The Rich Girl Goes Wild

“She believes my family will be eager to force me to marry her quick to put an end to the scandal.”

“She doesn’t know the MacDougals very well, does she?”

“No, she doesn’t. Her father has had dealings with mine over the years, so she knows our bottom line, but that’s about it. Unfortunately my family is eager to get me to settle down, but not because of any scandal. They want me to start doing my part in increasing the Clan MacDougal.”

Harrison shook his head. “There’s a little more to it than that, I think.”

Before Mac could refute it, Marie came toward the table and set a huge, heavenly smelling pancake, complete with two little pancakes for ears, chocolate chips for eyes, and sliced strawberries forming a smiling mouth. Too bad he didn’t feel like smiling back. He did give Marie the smile and the thanks she deserved, though, as did Harrison when she served him a heaping plate of fluffy scrambled eggs.

They both dug into their breakfasts and ate in silence for a while.

Mac offered, “I apologize for dragging you into this on such short notice.”

Harrison answered around a mouthful of eggs. “No sweat.” He swallowed, then added, “I’m sorry I won’t be around right off.”

After Mac polished off his pancakes, he said, “Spending time with your son is important.”

“It is. And I love it.” Harrison pointed his fork at Mac. “I highly recommend it, Mac.”

The dark pain started creeping back out of its hole. He’d planned to head down that road once with a girl he had met in college who had shown him how to really live life. But he’d screwed up in the worst way possible. Knowing he would never be going down that road now, Mac steered Harrison elsewhere. “Finding out you have a son must have been a real shocker.”

“That, my friend, is an understatement. But I wouldn’t change anything for the world.”

“That’s great. And I really appreciate you letting me stay here. I wouldn’t have imposed, but I had to get away someplace where no one would find me. And I have to admit, the whole paternity thing put me in mind of you.”

“No problem.”

“I just hope my family, or the press, for that matter, doesn’t find me before it’s obvious that Stephanie isn’t pregnant.”

“Your family believes her?”

“I doubt it. But they see this as an opportunity. And that’s one thing a MacDougal can never pass up.”

Harrison made a noise in the back of his throat. “That’s the truth, if you’re any indication. Talk about the perfect predisposition for a corporate raider.”

Mac shrugged. “I suppose it’s the same spirit that moved my ancestors to relieve the British of all that burdensome loot on the way to resettling the clan in America.”

“It was probably rightly theirs, anyhow.”

“My, but you have turned into the romantic, haven’t you?”

Harrison’s eyes focused on something behind Mac, and he said on a sigh, “You have no idea.”

A husky, feminine voice said, “Ashley told me we have a guest.”

Mac turned and met the smiling, rich brown gaze of a very pretty woman with long, light brown hair. A towheaded little boy propped on her slim hip gave him a curious stare. Mac knew immediately who they were. Between her looks and the kid being the spitting image of his father, it was no wonder Harrison was so proud.

The ache didn’t bother to creep this time. It jumped straight on his neck and tried to choke him.

Mac rose to greet them as Harrison made the introductions around the last of his scrambled eggs. “Juliet, this is Mac. Mac, this is my better half, Juliet Rivers.”

She smiled, transforming herself from pretty to flatout beautiful. “Now, I don’t know what they teach at Harvard, but I’ve learned at community college that one plus one equals two, Harrison.”

Mac liked her instantly. “And this little guy doesn’t need an introduction. Hi, Nathan.”

Rather than getting all shy as Mac expected him to, Nathan smiled a toothy smile and pointed at Mac’s shirt. “Dirt.”

Juliet laughed. “Oh, you two will get along just fine. I’m so sorry that Harrison booked our trip the same time as your visit. Usually Ashley keeps him from slipping up like this.”

Mac came to his friend’s defense. “It’s not Harrison’s fault.” Unsure of what Juliet knew of his situation, Mac said tentatively, “Besides, since I’m here to help with the mill…” He drifted off when Juliet raised a curious brow.

Mac looked to Harrison, who shook his head. “Sorry, bud. She knows.” To Juliet he said in a low voice, “We’re saying Mac is an Environmental Specialist come to help me out at Dover Creek.”

“Why all the Mission Impossible rigmarole?” she asked.

Mac cleared his throat. “I’d rather as few people as possible know the truth.”

Her shrug said whatever. “As few being…?”

“Just you and Harrison.”

She glanced at her husband. “Dorothy?”

Harrison looked to Mac, but he shook his head, still certain the fewer who knew, the better. Besides, it’d be that much less grief he’d have to suffer from those who might think his family was right.

Harrison sighed. “As far as I can remember, Grandmother has never met Mac, and she has no reason to know who he is or why he’d be here.”

Juliet’s eyebrows went higher. “And Ashley?”

Mac vigorously shook his head.

Harrison concurred. “Definitely not Ashley. You know how she feels about duty to family.”

Juliet smirked. “You’ve got a point, there.” She set Nathan in a booster chair fastened to one of the seats.

The two-year-old immediately started banging on the table with his fat little hands and chanting, “Dirt, dirt, dirt.”

Mac looked away.

Juliet said, “Okay, whatever you boys want to say is fine. I’ll just keep my yap shut.”

Mac blew out a relieved breath, wishing again that he’d thought things through a hell of a lot more. “Thanks, Juliet. I appreciate your help.”

“Is there anything I can help with?” Ashley offered as she came through the kitchen, a ringing cell phone in her hand.

With stricken expressions, all three of them hurried to assure her there wasn’t.

Ashley held the phone toward Mac. “Your bike was ringing.”