Forever My Baby. Jacquelin Thomas

think that I need to get my daughter out of here right now before she finds something else she wants.”

      Garland laughed. “I understand. I have to keep my own daughter out of the shop. She thinks she should personally own everything here.”

      “You have children?” he asked, his eyes straying to her left hand.

      “One,” she responded. “I have a daughter.”

      Ryker stepped closer to embrace Garland. “I meant what I said,” he told her. “Let’s get together soon.”

      “It was very nice meeting you, Miss Warner,” Rochelle interjected. “You have a lovely store.”

      “Thank you.”

      “Son, we’d better get Kai home. She’s sleepy and you know how she gets when she’s tired.”

      He glanced over at Garland and said, “I hope to hear from you soon.”

      Ryker gave her one final smile before quickly escorting his daughter out the door. Kai had just spotted another stuffed animal. He needed to get her out of the store before she begged him to buy it.

      * * *

      “Do you know that man?” her employee asked in a low whisper after Ryker and his family had exited the shop.

      “He’s a DuGrandpre, Robyn,” Garland responded with a tiny smile. “Ryker DuGrandpre.”

      “I knew he looked familiar. There was a huge feature about their law firm in one of the magazines I read recently.” Robyn broke into a grin before adding, “He’s handsome, don’t you think?”

      “And very married,” Garland stated. “Or didn’t you notice the wedding ring on his finger?” However, she noted that he had not mentioned his wife in their conversation at all. But still Ryker was very good-looking with firm muscles. It was obvious that he spent a lot of time at the gym working out and taking great care of his body. And his aftershave was as delicious as his appearance.

      “I never moved past his face,” Robyn responded with a shake of her head.

      She laughed. “You’re bad.”

      “There’s no harm in looking, Garland.”

      “Well, I make it a habit to never pay attention to married men.”

      “When it comes to a married man, I just look at them every now and then,” Robyn admitted. “I wouldn’t deal with one—that’s for sure.”

      “I know that.” Garland knew Robyn well. She had been with her from the inception of the boutique. She was the assistant manager, and Garland loved working with her and having her on the team.

      “He may be married, but I couldn’t help but notice that he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off you.” Robyn straightened a dress that hung lopsided on a hanger.

      Garland shrugged in nonchalance. “It’s not what you think. He was best friends with my brother. They were college roommates and frat brothers.”

      “Oh, I had no idea.”

      “Parker and Ryker had been inseparable,” Garland said. “He really took it hard when Parker passed away. I never saw him again after the funeral.”

      “So this is the first time you two are reconnecting?”

      “I actually ran into him in Charleston on Wednesday,” she said. “That was almost a week ago.”

      “So what’s up with his mother?” Robyn inquired. “She could barely focus on shopping because she was eyeballing you so hard.”

      Garland shrugged. “This is the first time I’ve ever met her. Parker had known her pretty well from spending a lot of time at their house when we were all in college. She was probably making sure I wasn’t flirting with her married son.”

      Garland decided to change the conversation back to work.

      “I just ordered the cutest little flower girl dresses,” Garland announced. “Wait until you see them, Robyn. The entire collection is stunning.”

      “I’m glad we’re adding more dresses for weddings. They sell very well.”

      “Go on and say it, Robyn. You were right.”

      “I was, wasn’t I?” she responded with a chuckle. “Garland, I appreciate you so much. You actually listen to your employees.”

      “So I will be expecting my world’s greatest boss mug.”

      They both laughed.

      Garland went to her office a few minutes later to go over sales orders. Her smile broadened over the memory of seeing Ryker again.

      But an odd twinge of disappointment interrupted as she reminded herself that he was married with a family.

       Chapter 3

       “The State of South Carolina released the results of an investigation into how the switch took place. The report concluded that the cause of the mishap remains a mystery. No evidence was uncovered to suggest foul play and the medical center has heightened its security in order to prevent another inadvertent baby switch...”

      Garland turned off the television as soon as the story of the nurse’s deathbed confession came on yet again. It was all everyone had been talking about these past weeks. It made her feel uneasy. But she knew that Amya was her daughter, despite being born on September 8 at that same hospital during the time the nurse was believed to have mistakenly switched the babies.

      She sat down on the sofa beside her napping daughter, her thin fingers tensed in her lap. Biting her lip, Garland glanced over at Amya. She refused to believe that the baby switch had anything to do with them. Garland knew without a doubt that Amya was her little girl.

      She caught herself glancing uneasily at the blank television screen, her thoughts dark and disquieting. Garland tried to ignore the warning voice in her head. “I’m thinking too much,” she whispered. “That story has nothing to do with me. Besides, I would’ve heard from the hospital by now if this involved Amya.”

      She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.

      Garland leaned over and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “I love you so much,” she whispered.

      “Mom...my,” Amya murmured sleepily.

      She rubbed her back. “Go back to sleep, sweetie.”

      The doorbell rang.

      As she opened the door, she said, “Hey, what are you doing here?” to her best friend, Trina, who stood in the doorway. “I thought you were in Arizona visiting your family. C’mon in here.”

      “I flew back this morning, so I thought I’d come by to see my bestie and my goddaughter.”

      “I’m so glad you did,” Garland said. “I really missed you and so did Amya. She is napping in the family room. Let’s talk in here.”

      They settled down in the living room.

      “Have you heard about the hospital situation?” Trina inquired as she picked up one of the small decorative pillows and held it close to her chest.

      Garland nodded. “Can’t help but hear about it. It’s on the news all of the time.”

      “Have you been contacted by anyone from the hospital?” Trina asked.

      “No,” she responded as casually as she could manage. “I don’t expect to be contacted because I know that Amya is my child.” Biting her lip, Garland looked away.

      “Maybe you should have a DNA test completed anyway,” Trina suggested. “This way there will never be any doubt in your mind.”

      Garland