His lips touched hers, sending tingles all the way to her toes.

Her body was instantly on fire, her tongue reluctantly anticipating the silky feel of his. “This doesn’t solve our problems.”

“No,” he answered, then used his tongue to stroke fire into her mouth, pulling out the moment she was about to give in. “But it’s a damn good start to our reconciliation.”

He wasn’t lying about that, Felicia thought, and then leaned her body against his. His arms wrapped quickly around her, locking her in place. “You’re not playing fair,” she gasped, then nibbled on his bottom lip, loving the brush of his low-trimmed goatee against her face.

“All’s fair in love and war.”

A.C. ARTHUR

was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where she currently resides with her husband and three children. An active imagination and a love for reading encouraged her to begin writing in high school, and she hasn’t stopped since.

Determined to bring a new edge to romance, she continues to develop intriguing plots, racy characters and fresh dialogue—thus keeping readers on their toes! Visit her Web site at www.acarthur.net.

Second Chance, Baby
A.C. Arthur

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Special thanks and acknowledgment to A.C. Arthur for her contribution to The Braddocks: Secret Son miniseries.

Dear Reader,

Bringing Tyson and Felicia to life was a wonderful experience. I believe these two are the epitome of what makes a marriage work: love, prayer and compromise. The Braddocks are like any normal family struggling with the grief process, except they have the added pain of trying to figure out exactly what happened to their loved one.

A baby will be the second chance that Ty and Felicia need, but the legacy of Harmon Braddock will be the grounding force to keep them going.

I hope you enjoy this installment of the Braddocks!

A.C.

In Loving Memory of Minister Shelton L. Moore,

1952–2007

You will always have a very special place in my heart.

To Bernadette E. Moore

Love. Hope. Faith. May they all see you through.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Acknowledgments

A very special thanks to Adrianne Byrd for all the brainstorming and chitchats about the Braddocks.

To Mavis Allen for recruiting me to be on this very special project and to Kelli Martin for stepping in and making this a great continuity.

Chapter 1

He couldn’t get her out of his mind.

Tyson Braddock walked along the busy street without paying a bit of attention to his surroundings. He’d lived in Houston all his life, so he wasn’t amazed by the sights. Besides, his mind was usually too preoccupied with business to take in the scenery. Today, however, it wasn’t business that plagued him.

Anyone who knew Ty would be surprised by that fact alone.

At this moment there was just too much going on in his life. It was early October. The year was quickly coming to an end and Ty couldn’t tell if he was glad or sad about it. It was natural to lean more toward sad since in the last nine months he’d had his wife walk out on him, his father die, his wife come back to him and then leave him again.

His dad’s death…Ty was just beyond devastated.

Harmon Braddock had not only been an influential politician but a devoted husband and a family man. Except for the months leading up to his death, when his father had seemed preoccupied with something bigger than politics and his family combined. Ty hadn’t paid that much attention, although he now admitted he should have.

Congressman Harmon Braddock had been a pillar of the community, a successful district attorney turned politician who had gained the adoration and respect of the majority of the town’s citizens. The Braddock name was as close as you could get to royalty in Houston. So it was understandable that Harmon’s accident and death would be newsworthy. Though Ty doubted the press knew of the inconsistencies.

Ty, Malcolm and Shondra had picked up on those inconsistencies and were now wondering what it all meant. Was their father killed? Was he involved in some type of political conspiracy? And if so, how were the three of them going to uncover the truth and seek justice for their father?

The Braddock children were determined to do just that.

Ty was the middle of three children. His older brother was Malcolm, the one his parents clearly expected to walk in Harmon’s footsteps. His younger sister, Shondra, was beautiful and respected for her intelligence in her profession as a high-powered, successful management and compliance officer. Ty, true to middle-child syndrome, felt loved but burdened with the need to over-achieve just to earn a distinct place in his family. He’d been born with money but felt compelled to make his mark in business on his own. So he’d spent his entire adult life focused on success in business. In that quest he was relentless.

Continuing his walk, Ty turned the corner, vaguely noticing people going in and out of the shops that lined the street. It was a crisp fall day and he deeply inhaled the fresh air. With his hands thrust in his pockets, Ty let himself remember one of the most painful nights of his life. The night he’d found out Harmon was dead.

Shondra, whom he and Malcolm still called by her childhood nickname, “Shawnie,” had been the one to call him well after midnight. He had just gotten into bed after working on a proposal for Christopher Brentwood of Brentwood Holdings. Shawnie hadn’t given him much information except that their father’s car had gone speeding out of control, flipping over and over before careening down an embankment. And that he needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible. By the time he’d arrived, his father was gone.

For days he’d functioned on sheer autopilot. His condo in the downtown area of Houston seemed even bigger and emptier. Almost like a tomb. And only six months before, his wife of five years had moved out.

Felicia taught first grade at the local elementary school. She loved it and so Ty tried not to press the issue about her staying home, no matter how much he wished she would. One evening he’d come home from work to find she was packed and gone. He’d talked to her a week later and she’d been adamant about the separation. Ty had been flabbergasted. They’d been so happy one day, then she was yelling and crying the next.

One thing he was absolutely certain of—he and Felicia were meant to be together. If she needed a few months to get over whatever it was she was going through, he was willing to give her that.

Except he hadn’t anticipated his father’s death or the strange feelings and yearnings that would come as a result.

Felicia Turner Braddock was compassionate and loyal. On the day of the funeral, when she had come walking back into his family home after six months of being away, he’d felt a soothing calm wash over him. Very little shock. It was like his body and soul had just been patiently waiting for her. She’d embraced him immediately, and Ty had known without a doubt that with her here he could make it through this day, and the next.

They’d returned to the penthouse after the last of the mourners had left the Braddock estate. The ride back into the city was quiet as Ty thought of the turn his life had taken in such a short span of time. He’d expected her to come back home with him and that they would get through this grief together.

So when they’d walked into the house and he’d gone directly into the bedroom, it was natural for her to follow him there. What had thrown him was the way she’d sat on the edge of the bed, her hands in her lap, as if this were her first time there.

Maybe she was having a moment. Ty had experienced plenty of them in the last week. He’d be doing something normal or mundane, and just like that his thoughts would drift to Harmon and the loss would seem too profound for words.

His fingers shook a little as he unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it off, tossing it to the floor. Then he’d had to sit down as the memories came fast, turning his insides once again to a jittery mess.

He’d felt her hand on his shoulder as she tried to comfort him. Then her arms were wrapped around him and he leaned into her embrace. It felt comfortable and different all at the same time.

She had trembled in his arms then sniffled. He’d brushed his hands through her hair, whispering something about them getting through this together.

