“If we call the authorities, I’m certain there’s something that can be done,” Dr. Hammish insisted.
With shaking hands, Maggie tied her laces and shook her head. “Not without proof that she’s being mistreated, and trust me, there is none. Lonnie’s far too clever for that. Oh, no. So far, he’s kept his hands off Heidi. She’s his ace in the hole. He uses the threat to her safety as leverage to keep me in line.” She straightened, keeping one hand pressed against the locker for support as she gave the older woman an imploring look. “I know you mean well, Doctor, but you don’t have the whole picture. Do you think I’ve never gone to the police for help? Or to legal aid or children’s services? Think again. I’ve gone so many times, they know me by name.”
“What did they do?”
“Nothing. That’s the whole point.” She pulled her arm from the doctor’s grasp and jerked her blouse and bra off the locker hook. “Without proof that Lonnie abuses my sister, there’s nothing they can do. They couldn’t take a child away from her mother without a good reason. Something had to actually happen to her first.”
“And your mother? She won’t help?”
“My mother is…” Maggie’s voice faded, and she slumped against the locker frame, her lashes fluttering as if she were about to faint. After several seconds, she took a bracing breath. “When my dad was killed, she had a heart attack. Oxygen deprivation left her brain-damaged. She’s very childlike now and her health is fragile. She’s a dear heart and she loves Heidi, but as a protector, she’s useless.”
Rafe remembered the sadness in Maggie’s eyes last night when she told him that her life had never been the same after her father’s death. Now he could understand why. To all intents and purposes, she’d actually lost both of her parents the same day.
Looking at her now, Rafe recalled all the times he had wondered what had happened in her life to make her so distrusting. Now the mystery was solved. At fourteen, she’d been left with a childlike mother and a baby sister to look after. Toss a creep like Lonnie Boyle into that equation, and you had a nightmare. Dear God. Sudden nausea made his stomach roil.
“Lonnie is clever and manipulative,” Maggie continued shakily. “He took one look at my mother and saw a life on easy street. A not very bright widow with her own home and a little money in the bank. He has Mama wrapped around his little finger now and convinced he’s wonderful.” She pressed the back of her wrist to her forehead. “You saw him. He’s a creep.” She lowered her arm and blinked. “I won’t let him do to Heidi what he’s done to me. I won’t!”
“I’m not suggesting that you should,” the doctor assured her. “Only that your leaving the hospital isn’t the best answer.”
Maggie shot Rafe a querulous look. “Please, Mr. Kendrick, don’t just stand there. Go get Jaimie while I finish dressing. I don’t have much time.”
With a vague sense of disgust, Rafe realized he was just standing there, and in that moment, he knew he had to do something, even if it was wrong. Don’t do anything dumb, Ryan had cautioned him on the phone. Only would it be dumb? He could help this girl. And damn it, whether his feelings made sense or not, he cared about her.
He hadn’t been able to help his own family. A perverse twist of fate had stolen them from him so quickly there had been nothing he could do. But that wasn’t the case this time.
Rafe barely felt his feet moving as he crossed the room. “You don’t need to leave, Maggie,” he said firmly. “The cavalry has just arrived.”
“The what?”
“The cavalry,” he repeated. “In this case, only a one-man army, but I’ve got clout. Marry me. If I get my name on Jaimie’s birth certificate and claim to be his father, there’s nobody on God’s green earth who’ll be able to take him away from me. Boyle can’t prove differently without a blood test, which he’ll play hell getting with all the interstate red tape. Meanwhile, I’ll make Boyle an offer he can’t refuse to hold him at bay. Heidi won’t be harmed. I promise.”
“Marry you?”
“It’s the perfect solution. Think about it. A precedent has already been set in the courts. These days, a father has rights. If I say Jaimie is mine, and you marry me to strengthen my legal claim, that adoption agreement won’t be worth the paper it’s written on without my signature.”
She shook her head.
