Serena stopped short at the end of the stairs and stared across the foyer into the living room, her gaze circling from his parents to Levon, then finally landing on Noah. “Who are our guests?”
He stood and walked over to her, hoping to head off a disaster. “Look, I’m sorry about this. I didn’t expect my parents to just show up here after I told my mom about the baby, but—”
“Is this my grandbaby?” his mother said, coming into the foyer behind him.
Noah had little choice but to step aside as Gracie squealed in Serena’s arms. “Yes. Mom, this is my daughter, Gracie. And this is her mother, Serena Carson.”
“Oh, my goodness,” his mother said, putting her hands to her cheeks. “She’s so precious. May I hold her?”
Serena looked from his mom to him, then nodded. “Sure. She’s a bit hungry, so hopefully she won’t get too fussy.”
“Well, I know all about fussy babies,” his mother said, taking Gracie and smiling down at her. “Noah was a holy terror when he was little. So picky and persnickety. If everything wasn’t just so, he’d pitch a fit in his crib.”
“Really?” Serena raised a brow at him, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Imagine that.”
Noah shook his head. “That’s not true. I just like things to be done right.”
“And guess who got to decide what that meant?” his mom said, winking at him before cuddling and cooing to little Gracie. “How about we go in here and meet your grandpa, huh? Yes, would you like to go with Grandma, huh? Would you? Yes, you would.”
He watched his mom walk away with Gracie, charming her more with each step, and couldn’t stop a small smile from breaking through. His mom really was the best. He’d do anything for her, especially if it meant tossing his no-good dad out on his butt.
“I thought you said your parents split up,” Serena whispered.
“They did.”
“They don’t look split up to me,” she said, hiking her chin toward the living room where his mother had settled back on the sofa beside his dad. She had Gracie in her arms and his dad had his arm around the two of them and they looked like a Hallmark picture postcard family. His gut knotted tighter. There were times growing up where he’d have given anything to see that scene play out at their house. But nope. Never happened. Until now. Resentment burned alongside the flickering hope inside him, squelching it before it could take root. He was too old for fairy tales and this was no happily ever after. Nothing like that was possible for him. He’d seen to that himself when he’d told Serena there was no future for them together.
“Well, they are,” he said, taking a step back from her, away from what he couldn’t have. “Looks can be deceiving.”
Serena gave him a flat, sidelong glance, then walked past him toward the living room. “Tell me about it.”
Noah stood there for several moments, weighing his options. Part of him wanted to grab his duffle and clear out of there right then, forget all the pain and heartache and just go. But the other part of him knew he’d never get over it if he did. He wasn’t a coward and running was a coward’s choice. So, he manned up and headed into the living room, where the conversation had shifted from Gracie to Serena and her kidnapping.
Levon passed him on his way into the room and said in a low voice, “Good luck, dude.”
Perfect. He set the pink elephant on the floor and took a seat in the empty chair, steeling himself for the grilling that was bound to come once his mom found out he and Serena weren’t a couple. Not anymore, anyway. If they ever really had been. That band of regret cinched tighter around his chest.
“So, where will you two be moving after this?” his mother asked, kissing Gracie’s head and bouncing her on her knee. “We passed some lovely homes in this neighborhood on our way here.”
“Oh, we’re not going to stay together,” Serena said, her polite smile hard and brittle around the edges. “Noah and I are going to co-parent Gracie, but otherwise we’ll live separate lives.”
His mother looked up at Noah, her expression concerned. “Are you sure that’s the best choice?”
No. “Yes,” he said. “It’s what Serena and I have decided.”
Beside him, Serena frowned and opened her mouth like she wanted to argue, but Gracie took that opportunity to upchuck down the front of her cute little pink sundress.
“Oh, dear,” his mother said. “If you get me a towel, I’ll clean her up.”
Without thinking, Noah and Serena moved as a unit, both getting up at the same time to handle the situation. After all these days together, it was what they were used to. A normal routine.
“I’ll get the wipes and a clean dress,” he said, heading upstairs.
“And I’ll get the baby wash and a towel from the kitchen,” Serena called, heading down the hall.
They met up in the living room again moments later to get their baby daughter all cleaned up. By the time they were done, his parents were watching them closely from the sofa, a quizzical look on their faces.
Noah put away the last of the wipes, then met his mom’s gaze. “What?”