Then the moment had shifted. Grief slipped aside, opening the door to a familiar rush of passion. His wife was in his arms, in his bed, a place she hadn’t been in months, and he loved it.

Ty told himself that circumstances put them in this time and place, that he shouldn’t take advantage. Yet his hands moved down her back to cup her bottom. It was instinctive. Her arms were wrapped around his back, her nails digging in slightly as he touched her.

In the next instant their mouths were joined, his lips moving over hers boldly, wickedly. She seemed to melt in his arms even as she stroked the intense heat building within him. Every touch, every moan, every movement felt right. It felt perfect.

They didn’t speak. Words were no longer necessary. Each touch was a memory renewed. When he’d lifted the edge of her nightgown, pulling it up and over her head, he was entranced by her beauty that had only matured with her over the years. She was no longer the timid college girl he’d first taken to his bed. Now, she was an experienced lover, arching to his touch, moaning to his kiss. Anticipation bubbled just beneath the surface of his skin and he licked his lips impatiently.

It had always been this way between them, this hot rush of desire that didn’t calm until he was deeply embedded inside her and they were both completely sated.

When she reached out, flattening her palms on his bare chest, Ty’s entire body stiffened, then warmed. He wanted this woman with a desperation he’d never known before, needed her like nothing he’d ever needed in his life. Leaning forward, he kissed her with all the emotion swirling inside of him. He was gentle at first, because his one priority had been to always love and cherish her. Then his lips grew more persistent, his tongue slipping past her lips, her teeth, to claim her fully. Her tongue snaked along his and the dam broke free. Ty kissed her with pent-up urgency, conveying the fierceness of his love for her, his devotion and vow to protect and take care of her.

They’d loved each other in this way so many times before, it was second nature. When she lay naked on the bed, Ty could only look down at her, his mind reeling with emotion, his body edgy with need. She had only to lift her arms in invitation before he was slipping between her legs, entering her with one long thrust, one satisfied moan.

That moan was quickly replaced by tiny pants and heated growls as Ty created a rhythm and Felicia lifted her hips to match it. This was the connection he’d come to rely on, the one constant in his life—his love for this woman.

The next morning he’d gone to the office at his usual time, five o’clock. He’d called home a couple of hours later to see if Felicia had left for work and had received no answer. After several attempts on her cell, he figured he’d just see her later. But he was mistaken.

This time, at least, she’d left him a note. She wasn’t going to stay with him. The night before had been wonderful but it had been a mistake. He couldn’t give her what she wanted, so a separation was the best solution.

Ty had been livid. For the first time in years, he’d taken his frustration out on something besides the punching bag in his home gym. He’d burned the note then tossed a few choice pieces of artwork, watching them smash into the walls of the penthouse, enjoying the scene of them breaking. Just like his heart.

That had been three months ago. Ty hadn’t seen nor heard from Felicia since then. He’d called her because he thought his marriage deserved that much. She’d refused his calls. He wasn’t into begging, so the calls quickly stopped. For now. But in the weeks that passed he’d held on to the fact that he hadn’t heard from any attorney on her behalf. That was a good sign. Because Ty had no intention of ever letting his wife go.

Felicia Turner Braddock’s heart fluttered as she held the blanket up to her cheek. Burying her nose in it, she let its smell sift through the raging hormones in her body.

Her eyes misted and she blinked to keep from making a complete fool of herself inside this quaint shop. One of her co-workers had hipped her to the place and Felicia was ecstatic to find the woman was absolutely right. This shop was comfortable, fabulous and had everything she would need and then some.

Gently laying her hand on her lower stomach, Felicia sighed.

Ten years ago, when she’d first seen Tyson Braddock walking across the campus of Texas A&M, she’d been enamored along with the rest of the female population at TAMU. Felicia prided herself on being one of the smartest of them all, though she knew a man as good-looking and inherently successful as Tyson would never be interested in a shy, quiet girl from South Texas. So she hadn’t even bothered with the games and ploys the other girls performed to get his attention. By day she focused on school and getting her degree. And by night, in the privacy of her dorm room, she longed for him.

It was on a windy October night, days before Halloween. She’d been coming from a late study session in the library and Ty had bumped into her, knocking her and all her books to the ground. He’d been fooling around with some of his frat buddies and not watching where he was going. She’d been so tired from late-night studying and the part-time job she was working at the school bookstore that she wouldn’t have seen a Mack truck if it had come barreling at her.

Embarrassed, angry and still tired as hell, she’d scrambled on the ground to pick up her books. Ty had been faster, collecting each textbook along with her notebook and her purse without a word. He’d offered her a hand up then because she was now on her knees wondering where the mess she’d dropped had gone. She looked up at him and could have sworn the sun was shining in a halo around him—except for the fact that it was close to midnight. Finally coming to her senses, she’d put her hand in his and let him help her up. As smart as she considered herself, she had no idea just how handsome he was close up.

He was tall and towered above her meager five feet four inches. She craned her neck to look up at him and was blinded by his smile. God, he was so fine it should have been a sin. He’d said something that snapped her out of her reverie and she remembered smiling and muttering a thank-you. She’d walked away so fast she would swear she was a blur in the wind.

The next morning he was waiting at the door of her dorm. And for the next two weeks he met her at each class and walked her home from her late-night studying at the library. Their meetings had been really casual. He talked of his family and everyday things while she, although still in awe, managed to talk about the same. A month later he asked her out on a real date. By this time Felicia had come to the conclusion that Tyson Braddock was not the all-American star athlete and untouchable sex symbol the girls on campus thought he was. Underneath the handsome and polished exterior, he was just a man who loved pizza and basketball, economics, vintage cars and R & B music. And he was kind, focused, and he truly seemed to care about her.

Ty and Felicia found they had a lot in common, and before either of them knew it they were an item, dating seriously and sending rumors flying around the campus. It wasn’t the instant-fall-desperately-in-love like Nicky and Terry in one of Felicia’s favorite movies An Affair to Remember. It was more like the intense, heated drop into submission like Darius and Nina in Love Jones, another one of her all-time favorite chick flicks.

Marriage was obviously on their horizon and the fairy-tale ceremony their shining moment in the spotlight. She loved that man like nothing and no one in her life. And in the five years of their marriage, she’d given him everything she had physically and mentally. She’d also sacrificed the one thing she’d wanted most because he said he wasn’t ready.

Until his excuses became the norm and she realized what he wasn’t saying, but wholeheartedly meant, was that he didn’t want children.

The hardest decision Felicia ever had to make was to walk away from her marriage, from the commitment she’d made before God and her parents. But she’d done so to save herself.

