"But—"
"Please. It's important. Go down and finish setting up, will you?"
Reluctant, Amanda stepped back. "If it's what you want." She aimed a killing look at Sloan. "Watch your step."
When they were alone, Sloan struggled for the right words. "Mrs. Dumont. Suzanna—"
"What's his name?" she asked. "What?"
"The boy. What's his name?" "I don't—"
"Damn it, what's his name?" She whirled away from the wall. Shock had been replaced by angry tears. "He's half brother to my children. I want to know his name."
"Kevin. Kevin O'Riley." "How old is he?" "Seven."
Turning back to the sea, she shut her eyes. Seven years before she had been a new bride, full of hope and dreams and blind love. "And Baxter knew? He knew that she'd had his child?"
"Yes, he knew. Megan wouldn't tell anyone at first who the father was. But after she'd called and spoken to you...but she didn't speak to you, did she?"
"No." Suzanna continued to stare straight ahead. "Baxter's mother perhaps." "I want to apologize."
"There's no need. If it had been one of my sisters, I would have struck out with more than a few hard words." To warm herself she cupped her elbows with her hands. "Go on."
She was tougher than she looked, Sloan thought, but it didn't ease his conscience. "After she'd called, she fell apart. Tliat's when she finally told me everything. How she'd met Dumont when she'd gone to New York to visit some friends. He was there on some business and he started showing her around. She'd never been to New York before, and it—and he dazzled her. She was just a kid."
"Seventeen," Suzanna murmured.
"And naive with it. Well, she got over that quick enough." The bitterness came though. "He gave her all the usual bull about getting married, about how he'd come out to Oklahoma and meet her family. Once she got home, he never contacted her. She got through to him on the phone once or twice. He made excuses and more promises. Then she found out she was pregnant"
He steadied himself, trying not to remember how angry and frightened he'd been when he'd learned his baby sister was going to have a baby of her own.
"When she told him, he changed tactics fast. He said some pretty awful things to her, and she grew up fast. Too fast."
Suzanna understood that, more than he could know. "It must have been terribly difficult for her, having the child without having the father."
"She handled herself. I have a very supportive family. Well, you'd know about that."
"Yes."
"Luckily, money wasn't a problem, either, so she could get all the care she and the baby needed. She never wanted his money, Suzanna."
"No, I understand that, too."
He nodded slowly, seeing that she did. "And when Kevin was born...well, Meg was great. It was for his sake that she tried to contact Dumont again, and eventually decided to appeal to his wife. All she wanted was for her son to have some contact with his father."
"I understand." Steadier, she turned around to look at him. "Sloan, if I had any influence with Bax I'd use it." She lifted her hands and let them fall. "But I don't, not even when it concerns the children he's chosen to acknowledge."
"I figure Kevin's better off the way things are. Su-zanna—" he dragged a hand through his disordered hair "—how the hell did a woman like you end up with Dumont?"
She smiled a little. "Once I was a young, naive girl who believed in happy ever after."
He wanted to take her hand but wasn't certain she'd accept it. "I know you said you didn't want an apology, but I'd feel a hell of a lot better if you'd take it just the same."
It was she who offered her hand. "It's easy to do when it's family. I guess in an odd way, that's what we are." She pressed her free hand to their joined ones. Later, she promised herself, she would find a few minutes alone to let the grief come. And to let it go. "I want to ask you a favor. I'd like for my children to know about Kevin, and unless it would upset your sister, for them to have a chance to meet each other."
"When I take a wrong turn, I take it big. It would mean a lot to her."
"Jenny and Alex are going to be thrilled." She looked at her watch. "Speaking of which, they're probably already home from school and driving Aunt Coco crazy. I'd better go."
He looked down the steps toward the terrace. And thought of Amanda. "Me, too. I've got other fences to mend."
Suzanna lifted a brow. "Good luck."
He had a feeling he was going to need it. By the time he'd reached the terrace, he was sure of it. Amanda was there, fastening streamers while Lilah leisurely tied balloons to the back of chairs. A long table was already covered with a frilly white cloth.
Amanda heard the scrape of boot heels on stone and turned to aim one deadly glare. Lilah didn't need another hint.
"Well." She flicked a balloon with a fingertip to send it dancing. "I think I'll go see if Aunt Coco's got any of those chocolate pastries ready." As she walked by Sloan, she paused. Unlike Amanda's, her eyes were cool, but me meaning was clear. "I'd hate to think I was wrong about you." She walked through the terrace doors and, after a brief hesitation, shut them to give her sister privacy.
Amanda didn't wait to pounce. "You've got a nerve, or maybe you're just plain stupid, showing your face here after what you did."
"You don't know anything about it. Suzanna and I worked it out."
"Oh, you think so?" Ready to joust, she slammed down a package of pretty pink-and-silver plates. "Not by a long shot. When I think that just a few hours ago you'd nearly convinced me you were the kind of man I could care about, then I come home and find my sister running away from you looking devastated. I want to know what you did."
"I ran with the wrong information. And I'm sorry about it." "That's not good enough."
His own emotions were a bit too raw for reason. "Well, it's going to have to be. If you want to know more, you're just going to have to ask Suzanna."
"I'm asking you."
"And I'm telling you that what happened was between her and me. It doesn't have anything to do with you."
"That's where you're wrong." She crossed the terrace until they were toe to toe. "You mess with one Calhoun, you mess with them all. I may have to put up with you until after the wedding, since you're supposed to be best man. But when it's over, I'm going to do whatever I have to do to see to it that you go back where you came from."
Pushed to the end of his chain, he took her by the lapels. "I told you before, I finish what I start."
"You are finished, O'Riley. The Towers doesn't need you, and neither do I."
He was just about to prove her wrong when Trent opened the terrace doors. Trent took one look at his friend and future sister-in-law glaring daggers at each other and cleared his throat.
"Looks like I'm going to have to work on my timing."
"Your timing's perfect." Amanda rammed an elbow into Sloan's stomach before she pulled away. "We've got no time for men around here tonight. Why don't you take this jerk you've sicced on us and go do something manly." She shoved by Trent and stalked into the house.
"Well." Trent let out a long breath. "I don't think I mentioned the Calhoun temperament when I asked you to take on the job."
"No, you didn't." Scowling at the empty doorway, Sloan rubbed his stomach. "Is there a dark, noisy bar anywhere in this town?"
"I guess we could find one." "Good. Let's go get drunk."
He found the bar, and he found the bottle. Sloan slumped in the corner booth and hissed through his teeth as the whiskey stung his throat. Over the first drink, and the second, he told Trent about his altercation with Suzanna.
"Baxter Dumont is Kevin's father? You never told me."
"I gave Meg my word I wouldn't tell anybody. Even our folks don't know."
Trent was silent a moment, sipping thoughtfully at his club soda. "It's hard to figure out how such a selfish bastard managed to father three terrific kids."