Page 20 of Embrace Me

“I did,” Nikki said. “I don’t know what I was thinking even hesitating for a moment. I know who she is. I know who she’ll never be. And I don’t want her around my kids.”

For a moment Damien heard nothing. Then he heard Jamie’s phew!

Nikki’s brows rose. “Okay. What gives? That’s more than relief that I made the right decision.”

“Honestly I hesitate to even tell you, especially since your husband is in the room, and I don’t want to be an accessory before the fact.”

“Jamie…” He made sure the warning was clear in his voice.

“All right, all right. Just remember, you don’t have to actually do anything about it.”

“Do anything about what?”

“I decided to do a little poking around. She told you that she came to town with somebody, right? Somebody from Dallas?”

“Yeah,” Nikki said. “A friend.”

“Nope. Not a friend. The woman lives in Dallas now, but that’s only temporary. She’s a producer on one of those reality shows that follow local celebrities. Apparently your mother is hustling for a spot, wanting to get in as the mother-in-law of Damien Stark. But she wants to be on your good side, because who wants to be the woman that Nikki and Damien Stark shunned?”

“Oh!” Nikki made a low grunting sound, and Damien almost laughed at the way she cut off what must have been a curse so the children wouldn’t notice.

Other than that though, he wasn’t laughing.

At the same time, he wasn’t surprised. He certainly wouldn’t put anything like that past Elizabeth Fairchild.

“I knew it,” Nikki said. “I mean I didn’t know it, of course, but I should have guessed. And everything you’re telling me confirms what I’ve already decided. That woman isn’t part of our life anymore. Whatever strings were left, are now completely snipped.”

“Good,” Jamie said, echoing Damien’s thoughts. “Because as far as I’m concerned you’ve had more than enough of that woman in your life. You don’t need her.”

“No,” Nikki agreed. “I don’t need her at all.”

“I’m going to come over and see the girls tomorrow, okay? You’ll tell them.”

Damien saw Nikki look over at them to see if they had acknowledged that they were being talked about, but they were both deep into coloring now.

“I’ll tell them,” Nikki said. “They’ll be thrilled to play with Aunt Jamie. Beware that they’re currently in a LEGO kind of mood. You’ll probably be building the pyramids or something.”

“I can get behind that,” Jamie said. “Although I thought we might make a little movie.”

“Lara would absolutely love that. She can play director and editor. And Anne can be their star.”

Or their gopher, thought Damien. Though he knew that with either job, Anne would be in heaven, too.

He tuned the women out as they finished their conversation, his attention turning back to his children, so much so that he didn’t even realize they’d ended the call until Nikki’s phone rang again. She hit the speaker button once more, and this time it was Gus, the front gate guard, whose voice filled the room.

“Mrs. Stark,” he began, “there’s a woman here asking to enter the property. She says she’s your mother.”

Damien started to rise off the ground, but Nikki shook her head and put her hand out. “Would you mind handing her the phone?” Nikki said, and he heard Gus’ confused, “Well, sure,” followed by Elizabeth’s smooth, “Nikki, darling, your guard apparently needs assurance that I am who I say I am.”

“Mother, you are exactly who you say you are. But as far as I’m concerned you’re not part of this family. I’m sorry you drove all the way to Malibu. For that matter I’m sorry you came all the way to California. But I think it’s time for you to go home now.”

“Nikki, this is your mother you’re speaking to. I have a right to see my grandchildren.”

“The hell you do. You don’t have any rights at all where they’re concerned,” Nikki said. She started to reach for the phone as if she was going to stand and go into another room, but then she settled back in the chair again, her face contorted with what he assumed was anger. “You need to just go, Mother.”

“I absolutely will not.”

“Yes,” she said. “It’s time—” She drew in a sharp breath. “Mother, just go. It’s time.”