Ty came from a very influential family. He was rich even before he made his first million. His father, Harmon, was a congressman. His mother, Evelyn, was a philanthropist who worked specifically with hospitals and women’s-rights organizations. His older brother, Malcolm, was the bleeding heart and had left the family, so to speak, a few years before to become a community activist. Malcolm was definitely the Braddock with a conscience and now he may follow in Harmon’s political footsteps. While Shawnie was her father’s daughter, with her brilliant mind and touch of rebellion, Tyson was the lone ranger of the family. The only one who did not hold a law degree, he was still the epitome of ambition. For that very reason, her marriage had never stood a chance.

In the beginning, their marriage was strong, but soon Tyson’s career and his quest for success proved more important than she’d ever been. Felicia had finally grown tired of the competition.

Giving up was not usually in her nature, especially when it came to relationships. Her parents were very traditional and prided themselves on their long and enduring relationship. They would be heartbroken to learn that she hadn’t had what it took to make hers work.

Still, she’d been strong the morning she packed her bags and left the penthouse she and Ty had picked out and furnished together. She hadn’t even left him a note that first time.

He was so smart, with his MBA degree and intuition, he should have been able to figure it out. Especially since the day before they’d argued about starting a family.

Her heart had ached until she’d thought about ripping it free to finally gain some peace. But later she’d received the news of Harmon’s death. Felicia had grieved as if he were her own father. And despite the animosity she had toward Ty, she wouldn’t have wished that tragedy on anyone. So it was with that in mind that she’d returned to the Braddock estate on the outskirts of Houston.

Being with the family again had been difficult, especially since she hadn’t seen or spoken to any of them in more than six months. The moment she arrived, Ty made a point of telling her that he hadn’t mentioned her hiatus to his family. Felicia had been stung by the way he’d called her departure a hiatus, like she’d gone on some type of vacation or something. But that hadn’t been the time to get into it.

Besides, just seeing Ty again had her body and her emotions going haywire. A case in point was the passionate night they’d spent together after leaving the cemetery. Looking back now, Felicia had to claim that as one of the best nights of her life.

But then the next morning, it looked to Felicia as if it was business as usual for Ty, like he hadn’t just buried his father. Like they hadn’t made sweet, tender love to one another. When she’d tried to talk to him, he’d brushed her off. He was officially unreachable, emotionally closed off just as he’d been the last few years.

Now, walking around the store, Felicia sighed over all the different designs and the racks of clothes in a pastel rainbow of colors.

She heard the tiny bell that signaled a new customer entering the store, but didn’t pay it much attention. But as she surveyed the outfits, her peripheral vision caught the suit and that confident swagger. Expensive and elegant, that’s what it was, and when she raised her gaze a little higher, her heart pounded.

“Ty!” she gasped. As if she had been caught stealing, she thrust her arms with the clothes in hand behind her back.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his medium brown eyes raking over her with barely masked hunger.

“I, um, I’m shopping.” Lord, she prayed he wouldn’t ask what or who she was shopping for.

“I’ve been calling you.”

Felicia licked her lips nervously. “I know.”

“Why haven’t you returned my calls?”

“Ty, this is not the place to discuss this. I’ll call you later.”

His thick eyebrows drew close as he frowned. “I’m not inclined to believe that, since you’ve been ducking me for about three months now.”

Felicia shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze. Would she ever stop feeling like a love-struck college girl in his presence? She was grown and he’d hurt her, repeatedly, by ignoring her and denying what she wanted most in the world. By all normal standards, she should be able to walk away from him without a second thought. Yet, even now, she couldn’t.

He took a step closer and touched a hand to her shoulder. “What’s going on with you, Felicia? Why won’t you just talk to me?”

She closed her eyes. His touch felt so good, but it was distracting her from the matter at hand. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him. “I can’t,” she said, with all the strain and indecision she’d been feeling since leaving him the first time.

He rubbed her shoulder, an act she remembered all too well. “Yes, you can. We’ve always been able to talk. We’re best friends. Remember you told me that the night of our graduation. There’s nothing we can’t say to each other.”

That was then and this was now, Felicia thought dismally. Still, she was surprised he’d even remembered something like that. “Things have changed.”

“Yeah, they have,” he said, then, as if just noticing his surroundings, looked around the store and back at her. “What are you doing in a baby store?”

Even as the question left his lips, his hands moved around her back. He pulled her wrists around so that the clothes she was holding—two baby sleepers—were now hanging between them.

“What are these? A present for someone you know?”

His gaze lifted from the sleepers and met hers. For all she wanted to pick up and run out of that store, she knew the moment she’d been dreading had finally come.

“They’re for a baby.” She took a steadying breath. “Our baby.”

Chapter 2

She did not just say “our baby,” Ty’s mind roared. “What the hell are you talking about?” he exclaimed.

Her upper body shook and Ty realized it was because he’d grasped her shoulders, shaking her with each word he’d spoken. Immediately disgusted with himself, he yanked his hands away from her. “I want to know what’s going on right now, Felicia,” he said through clenched teeth.

With movements too slow for his liking, Felicia turned, placing the baby clothes onto the rack behind her. When she turned back to him her warm brown eyes appeared glazed with tears. “Let’s not do this here,” she said quietly.

Ty had to take a deep breath. His emotions were swirling through his body, pain and confusion burning through the layers of other stress he was currently dealing with. He recognized that this was not the place to air their dirty laundry. People would undoubtedly recognize him and the last thing his family needed right now was some trifling gossip about him and his estranged wife in a baby store.

“Fine. Let’s go.” He reached for her hand and wasn’t surprised that she didn’t readily give it to him. With a long sigh, he took her hand, albeit gently, and led her out of the store.

Across the street was a bistro. It looked like one of those French shops with the awning trimmed in some curling material. Houston’s typical cold front, which signaled the official shift from autumn to winter, hadn’t yet hit, so small tables with fancy-backed white chairs were still set outside for customers. He bypassed the host with a nod then proceeded directly to a table in the shade. Pulling out her chair, he watched as Felicia sat down. Her scent, that perfume she loved so much from Clinique, wafted up through his nostrils. God, he missed her.

Taking a seat across from her, Ty tried valiantly not to yell again. She’d just said our baby, meaning theirs—his and hers. When had she gotten pregnant? And when had she planned to tell him?

Before speaking, he looked at her closely. She looked tired but even that didn’t hamper her beauty, or the added glow he noted around her cheeks. Her honey-brown complexion was accented by high cheekbones and wide, expressive eyes. How many nights had he stared into those eyes and pledged his undying love?

His gaze fell to her breasts and his mouth watered. He’d always loved her body. She was small, but curvy and soft in all the right places.

