Divided Hearts (2 page)

“That’s good news,” Simon said. “Did they catch the driver who hit her?”

“Yes, he’s been arrested. Turns out he’d been drinking all afternoon.”

“How’s Hannah?”

“She misses her mother, but otherwise fine.”

“You sound exhausted,” he remarked.

Did she? Faye hadn’t realized it showed in her voice, but she’d been wearing herself threadbare with anxiety, along with sole responsibility for an active toddler. “I haven’t been sleeping well,” she admitted, and simply acknowledging it brought on a sudden wave of fatigue, prompting her to sink onto the sofa.

“Neither have I,” Simon said.

“Are you still in Vancouver?”

“Yes. I’ll be sticking around until I see my daughter.”

Faye sat forward. “Mr. Blake, I understand your feelings, but I couldn’t do that without Jenna’s permission. I—”

“Are you Hannah’s guardian while Jenna’s in the hospital?” he asked crisply.

“Yes, but—”

“Then it’s up to you to make that decision.”

Faye hesitated, searching for words that would make him understand her position. “I just want to respect Jenna’s wishes,” was all she came up with.

“Her
wishes
?” Simon snapped. “You respect the fact that she never told me about my own child? She had no right. I can’t understand for the life of me how she could make such an utterly selfish decision.”

“I don’t understand it, either. But she must have had a reason.” Faye had been turning over the possibilities in her mind for two days, but hadn’t come up with a plausible explanation herself. She remembered arguing with Jenna once she learned of her pregnancy, trying to persuade her to force Simon to provide the financial support to which she was legally entitled. Jenna had refused, saying she feared that in revenge he’d try to take custody of the child. Faye hadn’t doubted her word. What was she to believe now?

“What earthly reason could there be?” Simon demanded, his anger mounting. “Not only did she deprive me of my daughter, she deprived Hannah of her father. She cheated both of us.”

“I agree.”

“Then you won’t object to my meeting my daughter.”

“Normally, no,” she replied slowly. “But the timing … if only you could wait until we can discuss it with Jenna.”

“I don’t want to bring my lawyer into this, Miss Harper, but if it comes to that I won’t hesitate to do so.”

His words sent a bolt of cold fear down Faye’s spine, drawing her back in an instant to her own painful childhood memories of her parents’ divorce and the bitter custody battles that followed for years. Glancing at the happy little girl playing by her feet, Faye suffered a terrible ache in her heart as she imagined the same thing happening to Hannah. For a moment she considered that Jenna may have had the right idea. Did Simon Blake really have the means and the resolve to try to take Hannah away simply out of spite?

“Are you threatening me?” she asked evenly.

His tone softened. “I don’t mean to. Look, if you ‘re afraid I intend to snatch the child away while her mother’s in a coma, let me assure you, that isn’t the case. I only want to see her. I have a right. Hire a bodyguard if you don’t trust me.”

Not answering at first, Faye settled her teeth into her lower lip as she contemplated her options. Beneath Simon’s heated words, she sensed the anguish of a man who both felt both betrayed and fearful of being deprived of something he only now realized he desperately wanted. She couldn’t help but recall the strain her own father had suffered when kept apart from Faye. A distinct memory rose in her mind of leaving her father’s house, at age eight, after an afternoon visit the day before a custody hearing; he cheerfully told her he’d see her soon, but as she hugged him, she felt a quiver in his shoulders that made her aware he was barely holding back tears. Through his forced smile she recognized the ever-present fear that he would lose his daughter for good, if Faye’s mother had her way, and the same stark dread took hold of her own young heart.

As for Simon Blake, Faye would give him the benefit of the doubt—while keeping her guard up.

“That won’t be necessary,” she said at last. “You can come over here for a few minutes tonight, before Hannah goes to bed.”

Over the line she heard him release a lungful of breath in relief. “Thank you. I do appreciate it. I’ll see you then.”

