Andie hung up and rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans. Cade might have thought her mother would be okay with visiting a rehab. But then, anything was better than having to fess up that she would be moving into Declan's apartment to nurse him back to health. Cade would not like it one bit.

What to do? What to do? She wandered up and down the hallway.

Her mother walked by on the way to the laundry room with another basket.

"Let me do those," Andie said. "By the way, Cade's thinking of taking us to visit his mother at the rehab clinic. He wants to bring the baby, too."

"It's his kid, he can do whatever he wants." She dumped the basket on the floor. "Meanwhile, we can't hang around here forever. Your father misses both of us."

Great. Bring out the big guns of guilt and pile it on.

"I miss him too, but I've got a job to do here. Acting lessons while we rewrite the script and a new contract-which means more money."

Her mother stuffed clothes into the washing machine and slammed the lid. "You're being corrupted here. Money, fame, loose morals. You think I didn't know you snuck off last night to sleep with Cade? I hope you're being careful. He knocked up this other chick already, and the last thing we need is for you to be pregnant, too."

"Cade didn't knock up Roxanne." Andie grabbed at a nit to avoid the larger issue. "He's just taking responsibility for the baby."

"Oh, that c.o.c.kamamie story. I don't believe it, not one bit." Her mother spun the dials and started the wash. "Either way, he's playing dirty, using the baby to get a new contract. Did you notice he even threw that bit in about you and the movie deal? Which sounds preposterous. Why would Silver Studios have anything to do with this baby swap? You know what I think?"

Not really, but her mother would tell her anyway. Andie shrugged and stopped the dryer from beeping.

"You've always been naive and a sucker for a guy with a story. Look at Declan, the redheaded stepchild who had to sleep in the bas.e.m.e.nt while his brother and sister got the big rooms and new toys. Now, this guy whose mother's a junkie has you wrapped around his fingers. He's so n.o.ble and bighearted he's even taking care of a baby that's not his-and dragging you into it. You know why I agreed to help? So I can keep an eye on him, but after last night, the fight, and you sneaking off with him, no more. It's time to tell Cade to hire a nanny."

"He was just thinking the same thing, Mom. He's not trying to take advantage of you."

"Sure, he isn't." Her mother yanked clothes out of the dryer and folded them. "He's got you to take advantage of already."

"That's a low blow, and you know it." Andie stomped from the laundry room. "Cade's been nothing but good to me."

"Oh, really? You're a brain injured woman who can't remember how you ended up in LA. He's grooming you to be the live-in nanny for his supposedly 'not his' baby. Guess things didn't work out with Roxanne, so he talks sweet, acts charming, gives you a bit of low hanging fruit, and you're lapping it all up."

Andie threw up her hands and screamed. "Stop running my life. I've had it. If you want to leave, go ahead. I'm staying."

"Have you forgotten your father?"

"No, I haven't, but what I have in front of me is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get into the movies."

Her mother rolled her eyes. "Most films are canceled before they see the light of day. Cost overruns, the market changing. The only reason you want to stay is Cade. I'm telling you, he's using you."

"How could he? I'm not rich or beautiful. What would he possibly be using me for?"

"To be his baby's mommy." Her mother jabbed her index finger at Andie. "He needs a sweet, loving sucker to be his doormat. All the other women out here are too street smart for that. They'd want money, a contract, or marriage, but you-you're as trusting as Gollie, wagging your tail and all for a couple of pats on the head and 'good girl.'"

"If that's how you really see me, you can leave." Andie turned away from her mother, blinded by tears, and ran into a solid wall of muscle.

"Calm, calm," Cade said, hugging her. "Don't listen to her."

"How long have you been standing here?" Andie's voice came out in a squeak.

"Long enough. Look, if it's okay with you, I'm kicking your mother out. She can't speak to you like that in my house."

"No, please don't. It'll only make things worse. She's convinced I'm stupid and naive." Andie buried her face into Cade's chest. "If I am, let me down gently."

"Oh, sweetness." He dropped to his knees and held onto her, looking up. "If you weren't still married to that clown, I'd whisk you away and marry you today. Believe me."

