Page 43 of Hold My Heart

“I’m going out of my mind. I don’t know what to do without her.” Her laugh was almost hysterical. “I’d once entertained the idea of putting her up for adoption because it would be better for her to be with a loving couple than a bitter woman with no family and no idea how to care for her. Now I’m feeling lost without her.” She cocked her head when Reggie shot them a thumbs up, then followed the secretary to an inner office. “This has to work, Harlan. It justhasto.”

“Hey, come on outside. You could use the air.”

“I don’t want air.”

Still, she let him lead her out onto the front porch of the renovated two-story cottage turned lawyer’s office. He wanted to kiss her blind at that moment. To help dissipate the pent-up frustration, temper, fear, and anger until they leached out of her.

“I don’t know what to do, Harlan,” she admitted the second the door closed behind them. Her head tilted back on her neck and when he looked at her again there were tears streaking down her face. “I’ve spent my entire adult life focused on my job and getting things done there. Now I have a kid to think about. A kid I wasn’t sure I wanted because I thought my time for children had passed. Now that she’s gone...I’m beside myself. You called me selfish, and you’re right. I have been selfish. Thinking only about what I wanted and not in a healthy way. Not in a long-term focus.”

“Olympia, I—”

She held up a hand to stop him. “No, I need to finish this. I was wrong, Harlan, because you were right and I’m the one who pushed you away. I’m sorry for what I said to you.”

“Very straightforward of you,” he allowed.

“Yes, and that’s how I’ve lived until now. A straightforward woman with a tidy life. Then Renee came, and you broke through my walls and turned everything into a maze. It gave me a lot to think about. I’m so sorry I made a big issue out of this. You are a natural caregiver and you were only trying to take care of me.” She gestured toward the office door. “You’re still trying to help me.”

“Don’t you get it, Olympia? I’m helping you because I love you.” He stepped closer and took her shoulders in his hands. She didn’t stop him when he bent to kiss her this time. There was no way he could have stopped himself even if he wanted to. Which he didn’t.

His heart turned over when she leaned into him.

“How can you say that after everything I’ve put you through?” she asked when they broke apart.

“Because I hope I can convince you.” Harlan would have said more but his father burst through the door.

“Break it up, kids. We have a baby to rescue.”

Olympia gasped. “We got her back?”

Reggie winked. “Piece of cake, sweetie pie. You just have to know the right people. Oh, and you’re going to owe me a new mallard for my collection. I can’t pull all these strings for free, you know.” He drew a bright yellow scarf out of his pocket and wrapped it around his neck. “Let’s go!”

It took another hour. Another hour to drive to the facility, sign a few papers Reggie had brought, and legally adopt Renee. There would be no more confusion.

Harlan blew out a breath, standing shoulder to shoulder with Olympia in the cramped foyer of the children’s home while they waited for Renee to be brought to them.

Her fingers were entwined with his. “You ready for this?”

“I was born ready.” This time, when she shot him a smile, it met her eyes, and the exhaustion was pushed aside under the weight of her excitement.

Reggie was to his left, rubbing his hands together. “This is it, ladies and gentlemen. This is it.”

“Just like that?” Olympia was still incredulous.

“Just like that. All you needed to do was push the right buttons.”

They heard the sound of little feet before Renee ran around the corner, wearing a borrowed shirt and pants.

“Oly!”

Her frantic cry broke his heart in all the best ways, and Olympia immediately burst into tears. She got down to her knees with her arms outstretched. “Hi, baby!”

Renee wasted no time. She flew across the room and launched herself into those waiting arms. Her nose buried in Olympia’s neck, the two held each other for the longest time.

Olympia kept hold of the child as she rose on shaky feet, her knuckles white. She turned to stare at Harlan over Renee’s shoulder and he noticed her lips trembling.

Renee twisted in Olympia’s arms until she could see him. “Harlan?”

“I’m here.” He didn’t hesitate another second, drawing them both into a hug. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

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