Whose Baby Is This?

A few seconds later Matt heard the outer office door close. This was a continuing nightmare. He turned to the large window behind his desk. Before him was an incredible view of the Pacific Ocean. Usually after a rough eight-hour surgery or a consultation with parents when he had to tell them bad news, he could find peace and solace in the mesmerizing waves, lose himself in the sound of the rolling surf. None of it helped him now.

The day his damn wallet had been stolen his entire life turned upside down. Matthew James Landers’s credit had been shot to hell, and there was next to nothing he could do about it. Damn. It hadn’t been enough that the thief used his credit cards, but taking over his identity was worse. Now the man had fathered a child in his name. Matt clenched his fists, fighting anger and…a twinge of envy. He pounded the window frame.

“Hell, is this mess ever going to end?” he asked. Today had been the last straw. And to torment him with a child. That went beyond cruel.

Again his thoughts turned to the pretty woman, Tara McNeal, who’d stood in his office not thirty seconds ago. Damn. Forget her…forget the baby.

Call your lawyer, Matt told himself. Let him handle it. But something in those green eyes of hers told him that she was as much a victim as he was. The ironic thing was that Tara McNeal was offering him his heart’s desire. The one thing he’d wanted and couldn’t have.

A child.

Later that afternoon, Matt heard voices coming from the outer office. He got up and opened the door to find his friend Nick Malone coming down the hall.

“Hey, what brings you here?” Matt asked, grinning.

The dark-haired computer software genius smiled back. “I wanted to see if you were available for golf Wednesday.”

Matt was eager for any distraction. “You know I’m always ready for a game, but since when are you? I believe your exact words were, ‘I don’t have time to chase around a little white ball.’”

Nick dropped into the chair across from Matt’s desk. “I hear the balls come in different colors now.”

“Yeah, sure. What’s the real reason?”

“It’s Cari’s idea. She wants me to cut back on my hours at the plant. Take more downtime for myself.”

Matt knew Cari Malone well. Before she’d married Nick and given birth to two beautiful children, she had been a nurse on the pediatric floor. One of the best. “So, she still hasn’t given up on changing you.”

There was a glint in Nick’s gray eyes. “And I hope she never does. She and the kids make everything so…perfect.”

Matt knew his friend’s life had been far from perfect before Cari walked into it and offered her love to Nick and his son, Danny. Love and kids. Something Matt had avoided over the years. His relationships had always been guarded, avoiding anything permanent. Besides, his demanding career made it nearly impossible for him to have a personal life. At thirty-eight, he wished things could be different. A picture of a perky redhead holding a baby flashed in his head. He blinked away the fantasy.

Matt tried to smile but couldn’t quite make it, and Nick spotted something amiss right away.

“What’s wrong, friend?”

Matt shrugged. “Just a rough day. A new patient, a little boy who has a rough road ahead.”

Nick’s gaze locked with his. “If anyone can pull it off, you can. You gave Danny a normal life.”

Nick’s eight-year-old son had had a heart transplant six years ago and had been under Matt’s care.

“A lot of factors entered into Danny’s recovery and continued good health, including having parents who love him.” Matt thought about the baby girl who had been in his office. A child who needed him to be a father. It was too bad that…

Nick’s words interrupted his thoughts. “Hey, pal. You sure there isn’t anything else on your mind?”

Matt sighed. “This morning I was told I was a father.”

Chapter Two

That evening Tara leaned over the portable baby crib in the corner of the small motel room. Erin had been fed, changed and dressed in her pajamas, and she was finally asleep.

Tara placed a kiss on the baby’s rosy cheek, then went to the double bed and sat down. If Erin would sleep a few hours, she could get some rest, too. But Tara doubted she could sleep. Not after what had happened this afternoon. Not after Matthew Landers had denied ever knowing Bri.

Tara rubbed her temples. The headache she’d woken up with still plagued her. She checked her watch. It was getting late, and the good doctor hadn’t called. So he didn’t care about his own child.

She went into the small kitchenette and located the bottle of aspirin, poured a glass of water and swallowed two tablets.

