Roy leaned forward, shaking his head. “I haven’t said anything and I doubt Corrie has, either.”
“In other words, probably not.”
Roy nodded. “That would be my take on it.”
No surprise there. “I have something I’d like you to give her.” He lifted the sack of books.
Roy regarded the bag and then turned his attention back to Chad. “Are you sure you don’t want to give those to her yourself?”
Chad wasn’t sure of anything. “For now I think it might be best if I stayed in the background. From what Gloria said, she doesn’t want anything to do with me. So it makes more sense for you to do it.”
Roy didn’t respond for several seconds, studying Chad intently. “I don’t agree with you,” he finally said.
The front door opened. “Dad?”
Roy got to his feet. “In here.”
Mack McAfee barged into the office and stopped abruptly when he saw Chad. “Sorry, am I interrupting anything?” he asked, glancing from one to the other.
“Not at all,” his father said, reclaiming his seat.
Mack’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve met, right?”
Chad nodded.
Mack took the chair next to him. “Ah, yes, I remember now. You dated my sister Linnette.”
“Briefly.” That whole scenario had been a disaster, and it had complicated everything else. While Gloria was building a relationship with the sister who didn’t know they were even related, Linnette had developed a crush on Chad. Seeing how Linnette felt about him, Gloria had steered clear.
“Chad asked me to deliver some books to Gloria,” his father explained.
“Gloria?” Mack swiveled his head to look at Chad. “Why Gloria?”
“Actually, I’ve … dated her, too.”
Mack grinned. “It seems you get around.”
Chad responded with a weak smile. “Yeah, I suppose it does.”
“I didn’t know my sister was big on reading,” Mack said, relaxing in his chair, balancing one ankle on the opposite knee. “And if you’re dating Gloria, why don’t you give her the books yourself?”
“These are a baby name book and a couple on pregnancy,” Chad said.
“What?” Mack dropped his leg to the floor. “You and Gloria? Are you telling me you’re—this baby is yours?”
Chad merely nodded.
For an instant Mack didn’t seem to know how to react. Conflicting emotions showed on his face—anger chased by confusion and then indecision.
“Believe me, it came as a shock to me, too,” Chad said, sharing a smile with Roy.
“But … but you’re a … a physician.” Mack stumbled over the words. “If anyone should understand about birth control, it’s you!”
“Again, I’m in full agreement,” Chad said. “It just happened.”
“‘It just happened’ has got to be the most pathetic excuse in the book. What do you intend to do about this?” Mack demanded.
Mack’s anger was justified, and Chad took it to heart. “That depends on Gloria. At this point she isn’t aware I know about the baby.”
“Why not?”
Mack glared at him and Chad looked over at Roy, hoping he’d supply the answer.
“The thing is, your sister specifically asked that Chad not be told. Your mother agreed to that, but I refused.”
“So you went behind Mom’s back?” Mack shook his head as if he already knew the answer and disapproved. “And Gloria’s!”
“I told your mother exactly what I was doing. She wasn’t happy about it. In fact, she still isn’t.” Roy leaned back in his chair, frowning. “I’ll take the books to Gloria and explain that I told you about the baby.”
Chad scowled. He wasn’t ready for Gloria to find that out….
“It’s time I told my daughter I went to see you.”
“Don’t,” Chad said bluntly. “Not yet.”
Roy blinked at him. “Why not?”
Chad tried to clarify his thoughts. “For one thing, I want Gloria to come to me. At some stage she’s going to realize she needs me. If for nothing more than signing the adoption papers. Times have changed, Roy. Fathers have rights, too. Besides, I’m thinking about raising the baby myself.” The idea had only occurred to him a few days ago. He wasn’t committed to it yet, but the possibility was gaining strength in his mind.
“Wait—Gloria’s decided to give the baby up for adoption?” Mack asked. He clenched his fists and stared hard at his father. “You wouldn’t let her do that, would you?”
“It isn’t our decision,” Roy reminded him.
“Yes, but … Okay, fine, whatever, but before that happens Mary Jo and I will raise the baby,” Mack said in clipped tones. “If Chad doesn’t want to do it.” He obviously considered Chad capable of shirking what he himself saw as a duty. “This child is our family’s flesh and blood.”
“More mine than yours,” Chad murmured. But no use debating the issue until they learned Gloria’s intentions.
Roy seemed slightly amused by Mack’s reaction. “Don’t you think you should talk this over with Mary Jo first before you make that kind of offer?”
“She’ll agree with me.”
“It’s a moot point,” Chad said. “No one knows what Gloria’s going to do. Once she’s made her decision, we may need to talk again.”
Both men nodded.
“For now, all I ask,” Chad said, “is for one of you or even Corrie to see that Gloria gets these books.”
“Who should I say gave them to her?” Roy asked.
Chad shrugged. “Let her assume they came from you.”
“You’re sure about this?” Mack asked.
“Very sure. I want—no, I need—Gloria to come to me. She’s the one who walked away. Maybe it’s just my pride talking, I don’t know, but I’d be more comfortable if she made the first move.”
Roy allowed Chad’s words to hang in the air for a moment before he responded. “I’ll hold off a bit longer if that’s what you want. However, for the sake of my relationship
