She laughed, a warm melody, and he liked that, too. All right. Antipasto.
Mineral water or milk?
She stuck out her tongue and grimaced. Plain water.
The waiter, who appeared to have enjoyed more than his share of Gionnis fine cooking, took their order and moved away.
Lacing his fingers, Grant propped both forearms on the table and leaned forward. As long as he had Ariana in his company, he might as well make the most of their time. Will you be uncomfortable if we discuss your case during dinner?
Of course not. I thought that was the purpose for stopping here.
It was, wasnt it? The fact that he enjoyed her company and liked looking at a pretty face was an added bonus. And she certainly had no business standing on her feet cooking for this Roger person. The very idea annoyed him. Roger annoyed him. And Arianas devotion to the man annoyed him even more. Hed heard the sweet tone of her voice when shed made that phone callthe sincere apology, and the promise of tomorrow night. If he had his way, she wouldnt go out with the loser at all. Hadnt she learned anything from her experience with that mutt, Benjy?
Have you considered that your ex-fiancé may deny paternity?
Arianas eyes widened. Could he do such a thing?
Grant opened his palms in a questioning gesture. You know him better than I do.
She lay a protective hand over her abdomen. Benjy does whatever makes him happy at the moment. And spending money on anyone except himself does not make him happy.
Were likely looking at a court case, then.
Ariana frowned, gnawing at her lush bottom lip. Isnt there another way? Benjys been out of rehab less than a year. I wouldnt want to be the cause of a relapse.
Grant couldnt believe this woman. Her fiancé had left her in dire straits and she was concerned about upsetting him? Taking responsibility for ones actions is a part of adulthood.
I know. She took a deep breath and nodded. Youre right. My babies deserve that much.
Is there any chance that he might file for custody?
Benjy? The light came back on in her face. He wouldnt take custody of a parakeet if it required any sacrifice.
He hoped she was right. Men had a way of behaving strangely when a woman pressed them for support.
Okay. Well file the paternity suit and ask for full custody with child support. But what are your plans in the meantime? The case may take a while, depending on how quickly we locate your ex. Financially speaking, can you afford medical care? Child care? Do you have family here in Boston that can help you after the twins are delivered?
She shook her head, shiny hair dancing around her shoulders. My family lives in Florida.
All of them? Youre completely alone in this? He didnt much like the sound of that. Would your mother consider coming to Boston for a few weeks until you adjust to some sort of schedule?
Oh, no. Absolutely not. I have friends who will help out, but I cant let Mama come here.
He frowned at that. I take it you and your family are not close.
His own family was smallMom, Dad and a married sister in Connecticut, but if he needed themwhich he never didtheyd be here as fast as Dads Lincoln would go.
But thats the problem. Were very close. Thats why I havent told them.
The idea shocked him. He leaned back in his chair and stared at her fragile little face. Your family doesnt know about your pregnancy?
No. It would break Mamas heart.
To be a grandmother?
Of course not. Mama loves kids, but she already has enough grandchildren. My brother has two and my sister has three.
Then whats the problem?
Their meal arrived. Ariana gave the waiter a warm smile and thanked him while Grant waited patiently for her answer. She might be trying to avoid the subject, but he was an attorney and never forgot the question.
The pungent smell of pesto wrapped around the table. From the depths of the restaurant came the low murmur of voicessome in Italianand the gentle strains of an Italian aria.
Ariana adjusted her napkin and took a bite of the linguini. With a deep sigh, she briefly closed her eyes. Wonderful, she breathed.
He concurred, savoring the rich flavor while appreciating Arianas impeccable manners, and the dainty way her fingers tore the bread into small chunks. She popped a piece into her mouth and chewed, making a soft moaning sound. A thought filtered through his mind that had nothing whatsoever to do with Italian food.
Good grief. The woman was pregnant. Explosively so.
He swallowed, eager to escape his wicked thoughts. And your reasons for keeping the secret would be?
Youre very persistent, arent you?
Bossy, persistent, stubborn. Any of those adjectives apply. Answer the question, please. There. He felt much more like an attorney. Why havent you told your family about the babies? Are you ashamed of them?
No! Changeable hazel eyes darkened with anger. My twins are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I wont allow anyone to look down on them because their father is a loser and their mother is a bad judge of character.
I beg your pardon. Without thinking, Grant reached across the table and wrapped his hand around hers. The warm velvet skin jolted him, but he held on, determined to make amends. Hed brought her here to help, not to hurt her. Please. I was in no way demeaning your situation. Children are a gift, no matter the particulars of their conception.