Daddy by Christmas (3 page)

“You know that in six months you will have to move anyway,” the judge told her.

Nola glanced around to her group of friends and neighbors. “Next week is Thanksgiving, your honor. For years a lot of us have spent it together. Christmas, too. If this is our last year, I really would like to be with my friends. My family. And we need the time to find affordable places to
live and to save the extra money to move. So staying until March would be helpful.”

Seeing the judge blink several times, Jarrett knew he was in big trouble.

“Your honor,” Matt tried again. “This is not a good situation, but there is an important business deal pending here. A factory is to be built on this site. A factory that will bring jobs into our community.”

The judge straightened. “From which your client will benefit nicely, I'm sure. While these people will lose their homes.” She glared daggers toward Jarrett. “Mr. McKane, you knew the conditions of the lease, and you also knew the deplorable condition of the building when you made the purchase.”

He didn't agree or disagree. “What I had planned was to help the tenants relocate,” he replied.

The judge wasn't buying it. “Seems to me if you'd been sincere you would have answered their letters three months ago,” she observed. “Now you're throwing them out of their homes as though nothing matters as long as you make a profit. Well, it's not always about profit, Mr. McKane. My ruling is that you make the necessary repairs to bring the building up to code. I'll waive the fine as long as you begin immediately.”

Jarrett bit the inside of his mouth. “Yes, your honor.”

“Don't think that's all there is, Mr. McKane. You're to make all repairs so the place is livable.” Judge Gillard paused and looked at Mia Saunders. “Is there a vacant apartment?”

Mia nodded. “Yes, your honor, but the apartment is unlivable.”

The judge nodded. “Good. What's the number?”

“Two-oh-three-B.”

“Jarrett McKane, I order you to move into apartment
203B at Mountain View complex until all repairs are completed. No eviction until March first. Although, I do want to see you back here after the holidays to learn about your progress.” She hit the gavel on the block. The sound echoed around the courtroom. “Court adjourned.”

“Judge, this is highly irregular,” Matt called, but she had already exited the courtroom.

That left Jarrett thinking about everything he was about to lose. No, he couldn't lose this. He'd fix this, like he'd fixed everything all his life. He'd figure out a way to get what he wanted. He always did.

 

The next day, Jarrett and Matt parked in front of the Mountain View Apartments. “You can't bend any of the rules, Jarrett,” Matt told him. “You have to sleep here every night, eat here and even work here. You can only go to your home to get more clothes and food, that's all, or the judge could toss you in jail. You know she means business when she instructed me to escort you here personally.”

“Dammit, Matt, you'd better get me out of this mess. If Fulton finds out, he'll walk away from the deal.”

“Well, unless he'll wait until April, you're in big trouble. The only alternative you have is talking them into moving out.”

Jarrett was frustrated. Thanks to Mia Saunders, he had to figure out something. But honestly there weren't many options since housing was limited in Winchester Ridge.

He looked toward the yellow-and-brown structure with the peeling paint and sagging rain gutters. It seemed even worse with winter-bare trees, but the grass was cut and the hedges trimmed.

“In its day, the place was probably a showcase,” Matt observed.

“Well, it's not 1960,” he told his friend. “And I'm only
going to do the minimum that needs to be done. It's a waste of time and money.”

Jarrett looked out the Mercedes' windshield to see someone coming toward them. It was the older woman, Mrs. Madison. He pressed the button so the window went down.

“Hello, Mr. McKane.” She slowly made her way to the car. “I'm not sure if you remember me, I'm Nola Madison.”

He got out of the car. “Were you checking up to see if I was coming?”

She smiled despite his rudeness. “As a matter of fact, we were watching for you, but only to warn you about what to expect in your apartment.” She shook her head. “It was once the manager's, but he didn't take very good care of it. We tried the best we could to clean it up.” She held out a key dangling from a heart keychain. “But I'm afraid it needs more work than any of our places.”

