Beach Baby

He led her through the foyer and into a formal living room strewn with toys, unfolded laundry and movie magazines. Nina sank gratefully onto a soft couch. Reid placed the back of his warm hand against her clammy forehead. It could have been a gesture of tenderness and concern but his voice was brusque. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she lied, feeling anything but. She’d come here to meet her daughter and found Reid instead. She could hardly believe it was him standing before her. She’d known he was back in Vancouver ever since he’d been interviewed in the local media. She knew he’d been married and had another daughter, that his wife had died a few years ago.

He looked the same, though a little older, of course. His features had lost the softness of youth and were stronger, more defined. Like an optical illusion, one second he was her closest friend and lover, then she blinked and he was a stranger. In spite of everything, she looked hungrily for the humorous twist to his mouth, the twinkle in his dark eyes. But he wasn’t smiling; he was scowling at her. Time alone couldn’t extinguish the rancor they’d parted with.

“Where’s…” Nina swallowed hard at the fresh ordeal of speaking their daughter’s name. “…Amy? My mother said she’s looking for her biological parents. I guess she found you first.”

Reid cast her an odd glance. “Uh, yeah.”

“I had no idea this was your house,” Nina said. “Or I would never have…I mean, I would have called first.” This was so awkward; she, who lived to talk, had no idea what to say to him. Nina glanced around. “So, where is she?”

“She’s…out.”

“When do you expect her back?”

“She’s missing, actually,” Reid admitted. “I’m getting worried.”

“Missing!” Nina sat up straighter. “How…where? When was the last time you saw her?”

“She left this morning around 9:00 a.m.,” Reid said. “She was going into Vancouver to audition for a walk-on part in a movie.” He moved a teddy bear out of the way so he could sit beside Nina. “She was very excited about it.”

Out of habit, Nina pulled a notepad and pen out of her purse and jotted down the time and place, glad of something concrete to focus on during this surreal experience. “So she’s an actress?”

“She’s performed in high-school productions. As far as I know, this is the first professional job she’s gone for.” He ran a hand through his hair. “She wouldn’t leave Beebee this long unless something happened.”

“Is Beebee—” Nina began then thought she heard a childish giggle and stopped. “What was that?”

Reid tilted his head. “I don’t hear anything.”

“Never mind. Neither do I, now. Beebee is an odd name. Is she our—?” Nina tapped the pen against the paper. This was too weird. “Is Beebee Amy’s little girl?”

“Yes.” Reid lifted his head, still listening. “I put her in her crib but she keeps getting out. I’d better check on her.”

Before he could move, a tiny girl with flaming curls and yellow sleepers wriggled out from behind the couch, giggling madly, and ran into the hallway and toward the front door. Over the top of the low divider separating the living room from the foyer Nina could see a small determined hand trying to turn the knob.

“Beebee!” Reid cried. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Oh, she’s so sweet!” Nina exclaimed, forgetting everything else in the joy of seeing her grandchild. “She’s got my mother’s hair.”

“Don’t be fooled by that angelic face,” Reid said. “She’s an escape artist.” He lunged across the room, tripped on a stuffed elephant and fell sideways into a pile of towels. “Oof! Don’t let her get away.”

Beebee gave the doorknob a final twist and the door swung open. Nina heard a last gleeful chuckle and then the little imp pattered down the steps and disappeared into the night.

“Damn! I forgot to turn the dead bolt after I let you in.” Reid struggled to right himself amid the tangled laundry. “You can’t take your eyes off that child for a minute.”

“Then why did you?” Nina picked her way across the room through toys and clothes. “If you’re supposed to be looking after her, you’re not doing a very good job.”

“Just…get…her!” Reid swore as a pair of toddler’s overalls wrapped themselves around his ankles and brought him to his knees.

Nina paused in the doorway to scan the yard. Beebee was running down the driveway as fast as her little legs could carry her. Nina took off after her, her high heels wobbling dangerously in the loose gravel. “Beebee! Come back here, darling. Come to—” She broke off, the word grandma sticking in her throat. “Come to Nina.”

The headlights of a car approached, on a collision course with Beebee barreling straight for the road. Nina shouted, “Beebee, stop this instant!”

Beebee slid to a halt and spun to face Nina, her mouth a startled O. Her surprise at this stranger speaking so harshly swiftly turned to mutiny. She drew in a lungful of air then emitted an ear-piercing shriek. The passing station wagon turned a corner but Beebee’s high-pitched noise went on and on, like a car alarm that wouldn’t turn off. A couple walking their miniature poodle down the street frowned at Nina and whispered to each other.