Tara had had firsthand experience with waiting for a father. Her father hadn’t hung around, not for long, anyway. Having a wife and two daughters had been too much for Sean McNeal. He was busy chasing the next big deal. Nothing was going to keep him from what he wanted, not even the responsibility of a family. Sean was going to be rich, he’d told everyone. Even his small daughters had gotten caught up in his crazy dreams until they found out the man was nothing but a fake.

By the time Tara turned fourteen, her dad had disappeared from their lives for good. For months her mother cried, leaving Tara wishing she could help. When her mother had to take on another job to keep the family together, her eldest daughter had been put in charge of watching eight-year-old Briana.

Regret filled Tara. Maybe if she’d done a better job, her baby sister would be alive today. But Bri had always been headstrong. From an early age, she’d had a wild streak. Unlike Tara, she ran after life, and after men, looking for the love their father had denied them.

“I should have been there for you,” Tara whispered, believing that Briana left Phoenix because she felt smothered. “I should have gone to visit you. We were family.”

Tara had been busy with college and her job, but she could have found time. If only Briana had wanted to see her. Tears stung her eyes. At least in the end, she’d been with Bri. And now that Matt Landers had denied paternity she was going to be Erin’s family.

She walked to the crib and gazed at the beautiful baby. She already looked like Briana. The shape of her face and her large eyes were Bri’s, although their color was dark brown, like her father’s. The wisps of hair that covered her small head were blond. Again like her father. A father who wasn’t going to be around.

“I wanted so much for you, sweetie,” she whispered, emotion lacing her voice. “But it looks like it’s just you and me, Erin Marie. I promise I won’t let you down.” She took hold of Erin’s tiny finger just like she had so many times with Bri. “I double pinky swear. We’ll be a family.”

There was a soft knock on the door. Wiping away any traces of tears, Tara checked the peephole. Her pulse started to race when she saw Matt Landers. He’d come. She said a quick little prayer and opened the door.

“Can we talk?” he asked.

Tara swallowed. “That depends on what you have to say.”

“I believe it’s obvious what we have to talk about. The baby. We need to come to a decision that will be the best for all of us.”

“You mean that will be best for you,” she murmured.

After a few seconds, Tara stepped aside and Matt walked into the small room. He glanced around the standard chain motel surroundings. The double bed with the colorful bedspread. The desk with the menu and coupons from the local restaurant. Then he turned his attention to the baby crib in the corner, and a protective feeling tugged at him.

“Do my accommodations meet with your approval?”

Matt turned to Tara. Faded jeans covered her long, slender legs and accented her narrow waist. A short white T-shirt draped her delicate shoulders and nicely rounded breasts. Her short rust-colored hair was pulled behind her ears. He raised his gaze to her weary green eyes.

“I’m not concerned with your accommodations, Ms. McNeal, just your accusations.”

His lawyer, Ed Podesta, had told him he’d handle everything and advised his client to stay away from Tara McNeal and the baby. Even though Matt knew he couldn’t possibly be Erin’s father, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. Her sweet face, her pink cheeks and rosebud mouth. He tended children daily. Many were infants. But he’d never been called a father before. That made little Erin different.

The baby was the innocent one in all this. But was Tara McNeal innocent? “I’m here because there’s a child involved. She’s the one we have to worry about. Needless to say, you caught me off guard when you came to the office today.”

He watched Tara cross her arms.

“I don’t want to be the enemy here,” Matt continued. “There are some steps we need to take.”

“Just what steps are those, Dr. Landers?”

“A blood test.”

Early the next day, Tara carried Erin across the medical laboratory parking lot. Matthew Landers was there waiting for her.

The man looked far too good first thing in the morning. He wore a snowy white shirt with dove-gray pleated slacks and expensive black loafers. His hair was perfect, not a strand out of place. Tara found she wanted to mess it up. She quickly pushed away the crazy thought.

He pulled off his dark glasses and squinted into the summer sun. “Good morning, Ms. McNeal,” he said.

Tara absently brushed her hair behind her ears, wishing she’d taken time to apply a little makeup. No easy task when she had a baby to care for. “Morning, doctor,” she answered.

“Okay, this is a simple test. It could have been done in my office, but…”

Tara straightened. “I know, you want to keep this quiet.” She glanced at the small medical building.