Ty had dubbed her his sweetheart and vowed to always protect her from any harm or danger. But the way she was looking at him made Ty feel as if the person she needed protection from was him. Traveling farther down, he saw that the top she wore, which fitted across her bodice, flared from a band of material at her rib cage. There was no real sign of a pregnant stomach but the blouse was a lot looser than Felicia’s normal attire.

She was pregnant. That realization hit him with warm finality. Having children had been a few years off in his life plan. Yet, Harmon’s immortality had him lately thinking of family. A lot.

“It was the night of the funeral,” she said when he continued to watch her.

Lifting his gaze to her face, he marveled at the soft auburn curls of her hair that rested so adoringly at her shoulders. Her round, cherublike face, full lips and soulful eyes bore into him. “Why did you leave?” he asked with his emotions clogging his throat.

She sighed and sat back in the chair. “We’re not on the same page anymore, Ty. You know that. You want your business and I want…more.”

“I want you,” he said without hesitation.

She tilted her head to the side. “We can’t always have what we want.”

He clenched his teeth. For as sweet as Felicia was, she could be just as stubborn as he. “You had no right to keep a secret like this.” If there was one thing Ty hated, it was secrets. They had a way of coming back to haunt you. Or slap you in the face. “Did you ever plan to tell me about my child?”

Felicia looked offended. “Of course I was going to tell you. I would never keep you away from your child. Even if you don’t want one. I just didn’t want you to think I was trying to trap you or something.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “First off, I never said I didn’t want a child.”

“You never said you did. And besides that, actions speak louder than words, Ty. Working twenty hours a day, weekends included, barely having time to eat dinner with me, let alone make love to me, said it all.”

“It wasn’t like that. It was just never the right time.”

“Oh, really? Then tell me what it was like. For you, I mean. Did you really think we had a good marriage?” Her hands had been waving as she spoke, a sure sign that this conversation was about to get very emotional.

“Sure there were rough days, but that was normal. I thought we were both getting what we wanted.”

She folded her arms over her chest. “No. You were getting what you wanted. I was just taking up space.”

Ty let her words marinate and tried like hell to hold on to his temper. How could she sit here and use his actions to justify why she hadn’t told him about his child?

On another note, there could be some truth to her words. He did work a lot, but that was for the good of them both, for their future. He wanted them to be financially secure, outside of the Braddock fortune. Working hard was the only way a man could adequately provide for his family. He’d learned that from his father.

All this past mumbo jumbo aside, Ty was not about to let Felicia raise his baby without him. “I want you back, Felicia. I never wanted you to leave.”

“Ty.” She sighed.

The shreds of his calm shattered and he slammed his hands down on the table. “You will not shut me out of this pregnancy or my child’s life, no matter what you think you know about me!”

“Keep your voice down,” she said sternly, as if he were one of her students.

Ty dragged a hand down his face. His temples hurt like hell. “I don’t know what you want me to say, what you want me to do, Felicia.”

“Like I said, what I wanted never mattered to you.” When he was about to say something else, she held up a hand to stop him. “Now that you know, I will keep you in the loop about the pregnancy. You can be a father to your child.”

“Thanks for the permission,” he snapped.

She frowned. “Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what? Don’t act pissed off? Well, I am. So deal with it.” How dare she keep this from him? And how dare she act like she was doing him a favor by allowing him to be in his child’s life? They were once so happy. How had they come to this?

“That’s just it, Ty. I have been dealing with it. I’ve been dealing with you and your twisted priorities and your lack of attention. But I don’t have to take it.”

Her words were curt, sharp and sounded entirely too final for his liking. “So what are you saying? You don’t want to be with me?” Asking the question made him feel vulnerable and insufficient. Sitting up straighter, he cleared his throat. “We took vows, Felicia. And I for one didn’t take them lightly. There are problems in every marriage. The true test is loyalty and patience. Does our love mean so little to you that you won’t even try?”

No, the hell he wasn’t! she thought.

He was not turning the tables on her, making this all seem like her fault. She’d tried and tried. Talking and planning romantic weekends and trying to bring back the spark they’d once had. All to no avail.

“You were the one who stopped trying, Ty. Your job always came first. Making your next million meant more than making love to your wife. And you expected me to simply be there to help you celebrate. I won’t be your trophy wife. It takes two to make a marriage work.”

He touched his fingers to his temples and rubbed. He had a headache and Felicia immediately felt guilty. Ty always got headaches when he was hungry or tired. She could guess what the culprit was this time. Opening her purse, she dug inside and pulled out a bottle of ibuprofen. “You haven’t eaten today, have you?”

“What?” he asked, his eyes squinting as he looked at her.

“Food? Did you have any? Breakfast, lunch? Never mind.” She opened the bottle and poured two pills into her hand. Signaling the waiter, she ordered them two glasses of water and salads. The water came first and she put the pills in Ty’s hand.

He didn’t say a word but popped the pills and lifted the glass to drink.

“Three meals a day can easily be woven into your work schedule. How do you expect to keep up your strength if you forget to eat? You are not Superman,” she said, watching him swallow.

He chuckled. “I was your Superman once.”

Felicia had to smile at that one, touched once again by the sentiment in his tone. She hadn’t heard him talk like that in years. “Yes, you were. A long time ago.”

When he reached across the table for her hand, she didn’t pull away. “I want what we had before, Felicia. I want you with me again. If that means I have to change some things, then I will. But this separation is killing me. It’s been three whole months!”

Run? Stay? Her mind argued even as his thumb rubbed over the back of her hand. Heat moved swiftly up her arm and settled throughout her chest with familiarity.

She sighed. “It’s not that easy. You can’t just say you want it and think that it will be. I wanted it all for us, Ty. The careers, the family, the love.”

“I’ve never stopped loving you.”

“You just stopped being with me.”

“How can I fix this?” he implored with a look of such honesty that it almost broke her heart.

“I only wanted you and a life where we were equal partners and friends. I wanted a family and a home.”

He nodded as if hearing her for the first time. “I understand.”

“Do you really?” she asked.

“I know exactly what you need, Felicia. I always have,” he said with that slow, sinful smile.

Felicia’s insides melted. Boy, did he know what she needed. Flashes of their last night together hit her like a warm breeze.

When it came to the bedroom—or any room, for that matter—Ty knew and always delivered everything she wanted or needed. But that area of their lives wasn’t the problem. When he wasn’t working, his performance in bed was much more than she could ask for. However, their marriage could not survive on sex alone. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then put her hand on her belly and thought about her own family.

She was an only child. Her parents, Marshall and Lydia Turner, had been happily married for forty-three years. They had a loving, trusting marriage—one that was filled with arguments and makeups, trials and tribulations, but one they both cherished. They’d been her role models as she’d grown up. She wanted a marriage just like theirs. And she wasn’t settling for anything less.