“It’s a game we play,” Nina called to the couple, laughing. “I’m her…her older female relative.” She marched over to Beebee and picked up the child who was still screaming and as stiff as a board. “Beebee, stop,” she pleaded in an urgent undertone. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Ow, yeow, yikes.” Arms flailing, Reid hopped over the sharp gravel in bare feet. He reached for Beebee. “Come here, honey.”

“Weed!” Beebee kicked off from Nina’s stomach, launching herself out of Nina’s arms to dive into Reid’s waiting embrace. She threw Nina an angry, suspicious glare then buried her face in Reid’s shirt.

“Oomph.” Nina doubled over. “What is wrong with that little banshee?”

“You scared her.”

“I scared her?”

“She makes strange at first,” Reid said. “Beebee, this is Nina. She’s…” He glanced at Nina and she shook her head. “A friend of your mommy’s.”

“Where my mommy?” Beebee asked plaintively.

“She’s coming.” Reid stroked her damp curls off her forehead. In his arms, she heaved a deep sigh. “Let’s go inside and put you to bed.” He walked back to the house on the grass and pointed out the first star glinting in an indigo sky. “Make a wish, Beebee.”

“Mommy,” Beebee said and stuck her thumb in her mouth.

“She’ll be home soon.”

Nina held the door open for him to go through. “Ou-yay ouldn’t-shay ake-may omises-pray ou-yay an’t-cay eep-kay.”

Reid set Beebee on the floor. “Go get your dolly. It’s bedtime.” Then he looked at Nina as though she were demented. “What on earth are you saying?”

“Ou-yay ouldn’t-shay—”

“She’s forgotten all about her om-may. She’s not even paying attention to us anymore,” he added, nodding at the toddler.

Beebee was busy piling clean laundry onto Daisy’s back and giggling when it fell off. Dog and child distributed clothing around the room—a sock behind the couch, a T-shirt next to the window.

Nina, too frazzled to sit still, followed behind, picking up the clothing as she went. “We should call the police.”

“Too soon.” Reid locked the door and bolted it, then slid the chain across. “She has to be gone twenty-four hours before they’ll file a missing-persons report.”

Nina dumped her armload of clothing onto the couch and began to fold the individual items, finding the mindless activity soothing. “Is there no way to contact her? An address or a phone number?”

“I’ve searched her room. She didn’t leave anything written down that I could see,” Reid replied.

“How long has Amy been here?” Nina looked around at the clothing and toys. “They seem very settled in.”

“A few days…maybe a week.”

Maybe a week? Reid had always been a little absentminded, lost in his own world, but even for him, the answer was vague.

Before she could probe further, the front door rattled as someone tried to enter. A second later the bell rang. Reid strode across the room, unlocked and flung open the door. Beebee tried to shoot through the gap only for Reid to grab her by the scruff of her pajamas and haul her unceremoniously into his arms.

A young woman with waist-length blond hair hurried inside. Nina felt the butterflies in her stomach buffet her rib cage. At last. Her daughter. Frozen to the spot, Nina watched her in amazement. She was beautiful. She was real.

“Amy!” Reid exclaimed with relief. “Where have you been? What happened to you?”

Amy lifted Beebee out of Reid’s arms and hugged her to herself. “Mommy’s here.” She glanced at Reid over Beebee’s shoulder. “The bus I was on collided with a dump truck in the tunnel. They just sideswiped each other but it caused a pileup that took hours to sort out.”

“I heard about the accident on the radio coming out here so I went around by the bridge,” Nina said. “Are you all right?”

Amy glanced at her with a puzzled frown. “Not a scratch on me. Ambulances took us all to Emergency to get checked out.”

“Why didn’t you call?” Reid demanded. “I know you don’t have a cell phone but you could have borrowed one.”

“I didn’t have your number with me. Crazy, huh? I never thought I would need it.” Amy stroked Beebee’s back while the little girl played with her hoop earrings. “There was a public phone booth in Emergency but no phone book. I guess I could have dialed directory assistance but I didn’t think of it at the time. I’m sorry if you were worried.”

“How did you get home?” Reid asked.

“They brought out another bus.” Amy peered around Beebee to study Nina curiously. “You look familiar. Are you by any chance…?”

