“I’m glad to see you all back safe and sound. The weatherman says it’s best to stay indoors tonight as they’re expecting a storm.” He helped Maisie off with her coat and leggings before adding, “I ordered us dinner to be brought here, and it arrived a little while ago. Hope you all like pizza. I’ve kept it warm for later, and it smells delicious.”
Both children seemed happy with his choice but rather than yelling their excitement, they just grinned. Charlie’s smile was huge as he admitted, “We’ve never had pizza, but it smells good. My friends tell me it’s their favorite dinner.”
Something in Colin’s expression caught Jaqueline’s attention. She picked up on his distress immediately but sensed he didn’t want to upset the children. So she went along with his acting, telling him they’d had a wonderful day. “We have a lot to show you too.”
Both kids played along, their excitement real and heartwarming, covering up her own building anxiety.
Inside her brain… bells clanged. Something was terribly wrong.
Chapter Nine
Finally, settling the kids down for night, which meant staying in the room reading to Charlie and Maisie until they fell asleep, Jaqueline became free to return to where Colin waited.
After she listened to his explanation of the lawyer’s visit, her heart dropped. “You can’t get a court date sooner?”
“I doubt it. Most of the places are shut down for the holidays. He’s trying to get an agreement for us to take care of the kids here in their home, and he figures because it’s such a crazy busy time of year, we might luck out. That’s after a social worker comes to inspect the situation tomorrow morning.
“But as far as being allowed to take them to British Columbia, he says it’s a long shot. And only if I were to become more than a foster parent. I’d need to be their legal guardian.”
“Are you willing to go that far?”
“Of course. That’s been my idea all along. In fact, I’m planning on adoption once it’s possible.”
Jaqueline paused, letting her brain absorb his ultimate goal. “I’m going to play devil’s advocate so bear with me. Number one, you’re a young, so-so looking, unmarried man who wants to adopt a ready-made family when you could have your own. How would a potential wife handle that?” She’d seen Colin’s grin at her assessment of his charms but ignored the raised eyebrow and heated glance.
He cleared his throat and said, “Same way she’d have to if I’d been married to Gisele and lost her.”
“Okay. True. But you weren’t and the kids aren’t your actual responsibility. Are you sure you want to step in? We’re talking the rest of your life, right? They become your dependents from the time you sign that paper until you’ve kicked the bucket and upstairs with Gisele and the other angels. You get that?”
Colin laughed at her way of reasoning. “Of course I do. Look, I’ve always wanted a large family and wasted far too many years with a woman stringing me along with no intentions of ever having one baby never mind having more than one. Now… at the age I expected to be a father, I’m a bachelor with a very real distrust of your gender, but a growing affection for those two wonderful children who could bring a lot of joy to my world.”
“And a lot of work. Mind-blowing, life-altering, patience-exhausting work.”
“Hey, don’t forget the joy.”
“Sure. But along with the joy add in a lot of headaches, heartaches, and soreness in one’s butt.”
Totally laughing now, Colin shook his head at her words, encouraging her to add her reasoning.
When she saw his questioning expression, she admitted, “Just so you know, I’ve heard often enough what a pain in the ass I was for my mother, and trust me… according to my Gigi, I was a good kid.”
“And how does your Gigi feel about you now?”
“Oh, we’re the best of friends. She might be older than me, but I love spending time with her. She’s funny and cool and always knows the right thing to say.”
“Can you imagine a world without her?”
Jaqueline hesitated, her mind repudiating his question as one she wouldn’t or couldn’t even imagine. “I’d have been a very different, unhappy girl without her generous, loving, bright light in my life.”
“See… I want to be that same light for those two orphans. I can’t bear to think of what might happen to them if I don’t step up. Besides, I promised their mother that I’d take care of things.”
“Fine. No more arguments from me then. I guess I just needed reassurance that you were the kind of man who would carry through, not change your mind a few years down the road when things got tough.”
“Trust me, I’m a stubborn bastard when it comes to the people and things I care about. Plus, I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life and like any other person awaiting parenthood, I’m only willing to see the bright side of the future.”
“Then like I said before, I’m with you all the way. Anything I can help with, I will.” Suddenly, Jaqueline shook herself and looked toward the window. “Oh-oh. Listen to that storm. How will I get to my hotel tonight? The wind’s howling like a banshee outside.”
“While you had the kids out this afternoon, I zipped down to my hotel and got my suitcase, so I’d be prepared to stay with them. There was nothing here I could use, but you’d probably fit into Gisele’s nightgown and slippers. I do have an extra head for my electric toothbrush you’re welcome to use.”