She was right, Matt was worried about the gossip that might arise from the test. He didn’t want Harry Douglas finding out about this. The hospital grapevine had already built him an impressive reputation as a playboy even though he’d been extremely careful to have kept his personal life private.

“Yes, I’m concerned. I want this matter cleared up. Quickly.”

“Why, are you married?”

Matt was surprised by her question. “No, I’m not. But I am a respected doctor in this community.” He wouldn’t be for long if her accusation became public. He could lose everything he’d worked for. “Are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Married.”

“No, but I plan to be someday.” She smiled at the baby. “And I’ll give Erin brothers and sisters.” Matt held open the door to the small medical building, and Tara stepped inside.

Matt wasn’t surprised by her answer. Most women, even those with active careers, wanted a family. Something he couldn’t offer a wife. “This way,” he said, directing her down the hall and into the elevator.

They were alone in the small space. He pressed the button for the second floor. As much as he tried not to, he couldn’t help but look at the baby. She was awake and alert. Little Erin’s arms were waving in the air as her big dark eyes took in her new surroundings. He smiled. She hadn’t asked for all this trouble.

He stole a glance at Ms. McNeal. She, on the other hand, was asking for a lot of trouble. If she thought she could come here and bat those big emerald eyes at him… Well, he wasn’t going to let her get to him. No matter how soft and touchable her auburn hair looked. He inhaled her soft fragrance, and his stomach tightened.

A chime sounded and the doors opened. He allowed her out first, then directed her down another hall to the lab. Jerry, a golfing buddy and a trusted confidant, was working the early shift and knew they would be coming in. With luck this could be done quickly and privately. In a few hours they’d have the results, and Matt could go on with his life.

He opened the door and stepped aside so Tara could enter, then walked to the deserted counter and rang the bell. The glass window opened, and a middle-aged man with brown hair and a ready smile appeared. “Hey, Matt, nice to see you.”

They shook hands. “Jerry. This is Tara McNeal and Erin.”

“Come back to the office,” Jerry directed. “We’ll do this as quickly as possible.”

Matt stood aside as Tara passed through another door, then paused.

“So how long have you and Jerry been friends?” she asked.

Matt bit back his anger. “If you’re insinuating that I’m trying to falsify the blood test, you can forget it. I have a sterling reputation. Or I had, until some bastard stole everything. I want to clear this up more than you know, Ms. McNeal. You have no idea what it’s like to have lost this kind of control of your life. I know Erin is not my child, but I’m determined to convince you.”

She looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Let’s do the test.”

Two hours later, Tara was in Matt Landers’s office, changing Erin’s diaper. Crooning to her niece, she was soon rewarded with a smile.

“You were such a good girl,” Tara whispered, then placed a kiss on the baby’s soft cheek as she managed to get her kicking legs into the stretch suit. Tara took the recently warmed bottle, lifted Erin in her arms, found a spot on the sofa and began feeding her.

She hated hanging around, but the results of the test weren’t supposed to take very long. And waiting here was as good as anywhere else. Dr. Landers had given up his office, saying he had a busy schedule of hospital rounds. The receptionist, Judy Shaw, had gone out of her way to be kind, making sure Tara and Erin were comfortable.

All Tara had to do was wait for the test results. Then what? What if Matt Landers had been telling her the truth? What if he wasn’t Erin’s father? But Bri had sworn she’d only been with one man, Dr. Matt Landers, head of pediatric cardiac surgery at Riverhaven Hospital.

Her sister’s last words echoed in her head. You’ve got to find Erin’s father. I want him to be a part of her life.

“Oh, Bri, you always were a dreamer. Just because he fathered a child doesn’t mean he wants to be a daddy. Didn’t we both learn that the hard way?”

Tara looked at the baby in her arms. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. Aunt Tara will always be here for you.”

The door opened, and Matt Landers walked in. He wore a white lab coat open over his still snowy white shirt and perfectly pressed trousers. “Jerry faxed me the test results. Do you happen to know your sister’s blood type?”

Tara’s heart began to pound as she removed the bottle from Erin’s mouth, placed the baby against her shoulder and began to gently pat her back. She stood up. “Yes, she’s the same as mine, A positive. What are the test results?”