* * *

Faye spent the early evening rushing from room to room, cleaning and tidying the apartment in preparation for Simon’s arrival. She felt unaccountably nervous, manically wiping up every speck of dust in her desire to make their home look immaculate. She wanted Simon to see that his daughter had been well cared for.

She didn’t think he’d go into the room Jenna and Hannah shared, but even so, she stacked the diapers neatly on the change table, stuffed the toys into the toy box and tucked Hannah’s freshly laundered clothes into her dresser drawer. Jenna’s bed was still neatly made from three days ago, not having been slept in. Cosmetics and hair clips littered her dressing table, her hairbrush sitting amidst them where she’d left it the morning of her accident. Faye didn’t touch those things; to put them away seemed to imply that Jenna wouldn’t be returning to use them.

Faye couldn’t remember a time before Jenna was in her life. They had met in kindergarten, forming a fast friendship. On the surface the girls were polar opposites: Faye the delicate blonde who was happy to sit quietly and draw animals, and Jenna the dark-haired adventurer who was perpetually on the move, compelled to see and experience everything. But they were a good complement to each other; Faye helped Jenna to settle down, while in turn Jenna gave Faye the nudge she needed to try new things. During the ordeal of her parents’ divorce, Faye had leaned on Jenna a great deal, their friendship being the one constant Faye could count on. Until now she had assumed there were no secrets between them, making Jenna’s deception about Simon all the more perplexing.

The knock at the door startled Faye, sending her heart leaping high into her throat. Hastily she shoved her dust rag into a kitchen drawer on her way to the door. Why was she so nervous, for heaven’s sake? Surely she was doing the right thing for Hannah, after all.

She glanced at the toddler, freshly bathed and clad in polka-dot pajamas, blissfully playing with her musical farm toy on the living-room carpet.

Precious little girl, your life is about to change—for the better, I hope.

After only a brief hesitation, Faye opened the door to find Simon in the hallway, his tall, broad form filling the doorway. His elegant mouth formed a soft smile that elicited a peculiar quiver in her belly.

“Good evening, Miss Harper.”

“It’s Faye. Please, come in,” she said, stepping aside to let him enter the apartment.

Striding inside, Simon kept his gaze on Faye, the luminous sky-blue of his eyes stirring a flutter of feminine awareness. She felt suddenly self-conscious in her faded jeans and old cotton sweater, her long hair tied into a ponytail, and realized her forehead was damp with perspiration from her frantic cleaning. She’d been so focused on the look of the apartment that she hadn’t given much thought to her own appearance.

Alerted by the tune of “Old Macdonald,” Simon peered into the living room, catching sight of Hannah there. Faye saw his expression change, a mixture of wonder and apprehension transforming his features.

“She’s beautiful,” he said, his smile broadening. Witnessing the enchantment in his face as he set eyes on his child for the first time, Faye felt a constriction in her own chest, and she drew a deep breath to ward off a sudden welling of emotion.

“Can I get you anything? Tea?” she offered.

“No, thanks, I’m fine.” Simon’s gaze was firmly locked on his daughter. “Hello, Hannah,” he said gently, taking a step toward her.

Hannah stared up at the stranger, her eyes round as marbles. As he approached, her rosebud mouth puckered into a frown, a crease forming between her small brows.

“It’s all right,” he said softly, bending down. “I’m your daddy. I’m so happy to meet you.”

Leaping abruptly to her feet, the little girl tottered toward Faye and clung to her legs, turning her face upward and letting out a desperate wail.

“She’s always like this with strangers,” Faye explained as she scooped the toddler into her arms. “Especially men. Best to keep your distance for now. Let her come to you when she’s ready.”

“Right,” Simon said, rising. Faye could see he was making an effort to appear nonchalant, while his expression betrayed bewilderment; clearly the man was out of his comfort zone, and Faye felt a surge of compassion for him.

“Don’t worry, she’ll warm up to you.” Faye settled onto the sofa with Hannah on her lap, still clinging to her.

