But as he stared at her, so small but yet so beautiful in her cocoon of glass, he knew they’d find a way. The baby had done her part by bravely making her way into the world. Now it was time for him and for Erin to play their part.
“You’re a fighter, little one,” he whispered through the glass, “and we won’t let you down.”
***
Nearly eight weeks passed before Erin and Dare were allowed to take Soleil Denise DeSouza home from the hospital. By that time she weighed four pounds and had grown another inch. The nurses warned them she was a feisty one, kicking up a windstorm when she was ready to be fed and demanding to be held when it was naptime.
“You have to put your foot down,” one of the nurses warned Erin, “or else she’ll walk all over you. You need to show her who’s in charge.”
Erin smiled and thanked the nurse for her advice but when she looked into her daughter’s big brown eyes how could she refuse her? She’d already been through so much in her little life that Erin could be excused for spoiling her a little bit, couldn’t she?
And Daddy was even worse, jumping up at every cry, checking on the baby every hour of the night. Within a week he’d begun to look so ragged with exhaustion that Erin had to banish him from the nursery for an entire night just so he could get some sleep.
Through it all Francine was a savior. She knew all about babies, having raised three of her own plus a handful of grandkids. She guided Erin every step of the way through the feedings, burpings, bouts of colic and a brief period of jaundice. Finally the whole family settled into a comfortable rhythm - daddy, mommy, baby and adopted grandma - and finally Erin felt that her world was at peace.
Her love for Dare blossomed and she felt she could not love him more than she did right then. Each time she watched him holding Soleil, singing softly to her as she stared up at him with those adorable brown eyes, her heart swelled with pride and she couldn’t help smiling. She’d come a long way but so had he. Who would have thought that bad boy billionaire Dare DeSouza could abandon his big shot image to play peek-a-boo and do goo-goo-gaa-gaa speak? She loved it, and in her eyes he was a bigger man for taking the time to amuse his baby.
And on top of all that he’d shown her nothing but love and respect, catering to her every need and going out of his way to make her feel loved. When he wasn’t holding Soleil he was holding her, making her feel like the center of his world.
When Dare returned to work after Soleil had completed her second month it took Erin a while to adjust. She’d gotten so used to having him there that she couldn’t help missing him. Still, she knew Dare’s work was a big part of who he was. He loved what he did and she knew his work made him feel fulfilled. Besides, he had a lot to do on the last resort he’d bought so she needed to give him some space.
One evening as she sat feeding Soleil Dare walked into the sitting room looking handsome as usual in his business wear. He gave her a peck on the cheek then kissed Soleil on the forehead.
“Guess what?” he said as he loosened his tie. “I got a call from your friend. She said she’s been trying to reach you on your cell phone but all she keeps getting is your voice mail.”
Erin’s heart jerked. “My friend?”
“Yes, the one who came to visit. She’s been trying to get in touch with you for the longest time. Did you disconnect your cell phone?”
“Ahh, no,” she said, which was the truth. But it wasn’t the whole truth. The fact was, she’d turned off her cell phone the day Soleil was born and had refused to turn it back on since then. She’d been living in a bubble of her own making. She’d done everything she could to insulate herself from the poison darts that Robyn could throw. But now she could see that her efforts had all been in vain. Robyn was determined to burst her bubble and send her reeling back to reality.
“Did she say what she was calling about?” Erin asked. It took all her effort to keep her face calm and her voice steady.
Dare shook his head. “No, but she left a number where you can reach her.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. He rested it on the table nearby and shifted the vase onto the edge of it to keep it from blowing away. “Give her a call as soon as you can,” he said. “It sounds as if it’s pretty important.”
Erin pursed her lips. She knew exactly what was so important for Robyn. She was intent on ruining her life. But she would not give her the satisfaction of being the one to reveal her secret. She’d run away from her truth long enough and now she was tired of running.
“Dare,” she said as she put the baby on her shoulder and gently rubbed her back, “we need to talk.”
Chapter 12
Dare looked at her, curious. “About what?” he asked. “Something to do with Soleil?” Then he grinned. “Has she been a naughty princess? I know she loves to boss her mommy around.”
“No,” Erin said, her voice solemn. “It’s about me.”
Dare frowned. “About you? Is everything alright?”
She shook her head. “No, but let me set the baby down for her nap and then we’ll talk.” Still rubbing Soleil’s back she got up and headed for the nursery.
Dare stood there in the sitting room, confused. Erin had seemed so peaceful when he’d come in but now he could sense her agitation and it bothered him. It had something to do with this Robyn woman, he was sure. Her whole demeanor had changed at the mention of Robyn’s name.
He threw off his jacket and dropped on to the sofa to await her return. He didn’t have to wait long. Erin approached and her face was serious. Whatever she wanted to talk about was not going to be fun.
She sat in the chair across from him and folded her hands in her lap. She was so beautiful, with her dark hair curling around her face and onto her shoulders, and those hazel eyes that were so expressive. Now, though, they were clouded over with what looked like heartfelt pain. He sat up and reached for her hand but she pulled it back.
“What’s going on, Erin? Is something wrong with you?” At her nod his heart jerked inside his chest. “Are you sick?”
She shook her head.
“Then what is it?” he demanded, beginning to lose patience. She had him on pins and needles and was taking her own sweet time in clearing up the mystery. “Just spill it.”
She sighed. “All right, I will.” She plucked at the fabric of her yellow sundress and then began to twist it with her fingers. Clearly, what she had to say was not easy for her. “I’ve not been honest with you, Dare. I’m not who you think I am.”
His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She sucked in a deep breath then let it out slowly. “It means, when I tell you who I really am you’ll probably want me out of your life. For good.”
That gave him pause. What in the world could Erin have done to let her say something like that? He loved her. Couldn’t she see that? There was nothing that could make him want her out of his life.
“Tell me,” he said. “Let me be the judge.”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and for several seconds she worried the lip until finally she opened her mouth to speak. And when she did, her voice was a hoarse whisper. “I know how important honesty is to you,” she said. “You said it yourself. You said it was the most important thing to you in a friendship. And that’s why I know you’ll hate me for this.”
“What are you talking about, Erin?”
“My parents died when I was twelve and I grew up in foster care.” She’d begun wringing her sundress again. “I was moved from home to home and some of them were…awful.” She gave a hiccup up at the last word. She seemed on the verge of tears. “At one of the homes, I had to struggle to survive. I often went without meals. Once, at school, I was so hungry I passed out.”
Dare held his breath. He could already guess what she was about to say.
“One day I just cracked. I walked into a convenience store and…I stole three candy bars,” she whispered then put her fists to her mouth as a sob escaped her lips. “The owner, he was watching the security camera and he saw what I did. He shouted at me and I ran. And then…and then he chased me out the door and into the street.” She dropped her face in her hands and began to cry in earnest. “He grabbed me and I couldn’t get away. And then the police came.”
Dare went over to kneel in front of her then he pulled her into his arms. “Hush, it’s okay, honey. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay,” she said, wrenching herself out of his arms. “I’ve lived with the guilt all these years. Before I married you I should have told you but I didn’t have the courage. How could I tell you that you were marrying a criminal?”
“It wasn’t your fault, Erin. You were a victim of your circumstances..”