Clap. Clap. Clap. Andie's mother stood across the hall from them. "A few more days and we'll see how this charade ends. Meanwhile, I have a baby to take care of."

Andie could feel how tight Cade was and how much he struggled to keep in control. His chest heaved and his shoulders hunched. "Thanks, Mrs. Wales. I'll call a nanny agency and get this taken care of. I appreciate what you've done for me these last few days."

"I only want my daughter back safe at home." She huffed, her nostrils flaring. "You've got way too much going on right now, and she needs to heal from her traumatic experience."

"Puh-please, Mom." Andie turned toward her. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and I'm not going home until after the movie is filmed."

"Fine then." Her mother wiped her hands as if shaking the dust from them. "Cade, I'm holding you responsible for any harm that comes to my daughter."

"There won't be any, ma'am. Andie is perfectly safe with me."

Cade's stomach ground and his jaw ached from clenching. He hated how weak his position was with Andie's family. After all, she'd been injured while driving his car, and he was the one who had a baby needing care. He told Andie to meet him in the garage while he went to his room to change.

Maybe he'd taken the path of least resistance and let Roxanne go too easily. She was Bret's mother, and she should take responsibility. In fact, d.i.c.k should hire the nanny. Cade had already done more than his fair share in the deal, and with Todd Irvin snooping around, it wouldn't be long before word got out that he'd agreed to pose as Bret's father in return for favoritism on the team. Add that to the blackmail which hung over his head, and his career would be truly doomed.

He called Roxanne, but not surprisingly, got her voicemail. He then placed a call to his agent, Roxanne's brother, Rob.

"Hey, what's up?" Rob sounded chipper and relaxed.

"You know where your sister is? She left me with the baby and disappeared a few days back."

"She said you didn't need her, that your mother was taking care of Bret."

"Of course we need her. My mom's back in rehab."

"Really?" Rob sounded overly surprised. "What happened?"

"Nothing you need to know about, just that I need Roxanne back here right away. She needs to interview nannies if she wants to work."

"Oh, I don't know about that. She's gone to a lawyer to sign away her parental rights."

Rob's words punched Cade in the gut. A mother who would reject a sweet little baby like Bret? What was wrong with the world?

"Look, I need her back here at least through the weekend. I can't keep leaving Bret with my girlfriend's mother who's visiting. She wants to go back home."

"Roxanne already did her part, really. You should let it go."

"Let it go?" Cade fumed. "It's her baby, not mine. I'm just the chump holding the bag."

"Excuse me?" Rob said. "What are you talking about? Of course the baby's yours."

"He can't be. He wasn't premature. You all lied to me. Hoodwinked me. Well, you know what? I'm not going to play anymore. I'm suspended this Sat.u.r.day anyway and guess what? I'm going free agent after this season, so eff the contract and whatever deal you had going with d.i.c.k Davis."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rob's voice went stone cold. "You're tainted goods. No other team in the league will touch a guy who threw away the Super Bowl, especially with the cloud your sister put you under. Some people won big when the Flash lost at the last minute. Others lost huge sums of cash. If I were you, I'd toe the line. That said, I'll help you find a nanny, but don't you ever squeal about the baby, d.i.c.k, Roxanne or anything. Got it?"

The line went dead.

Cade's head reeled as he sank onto his bed. What did Rob know?

Follow the money. That's what one of his foster fathers, a judge had always said. Follow the money.

Who got rich? And why?

Chapter Nineteen.

Cade held Andie's hand and let her hold the baby as they walked into the rehab facility. The ocean breeze had cooled down the west size of the city, and Andie's presence helped him calm down after his conversation with Rob. She was so good to him, like a guiding light to a ship in a storm, his safe harbor of love and affection.

"I'll help you with whatever you need to investigate," Andie said. "When Roxanne gets back, I'll make friends with her, and maybe she'll shed more light on this strange deal you have with Bret's biological father."

