"And so you stopped coming."
"I gave TJ his childhood back."
Her gaze locked with his, fierce and defiant, and as much as he hated what she was saying, he respected her position. "You should have told me that," he said. "At least I would have known what was happening and why."
Her shoulders hunched against another gust of icy wind. "I asked your brothers to explain."
He glanced up at the darkening sky. There were no clouds, and no snow in the forecast. "My brothers know better than to get involved when it comes to you and me." He thrust his jacket at her again. "Please put it on."
"I have to go inside. Lawrence is waiting."
"And TJ? TJ is still my son?"
"Of course he's your son."
"And you'll let him come see me on weekends … stay with me on the ranch?"
"Well, eventually, maybe-I mean-he's just five, Trey."
"I know. I've missed out on four of his five years. I don't want to miss anymore-" he broke off as the church doors crashed open and TJ bolted outside.
"Mom! Momma!" he cried, racing towards McKenna with Lawrence hot on his heels.
"Stop, TJ," Lawrence said sharply, racing after the boy. "Stop! TJ, listen to me."
But TJ wasn't listening and he didn't stop until he'd flung himself against McKenna, his arms wrapping tight around her waist. "I wanted to see Dad," he said, pressing his face to her tummy. "But Lawrence wouldn't let me."
"Come back inside with me, TJ," Lawrence said, putting his hands on TJ's shoulders. "It's cold out here and your mother needs to talk."
TJ shrugged a shoulder, shaking the hand off. "She's talking to my daddy."
Lawrence's jaw tightened in exasperation. "Come inside, son."
TJ squirmed away, glancing shyly at Trey. "I want my daddy. My real daddy. Him."
Chapter Four
‡
TJ's innocent words made McKenna go hot then cold. Lawrence must be beside himself. She was beside herself. Nothing was going today as she'd expected.
"I'm sorry," she said to Lawrence.
He just shook his head, uncomfortable, and probably offended.
She swallowed hard, confused and conflicted. She should reprimand TJ for being rude to Lawrence, but how could she get angry with TJ when he was staring up at Trey in shock and awe?
"Give us a minute, hon," she said softly to Lawrence, reaching out to take his hand. She gave his cold fingers a squeeze, hoping he wouldn't feel rejected. "Let TJ have a minute with his dad."
But Lawrence wasn't in a mood to be placated. He was annoyed, embarrassed, and yes, deeply offended. "His dad?" he echoed, angry and surprised. "Since when has Trey Sheenan acted like a dad? Since when-"
"Lawrence," she choked on his name, cutting him short, squeezing his hand again, expression pleading. She couldn't do this now, couldn't fight with Lawrence, not on their wedding day. But she also had to be sensitive to TJ's feelings, and for that matter, she wouldn't shame Trey in front of his son. "I know this is hard, but let me handle this. It won't take long. I promise."
Lawrence pulled his hand from hers. "Everybody is wondering what's going on out here. Everyone is worried about you, McKenna."
"They don't need to be worried. Everything's fine," she answered.
"If everything was fine, you'd be in the church, McKenna, not out here with your-" Lawrence shot Trey a caustic glance, "ex."
The doors of the church swung open again. "You okay, honey?" Aunt Karen called to her.
McKenna looked up and Aunt Karen, Rory, Quinn, Paige, and Troy Sheenan had all crowded into the doorway. Paige looked anxious, Aunt Karen indignant, Troy troubled, and her brothers ticked off.
"I'm fine," she answered, checking her irritation. "We're almost through here and I just need everyone to go back inside and let me finish speaking with Trey-"
"And leave you alone with that convict?" Aunt Karen demanded. "I don't think so!"
Trey shot McKenna's aunt an incredulous look. "You think I'd hurt my girl?"
Lawrence stiffened. "She's not your girl anymore, Mr. Sheenan. She's my wife-"
"Not yet your wife," Trey corrected, "still just a bride."
"If you'd let us finish the ceremony, she'd be my wife."
Trey's dark head dipped, conceding the point. "True."
Aunt Karen wagged her finger at Trey. "Why aren't you in jail?"
"Got out early," Trey answered, smiling faintly. "Good behavior."
"Hah!" Karen snorted. "Don't believe that for a second. You probably broke out. They're probably looking for you now."
His lips curved higher. "With guns and dogs."
"I knew it!"
"It's good to see you, too, Karen."
"Ha!"
Lawrence shifted his weight, arms folding across his chest. "Karen's right. What do you want?"
Trey's smile faded. "Nothing from you."
"Then perhaps you'd be kind enough to go? As you might have noticed, we're getting married today, and it's a day we've looked forward to for a very long time."
"I respect that, sir, I do," Trey answered. "And it looks like a lovely wedding. The candlelit church is a very nice touch. But I've waited two years to see my boy, and I'd like just a few minutes with his mother to sort out our son's future."
"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but nobody's going to be able to sort out TJ's future today." Lawrence managed an apologetic shrug. "And certainly not now, in this courtyard, when we have guests waiting inside."
"I hate to inconvenience your guests," Trey retorted. "But if I could just speak to McKenna without the aunts and brothers and onlookers, we could be done in just a few minutes."
Lawrence turned red. "And what's so important that it has to interrupt my wedding? This is my wedding, sir. I think you forget yourself."
Trey didn't move, but McKenna felt him tense, energy shifting, muscles coiling. "This isn't about me, Larry, this is about my son, and I'm sorry you've got to cool your heels, wait five minutes for my girl to become your wife, but I need to know he's going to be okay-"
"Okay? TJ has it made. He's going to have the best of everything with me-"
"But he won't have me," Trey shot back.
Lawrence looked smug. "Exactly."
"No more," McKenna choked, stepping between them, arms extended, a referee in the ring. "I can't do this. I won't do this. Not today." She looked at Lawrence, tears in her eyes. "Don't provoke him," she whispered. "Please don't make this worse than it is." Then she looked to Trey. "And you, stop throwing your weight around. You've been gone four years. You don't get to waltz in and demand your parental rights. If those rights were so important to you, you wouldn't have thrown us away in the first place!"
Both men stared at her, expressions grim.
"You are not dogs," she added, "and TJ is not a bone. Respect me, if you can't respect each other!"
Lawrence stepped close to mutter, "It's only difficult because you're letting him be difficult, McKenna."
She lifted a brow. "He's TJ's dad."
"Only in name. You and I both know he's never tried to act like a father-"
"I'm not going to argue about this now. And I refuse to embarrass TJ, or Trey. This isn't the time."
"But you'll embarrass me?"
"No!" She winced at the gust of frigid air, goose bumps peppering her arms. "I thought you of all people would understand how important this moment is for TJ, and how important it is that we protect his feelings-"
"He should know the truth about his dad. He should know Sheenan is no good, and has a criminal record a mile long-"
"That's not true. The only time he's ever been in trouble was for fighting," she protested through chattering teeth. She was cold all the way through. "Now, I'm freezing, and I'm sure you're freezing and we both would love to be inside and getting married. So let me send Trey on his way, and you go tell our guests that I'm coming, and we'll still have our wedding day, okay?"
Seconds ticked by. Lawrence ground his teeth together, then shook his head. "I don't like this."
"I know. I don't either. But he'll be gone soon and everything will be fine. I promise."
Lawrence stalked off, and ushered the gawkers in the doorway back inside.
McKenna waited for the tall wooden doors to close before turning to Trey, who'd wrapped TJ in his suit jacket.