Texas Tycoon's Christmas Fiancée Read Online Free PDF Page A

nephew.”
    â€œIt’s difficult to relate to a baby I’ve never seen, with a deceased mother I can’t recall meeting.” Stretching out his long legs, Nick folded his hands, giving his father time to vent his frustration.
    â€œBart handled things badly, but I’m aware of this family’s responsibility—”
    â€œDad, you don’t have a responsibility. Bart signed his away totally.”
    Eli scowled, glaring at his son. “I want this baby in our family and I can do so much for him.”
    â€œGrace Wayland doesn’t want you to. She doesn’t want you to meet him. She refused to see you. I’m sorry, but there it is.”
    â€œThe hell you say? You walked out and gave up? You don’t give up when it’s something you want.”
    â€œUnderstand, Grace was adamant about it. She’s incensed over her friend. She isn’t going to be talked into it.”
    â€œWell, then I’ll bribe her into it. Did you tell her I would set up a trust for Michael?”
    â€œI told her you could do many beneficial things for him. I pointed out to her that you can do far more for Michael than she can and it didn’t move her. She doesn’t want nannies or chauffeurs or boarding schools for him.”
    â€œDamn it, what’s the matter with the woman? She’s in business for herself. You told me she came from a poor background with no college education in the family. How can she turn up her nose at money for the baby?”
    â€œShe’s unhappy with the Raffords,” Nick reaffirmed patiently.
    â€œAlicia came from that same poor background, but she appreciated money.”
    â€œI can imagine,” Nick remarked drily, thinking his brother got tangled up often with women after his money. “In a way, it’s refreshing to meet a woman who doesn’t put the dollar first.”
    â€œRefreshing? It’s damned stubborn. She’s letting emotions cloud her judgment and she isn’t giving the baby a fair shake.”
    â€œShe was unmovable,” Nick said, hanging on to patience. “Maybe if I try again in a few months she will have thought it over and softened up about it.”
    â€œNick, time is important to me. It grows shorter by the day.”
    â€œYour doctors say you are doing fine. Let’s wait a few weeks—Christmas is coming and maybe the holidays will change her mind. I’ll talk to her again sometime,” Nick said, astounded at the words coming out of his mouth. He didn’t want to argue with Grace Wayland again, but his sympathy went out to his dad. “I’ll try again soon. We won’t give up.” When he stood, Eli crossed the room.
    â€œI don’t want to give up. This is my grandson. I’m sticking to what I want, to know him and give him our family name.”
    Nick nodded. “I tried, Dad. I better go. I have an eleven-o’clock appointment. I’ll let myself out.”
    On his way out, Nick checked in with the nurse and the staff, then left. Relieved to have broken the news to his dad, he wondered whether his dad would give up. Nick didn’t want to argue further with Grace. With a little time maybe his dad’s feelings about the baby would cool, although Nick knew that was probably wishful thinking. His dad was like a dog with a bone over something he wanted and couldn’t have. He would go after it and hang on like crazy.
    Nick shifted his thoughts to business, running over the information he had been given for a morning appointment to discuss a land acquisition in the Dakotas. Wrapped in thoughts about business, he continued to the twenty-story building in downtown Dallas that housed the Rafford energy company.
    Business occupied Nick for the rest of the day until late afternoon, when his direct line rang and he saw it was a call from his dad.
    â€œI knew it,” he said under his breath, wondering what scheme his father had hatched during the