Dreaming Of You (5 page)

“How do you plan on doing that?”

“I don’t know. Do you have any suggestions?”

“None at all.”

Shane curled his fingers tighter around the cell as his mind worked frantically. He didn’t like the helplessness that consumed him.

“It’s really too bad you don’t know her,” Justin said. “It would make my job easier.”

“I’d love to find her again, but the suburbs of San Diego are a pretty big area. I’m sure we met purely by accident this morning.”

“Did she tell you her real name?”

Shane stopped. “Yes, it’s Katelyn Chelsea Palmer.”

“Pretty name.”

Shane shrugged. “Yeah, and if she’d wear some make-up, get a better style of clothing and do something with her ratted hair, she could be pretty, too.”

Justin chuckled. “You mean she’ll look as pretty as her picture?”

“Yeah.” Shane looked at the back of the book still in his hands and resumed his pacing. The author was definitely a stunning woman. He was sure the photographer made her look that way for her book picture.

“Well, as your attorney, we need to gather some information about Chelsea Mitchell—or Katelyn Palmer. I’ll definitely look into the legal side of all of this and see what can be done.”

“Thanks. You’re the best.”

Justin laughed. “Yes, I know.”

After turning the cell phone off, Shane placed it back in his pocket. It really was too bad he didn’t know where to find her. He was sure that she was hiding something. In fact, he was certain at this very minute she was gloating about keeping the truth from him. Well, he’d get her to talk one way or another.

Yet how could he when he didn’t know her?

Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind, making him stop his pacing.
Get to know her.
What if he tried to find her and…became her friend?

That idea wasn’t half bad if he did say so himself. He could become her friend. Once upon a time, he’d been able to charm women. Of course working hard at expanding his company, getting married and having children had put him off the scene for a while. Amber had been the last woman he’d dated. But he was sure he could find that charming man he’d once been.

He chuckled, shook his head and mumbled to himself, “I’ll become her friend, and secretly try to pry the information out of her.”

Shane moved to his father’s recliner and relaxed in the chair, his thoughts going faster than they had for quite some time. Katelyn Palmer intrigued him, and he wouldn’t be able to rest until he discovered the whole story. She knew him somehow. It was up to him to find out. And ruin her!

The hum of his parents’ car driving into the garage brought him out of his thoughts. He stood and met his mom at the back door, figuring she’d been grocery shopping this morning, but when he opened the door and two pint-size tow-headed kids jumped out of the car, all anger from this morning disappeared.

He smiled wide with surprise. “Cori? Casey? What are you doing with Grandma?” he asked the four-year-old twins, since they were supposed to be at Aunt Tori’s house today. Since Tori had lived with Amber and the kids when Amber died, they had formed a bond with their aunt. Shane couldn’t break their attachment…yet.

Casey, his son, smiled and ran to hug his knee. As always, his daughter, Cori, withdrew to stand by Grandma, hiding behind her legs. Shane’s heart clenched and his stomach twisted. Poor Cori. She’d always been Amber’s darling girl, and he needed to find a way to win her heart and help her get over the loss of not having a mother.

Casey smiled up at him. “Daddy? We get to play with Gramma Hunter today cuz Aunt Tori can’t play with us.”

Shane met his mother’s stare and smiled. “That sounds wonderful.”

Martha Hunter ruffled her granddaughter’s hair. “I have a whole day planned, although I fear I’ll be exhausted by tonight.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”

He picked up his son then tickled his daughter who still held onto Grandma’s leg. “This means we’ll be able to spend more time together.”

Casey giggled in his arms, but Cori pulled away from her grandmother and ran to the playroom. He frowned. What could he do to get her to talk to him? He’d been pouring on as much love as he could since her mother died, but Cori kept withdrawing. He’d tried everything from taking her to get her favorite ice cream down to buying her a toy, but nothing seemed to work. Something was wrong and he was at his wit’s end trying to figure out how to bring back the smile to his little girl’s face.

* * * *

Shane climbed out of his truck and unbuckled his kids from their booster seats. They scrambled out of the vehicle and ran toward the preschool they’d been attending these past two months since their mother had died.

