for Mr Harper.”
“What happened then?”
“Well, your name certainly knocked the stuffing out of her. She didn’t want to believe it. Kept saying things like…How could Dave know him? Why would he stick his oar in? It’s got nothing to do with him. Anyhow, Sarah told her you were very definitely taking an interest on Mr Harper’s behalf. Then she got hysterical, almost screaming that it was her life and she was going to live it her way.”
“That fits, too,” Peter said, satisfied he was supporting a just case. “Dave said he always had to give in to her for the sake of peace, but he couldn’t bear having his son taken from him.”
“I think she’ll fight it right down to the wire,” Erin warned, “I think she’s too used to getting her own way not to.”