“Listen to him, Maggie,” the doctor encouraged. “Don’t reject this offer out of hand. I know you haven’t known him for long, but I believe he can be trusted and has your best interests at heart.”
“I can hire top-notch lawyers and fight it out with Lonnie in court if I have to,” Rafe rushed to assure her. “You won’t lose your son. I guarantee it.”
She stared up at him with a blank look on her pale face. “Hire top-notch lawyers? With what?”
“I told you this morning, remember? That when I left home, I left a substantial amount of money behind.”
“A court battle would cost a lot of money.”
Rafe glanced at the doctor. “You called my bank. It’ll be more believable coming from you. Tell her.”
“He’s rich,” Dr. Hammish told her. “It’s true, Maggie. I’m not sure exactly how rich, but I think it’s fair to say he’s got a bundle.”
“Rich?” Maggie repeated, her expression incredulous. “A rich boxcar bum?”
“Not a bum, a rancher. I still own half of a huge spread in eastern Oregon. Three years ago, there was a forest fire. The ranch was left financially strapped. To recover, my brother and I parceled off five thousand acres and sold lots to developers. We split the proceeds between us and our folks. My third was around fifty million, most of which is invested. I’ve got a lot of money, Maggie. Enough to buy off dozens of Lonnie Boyles and still make change. You understand? Money means power. Marry me, and that power will be in your corner.”
“Marry you? But that’s crazy.”
It was crazy. Rationally, Rafe knew that. But it was a wonderful kind of crazy. For the first time in so long, he felt alive again.
“Really think about this, Maggie,” Dr. Hammish urged. “I know it sounds a little archaic, but just imagine all the advantages. I don’t know all the details, and it’s not my business to pry, but you’re obviously in one hell of a mess, and evidently your little sister will be as well if you don’t do something. Is running away the answer?
“You’ve tried that, and look what’s happened. Boyle is here, breathing down your neck. You can run again if that’s your only option. But whenever possible, it’s always best to make a stand and fight back. Mr. Kendrick is not only offering you his protection, but the means to fight this battle and win.”
Maggie felt as if the world had suddenly tipped off its axis. Her boxcar cowboy was actually a multimillionaire? And he was offering to marry her and use his money to fight her battles? It was like going to sleep and waking up, smack-dab in the middle of a fairy tale—with her cast in the role of damsel in distress and Rafe Kendrick playing the handsome prince.
She leaned more of her weight against the locker, not entirely sure her legs would continue to hold her up. She was dreaming, she decided. The doctor had given her a sedative, after all, and she was actually in bed, doped to the gills and having a crazy dream. It was the only explanation.
“Why?” she asked dizzily.
“Why what?” her handsome prince asked.
“Why are you offering to marry me? I can see the benefits for me. But what will you get out of it?”
He flashed her a crooked grin. “You.”
Maggie groaned. “You barely know me. I’ve got an illegitimate baby and a ten-year-old sister I’m responsible for. You’d be taking on a ready-made family.”
The instant she spoke, Maggie realized that was exactly it. Rafe Kendrick had lost his wife and children in a car wreck, and he was still grieving. She recalled the expression of yearning she’d seen on his face last night when he looked down at Jaimie. Now he saw a way to keep her and the baby with him, a way to make Jaimie his very own
. Convenient replacements, that’s what they would be.
It was an insane idea. Maggie could scarcely believe she was actually considering it. Who in her right mind would agree to such a thing? On the other hand, given her situation, who in her right mind would pass on the offer? Fifty million? With that much money, he could hire a legion of clever lawyers. Lonnie wouldn’t stand a chance. And it wasn’t as if Rafe would be getting nothing out of the deal. He’d be getting a son—someone to make him feel needed and necessary again.
There was just one hitch: by accepting such an offer, she’d be selling herself, body and soul. Unless Rafe cooperated, there might be no way to call this off later. No walking out. She’d be his wife. Even worse, he would have the ultimate leverage over her, joint custody of her son. She also had Heidi to think about. Where, exactly, did she fit into this puzzle?