Related? Did she see the resemblance? Nina wondered breathlessly. She could, in the eyes and the shape of the mouth. “I’m…” she began, but her breath had lodged in her chest, preventing her from speaking.

“You are!” Amy said. “You’re Nina Kennerly from the TV show Chat with Nina. Reid watches you every night.” Amy turned to Reid. “You didn’t tell me you knew Nina Kennerly. Are you two friends?”

Reid threw Nina an unreadable glance. “Something like that.” He touched Amy’s arm. “Maybe you should get Beebee settled. She’s had a lot of excitement tonight.”

“I’ll put her to bed,” Amy said and carried her child down the hall to their bedroom.

“I didn’t know what I should say when she asked me who you were,” Reid said quietly. “What are you going to tell her?”

Nina began picking up toys and piling them into a toy box in the corner. “The truth, of course. That’s why I came out here tonight.”

Amy returned and flopped into a chair, blowing out a sigh that fluttered her wispy bangs. “Whew! What a day. But I got the part as an extra.”

“That’s great,” Reid said.

“How exciting,” Nina added warmly. “What role do you play?”

“I’m a tourist.” Amy glanced at her, at the toys in her hand, and wrinkled her brow. “Excuse me, I know you’re Nina Kennerly but are you, like, Reid’s girlfriend or something?” When neither Nina or Reid replied, she said, “Am I being nosy? Just tell me to mind my own business.”

Nina sat on the arm of the couch, looked at Reid, then back to Amy. Her throat suddenly felt very dry. All the speeches she’d mentally composed to break the news gently fled her brain and she blurted, “I’m your biological mother.”

No one moved in the frozen silence. Time itself might have been suspended were it not for the quiet ticking of a mantel clock. Amy stared. Nina gazed steadfastly back, her heart pounding in her throat. She usually had so much to say she couldn’t get it all out but, at the moment, her wits and her voice failed her.

Finally, Amy blinked and swallowed. “My mother?” she said in a choked voice. “The woman who gave birth to me?”

Nina bit her lip and nodded. Was Amy pleased? Disappointed? It was hard to tell.

“I don’t understand,” Amy said. “How did you find me?”

“Elaine called my mother to tell her you were in town looking for me and gave her Reid’s address.”

Amy’s gaze flicked to Reid. A faint frown crossed her features as if there were a connection here she didn’t understand and couldn’t work out.

“I know Elaine Hocking is your real mother,” Nina went on in a rush. “I know I can’t ever take her place and I wouldn’t want to but if I could in some small way be part of your life, part of Beebee’s life—” she drew a breath “—I would be so happy.”

Amy went completely still for another agonizing minute. Then tears leaked from her eyes and she rose from her chair to start forward only to falter, as if unsure.

“Oh, my dear.” Nina’s eyes flooded as she pulled her daughter into an awkward embrace. “Oh, my dear sweetpea.”

Amy drew back, blinking with surprise. “Sweetpea?”

Nina felt heat bloom in her cheeks. “It’s a pet name I had for you. I didn’t know your real name, you see. I shouldn’t have burst out with it. I must sound silly and sentimental.”

Amy shook her head, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand. “It’s cool.”

Nina let out a long breath, easing but not releasing her pent-up anxiety. It still didn’t seem possible that this young woman should be her daughter. Her daughter.

Amy turned to Reid with an amazed smile. She’d recovered her composure and was coming alive with excitement. “Can you believe this? Nina Kennerly’s my mother! Ever since I found out the Hockings weren’t my biological parents I’ve been going crazy wondering who I am, where I came from.” She swung back to Nina. “And now you can tell me who my father is.”

Taken aback, Nina threw Reid a swift glance. “Surely you know.”

“I told you, Jim and Elaine wouldn’t give me any information.” Amy clasped her hands in front of her. “Please, I want to know all about him. Was he good-looking and smart? Was he kind?”

“He was all those things and more.” Nina frowned at Reid, silently demanding to know what the hell was going on. She’d assumed Amy knew who he was, but apparently not.

“He sounds wonderful,” Amy said.

“I was very much in love with him,” Nina said, suddenly wistful. “For a while we talked about getting married.”

“That’s so romantic,” Amy said. “What went wrong?”

“I…we had a terrible fight. We were both so young, and I knew I couldn’t provide for you on my own. His parents arranged for a private adoption.” Nina glanced at Reid again, eyebrows raised. He gazed back at her with a stony expression.

“Do you know where my father lives now?” Amy said. “Do you think he’ll want to see me?”

