LITMIR.BIZ

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if he insists on full custody and won’t let me see Cody?” She bit out the word he as if Jacob were indeed the criminal he’d accused Mariana of calling him.

      “He said you could visit as often as you wanted. Even have Cody for weekends. But if by some chance he refuses, we’ll go after him. Grandparents have rights, too.”

      “You shouldn’t have told him he was Cody’s father.”

      “But he is Cody’s father, and denying him his son would be wrong.”

      Last evening surely hadn’t gone as planned. Mariana went from being the one in control to being a helpless bystander as Jacob made plans. If only she hadn’t been so impulsive. She should have insisted they hammer out visitation before she introduced him to Cody.

      “Leah wouldn’t approve.” Her mother’s voice had started to shake. “I’d stop you if I could.”

      This...vehemence was new.

      Mariana went over and put an arm around her mother’s shoulders. “Working yourself up into a frenzy won’t help.”

      “Cody’s so little. He’s already been uprooted once these past months.” Her mother started to cry.

      “Drive up again this weekend. Or maybe I’ll drive down. That way, Cody can see Grandma, too. She loves seeing him.”

      Mariana’s grandmother was also in Austin. Though still living alone, she’d grown frailer this past year, ever since her hip replacement, and required more time and attention from her daughter.

      “Watch him carefully.” Mariana’s mother brought her tears under control.

      Him meaning Jacob. “I will, Mom. But he’s not a brute. He was really pretty good with Cody the other day.”

      “He doesn’t know the first thing about toddlers.”

      “Which is why I agreed to stay with him. Temporarily.” And she wasn’t leaving until he’d convinced her beyond a shadow of a doubt he was capable of parenting a small child for extended periods of time. It required more than a great dog, a nice yard and impressive cooking skills. “Leah trusted me to do what’s best for Cody, and I think this is best.”

      She continued packing her suitcase, taking a mental inventory. Underwear. Toiletries. Four pairs of shoes. Workout clothes. Sleepwear.

      Sleepwear? What should she bring? Mariana had never cohabitated with a man in a platonic relationship. She’d never cohabitated with a man period. Not that she was a prude. She’d spent nights at her boyfriend’s place before. When she’d had a boyfriend. Sleepwear wasn’t an issue then.

      She settled on her two least-sexy pajamas and threw in a thick robe for good measure. Cody sometimes woke up during the night. She’d be appropriately covered should they find themselves wandering the house.

      Helena, Mariana’s secretary, had proved invaluable. She’d ordered a portable crib, a portable changing table, plastic crates to substitute for dresser drawers and all manner of small necessities. Then, she’d had the items delivered to Jacob’s house. She’d also located a childproofing service. They were scheduled for later in the week.

      Mariana saw no need to move Cody’s furniture and belongings just yet. Best to wait and see how things progressed. Jacob might reconsider. His insistence on this arrangement was a knee-jerk reaction to her insistence that they wait.

      And she’d only insisted because her mother had come unglued. Mariana’s staying with Jacob seemed like a good compromise.

      What had gone wrong the other day? she wondered. Mariana was usually good at coaxing people into doing what she wanted. It served her well in her profession. Yet she’d failed to coax Jacob into moving slowly. Was she blinded by his looks and appeal? She didn’t want to label it attraction. She couldn’t possibly be attracted to him. He wasn’t at all the kind of guy she went for. Besides, he’d fathered her sister’s child.

      “Where’s Cody?” Her mother peered down the hall, her expression anxious.

      “In his room. Packing a suitcase.”

      “You’re not leaving that up to him!” Her mother started for the door.

      “Mom, come back. He’s just playing.”

      To keep Cody occupied while she packed, Mariana had put a second suitcase on the floor of his room. That was all it took. Cody had spent the past twenty minutes filling the suitcase with mostly toys and picture books. She’d have to sneak in later when he wasn’t looking and repack with clothes and shoes.

      “How soon are you leaving?” Her mother’s frown shouted her unhappiness.

      “Soon. I promised Jacob we’d be there before dinner. We need to settle in before Cody’s bedtime.”

      “Doesn’t he rodeo every weekend?”

      Would her mother ever call Jacob by his name?

      “Yes, but he’s planning on coming home early Sunday. To spend as much time as possible with Cody and get to know him.”

      Her mother harrumphed. “Your dad had every chance in the world to get to know you and your sister, and it didn’t matter. He still chose rodeoing.”

      “Not every man is like Dad.” Mariana picked through her jewelry box, selecting earrings and necklaces to take with her.

      “You can’t right his wrongs, you know.” Her mother sniffed.

      “What are you talking about?”

      “Telling Cody’s father about him. You think that Cody having a father in his life will make up for you and Leah missing out.”

      Mariana gaped at her mother. “That is so far from the truth.”

      “Is it?”

      She couldn’t possibly be trying to re-create the past by manipulating the present. Telling Jacob about his son was a matter of principle. Or wasn’t it?

      Leah had easily dismissed their father, content to live her life as if he never existed. Mariana had been different. She’d experienced an entire range of emotions where Zeb Snow was concerned. Anger at him for abandoning her, resentment that he wasn’t there, longing to know him, hope that he’d change and come back for her.

      No, Cody didn’t deserve to grow up like either she or her sister had. Jacob Baron would be a good father. She had to believe that.

      An hour later the three of them were loading the car, Cody again “helping.” The Infiniti’s small trunk and backseat were full to bursting.

      “Have you got everything?” her mother asked. She’d already loaded her small suitcase into her car in preparation of returning to Austin.

      Mariana wiped her forehead. “Probably not.”

      When they were finally ready to leave, her mother held Cody and cried as if he were leaving for a year.

      “Mom, please. You’re upsetting him.”

      Indeed, the boy had started whimpering. Though he could simply be tired. It was nap time.

      Her mother straightened. “Call me when you get there.”

      “I will.” Mariana lifted Cody and placed him in his car seat. His attention was immediately drawn to the boxes and bags piled on the seat beside him.

      “My blanky.” He slapped a plastic bag.

      “That’s right. It’s your blanket.” She thought he might sleep better with his own bedding.

      “Bye, darling.” Mariana’s mother leaned into the car and kissed his forehead. “I love you.”

      “Bye-bye. Bye-bye.” He waved out the window when Mariana shut the door.

      Pivoting, she found herself engulfed in her mother’s

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