“You didn’t even meet the Robinsons,” Kelly further pointed out the facts against her, and Mia almost stopped her. Wanted to tell the psychiatrist she no longer wanted the answer to her question.

  “I read their surrogate file.” The words were burning so hot inside her she had to give them release. “Every word. Several times. I gave Jordon a list of questions to pose to them. I still have the list, and their answers, if that will help.”

  Brows raised, Kelly cocked her head for a second and said, “That would be very helpful.”

  Mia jumped up and went to retrieve the paperwork from her nightstand drawer. She’d been obsessing over the file she’d made ten years before, but didn’t want it out where the girls might see it.

  Not that they could read...

  Kelly took the file. Placed it on the table to the left of her elbow. Waited for Mia to sit back down, before resting her arms on the table, leaning in. “What you did, giving an infertile couple a chance to birth their own child, was altruistic,” she said, and Mia’s blood started running hard in the other direction. “And you didn’t do it for the money for yourself. Jordon told us on Sunday that you did it so that he could afford to finish his last year of college.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Those facts will carry weight with the judge.”

  Mia blinked. Tried to take a deep breath. “You’re telling me you think I have a chance?”

  Kelly nodded. “The fact that the Robinsons chose to leave their children to a biological parent can’t be ignored. They chose Jordon Lawrence, but according to Savannah, they never knew your name, so you couldn’t be a consideration.”

  “I... At the time... I didn’t want anything from them. I didn’t want to be a face, or a person, to Madeline. I wanted her to be the only mother of her babies.”

  When Kelly just watched her, Mia blurted, “That sounds like I didn’t want them, I know, and here I am saying I want rights, but if the Robinsons were still alive, I wouldn’t be asking. It’s just...knowing they’re orphaned...”

  “And having met them...”

  Oh, God. Having met them. She’d never been so in love with anyone in her life. And she’d only known them two days.

  “Jordon and I were engaged. I thought we’d have our own children when we were ready...”

  And here they were...with their children...and they were never going to be ready to parent them as the partners she’d once envisioned.

  “He thinks I run from life. That I hide away here in Shelter Valley so I don’t have to take risks, and that I’m essentially wasting my life by not finding out how much more there could be.”

  “What do you think?”

  “That I’ve taken more risks right here on this ranch than I’d ever have taken anywhere else. That I’ve built something that fulfills me to my core. I rent out the tillable acreage for half the profits. I used every dime of my share of my father’s life insurance to build the cabins, buy horses and cows, to hire help, and now have a dude ranch that sustains the ranch all on its own. And, on the side, I’ve become a crafting influencer, reaching millions of people all over the world, and all I set out to do there was share my ideas with other crafters and hopefully have them share back.” Hearing herself, she stopped abruptly.

  She sounded like some kind of self-absorbed twit.

  “I...uh...did what I said I was going to do when I majored in business,” she finished, much less passionately. “I turned my family’s failing homestead around and made it profitable again so that not only can we gather here, but our children will grow up knowing their legacy as well.”

  “I understood that you own the ranch alone,” Kelly said.

  “I do. I bought my brother and sister out of their shares, but they come home every chance they get now. I’ve got two nieces and a nephew, all ten and under, who have their own horses in the barn.”

  The plug was intentional. If Ruby and Violet were allowed to visit, they’d have biological cousins and aunts and uncles in their lives. But the point she’d started with mattered.

  She was a person who did what she said she was going to do. Which meant the girls could count on her.

  And Jordon, or whatever family he gave them to, could count on her to not overstep her boundaries, too. Because she made sure her attorney put that in her argument before the court.

  “You talk about the dude ranch, the crafting, the actual farming of land, but you didn’t mention Forever Friends.”

  “It’s not my program. I had nothing to do with starting it, and I have nothing to do with running it,” she said.

  “I’m aware of Mariah Montford’s work,” Kelly said then. “I sent a couple of teenagers her way recently,” the psychiatrist continued.

  Mia wanted to know who. And how they’d done. But knew the doctor worked under confidentiality laws that wouldn’t let her say more.

  “McKenna Meredith speaks highly of you and what you’ve done with this place. She’s the one who told me about Forever Friends.”

  She knew who McKenna was, of course. Her dad and half brothers owned the local construction company. And after the shooting up at her dad’s place, everyone in town knew of her.

  She hadn’t realized McKenna knew enough about her to tell anyone anything. “She’s a year younger than me,” Mia said aloud. “I graduated high school the year before she moved here to live with her father. And she only moved back a month or so ago.” The expert bodyguard had not only been the talk of Shelter Valley, but she’d been on national news, too, when she’d risked her life and helped expose a killer who’d framed a man for one of the country’s most recent white-collar crime sprees.

  Beyond that, McKenna came from old money in Phoenix, not like the new fortune Jordon had built, but she’d just chosen to take a lead training position with Sierra’s Web, was getting married and settling right there in town. Or rather, in one of the lovely homes her family’s company was building up on the mountain overlooking Shelter Valley.