Feeling like a heel, Jarrett took the key from her, and pulled his jacket together against the cold. “You shouldn't be out in this weather, Mrs. Madison.”

“Please, call me Nola. Let's go inside, but it isn't much warmer.”

Jarrett grabbed his duffel bag from the back of the car, asked Matt to have his car brought over from the office, and followed the woman up the walk. They went into a bare lobby. He'd seen this area before and knew how bad it looked, but it hadn't mattered to him, since it was tagged for demolition. He headed for the elevators to find signs that read, Out of Order.

On the walk-through of the property he hadn't noticed that. “There is no elevator?”

She shook her head. “Not in the last year.”

Jarrett recalled that day in the community room—two of
the tenants were in wheelchairs. “How do the handicapped get upstairs?”

She led him to the wrought-iron staircase and they started the climb. “Oh, we found two tenants who were willing to move upstairs, and Joe and Sylvia's son, Ryan, built ramps for both Margie and Harold. Now they can get in and out or their apartments. It's important to be independent.”

“Who exchanged apartments?”

“Well, Mia was one who moved upstairs, and when her brother, Reverend Brad, was alive he used to help us with a lot of repairs. Many of his congregation did, too.”

“Where was the owner? Some of these repairs are required by law.”

She shook her head. “He threatened to double our rent if we kept complaining. So we started fixing things ourselves.” They made it to the second floor. “But some things we can't fix. We need an expert.”

Once again he was confronted with dingy walls and worn carpet. They passed a few doors, then she stopped in front of his apartment. He paused. Hell, he was afraid to go inside.

Suddenly the door across the hall opened and Mia Saunders stepped out. She actually smiled at him and he felt a strange tightness in his chest. “Moving in, Mr. McKane?”

She was dressed in a long blue sweater that went to midthigh, with a pair of black leggings covering those long legs. He looked back at her face. “Seems I am. Looks like we're going to be neighbors.”

“Isn't that nice,” Nola said, then glanced at her watch.

“Oh, my, I just remembered I have a doctor's appointment. I don't know where my head is today. Mia, could you show Mr. McKane around?”

Mia frowned. “Do you need a ride, Nola?”

“No, thank you, dear, my daughter is coming by.” With a wave, the older woman walked off.

Mia didn't like Nola's not-so-subtle disappearing act. Why did anyone need to show Jarrett McKane around?

She walked to the apartment entrance. “Brace yourself.” She swung open the door, reached in and flicked on the lights, then motioned for him to go inside first. He frowned and stepped into the main room. She heard his curse and couldn't help but smile as she followed him in.

The apartment walls needed paint, but not before numerous holes in the plaster were patched. Under the slipcovers that Nola and her welcoming committee had recently put on, the furniture was thrift-store rejects.

“Joe cleaned the carpet, or what's left of it. It's probably the original. At least the place doesn't smell as if someone died in here anymore.”

Without comment, he continued down the hall and peered into the bath. Again another curse.

She called after him. “It might not look very good, but I can guarantee you Nola and Sylvia cleaned it within an inch of its life. And there are fresh towels. And they made up the bed for you, too.” Then she murmured to herself, “Why they're being so nice to you, I have no idea.”

The good-looking Jarrett McKane came out and stood in front of her. His dark hair had been cut and styled recently. His clothes were top-of-the-line, too. Everything about him rang out success and power. So why was she even noticing him?

Hormones,
she concluded. It was just late-pregnancy hormones. She'd learned a long time ago to stay away from men like him.

“Why did they do all this?” he finally asked.

Jarrett McKane was standing too close, but she refused to step back. She refused to let him intimidate her.

“It's their way of being neighborly,” she told him. “It's the same with everyone here. Over the years, they've all become a family. Some are alone. Some have family that didn't have time for them so they take care of each other.”

“Or it's their way to get me to not tear the place down.”

She smiled, not wanting him to see her anger. “It's just some towels and linens and a few home-cooked meals. But yes, they feel it's worth a try. Enjoy your stay.” She turned and started to leave when he called her name.

