If he received this kind of reaction every time, he might consider getting upset with her more often….

“I’ll discuss the situation with Mr. Harris next week,” she told him. “I’ll get his opinion and make my decision then. Okay?”

“I’d appreciate it if you’d talk to me before you decide. Will you do that?”

She agreed with a quick nod. “I think that’s fair.”

“I’d like to adopt Noelle,” he said. “When…when it’s appropriate, I mean,” he stammered.

Mary Jo smiled. “She does love you, you know.”

As if on cue, Noelle squirmed in her mother’s hold, thrusting both arms toward Mack.

He took the baby and Noelle pressed her head against his shoulder. He experienced the profound sense of making a promise to this woman, this child. “And I love her,” he murmured. “My little girl.”

Twenty-One

Linc Wyse parked his battered pickup truck outside their Cedar Cove apartment building. After the confrontation with Leonard, he’d wanted to move—but finances made that impossible for the moment. He found that it grated on him to feel beholden to a man who had no respect for him—or for his own daughter. Linc hoped that eventually their relationship with Leonard would improve, but he couldn’t guess when or how that would happen.

Despite everything, he had no regrets about his marriage. Absolutely none. He’d never been happier in his personal life. His business life, however, was another matter. After his move to Cedar Cove, he’d hit one roadblock after another in getting his auto body shop up and running. He’d purchased the building and made the necessary renovations, spending a significant part of his savings. While the work was in progress, he’d applied for a business license, which shouldn’t have been a problem. But his application had been delayed twice. It wasn’t hard to figure out that Bellamy was somehow behind this. Linc wasn’t sure how his father-in-law had done it, but Leonard clearly had friends in high places.

In the end Linc had been forced to hire an attorney and he’d eventually received his license. At any other time, the frustration would’ve infuriated him. Yet when he arrived home at the end of each day and saw Lori, every negative emotion he’d experienced drained away. All she had to do was smile and Linc’s troubles seemed to disappear. He’d never told her about his legal problems and his suspicions about her father’s role in them. No need to upset her further, so he’d dealt with it all quietly.

He anticipated one of Lori’s smiles when he walked in the door. Instead, she rushed across the room and wrapped her arms around him, hugging tightly.

“To what do I owe this reception?” he asked.

Generally they were kissing by now or talking non-stop about their day. He usually helped with dinner, not that he was much good in the kitchen. To him it was an excuse to spend time with Lori; each minute with her was precious and to be treasured.

“My mother phoned,” she said.

“And that’s bad?” Lori nodded.

“What did she want?”

“She invited us to dinner on Saturday night.”

Now Linc was completely perplexed. The relationship between Lori and her family was strained, and an invitation from her mother should please her; instead she was distressed.

“Will your father be there?”

“Of course!” she cried.

That explained some of her anguish. Linc patted her back soothingly, although he didn’t understand why a dinner invitation had unsettled her so much.

“What did you tell your mother?” he asked. If he came up with the right questions, he might discover what was so terrible about this invitation. Didn’t it mean Lori’s parents, or at least her mother, were trying to build a bridge? Maybe this was a hopeful sign, the possible beginning of a reconciliation.

“I said no.”

“Flat-out no…?”

She nodded, her hold around him tightening.

“You didn’t think to ask me first?”

Tilting her head back, she looked up at him with wide brown eyes. “No.”

“Because?” He felt offended that she hadn’t even sought his response to this unexpected olive branch.

“Because I know why Mom invited us.”

“And that is?”

Lori looked down and didn’t answer.

Tucking his finger under her chin, he raised her head. “Lori?”

“My parents want to embarrass you.”

He arched his brows. That wasn’t a motive he’d considered. “And they would do that how?” he asked.

“I showed you a picture of my parents’ home, remember?”

“I do and it’s beautiful.”

“It has a guesthouse and an Olympic-size pool and acres of landscaping.”

“Ten acres, you said?”

“On the water.”

Ten acres of waterfront property had to be worth more money than Linc could hope to earn in his lifetime. He remembered that Lori had mentioned a live-in housekeeper and cook, as well as groundskeepers.

“My father is wealthy and influential.”

“As he let me know,” Linc muttered. And well-connected, too. Still, Leonard Bellamy could erect all the roadblocks he wanted, but he couldn’t stop Linc from setting up business, no matter how many friends he had.

“Mom will make sure dinner has three forks, two knives and four spoons just to confuse you.”

He laughed. “After Mary Jo moved out, my brothers and I didn’t have that much silverware between us.”