“That’s not what I’m talking about, Ty. Sex was never a problem for us.”

“No. And apparently we’ve had much more success than I’d anticipated,” he said, nodding toward her belly. “I can’t believe we’re going to have a baby.”

She smiled, hoping he really was excited, but she wasn’t really sure. She knew a baby wasn’t a part of Ty’s plan just yet. But there wasn’t much they could do about it now. “When the doctor told me, I was in a state of shock for days.”

They both grew quiet. “I was so sorry about Harmon’s death, and then this happened, and I just didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t know how you would react.”

“You can tell me anything, baby. Don’t ever forget that.”

Felicia looked at this man and knew that she loved him even more today than she ever had. He’d been her best friend for almost ten years and her lover for more than half that time. Of course she could tell him anything, but could she trust him again with her heart?

“Let’s have dinner tonight? At the penthouse.”

“I’m not moving back in, Ty. If you really want a reconciliation, you’re going to have to prove it. You’re going to have to convince me that we should give this another try.”

He stared at her a moment, contemplating—she could tell by the slight furrow of his brow.

“So you won’t move back in until I prove to you that we can make this work?” He nodded, answering himself. “I can do that. I can win you back, if that’s what you want.”

Leave it to Ty to make everything a competition. Ambition infected his blood like a disease. “I’m just saying that I’ve spent a lot of time trying to rekindle the spark between us, trying to bring back what we lost somewhere along the road. I’m not willing to do it this time. You’re going to have to do the trying.”

“Fine. Dinner tonight at the penthouse.”

He grinned devilishly and she groaned. “No sex, Ty.”

Ty cleared his throat. “No sex. I just want to share a meal with you, like we used to.”

She sighed. Looking into his eyes, having him touch her…she never stood a chance.

Felicia stood at the door to the home she and Ty had shared, debating whether or not she should use her key. Still, she needed to retain some sort of distance between them. As she’d told Ty earlier that afternoon, she wasn’t about to run back to him and things the way they were, baby or not. She wasn’t about to act like things were even remotely back to normal.

After a few more awkward moments, she realized how foolish she was being and lifted her hand to ring the doorbell. Ty was at the door in no time, as if he’d been standing directly on the other side waiting for her.

“Hey, you’re right on time, as always.” He smiled and Felicia almost bolted.

How was she going to survive having dinner with him, here of all places? It was bad enough she’d been thinking of him and that crazy toned body for the duration of the afternoon. “I was hungry.” She shrugged and walked inside.

“I’ll bet, considering your present condition. Let me get that for you.” He took her purse and the sweater she’d draped over her arm as a weather precaution.

Felicia continued into the living area. She loved their loft-style penthouse and remembered each piece of furniture they’d chosen together. Clean lines and a contemporary décor was their goal. As she stood in front of the wall-length windows, she would say they’d hit their mark.

Ty wanted to be close to the pulse of the business industry, and so they’d found this great place in the center of downtown. The windows that made up one wall overlooked downtown Houston’s Near Northside.

As dusk had just settled over the city, Felicia was treated to the sultry golden hue of the sun as it settled for the night. Buildings glowed majestically, while trees with leaves just changing color filled the landscape. In the distance the Quitman Bridge had a steady flow of commuters either heading toward Houston’s nightlife or hurrying to get home and put the workday behind them. Folding her arms, she took a moment to simply enjoy.

“You look good standing there,” Ty said from behind.

She turned slowly. “It’s the view.”

He shook his head. “No. It’s you. I always liked to see you standing there looking so content.”

Quickly unfolding her arms, she moved away from the window to take a seat on the beige leather couch. “Looks can be deceiving.”

Ty didn’t respond, but came to sit beside her. “Dinner’s just about done. Do you want to listen to some music?”

Felicia blinked in surprise as he leaned forward and picked up the remote to the entertainment center from the cherrywood block coffee table. When was the last time she and Ty had simply sat in the living room listening to music? When was the last time they had sat and did anything together?

She watched in a trance as he pushed buttons, having never mastered that monstrosity he called a remote. It operated everything electronic in the room—the DVD, the CD player, the television, etc. It had been her practice to just push the power button on the machine she wanted to turn on. The remote was intimidating and entirely Ty’s domain.

Her heart stumbled when the first chords of a song she hadn’t heard for years began to play. It was an old Freddie Jackson song she and Ty had listened to as they’d studied back in college. She couldn’t help but smile. “Where’d you find that?”

It was Ty’s turn to shrug. “It wasn’t lost, just forgotten for a while.”

She sat back in the chair, loving the caramel and ivory pillows she’d insisted on. The relaxing was good for her. Dr. Franz, her ob-gyn, had informed her that during her first trimester she should try and get as much rest as possible. Especially in light of the mild cramping she experienced erratically. Dr. Franz said it wasn’t a big deal as long as she wasn’t bleeding or the pain didn’t become unbearable. But she certainly wanted to be as careful as she could.

“Are you comfortable?” Ty asked. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Please, no.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “I go to the bathroom enough without any added help.”

“Really? I always thought that was later in the pregnancy.”

“Nope. That was one of those symptoms that started right away. I hear it gets worse as the baby grows. I’m definitely not looking forward to more trips to the bathroom.”

“So you’ve been to the doctor and everything is going to be okay? You and the baby are healthy?”

She couldn’t help but touch her stomach at his words. In the beginning of their marriage, Ty had always been very attentive, providing any-and everything she needed—from a glass of wine when they came home from work to a massage on those particularly rough days she’d had at school.

“Dr. Franz said that everything looks fine. He anticipates a noneventful pregnancy and a healthy baby in late April.”

To her surprise, Ty smiled. “May I?” he asked, nodding at the spot on her stomach where her hand rested.

After a second of stunned silence, she smiled. “Sure. There’s not much to feel yet.”

When his hand replaced hers, Felicia’s pulse quickened. It wasn’t just with the awareness that it had been almost three months since she’d felt Ty’s hands on her. It was also the realization that what he was feeling was something they’d both created. The baby that would forever symbolize their love and commitment. Family.

“This still seems a little unreal,” he said, his eyes glued to her stomach.

“Is that good or bad?” she inquired tentatively.

He lifted his gaze to hers and smiled with complete sincerity. “It’s perfect.”

Keeping his palm on her stomach, Ty continued to stare at her. He used to do that when they were in college. She’d be reading some textbook and assuming he was doing the same. But when she’d look up, those intense, dark brown eyes would be focused solely on her. What was it he used to say he was doing?

“I’m still memorizing you,” he said as if he’d read her mind. “After all these years, I look at you and want the picture of your face to stay permanently etched in my mind.”

