Read Online Lone Star Valentine (McCabe Multiples) by CATHY GILLEN THACKER - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: CATHY GILLEN THACKER
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noncompliance as a reason for an emergency custody hearing. And given the fact that I happen to know that the judge who’s been assigned to hear the case is also a huge Dallas Gladiators fan...”
“Best not to take any chances. If you want to hold on to the rights you have now,” Liz agreed.
Because, Lily knew, even a request for a different judge would run the risk of having it all blow up in her face, even more than it already had. “Okay, then, I’ll do it,” she said tightly, knowing she really had no choice. How she was going to pull it off successfully, however, was something else indeed.
* * *
“Y OU OKAY ?” G ANNON ASKED , as soon as Liz had left. Because the truth was, Lily still looked more than a little shell-shocked by this latest turn of events.
She picked up a pillow and threw it onto the sofa with as much force as she could muster. “I want to scream.”
He gave her the space she seemed to require. “Don’t blame you.”
Lily squeezed another pillow with all her might. Finally, she threw it onto a chair with equal fervor. “Cry.”
Gannon watched her strip off her shawl-collared sweater and toss it aside, too. “Understandable.”
Her face flushed with angry color. “Punch something.” He’d never seen her so overwrought or so incredibly passionately beautiful and he edged closer. Then, resisting the urge to draw her near, he looked at the mantel clock instead. “We’ve got time if you want to blow off a little steam.”
Lily blinked. She swung back to face him in a drift of freesia perfume.
“We?”
He shrugged as if it were no big deal, when they both knew it was. “I figured I’d tag along, since Liz can’t go, and I need to head back to Fort Worth anyway for a day or so to check on a few things there.” Since things weren’t running as smoothly in his absence as he liked.
Lily closed the distance between them, not stopping until they were toe to toe. She stared at him in shock, asked softly, “You’d really do that for me?”
And a hell of a lot more, if you’d let me.
Knowing, however, that this wasn’t the time to put the moves on her, he offered, “Seems as though I owe you, given what you’re doing to try to protect my mother.”
Silence fell.
Slowly but surely, the walls around her heart began to go back up.
Wanting to protect her more than ever, he used the only logic he knew she would accept and put his lawyer hat back on. “You can’t really afford not to have someone go with you,” he told her reasonably. “And what better sidekick than a lawyer used to battling the scumbag attorneys responsible for such a power play?”
Lily paused. “You think there’s going to be trouble?”
Gannon met and held her gaze. “I think, in law, as in life, it’s always best to meet a show of force with another show of force. If I’m there, even just as your friend, there’s no chance they’ll try to use this situation to undermine you further. And/or attempt to pressure you into anything long term in exchange for a temporary gain.”
Lily’s posture softened in relief. “Actually, I would feel better if you were by our side.”
He smiled and reached for his jacket. “Then that settles it.” Which meant they both had to get a move on if they were going to be ready to leave in another hour and a half.
“Gannon?”
He turned to face her.
She came toward him once again and squeezed his hand warmly. “Thanks.”
* * *
“A RE YOU GOING to spend the night with my dad, too?” Lucas asked from his safety seat, for what, Lily thought on an inward sigh, seemed like the thousandth time since they had left Laramie two and a half hours ago.
Glad Gannon had offered to drive—her nerves felt frayed as it was without having to fight the freeway traffic and unfamiliar city interchanges—Lily turned around to smile encouragingly at her son. “No, honey. This is a special time for you and your dad.”
Lucas squinted in confusion. “How come?”
“Because
“Best not to take any chances. If you want to hold on to the rights you have now,” Liz agreed.
Because, Lily knew, even a request for a different judge would run the risk of having it all blow up in her face, even more than it already had. “Okay, then, I’ll do it,” she said tightly, knowing she really had no choice. How she was going to pull it off successfully, however, was something else indeed.
* * *
“Y OU OKAY ?” G ANNON ASKED , as soon as Liz had left. Because the truth was, Lily still looked more than a little shell-shocked by this latest turn of events.
She picked up a pillow and threw it onto the sofa with as much force as she could muster. “I want to scream.”
He gave her the space she seemed to require. “Don’t blame you.”
Lily squeezed another pillow with all her might. Finally, she threw it onto a chair with equal fervor. “Cry.”
Gannon watched her strip off her shawl-collared sweater and toss it aside, too. “Understandable.”
Her face flushed with angry color. “Punch something.” He’d never seen her so overwrought or so incredibly passionately beautiful and he edged closer. Then, resisting the urge to draw her near, he looked at the mantel clock instead. “We’ve got time if you want to blow off a little steam.”
Lily blinked. She swung back to face him in a drift of freesia perfume.
“We?”
He shrugged as if it were no big deal, when they both knew it was. “I figured I’d tag along, since Liz can’t go, and I need to head back to Fort Worth anyway for a day or so to check on a few things there.” Since things weren’t running as smoothly in his absence as he liked.
Lily closed the distance between them, not stopping until they were toe to toe. She stared at him in shock, asked softly, “You’d really do that for me?”
And a hell of a lot more, if you’d let me.
Knowing, however, that this wasn’t the time to put the moves on her, he offered, “Seems as though I owe you, given what you’re doing to try to protect my mother.”
Silence fell.
Slowly but surely, the walls around her heart began to go back up.
Wanting to protect her more than ever, he used the only logic he knew she would accept and put his lawyer hat back on. “You can’t really afford not to have someone go with you,” he told her reasonably. “And what better sidekick than a lawyer used to battling the scumbag attorneys responsible for such a power play?”
Lily paused. “You think there’s going to be trouble?”
Gannon met and held her gaze. “I think, in law, as in life, it’s always best to meet a show of force with another show of force. If I’m there, even just as your friend, there’s no chance they’ll try to use this situation to undermine you further. And/or attempt to pressure you into anything long term in exchange for a temporary gain.”
Lily’s posture softened in relief. “Actually, I would feel better if you were by our side.”
He smiled and reached for his jacket. “Then that settles it.” Which meant they both had to get a move on if they were going to be ready to leave in another hour and a half.
“Gannon?”
He turned to face her.
She came toward him once again and squeezed his hand warmly. “Thanks.”
* * *
“A RE YOU GOING to spend the night with my dad, too?” Lucas asked from his safety seat, for what, Lily thought on an inward sigh, seemed like the thousandth time since they had left Laramie two and a half hours ago.
Glad Gannon had offered to drive—her nerves felt frayed as it was without having to fight the freeway traffic and unfamiliar city interchanges—Lily turned around to smile encouragingly at her son. “No, honey. This is a special time for you and your dad.”
Lucas squinted in confusion. “How come?”
“Because
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