Caitlin's Choice (2 page)

ONE

One year later

“
Yeah, yeah. I know it was a long flight. I wasn’t too thrilled by it either,” Caitlin said soothingly. “Why complain now? The worst is over.”

She didn’t receive an answer, but she wasn’t expecting one. Tyler wasn’t what she would call a stimulating conversationalist. At a mere three months old, he didn’t need to be. He wriggled in her arms, fretting. His auburn curls stuck to his damp forehead. She brushed his hair away from his face and cradled him closer.

Often she would look at her son and her heart would break. Tyler was the image of his father. In an ironic twist of fate, this tiny bundle of innocent love would always remind her how painful adult love could be.

She walked around the small, two-bedroom apartment, rocking Tyler gently in her arms as she continued her inspection of their new home. Her face lit up with pleasure when she saw the nursery with the rocking chair in the corner. Her boss had arranged for the apartment to be ready for her return to the States. She hadn’t known what to expect, but she was pleasantly surprised.

Tyler demanded to be fed, and since she was his only source of nourishment for the next few months, she sat down to feed him. Tyler’s needs came first, but she had so much to do. She had boxes to unpack and food to buy. And her sister was on her way over. They had been pregnant at the same time, but Caitlin had never found an opportunity to tell Maggie. Some things couldn’t be explained over the phone.

One hour later, Maggie arrived in the sleepy Connecticut town. With a diaper bag slung over one shoulder and a carrier in her hand, she ran up the front walk. Caitlin met her at the door, gave her a hug, and then relieved her of one small burden.

“I hope you drove slowly with that little darling in your company,” Caitlin said, lifting the tiny baby girl into her arms.

    “This is Allison Sinclair. Meet your Aunt Caitlin.”

She gaped at her niece in wonderment. With her dark auburn hair and wide eyes, Allison could pass for Tyler’s twin. “She’s beautiful.”

“I know,” Maggie returned proudly. “Look at you. Singapore must have agreed with you.”

“It was different. If I never set foot in an Oriental restaurant again, it will be too soon. I have some news that might come as a shock for you.”

“What?”

“Come on. I’ll show you.”

Caitlin handed Allison back to her mother and led them to the nursery. She gently lifted Tyler from the crib and held him up. “His name is Tyler.”

“Yours?” Maggie squeaked out in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to worry you.” More than that, Caitlin had been afraid her sister might say something to Andrew.

“Oh, Caitlin. You should have told me! Where’s his father?”

“He’s not important I’m not involved with him anymore.” She never really had been, she remembered sadly. She had allowed herself to believe in the magical delusion of love at first sight. In the cold light of morning, the spell had been broken and the magic had disappeared.

Caitlin shook her head. Would there ever come a time when she would think about Andrew without feeling a wrenching ache in her chest? How often would she be able to avoid family functions without raising suspicions?

“Earth to Caitlin.” Maggie broke into her thoughts.

“Sorry. Were you saying something?”

“Should we let them play together?”

“Sure.” They took the children into the living room and put them on a sheet on the floor. 

The nearly identical cousins rolled around awkwardly in their diapers. After pouring a tall glass of iced tea for herself and her sister, Caitlin sat on the floor next to the children.

“What are your plans now? Are you still going to work?” Maggie asked.

“I can do a lot of work from home. When I have to go into the city, I can strap Tyler on my back and drag him into the office for a few hours.”

“Do you need some money?”

“No, I’m in good shape financially. I got a nice bonus when I completed the contract in Singapore.” Even if she hadn’t, Caitlin would never accept a penny of Sinclair money.

“Look, they’ve both rolled over onto their stomachs.” Maggie carried on as if the act were an Olympic feat. Suddenly, she gasped. “They have identical birthmarks. Look at the tiny crescent moon above their shoulder blades.”

“What’s so strange about that? We are sisters, after all.”

Maggie shook her head. “That’s a Sinclair trait. Erik has it and—” She gasped again. “Caitlin!”

“What?”

“He’s Andrew’s son, isn’t he?”

Caitlin felt the blood drain from her face. Had Andrew told Maggie about their night together? Caitlin had never expected her sister to make the connection. What was she supposed to say? She pretended to be interested in something going on outside the window while she tried to get her pounding heartbeat under control.

Maggie tapped her foot impatiently on the floor and repeated the question.

Caitlin sighed. “Andrew who?”

“Don’t play innocent. I know you know him. He told me you met the night Erik and I got married.”

“Is that what he told you?” Andrew had certainly developed a flare for understatement since she had last seen him.

“For goodness sake, he had to say something. You told the man to go to hell right in front of me the night you left for Singapore. That’s not a parting comment to a stranger.”

“Tyler is my son. My responsibility. Andrew made no promises and he owes me nothing. I don’t want to discuss this again.”

The finality in Caitlin’s words ended the conversation.

She quickly changed the subject to Maggie’s new house. Caitlin was relieved that her sister was no longer living in the Sinclair mansion. Erik’s mother and sister had been very inhospitable and Caitlin had listened to countless hours of her sister’s tears at the rude treatment she’d received at the hands of the Sinclair family.

Except Andrew. Maggie had sung his praises regularly. Caitlin had feigned interest while an unborn Tyler kicked up a storm in her stomach.

“When are you coming to see my house?” Maggie asked.

“Give me a few days to get settled. I have shopping to do, and no help.”

“Speaking of no help, I called Mom when Allison was born.”

“And she spoke to you?”

“Yes. Father was out, and we spoke for almost an hour. She asked about you.”

