Read Online His Secret Child by Beverly Barton - Free Book Online Page B

One-night stands and meaningless affairs."
    "You tell me," she said. "Do you think you could ever offer a woman more?"
    Lowering his head, he looked down at the ground, deliberately breaking eye contact with her. "I honestly don't know." He glanced up and their gazes locked. "But I will tell you this—if you and I have an affair, it won't be meaningless."
    "Not to me," she said.
    "Nor to me." He turned and walked away, then stopped, glanced over his shoulder and said, "Tell Mike that I'll come back later and take a look at the Firebird."
    "I'll tell him."
    She watched Caleb disappear around the side of the garage, heard his Porsche start up, and listened as he drove away. Her shoulders slumped, her head drooped and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Well, you got what you wanted, didn't you? she told herself. Caleb Bishop isn't going to bother you again. You're safe from making a fool of yourself over him. And Danny's safe from ever finding out the truth.
    Pat opened the door of his minivan, took Sheila's arm and assisted her. Settling into the seat after fastening the safety belt, she relaxed and waited for Pat to start the engine. She always enjoyed dates with Pat. He was kind, considerate, and a real gentleman. She supposed if she was a smart woman, she'd allow their relationship to become as serious as he wanted it to be. But as fond as she was of him, she knew that she would never again settle for less than the real thing.
    She had been married once to a good man who had treated her well and taken care of her and her son. But she'd never loved Daniel Vance, not the way a woman should love her husband. Her stomach had never fluttered nervously just looking at him. Her body had never sang when he touched her. She had never fallen apart in his arms. Never cried out from the sheer joy of having him inside her. Never held his pillow close after he'd left the bed, simply so she could smell his scent.
    She had accepted a marriage without passion once, for Danny's sake. But she would never do it again. Not for any reason. If she ever married again, it would be for love and love alone.
    "Did you enjoy the movie?" Pat asked as he started the van.
    "Oh, yes, I like romantic comedies. I hope you weren't bored. Danny would have hated it. He is such a typical male."
    "Well, I guess it's a good thing Bill Finch took the boys bowling tonight."
    "Bill's kind enough to include Danny in a lot of his activities with Tanner. He realizes how difficult it is for Danny not to have a father."
    Pat looked at her before setting the van into gear.
    "Sheila, you know how much I care about Danny and about—"
    "Pat, I thought we agreed that tonight's date would be just fun. No serious discussions."
    "Sorry," he said. "You're right. Just fun tonight." He slowed the van and nodded toward the brightly lit building on the left of the road. "What do you say we stop by the Pale Rider? We could have a drink and dance a little? I know it's not the kind of place you'd ordinarily go to, but I just thought since—"
    "I'd love to go to the Pale Rider for a drink. And I haven't danced since Mike's wedding."
    They entered the smoky interior of Crooked Oak's one and only nightspot, a good ole boy's paradise of country music, cheap beer and women on the make. Sheila had been inside the madhouse only once before, and she'd never forget that night. It was the night Tallie Bishop had gotten in the middle of a fistfight between Eric Miller and Peyton Rand. Tallie had wound up breaking Eric's nose. And that was the same night her other best friend, Susan Williams, had danced with Lowell Redman, her future husband, for the first time.
    "Do you see an empty table?" Pat asked, peering through the smoke.
    "There's one." Sheila pointed out a table to the right, near the back of the crowded room. But just as they headed for the empty spot, another couple took occupancy. "Oh, well." Sheila shrugged her shoulders.
    "Would you like to dance first?" Pat suggested. "Then