Into His Keeping by Gail Faulkner Read Free Book Online Page A

who’d been lying on the bed when he left.
     
    The curtains were open and the retro Fifties, draped in the Seventies, furnished motel room was brightly lit in all its faded orange and yellow glory.
     
    “Ah, I hope both of you are feeling better,” Jill greeted them. Deep in her gut, it felt as if the trembling never quit. Even though Holdin appeared interested in them, she couldn’t trust it. This was too important. All the emotional issues were getting in the way and she would not let her son’s future hang on that hook.
     
    Lord, this was hard. She needed to be direct like a man would be. Managing that seemed monumental. Melting all over the man wouldn’t get her the security she desperately needed. Desperate people had to do the hard things.
     
    Drifter laughed. “Food always works, Mom. You know that. Looks like you’re feeling better?”
     
    “Yes. I should warn you, Holdin, he eats more in one sitting than I do in a week.” Her eyes were laughing with her son when she turned to him. Then she sobered. “We need to discuss a few things. With your success, I assume you’ve encountered a lot of women who claim you fathered their child. We expect you to want a DNA test and will be happy to participate. We don’t expect any support funds. The main issue is my health. If I’m not able to care for Drifter’s future properly, I sincerely hope you would be willing to make arrangements.”
     
    She sat there with her hands folded in her lap and actually smiled at him after that little speech. Holdin’s eyes bore into hers steadily. He’d thought they’d reached seriously fucked up before. He’d been so wrong.
     
    “I think we have issues significantly deeper than my ability to make arrangements for Drifter’s future.” Holdin slowly sat down on the end of the nearest bed. “We need to discus them in private, Jill. As far as a DNA test, we’ll do one to secure his inheritance legally. That’s the only reason. I’d like to acknowledge him as my son now if that’s all right with the two of you. Support is something you and I can work out and I intend to take a great deal of personal interest in your health.”
     
    Holdin paused as he studied her. “Do you think you’re leaving after this conversation? Is that it?”
     
    Jill’s face tightened at his blunt question. “No. But I want us to understand each other. We don’t expect…um…I know you’re used to people wanting something from you. Not that we don’t, it’s just…ah, it’s different…” One of her hands fluttered up to her neck searching for something at the V of her T-shirt. A nervous reaction to his stern tone and her battle to remain focused on her goal. She quickly dropped it back to her lap and resisted frowning at him. The reason for her nerves was his thunderous face.
     
    “Really, Holdin. There is no reason for this to get ugly.” She raised a brow at him. “I’m trying to make this as painless as possible for you.”
     
    “Are you? I don’t see it that way. I see you trying to make this ugly and small.”
     
    Holdin glanced at Drifter who was standing awkwardly at the end of the other bed watching them. “You’re belittling me, us. Making it sound like having a son is just another business deal. You’re assuming you know me from what you’ve read.” Holdin stood and paced to the door. Turning, he leaned his back on it. Blocking the exit was almost unconscious, but as he crossed his arms to glare down at her, he recognized it. She was not escaping that easy.
     
    “You’ve told me your story. Now let me tell you how it was for me. Not the shit you read in the paper, this is what really happened.
     
    “What do you think a guy assumes when his girlfriend disappears without a trace? No, don’t answer that, I’ll tell you.” He forestalled her as her mouth opened to answer. “I had to assume your father had found out we were lovers. I didn’t know if you told him or he just knew. I figured he’d taken