Asked about her, but didn’t try to contact her. She felt a deep pain where her heart had been just seconds ago. After ten years, the silence still hurt. “Wouldn’t Mom and Dad just flip if they knew I had a baby out of wedlock? Then again, they probably wouldn’t be surprised. They always did think I was a no-good tramp.”

“Don’t talk like that. I knew it wasn’t true.”

“Well, you were the only one who believed in me. And Tyler would only convince them they were right”

“You made a mistake.”

“No. Tyler isn’t a mistake.” Falling for Andrew had been the mistake. One she’d pay for the rest of her life. Tyler was the light in the darkness.

“I didn’t mean it like that.  He’s an angel.
”

“
Except when he’s hungry.”

“I know the feeling.” The sisters laughed then, and the tension was broken.

They talked for an hour before Maggie said, “I have to head back now. Erik and I are going out tonight and I want to get Allison settled before we leave.”

“And I have a ton of work to do here. I’ll call you when I’m settled at the end of the week. Happy anniversary.” Caitlin helped her sister to the car, keeping a watchful eye on the front door.

Maggie grabbed her in a bear hug. “I’m so glad you’re back. I missed you.”

“Me, too. Drive carefully.”

As soon as the car pulled out of sight, she darted into the house and slumped against the door. She’d never given much thought to her son’s birthmark, other than that it was one of the many wonderful things that made him unique. Now it seemed it might be the undoing of her secret.

* * * *

Andrew waited in the living room while Maggie and Erik finished dressing. His date had canceled at the last minute, leaving him the third wheel at the anniversary dinner for his brother and sister-in- law. He’d thought about backing out himself, but he didn’t want to offend his brother. He had not made the two-hour trip to see the house since Erik had moved to Long Island one month earlier.

The sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention. He spun around to see Maggie descending the staircase. His heart skipped a beat. For one brief second, he thought she was Caitlin. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind since she’d left the country a year ago. The look of pure hatred she gave him in the airport still haunted his dreams.

“Erik will be down in a few minutes. Would you like me to show you the house?” she offered politely.

“Sure.”

“We’ll start with the study. It’s Erik’s pride and joy. After Allison, of course.”

Maggie led him down a long hall to the large paneled study and gestured for him to enter. As he stepped inside, the door slammed behind him with a bang. He turned quickly to see Maggie glaring at him.

“You lied to me,” she snarled.

“What are you talking about?”

“Caitlin. You said you and she had words. You had a damned sight more than words, Drew.”

He furrowed his brow in confusion. Why was she bringing that up now? “I didn’t lie to you. I told you that I was against your marriage in the beginning, and I already admitted I was wrong. I thought we’d straightened that out.”

Maggie leaned against the door and put her hands on her hips. “Then how did you end up in bed with her, Drew? That’s not a place where much talking gets done.”

Andrew felt as if he’d just been kicked in the stomach. After Caitlin’s parting shot at the airport, he’d been convinced she would not mention the incident. “Did she tell you that?”

“No.”

“Then what are you basing your accusation on?”

“A three-month-old boy who’s the spitting image of his daddy, if you’ll excuse my crass, backwoods expression.”

For several seconds, he stared at Maggie as if he couldn’t understand her words. His hands, which had been resting casually in his pockets, clenched into fists. “What?”

Her eyes blazed with fury. She took two steps into the room and stopped directly in front of him. “Is there a problem with your hearing or just your comprehension?”

“Why didn’t she tell me I was a father?”

Maggie threw her head back and laughed. “You’re incredible. Donating sperm doesn’t make you a father. If I’d been in her shoes, I wouldn’t have told you, either.”

He rubbed his forehead, trying to focus his thoughts. A son? He had a son, and apparently Caitlin had no intention of informing him. “When did she get back?”

“Today.”

“What’s my son’s name?”

“Tyler. He was born just days before Allison. Isn’t that a coincidence? Just like the crescent-shaped birthmark on his back and his auburn hair. The coincidences go on and on.”

Maggie’s sarcasm rubbed salt on his exposed nerves. Was he to blame if Caitlin hadn’t told him? Of course he was, an inner voice mocked. “I want her address.”

“You should call first.”

“She might not speak to me.”

“She definitely won’t. As far as she’s concerned, Tyler is her son, not yours. So be very sure you know what you’re doing, Drew. If it’s just idle curiosity, leave her alone. Playing daddy is a lifetime commitment, not an amusing pastime.”

“That’s a cheap shot.”

“And deserved. I know my sister. She wouldn’t have slept with you if she hadn’t felt something special. And it was all just fun and games for you.”

“That’s not true.” The memory of their night together—the most intense, passionate, and exciting night of his life—made him flush. The less than noble circumstances surrounding their first meeting and his subsequent omissions had cost him a woman he really cared about, and possibly his son, as well.

“She didn’t even tell me she was pregnant because I went on and on about how wonderful you’d been to Erik and me. I feel like a fool. Like I let her down in some way.” She paused to wipe away a tear. “You have no idea what she’s been through in her life. Just this once, someone should have been there for her.”

Andrew reached for Maggie’s arm, but she backed away. “I’ll take care of them.”

“Money! Your answer to everything. She doesn’t need your money and she won’t accept it. Just decide whether you want a relationship with your son. That’s about the only thing she’s likely to accept. And even that will be grudging, you can be sure.”

There was no doubt in his mind about that. During the course of the past year, he had thought a lot about Caitlin and what he would say to her when they inevitably met again. He’d felt confident that, with time, she would forgive, maybe even forget, their inauspicious beginning. He could give up on that idea now. Nine months of pregnancy and three months as a single parent probably hadn’t endeared him to her.