Simon sat at the other end of the sofa, putting as much distance as he could between them. Hannah quieted down but stared at him warily, her mouth drawn down miserably, her lashes wet with tears.

“She looks like my sister at that age,” he said. “She had the same mass of dark hair.” He looked both captivated and anxious as he continued to study the child. “Does she talk?”

“She’s starting to say a few words.”

As Simon’s gaze finally rose to meet Faye’s, her pulse quickened at once. She hadn’t realized until now that his eyes were the same deep azure as Hannah’s.

“Seems she’s moved in with you quite nicely,” he remarked.

“She’d lived here all her life,” Faye explained. “Jenna and I moved in together after Hannah was born, so I could help her look after the baby. She teaches afternoon and evening classes, so Hannah only has to go to a sitter for the afternoon, and I pick her up before supper. It’s worked out quite nicely.”

His brows rose with mild surprise. “Jenna told me how close you were. You’re certainly a devoted friend to help her out like this.”

Faye nodded, happy to hear Jenna had spoken of her that way. “Jenna’s mother has debilitating arthritis in her hands, and her father died several years ago. So how could I not step in? I know she’d do the same for me.”

“Your business card says you’re an illustrator,” Simon went on. “You do this work at home?”

She nodded. “It’s been great having that flexibility. Although my workspace is rather cramped. I make do with the dining room table a lot of the time.”

“It’s a small place for three people.”

“Money’s been tight,” she admitted.

“Had I known about Hannah, I would have provided for her,” Simon stressed, his brows drawing together. “I’ve brought a cheque.” Reaching into the side pocket of his jacket, he fished around for a moment, then grew inpatient and emptied the entire contents onto the coffee table. Finding a folded cheque among the items, he offered it to Faye. “It’s not only for the amount I owed Jenna for her research work, but for Hannah as well. And I will send more regularly.”

“Thank you.” Faye took the cheque and glanced at it, her eyes widening at the sizeable amount written there. Until now she’d wondered vaguely why he hadn’t asked for a paternity test on Hannah, just to be sure; now that a large sum of money was involved, Faye would have expected him to demand real evidence. But seeing the little girl for himself, and recognizing the resemblance to his family, had evidently satisfied him that she was indeed his child.

Again she had to wonder why Jenna had lied. Simon Blake had a belligerent side, but he also came across as kindhearted and honourable, as well as generous. Faye didn’t get the impression of a vengeful man, even in the wake of an appalling betrayal.

But then again, Faye cautioned herself, it wasn’t uncommon for a man bent on retribution to use tactics of manipulation to get around whatever, or whoever, lay in his path. Frustratingly, Jenna had never mentioned specifically why she feared Simon’s retaliation, and at the moment there was no way to ask her. What had gone on in their relationship that Faye didn’t know about?

Suddenly Hannah pushed away from Faye and scooted off her lap, sidling along the coffee table to where Simon had left the contents of his pocket. Curious, the little girl snatched up the key ring and shook it briskly. Delighted by the sound of the keys jingling against each other, she chuckled, shaking it harder.

She was inches from Simon’s knee, and he sat frozen, as though afraid of spooking her if he moved.

When he looked up, his expression was troubled. “Do you really have no idea why Jenna didn’t tell me she was having my baby?”

“None,” Faye replied, startled to hear her own thoughts mirrored in his query.

“And she told you I knew?” His eyes narrowed as he studied Faye’s face. At once she realized that while she had been speculating about Simon, he’d been sizing her up, questioning
her
honesty.

“Don’t you believe me?” she asked, not really resenting his suspicions under the circumstances.

His lips curled up slightly at the edges. “I have no reason to doubt you.”

“That is the truth, I assure you. You can ask Jenna yourself. She will recover, I’m sure. I can’t believe anything else. And when she does, we can get those answers directly from her.”

His eyes closed briefly as he nodded, apparently reassured. “Okay. Good.”

“I’ve got an album of pictures of Hannah from the time she was a newborn,” Faye said, hoping to brighten the tone of the conversation. “Would you like to see it?”