“Give Daddy a kiss goodbye,” Shane told his children as he dropped to one knee, making himself more at their level. Casey, threw his arms around Shane’s neck and kissed his lips, then turned and ran off to meet his friends. Cori stood still, her sad brown eyes tearing at Shane’s heart once again.

“Cori? Are you mad at Daddy?”

She hung her head and shrugged, winding a blonde lock of her shoulder-length hair around a finger.

“Will you give Daddy a kiss before you go to school?”

She nodded, but remained stiff.

He reached for her and barely touched her arm before she spun away from him. She ran into the small preschool building. Tears burned Shane’s eyes as he stood. How he wished he knew what troubled that poor girl.

An older woman stepped toward him and touched his shoulder. He looked at the preschool director, then quickly grasped hold of his emotions and smiled. “Hello, Mrs. White.”

“Don’t worry about Cori. She’ll be all right.” The woman shook her head. “I’ve seen many kids who have lost a parent, and it’s very hard for them to adjust. Cori does love you, but she still misses her mother.”

“Mrs. White, you’re not telling me anything I don’t know. I just wish I knew how to fix it.”

She smiled. “Give her time, Mr. Hunter. She’ll come around.”

“Thanks.” He turned and walked back toward his truck.

“Oh, Mr. Hunter?” the preschool director called out as she ran after him. Her double-chin jiggled along with her large waist. “I almost forgot to ask, when will Tori take the kids to their new preschool?”

Confused, he blinked. “What do you mean? Why is Tori changing my kids’ school?”

“Well…” Mrs. White stammered as her cheeks flushed red. “I could be wrong, but I thought Tori mentioned putting them in a different school just the other day. She said the children would be living with her when you return to Montana where your business is located, and—”

“Mrs. White, don’t believe everything you hear from Tori.” He bunched his hands into fists but quickly stuffed them into the pockets of his Levi jacket before the preschool director could see his anger. “Yes, my company’s headquarters is located in Montana, but that doesn’t mean I have to live there every day of the year.”

The older woman’s cheeks darkened. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. But, if you recall, I did call you and ask about this as well.”

Confusion filled him and he arched an eyebrow. “You
called
me? When?”

“It was probably a week ago.”

He shook his head. “Mrs. White, I can assure you, I have not talked to you on the phone about this matter.”

Her whole face turned a dark red. “Oh, dear.”

“What number did you call?”

“Well, Tori gave me a different phone number from the one I had in your file. She said that was your new number.”

Anger escalated and Shane wanted to spit out nails…but toward Tori. Obviously, she had another man pretending to be Shane during this call. This was definitely something he needed to talk to Justin about. Tori was interfering with
his
custody of the children, and Shane was determined not to have this kind of thing happen again.

“I see.” He swallowed hard, keeping the bile from spewing, and quickly gave her his new phone number. “Is there a problem with keeping the children here?”

“Well, when you and Tori told me the kids were switching schools, I went ahead and opened two more slots. They are filled now, and I’ve just been waiting for Tori—or you—to take the kids out.”

Silently, he cursed. “So now I do have to find another preschool.” He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. “Did Tori say which school she was switching to?”

“I think she mentioned Mrs. Bunderson’s school. She’s a good teacher, but she’s a little more expensive.”

Shane’s anger lifted another notch. Obviously, Tori was only thinking of herself instead of remembering the children lived with
him
now.

He forced a smile for the teacher’s benefit. “Thank you, Mrs. White, but my kids will
not
be living with Tori. I’ll start looking for another preschool right away.”

The older woman bobbed her gray head and left his side to go into the school.

Shane grumbled a blue streak under his breath as he climbed into his truck. The witch of a sister-in-law he’d hoped to get rid of when he and Amber divorced was still trying to control his life, just like Tori had tried to do when he was married. Amber was younger than Tori by a couple of years, and his wife had always listened to her sister.

That’s where the problems started in his marriage. He’d even moved his pregnant wife to Montana, hoping it would help, but her controlling sister followed. Maybe his marriage would have worked if Tori hadn’t stuck her nose into everything he did.