Dammit. She wasn’t going to make it. He was pushing all the right buttons, saying all the right things. How could she resist coming back to him?

“I wonder why that is, Ty. I mean, I’ve always wondered why you’d want to memorize me. Is it that you knew one day we would part?” Clearly Ty hadn’t expected that, as his once-soft gaze shifted to mildly irritated.

“I don’t want tonight to go this way, Felicia. I want us to spend the evening together, with nothing on our minds but you and me. Like we used to do.”

She nodded, chastising herself for being a little insensitive. It was a protective instinct, she knew, but was it necessary?

“I hear you.”

“Let’s just relax and not think about our issues for this one night.”

He moved closer as he spoke, his voice lowering to that seductive tone she knew all too well. Still, she heard what he was saying and decided it wasn’t such a bad idea.

“That sounds perfect,” she whispered, just before his lips brushed hers.

Tonight is going to go well, Ty thought with certainty. He had the music and her favorite meal: meat loaf, mashed potatoes and corn. Ty was used to getting his way, and in this arena there would be no changing that. He would win his wife back, and then he’d make sure she never felt she had to leave him again.

After dropping Felicia off at the school this afternoon, he’d thought of her constantly. However, when he’d arrived back at his office, Shondra had called to see if he was available for lunch with her and Malcolm tomorrow, and he’d been forced to think of his father’s death again.

He knew the story of how long his parents had tried for children; it had been years before his mother had gotten pregnant. They had just been about to give up. The appearance of him, his brother and his sister brought a sense of completion to their lives. He realized that with Felicia now carrying his child, he wanted that same thing. His dad was gone, and now Ty wanted to leave his own legacy.

He wanted his career, his wife, his child, his family. And nothing was going to stop him from having them. He hadn’t been so sure of anything in a long, long while.

“Dinner was fantastic,” Felicia said when they stood out on the balcony. “How much did you pay Sarona to cook it for you?” Because Felicia knew nothing if she didn’t know her man. Sarona, the Braddocks’ longtime housekeeper, cooked like an angel. Felicia would know her signature mashed potatoes anywhere.

“I’m offended.” He smiled and leaned against the railing. “You know I can cook.”

“Shrimp pizza and hamburgers on the grill are the extent of your culinary expertise. This was a good soul food meal that you definitely did not prepare yourself.”

“All right. All right, you caught me. But I had the best intentions.”

“You did, so you earn points for effort,” she said, watching as the crisp, white dress shirt, left unbuttoned at the neck, molded his upper body.

Ty had always been sexy. There was no doubt about that. Even in the designer suits he seemed to wear more than anything else, he exuded pure, unadulterated sex appeal. She’d been thinking of nothing else but heading to the bedroom with her gorgeous husband for the duration of the night. Her hormones were going crazy. Luckily her brain still had some power over her libido.

While she’d been lusting after his body, Ty had moved closer so that his hand was now caressing her cheek. His cologne permeated her senses. She looked away, pretending that the view from the balcony was affecting her more than the man standing too damn close to her.

Putting a fingertip to her chin, he directed her gaze back to him. “You can’t walk away from me, from us,” he whispered, his face looming dangerously close to hers.

“Ty,” she whispered, trying to turn away from him. She knew what was coming, and no matter how much she wanted it, she knew that it would be a mistake. That kiss they’d shared before dinner had been brief but still potent enough to leave her off-kilter.

“I love you so much, Felicia.”

At his words, she could do nothing more than sigh. “You said we would take this slow.”

“We’re not supposed to do this tonight. Just dinner, remember?”

He feigned innocence, which was a blatant lie considering that devilish look in his eyes. “We’re not doing anything.” His lips touched hers in a sweeping fashion that sent tingles all the way to her toes.

Her body was instantly on fire, her tongue anticipating the silky feel of his. “This doesn’t solve our problems.”

“No,” he answered, then used his tongue to stroke fire into her mouth, pulling out the moment she was about to give in. “But it’s a damn good start to our reconciliation.”

He wasn’t lying about that, Felicia thought with a groan. Then she felt her body leaning into his. His arms wrapped quickly around her, locking her in place. “You’re not playing fair,” she gasped, then nipped his bottom lip, loving the scrape of his low-trimmed goatee against her face.

“All’s fair in love and war.” He sighed a second before taking her mouth in a scorching kiss that made her remember just why she’d spent the last nine years loving this man.

Chapter 3

S hawnie had gotten involved with Stewart Industries as a result of the siblings’ amateur investigation into the death of their father. Malcolm and his fiancée, Gloria Kingsley—who used to be his father’s assistant—had uncovered the fact that Harmon’s last cell phone call was made to someone named Daiyu Longwei, who worked in the human resources department at Stewart Industries.

Shawnie wasn’t supposed to fall in love with the owner of the major oil company, but looking at the two of them across the table, Shondra’s darker complexion against Connor’s lighter one, proved Ty wrong. His sister was definitely in love. And, truth be told, Ty didn’t begrudge her one moment of happiness. He and Felicia had been like that once, and after the previous night, Ty was sure they were on their way to that point again.

“Connor, did you find out anything about this Longwei person?” Ty asked. He had to get his mind off how happy his sister and Connor looked and fight the urge to call his wife.

Connor was able to look away from Shawnie for a moment to answer the question. “She’s worked at the company for thirty-two years, after a foreign exchange internship while she was in college. In that time, she’s moved up from an HR assistant to vice president of the entire department. Her employment file is squeaky clean. I haven’t approached her personally yet. If she was the last person that Harmon called, she may have something to hide and is probably not real keen on being questioned. I don’t want her to run before we get the information we need. So I’m trying to find an official reason to call her into my office for a conversation.”

Shawnie shifted and crossed her long legs, to Connor’s obvious delight. “I wonder if she was the same person who called Gloria? Remember? The one where the caller said it wasn’t an accident.”

Malcolm took a sip of his lemonade and shrugged. “Gloria checked the caller ID but it read unavailable.”

“Was she able to find out anything about Ms. Longwei from Dad’s records?” Shawnie asked.

“No. There was nothing in his files about her. Not even an old message. Gloria has never heard the woman’s name before, and you know how close she worked with Dad. If anybody would know Dad’s connection to this woman it would be Gloria.”

“That’s true. Why didn’t Gloria join us for lunch today?” Ty asked.

“She’s down at the police station. The cops wanted a list of anything that might be missing from Dad’s office after the break-in,” Malcolm answered.

“Really? She found something missing?” Ty asked.

Malcolm shook his head. “No. But she wanted to go and tell them in person in case they had some other leads to tell her about.”