When she turned around, he gave her a sexy grin. “Did you do anything to sway me, Ms. Saunders?”

Her heart began to pound in her chest. “There might be a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies on the kitchen counter.”

“I'm looking forward to seeing how far you'll go to persuade me.”

Mia arched her aching back, causing her stomach to be front and center. “I'm afraid cookies are as far as I'm willing to go.”

M
IA
couldn't get out of there fast enough.

She stepped inside her apartment and closed the door. She didn't want Jarrett McKane in her life, or in her space. And he was suddenly in both.

A long time ago, she'd learned about men who thrived on control. Her father was one of those. It had taken her years to get out from under his reign and finally to be free of him.

She walked across her cozy living area. A secondhand sofa and chair faced the small television. A triangular rug hid a lot of the worn carpet underneath. A small table off the galley kitchen was used for eating and for working on her computer.

Her laptop was the only thing of value that she had and the only means she had these days of make a living. Despite her privileged upbringing, she'd never been materialistic. Maybe that was the reason it had been so easy to walk away, or in her case, run away.

To Preston and Abigail Saunders their daughter had always been a problem, a disappointment from the start. An overweight child, Mia had morphed into a rebellious teenager. She had never fitted into her Boston society family. So, once she was of age, she'd just disappeared from their lives.

Even Brad had eventually bucked their father's plans for him. Instead, her older brother had became an ordained minister and had ended up disowned, too.

Now she'd lost her only family. She caressed her stomach, feeling the gentle movement of the baby. At least she'd have a part of Brad and Karen and she vowed to love and protect this child. So she wasn't about to let her parents know where she was. Or let them find this baby.

Mia sat down in the chair, still in awe of the life she carried inside her. Onetime wild child, Margaret Iris Ashley Saunders was going to have a baby. She blew out a breath. She was going to be a mother and D-day was approaching soon. There were so many things she had to get done before Christmas.

She closed her eyes. For months, she'd had to push aside all the feelings she was having for this baby. A mother's feelings. The only thing that had saved her was knowing this child would always be in her life. Brad and Karen would have been the perfect parents and she could be the favorite aunt who spoiled the child.

Now, Mia had to step up and be a parent to this baby. She wasn't sure she was cut out to do it.

 

That afternoon, with the help of his office staff, Jarrett had made several phone calls. He'd finally found someone to start on the repairs. A local furnace repairman was to come out. He'd also contacted the handyman who serviced some of his other properties to help out with some of the minor fixes.

Flipping his phone shut, he decided to wait downstairs and get out of his depressing apartment for a while. In the hall, the door across from his opened and Mia walked out carrying a large trash bag. She stiffened the second she saw him.

He smiled. “Hello, Mia.”

She nodded stiffly. “Mr. McKane.”

She was dressed in her standard black pants and oversize blouse, but with an added long sweater for warmth.

“I don't see why we can't be on a first-name basis since we're going to be neighbors.”

“You're the man who's evicting us. Why would I get friendly with the enemy?”

He took the bag from her. “It doesn't seem to bother the others.” He gave her a sideways glance. “Someone must have really have done a number on you.”

She glanced away. “Now you're a psychiatrist?”

“No, just observant.”

“Well, observe somewhere else. Thanks to you, I have a lot on my mind.”

He wasn't crazy about having to move her in her condition. “I'm not your enemy, Mia. I'm trying to find all of you places to live.”

“We can't afford most of the other places.”

Was that his fault? “The rent here is well below average for this area. Even if I kept the place and did all the repairs, I'd have to raise the rent.”

“Well, you can't yet. Some of us are barely getting any heat or hot water.”

“I'm taking care of that.”

“I can't tell you how many times we heard that from the last owner.”

“The last owner hadn't been court-ordered,” Jarrett said. He slowed his pace so she could keep up. He knew little or nothing about pregnant women. Only that Kira had had a rough time with her pregnancy and had had to stay in bed the last few months.

