Accidental Father (9 page)

Alex's family kept her so engaged in conversation that there wasn't a chance for things to get awkward—with them or Alex. She was touched that they were making such an effort.

By the time they adjourned to the living room to enjoy a selection of coffee, tea, brandy and chocolates, Julianne had forgotten why she'd been so nervous about meeting them. She took a seat on the couch near the chair where Sophie sat and hugged Liam in her lap. Actually, she hadn't completely forgotten why she'd been worried—and, of course, all the challenges ahead of them hadn't been solved by one civil dinner. Really, the subject hadn't even been broached, much less sorted out. But at first glance, this royal family, with their power and money, seemed to be playing fair.

As Julianne sipped a cup of lavender chamomile tea, she tried to resist the scrumptious-looking
assortment of chocolates arranged on the silver tray that graced the center of the coffee table. Caffeine right before bed—especially in the form of chocolate—was a recipe for a night of tossing and turning. Even with the soothing tea.

Resistance was futile after all, and Julianne plucked a dark-chocolate-powder-dusted truffle off the tray.

She bit into it and it melted like a silky river of heaven on her tongue.

“Ummm,” she couldn't help herself. “This is
so
…decadent. I think it's the best chocolate I've ever tasted. What kind is it?”

Sophie smiled and claimed a piece for herself. “I know, isn't it delicious? Believe it or not, it's made right here in St. Michel. It's from Maya's Chocolate Shop, downtown off the square. It's my favorite dessert.”

Julianne was dying to ask if this was how she and Luc lived every day—and if so, how she stayed so trim. She carried her baby bump front and center, and there wasn't an excess ounce on her willowy figure. Or was the special treatment and delicious food strictly reserved for guests? Or, more specifically, guests they wanted to placate?

As warm and gracious as Sophie and Luc
had been tonight, Julianne felt bad for being so cynical.

“Alex tells me you've started a music foundation?” Sophie asked.

Julianne nodded.

“Please tell me about it.”

Julianne gave Sophie the pitch. “Currently, we serve about a hundred kids between the ages of ten and seventeen in the Washington, D.C., area, providing music lessons and instruments to those who need them. Our services supplement their school music program. We're hoping to gain more support soon so that we can reach even more kids.”

Sophie listened intently. “That's tremendous. I understand that your focus has been in your hometown, but perhaps you could work with our national orchestra's music outreach program, and give them some pointers on setting up a similar program here? If you would, we might be inclined to support you in the expansion of your D.C.-based venture.”

The thought made Julianne's head spin. She hadn't thought about taking her program international. But why not? After all, the program was called A World of Music. Wouldn't it be magnificent to bring music into the lives of every child in the world?

“That sounds very exciting. I'd be happy to help.”

Sophie smiled at her warmly. “Just so you know, we can provide you with a babysitter any time you need one. Especially to help with your foundation work, but for personal needs, too. Moms need to take care of themselves. It makes us better moms, doesn't it?”

At first, Julianne thought she'd heard Sophie wrong,
Moms need to take care of themselves,
but when she'd said it the second time, she knew it was true.

Julianne bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling too big. Then she realized she'd missed what Sophie was saying…something about moving office equipment into her suite so that she could more efficiently run the foundation…

Wow.
It was so much, so fast. “I am grateful, really I am. The only problem is that the administrative end of A World of Music needs minimal upkeep. Most of it is hands-on—delivering instruments, and teaching lessons.” Julianne cleared her throat delicately before speaking, stalling for just the right words—she didn't want to sound ungrateful. “While I'm here, my kids are missing their flute lessons.”

“I suppose you'll need to find someone else to
take over the lessons for you,” said Luc. “The rest you can run from here.”

Wait a minute.
Julianne's gratitude began to backpedal into something a little more cautious.

“I don't know if that will be necessary since I don't know how long Liam and I will be staying.”

A hush fell over the room, as if Julianne had just pulled a skeleton out of a closet and dropped it in front of them.

“Of course, we'll come as often as we can for visits, but our home is in Washington, D.C. It's what my sister, Marissa, wanted for Liam.”

As her sister's name rolled off her tongue, she realized it was the first time that evening anyone had even mentioned Marissa. For a split second Julianne wondered if anyone even knew about her…knew the full story.

Surely they did because their intelligence agents seemed to be able to dig up everything about everybody once it was on their radar.

Alex was looking at her solemnly. “We obviously have a lot to iron out.”

His voice sounded apologetic.

But then Liam started to fuss and it was the perfect time to excuse herself. After the day's travel she was tired.

“Thank you so much for everything, dinner was delicious,” Julianne said. “If you don't mind, I think I need to get Liam settled for the evening. He's had a long, hard day.”

Sophie smiled warmly. “Of course, you must be exhausted, too. It's so nice to meet you. I'm very glad you're here. We'll have to set up a girls' lunch, just the two of us. Perhaps later this week? We can discuss the music foundation.”

“That would be nice.” Julianne stood with Liam on her hip, feeling a little less at ease as she had earlier. Of course, the reason for the dinner hadn't been simply to welcome her. It had been to size her up, to see if she'd slide easily into the slot they had picked out for her.

It was surprising that they hadn't just informed her that along with her new country and her new apartment, they had already decided to assign her to their orchestra…. Enough. She was tired and it had been a nice evening. She didn't want to dampen it any more than she already had.

She tried to push the straps of Liam's diaper bag upon one of her shoulders, but the large purse slid back down to her elbow with a jolting thud.

Alex was at her side to help.

“Let me carry that,” Alex insisted. “I'll walk you back to your suite.”