“And you let her go by herself?” Shawnie inquired.

Connor answered before Malcolm had a chance. “That was probably smarter. A Braddock at the police station might set the reporters off.”

Ty looked from Connor to Malcolm, who was nodding his agreement, and back to Connor again. Was it just a few short weeks ago that he and Malcolm had walked in on the ridiculously rich white man kissing their baby sister? And now look at them, he thought, all sitting at a table having lunch and discussing his father’s case. But Ty knew Connor was a cool guy, especially after he had discovered they both shared a love of cars. Connor’s tastes, though, leaned more toward the expensive, speedy sports cars, compared to Ty’s passion with vintage excellence.

“That’s true. I’m glad we’re all in agreement that this investigation is still on the down-low,” Ty said.

Connor nodded. “Like I said before, I want to help you get to the bottom of this. Something is definitely not right. The phone call warning to Gloria, the response she got to stay away, the break-in and her last-minute travel plans to D.C. the day he died…The things you’ve uncovered so far support that notion. Besides, it’s not that farfetched that there’s been a cover-up. That’s the name of the game in politics these days.”

“You’ve got that right,” Malcolm chimed in. “That’s why we need to be extra careful in the investigation.”

“Let’s face it, guys, we don’t have a clue what we’re doing here,” Shondra said as she forked her salad. “I mean, we’re grasping at straws, accumulating information but have no idea what to do with it.”

“So what do you suggest?”

Shondra picked up her glass, drank and used a napkin to wipe her mouth. “Well, Mom did tell us to hire a PI, and Drey St. John offered to help.”

The men exchanged weary glances.

“What do you know about him?” Malcolm asked Ty.

Ty shrugged. “Nothing much. He was at the funeral. He introduced himself, said he knew Dad and worked with him frequently. That’s about it.”

“Gloria said she has invoices that prove Dad employed him often. He’s a private investigator. What more could we ask?”

Malcolm looked alarmed. “When did you talk to Gloria?”

Shondra was lifting another forkful of salad to her mouth. Ty had often wondered how the girl stayed so thin. Ever since she hit puberty she’d been able to eat just as much as he and Malcolm and still possessed a model’s figure.

“She called me this morning. Why?”

“I don’t like you two teaming up, that’s why,” Malcolm chided.

“Oh, please,” Shondra quipped. “You’re just afraid she might let it slip how you act in bed.”

Ty and Connor laughed while Malcolm tried to suppress a grin. The older brother normally had a dry sense of humor, but Ty had noticed a change in Malcolm since Harmon’s death. The change since he’d admitted his feelings for Gloria. Malcolm was light and unburdened these days. Ty was happy for his big brother, happy for the new direction Malcolm’s life was taking.

“I’ll try and talk to Ms. Longwei before the week is out. I’ll call you guys with what I find out and you can decide what to do from there,” Connor said.

Ty had emptied his own glass and signaled for the waitress to bring him lemonade. “That sounds good, Connor. Why don’t we hold off on hiring St. John until we see if this Longwei has some relevant information?”

“She obviously knows that Dad’s death wasn’t an accident,” Shondra said with a frown.

“Not necessarily,” Malcolm interjected. “She could simply be making assumptions.”

“Or,” Ty added, “she may be involved in whatever is going on. In that regard, Connor, you need to be really careful about questioning her. We don’t know what can of worms we’re about to open up.”

“You’re right,” Connor agreed.

Shondra and Malcolm agreed, as well.

“In the meantime, there’s a cop at the gym where I work out. I can make some casual comments about the accident just to see if they’re still looking into it. The guy and I are pretty cool, so he might just let something slip.”

“You be careful, too,” Shondra said. “You know corruption rarely skips the police department.”

Ty nodded. “True.”

They continued eating and talking, covering a range of subjects, one of which was their mother, Evelyn. They were all concerned about how she was taking Harmon’s death, so Malcolm and Ty agreed to go and check up on her once Shondra and Connor left.

“Ty, tell Felicia I’ll call her so we can get back into our lunch ritual,” Shawnie said as they walked away. Ty and Malcolm rode in Malcolm’s Mercury Mariner Hybrid through the city streets and got onto the highway that would lead them to the outskirts of the city, where the Braddock estate was. Ty liked his brother’s truck but wasn’t impressed by its size or new-age technology. He favored the old, tried-and-true vehicles and was looking forward to taking one of his favorites—the vintage teal 1963 Chevrolet Corvette he kept in the garage at the estate—out for a spin. It had been a while since he’d indulged in his only other hobby besides work. In truth, it had been too long.

Ty enjoyed the scenery as Malcolm drove. He thought about his wife and their evening together. They must have kissed on that balcony for hours. All he knew for certain was that when he’d finally had to walk her to the door, his body was hard as steel and he was needing her more than he’d ever had in his life.

But Felicia had held to her word. She didn’t want them to rush things. She wanted the whole dating, courting, whatever-you-wanted-to-call-it routine all over again. Ty wasn’t really down for the waiting to sleep with her again—especially since they were already legally married and he’d gotten her pregnant—but he knew enough to give her what she wanted in that regard. He was looking at his marriage like a business deal now: it needed to be handled delicately until the final contracts were signed—the “final contracts” being the moment Felicia moved back in with him. That thought made him smile.

“What are you over there smiling about?” Malcolm asked. “You must have made another million or something, you look so happy.”

Ty cleared his throat and pretended to adjust his seat belt. “Nah, it’s nothing. Just enjoying the scenery.”

“Man, you can’t see anything but asphalt and cars driving too fast to get to someplace that’s probably not all that important. That is not what put that smile on your face. So what’s up?”

“It’s nothing really. Just that things have been bad for a few months and they’re finally starting to look a little better.”

“You mean you and Felicia?”

“Why would you say that?” Ty asked. He’d been careful not to let anyone in his family know about his and Felicia’s separation. For all they knew, she was just spending more time working and with her family. Her appearance at the funeral had helped tremendously, as both his mother and Shondra were happy to see her.

“Come on, Ty. I know you, and I know when something’s bothering you. You were on edge even before Dad’s death. I assumed it was about your wife since your business is doing so well. Felicia is the only thing you love more than work and your cars.”

Ty thought about his brother’s words for a moment, searching for and accepting the truth in them. “Things were a little shaky with us for a while. But now we’re cool.”

“Shaky, how?” Malcolm persisted.

Ty sighed, knowing his brother could be just as stubborn as him. That was one trait they’d all inherited from Harmon. They weren’t going to make the additional twenty minutes of this ride without him telling Malcolm all he wanted to know, so there was no need in even trying.

“She left me,” Ty said quietly.

“What? She left? Why?”