After Amber died, he discovered his ex had left her sister the Classic Rolls Royce, plus all of her personal things. She even stated in her will that she wanted Tori to be the guardian of the children.

Over my dead body.
He would not let his children live with Tori. He was the twins’ father, and he wanted them in his life. Always.

He growled and started the vehicle, then shoved the gearshift into drive and floored the gas pedal, the back tires spinning in the gravel as he drove away. Although he never wanted to look at Tori again, he had to talk with her today, even though he knew he’d be doing more yelling than talking.

Within fifteen minutes, he pulled in front of the exclusive exercise gym she’d joined a week ago. Through the large front window, he could see her jogging in place along with half a dozen other well-to-do women in San Diego.

Memories of his past crept in, reminding him that people like Tori were the reason he’d hated his life. Once he started making money and met snooty women like Tori, he realized how simple his old life had been. He missed that. Tori gave wealthy people a bad name. Once in college he’d been stupid enough to ask her out. She’d turned up her high-society nose at him and treated him like that mat she wiped her expensive heels on just because he was poor.

Taking deep breaths, he calmed himself before going inside. The room smelled heavily of flowery-scented sweat as the wealthy women huffed and puffed on their exercise machines. When Tori’s eyes met his, her face lost color. Within seconds, she lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders as she walked toward him.

“I don’t know what you’re doing at my club, but—”

“We need to talk, and I’d rather we not do it in front of all your friends,” he quickly told her.

She nodded stiffly, and followed him out of the room. A white towel draped around her neck and she blotted the corners to her sweat-covered face, removing spots of make-up in the process.

Shane leaned against the wall and folded his arms. “Mrs. White mentioned you were enrolling the kids in Mrs. Bunderson’s school. Is this true?”

She arched an eyebrow. “I was thinking about it.”

“Oh, you did more than
think
about it. In fact, I’m willing to bet money you had one of your boyfriends pretend to be me when Mrs. White called.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she snipped.

“Have you forgotten you do not have any authority over
my
children? I’m their father. I have custody. And I’ll do what I think they need. Not you!”

Tori’s lips pulled tight and her cheeks reddened. She glared at him as if he were the devil himself.

“Don’t get used to it for long, Shane. Soon you’ll go back to Montana and the children will be a burden in your life once again. Have you forgotten Amber wanted
me
to be guardian over the kids, not their father? If you recall, you were never around. Even before the divorce, you had abandoned your family. Your children hardly knew you. If not for me, your depressed wife wouldn’t have been able to handle being their mother.”

He shook his head. “If not for you? Please, Tori. We both know you are the reason my wife was so depressed.”

“I’m sure you’d like to think that, but I know differently. And I know you well enough to know those kids will want to live with me when you go back to Montana.”

“Sorry to spoil your plans, but I’m their father, and nothing will change that. I promise you one thing, though. If you don’t lay off, I’ll serve you with a restraining order.” He chuckled. “How does it feel to be controlled, Tori?”

She huffed and folded her arms. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean. You’ve been trying to control me ever since I started dating your sister. I’ve finally got my life where I want it, and
you
can’t stand it. You don’t have Amber in your life to do your bidding and believe your lies any longer. From now on, you will
never
be included in my life.”

She rolled her eyes. “I never said I was.”

“You never had to say anything. Your actions show what you want.” He turned to leave, but she stopped him by touching his arm. He quickly yanked his arm away and glared at her.

She lifted her chin. “As you look for another school, just remember one thing. My sister’s children are very special. They are bright, intelligent kids, and Amber wouldn’t want them placed in a school with a bunch of lower class nobodies.”

He shook his head, knowing Tori would never change. “If you remember right, I was a lower class nobody when I met your sister. There’s nothing wrong with those people. On the other hand, rich snobs like my children’s aunt are the ones I need to worry about. Since I don’t want my children turning out like their aunt, I’m not going to put them in one of those expensive schools.” He glared through her. “I’ll take special care to find the right school, don’t worry.”