Suzanna's Surrender

She looked up again, struggling to steady her pulse. “If this is some sort of game, I don't want to play.”

“No game. I want you, and this time I'll have you. But there is something of my grandfather's you have the right to see. Unless you're afraid to be alone with me.” Her spine stiffened. “I'll be there.”

The next morning, Suzanna stood on the terrace with Megan. They watched their children race across the lawn with Fred.

“I wish you could stay longer.”

With a half laugh, Megan shook her head. “’m surprised to say I wish I could, too. I have to be back at work tomorrow.”

“You and Kevin are welcome here anytime. I want you to know that.”

“I do.” Megan shifted her gaze to meet Suzanna's. There was a sadness there she understood, though she rarely allowed herself to feel it. “If you and the kids decide to visit Oklahoma, you've got a home with us. I don't want to lose touch. Kevin needs to know this part of his family.”

“Then we won't.” She stooped to pick up a rose petal that had drifted from a bouquet to float to the terrace. “It was a beautiful wedding. Sloan and Mandy are going to be happy – and we'll have nieces and nephews in common.”

“God, the world's a strange place.” Megan took Suzanna's hand. “I'd like to think we can be friends, not only for our children's sakes or for Sloan and Amanda.”

Suzanna smiled. “I think we already are.”

“Suzanna!” Coco signaled from the kitchen door. “A phone call for you.” She was chewing her lip when Suzanna reached her. “It's Baxter.”

“Oh.” Suzanna felt the simple pleasure of the morning drain. “I'll take it in the other room.”

She braced herself as she walked down the hallway. He couldn't hurt her any longer, she reminded herself. Not physically, not emotionally. She slipped into the library, took a long, steadying breath, then picked up the phone.

“Hello, Bax.”

“I suppose you considered it sly to keep me waiting on the phone.”

And there it was again, she thought, that clipped, critical tone that had once made her shiver. Now she only sighed. “I'm sorry. I was outside.”

“Digging in the garden, I suppose. Are you still pretending to make a living pruning rosebushes?”

“I'm sure you didn't call to see how my business is going.”

“Your business, as you call it, is nothing to me but a slight embarrassment. Having my ex – wife selling flowers on the street corner –”

“Clouds your image, I know.” She passed a hand over her hair. “We're not going to go through that again, are we?”

“Quite the little shrew these days.” She heard him murmur something to someone else, then laugh. “No, I didn't call to remind you you're making a fool of yourself. I want the children.”

Her blood turned to ice. “What?”

The shaky whisper pleased him enormously. “I believe it states quite clearly in the custody agreement that I'm entitled to two weeks during the summer. I'll pick them up on Friday.”

“You...but you haven't –”

“Don't stammer, Suzanna. It's one of your more annoying traits. If you didn't comprehend, I'll repeat. I'm exercising my parental rights. I'll pick the children up on Friday, at noon.”

“You haven't seen them in nearly a year. You can't just pick them up and…”

“I most certainly can. If you don't choose to honor the agreement, I'll simply take you back to court. It isn't legal or wise for you to try to keep the children from me.”

“I've never tried to keep them from you. You haven't bothered with them.”

“I have no intention of rearranging my schedule to suit you. Yvette and I are going to Martha's Vineyard for two weeks, and have decided to take the children. It's time they saw something of the world besides the little corner you hide in.”

Her hands were shaking. She gripped the receiver more tightly. “You didn't even send Alex a card on his birthday.”

“I don't believe there's anything in the agreement about birthday cards,” he said shortly. “But it is very specific on visitation rights. Feel free to check with your lawyer, Suzanna.”

“And if they don't want to go?”

“The choice isn't theirs – or yours.” But his, he thought, which was exactly as he preferred it. “I wouldn't try to poison them against me.”

“I don't have to,” she murmured.

“See that they're packed and ready. Oh, and Suzanna, I've been reading quite a bit about your family lately. Isn't it odd that there wasn't any mention of an emerald necklace in our settlement agreement?”

“I didn't know it existed.”

“I wonder if the courts would believe that.”

She felt tears of frustration and rage fill her eyes. “For God's sake, didn't you take enough?”

“It's never enough, Suzanna, when you consider how very much you disappointed me. Friday,” he said. “Noon.” And hung up.