Texas Tycoon's Christmas Fiancée Read Free Page B

charge. His tone of voice carried a note of steel, indicating she could be in for a bitter, ugly fight with a powerful man.“I love Michael and when I’m not with him, my aunt, or her closest friend, keeps him. My flexible schedule allows me to spend a lot of hours with Michael. Did your parents spend hours with you?”
    â€œTouché,” Nick said with a trace of amusement. “No, they did not.”
    â€œI’ve read about you and your father in the society pages of the paper and local magazines. Your father has had several marriages and many women in his life. It was the same for your brother when he was alive. Who did you spend the most time with—nannies?”
    â€œNannies, the chauffeur, boarding school,” Nick replied, confirming her guess. She wondered about his life and could see how his relationships might be shallow and brief. Some people would envy Nick’s childhood, but she thought it was inadequate. She didn’t want Michael to grow up in any such manner.
    â€œFace the facts, you’re limited in the life you can provide for Michael,” Nick stated. “You should give some thought to what you’re turning down here. My dad wants me to set up a meeting where he can talk to you about Michael. Just talk. You should be willing to do that, because there is nothing threatening in meeting. Far from it,” Nick added, self-assurance lacing his tone. He remained at ease, as if assured of the outcome of this conversation.
    She bristled. “Your brother wanted nothing to do with his baby. Where was your father at that time?”
    â€œI’ve told you, my father is a changed man.”
    â€œThis transformation is a little late and it’s difficult for me to believe he’s actually changed. Michael’s mother, Alicia Vaughan, was my best friend my entire life. Before she died, she told me about Bart. When she was pregnant, your brother was blunt and coldhearted with Alicia. The last time Alicia saw him, he called her foul names while insisting he wantednothing to do with ‘her brat.’ He sent her on her way in tears in a rainstorm. That night was when she had the wreck that eventually ended her life. She almost lost Michael because of the wreck. After what occurred, I can’t see any reason to take Michael to your father.”
    Nick leaned forward, placing his arms on his knees, his navy suit jacket falling open. A gold cuff link glinted in the light. He was close, distracting her with fleeting thoughts about how handsome he was. She found it difficult to get her breath, impossible to resist looking again at his mouth. What was the man like when he was not on a mission? She had seen glimpses of that last night.
    â€œMy father has aged a lot in the past year. He’s in failing health—I think he’s hanging on for Christmas and he wants to see his grandson. Can’t you at least meet with him? What harm could there be in that? You need to think about this, because you might be a lot better off and the baby certainly would. My father is enormously wealthy. Don’t cut Michael off from a better life.”
    The words were persuasive, as well as the man. She felt a flutter of sympathy that vanished when she remembered Alicia sobbing in the hospital bed, hooked to tubes, hanging on to life. At the same time Michael, who was delivered a month early because of the car wreck, had been in neonatal intensive care. All caused in part because of how cold and harsh Bart Rafford had been to her friend.
    â€œMichael was orphaned because of your brother. Alicia begged him to recognize his son. He could have said no without being hurtful about it. I see no point in taking Michael to visit your father. He’s had his chance to have the baby in his life. He could have come forward when Alicia was pregnant or right after that last time she saw Bart.”
    Grace stood and Nick came to his feet immediately. She was aware of his height and