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So. She was going to carry the ruse on to the end. Another disappointment. He’d thought she was better than that.
He met her glare equably. “Our son?”
Her delicate brow furrowed. “You and I don’t have a baby!”
“Your Facebook page says differently.”
“First of all, you and I aren’t Facebook friends.”
“And now I know why. Because you didn’t want me to know about the baby.”
She drew a deep breath and shoved a hand through her hair. “Obviously, you are referring to all the photos of Liam I’ve posted since I adopted him three months ago.”
Adopted!
Zane paused. “You didn’t say anything about that in any of the photos.”
“Maybe because I didn’t need to!” Flushing, she turned away. “Maybe all I need to know—all anyone needs to know—is that he is my son and I love him with all my heart, you dumb son of a gun!”
She was swearing at him again.
That meant she still had some feelings for him, right?
“Hey.” Still holding her gaze, he aimed a thumb at his chest. Not ready to give up on what he had assumed up to now to be true, he shot back, “The timing fits.” Too well for comfort, if you asked him. “We broke up a year ago. The kid was born three months ago.”
Looking as if it were taking every ounce of self-control she possessed not to slug him, Nora nodded. “So naturally he had to be yours. Right, soldier?”
She hadn’t slept with anyone else. Of that he was certain. She was as much a one-man woman, as he was a one-woman guy.
Hence, there had been only one conclusion to jump to. Still could be. Aware there was a very good reason—in her mind anyway—for him not to be named the little tyke’s daddy, he folded his arms across his chest. “Let’s just say that there was a definite probability.”
Just as there was a definite probability their on-again, off-again relationship was about to be right back on.
Her brow lifting in disdain, she huffed, “Which is the only reason you showed up here like this! So you could do your duty and honorably acknowledge paternity!”
He wanted to say it wasn’t true.
But he couldn’t.
The minute their mutual friend had showed him the social media pages, he had started making plans, arranged for long-overdue leave and hopped a flight back to the good old US of A, figuring Christmas had come early for him, too.
Nora Caldwell, however, apparently had other ideas.
Ideas that apparently did not include a welcome home hug and kiss. Or anything else of a friendly nature.
She clamped her soft, kissable lips together tightly. Looked him up and down, finding nothing but fault. “I see.”
Did she?
Because as far as he was concerned, adoption or no adoption, this was their big chance. Maybe their last chance. If they could go back a step and start this reunion over. Something that again did not appear to be in her game plan.
“Well. Nice seeing you again, Lieutenant.” She whipped her hands off her hips and shoved him none too gently toward the portal.
He dug in his heels. Once again, he had blown it with her, without meaning to. He lifted both hands in abject surrender. Not a usual acknowledgment on his part. “Nora...”
His heartfelt plea fell on deaf ears.
“Don’t let the door hit you on your way out!” She gave one final shove to the center of his chest, and then he was standing on the other side of the portal. Her office door slammed in his face.
* * *
THE FIRST THING Zane noticed was the fact he wasn’t alone. In fact, quite a crowd of senior men and women had congregated in the hallway. The expressions on their faces indicated they had heard at least part of what had transpired.
The second thing he saw was a young woman dressed like a student, in jeans and a community college T-shirt. She had a diaper bag slung over her shoulder, a baby boy cradled in her arms.
Liam.
Zane had spent enough hours poring over the social media photos, while on the flight home to Texas, not to recognize this little angel. The tiny fella was again dressed all in blue. He had a cute little face and the same long-lashed sky blue eyes as his mother. The hair peeking out from beneath the cap was light, too.
No wonder Nora had called him the love of her life.
Zane was completely captivated by him, too.
As were all the smiling seniors.
“Umm...is Nora available?” the young woman asked. “She usually collects Liam when she gets off work, which should have been about ten minutes ago. And I’ve got to go to class...”
The office door swung open. Nora stood there, a light jacket thrown over her uniform, car keys in hand. “Hey, Shanda. Sorry if I kept you waiting.”
“No problem.” With a smile, Shanda handed little Liam over.
Zane stood there. Ready to apologize again. Nora sent him a look. “Don’t even...”
The circle of seniors seemed to agree it would be a bad idea to talk to her now. So, cursing the circumstances—which always seemed to be against them—Zane left.
* * *
“WELL, THAT’S A RELIEF,” Nora murmured to Liam as she ducked back into her office, gathered up their belongings and walked out to her red minivan. He cooed as she put him in his car seat. “I wasn’t sure Zane was going to exit so readily.”
Liam stared up at her, listening intently.
“It’s a long story,” Nora reassured her baby boy. Finished buckling him in, she shut the door and climbed into the driver seat. “The bottom line is, Zane would not approve if he knew exactly how and why you came into my life. He would tell me that letting someone else out of their familial obligations and adopting you was a big mistake that could only hurt me in the end. And he would be wrong.” Nora drew a deep breath as she turned off Spring Street and onto Wildflower Lane, then into her own driveway. “Because I know firsthand how a child needs at least one parent in his or her life. Every day. I know what it feels like when they’re not,” she said, putting her minivan in Park. “And I am going to be there for you, my darling baby boy.” Whether Zane likes it or not.
Liam chortled in agreement.
Nora grinned at her son’s happy acknowledgment, then got out to begin their evening. As always, it began with a leisurely postworkday play session. She read him a few stories—on the premise that it was never too soon to start loving books—then followed that by giving him a relaxing bath. When he was cozy in his pajamas, she sat down in her rocking chair to feed him a bottle.
He drank it readily, burped like a champ and then fell asleep to the sound of his favorite lullaby. She was just about to ease him out of her arms when a knock sounded at her front door.
Wondering who it could be, she set her sweetly snoozing son gently down into his Pack ’n Play. She moved soundlessly to the portal. Opened it. And sighed.
