A Christmas Miracle for Daisy (Taming of the Sheenans Book 5) by Jane Porter Read Free Book Online

ambition, but to use a four-year-old little girl as a bargaining chip? Wow. That was lower than low. She’d lost all respect for him now.
    Still fuming, she grabbed her laptop and dashed off an email to him. I don’t need the money as much as I need dignity and self-respect. My two week notice stands.
    She hit send and felt a rush of relief. There. She’d done it. She was standing her ground and it was the right decision. She was sure of it. So no matter what he said in the morning—
    An email popped into her inbox from Cormac Sheenan. Oh dear. He’d already responded. What was he doing still awake?
    She felt a flurry of nerves as she clicked on the email and quickly scanned the message. Which part of your dignity and self-respect have I offended?
    She battled her temper as she typed back. For two years you kept Daisy from me and now you’re dangling her as if she’s a prize or treat.
    He answered just as quickly. Not even going to go there, Whitney. Do you, or don’t you, want to spend time with your goddaughter? I’m trying to make this work.
    Whitney read this last message once, and again. He had no right to act as if he was the mature, rational one. He was one who’d made life hell.
    Whitney had fought hard for the right to be part of Daisy’s life. She’d drained her savings fighting for Daisy, hiring the best attorneys, insisting they try to petition the court if not for full custody, then joint custody, and if not joint custody, then weekends or holidays. Something .
    And Cormac, who could have made it possible, who could have worked out some kind of visitation rights, objected, refusing to give Whitney any formal rights at all, which meant, she ended up with none.
    For over two years she’d had no real contact with Daisy. She’d lost the toddler, a baby she’d loved long before she’d even been born.
    Her eyes burned now, her chest tight and aching with emotion, fully aware that the only reason he’d refused to allow Whitney to be part of Daisy’s life was because he didn’t want to have to deal with Whitney…not because Whitney would have been bad for Daisy.
    This is why she couldn’t forgive him. This is why she couldn’t look at him without pain and deep, seething resentment. He’d put his own needs before the child’s. It was beyond selfish. It was heartless. He was heartless. The original Ice Man. But maybe instead of hating him, she ought to pity him for not being able to love anyone but himself.
    She struggled to think of a reply she could send him. But there were no words she could say that wouldn’t be offensive. Because she didn’t trust him. She didn’t like him. She didn’t want to have anything to do with him.
    A new message arrived in her inbox from Cormac. If you lived in Marietta—if we both lived in Marietta—you would be able to see Daisy regularly. There would be no reason that you two couldn’t see each other regularly.
    She ground her teeth. You expect me to believe that? You are still in the picture.
    He answered swiftly. My issue was never with you. My issue was with the distance.
    Bullshit! She shot back, hands shaking as she typed. You kept me out of the picture because you were afraid that if Daisy spent time with me then you’d have to spend time with me and you didn’t want to do that. You didn’t want to have to deal with an ex-girlfriend on a daily basis. When you’re done with a relationship, you’re done. And the custody battle was more about keeping me at arm’s length, than protecting Daisy.
    He didn’t answer for the longest time.
    Whitney sat on her couch, laptop on her lap, heart hammering. She felt sick and nauseous and she wished they hadn’t started this. She wished he’d never dangled the job or Daisy or made her long for time with Daisy again.
    Finally a reply appeared in her inbox. I’ve made mistakes. I’m sorry.
    Her eyes burned. She blinked and crossed her arms over her chest to keep from dashing off something that wouldn’t be