“I can’t,” Maggie said, her voice so faint it seemed to come from a great distance. “It’s a wonderful offer, and it would solve most of my problems. But it wouldn’t solve all of them, and I just can’t.”
“Name me one reason,” Rafe argued. “You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
“I told you, I have to go get my sister.” The room seemed to spin. Maggie grasped the open locker door to stay on her feet. Her words seemed to echo inside her head. “Please, go get my son so I can finish getting dressed and leave.”
“How will you get to Prior?” he asked.
“I’ll hitchhike.”
“And if you can’t catch a ride right away? You’re too sick to stand along the highway, especially with a baby to hold. You might pass out. What will happen to Jaimie then?”
Her legs felt like overcooked spaghetti. She was afraid they might buckle. Oh, God, he was right. She was too sick. If she left the hospital, she might never make it to Prior, and where would that leave Heidi?
“I have to go get her,” she cried. “I can’t leave her there.”
“I have no intention of leaving her there.” His voice seemed to surround her, deep and warm—and so wonderfully strong. “We’ll get custody of her and bring her to live with us, Maggie. You’ve got my word on it. We’ll make that part of our bargain. And meanwhile, I swear to you on everything that’s holy, Boyle won’t hurt her. I’ll make damned sure that she’s safe.”
“How? You don’t know Lonnie. He’s a snake. You can’t trust anything he says.”
As if he sensed she was about to fall, Rafe gently encircled her waist and drew her against his chest. For the second time since meeting him, Maggie leaned into him, too weak to stand alone. “Honey, trust me just a little. I swear to you that Heidi will be safe. Just say yes. You’ll have no more worries.”
No more worries. That sounded so wonderful, so absolutely wonderful. She was so awfully, horribly tired, and he was offering her a solution to all of her troubles. All she wanted was to close her eyes and let him take care of everything.
“But at what cost?” she murmured aloud.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll be so indebted to you, how will I ever pay you back?”
“You don’t have to. I’ll never miss the money.”
“Yes,” she insisted. “No free rides. I pay my own way. I’ve told you that.”
Oh, God. What was she doing? Was she actually about to accept this offer? Yes, God help her, yes. Heidi would be safe. She and Jaimie would be safe. It wasn’t as if she had a host of choices. This was it.
“If I do this, I have to know you’ll keep track of every penny you spend.” Trying frantically to clear her head, she said, “And I want you to agree to it in writing.”
“You want a prenup agreement?”
“Is that what it’s called?”
“Yes.”
“Then that’s what I want, a prenup agreement, stating that if this doesn’t work out, we can go our separate ways, with the understanding that I’ll reimburse you for all you’ve spent and that you won’t make things difficult for me about leaving.” She managed to lift her head and look up at him. “That’s the only way I’ll agree to such a thing—if I know I’m going to be paying my own way.”
“Done.”
Maggie hadn’t expected him to agree so easily. “You’re sure?”
“It’s fine by me.”
She had a bad feeling he was only saying that so she would say yes, that he had no intention of letting her work to pay her own expenses. “I’m dead serious about this. Until I’m able to wait tables again, is there anything at your ranch that I can do to earn a wage?”
He muttered something under his breath and then shrugged. “You said you’re good at bookkeeping. I hate paperwork. You can be my in-house accountant.”
It sounded like a job he had dreamed up just to keep her happy. “Someone else has been keeping your books, obviously. It has to be something extra that I can do—something that’s a real contribution, not just a pat on my head to make me feel useful.” Dizzily, she tried to think of an alternative. “I’m a good housekeeper.”
“That position’s filled.” He searched her gaze, his eyes delving deeply. “It’s true that Ryan and I have always kept the books, but neither of us are fond of the job or very good at it. It’d be great to have someone really keep on top of it for us, especially if you can learn the cattle business and chart information so we can see how we’re doing at a glance. I always just dumped the receipts in a drawer and tried to make sense of them later. Ryan didn’t bother to do that half the time, so our records were never very accurate.”
