Second Time Around by Katherine Allred Read Free Book Online

doesn’t matter. He just speeded up what we both knew was coming. The only important thing right now is Zack.”
    She was wrong, Quinn thought dazedly. It did matter. It mattered a hell of a lot. He felt as though someone had tied his feet to the floor, bound his arms to his sides while shock after shock ripped through his body. Unable to move, all he could do was try and control the emotions that were threatening to tear him apart. Lanie hadn’t wanted the divorce any more than he had. He closed his eyes as the realization pounded through his head straight to his heart. Edward had tricked them both. Not only had he deprived Quinn of his son, he’d taken away the life he and Lanie should have had, a life together.
    No matter what she thought, they would have worked things out. Because he knew something she didn’t. The night he’d had the accident he hadn’t been going to Chicago.
    He’d been coming home. Home to her and the ranch.
    The rest of her words washed over him like a wave over rocks as she continued to talk. He was aware of them on some level, but they had no effect on him. This changed everything. He’d come here to claim the son he’d never known he had. Was it possible he could reclaim the wife he’d never wanted to lose? The wife who was engaged to another man? Would he be able to live with himself if he didn’t at least try? The answer to that one was easy. No, he wouldn’t.
    2“Have you heard a single word I’ve said?”
    He opened his eyes and looked at her. The elaborate curls she’d worn in Chicago were gone, her glossy hair pulled into a braid that reached the middle of her back. Her face was pale, but the light of battle still raged in her eyes. She looked like a warrior princess who had exchanged her regal garb for faded jeans and worn boots.
    Sweat beaded his forehead and palms at what he was about to do. It probably wasn’t fighting fair, but he never hesitated. He’d use any weapon, any advantage he had to make this work. “Sit down, Lanie.”
    Her hands went to her hips. “Don’t tell me what to do. I’ve never taken orders from you and I don’t intend to start now.”
    He took a deep breath. “Fine. Then stand there.” Restlessly, he moved to the desk and picked up a picture of Zack. It must have been a recent one because he looked just as he had earlier, in the front yard.
    “Fighting isn’t going to solve a thing.” He traced Zack’s face with one finger. “You want a divorce, and we both want Zack.” Replacing the picture, he looked at her over his shoulder. “There’s a way we can work this out.”
    “How?” Her eyes had gone all dark and wary. “I’m not going to let you take Zack no matter what.”
    This time it was Quinn who rested on the desk, crossing his arms over his chest as he studied her. “I want three months. Three months to see if there’s any chance we can make our marriage work. Three months to get to know my son. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, under the circumstances.”
    “Too much to ask?” She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “I’m supposed to be married in six weeks, for God’s sake!” She threw her hands up in the air and resumed her pacing. “This is crazy.” Abruptly, she came to a halt. “What if I just say no?”
    He shrugged. “Then you leave me no choice. I’ll fight the divorce, and I’ll sue you for custody of Zack. Either way, you aren’t getting married in six weeks, Lanie. It’ll be long and messy, and Zack will be the one who gets hurt. Is that really what you want?”
    “And what if I agree and it still doesn’t work out? It won’t, you know. I love Jared and have every intention of marrying him, no matter how long it takes.”
    “Then you don’t have anything to worry about, do you? If you still feel the same way after three months, I’ll get that quickie divorce you want, and we can work out a custody agreement. I won’t give Zack up, either, but maybe we can reach a peaceful