A Baby Affair (Parent Portal 2)

“And how did you explain to Duane that the dog hadn’t been put to sleep?”

“We told him the truth. At which time he’d told my mom that he was glad they hadn’t wasted the money on a test that proved unnecessary to begin with. But to be fair, he was drunk all three nights this was going on.”

There was no bitterness in her tone. And he figured he knew why. While Amelia had been unable to control much of what happened to and around her while she’d been growing up, she’d taken control of her life, pieces at a time, as she’d been able. Like finding a way to save her dog. And in doing so, by finding her own powers, she’d found acceptance for what had been.

If he were to be completely honest with himself, he didn’t really need to see her anymore to have peace of mind where his child was concerned. That baby might not live in a traditional home, might not live in the type of home Craig wanted for him and his family, but he or she was going to have one helluva fantastic mother.

Chapter Thirteen

Amelia really enjoyed the ride that Sunday afternoon. Even more than usual. Talking to Craig was like talking to her counselor sometimes—she could say things without worrying. Her words weren’t going to hurt his feelings. Their opinions didn’t need to coincide with the other’s desires.

His combination of knowledge and experience gave him good insights.

And he was a good listener.

And yet, she wasn’t paying him to listen to her. Nor was he bound under any kind of laws or certification to withhold his own opinion, or to draw out hers.

They just talked.

And he listened because he chose to do so, not because it was his job. Just as she did when he talked about Talley and the other things going on in his life—like his mom and dad’s thirty-fifth anniversary coming up that summer. He wanted to make it special for them but wasn’t able to land on what to do. Or the partner who was leaving his clinic to make more money in Los Angeles. They’d had a good talk about the value of money, how much was enough, a few Sundays before. They both wanted enough financial security to be able to do the things they wanted to do, but neither of them felt the need to live more lavishly than their current circumstances. He hoped to have a small yacht someday. Something big enough to spend the night out on the ocean. She wanted to be able to take her child on meaningful and exciting trips around the world. And to have season passes to Disneyland.

He wanted a house full of kids and she couldn’t help thinking what a great dad he would make. She wanted just the one child she was having, or at the most two. She had a business to run and didn’t want to stretch herself so thin that she had to miss functions, not be available to help with homework or to just be present and sit and listen to her child regurgitate everything that had happened in her day.

She didn’t want to miss any of the chatter.

And as they fell silent and the conversation started to replay through her mind, she couldn’t deny the pang of sadness she felt at the realization that her own child wouldn’t get the benefit of having any dad, let alone Craig.

As they pulled to a stop at a little shack with restrooms, a vending machine and a couple of benches inside, she noticed that there wasn’t anyone else around. They were often by themselves when they rode, but because they were on the paved exercise path, and because there’d been others out skating and jogging and riding with them, she was surprised to have the bathroom completely to herself. The bathroom need that was becoming more prevalent these days. She did her business and came out to find Craig standing under the roof of the open portion of the shack.

Walled in on three sides, the open portion faced the trail and behind that the ocean in the far distance with acres of natural parkland with some trees in between them and the shore of huge boulders a few feet below.

“Didn’t you say you’d read there was zero chance of rain today?” Craig asked as she came back out into the little vestibule with the be

nches and vending machine.

“Yeah,” she told him, glancing out at the nearly dark sky.

“I did, too.”

Apparently the weather report had been wrong. And she’d been too busy enjoying her time with him to pay attention to a path that had been slowly emptying of people.

“You think we can make it back without getting wet?” She wasn’t worried. Wasn’t really even bothered. Sitting alone with him in the little shack through a downpour didn’t sound dreadful. She had a vision of a cabin in the wilderness, all-day rain, and her and Craig, cozy inside, and pushed it quickly away. She had to stop seeing castles in the clouds.

Craig had pulled out his phone, was asking his virtual assistant for a weather report.

The report came back that there was a twenty percent chance of rain. Amelia followed him outside. Turned a circle, still looking up at the sky.

“It’s completely blue over there,” she said, pointing inland. Another biker, heading back toward town, slowed down, mentioned the darkness coming in over the ocean. The three of them discussed heading back or waiting it out, just in case.

The other biker, a man about their age, was going for it, finishing his ride. Amelia figured they could, too.

Craig had the exact opposite idea. “The track will be more slippery,” he said. “I don’t want to take any chances on you falling.”

She wasn’t going to fall. His concern was overkill. And nice. Beyond nice.

She could easily become addicted to the attention he gave her.

But it was getting darker. The path really could get slick. And so she let herself stay alone in the shack with him, waiting out the rain.