“And if I do a good job, you’ll pay me the going rate? All on paper, of course, to apply it against my debt. You’ll call around to see what a good accountant usually gets and be agreeable about paying that?”
“Jesus Christ. Are we going to negotiate wages right now?” He stared down at her. “All right. Sure. The going rate.”
“I can learn the cattle business,” she assured him. “I’m quick to pick up on things.”
“Then pick up on this,” he said, lowering his voice for her ears alone. “I get a wife and child in this bargain. And if you think I won’t do everything in my power to make sure you want to remain my wife, think again. I don’t make a commitment like this lightly, Maggie.”
She could tell by his expression that he meant it. “No, of course not. Neither do I. But I’m not willing to make a lifelong commitment until I’m certain we can make it work, either. We barely know each other. In the event that we separate, I need to know I’ve brought as much into this as you did, and that you won’t be blowing a bunch of money, with nothing to show for it in the end.”
“I’ll be giving Jaimie my name,” he reminded her. “The moment I do that, he’ll be my son in every way that matters, and prenuptial agreement or no, he’ll always be my son, even if you decide to leave me. In my estimation, a child is a bona fide contribution, and I’ll be more than adequately reimbursed for my expenditures. There’s also the possibility we’ll have a baby of our own. How can you worry that you’re not bringing anything worthwhile into the relationship?”
Until that moment, Maggie had been thinking that this would be a platonic arrangement. “You mean you want this to be—a real marriage?”
Rafe glanced at the doctor. “Can you step outside for just a moment? When I get her back into bed, I’ll holler for you.” He watched until the doctor had exited and closed the door. His steely blue eyes gleamed with determination when he looked back down at Maggie. “Yes, a real marriage. I don’t do things halfway, especially not something like this, and I’ll explain why. It may take months for all the legalities to be finalized. In that time, Jaimie and I will start to bond. Even little guys can form strong attachments. I don’t think it’s fair to let him be around me and start to love me unless we’re both going to put a hundred percent of our efforts into making this work.
“If it doesn’t,” he went on, “then, sure, we’ll have no choice but to call it quits, and I’ll have to settle for visitation privileges. But we owe
it to him and ourselves not to go into this with the thought that it’s a stopgap measure. Don’t you agree?”
Maggie did agree. She was just so swimmy-headed that she hadn’t thought about how all of this might affect Jaimie emotionally. “I, um…I’m just not real comfortable with—well, you know.”
“Sex, you mean?” He smoothed his hand over her hair. “Honey, if you do this, you’ll be trusting me with so much. Don’t you think you can trust me about that as well?”
He was right; she’d be trusting him with everything. Held so gently against him, she was beginning to feel like a pat of butter melting over a flapjack. She didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to stand. Her body felt disconnected from her brain, and she was afraid she might pass out. Before that happened, she had far greater concerns than her own well-being to consider.
“Promise me again that you’ll get Heidi out of there as fast as you possibly can,” she whispered. “Promise me, or there’s no deal.”
“I promise. Hell, I’d go get her now if I could, but snatching a child and transporting her over the state line is a serious offense.”
“I have to know she’ll be safe. She’s only ten years old, and she never asked for any of this.”
“She’ll be safe. That I can guarantee. And before you know it, she’ll be with us, Maggie. Consider it done.”
Maggie could only pray it would prove to be that simple, but a part of her feared that Lonnie couldn’t be so easily handled.
“How do you plan to do it?”
He swept her into his arms. Maggie gasped and clung weakly to his shoulders. As he carried her toward the bed, he said, “I’m just going to jump in with both feet and follow my instincts. I’ve been out of circulation for a while, but I’m an effective negotiator. I can handle Boyle. You concentrate on getting well. I’ll take care of everything else.”