Baby Daddy Wanted (Crescent Cove 5)

But Murphy wasn’t taking him. He just shook his head and tucked his hands in his pockets. “He looks good in your arms.”

“Does he?” I glanced down at Sean and smiled, rubbing my fingers over his pink cheek. “He’s a sweetheart.”

“Trust me, he’s usually bawling his head off by now. You have a way with the little ones, Vee.”

Smiling, I rocked him and basked in the moment.

Holding him felt so natural and perfect. I hadn’t grown up with siblings or young cousins, so I hadn’t experienced holding babies until friends had given birth. But cradling a baby might as well have been something I’d done a million times before. No awkwardness or worry. Just joy that this one thing was something I was meant to do. Even more than baking and preparing food and coffee for others to enjoy.

I was meant to be a mother.

“Would you mind watching him while I run to the ladies’ room? I never get a moment to myself anymore. I’d love to put toilet paper down and commune with my thoughts in privacy. If you don’t mind?” Kelsey was already on the move. “Be right back,” she called over her shoulder.

Murphy dropped into Kelsey’s vacated seat and leaned forward to smile at me across the table. “She’s right, you know. You’re a natural.”

“I guess I like making people happy. Big people with their hit of java and a scone, little people with their sticky fists.” I chuckled as Sean grabbed a chunk of the hair I’d left down and gave it a surprisingly strong tug.

“You’re good at it.”

“Yeah?” I cocked my head at him. “You’re good at making people happy too, Mr. Masterson. Since my boss has been teasing me for the last half hour about how I’m glowing.”

His smile as he reached over to poke Sean’s chubby belly made me smile back. And offer him the baby again.

This time, he didn’t hesitate. Watching him carefully tuck the little boy into his big, strong arms made my stomach swim in the best possible way.

“You’re a natural too.” God, I hoped my voice wasn’t wobbling.

He didn’t seem to notice as he grinned down at Kelsey’s son. “Lots of practice with my niece. My brother Travis’s girl.”

Murphy had such a big family. He was forever naming people and I was beginning to think I needed a chart to keep up.

My own world was so empty. Oh, sure, in the center of it was my job and my friends and lots of reasons to keep busy. On the edges though there was nothing but the horizon.

No ports in the storm, metaphorical or otherwise.

I’d thought I was fine living alone. On my own in most ways. No family dinners to be had, no annoying squabbles with siblings, no teasing arguments—and even not-so-teasing ones—with parents. But hearing all that he had in his life made me wonder what it was like.

God, I wanted family. My family. And maybe I wanted to share his too.

If there was room for me.

“What’s that look for?”

I made myself smile. “Just thinking about what might never be.”

He nodded at Sean. “You mean one of these?”

Because it was easier, I nodded. “Big piece of the puzzle.”

“You can’t think that way. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen. And God, Veronica, you deserve the world.” The fierceness of his tone made my eyes fill.

I whisked away the tear that sneaked down my face with the side of my fist. Classy to the end, that was me. “Thanks. I guess we’ll see.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, leave me the hell alone.”

Murphy’s eyes widened as he moved to cover Sean’s ears while I shifted to follow the irritated voice I recognized as Rylee’s. She was surrounded by Macy and a few other customers and was staring up at them with pure fire in her eyes from where she sat.

On the floor.