Yep, that about summed it up.
“I’m telling you, before you do another thing, and—Wait...you haven’t signed anything yet, have you?”
An offer on a house, but he had a ten-day inspection period to get out of that, a period he’d planned to waive. He’d only put down a thousand bucks, in any event. If he didn’t follow through on the deal, he’d only be out that much.
Until the house closed, he was covered.
“No.”
“Good. That’s real good. So now, before you do another thing, you get that paternity test done. You don’t even have a problem until that comes back—and I’m betting that when it does, you’ll find that you don’t have a problem at all.”
He did not want to ask Lizzie for a paternity test.
“Hey, at least promise this...” Austin was saying. “Promise me you won’t sign anything until after you’re home tomorrow. We’ll talk then.”
Yeah, about that... He didn’t even know if he was going to New Orleans.
He had the ticket. Everyone was expecting him to show up.
But he couldn’t see a way to leave Lizzie and Stella. It was the baby’s first Christmas. And Lizzie...well, he wanted to be there with her.
“I can give you my word I won’t sign anything before tomorrow,” he said.
His days of “freedom” were quickly drawing to a premature close. He was buying a house. Planning to support a woman and child. He had to tell his family.
They’d want the paternity test. Which meant asking Lizzie about it.
And telling her that he was no longer keeping her and Stella a secret.
How could he hope to do any of that when even the small things were stumping him? Was he going home for Christmas or not?
Either way, he was going to be letting someone down and needed to let them know.
He knew what he wanted to do—spend Christmas with Lizzie. But his decisions didn’t just affect himself. Whatever he did reflected on his family, as well. And could put the family’s personal fortune at risk—as Austin had done.
Yearnings, wants—those were kid stuff.
It was time for him to man up.
Chapter Eighteen
Waking up with a feeling of excitement Monday morning, Lizzie took time to wash and blow-dry her hair, leaving it long and wavy. She put on makeup, her favorite pair of leggings and a long, red, figure-hugging sweater with a sequined mantel on the front holding Christmas stockings. Nolan had bought it for her at a boutique they’d happened on the year before—not that he’d necessarily remember that.
Stella’s outfit, also from Nolan, was black leggings and a red dress, with a reindeer on the front—and matching bow to clip onto her hairband. Perfect for a visit with Santa.
She wasn’t sure what to make of Nolan’s pants and tie, the fancy shoes, but Carmela left no doubt of her reaction as she approached him holding the door open for her to climb into the back of the SUV next to Stella’s car seat.
“Wow. Impressive, Fortune,” she said, not all that kindly. Lizzie shot her a look, a silent Please? And Carmela nodded as she buckled herself in.
She and Carmela had had a long talk the night before when Lizzie had returned from the club. Carmela was certain that Lizzie was in love with Stella’s father. She just didn’t trust the man. He was setting Lizzie up like a kept woman and Carmela didn’t approve. At all. Even when Lizzie tried, over and over, to assure her friend that she wouldn’t marry Nolan even if he asked. She wanted no part of his fancy, high-powered life in New Orleans.
The rest—being in love with the man—she’d learn to live with. She just needed time.
And to have her brain about her apparently. “I forgot the diaper bag,” she announced from the front seat, just as Nolan was starting the vehicle.
She opened her door, but he insisted that he’d go get it.
Afraid to leave him and Carmela alone in the vehicle together, not counting a sleeping Stella, who would neither distract nor be able to referee, Lizzie handed him her house key.