Barbara Dunlop - Christmas Secrets

“Go away.”

“Not a chance. Smile.”

Zachary zeroed in on Cole.

“Gak baw,” he called, lurching toward Cole.

Cole reflexively reached for him. His arm brushed her breast, and the contact sent a surge of energy through his body.

He ordered himself to calm the heck down. “You heard the decision on the will?”

Amber put a brittle smile in place, but her tone was flat. “Congratulations.”

“We have to talk.”

“I don’t have time. I promised Zachary we’d decorate some gingerbread.” She reached for the baby, but he turned his head, clinging tighter to Cole.

“It’ll be easier if I come with you,” said Cole.

“No, it won’t.”

“I’m on your side.”

She scoffed out a laugh. “Is that a joke?” Then she held out her arms to Zachary. “Come on, pumpkin.”

The baby stayed firmly latched to Cole.

Cole couldn’t help feeling sympathetic. “As much as I hate to think about it, I must look like Samuel. Or maybe I sound like him, or smell like him.”

“Zachary loves me, too, you know.”

“Of course he does.”

“He’s known me since birth.”

“It’s a case of mistaken identity,” said Cole. “Somewhere in his subconscious, he sees me as family.”

“You are family.”

Cole was growing more and more conscious of the interest in their conversation. Nobody had dared come within hearing distance, but there was a lot of pointing and whispering going on amongst the staff.

“Let’s go decorate some gingerbread.”

“Why can’t you just leave?”

“If I give him back, he’s going to make a scene.”

“Was that your plan? I mean today’s plan—use Zachary against me?”

“There was no plan.”

“Do I strike you as stupid?”

“Amber, please. Gingerbread. Let’s just do the gingerbread.”

There must have been a note of desperation in his tone that got her attention because she glanced around, seeming to become aware of the onlookers.

“Right,” she agreed. “Let’s go.”

They moved casually to the rear corner of the hangar. People eyed them speculatively as they did so, but held back. Luca disappeared, obviously understanding that Cole needed to speak with Amber alone.

“Mr. Henderson, Ms. Welsley, Merry Christmas!” called a middle-aged woman as they passed.

“Merry Christmas,” Cole automatically returned.

“Notice you got top billing,” Amber muttered.

“I’m carrying the little rich kid.”

“You are the little rich kid.”

The greeting seemed to break the ice, and they were bombarded with well-wishers all along their route.

Amber was right. While the employees were completely polite and respectful to her, Cole was getting the lion’s share of the attention.

Finally, they came to the cookie-decorating station. The attendants quickly cleared a stand-up table for them, spreading out a new paper cover and bringing an assortment of gingerbread, sugar-cookie shapes, icing and colorful candies.

“Go for it,” said Cole. “Pretend you’re completely absorbed in the cookies, and maybe people will stay away.”

She stared at the tabletop without moving.

“The tree,” Cole prompted. “Decorate the tree with the green icing.”

Amber picked up a plastic knife.

He focused on keeping his expression agreeable as he spoke. “I’m going to need your support.”

She gave another strained smile as she iced the sugar cookie tree. “Like that’s going to happen.”

“I didn’t know about the will.”

“Yes, you did.”

“How would I know? Tell me how I would know.”

“There were ten people in the first reading. Obviously someone leaked the details to you.”

“None of them knew I existed.”

“So you say.”

His voice rose. “I don’t just say. It’s true.”

“The red candies?” she asked him sweetly. “Or the blue and white?”

He took a calming breath. “The red.”

“I like the blue and white.”

“Seriously? You want to argue about candies?”

“I don’t want to argue about anything. I want you to go away. Preferably far away. I hear Alaska’s nice this time of year.”

Cole shifted Zachary in his arms. Happily, the baby was fascinated by the lights, the sounds and the people moving around.

“If you’ll listen to what I have to say, you’ll understand why you need to help me.”

“No, Cole. If I believed what you had to say, I might be inclined to help you. But that’s never going to happen. I’m never going to trust you again.”

“I want what’s best for Zachary.”

“You want what’s best for Cole. And congratulations, you’re halfway there.”

Cole regrouped. “Roth can still take control of the company.”

She dropped a handful of blue and white candies on the freshly iced tree and pressed them firmly down with her palm.

For a moment, he thought she’d crush the cookie.

“I can see you’ve done the math on the share ownership,” she said.

“Do you have any influence with the minor shareholders?”

She flashed another phony smile. “None whatsoever. I’m the lowly assistant director of finance and the stepsister of a flaky trophy wife. Why would anyone listen to me?”

“We can still help each other.”

“Have a cookie, Cole. It’s all you’re ever going to get from me.”

She suddenly scooped Zachary out of his arms.

It took the baby a second to realize what had happened. Then he immediately opened his mouth and let out a cry.

If not for the staff members surrounding them, Cole would have gone after her. Instead, he watched her march away and disappear into the crowd.

Zachary’s cries were soon swallowed by the cheery carols and happy shouts of the other children.

Luca appeared beside him. “Didn’t look like that went too well.”

“She has got to be the most stubborn woman on the planet.” Cole’s gaze fell to the slightly mangled cookie. He picked it up and took a bite.

“Fighting with Amber makes you hungry?”

“It makes me something, that’s for sure.”

He crunched down on the sweetness. Fighting made him want to grab her and squeeze her tight, kiss her hard and press their bodies together. It didn’t matter what insanity swirled around them, he couldn’t forget the night they’d made love, and he couldn’t quell the overriding urge to do it all over again.

Amber wasn’t going to crack.

It was nearly ten o’clock at night. Zachary had barely napped during the afternoon. He’d fussed through dinner and pouted through his bath. She’d even given him an extra bottle, going through their entire bedtime routine a second time in the hope he’d catch on.

Now he was in his crib, kicking his feet and sobbing. His covers were on the floor. His head was sweaty, and his hands were wrapped tightly around the painted bars.

Her phone rang over the noise, and for a crazy second she hoped it was Cole. If he called her and asked to come over, it wasn’t the same as giving in, was it?

Unfortunately, the number was Destiny’s.

She moved into the hallway, and Zachary’s cries increased behind her.

“Hi,” she said into the phone.

“How’re you doing?”

“Not great.”

“Is that Zachary?”

Amber leaned against the wall of the hallway, sliding down to sit on the plush carpet. “He doesn’t want to settle.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault. Not even his fault. Honestly, I feel like sobbing right along with him.”

“Luca said you saw Cole today?”