“Inconclusive. It shows I’m O positive. I already knew that, but wanted to redo the test for you. And Erin’s results show…she’s also O positive.”

Tara wasn’t sure whether she was happy or not. “So you are her father.”

Matt Landers didn’t show any emotion. “No, I’m afraid that only suggests I could be the father. O positive is the most common blood type.”

Tara had had enough. If this man didn’t want to claim his daughter, she couldn’t make him want to be a father. Sorry, Bri. I tried. But she was relieved. She could keep sole custody of the baby. “Thank you for your time, Doctor.” She walked to the sofa and began gathering her things. The sooner she got out of here the better.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to Phoenix.”

“You’re not going to try to find Erin’s father?”

Tara looked up. “I thought I had found him, but you don’t want her.”

Matt went to her. “And I told you, I never met your sister, Briana.”

“So you keep saying.” Tara placed Erin in her carrier.

“But you still don’t believe me.”

She sighed tiredly. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.” That much was true. “I’m only doing what I think is best for Erin.”

“If you want to do what’s best for your niece, stay and help me find the man who’s hurt both our lives.”

He wanted her to stay? “But what can I do? Bri was the one who knew you…or whoever you say was masquerading as you.”

“Please, just stay and talk to the private investigator I’ve hired.”

The phone interrupted him. After a few minutes Matt hung up. “Sorry, that was Harry Douglas, the hospital administrator, reminding me about the big fund-raiser at the end of the month.” His dark eyes bore into hers. “That’s another reason I want to clear this up. I don’t want any bad press coming to Riverhaven.”

He sounded so convincing. “I understand that. And I’m not going to make any trouble. I only came to fulfill a promise to my sister.” She started to get up. “Now we can all get on with our lives.”

He held out a hand to stop her. “But you won’t believe me unless we find the thief. Please, you have to stay.”

“I can’t just hang around in a motel room while you try to come up with another story.”

“I told you there isn’t another story,” he argued. “But this isn’t finished. I don’t want you coming back in a few years and starting this up again.”

“You think I’d do that?”

His eyes searched hers. “I’m not sure. I’m not sure of anything anymore.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Look, you don’t understand. Riverhaven is a research hospital. We rely heavily on grants and people’s generosity. My career started here. I’ve made a name for myself as a cardiothoracic surgeon. I don’t need any scandal.”

Matt walked to the window and looked out. Damn. He hated losing control. And he wasn’t about to lose the success he’d worked so hard for. It was unfair. And not just to him, but to the baby. He swung around and stared at Tara. “Look, we’ve got to resolve this.”

There was a knock on the door, and a middle-aged man walked in. He was dressed in a pinstripe suit. He had black wavy hair and wore wire-rimmed glasses. His smile was almost a sneer. “Well, Matt, aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Tara McNeal, this is Ed Podesta…my lawyer.”

“Hello, Ms. McNeal.”

Tara tossed a hurt look at Matt, and he suddenly felt he’d done something wrong.

“Mr. Podesta,” she said.

Ed dropped his briefcase on the desk and picked up a file. “These the blood tests?”

Matt nodded. “They’re inconclusive.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Tara said. “Dr. Landers doesn’t want to be Erin’s father. And I’m leaving.”

“Wait, Tara,” Matt called to her. “If you don’t stay, you’ll always wonder about the truth.” He looked at his lawyer for some help.

“And Dr. Landers doesn’t need the threat of you showing up later on, claiming paternity.”

Tara shook her head. “I told him I wouldn’t do that.”

“Then extend your stay to allow for one more test.”

She frowned. “What test?”

Matt spoke. “There’s one test that will prove I couldn’t possibly have fathered the child. A DNA test.”

Tara blinked. “That’s what you’re looking for, isn’t it? A way to get out of accepting the fact that you’re Erin’s father.”

“I’m not—”

“He’s not.” Ed Podesta interrupted. “Let me handle this, Matt.” The lawyer turned to Tara. “It looks as if Dr. Landers’s word isn’t good enough for you. And for the future, a DNA test will protect everyone involved.”

Tara glanced at Matt. “Don’t DNA tests cost a lot?”

“I’ll pay.”

