Just One Dare (The Kingston Family 5)

He blew out a breath. “I did run into Aurora last night. And I showed up at her place this morning.”

He kept replaying the moment Leah had opened the door, and that little face, with his eyes, had greeted him. A lump rose in his throat. “I’m a father.”

“Wait, what? Say that again.” She sat upright and stared at him in disbelief.

“Pretty sure you heard me the first time.”

She blinked hard. “Shit, Nicky.” Only his twin ever called him that. “Did she keep your kid from you?”

He shook his head. “No. Nothing like that. Aurora and I didn’t exchange last names. It was one night and she had no way of finding me once she realized she was pregnant.”

Jade’s hand covered her open mouth. “Oh God. That poor woman.”

He rose and began to pace the room. “Actually, she was a girl, just eighteen when we met. And it gets worse. She was practically homeless at the time. And I had no idea. Thank God she got a few lucky breaks or who knows what would have happened to her and my kid.” His chest hurt at the thought of Aurora living in the back of that diner, in a too warm room, with little money.

“What are you going to do about your…son? Daughter?”

He turned to his sister and grinned. “Daughter. Her name is Leah and she’s a spitfire. Not to mention the cutest kid ever.”

“Nick, umm, what makes you certain she’s yours? That this isn’t some elaborate scam for money?” Jade winced as she asked the question.

And he couldn’t blame her for asking it. “For one thing, she has our eye color. And remember those lucky breaks I mentioned she’d gotten?”

Jade nodded.

“One of them was going to Braden Prescott’s clinic when she was pregnant. Apparently, his now-wife, Willow, took Aurora under her wing and gave her a place to live while she sorted out her life. They also got her a job, which created a paper trail, and enabled the family she didn’t know she had, to find her.” He paused, letting his story sink in.

When he was sure Jade was with him, he hit her with the craziest part of Aurora’s life. “And…she’s a Kingston. She doesn’t need my money. She’s also not the type of woman to scam anyone,” he snapped, then shook his head. “Sorry. I just know the kid is mine, okay?”

“Okay. You know I had to ask but I get it now.” And his sister smiled wide. “I can’t wait to meet her. Got a picture?”

He ground his palms into his own eyes. “Dammit! I didn’t even think about taking one. Hang on.” Pulling out his phone, he texted Aurora his request. A few seconds later, a photo showed up on his screen and he grinned.

“Here.” He handed Jade the picture he intended to make his background photo. Leah, with her curly blonde hair in pigtails and a huge smile on her face, cuddled with a stuffed bear.

“Oh my God, she’s adorable! I want to squeeze those cheeks! So what are your plans? When can I meet her? I need to buy her things!” His sister reached for her laptop, her excitement allowing him to relax now that she wasn’t questioning his child’s paternity.

“Jade, hang on.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Leah doesn’t know I’m her father yet.” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I showed up at the door, and of course, Aurora introduced me as an old friend. She didn’t deny who Leah was to me, but she did ask that we take it slow. Right now, Leah calls me Mr. Nick.” He laughed, remembering the first time she’d said it.

“But she’ll let you see your daughter, right?” His sister sounded worried, defensive on his behalf.

“Yes. Leah invited me to her birthday party and Aurora agreed. She said we’d take it from there. I don’t want to traumatize her,” he told his sister.

But he had the sense that not much would send his daughter into a tailspin. She seemed to be an all-around happy kid, which he owed to Aurora’s good parenting. If she wanted to take it slow, he’d trust her judgment. But if anyone had been traumatized by Nick’s sudden presence in their lives, he knew it was Aurora.

“Traumatize who? Aurora or Leah?” Jade asked, causing him to let out a laugh.

“Twinning,” he muttered. Despite not being identical—in fact, in looks, they were polar opposites—they often thought the same way. “Aurora’s more unsettled by all of this than I think Leah will be.”

“Speaking of Aurora, what is it you want from her? Just access to your daughter?” Jade rose from her seat. “Can I get you anything to drink? I’m going to get some soda. I need caffeine—it’ll help my head.”

He nodded. “Sure. I’ll have a Coke.” He followed her into the kitchen, hoping he could avoid her first question since he was still trying to figure out the answer.