Read Online Nathan's Child by Anne McAllister - Free Book Online

help you.”
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean? By God, boy, she had your child. I don’t care if thirteen years has gone by, Lacey is a Wolfe!”
    â€œI know that!”
    â€œWell then, do your duty and ask—”
    â€œI asked.” The words hissed through Nathan’s teeth. “She said no.”
    The sputterings of disbelief on the other end of the line should have been comforting. Dominic, Nathan was sure, would have been heartened to know the old man was on his side. And even their younger brother, Rhys, wouldn’t have seen Douglas’s meddling as a liability.
    Only Nathan had consistently turned his back on their father’s commands. He hadn’t finished college. He hadn’t gone into the family business. He hadn’t shown any interest in any of the girls Douglas had wanted him to date. Instead he’d taken his camera and left. He’d made his own way in the world ever since.
    It had been a point of pride to do things his own way.
    And in the old days he would have taken Douglas’s demand that he marry Carin as reason enough to pack his bags and head for the hills. Even now Nathan found that the instinct ran deep.
    But for once, unfortunately, he agreed with his father’s assessment of the situation. He was Lacey’s father and he wanted to be part of her life. More than a peripheral part.
    Easier said than done.
    â€œShe said no?” Douglas was still sputtering. “I’ll talk to her,” he said.
    As if that would help. Nathan was almost tempted to say, Be my guest.
    He could just imagine how Carin would react to Douglas’s corporate power tactics. She’d run from them once already when she’d jilted Dominic.
    There was nothing to stop her running again.
    But having seen her today, Nathan didn’t think she’d run this time. The Carin Campbell he’d met today wasn’t merely older, she was stronger. She wasn’t a girl anymore. She was a woman. There was a resilience and a determination in the grown-up Carin that she’d lacked all those years ago. She had no trouble speaking her mind now.
    He had no doubt she’d speak it to Douglas if he attempted to interfere, too. And Nathan didn’t need any more complications than he already had.
    â€œYou stay out of this,” he told his father.
    â€œI’m only trying to help.” Douglas sounded aggrieved.
    â€œFine. Then don’t meddle. Leave us alone.”
    â€œLeft you alone for a year.”
    Nathan ground his teeth. “And you’ll keep on doing it now. Trust me, Dad, you sticking your oar in won’t help at all.”
    â€œShe likes me. Said so. Said it was good for Lacey to know me. Told me I could come and visit anytime. I could just sort of drop in and—”
    â€œNo!” Nathan said sharply. He drew a steadying breath. “No,” he said again, more moderately. “Thank you. I appreciate the support, but I’ll handle it.”
    Douglas didn’t say anything for a long moment. Then he sighed. “I damned well hope so.”
    To be honest, Nathan did, too.

CHAPTER FOUR
    W EDNESDAYS were Carin’s day to paint.
    Last month she had promised Stacia, her agent, a dozen more paintings for the show Stacia had got her in New York City right before school started. That meant a lot of hard work.
    So every Wednesday Fiona Dunbar did behind-the-counter duty while Carin stayed home and painted.
    But that wasn’t going to happen today.
    Fiona had arrived, of course, bright and early to pick up the cash box and anything else Carin wanted to send to the shop. She was standing in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee and talking animatedly about the collection of flotsam and jetsam she was going to use for her next big sculpture, when Carin heard a noise on the porch and turned to see Nathan at the screen door.
    This morning he wore a pair of faded denim jeans and a chambray shirt with the tails