The Mistresses Collection. Оливия Гейтс

police car was pulling out, Trinity’s fingers were wound up in his T-shirt’s front and Zack’s heart had fallen to his knees. But when the car reached the end of the driveway, the wheels stopped turning, the back door swung open and the girl—the mother—came striding out.

      She wore fashionably distressed blue jeans and a pink sweater. As she neared, she pulled back the hood and a crown of blond waves tumbled out around her slim shoulders. She was a little taller than Trinity but twice as thin.

      “You’re the couple who looked after Belinda,” she said.

      “Belinda,” Trinity murmured. “That’s a pretty name.”

      “We called her Bonnie,” Zack said. “It means ‘happy.’ ‘Pretty.’”

      The girl’s blue eyes sparkled as she shoved her hands into her sweater’s pockets. “She smiled at me the first time at six weeks. She hasn’t stopped since.” Her expression firmed as she rolled back her shoulders. “I wanted you to know I never meant to lose her. I wanted to tell you it was an accident.”

      Zack exhaled. “That’s some accident.”

      “And I didn’t mean to get pregnant, if you want to know—” her chin and tone lowered “—but I never regretted for a moment bringing Bel into this world.”

      Trinity asked, “What about the father?”

      “That’s where I was headed that afternoon. Ryan never knew about my pregnancy until after Bel was born. He doesn’t have a mom and his dad…” The girl’s gaze dropped away. “Well, he’s away a lot.”

      “And your own parents?”

      “My dad left a long time ago. Mom’s not happy with me.” She shrugged. “What’s new? From the very first day she told me I should give Bel up. She said it’d be easier that way.”

      Trinity made an anguished, barely audible noise and Zack held her firm.

      “That day my mom had been at me again,” the girl went on. “She said I couldn’t stay there anymore. It was costing her too much. I wasn’t paying my keep. So I decided to pack some stuff and Bel and catch a bus into town. I was going to get a connecting ride to my boyfriend’s place. He’d moved to Wyoming. When we got to the bus stop, though, it started to snow. I had to get Bel out of the weather so I left my suitcase to walk over and ask that cabdriver how much it’d cost to get to the bus depot in town. But he was moving inside the store, getting something hot to drink or eat, I guess. It was really cold by then and the snow was falling harder. I put Bel inside the cab and hurried back to the stop to get my case. I was crossing back when the cab pulled away.” Her eyes glazed over and Zack knew she was reliving that moment. “I ran after them up the road, but he didn’t stop. I ran until I couldn’t run anymore.”

      Trinity asked, “But you didn’t tell anyone?”

      “I rang Bel’s father but he wasn’t home and wasn’t picking up his cell, either. I didn’t have a choice. I had to go back to Mom. I was crying and shaking. She put me to bed and promised she’d phone the police. When we hadn’t heard anything by the next day, she admitted she hadn’t made the call at all. So I did.”

      A tear dropped down her cheek and the girl’s throat bobbed on a swallow at the same time Trinity bowed her head and groaned. Zack’s hold around Trinity’s waist tightened. A maternal grandmother as good as disowning her own granddaughter. The situation must have sounded alarmingly close to her own.

      “I wanted you to know that I love Bel. I’ve only ever wanted what’s best for her.” The baby’s mother slipped the hood back over her head. “Sometimes it’s just hard to figure things out.”

      Zack was moved. But feeling sorry for this girl didn’t help the baby.

      “Where are you staying now?”

      “Ms. Cassidy organized a place in a shelter. There’s heaps of support there.”

      “If you need anything…” Zack proceeded to give out his full name, and where and how to find him. “Don’t forget, okay?”

      More tears filled her eyes as the girl-mother looked at them both almost questioningly. “I’m glad you were the ones to find her. You seem like a really nice couple.”

      Trinity stood, stunned, as the girl jogged back and the police car, with little Bonnie—Belinda—drove away. She didn’t take her eyes off the vehicle until it was a speck in the distant forest of trees. Zack didn’t move or talk, either. It was as if all the energy in their personal world was suddenly captured and taken away.

      It was bad enough having to hand over that defenseless child to a person who didn’t look old enough to have graduated high school. In her more rational mind Trinity knew there must be wonderful, devoted and careful teen moms who didn’t lose their babies…who had support and didn’t need to act impulsively. But this young mother had less than no help.

      The only word for little Bel’s grandmother was heartless. No, there were two more words. Selfish and negligent. How was it that Trinity had been more than willing to care for that baby when she’d never laid eyes on her before, when there was no previous attachment, and yet a woman who should have no hesitation in giving her own life to protect had failed so miserably in the “decent human being” department? Hell, even Zack, with his mercenary reputation, had stepped up to act honorably.

      Trinity had never been able to get her head around her own grandparents’ dismissal of their own flesh and blood. It didn’t compute that basic instinct shouldn’t override other considerations like social shame or disappointment. Where were their compassion and love? As a baby, there’d been none for her from her maternal grandmother, none for this baby, either. And the pain was so great, squeezing and tearing at her heart that Trinity felt as if she was right there in the backseat of that police car, too, looking out over a span of uncertain years all over again.

      What if something happened to Bel’s mother? That baby would have no one and Trinity would never know. She’d be in the dark about that baby’s future for the rest of her life.

      And she didn’t know if she could bear it.

      When another car came into sight, heading up the lonely road, Trinity didn’t pay it any mind. But the late model SUV turned into Zack’s driveway and a lady with neat silver-blond hair and a chic woolen pantsuit slipped out of the driver’s side door.

      Zack’s arm slid away from around her waist; she’d only been half aware of it being there but now she missed the support…the warmth. The cool of the morning seeped in, sending shivers scuttling over her skin. As the visitor neared, she slapped her thighs at the same time Cruiser strolled over to join her, his tail wagging low between his legs.

      “There you are, you bad boy.” The woman patted Cruiser’s head then addressed Zack. “Has he been much trouble?”

      Although he felt like his gut was on the floor after watching that police car drive away, Zack did his best to welcome his neighbor. Last night before dinner, he’d thought to leave a message on the Dales’ phone, letting them know where to find their dog when they got back. Mrs. Dale was here now to collect Cruiser. Take him home.

      And then there were two.

      He thought he’d be relieved when the “lost baby” situation was settled…when this monster of a dog was out of his house. But he didn’t feel relieved. Zack felt more hollow than he ever had in his life.

      “Mrs. Dale,” he said, “this is Trinity Matthews.”

      Mrs. Dale’s smile broadened. “Lovely to meet you.”

      Zack explained, “He showed up here yesterday morning.”

      “When Jim and I went out the other afternoon, we left him on a long lead outside. We expected to be back by early evening but that storm held us up. When we got back, we found the lead chewed through and no Cruiser anywhere to be seen. Since the weather’s eased up, we’ve