A Place Called Home Read Free Page B

he ventured, feeling his way in the dark.
    “I don’t see why not. If Ms. Wyndham hadn’t been incommunicado this last month, she would know by now.”
    Avery broke in. “What is he talking about, Wayne? Someone just say it.”
    “I’m engaged myself,” Mitch said. He gave Wayne full marks for the poker face he maintained. It would be difficult facing him in five-card stud again. Mitch had no idea how very good he could be. “To Regina Sommers.”
    “Congratulations.”
    “Sommers Real Estate?”
    Thea and her attorney spoke simultaneously. There was no mistaking her sincerity or his curiosity.
    Mitch nodded, accepting Thea’s best wishes and answering Avery’s question. Under the table, Wayne had found his foot again and was grinding it with the heel of his shoe. “Yes, well, perhaps I should let Wayne conclude this.”
    Wayne took the opening given to him but he did not remove his foot. “You’ll understand that our proposals were based on the fact that Mr. Baker is also marrying and has raised concerns about whether he can take full custody of the children at this time. It would unduly strain the marriage.”
    Mitch felt the full impact of Thea’s darkening eyes on him. She was searching his face, her own a shade paler than it had been moments earlier. The color left in her cheeks owed everything to Clinique. “You don’t want the children?”
    It was Wayne who responded. “Mr. Baker is quite willing to share custody. If you will review the proposals, you’ll see that they call for him to be a partner in raising Emilie, Case, and Grant.”
    Avery was scanning the documents. “An unequal partner. He wants to be the part-time custodian. Second and fourth weekends. Every other Wednesday. Here’s a proposal that gives you each two weeks with the children.”
    Thea’s eyes widened. “Mitch? You’re not serious about that one, are you? We don’t even live in the same school district. Their education would be completely disrupted.”
    Mitch said nothing, finally willing to let Wayne speak for him. Easy to let the lawyer take over when what you felt like yourself was way down on the food chain.
    “It’s merely one idea, Ms. Wyndham,” Wayne said. “The matter of school attendance does present some thorny problems.”
    “Thorny problems?” Thea said, squaring off her shoulders. “It’s lunacy. Gabe and Kathy would never agree to something like that.”
    It pained Wayne, but he took the hard line. “Gabe and Kathy don’t have to agree to it. They put it in your hands. Yours and Mitch’s. I don’t think it ever occurred to them that you would not want the children.”
    Thea actually shrank back in her chair and Wayne almost felt sorry for her.
    “Let’s not throw stones, shall we?” Avery said. He looked pointedly at Mitch. “People in glass houses, after all. Your client is not clamoring to take on the responsibilities of surrogate parenthood himself.”
    Wayne opened his mouth to respond but Mitch cut him off. “Leave us,” he said without inflection. “You too, Mr. Childers. I want to talk to Ms. Wyndham alone.”
    “I don’t think that’s—” Avery stopped when he saw Wayne getting to his feet. He looked at his client. “This isn’t a good idea, Ms. Wyndham. Mr. Strahern wouldn’t like—” He didn’t finish this time because he saw Thea’s resolve had been strengthened by the mention of her fiancé. Too late, Avery realized he had blundered by assuming she was in some way subservient to Joel Strahern. “Very well,” he said with an obvious show of reluctance. “But I insist that you do not come to any agreements without reviewing them with me.”
    Thea offered no comment and Avery had to be satisfied with her silence, choosing to accept it as consent. He stood, gathering the papers in front of him, and followed Wayne out of the room.
    “He hated that,” Mitch said after the door closed.
    “Wayne is not entirely happy with you right now.”
    Mitch shrugged. “He’ll