Barbara Dunlop - Billionaire Baby Dilemma

Here it was. The final nail in Devin’s coffin. She drew a bracing breath. “I found out Lucas was manipulating me.” She stopped talking, feeling sick to her stomach. Was Lucas really going to make her admit in open court that they’d had an affair.

“Because you overheard a conversation?” asked the lawyer.

Devin nodded. Her throat was closing over and her stomach was in knots.

“Any chance you misunderstood?”

Devin started to shake her head.

But then she stopped, Lucas’s earlier words ringing in her ears. You misunderstood. My backup plan was falling in love with you.

Her horrified gaze flew to him, and he cocked his head, raising his brows as if he was waiting for her to get the punch line.

Could it be? Was it possible?

“Ms. Hartley,” the lawyer continued, “remembering that you are under oath. Are you in love with Lucas Demarco?”

“Your Honor,” objected Devin’s lawyer.

“I don’t see the relevance,” the judge stated, in a warning tone.

“I promise you, it’s relevant,” said Lucas’s lawyer.

The judge hesitated, while Devin’s heart thudded deep in her chest. What should she do? What could she say? She didn’t want to lie under oath, but how she felt about Lucas was none of these people’s business.

While they all waited, Lucas stood and handed a folded note to his lawyer. The man read it and smiled.

The judge held out her hand, and the lawyer dutifully gave her the note.

Then the judge smiled and nodded, handing it back.

Devin braced herself for the question.

“Ms. Hartley, are you-”

“Yes!” she shouted. “Okay? Are you satisfied?” She glared at the judge. What kind of a thing was this to do to a woman?

Lucas’s lawyer handed her the note.

Face hot with mortification, and refusing to meet anyone else’s eyes, she opened up the stupid note. It read:

Full custody to Devin Hartley. Right here. Right now. If she loves me back. And if she’ll agree to marry me.

Devin blinked and read it again, confusion warring with anger, warring with shock.

“One more question, Your Honor?” said the lawyer.

“By all means,” said the judge, her tone tinged with mock capitulation as she rocked back in her high chair.

“Devin,” said the lawyer, “is that a yes?”

Devin glanced up to see two dozen pairs of eyes on her. She looked to Lucas, and the enormity of the situation began to hit her. He loved her. He loved her?

Everything he’d said. Everything he’d done. Their days and nights together, and his affection for Amelia, it was all true?

“Five-minute recess,” said the judge, bringing down her gavel.

Lucas was out of his seat in a shot, rushing to Devin, handing her down from the witness stand and pulling her into his arms.

“I love you,” he told her, his words clear and heartfelt. “And I love Amelia. And I want you to marry me.” Then he spoke over Devin’s shoulder. “Your honor, can we dismiss the case or something?”

The judge met Devin’s gaze and lifted her brows in a question. Devin couldn’t help smiling with joy.

“I’m off at three,” the judge quipped, her interest unabashed. “You know, in case you need someone to officiate.”

Devin grinned, while Lucas laughed.

Steve stomped out of the courtroom.

“Three o’clock is good for me,” said Devin, wrapping her arms around Lucas and leaning into his embrace. “As long as we can get Lexi and Amelia here in time.”

She drew a deep sigh, picturing the glorious years stretching out in front of them. “I love you so much,” she confessed, absorbing Lucas’s warmth and strength.

His lips came down on hers in a thorough kiss. “I’m going to love you forever.”

The judge’s gavel came down one more time. “Bailiff, call the florist. And somebody find these people a ring.”

Devin twisted the simple silver ring around the finger of her left hand while she waited for Lucas to finish reading the galleys for Snarled Traffic in the Information Age. He’d bought her a diamond wedding set a few days after their rushed wedding, but she preferred the original, even if it had been purchased for twenty dollars at a souvenir shop across the street from the courthouse.

The maple leaves outside on the lighted grounds of the mansion flickered red and golden, and a small, gas fire danced in the depths of the stone fireplace in the great room. Amelia had celebrated her first birthday the week before. She was walking now, pulling articles off lower shelves and forcing the mansion staff to rearrange the art objects and antiques.

Lucas flipped the last page of the printed galleys.

“Well?” Devin asked, sitting up straight in the big armchair, feeling unaccountably anxious about his reaction.