“Well,” Nina began, looking from Amy to Reid. What was going on here?

“I know he will.” Reid cleared his throat. When he spoke again it wasn’t with his customary assurance. “Amy, I don’t know how to tell you this. I’ve wanted to say something for years. I should have told you this past week—”

“What is it?” Amy broke in impatiently. “What do you know about my father?”

“I am your biological father.”

Amy turned to him, shocked back into speechlessness. Her excitement turned to disbelief. Finally, she spluttered with nervous laughter. “What! You can’t be.”

Reid stepped forward, a hand tentatively extended. “Please don’t be upset.”

She pulled away from him, her face crumpling. “I’ve known you all my life. You’re a friend of my parents. Of Jim and Elaine. You’re Uncle Reid.”

“No,” he said soberly. “I’m your father.”

“I’ve been here a week,” Amy cried. “You knew I was looking for my birth parents but you never said anything.”

“I couldn’t at first. I promised the Hockings—”

“You’re just like them.” Angry tears spilled over as she backed away. “You lied to me, too. I don’t want you to be my father. Do you hear me? You’re not my father.”

CHAPTER THREE

REID FELT THE WAY HE imagined Luke must have felt when he’d been shot in the gut—too much in shock to feel pain, but he was bleeding inside. “Amy, let me explain—”

Before he could finish, Nina directed a sharply spoken question to Amy. “What do you mean, you’ve known him all your life? Didn’t you just get to Vancouver recently?”

“Yes, but Reid is a friend of my adoptive parents,” Amy explained. “He was Uncle Reid when I was little. He came over at Christmas and Easter. He gave me birthday presents and once he even came on vacation with us. He taught me to swim.”

“Jim and Elaine weren’t big on water sports,” Reid mumbled.

Nina turned to him. “You’ve been in Vancouver for what, three years?”

Reid nodded. They’d moved back after Carol had died. Leaving Amy had been a wrench, but he’d wanted Tara to know his parents better now that it was just the two of them.

“Three years,” she repeated, dismayed. “Yet you never once called me and said, hey, Nina, would you like to see a picture of your daughter?” She paused. “I presume you have photos?”

Again Reid nodded. Whole albums. “Why would I call when it was you who—” He broke off, aware of Amy listening intently to their exchange.

They heard a car pull into the driveway and all heads turned toward the door. Then he heard the car door slam and Tara calling good-night.

She entered the living room a moment later, her face lit with excitement. “Dad, you’ll never guess. I got a special commendation for my étude—” She broke off abruptly, her gaze flitting from Reid to Nina to Amy and back to Nina. “What’s going on?”

Reid rose to his feet. “Nina, this is my daughter, Tara. Tara, this is Nina.”

“From the TV show?” Tara’s face turned wary and Reid knew why—it had never been a secret that Nina had been the woman in Reid’s life before Carol. With strained politeness, Tara added, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nina is Amy’s biological mother,” Reid added. He might as well get the explanations over with at once.

Tara’s smile froze and she clutched her violin case to her chest. Reid could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. Nina was Amy’s mother. Nina was also Reid’s old girlfriend. Therefore—

Reid cleared his throat. “Amy’s my daughter, too. And your half sister.”

Tara’s mouth opened and shut again but no words came out. Her gaze returned to Amy, who was accepting a tissue from Nina. “Is this true?”

“Apparently.” Amy blew her nose noisily. “I’m not happy about it. He’s lied to me all my life.”

“That makes two of us.” Tara turned back to Reid, her eyes filled with accusations.

“Now wait just a minute,” Reid said and started with Amy. “The only way the Hockings allowed me to see you was if I agreed not to reveal our true relationship. If I told anyone else, including you—” he looked at Tara “—or you—” he added to Nina “—I risked losing access.”

“You led a double life,” Tara said. “Going from Mom and I to…” On the verge of tears, she pointed at Amy. “To her.”

Reid shook his head. “It’s not the way you make it sound.”

“When you give a child up for adoption, you give them up,” Tara insisted. “You’re not supposed to hang on and try to be part of their life.”

“I didn’t give Amy up,” Reid countered. “Nina did.”

“So you still blame the whole thing on me,” Nina said angrily. “I might have known.”

Amy moved to stand closer to Nina. “At least she was honest about her actions.”

“I wasn’t blaming you,” Reid said to Nina, getting more and more exasperated.

