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.“If you wouldn’t mind…”Michelle put the heatproof mitt on her hand and removed the eggs.They looked done to perfection.Thad pointed.“Those two are yours.There might be a little shell in the other two.It took me a couple of tries to get the hang of breaking the eggs into those little cups.” He winked.“Thus, if anyone lives dangerously, it should be me.”Gallant to the core, Michelle thought.She worked the eggs out and slid them onto plates.“The social worker would be impressed if she saw how hard you’re working.Although I have to tell you, it’s not necessary to do all this.You just have to demonstrate the ability to feed your child.That could be by hiring someone to come in to cook…”Thad shook his head.“I remember what it was to have our mom cook for us, versus our dad, who never did.Her way left us feeling pampered and loved.”“And your dad’s way?”The expression in Thad’s eyes was bleak.“Russell and I felt like a burden to my dad.I’m going to make sure that William knows he is loved.”Michelle couldn’t help it.She reached out and touched Thad’s hand.“You feel a deep connection to him already, don’t you?”His fingers closed over hers.“It’s funny,” he confessed.“My whole life I’ve had trouble feeling as close to people as I’d like—it’s as though I can get so close and no closer.But it hasn’t been that way with William.From the first moment I held this little guy in my arms, there was something special.I know it sounds kind of corny…but I know I’m meant to be William’s father in the same way that I knew I was meant to be a doctor.”Michelle was impressed.Moved.“You’re very determined.”He shrugged.“I’m used to setting goals and getting things done.” Thad held out her chair for her.He paused to study her expression.“I can see you still have your doubts, but I’m going to be the perfect father to this baby.”Thad moved around to sit opposite her.“Everything is going to be so well organized and run so smoothly there is no way the court or children’s services can say I’m not qualified to be William’s dad.”Michelle spread her napkin across her lap.“I admire your determination.I really do.I can see how much you want this.”Thad’s glance narrowed.“I hear a but,” he said.Michelle instinctively reverted back to lawyer mode again.“But you need to prepare yourself for the fact that despite everything you’re doing, Judge Barnes and Tamara Kelly might not see things your way.”Thad didn’t speak, and Michelle went on, “I’ve had unfore-seen events develop and seen clients disappointed before.When it comes to child-custody cases, anything can happen.Decisions are sometimes made by the court that don’t seem fair.”“Which is why, to do this, I’m going to need someone to stand beside me.” Thad leaned toward her.“You’ve already said you didn’t want do to it as my lawyer.Will you stand by me as my friend?”THAD WAITED while Michelle considered his request.“I’ll be happy to help you, one neighbor to another,” she said finally.“But I’d prefer not to get emotionally involved.”Thad dug into his eggs.“You really think my situation is that risky?”She swallowed and concentrated on her breakfast, too.“It’s not that.”“Then what is it?” he demanded.Michelle looked over at him.“Situations like this heighten the emotions of everyone involved.”Exactly, Thad thought, why he needed a friend and a sounding board more than ever.To see him through it.“We could become close to each other very quickly,” Michelle cautioned.Thad added salt and pepper to his eggs.“I can see you also have a problem with that.”She grimaced and tore off a small piece of toast.“It wouldn’t be genuine intimacy.”“Says who?”A pulse throbbed in the hollow of her throat, as she admitted in a low, hoarse voice, “Says someone like me, who’s been through it and made that mistake before.”Thad wasn’t surprised to learn she’d been hurt.He’d known something was responsible for her skittishness where he was concerned.He waited for her to go on.Eventually she did.“Four years ago I had a client, Jared, whose wife, Margarite, died in childbirth.His in-laws held Jared responsible for Margarite’s death because Jared had known about her heart condition when they married.The two of them had agreed they would not have children—too big a risk for Margarite—but she wanted a baby desperately and became pregnant, anyway.They all tried to talk her into terminating the pregnancy, but she wouldn’t listen, so Jared did the only thing he could do—he supported his wife.” A pensive look crossed Michelle’s pretty face.“Unfortunately the doctors were right—it was too much for her, and she died in childbirth.The baby survived.Margarite’s parents blamed Jared for their daughter’s death, and sued him for custody of their only grandchild.”“That must have been awful for everyone involved,” Thad said.Michelle put down her fork and clenched her hands together.“That’s an understatement.It turned into an ugly, protracted battle that went on for almost two years.I not only represented Jared and his son, Jimmy—I fell in love with both of them.The day the court battle ended, with a verdict in Jared’s favor, he asked me to marry him.I said yes.But as life returned to normal and the wedding day got closer, Jared realized that although I loved him…he did not love me.Not the way he’d loved Margarite,” she reflected sadly.“So we broke up.And I promised myself never again would I put myself in a situation where a man I was attracted to could mistake gratitude for love.”Thad took a moment to savor the fact she had just admitted she was attracted to him [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]