“But I will be working with your brothers daily—assuming I’ll still be employed.” He ran a hand over his face.
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sp; His job. Her brothers. Her stomach flipped. Again.
“There’s a long road ahead of us.” His attempt at confidence failed. “Telling people will be the easy part.”
Every bone in her body rebelled against such an idea. “There’s nothing easy about that. Not to me.”
He stared up at the ceiling. “I didn’t mean that.” The raw anguish in his voice hurt to hear. “I have people to tell, too.”
People? Ash’s love life hadn’t entered her mind yet but it had been two months—he could have met someone. “It certainly complicates things in the romance department,” she mumbled, forcing the words past the new lump lodged in her throat.
His gaze locked with hers, jaw clenching tight. “You’re seeing someone?”
“No.” She shook her head. “You just said you had people—”
“My son,” he interrupted.
She blinked. “You have a son?” Another blink, her mind officially spinning out of control. A son? A big brother. The boy’s mother? Shared custody? Was the boy there now? With Ash’s ex? It was too much—all of it. Once more she was struck by just how little they knew each other. They’d been too caught up in this current between them, struck dumb by sensation and want to think beyond the time they’d shared.
He studied her for a long time. “You’ve gone to the doctor?”
“First official appointment is in two days.” Thanks to Winnie. All she could do was hope and pray she kept it to herself. Chances were slim... Meaning she didn’t have much time.
“I’ll come with you.”
“That’s not necessary.” He couldn’t come with her. That would only make things worse.
She was about to argue when his phone started to ring. He pulled it from his pocket, glanced her way, then back at the phone. “Excuse me,” he said, answering the call with a muffled “hello” as he walked out of the kitchen.
She stared at the kitchen door, her head hurting—on top of the swish and pitch of her stomach. Ash had had the advantage of meeting her family, staying in her home, becoming instantly immersed in her life and family. All she knew was the ridiculous effect he had on her body, that he was a veterinarian—one talented enough for her brothers to hire—and, lastly, that he had a son.
Everything else? A mystery.
Including who was on the other end of that phone call.
* * *
Ash downed his second cup of coffee and glanced at the door for the hundredth time this morning. No Renata. They’d left a hell of a lot unfinished last night and he didn’t like it. Normally, he wasn’t a pushy man. But nothing about this was normal. This was too big to sit by and hope things worked out. She might have run off while he was getting his nightly report from the mothers, but he knew where to find her today.
Last night had been one of the longest nights of his life. After his hunt for Renata came up empty, he’d called the mothers back and told them everything. Well...not everything, but enough. When’d they both peppered him with questions about who she was, her family and when they’d be getting married, Ash kept things as vague as possible. In his heart, he knew what was best for his child. A mother and a father, under one roof, sharing responsibilities and unconditional love. His father had been a hard man, sparing with his praise and affection for his son and wife. Ash had grown up looking for ways to win his father’s approval, and losing him at seventeen had left a void he’d never filled. His children would never experience that. They would grow up with a loving and supportive father. If he had it his way, a family.
Now he sat, making small talk and sharing an incredible spread of homemade cinnamon rolls, fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp bacon and fresh orange juice. Teddy and his wife, Clara, were gracious hosts, eagerly sharing tidbits about the town they called home. Before he got too caught up in conversation, he got directions to the Tourism Department.
“Renata mentioned something about a Gingerbread Festival needing judges, so I thought I’d lend a hand.” Not that he had the slightest interest in gingerbread houses. But if Renata was there, he would be, too.
“I’m sure she’ll appreciate it,” Clara said. “This time of year, her plate is always overloaded.” Clara pulled another tray of cookies from the industrial oven. She’d been baking since before he joined them for breakfast. The kitchen smelled incredible. Platters were stacked high with frosted sugar-cookie Christmas trees and wreaths, gingerbread men with red-hot eyes and raisin buttons, and tins of fudge and white divinity candy. If Ash wasn’t so stuffed from breakfast, he’d have eaten his fair share. “But Christmas is a special time of year and Renata likes to make sure everyone gets a healthy dose of the holiday spirit.”
“She does.” Teddy nodded. “But that girl needs to take care of herself. She’s always finding time to watch her brothers’ kids or us. What she needs to be doing is finding a good man and having her own house full of babies.”
“You remind her every time you see her. Now Ash knows it, too.” Clara patted his hand. “It’s your fault, Teddy. You’ve shown your children what real love looks like. Your daughter isn’t going to settle. So until the right man comes along, you’ll just have to wait.”
Real love. Right man. Hell. Whatever he offered her, he’d be asking her to settle.
Guilt, all too familiar, clawed at his stomach and set a slow throb in his temple. Renata deserved both of those things. But now the right man would also need to be willing to be a loving stepfather to her baby. Their baby. His hands were unsteady as they spun the coffee cup he held, the surface of the black liquid rippling. His baby. A baby he wanted to raise—not some mystery man that might come along and sweep Renata off her feet. The guilt twisted into something heavier, hotter—and bitter. Anger.
At who? The only person he had a right to be angry with was himself—for being foolish enough to wind up in this position.