“This isn’t a laughing matter,” Lori said. “I won’t give my family an opportunity to embarrass my husband, and that’s what they’re hoping to do.”

Linc wasn’t the least bit intimidated. “I might have grease under my fingernails, Lori, but I’m not a country bumpkin. I’ll hold my own. There’s no need to protect me.”

“Yes, there is,” she insisted.

He kissed her forehead. “No,” he said. “It’s okay. Really.”

“You don’t have any idea how uncomfortable Dad will make you. He’ll try to trap you. He’ll act all friendly and then start asking for your opinion on stocks.”

“I’ll answer him truthfully. Other than my 401(k), I don’t follow the market.”

“That’s exactly what he’ll want you to say and then he’ll make fun of you. Only he’ll do it in this supposedly witty way that’s demeaning and belittling. I won’t have it, Linc. I refuse to stand for it.”

Leaning down, Linc kissed the tip of her nose. “Phone your mother back and tell her you’ve changed your mind. We’ll be happy to join them for dinner.”

She stared up at him with shocked disbelief. “No!”

“Lori, sweetheart, you could be misreading the situation.”

“I’m not,” she said. “I know my parents—especially my father. He thinks I’ve made a terrible mistake marrying you and he’s dying to prove what an idiot I am.”

“You’re not an idiot, Lori.” The fact that Leonard thought this infuriated him. “And neither am I. In fact, your father’s going to see that, and soon.”

“Clearly you haven’t spent much time with him.”

Their single encounter had been unpleasant enough; still, Linc was willing to give it a second try. When the time came, Lori’s parents would be his children’s grandparents—their only grandparents. Linc knew the importance of family and longed to build a solid relationship with the Bellamys. He realized it might take months, even years, but he hoped that if Lori’s parents had the chance to know him, they’d see how much he loved her. He’d wait them out if he had to and he’d endure Leonard’s interference and wouldn’t let it defeat him.

“This is an opportunity we shouldn’t turn down,” he said.

Lori held her ground. “We aren’t going.”

“Friday night, was it?” he asked.

Lori sighed and shook her head. “Saturday night, but it doesn’t make any difference—we won’t be there.”

“Lori, we should go. I want to.”

“Linc…you wonderful man. You don’t have a clue.”

Oh, but he did. “Call your mother back, Lori. Please. It’s time I met her.”

A frown puckered her brow. “I can’t do it. I’m sorry, Linc, but I just can’t.” She broke free of his embrace and hurried into the kitchen.

Linc waited a couple of minutes, then followed her. “Are we having our first fight?” he asked.

Lori, who had her back to him, turned and then smiled. “You know, I think we are.”

A smile broke out across his face.

“What are you so happy about?”

“Well,” he drawled, “I’ve heard that make-up sex is the best there is.”

“Lincoln Wyse, I can’t believe you just said that!”

“Wanna find out?”

He could see Lori struggling not to smile. “We haven’t resolved this yet.”

“Can’t we do that later?”

“Linc, you’re impossible.”

“Can’t help it.” He motioned toward the bedroom. “Dinner can wait, too, can’t it?” Lori giggled.

Linc scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Together they fell onto the bed.

A half hour later, sated and content, Linc lay gazing up at the underside of the pink canopy.

“Well,” Lori murmured, stretching luxuriously, like a cat in a patch of sunshine. “You were right about the making-up part.”

“Maybe that means we should argue more often.” Rolling onto his side he leaned over her and kissed her. “Call your mother, sweetheart, okay? I promise not to embarrass you.”

“Oh, Linc, I’m not worried that you’d embarrass me. I just don’t want them making you feel uncomfortable. I love you for who you are, not the amount of money you make or anything else.”

“Good.” He kissed her again, his lips lingering on hers.

Late Saturday afternoon, Linc dressed casually in slacks and a white polo shirt for dinner at the Bellamy family home. When they arrived, they had to stop at the iron gate and wait for admittance. Entering the circular driveway, Linc had to make an effort not to stare or look impressed. The photograph Lori had shown him didn’t do justice to the stately home.

He’d just helped Lori out of the car when the front door opened and an elegant blonde woman stepped outside.

“Lori, darling, I’m so glad you’re here.” Lori’s mother came forward with her arms extended.

Mother and daughter hugged before Lori turned back to Linc. She slipped her arm around his waist. “Mom, this is my husband, Lincoln Wyse.”

“Mrs. Bellamy,” he said, and extended his hand.

She smiled and shook it. He noticed that her palm was smooth and soft, her rings obviously expensive but understated. “Welcome to our home, Lincoln.”

“Most folks call me Linc.”