  Her fiancé, a one-time corporate accountant, had money, too. New money like Jordon’s. He’d just opened an accounting firm in town.

  “She’s been with Sierra’s Web for years,” Kelly said. “We’re very lucky she chose to stay with us and head up our bodyguard experts. We’d have sorely missed her talents.”

  Okay, then. Sierra’s Web loved McKenna. And McKenna, who had clout, spoke highly of Mia. That had to be good, didn’t it?

  “I’m hoping it also stands in my favor that Jordon brought the twins to me,” she said then, getting in another one of the points she’d had firmly in mind for that morning’s critical meeting.

  “Speaking of which, have you told him yet that you’re filing the motion?”

  “No.” The girls’ lawyer would tell him. Because he was their guardian. He’d have ample time to get his own lawyer. “I thought it would be better to keep it all in the courts. It’s not personal and I don’t want it to become that way. Besides, I’m not fighting Jordon’s custody.” She just wanted established legal rights of her own.

  In case Jordon decided to cut her out again.

  “It might be better coming from you.” Kelly’s words were soft, but firm, too.

  “Better in the eyes of the court?” That’s what mattered. If she got rights, she and Jordon could work something out professionally. Amicably.

  Just like they were with her babysitting in the interim.

  “Better for the girls.” Kelly’s words stopped Mia’s thoughts. “If you and Jordon can’t talk about something as important as this, how are you going to be able to make other choices? Beyond that, children sense tension between adults. And I’d guess that Jordon would feel a bit blindsided if he doesn’t get this from you.”

  Right. She hadn’t considered Jordon’s feelings. Because...well, they were off the table for her. But when his feelings would affect the girls...

  “I should have thought of that. If it’s not inappropriate for you to ask Savannah to hold off talking to him about it until I have a chance to tell him, I’ll do so as soon as possible. I can text you as soon as it’s done.”

  The other woman agreed to Mia’s plan. And seemed pleased by the house and the part of the ranch she toured during her visit as well. By the time Kelly’s car was pulling off Homestead Ranch, Mia was actually allowing herself to think of a future that didn’t involve being forced to say to goodbye to her little girls forever.

  * * *

  Jordon was just sitting down to the lunch he’d ordered delivered to his suite when his phone pinged a text message.

  The final bell had rung in New York ten minutes before. He’d signed off from all work sessions for the day.

  Unless someone had a problem...

  Grabbing his phone, he dropped his fork when he saw Mia’s name on the screen.

  If you’re going to the house today, or when you do, you should make sure to get all photos, including framed ones on the walls or on furniture. Most particularly any including Madeline, Keith and or the girls.

  For a second there, he felt a bit more like himself. The opinion he’d been seeking the night before, the one his ex-fiancée had refused to give, had just come through.

  Will do, he quickly texted back, then grabbed his fork and took a huge bite of the grilled chicken salad he’d specifically chosen because if work had run over and lunch had to wait, the salad would fare better than a hot sandwich would have done.

  Also, as many of their clothes as you can gather. And anything that sits on their beds—special pillows or stuffed toys. And check for bath toys, too.

  He sent back a thumbs-up, keeping it cool, but had more of an appetite than he’d had since Sunday morning.

  Mia was coming around.

  That mattered.

  And he had a specific purpose for his day—a way to help his new charges that was clear and in the moment. Instead of calling the numbers Sierra’s Web had given him for help cleaning out the Robinsons’ home, or meeting candidates at the house for interviews, he spent the afternoon in the home alone.

  With the boxes he’d picked up on the way.

  And was feeling pretty damned good about himself, about life, when he pulled into Homestead Ranch just before dark that evening. He’d texted Mia to let her know he’d be missing dinner.

  And why.

  The girls had had macaroni and cheese, she’d texted back. And suggested that maybe he wait and bring the girls’ things into the house after they went to sleep. So they didn’t get worked up—good or bad—right before bedtime.

  He’d already had the thought, though he didn’t say so. More, he wanted Mia to go through things with him, in case he’d included something that might cause a trigger he hadn’t thought of. He’d read and reread the report from the child life specialist and was certain Mia had as well.

  But ultimately, every child was different, and there was no guaranteed best way to handle any of the things facing the girls in the present and near future.

  He liked not having to carry the weight of that reality all on his own. Felt better equipped to take up the reins of responsibility and start thinking about next steps for Ruby and Violet.

  He liked having Mia in his life again.

  Chapter Eight

  Kelly’s input had sent Mia into an emotional quagmire. For her own mental health, she had to keep all feelings for Jordon Lawrence firmly under lock and key. They were a disease to her. Didn’t serve her life’s purpose or her happiness.

  But she needed to work with him, not apart from him, to keep tensions between them minimal for the girls’ sakes.

  Even though she and Jordon weren’t and never would be together again, they had to work together when it came to Ruby and Violet.

