Vivi frowned and stepped into his office and up to his desk, allowing her fingers to trail over the edge of his antique walnut desk. “I don’t let her have a lot of TV time...for future reference.”
“You don’t?” Cam asked, surprised. “Why not?”
“I prefer for her to do puzzles or to look through a picture book. Too much TV numbs the brain,” Vivi replied, sounding defensive.
Cam saw her mental retreat and silently cursed. “That wasn’t criticism, Vivi, just a need to understand.” He glanced down at the screen, wondering how to frame his next sentence, wondering if he should even verbalize his thoughts. But they needed to be said, and he needed to say them. “I spent the morning with Clem and she’s...”
He should never have hesitated because it gave Vivi the chance to clench her fists and for fire to jump into her eyes. “Be careful what you say next, McNeal. I don’t give a damn what you think about me, but don’t you dare criticize my daughter.”
Cam frowned, appalled that she would instinctively assume that he was about to pass judgment on her. He slowly stood up and folded his arms, wondering who had made this strong, vibrant woman assume that she’d be the victim of harsh criticism.
“I was going to say that I think Clem is a bright, happy child with a sharp mind and an extensive vocabulary. She’s funny and interesting and sweet.”
He would’ve been amused at her shocked expression if he hadn’t been so angry on her behalf. Why did she expect reproof instead of praise? Why did she immediately brace herself for bad news?
“Judging by that amazing human tornado asleep on my couch, you must be an incredible mother,” Cam said, holding her gaze and hoping she’d see that he meant every damn word. And more.
Vivi searched his face for any hint that he was lying, and when she finally seemed to accept that he wasn’t, her shoulders fell and her cheeks flushed. He thought he saw a hint of tears in her brown eyes but she lowered her head too quickly. When she replied, her voice was husky with emotion.
“Thank you. But she makes it easy. She really is an incredible child.” Vivi took a little time to lift her head, and when she did, her expression was inscrutable.
“I need you to know that I spent a lot of time thinking about how to tell you about her. About whether to tell you about her,” she finally said.
A part of him wanted to be angry at her, to rail at her for denying him Clem’s first months and years, but another part of him, a bigger part, wanted to understand her hesitation.
“I did some research on you and everything I read led me to believe that you wouldn’t be interested in being tied down, in having a child.”
Really, that was her excuse? She was a terrible liar. “You are old enough to know that you shouldn’t believe everything that is written in the press, Vivianne.”
Vivi wrinkled her nose and drew patterns on the Persian carpet with her toes.
“Why did you really not want me to know about Clem?”
Vivi looked him in the eye and shrugged. “I didn’t want you to think that I wanted your money. We do fine on our own.”
Now that wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the complete truth, either. But he’d take the little she was prepared to give him. For now.
“Talking about money,” Vivi said, looking ill at ease again, “I hate to do this but I need to get to the DMV on Monday to get a new license so I can get hold of some money. When I do that, Clem and I will find somewhere else to stay.”
This again. He had a massive house, plenty of space and ample money. He could support two dozen families and consider it petty cash. He’d had many girlfriends who’d seen him as nothing more than a pretty face, a nice body and a healthy bank account. Yet Vivi wanted to prove, at every turn, how independent she was.
It shouldn’t turn him on but it did. Hell, everything about her did—from her walk to her talk to her mouth and legs and voice and stubbornness and bravery.
“So, would that be possible? Or, if that’s not something you want to do, could I get a loan to get there by cab?”
She made it sound like she was asking him to invest millions in a fly-by-night start-up instead of a loan of under a hundred dollars. “I’ll drive you on Monday.”