“That's where I'm going now,” he continued, “to meet with a furnace guy.”

She stopped. “You mean we could have some heat today?”

He shrugged. “I'm paying him extra to start right away.”

They continued their way down the stairs to the main lobby. “I would like to ask a favor,” he said.

She paused with a glare.

He hid a smile as he raised a hand. “Good Lord, woman, do you mistrust everyone? I only want you to help get everyone together so we see who has the worst problems and fix them first.”

“Then come to the community room. It's where a lot of the tenants hang out because it has a working heater.”

They stepped outside into the frigid weather. He first tossed the sack into the Dumpster, and then they continued on to the center.

“I hear your baby is due on Christmas day.”

She gave him a sideways glance. “Who told you that?”

“My sister-in-law, Kira McKane. You both go to the same church.”

She seemed relieved. “How does she feel about you tossing us out of here?”

“I haven't tossed out anyone, and according to the judge, I won't be able to until the spring.” Not with Barbara Gillard watching him anyway. If only he could come up with a way to convince everyone to leave a few months earlier.

His only other chance was to get Fulton to hold off on the takeover date. They couldn't begin construction until the ground thawed. But he wouldn't get his money either.

He'd put a lot into this project, buying up the surrounding land, including this place. He had too much to lose.
And it would cost him even more every day Mountain View Apartments stayed open. And now he was being held prisoner here.

 

While Jarrett went to the community room, Mia knocked on Joe's door and asked him and Sylvia to gather the other tenants and bring them to the community room.

Sending the others on ahead, Mia then went to Nola's place and they walked over together. “We need to make sure you have enough heat, Mia,” Nola said. “For you and the baby.”

They went through the door of the community room to see a dozen or so tenants already there. “I'm fine for now,” Mia answered. Her apartment wasn't too bad. “I wouldn't mind a new faucet for the sink, though. It came off last week.”

“You should have told Joe.”

“I wasn't going to complain when there are apartments with bigger problems.”

Nola gave her a tender look. “You and the baby are a priority.”

Mia smiled. Everyone here had rallied around her like overprotective grandparents since they'd heard the tragic news. “He's not even here yet.”

“It's a boy?” Joe said, walking over to them.

“I don't know,” she insisted. “So you haven't won the baby pool yet.”

The older man grinned. “It's a boy all right. He's going to be born at 12:05 on the twenty-fifth of December.”

Mia looked up to see Jarrett walk in, followed by a middle-aged man with Nichols Heating and Air printed across his shirt pocket.

“Good, most of you are here,” Jarrett began. “This is Harry Nichols. He's here to look at the heating units.”

Several of the tenants were already on their feet to greet the repairman. Once the niceties were over, the tenants commandeered Harry and went to start the work.

With everyone gone, Jarrett walked over to where Mia sat at the table. “That seemed to please them.”

She studied her new landlord. He was sure proud of himself. “Why not? It's been a while since they've had reliable heat. You'll probably be rewarded with some more baked goods.”

Jarrett took a seat next to her, filling the space with his large frame. She inhaled a faint scent of his aftershave.

“I had no idea the extent of the last owner's neglect. I thought it was mostly cosmetic. Now, I'm paying a lot for the repairs.”

Mia eyed his expensive clothes, leather jacket and cowboy boots. She'd seen his top-of-the-line Range Rover parked out front. “I doubt you'll starve, Mr. McKane. Besides, this isn't your only property in town.”

He arched an eyebrow. “The last I heard, it's not against the law to make a living.”

“No. Not unless the properties have been neglected like this one.”

He looked at her with those dark, piercing eyes. “In the first place, I wasn't the one who allowed this property to fall apart. Secondly, most of my other holdings are commercial buildings. I've spent a lot of money renovating run-down properties. You can't ask for top rent without a quality product.”

