The soft lines of his face hardened, and he glared at her. “That subject is off-limits. If you want to keep doing this interview, I suggest you stick to our agreement.”
She met his chilling stare straight on. It had been too soon to talk about Chloe, and she would have to rethink her strategy. Alice had two weeks of daily contact with him left, enough time to develop a friendship. Although once he found out the real reason she was in Seattle, he’d accuse her of using him, and he’d be right. She had to make sure she did everything in her power to help Chloe get the chance she deserved.
This was bigger than him and it had always been bigger than her.
Chapter Nine
Niko woke out of a dead sleep, snatched the buzzing phone off the nightstand, and checked its face. He slumped back on the mattress, exhaling. It was a text from Alice, brief and to the point.
I accept your terms for the rental. Ronan will be on site this morning to do some preliminary measurements. Please make sure someone gives him access to the space. I’ve sent the signed contract via email.
Niko put his forearm over his eyes and allowed his head to relax into his pillow. Every time his phone rang, he expected bad news. Not today. He felt like a kid at Christmas, and Alice was a sexy Santa making his wishes come true. The one thing that would top this moment would be Alice delivering the signed contract in person, wearing skimpy, Santa-themed red lingerie.
Like that’ll ever happen.
The phone chimed again, and the familiar tension rose when he saw Hallie’s name. He skimmed the text before he rolled off the bed, grabbed his pants and T-shirt from the chair next to his bed, and dressed. “Come in,” he called out.
Hallie entered, her cheeks flushed. “Looks like you were up all night making the rum balls. I’m sorry to wake you so early.”
He stifled a yawn. “No problem, I need to get up.” Niko ran a hand through his hair, and settled his palm against the stubble on his neck as he traveled to the bathroom. “How’s Chloe today?”
“Good, she’s helping out at the front desk. Ronan’s in the ballroom doing some measuring. Care to explain why?” Inquisitive eyes met his, shining with an inner light of happiness that he hadn’t seen for some time.
“Alice needed a place to film because the venue she had was a dump. Her loss is our gain.” Niko put toothpaste on his toothbrush and met her reflection in the mirror. What had caused her change in mood? Since Chloe’s diagnosis, Hallie had tried to put on a positive air, but she’d been a mere shell of her former self. Yet this morning, she appeared almost normal.
Hallie crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “This is all a bit surreal, isn’t it? I mean what are the chances that I fill out the application to the Epicurean Network, and a month later, they’re here, filming a special around my submission?”
“Slim to none, except that Grace Chen is hosting the show, which means she’s either friends with Alice or a business acquaintance.” Niko rinsed out his mouth and splashed water on his face. It was the second time in months that Grace had done him a favor. Or had she merely been using Chloe for ratings—and ultimately for money, like Alice was doing? He pressed his lips together, breathing through the frustration of an endless loop of uncertainty. He shut off the faucet and raked a brush through his hair.
“Grace used to host 3Square during the first season. Chloe recognized her when she did the interview with you. It was Grace who suggested that I fill out the application in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, after everything that’s happened, I’m grateful, it’s just…” Hallie straightened and the dark mask fell back into place. “Are we doing the right thing?”
Niko encircled her in his arms, wishing he could lift the burden off her shoulders. As her brother, he wanted to protect her from the pain of life. Except he was as helpless as she was, and it proved difficult to offer reassurance when there was none.
“I have no idea. It feels like all of us are exploiting Chloe, each for our own selfish reasons,” Niko said, fighting to keep his voice strong.
“Your reasons aren’t selfish, Niko.” Hallie pulled back and rose on her toes to kiss his cheek before she stepped out of his embrace. “I have to say, Chloe’s spirits have picked up in the past few days. She’s taken a shine to Alice, although I’m not sure why. Don’t get me wrong, she’s nice enough, but she’s also intimidating.”
“Yep, she is pretty opinionated and pushy.” And pretty as hell. Not that he should be looking. He was a contestant on a show, and had no business even thinking about her in any way save a professional one. He was also a guy who hadn’t been laid in a while—
“Alice has been a godsend. There is something I need to tell you but I wanted to wait until I could do it in person. Apparently, one of the birth parents filled out a consent form to allow for the release of their medical history.”
Niko closed his eyes and threw back his head, relief mingling with foreboding. The news gave them hope but it also came with risks. What if her birth mother demanded parental rights? Hallie had already lost Jon and it was unconscionable to think she might lose Chloe to either cancer or to her biological parents. Not that they could take Chloe, but they could push themselves into her life. For all intents and purposes, the adoption records were sealed. They might have opened a Pandora’s Box but Chloe’s life hung in the balance and they had little choice in the matter. “So what’s next?”
“An intermediary from the state will work with the birth parent to get Dr. Wong the information she needs.” She fiddled with the tip of her thumbnail. “What if this has all been a waste of time? What if they do a blood test and they’re not a match?”
He settled his hands on his hips, unable to fathom that outcome. Hallie was simply voicing what he feared himself but he couldn’t let her go down that path. “We can’t think that way. There’s still the donor program. We just need one person with similar genetic markers. Just one.” A needle in a haystack.
“Of course, Chloe doesn’t know about the state contacting me. Nobody knows; not Mom or Dad, just you and me. I thought it would be for the best if we kept that part under wraps. Do you think it’s fair to keep this information from Chloe? This is her life we’re talking about and if she wants to meet her birth parents, I don’t want to stop it from happening.”
“Exactly.This is her life. We’re her family.” Niko kept his true feelings back. They’d had this discussion multiple times. If Chloe’s birth parents come into the picture, would they tell her, or wait until she was older? Chloe knew about the adoption from the time she was old enough to understand. It wasn’t his decision to make. “She’s your daughter and it’s up to you.”
“Yes, she’s my daughter. My child. My only child.” Her words broke on a sob and she wiped at the corner of her eye. Hallie had known from puberty that she’d be unable to conceive due to a genetic abnormality, but it hadn’t stopped Jon. They’d started the adoption proceedings soon after their marriage.
Niko slipped on a pair of shoes and tied the laces. They were one step closer to success in a long, drawn out process that was sucking the life out of him. His temples began to throb, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. What he wouldn’t give to climb back in bed and sleep for another hour. Hurry up and wait seemed to be all he did of late. He ran a million miles a minute, yet the help he needed for Chloe moved at a slow crawl. Standing, he shook out his hands. “At least we’re better off than where we were. We can’t count our proverbial chickens. I still have to win the contest. I’d better get down to Ronan in case he needs anything.”
“I’ll handle Ronan. I mean, I’ll make sure he gets what he needs. Um, I mean, shit, why do I do this to myself?” Hallie kept her eyes down, toe scraping across the dark wooden floorboards. Her change in demeanor spoke volumes. She’d been like this as a kid, hesitant to speak up when it was about her personally. He shifted on his feet, waiting for her to continue.
She lifted her chin and hissed out a breath. “What do you think of him? Ronan. What do you think of Ronan?”