  She’d do it. Even if it didn’t serve her.

  But she’d be a better part of the girls’ lives if she could find a way to work with Jordon and remain emotionally detached.

  Problem was, she had no time to figure out exactly how she went about doing that before he showed up at the ranch that evening, looking all gorgeous and familiar to her with the warm glow in his blue eyes, blond hair a bit ruffled. Even the dress pants, shirt and shoes—far different from the shorts and jeans she’d seen him in pretty much every day during the four years they’d been together—didn’t seem to distance him from her.

  Sending the texts had been a good first step.

  The second one was going to be a lot more difficult. A potential land mine.

  Because she got the girls all day, and he was their legal guardian and therefore the biggest entity in their lives, she did as she had the night before, and left him alone to handle bath time, an hour of evening play and story time.

  She didn’t get to tell them good-night, or tuck them in.

  She wasn’t petitioning the courts to allow her to do so.

  For a few days, she was being given the blessing of starting their days with them, though. Seeing their sweet morning smiles, hearing the innocent chatter as they ate breakfast, brushed their teeth and she got them dressed for the day.

  Helping them make their bed—just because she’d learned young and thought it a good practice.

  Whether or not Jordon was piling up memories of his time with the twins, like she was, she had no idea. Just as, when he came out to join her, baby monitor in hand, she didn’t ask if he’d contacted adoption agencies that day.

  Still in her jean shorts, tank top and cowboy boots—her everyday ranch attire—she helped him carry in the boxes he’d packed up, stacking them all in what used to be her brother’s bedroom at the end of the hall, and was currently furnished as generic guest space. A room the girls had peeked in once and shown no interest in since.

  And then, as he opened the first box, she said, “I’m petitioning the court to prove that I am the girls’ biological mother, and to then be granted visitation rights.” It had seemed right in her head, just putting it on the table between them like anything else they should discuss.

  The way his mouth fell open—and his gaze shut to her—told her she might have made a mistake.

  For the girls’ sakes. Only for them.

  There was nothing else between Mia and Jordon. Not friendship. Not anything except the ten years of complete silence that had existed between them until he’d called and shown up at her door on Sunday.

  Trying to figure out why he looked like he’d just been slapped, she figured maybe she could have thought things through better. Thought of her words from his perspective.

  Even a stranger deserved that much.

  While thoughts flew, she came out with the first one that presented itself the most clearly. “I’m not intending to interfere with any choices you make for them.” But she should have seen that it could look that way.

  When he looked over at her, seeming to be listening, she stood inches from the box top he held with both hands and said, “I fully respect your rights as their guardian, Jordon, and whatever you choose, whatever family you choose for them, is your choice. I’m just asking for the right to see them, as regularly as possible, as they grow up. If you adopt them out in New York, that won’t be all that often, but it will still be regular. Something they can count on.”

  She felt like she was babbling. And stopped for a moment.

  She didn’t owe him anything.

  And if the courts deemed it so, she deserved what she was asking for. She certainly deserved the chance to try.

  She continued, “I can see where it might make the adoption a bit harder, to ask a family to accept permanent visitation to their children from a stranger to them, but if the court determines that it’s in the girls’ best interest to know me, then I have to be there for them in whatever way I can be.”

  Because she loved them more than her own life.

  She didn’t owe him that information.

  “I made a choice ten years ago that ultimately made two helpless and precious little girls orphans,” she said, instead.

  When he still said nothing, something else occurred to her. “I’m not trying to pressure you to stay in their lives,” she added. “I pressured you into donating to the Robinsons, Jordon. I know that. I acknowledge it, fully. This is on me.”

  “I wasn’t under duress when I provided my sperm.”

  No. In the end, he’d said he was glad they’d done what they did. And not just because it let him finish school.

  That mattered. More in the current situation than it had in the past. “It felt good, didn’t it? Helping another couple have the family they’d always wanted.”

  He finally met her gaze.

  Nodded.

  And told her good-night.

  * * *

  Five minutes down the road, Jordon considered turning back. He’d handled the situation like the somewhat self-righteous ass he’d been ten years before when he’d figured he knew the right answers so well that Mia would figure them out and change her mind about leaving Shelter Valley.

  He might not have entered the highway back to Phoenix if not for the fact that he wasn’t feeling much more mature than he had back then.

  He texted her, though, through the vehicle’s voice controls. Asking her to please not go through the boxes he’d packed without him.

  More of his lesser self coming through, he was sure. He already knew what she’d find in those boxes. Had touched every item himself, putting them in the boxes.

  And yet, he wanted to go through them with her. To discuss what was best for the girls to have immediately, and what to hold back.

  Ten minutes down the road, he called her.

  She’d said as long as she had the girls, she’d answer.

  And she did. On the second ring.

  “I don’t appreciate that you filed a motion with the courts before talking to me,” he put it right out there. “I’d have given you the rights, Mia. By God, you have to know that, at least. I brought them straight to you the second I got them!”