His hand was on her arm. Somehow, he'd managed to slip his fingers beneath the strap and her arm, relieving the pressure where it cut into the crook of her elbow. The warmth of his hand spread over the sensitive skin there, reminding her of how his hands had felt on her body earlier that day when he'd kissed her. Her pulse quickened and she was sure he could feel it. If not, the heat creeping up her neck must've been a dead giveaway that his touch made her anxious.

“You're not ready to leave yet, are you?” she asked. “Really, please stay and talk to your brothers. I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Yes, we would like a little more time with him,” Luc told Julianne. “That is, if you truly don't mind.”

A rush of relief washed over Julianne. She'd rather not have the long walk back to their twin suites, nor the awkward pause and stilted good-nights at the door. Not after their kiss today. Not after the simple touch of his hand taking the diaper bag from her caused her to flush like one of the vestal virgins caught in an act of impropriety.

“I don't mind at all. In fact, I insist.”

“Thank you, Julianne,” Luc said. “I'll call someone to escort you back.”

 

After Julianne left with her escort, Sophie excused herself, leaving the three brothers alone to talk.

Luc refilled their brandy snifters while Henri got up and stoked the logs in the giant fireplace.

Alex swirled the liquid in his glass and contemplated the warm amber color, fighting the feeling that he should've insisted on walking Julianne and Liam back to the room.

But the truth was he needed to put some distance between them. He needed to not lead her on, and walking her home as if they'd been on a date might mislead her into drawing that conclusion. Although, if circumstances were different—if Liam weren't in the middle—he would want to date her.

It was the truth.

But in this case, truth and necessity were enemies.

“So, our little brother is a father.” Henri chuckled. “Looks like it's time to finally pay the fiddler.”

Alex didn't see the humor in this. “While we're tossing around clichés, isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black?”

Henri held up his hands. “I don't have any little ones running around. I'm careful about that.”

Alex frowned. “Yeah, well, so was I.”

Or at least he'd thought he was until that night. The night that should never have happened.

“Did you have a paternity test?” Luc asked.

Alex's heart gave a weird twisting sensation as Liam's face appeared in his mind's eye.

“He's mine,” Alex said. “All you have to do is look at him to see that.”

If the night hadn't happened, then he wouldn't have Liam. It was the strangest, most inexplicable dichotomy. He loved the boy, even if he'd never been in love with the boy's birth mother. A birth mother who was no longer alive and had given his child to her sister, to whom Alex was attracted.

But because of Marissa, the attraction should be a moot point; because of Liam, Julianne would forever be in his life, presenting one of those unfortunate you-can-read-the-menu-but-you-can't-eat situations.

Unfortunately, every time he looked at Julianne he was ravenous.

“This is the first woman you've ever brought home to meet the family.”

Luc's voice startled him back to the present. Alex sipped his brandy to buy time.

“I didn't bring her home. I brought my son home.”

“Technically, you did bring her home,” Henri interjected. “Even if you wanted to bring your child here, you didn't have to bring his aunt to St. Michel.”

Alex acknowledged the truth in what his brother said with a shrug. “They're a package deal. That's actually a huge problem.”

The room smelled lightly of smoke and the fine leather furniture and the long-stemmed white roses displayed in vases around the room.

Roses were among the notes in Julianne's perfume. The thought floated absently through his head, settling in the back of his mind, along with the way she tasted and the ragged, sexy sound of her breathing as they'd come up for air after the kiss.

He wanted to taste her again.

“How is that a problem?” asked Luc.

“Pourquoi?”
Henri chimed in. “She's gorgeous, smart, seems very attached to Liam.”

“It's more complicated than I can explain.”

“We have all night,” Henri said.

Alex knew now was as good a time as any to confide in his brothers about the circumstances surrounding Marissa, Liam and Julianne.

“How old are you now?” Luc asked.

Thirty.

“Old enough to know better,” Alex said.

Luc grimaced. “Exactly. Everything changes when there's a child involved. You've had a chance to live, when are you going to settle down?”

Alex bristled at the question, staring silently into his snifter.

“It sounds like I'm lecturing you. I'm not. Of course, I'm not. Liam is welcome to stay here, but a child should not be raised by nannies when he has two loving parents. Of course, nannies help, but they shouldn't take the place of a parent. How are you and Julianne going to work this out?”

“I have no idea. Liam's safety is what I'm concerned about right now. The threats I've received from a rather militant group of terrorists are serious. And, as we've discussed, they apply to the rest of the family and close friends.”

“So, by virtue of Liam, Julianne could be in danger, too?”

Alex nodded. “I'm sorry she had to be dragged into this. I'm sorry Liam had to be born into this. But these types of threats are the reason I'd decided I was never getting married and having a family. I knew it was a choice when I chose this career
path. After what happened to mom…” Alex's voice cracked.

As St. Michel's former minister of security, Luc had been their father's successor in the position. Luc knew better than anyone the toll that a job in law enforcement could take—he'd given it up once he'd fallen in love with Sophie. Then again, the extenuating circumstances of her being the heir to the throne had been a contributing factor, but the bottom line was that Luc had chosen love over the adrenaline rush of law and order.

Even though Alex had initially chosen a career in law—and Henri had shunned the family tradition altogether—Alex had ended up following in their father's footsteps after all, when he took the position at iWITNESS.

That's also when he'd decided he'd never marry and have a family. It was too hard to do both. It wasn't fair for the loved ones waiting at home.

Loved ones who often turned into sitting ducks and pawns for schemes of retribution.

Alex and his brothers were intimately acquainted with the terror and sorrow; their mother had paid the ultimate price.

Her life had been taken as retribution for their father's putting away a terrorist who'd made an attempt on the late King Bertrand's life.

After losing their mother, the boys—their family—had never been quite the same. It was the catalyst that drove Alex away from St. Michel, away from thoughts of family and death. It had only been since they were older that the brothers had come back together as friends.