He looked up at her and gave a mischievous grin.

“Don’t you dare make me wait,” she admonished.

Lucas came to his feet, crossing the room toward her. “I’d take your advice,” he offered obliquely.

“Yeah?” She tipped her head as he came closer, deciding he meant it as a compliment.

“Especially the part about slowing down to enjoy the people you love.” He took her hands in his and drew her to her feet, a gleam in his slate-gray eyes. “I’m going to enjoy loving you right here and now.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she told him, with a playful smack to his upper arm. Still, she couldn’t help the flutter of her heart as he leaned in for a kiss.

“Really?” His arms snaked around her, tugging her close. “You give the best advice I’ve ever read. And your book clearly stated that I ought to make love a priority in my life.”

She sighed, relaxing into his strength, thinking back to last night, and the night before that, and the one before that. “I believe you already have.”

“Well, we’re still, technically, on our honeymoon.”

“We’ve been married for over three months.”

“I read somewhere that the honeymoon lasts for at least five years.”

“Not in my book, you didn’t.”

“Then, you should add that part.” He kissed her again, deeper this time, and his hand slipped beneath her blouse, sliding its way up her back.

Amelia was already asleep, but there were still a few staff members wandering around the house.

“Lucas,” Devin warned.

“Hmm?”

“Get your hands away from my buttons.”

He chuckled deep in his chest as the doorbell chimed in the front hallway.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway as one of the staff went to answer, and Lucas slowly drew back. He gave Devin a peck on the tip of her nose, whispering, “later.”

Devin was fine with that.

Muffled voices sounded in the distance, and Devin quickly recognized Lexi’s.

“They’re back?” she asked Lucas. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I didn’t know.”

Just then, Byron’s large frame filled the opening between the hallway and the great room, with Lexi clinging to his arm.

Devin squealed and rushed toward her friend. “How was the honeymoon? Did you like Tahiti?”

Lexi showed off a bare arm. “Take a look at my tan?”

Devin pulled her into a hug. “You look fabulous, healthy, rested.”

The two men shook hands, and Lexi coughed out a laugh. “Not so much on the rested.”

“She slept on the plane,” said Byron, turning to wrap Devin in a warm hug, while Lucas did the same with Lexi.

“First chance I’ve had to sleep in two weeks,” Lexi chided.

“She exaggerates,” said Byron.

Devin drew back. “So, what did you decide? How long can you stay in Seattle?”

With Lexi’s house here and Byron’s ranch near Dallas, there was a pretty big geographical divide to overcome.

Byron and Lexi exchanged a look.

“What?” Devin prompted, hoping Lexi wouldn’t have to leave immediately for Texas.

“I hired a new ranch manager,” said Byron. There was a glow in his eyes, as if he was keeping a secret.

“So, you can spend plenty of time in Seattle?” The hopeful note was clear in Devin’s voice.

Instead of answering, Byron looked to Lucas. “Steve called me.”

Lucas frowned, his eyes narrowing. “What did he want?”

“Out.”

Lucas cocked his head to one side.

“Out of what?” Devin asked.

“Pacific Robotics,” Lexi squealed.

“No way.” But a slow smile was forming on Lucas’s face. “You didn’t.”

“The hell I didn’t,” said Byron. “He seems to think he’s going to take South America by storm. He was looking for a quick sale to raise the capital, and I gave it to him.”

“It has to be approved by the Board,” Lucas drawled.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll have Amelia’s support,” said Byron. The toddler adored her Uncle Byron. “And we brought you a bottle of Macallan Fine and Rare, 1926. Just in case we had to grease the skids.”

Lucas grinned. “I’m liking your chances.”

“Does this mean what I think it means?” Devin was getting impatient.

Lucas tugged her close, tucking her against his body and kissing her temple. “It means, they’re going to live here in Seattle. Byron’s going to be my business partner, and we’re all going to live happily ever after.”

writes romantic stories while curled up in a log cabin in Canada’s far north, where bears outnumber people and it snows six months of the year. Fortunately she has a brawny husband and two teenage children to haul firewood and clear the driveway while she sips cocoa and muses about her upcoming chapters. Barbara loves to hear from readers. You can contact her through her website at www.barbaradunlop.com.