Claiming The Captain's Baby

Mya closed her eyes. The verbal interchange was beginning to wear on her nerves and give her a headache. Not only was Giles strong-willed but he was also relentless in his attempt to undermine her sister’s decision to conceal her pregnancy from him. The Wainwright name was to real estate as Gates was to Microsoft, and Samantha, knowing this, had attempted to make provisions for Lily that would prevent her from becoming a legal football between the Lawsons and Wainwrights.

“I’m not your enemy, but if you keep pushing me then I’ll become your worst nightmare. I’m willing to grant you more liberal visitation than what Sammie stated in her will. And that means I’m not opposed to you taking Lily to New York to meet your family, but not without me. Wherever she goes, I go along.”

“I don’t have a problem with that.”

Mya was mildly shocked he would agree to her terms. “You’ll have to let me know in advance because she has scheduled doctor’s appointments.”

“What about you, Mya? What about your work schedule?”

“My schedule is flexible, because I’m now a stay-at-home mother. I resigned my teaching position once Sammie moved back home.”

“What and where did you teach?”

“Comparative literature at the University of Charleston.”

He mentally filed away this disclosure. “Do you miss teaching?”

“A little, but I love being with Lily.” Mya didn’t tell Giles that working at home allowed her to pen her novels in her spare time. “When are you going back to New York?”

A beat passed. “Tomorrow morning. Once I get back I’ll have to rearrange my work schedule before I return. I’m going to give you several numbers where you’ll be able to reach me. Jocelyn Lewis is my administrative assistant. So if you call my office, make certain you identify yourself and she’ll put you through to me.”

Mya stood, Giles also rising with her. “I’m going to get my phone so you can program your numbers into it.”

Reaching into his shirt pocket, Giles handed Mya his cell phone. “You do the same with your contact info.”

Her thumbs moved quickly over the keys as she tapped in her name, address, cell and landline numbers, along with her email address. She retrieved her phone from where she had left it on the dining room table and gave it to Giles.

“How many numbers do you have?” she asked when he took an inordinate amount of time tapping keys.

“Three. I’m giving you my cell, the number at the office, and the one in my apartment.” Glancing up, he winked at her. “You can always send me a text if you need me for anything. And I do mean anything.”

Mya stared, momentarily speechless. The warmth in his voice and the tenderness in his expression made her fully aware of why her sister had been taken with him. Not only was he urbane, but also unquestionably charming when he chose to be.

She smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind if I do need you for something.”

Giles returned Mya’s phone to her. “I’ll call you once I make arrangements to return. You don’t have to see me out,” he said when she made a move to walk him to the door.

Mya met eyes that shimmered like polished blue topaz. “Safe travels.”

He inclined his head. “Thank you.”

* * *

Giles settled himself into the rear of the car. He had revised his plan to remain in Wickham Falls for more than one day. Scrolling through his phone directory, he tapped Jocelyn’s number. She answered after the first ring.

“I need you to arrange for a flight back to New York for tomorrow morning out of the regional airport.” The regional airport was a shorter distance from his hotel. “And please call my mother and let her know I would like to see her tomorrow night at seven. Be certain to let her know dinner will be at my place.”

“Consider it done.”

“Thank you, Jocelyn.”

He had asked Jocelyn to contact Amanda because Giles did not get to see his mother as often as she would like. Unlike her other son, Giles’s position took him out of the country, and he wanted to tell her in person that she had another grandchild—and this time it was a girl.

And while he wanted to wait for Lily to wake up from her nap to see her again, he knew Mya needed time to accept that she would now have to share her daughter with him. Putting distance between them would also help him to try to understand why Samantha had elected not to tell him about the baby.

Had she viewed him as someone who had used her for only for sex? Did she not trust him to take care of her and the baby? Or had she denied him his parental rights because she knew he had been adamant about not wanting to marry or father a child?

There was one more person he wanted to call, but he decided to wait until after he checked into the hotel.

If Samantha hadn’t told him about the baby, then he wondered if there were other things she’d sought to conceal from him. Not only did he intend to have Samantha’s background dissected but also her sister’s. And if anything negative about either of them surfaced, then he was prepared to bring holy hell down on Mya to secure full custody of his daughter.

Chapter Three (#u780d38e1-c5d7-57af-87b7-631109209cd0)

Giles settled into a hotel suite less than an hour’s drive from a regional airport. After checking in, he changed into a swimsuit and swam laps in the indoor pool. Once he had showered and changed into a pair of walking shorts and a rugby shirt, he ordered room service.

A ringtone on his phone indicated a text message from Jocelyn:

Return flight scheduled for departure at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow at Tri State Airport. Ground transportation confirmed. Confirmed dinner with your mother

Giles responded with: Thank you.

He could always count on Jocelyn to simplify his life. Once he had set up the company’s international division, Giles couldn’t convince his older brother to run the department with him. Patrick had declined because, as a husband and now a father of two young boys under the age of six, he claimed he didn’t want to be away from his family even if it was only for a week.

Patrick also professed he preferred working with their father in the legal department to jetting off to exotic climes, leaving Giles to ponder how much longer he would be able to maintain a one-man operation. Several third-generation Wainwrights cousins were still undecided whether to come and work for the company. He had made them generous offers to come and work with him, yet they still were ambivalent about becoming involved in the real estate business.

He finished his lunch and left the tray on the floor outside the door. Walking across the room, he flopped down on the king-size bed and reached for the cell phone on the bedside table and dialed the number to Jordan’s cell phone. It rang four times before going directly to voice mail. He decided not to leave a message. Either Jordan was in court or with a client. He made another call, this time to his cousin’s office.

Jordan had always teased Giles, declaring they were the family outsiders. Jordan and his law school mentor had gone into partnership, setting up Chatham and Wainwright, PC, Attorneys at Law. The firm was housed in a brownstone in Harlem’s Mount Morris Park Historic District. Despite his reputation as a brilliant corporate attorney, Jordan refused to work for the family business, while Giles had opted for the military rather than join the company once he’d graduated college.

“Good afternoon, Chatham and Wainwright. How may I direct your call?”

“I’d like to speak to Jordan Wainwright.”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“Giles Wainwright.”

“Hold on, Mr. Wainwright. I’ll see if he’s available to take your call.”

“Thank you.” He didn’t have to wait long before he heard Jordan’s familiar greeting.

“What’s up, G?”

Giles smiled. Jordan was the only one in the family who referred to him by an initial. “I’d like to hire your firm to conduct a background check on a couple of people.” A swollen silence followed his request.

“Why are you asking me when your legal department can do it?”

“I’m asking you because what I’m going to say to you should stay between us. Attorney-client privilege,” he added.