Return to You

gripped her. What right did he have? He was
the one who left her without a backwards glance eleven years ago.
And he was about to do it again if that scene with Sophie was any
indication.
    She faced Rick and put a hand on his. "You must have
gotten something confused. Lainie's my friend. I don't believe
she'd do anything malicious to me."
    Rick shook his head. "I didn't believe it at first
either, but the proof is there. Can you deny that she's wormed her
way into your life? What better way to collect information? Your
father obviously thought so. Why else would he ask me to
investigate her?"
    Lainie inhaled sharply. "Everett, what's he talking
about?"
    Her father looked more tired than
she'd ever seen him. He looked old . Olivia felt a leap of panic in
her at the realization that he was as human as anyone
else.
    He rubbed his face and then gestured toward a chair.
"Sit down, Elaine. I have some clarifications to make."
    Her brows drawn together, Lainie sat primly where he
indicated. Michael loomed in the doorway, arms crossed tightly.
    Parker took Elaine's hand. "I owe you an
apology."
    Olivia would have laughed at the shock on Lainie's
face if she weren't so surprised herself. Everett Parker never
apologized.
    "Six months ago they found a tumor in my brain," her
father said.
    Olivia froze. That was the last thing she was
expecting.
    He continued. "They operated and found it benign,
but it caused me to reevaluate the choices I've made in my
life."
    "The mysterious trip you took last spring," Lainie
mumbled.
    Parker nodded at her before turning to Olivia. "You
made it clear you didn't want me in your life but I thought if I
made up for the past you might reconsider."
    Olivia frowned. "How could you ever do that?"
    "I brought Michael back to you."
    "What?"
    He nodded. "I never meant for you to break up. I
just wanted you to explore the opportunities available to you
before settling down. But you misunderstood—"
    "You conniving bastard." Michael pushed away from
the door frame. He stalked towards Parker, fists clenched, but Rick
stepped in front of him.
    Parker's gaze never wavered from her face. "I
thought if I facilitated your reconciliation with Michael you might
forgive me."
    "Didn't it occur to you to just ask?"
    He cocked his brow. "Would you have listened?"
    He had a point there. "So everything's been
calculated, hasn't it? You staying at the farm, the filming
there—everything." He didn't have to say anything. She could see
the answer in his eyes. "Where does Lainie fit in this?"
    His eyes darted to Lainie before forging on. "When I
found out you were dating Clancy, I asked him to investigate the
source of information leaking to tabloids. With him busy, you and
Michael would have a better chance at reconciling. I told him
Elaine was the source of the leak."
    "But Rick and I weren't dating."
    "You weren't?" Parker and Michael both asked at
once.
    Rick shook his head. "Then what about the emails I
found? The print out I gave you clearly shows Elaine Adams getting
in touch with the press."
    "I asked her to contact them." At least Parker had
the grace to look abashed. "Olivia, I—"
    She held out her hand to forestall him. "I need to
think." She got up and walked toward the door. She forgot Michael
was blocking it. She expected him to let her pass but he didn't
budge.
    "We have to talk," he said tightly.
    "Not now." She tried to push past him but he grabbed
her arm and held her fast.
    Rick was suddenly in his face. "Back off,
Wallace."
    Michael's jaw was so tight Olivia thought it'd snap.
"This is between me and Olivia."
    "What's between us, Michael?" She jerked her arm
from his grip and glared at him. "We've got nothing, as you so
obviously demonstrated tonight."
    He leaned toward her. His eyes blazed so bright with
anger it was almost painful to look at. "Whose baby was it?"
    She recoiled. A slap in the face would have been
less painful.
    "Idiot," she heard Rick mutter.
    Drawing herself up, she replied with as much cold
dignity as she could muster. "Yours. Good thing she died so she
wouldn't have to know what an asshole her father is." She shoved
him aside and walked out the door.
    Wait a minute. She stopped. She wasn't finished, and
damn if she was going to let him get away again without speaking
her piece.
    She whirled around and strode back
to him. "I should have told you about the baby. I can't change that
now. But I didn't want you to make some sort of martyred sacrifice
on our behalf. I wanted you to