“We’re so sorry about that,” Belinda said. “We want to make this right. Somehow.”
“We’ve already called the bank and asked them to reinstate your line of credit,” Mike said. “It was a low blow, and I shouldn’t have done it.”
Surprise and suspicion filled Nick. “Did your lawyer advise you to do that?”
“No,” Belinda insisted. She continued watching Bailey. “I can’t believe how big she’s gotten.”
Nick stepped closer. “Her pediatrician said she’s now in the sixtieth percentile for her weight class and she’s doing very well.”
“That’s wonderful to hear.” Belinda smiled, reminding him of the woman he’d met years ago when he first started hanging around with Shelley. She’d been sweet and kind. Even Mike’s face seemed to have softened.
Maybe he shouldn’t be so trusting, but family was important to him, and like it or not, the Reaves were Bailey’s grandparents. Shelley would have wanted them in her baby’s life. He knew firsthand what it was like to lose a mother. He wanted his baby to know her grandparents.
Ignoring the warnings flashing through his mind, Nick took a leap of faith and opened the door to his father’s office and walked inside. The Reaves followed close behind. His dad was playing peek-a-boo with Bailey, her eyes bright and a laugh bubbling on her lips as she watched him. Surprise crossed his dad’s face as he saw them. He quickly stood and carried Bailey toward them.
“What’s this?” he asked, looking concerned. “Is everything all right?”
“Nick has been kind enough to let us see Bailey,” Belinda said, unable to take her eyes off the child. “Oh, she has grown so much.” She turned to Mike, who looked equally smitten. “We’ve missed so much.”
“It doesn’t have to be like this,” his father said. “A baby can never have too much family around. Stop this insane lawsuit. There is no reason why we all can’t be a part of Bailey’s life.”
Belinda looked up at her husband, hope shining in her eyes. “We would like that very much, wouldn’t we, Mike?”
“I loved Shelley,” Nick said. “Very much. I know she would want us all to raise Bailey together.”
“Maybe we’ve been too hard on you, Nick,” Mike said with obvious regret. “Shelley would want us to get along. She was such a sweet girl.” Tears filled his eyes again, and he shook his head, turning away.
Nick’s dad smiled and walked closer. “Grief can get the better of the best of us. You lost your daughter, but you don’t have to lose your grandchild, too.” He looked at Nick, the question in his eyes.
Nick nodded.
Tears streamed down Belinda’s face as his dad placed Bailey in her arms.
The baby looked up at her with curious eyes.
Nick could see how much pain they were in. Losing Shelley, and now Gillian, he could understand how all-consuming the hole created by loss could become.
“I would never keep you from Bailey,” Nick said his voice breaking. “Anytime you want to see her, you can. Family is everything to me, and Bailey is going to want to know her grandparents. She’s going to want to know about her mother too, and who better to teach her than the two of you?”
“We appreciate that,” Mike said, getting emotional again. “A lot.”
“Maybe we can forget about this custody battle?” Nick’s father asked with hope in his voice.
Mike and Belinda looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
Nick couldn’t believe his life was finally starting to turn around.
“I’ll call my lawyers today,” Mike said.
“Welcome to the family,” his father said and held out his hand. Mike laughed and shook it. Then he held out his hand to Nick. Without hesitation, Nick shook it. He only wished Gillian could be here to see it.
As he watched the Reaves playing with Bailey, he knew without a doubt that Gillian never would have run and stayed away this long. Not without calling and checking in. She too cared about family too much.
No. Gillian was in trouble.
He felt it deep in his bones. What he didn’t know was how he was going to find her.