“Sure sounded like it to me!” Nina said. “Your mother—”

“Oh stop fighting! I wish you’d all just go away!” Tara ran out of the room and pounded up the stairs.

Silence fell. Reid rubbed the bridge of his nose, conscious of a tension headache coming on.

“It’s obvious I’m not welcome here,” Amy said quietly and rose. “I’ll pack my things.”

“Where are you going to go at this late hour?” Reid said, alarmed at the thought of her leaving.

“You can stay with me,” Nina offered. “I’d love to have you.”

“No!” Reid exclaimed. Nina and Amy turned to him, startled. “It’s late and Beebee’s asleep. Anyway, we don’t have a car seat.”

“That’s true,” Amy said, sitting down again. “I wouldn’t like to risk driving all the way into Vancouver without her properly secure.” She wrapped her arms around her knees, looking lost.

“You can continue to stay here,” Reid assured. “I’ll talk to Tara. This has been a shock to her.”

“And me!” Amy said.

Reid glanced helplessly from Amy to Nina, who quickly looked away. There’d been so much left unsaid when he and Nina had parted nineteen years ago and tonight’s emotionally charged revelations had only widened the gulf between them. He’d touched a nerve with his remark about Nina giving Amy up. All he’d meant was that he’d never wanted to.

“Well, I’d better go.” Nina picked up her purse and moved to the front door.

Amy followed and Reid trailed behind. “Will I see you again?” Amy asked Nina.

Nina paused at the bottom of the steps. “Of course. Since you don’t have a car, it’s probably easier if I come back here. Unless Reid has any objection?”

Her challenge hung in the air. He couldn’t keep her away if he wanted to and they both knew it. The last thing he wanted was a tug-of-war over Amy.

“I have no objection,” Reid said. “Come for lunch tomorrow if you like.”

He left Nina and Amy to say good-night to each other, then went upstairs and knocked on Tara’s door.

“Go away.” Her voice sounded strained, as if she’d been crying.

Ignoring her edict, Reid entered. “We need to talk.”

Tara was lying on her bed, curled on her side, reading a Manga book. Reid sat beside her and stroked her back. “I’m sorry, honey. I was going to tell you as soon as I’d told Amy.”

“There you go, putting her first again.” Tara still hadn’t looked at him, making a pretense of being absorbed in the illustrated story.

Reid pressed his lips together, reminding himself that no matter how mature Tara seemed at times, she was still only fifteen and bound to feel betrayed. “Just because Amy’s my daughter, too, doesn’t mean I love you less.”

Tara shrugged and turned a page. “Whatever.”

Nothing could have been more calculated to push Reid’s hot button than that insolent claim to indifference. “Will you put that away and talk to me!”

Tara closed her Manga book and tossed it onto her bedside table. Then she scooted up to lean her back against the headboard. “You should have talked to me before you allowed Amy into our house. What would Mom have said if she knew you had a secret daughter?”

“Your mother knew about Amy,” Reid said. “She was the only person I told. She accepted that Amy was a part of my life.”

“Did she? Or did she just not have a choice?” Tara said. “Now that Mom’s gone, I suppose you’ll go back to your first family.”

“Nina and Amy were never my family,” Reid said. “You and your mother were. You still are.” He held out his arms. “Come on, honey. Give your dad a hug.”

Tara blinked red-rimmed eyes but she made no move to go into his arms. “I’m tired. I want to go to sleep now.”

She’d never refused him a hug before and the significance of it cut him to the bone. Reid rose stiffly, feeling as if he’d aged twenty years in one day. Had he gone from having two daughters to none?

Downstairs all was quiet. Amy had gone to bed and there was no light underneath her door. Reid went into the living room to turn out the table lamp. His hand paused on the switch. Nina’s leather-bound notebook and gold pen lay on the side table where she’d forgotten them.

Suddenly he recalled the light perfume she wore and the unconsciously seductive sway of her hips. Attraction and antagonism churned in his gut. If he’d thought Amy and Beebee disruptive to his quiet lifestyle, their presence was nothing compared to the havoc Nina could wreak on his peace of mind.

Reid picked up the notebook and pen and placed them on the mantelpiece where Beebee couldn’t get them. For good or ill, Nina was back in his life.

AMY HEARD THE DOORBELL the next morning and, with a nervous glance in the hall mirror, hurried to open the door. Nina, in white capri pants, a sleeveless turquoise top and glittery sandals, looked casually glamorous. Amy still couldn’t get over the fact that Nina was her mother.