of an argument for his case. But now, looking across the table at Chloe, he knew deep down he was glad hewasnât married. Which didnât make a bit of sense. He couldnât be looking at this woman as anything but a foe.
âHave you ever been married?â he asked her.
Three, even two, years ago that question would have filled Chloeâs eyes with tears. Now it simply brought a caustic laugh to her lips. âNo. I guess Iâm just notâ¦good marriage material.â
He didnât know what she meant by that. And right now he couldnât care. He was here to get the twins. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Turning his gaze on the twins, who were presently entranced with three small children in the booth next to them, Wyatt said, âFor the past ten years Iâve been busy getting my career off the ground. Then I turned thirty a few months ago and I began to realize how much Iâd like to get married and have children.â
Then why didnât he marry and have some of his own? Chloe wanted to ask. And leave her babies alone.
Wiping Annaâs face with a napkin, she said, âYou might as well know right now, Iâm a frank person. What I say, I mean. Thereâs no way on earth Iâd give up the twins. I love them. Theyâre my children andââ
Wyatt held up his hand. âAt this point I know how you feel. I even respect you for it. Butâand Iâm saying this not for myself, but for the twinsâyou need to stop and consider the difference I could make in their lives.â
Chloe did her best to remember Justine and Roseâs advice to hang on to her temper. âLike I said, I wonât give up the twins, but letâs just say for instance that I did. How would you take care of them? You have a job. You couldnât be mommy and daddy to them all the time.â
âI have plenty of money to hire a nanny while Iâm away.â
She arched one brow at him. âYou think a nanny can replace family?â
He shot her a dry look. âTheyâre two little babies. They donât know whoâs related to them.â
She groaned. âYou just donât get it, do you?â
âWhat?â
âYou donât understand what it means to have a family around you,â she answered.
He looked insulted. âI had a family. At one time in my life.â
âYou had a mother and father. A sister. But were you all a family?â
His gray eyes were suddenly the color of blue steel. âDo you mean, did we all sit down together at breakfast for a bowl of cornflakes every morning? Or watch âLassieâ together every Sunday evening?â
What was it about this man? Chloe wondered. How could he make her feel so infuriated and so torn all at once? He was full of sarcasm, and she wanted to tell him how superficially he viewed life. Yet she also wanted to give and show him the kindness, the closeness she knew he desperately needed.
âThat wasnât really what I meant,â she said, then made an impatient swipe through the air with her hand. âAnd since you donât understand, Iâll try to explain it this way. Iâd much rather the twins be watching âLassieâ on Sunday evening with their family than worrying over how to fatten their bank accounts.â
âFrom the look of things, it wouldnât hurt you and your sisters to do a little worrying.â
He could have said anything but that. For months Chloe had lain awake at nights wondering where the ranchâs next dollar would come from and how it was going to cover everything her family needed to live. And his sister had put them in this desperate situation!
Acid words burned her tongue, but she kept them to herself as she stood and quickly began to unbuckle the babies from their high chairs.
âWhat are you doing?â
âIâm going home.â
His eyes roamed her flushed face. âIâve made you an
Mary Smith, Rebecca Cartee