Why couldn't he do the same here? “Have you ever considered putting money into this place? You have a whole other section that's vacant. That's twenty-four units that are empty.” She shrugged. “Like you said yourself, this town doesn't have enough rental properties. With some remodeling you could sell them as townhomes.”

He studied her for a while. “Sounds like you've put some thought into this.”

“When we heard that the owner was selling, the tenants tried to buy the complex themselves. They didn't have enough money, or the expertise to do the repairs.”

“I doubt if anyone can keep up with the repairs of this old place. No one would want to sink the time and effort into it, without knowing if they could recoup their money. The real estate market has been unpredictable.”

He sounded like her father. “Does it always have to be about money?”

He arched an eyebrow. “It does or I go broke.”

She'd been both, and she was definitely happier like this. “I can't believe you'd lose everything. You still have family and a home. You might lose a little money, but you'll survive. A lot of these people won't. They can't afford to move and pay double the rent elsewhere.”

He frowned. “What are you going to do when the lease is up?”

She blinked, fighting her anger. “Is your conscience suddenly bothering you about evicting a single mother?”

He straightened. “I'm not happy about evicting anyone. But I don't have a choice. This deal has been in the works for months.”

“Like I said, it's all about the almighty dollar.”

“What about the jobs this factory will create for the town? The economy isn't that great to turn this opportunity away.”

“Does a factory have to be built on land that drives people from their homes?”

“I will find them other places to live. I'm not that cruel—I won't put seniors and single mothers out on the street.”

“Well, you can stop worrying about me. I don't want your charity.”

“Fine. Let's see where your stubbornness gets you.”

“I've been able to take care of myself so far.”

“Then feel free to continue.” He stood and started to leave.

She tried not to let him see her fear. She raised her chin. “I will.”

Suddenly she felt her stomach tighten and she automatically covered it with her hands.

He must have seen it, too. “Are you okay?”

She nodded as she moved her hand over her belly and rubbed it, but it didn't help. Then her back began to hurt, too. She tried to shift in the chair, but it didn't help.

“Mia, what's wrong?” Jarrett asked.

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

He knelt down beside her chair. “The hell it's nothing.”

She shook her head, looking around the empty room. There wasn't anyone else there.

His expression softened. “Mia, let me help you.”

A sharp pain grabbed her around the middle. “Oh, no,” she gasped and then looked at him. “I think the baby's coming.”

 

Fifteen minutes later Jarrett pulled up at the emergency-room doors. He threw the car into Park, got out and ran around to the passenger side. He jerked open the door. Mia was taking slow measured breaths. Not good.

“Hang on, we're almost there.”

She couldn't hide her worried look. “It's too early for me to go into labor. I can't lose this baby, Jarrett.”

“And you won't,” he promised. He had no idea what was going on, or even if the doctors could stop the contractions.

“Let's get you inside and find some help.” He slid his arms
around her shoulders and under her legs, then lifted her into his arms.

“I'm too heavy,” she said.

“Are you kidding?” He smiled, taking long strides across the parking lot. “During roundup, I used to have to hoist calves a lot heavier than you.”

“You used to work on your brother's ranch?”

“Back when I played cowboy, it was our dad's place. That was a long time ago.”

She studied him. “I can see you as a rancher.”

His mouth twitched. “There's the big difference, darlin'. I never did,” he drawled as he carried her through the automatic doors.

On the drive over, Mia had phoned her doctor and been told to go to the nearest emergency room, then she'd given Nola a quick call so her friends wouldn't worry if they noticed she was gone.

Winchester Ridge Medical Center was the closest. Once inside, they were met by a nurse who led them into an exam room. Jarrett set Mia down on the bed and stepped back out of the way. Nurses immediately took her blood pressure, asking questions about due dates and the timing of the contractions. All the while, she kept looking at him.

Jarrett tried to give her some reassurance, but he didn't know what to say.

“Excuse me,” a nurse said, getting his attention. “Are you the father?”

He shook his head, but hesitated with the answer. “No.” Mia didn't have any family.