Child of Mine. Bonnie K. Winn

told you so?”

      Matt stood. “You knew him, what? A year? I knew him all his life.”

      “Then you should have known he was chasing one half-baked idea after another. He didn’t care about family, about establishing a real life together. All he wanted was a great big handout from my parents, and when that didn’t happen he stole my son.”

      “He was pursuing his dreams, which he gave up to raise his son when you abandoned him.”

      She shook her head. “You can’t really believe that.”

      “Because you say it isn’t true?”

      “I’m his mother.”

      “Which hasn’t meant squat.”

      “This isn’t going to end with your say-so. Danny is my son. That means legally, no matter what steps you may have taken.”

      “So you’ll just rip him away from everything and everyone he knows and loves without a qualm.”

      Leah swallowed. “I know my rights.”

      “Kyle said that money ruled your conscience.”

      She gasped. “That isn’t true.”

      “Then think about Danny instead of yourself.” He walked toward her.

      Automatically, Leah took a step backward.

      Matt continued advancing. “He’s not a baby anymore. He’ll ask questions. About where you were.”

      “I’ll tell him the truth.”

      Matt scoffed. “And he’ll believe you? Why?”

      “Because I’m his mother.” Even as she spoke, Leah recognized the futility of the words. Danny didn’t feel any connection to her. He would believe Matt. “You’re not going to dissuade me.” She could feel the pressure, the tightening in her chest, the ache against the back of her throat. But she wouldn’t give into tears in front of this man. “I’ll be back.”

      Trying to look as though she were still in control, she fled before her emotions exploded. Back in the car, she drove only a short distance from his house before she pulled off the road onto a deserted cattle crossing. Then she let the tears flow. Ugly, painful sobs clutched her chest and scraped her throat.

      Her baby.

      He didn’t know her. He thought she’d tossed him aside. How was she going to fix that? And how was she going to explain that she had to take him away from the only parent he’d ever known?

      Chapter Four

      Leah picked at her oatmeal the following morning. She’d considered calling her parents’ attorney, but Matt Whitaker’s words echoed through her mind.

      Then it occurred to her that she had only his version of how Danny had arrived in Rosewood.

      “More coffee?” Annie asked.

      “Thanks.”

      “You’re awfully quiet. Everything okay?”

      Leah glanced around the dining room and saw that the only other guests remaining, an older couple, were gathering their things to leave for the day. “Not really.”

      “I’m sorry. Anything I can do?”

      “Do you have a minute?”

      “Sure.”

      Annie put the coffeepot on the sideboard, waved goodbye to the other guests and joined her.

      Leah twisted the linen napkin, wondering how to begin.

      Annie waited patiently.

      “I need to know something.”

      “I’ll tell you if I can.”

      “Did you know John Johnson?”

      Annie nodded. “Yes. It’s been a long time. He died…I’m not sure…seems like almost ten years ago.”

      “Do you know anything about his child?”

      She sighed. “Saddest thing. John met a girl in California. They got married and had a baby, but she ran out on him when the baby was just tiny. So John brought the baby back here, but he got killed in a car crash not long after he came home. His brother raised the boy like he was his own. He’s Matt Whitaker—the man you came here to talk to.” Her eyes widened.

      Leah lowered her chin. “Is that what the whole town believes?”

      Annie nodded slowly. “Leah?”

      “Yes. I’m the girl. But it’s not true.” She looked into Annie’s honest eyes. “I need someone to trust.”

      “I can keep your confidences…but, Leah, you have to know…the town feels really strongly about this. Everyone backs Matt. They admire how he took in the baby.”

      “But they don’t know the truth.”

      “It’s the truth everyone’s lived with for nearly a decade,” Annie reminded her gently. “Even if it wasn’t true to begin with, it’s going to be hard to convince people otherwise, especially after seeing a big strong guy like Matt with a baby. He’s raised Danny by himself…. He never married.”

      Leah’s heart caught as she thought of all the time she’d missed, all the firsts, all the accomplishments.

      “Do you want to tell me about it?”

      So Leah told her.

      “John wasn’t exactly wild,” Annie remembered. “But he didn’t run with my kind of crowd. He was a year ahead in school, but I remember he was different. Actually, I can see him taking off for California. So, if you didn’t abandon Danny, that means you have legal rights.”

      “Yes.”

      “But if you take him away from everything he knows…”

      Leah sighed heavily.

      “If it helps,” Annie said, “Matt seems to be a great father.”

      “I’m not sure it does. Of course, I wouldn’t want to know Danny had been miserable. But his relationship with Matt complicates everything. I’ve always known that if I found him, it wouldn’t be simple. But the reality is a lot harder than I ever imagined.” And Leah was longing to put her arms around her little boy, to hug him close, to tell him that he was hers…to let him know how much she loved him. Instead, she sat drinking coffee, not even sure where he went to school.

      Annie plucked the petals from one of the daisies on the table. “There’s another way.”

      Leah met her gaze.

      “Stay here in Rosewood. Get to know Danny. Establish some trust before you tell him who you are.”

      “Do you think Matt would let that happen?”

      “I’ve seen Matt with him. I don’t think he could hurt Danny by telling him the truth right now.”

      For all the other objections Leah might have about Matt, she couldn’t deny his love for Danny.

      She would do what it took to restore her maternal rights to her son, to convince Danny that she loved him. “Thank you, Annie. You’ve got a full-time guest.”

      Leah learned that Danny attended the Community Church’s elementary school. No wonder his name had never appeared in public school records. Then she found out that he went by Danny Whitaker. In a small-town private school, a birth certificate hadn’t been necessary, she guessed.

      Or maybe Matt had taken the legal steps and adopted him.

      She didn’t have the heart to find that out just yet.

      Instead, she decided to put her design skills to their best use. She made an appointment with