“I don’t really know. I mean, I think I know now. But when it happened, I had no idea.”

Malcolm shook his head. “That doesn’t sound right.”

“She left right after the New Year. I came home one day and she was gone. Then the day of the funeral she showed up. I thought things were back to normal, that whatever she’d been going through was fixed. So we slept together.”

“But?”

“I didn’t say but. ”

Malcolm chuckled. “Still, I know there’s one coming.”

“ But apparently things still weren’t okay. She left again. I tried to call her. I left messages at her job and on her cell. I didn’t even know where she was staying.”

“Did you call her parents?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“The same reason I didn’t tell any of you. I didn’t want them to know. Marriage is sacred to Felicia. Marshall and Lydia have been together for a long time and they have a great relationship. I didn’t think she would run to them and tell them she was giving up on ours.”

“So what’s going on now?”

Ty thought for a moment. He rarely went for walks, especially during a weekday when he should have been working. But had he not been coming down that street, had he not glanced inside that store, he wouldn’t be feeling as content as he was now. “I saw her yesterday.”

Malcolm glanced at Ty, then back at the road. “You did? Where? Did you go to her job like some stalker?”

Ty frowned, offended that his brother would even suggest such a thing. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“I know you wouldn’t. That’s why you haven’t spoken to or seen your wife in months.” Malcolm chuckled. “You’re too cool to show your emotions that way.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just tell me what happened when you saw her.”

Ty decided he wanted this conversation over with sooner rather than later, so he dismissed Malcolm’s comment. “She’s pregnant.”

“What! It’s yours, right?”

“Don’t play games, Malcolm. Of course it’s mine. She is my wife.” And if Ty knew one thing about Felicia, it was that she was loyal. She would never step out on him, no matter how bad things were. As long as they were legally married—and this was true for him, as well—there would be no sleeping with anybody else.

“I can’t tell,” Malcolm said flippantly.

“All right, what’s that supposed to mean? And I want a straight answer.”

Malcolm shrugged. “I don’t have a problem giving you one, little brother. You’ve been working and working since the day you and Felicia got married. You know why she left? Because she didn’t think you’d miss her one way or another.”

Ty opened his mouth to speak then quickly closed it again.

“Yeah, you know I’m right. Felicia’s the type of woman that needs attention, Ty, and you weren’t giving it to her. You better be thanking the good Lord that she’s carrying your baby and not some other man’s.”

“Just because you’re driving doesn’t mean I won’t hit you. Watch what you say about my wife.”

Malcolm chuckled. “Don’t get mad at me. I’m just keeping it real. There’s more to life than work. It took me a while to realize that, but I see it clearly now. Felicia wants more than just money in the bank, Ty. She wants the whole fairy tale.”

“I know what my wife wants, thank you very much.” Ty shifted in his seat. “This all sounds real professional coming from a man who’s been running from a serious commitment most of his adult life.”

“I’m not downplaying my faults. But I’m wiser now.”

“You mean you’re Gloria-whipped now.”

“Whatever.” Malcolm laughed. “But seriously, I think you really need to think about what I’ve said and listen to what I’m sure Felicia’s saying. She’s pregnant now, man. It’s time for you to take your marriage and your family more seriously than your job.”

“If I don’t work, how do I support my family?”

“Ty, you’re not destitute. You have more money than most men twice your age. Besides, it’s not all about the money. It’s about living your life before it’s too late. Don’t you want to be there for Felicia and for your child?”

“Of course I do. And I will. That’s why I have to work—to make sure they have everything they need all the time.”

“I’m betting that all they’re going to need is you,” Malcolm said seriously.

“Thanks for the advice, big brother, but I’ve got this under control.”

Malcolm shrugged and Ty hoped he was going to let it rest for now. “I don’t have to tell you that this conversation goes no further than you and me.”

“I’m not an idiot, Ty. Mom doesn’t need this type of drama right now, and Shawnie’s so in love with Connor that she couldn’t care less what the rest of us are doing.”

Ty smiled. “Yeah, that’s weird as hell to see, isn’t it?”

“It’s borderline nasty. I’m going to have to keep my distance.”

“Don’t hate—you and Gloria are like that, too. I’ve seen you.”

It was Malcolm’s turn to smile. “Whatever.”

Felicia had one hour to do class planning every day. While her first-graders were in gym, she sat behind her desk and reread the afternoon’s reading lesson. She was just beginning the slippery trek into phonics and needed to remain focused. Twenty six-year-olds were full of energy and inquisitiveness. Neither of which made them ready to focus on learning to read.

She rearranged the flash cards with the sight words she would start with, and a memory from the past sneaked up on her.

She and Ty were back in school. He’d been studying for an exam in his literature class. Ty was a whiz with numbers but hated reading classic literature or poetry. So she’d come up with the idea to write the poet’s name on one side of the card and a passage from one of his/her more notable works on the other.

They were in her dorm, she lying across her bed while Ty sat on the floor dribbling a basketball with the finesse of an NBA player. She’d flash him a card. His dark eyes would shift away from his hand and the ball for just a second, and then he’d recite the passage on the other side of the card. It had been when she’d flashed the card that read “Lady Montagu” and his immediate, unwavering response had been, “The man who feels the dear disease, Forgets himself, neglects to please, The crowd avoids, and seeks the groves, And much he thinks when much he loves.” At that very moment Felicia knew without a doubt she was in love with him.

He’d spoken the words with such sincerity, such heartfelt honesty, that she’d believed he was speaking them directly to her instead of simply reciting the passage from memory.

“Can I put the names on the board for rec time, Mrs. Braddock?”

The high-pitched voice of one of her students interrupted the memory, and Felicia cleared her throat.

“Madeline, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in gym.” Madeline Yi was a precocious, cheerful girl of Asian descent. Her inky hair, adorable round cheeks and inquisitive nature were a highlight to Felicia’s day.

“I got my good shoes on so I can’t pissisipate,” Madeline said, her tongue slipping through the gap where her two front teeth used to be.

Felicia looked down to see that the child did, in fact, have on a lovely pair of patent leather shoes. Totally unsuitable for playing dodgeball. “The word is participate, ” she gently corrected while standing up behind her desk. “We’ll have to find something for you to do then.”

“I can put the names on the board for rec,” Madeline insisted.

“No. I’ll do that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m the teacher,” Felicia answered as the little girl followed her around the classroom.

“But I can be your helper.”

“Yes. You can. And I’m going to find something for you to help me with.” Felicia continued to look around her cheerfully decorated classroom for an assignment. She could have Madeline reorder the numbers for their leapfrog calendar, or she could put Madeline in charge of the booklets for the phonics lesson. However, she got the impression that Madeline was sure of what she wanted to do.

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