“But…”

“Look, Ms. McNeal,” Podesta began, “Dr. Landers wants to find out who Erin’s father is nearly as much as you do. And when the test eliminates him, then perhaps we can find the man who’s managed to disrupt several lives.”

Tara turned to Matt. Suddenly this all seemed so sordid, so clinical. But there was a baby involved. She had no choice.

“Are you with me?” Matt asked.

She nodded. “Do we need to go back to the lab?”

Matt turned to Ed. “DNA testing has to be done at a larger facility.” He glanced away. “There’s another catch. It’s going to take awhile to get the results.”

“How long?”

“It could take four weeks.”

Tara didn’t like that. She hoped everything would be straightened out so she could head home. “Okay, we’ll do the test and then we’ll have to go back to Phoenix. You can call me when the results come back.”

“I’d like you and Erin to stay here,” Matt said.

Her mouth gaped open. She didn’t have the money to stay in Santa Cruz. “There’s no way I can afford it. Besides, I don’t want to keep Erin in a motel room.” She shook her head. “No, it just isn’t possible.”

Matt nodded. “I understand. But you agree to the test, right?”

“I think it’s a good idea.”

“And will you talk with the private investigator?” Matt asked.

Tara shrugged. “All right, but I don’t think I’ll know anything that will help.” Good heavens! She was beginning to sound as if she believed his story.

He smiled. “You might be surprised at what you know. Anything your sister told you about the man she knew could possibly help us.”

Tara stared at Matt Landers, wondering what he was up to. “Maybe this will all backfire on you.”

He glared at her. “Things can’t get any worse than they are now.”

Tara had agreed to meet in the coffee shop next to the motel that evening with Matt and his private investigator, Jim Sloan. She had fed Erin, and the baby was sleeping peacefully in the carrier beside her in the booth. But for how long? She checked her watch. It was after eight o’clock. Glancing toward the door of the restaurant, she began to think this was a crazy idea.

At a larger, state-of-the-art lab that afternoon, they’d taken blood and saliva samples for the DNA test. Matt had asked that they meet later with Sloan. He wanted to know if she knew anything.

It looked like Dr. Landers wasn’t going to show up. She glanced at her watch again. Of course, what did she expect? Since the moment they’d met, he had her jumping through hoops. Well, no more. She wasn’t going to wait around for his convenience. She dug through her purse to get some money for her coffee and a tip when she saw him coming toward her.

His steps were hurried as he made his way across the crowded restaurant. Dressed in the same gray slacks and white shirt, he’d added a lightweight jacket to ward off the cool ocean air. He looked slightly rumpled, but that only added to his appeal. The women in the room quickly took notice of the good-looking doctor.

Stop it! she told herself. This man had left her sister without a backward glance. Now he was shirking his responsibility with his daughter.

“I’m sorry, Tara,” he said, sounding a little breathless. “I had an emergency.”

“I wish you’d called.” She nodded toward the baby. “Erin needs to go to bed. It’s been a long day.”

“I know,” he said. “I couldn’t get to a phone.”

Before Tara could say anything more, the waitress appeared.

“I’ll have coffee, please,” Matt said, then he turned on his killer smile, and the young waitress nearly swooned. Flashes of another charming man came to Tara’s mind. Her father. She swiftly pushed away the thought.

“Look,” she said, “it’s late, and I don’t want Erin to wake up in the middle of your investigator asking me questions.”

“I know, and I apologize for keeping you both here, especially since Jim Sloan is still in Los Angeles following up on a lead.” He glanced around. “But there is someone else who might convince you that my story isn’t crazy.”

Tara didn’t care if he was about to introduce her to the president, she wasn’t going to hang around. She felt that was all she’d been doing the past forty-eight hours. “Why don’t you let me return to Phoenix? I promise I’ll never contact you again.”

His eyes narrowed, but he kept silent until the waitress brought his coffee and left. He leaned forward. “And you’ll always wonder if I’m the baby’s father. What are you going to tell her when she grows up? That her father, Dr. Matt Landers, didn’t want her? No, I’m through being a pawn for this other guy.”

Tara saw an anger in his eyes she hadn’t seen before. Not that she was afraid, but she suspected he was a dangerous man to cross. She raised her chin. “Then what do you want from me?”