“You again,” she said.
Chapter Two (#u25a9ba43-1024-555e-b081-376a5eb98d45)
“I thought we should start over,” Zane Lockhart said, capturing her gaze in that intent way that always made her catch her breath.
Nora wasn’t surprised to see the handsome soldier on her doorstep so soon after their argument. She knew he’d been taught to rectify mistakes, ASAP. Whereas she’d grown up, picking herself up, dusting herself off and pretending whatever had hurt her didn’t matter, because time healed all wounds.
But sadly, in this case, the passage of months hadn’t fixed anything and might never.
Keeping her guard up, she stepped out onto the porch opposite him. Across the street, smoke curled from the chimney of a neighbor’s home, scenting the air with burning oak.
Wary of letting him back in her life in even the slightest way, she stared up at him coolly. “And I think we should leave things as is.” Frustration curled the corners of his lips. “Come on, Nora.” He pressed a brightly wrapped present and a bouquet of flowers into her hands. “Hear me out.”
She supposed she owed him that much, after all they had once been to each other.
She set the gifts on one of the rockers on the front porch. Trying not to notice how strappingly handsome he looked in the soft glow of her porch light, she turned back to him and folded her arms in front of her. “I’m listening.”
His expression sobered. “First, I apologize for any conclusions I might have jumped to.”
About time, she thought.
He held her eyes for a long moment. His voice dropped a compelling notch. “And second, I want to congratulate you on your new son.”
His words were so sincere she couldn’t help but respond. Figuring peace was better than conflict any day, Nora drew an enervating breath. “Thank you.”
Regret tautened the chiseled lines of his face. “I should have known if Liam were mine, you would have told me.”
“You’re damn right about that,” she said fiercely, trying not to think how much she had always longed to have his baby.
And perversely, she still did. But that wasn’t happening any more than a reconciliation, so the best thing to do was end their disagreement, and hence his reason for pursuing her.
“Thank you for coming by to say that.” Nora shivered in the cold November air. “I accept your apology.”
“Does that mean I get to come in long enough to see Liam again and watch you two open the baby gift?”
It’d be rude not to have him come in for a moment.
Aware she was practically shaking she was so cold, Nora picked up the gift and flowers. Turning toward the door, she led the way inside.
Acutely aware of him following lazily behind her, she glanced over her shoulder, frowned. “Why is it if I give you an inch you take a mile?”
He held the door for her. “Must be my easy Texas charm.”
She made a face and quipped right back before she could think. “It’s definitely something.”
He had changed into his civilian clothes since she had last seen him. The tweed sport coat and light blue shirt hugged his broad shoulders and muscled chest. Worn jeans cloaked his hard thighs, sturdy Western boots covered his feet.
Eyes twinkling, he followed her into the living room, where Liam still snoozed contentedly in his Pack ’n Play.
Zane paused to regard her son with a mixture of longing and tenderness that further stirred her emotions.
Nora set the flowers on the coffee table, then perched on the edge of a chair, the present on her lap. She gestured for him to have a seat on the sofa.
“Going to guess what it is?”
She couldn’t—wouldn’t—make too much of this. Ignoring the faint flutter of her heart, Nora tilted her head to one side. “Something the clerk at the baby boutique in town picked out for you?”
He flashed a cheeky grin. Not the least bit put off. “I’m more invested than that.”
She certainly hoped not. Because to have him invested in her life—in Liam’s—was the path to heartache, all over again. Doing her best to keep her guard up, Nora undid the ribbon.
Inside the box was a completely adorable red velvet Santa outfit, complete with cap and knit booties that looked like little black boots.
Zane turned his attention to the Pack ’n Play. Observing Liam, his expression grew tender once again. “I know Liam is a little young to know what the holidays are all about, but seeing as how this is his first Christmas—” his voice roughened slightly “—I figure he ought to celebrate it up right.”
Nora knew as an adoptive parent, versus a biological one, she should not be having postpregnancy hormonal shifts. But having Zane back in her life, even temporarily, was causing a seismic shift. She jerked in a quavering breath, still not daring to look her ex in the eye. “It’s lovely,” she murmured back huskily. “Thanks.”
He reached across the chasm of space between them, clasping her delicate hand in his rougher one. “So we’re good?”
Yes, Nora thought, her pulse racing despite herself. And no...
Luckily for her, she was saved from having to answer that by the ringing phone.
She rose to get it.
The news on the other end was not good.
* * *
“YOU HAVE TO go back to work now?” Zane asked.
Aware she had no time to don her scrubs again, Nora grabbed a belted cardigan-style jacket instead, looped the chained badge over her head and settled the ID between her breasts. She paused to pull on her favorite pair of Western boots. “It’s an emergency with a new resident. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to wait for a sitter to get here...so I’m going to have to take Liam with me.”
He followed her back to the Pack ’n Play. “Is that going to be a problem?”
Gently, Nora eased her son into a fleece jacket and cap. “No. He goes to Laramie Gardens with me every day.” It had been part of her employment deal, and the only way she would go back to work so soon. “I just usually have a sitter there with me. To keep an eye on him between feedings.” Which she usually did herself.
“Want me to go along and help?” Zane asked.
An extra pair of hands was always helpful, particularly when an infant was on the scene. Nodding, Nora collected the diaper bag and her purse, then gathered her son in her arms. “Actually, yes, if you wouldn’t mind. At least until I can get reinforcement.”
Together, they hurried out to the drive. Luckily, Liam seemed more dazed than unhappy to be woken up. Not always the case.
The pickup truck Zane had driven forever was parked behind her. “I’ll follow you over there,” he called.
Short minutes later, the two of them were walking into the home for senior citizens. Just before they entered the doors, Nora handed Liam, who was still strapped snugly into his infant carrier, off to Zane.