"Thanks, sweetie." He kissed her hair and breathed in her pa.s.sion flower and coconut scent, just another thing he loved about her. "I hate getting between you and your mom. Maybe you should go back to New York, even if it's just for a visit. I'm sure your father really does miss you."

"He does, but Mom's over the top. It's so creepy how she doesn't believe your story, like she thinks Bret is really your son and you made up this anonymous rich guy. I mean, you have no motive to do that since I'd already accepted that you'd gotten Roxanne pregnant." She interlaced her fingers with his and graced him with a sweet smile. "Even though I don't remember everything we did, I feel like I've known you my entire life."

Her trust penetrated the tightness in his chest and wrapped around him like a lifeline.

"I wish you could remember some of the awesome things we did. We had some really good times, both in New York and here, but I'm okay with making new memories." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Me, too." She kissed the top of Bret's head. "My mom thinks I'm stupid for falling in love with someone else's baby, but how could I not care about him? It's not his fault he's got some strange parents who don't want to take care of him."

"That's another reason why I love you so much. Your heart is as big as Texas and what your mother sees as naivete, I see as innocence and a belief in the goodness of the world." He pressed his lips on hers, holding the kiss, but not deepening it since they were close to his mother's room at the rehab facility. "I will never, ever destroy your trust, because it is so precious to me. You are precious."

"So are you." She gave his lower lip a tug. "And so is your baby boy. Even though he's not yours biologically, he feels like he's yours. I love his eyes, and look how strong he is."

"Yep, that's my boy." Cade tugged at Bret's feet as his little legs kicked like he was riding a bicycle, and he wiggled in Andie's arms.

The door to his mother's room was open since she expected them. Her face lit up at the sight of Andie holding the baby, and she held her arms out to hug her.

"I'm so glad you're out of the hospital," Barbara said. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good." Andie handed the baby to her. "I haven't regained my memory, so I might forget things we did or talked about."

"It's quite all right. I'm always losing chunks of memory." She laughed, but stopped when she met Cade's eye.

"Mom, you scared me to death when I saw you lying there with the used syringe."

"You've been calling me Mom." She reached up and touched his cheek. "I don't deserve it."

"Stop saying that." He took her hand and rubbed it, tracing the scars and needle tracks on her arm. "As long as I call you 'Mom,' I give you a reason to take care of yourself."

Andie blinked as if she had tears in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his mother. "We all care about you. Now that you have Bret, you'll want to be there for everything, his first tooth, learning to walk, birthday parties, and when he plays T-ball for the first time."

"T-ball?" Cade crossed his arms and frowned. "My son's not playing baseball."

"It's safer, and I think he looks cute in pinstripes."

"Is that why you dressed him in a NY Yankees outfit?"

Cade's mother sighed and kissed Bret. "I feel so happy when all of you are around. I had no reason to go back to the drugs. I wasn't looking for it. I swear."

"So, what happened?"

"I opened the package, and it was like I was possessed. When I saw those packets, so white and waxy, and a syringe and spoons all there ready for me, I wanted to throw up. I mean, I took a long walk first, then went to the backyard and threw it in the garbage can, but I ended up fishing it out and you know ..." She hung her head. "I'm sorry."

Cade put his arm around her. "I know you are, but you're staying here until we find out who's behind the packages, and since you're here, I have to pay the bills at your house so I'll need the login and pa.s.sword for your bank account."

"Sure, I wish I could go home, but I'll write it down for you." She held onto the baby and dug through her drawer for a pen and piece of paper. "I feel like such a loser."

"Do you have any idea who would send you drugs?" Cade took the pa.s.sword from her and folded it up before putting it in his pocket. "Any friends who thought they owed you something?"

"Nope, beats me. I lost touch with most of them once I got clean." She sagged down onto the bed, looking exhausted. "That was some good stuff. I mean, it hit me straight up just like the old days back before the Mexicans got into the game."

"Well that stuff almost killed you." Cade crossed his arms. "It's not worth it."

"I know, but it almost brought me back to that first time, the perfect high, when I was riding the dragon and flying, suspended in a coc.o.o.n of heavenly goodness."