With Parker in her arms, she found his snuggly pajamas covered in yellow ducks. They were her favorite, his feet covered in orange beaks. Once he was dried, diapered, and dressed she held him up and chuckled. She set up in his chair and grabbed her phone from her back pocket to snap a quick photo.
“I know, I know. You already hate getting your picture taken all the time. But you’re just so stinking cute.” She stared at the screen and smiled. “Maybe I should send this to your dad.”
Saying the words out loud made a lump wedge in her throat. She hovered the thumb over screen, hesitating for a few seconds before finally sending the photo along. She’d have to make a lot of uncomfortable decisions in the days to come. Might as well start with something as small as a pj picture.
Her phone dinged instantly with Lane’s response.
Thank you. He’s a handsome dude.
Tears hovered over her lashes. She drew in a deep breath then plucked Parker from his seat. “Enough of that for one day. Let’s get you fed and settled in for bed.”
Before she sat on the rocker, the blast of the doorbell set her on edge. Panic tightened her muscles, but she opened her new app to check the security feed before she spiraled.
Irritation made her muscles impossibly tighter. Her ex-husband stood at the door carrying bags of God only knew what.
She was tempted to slam the door and let him stand there all damn night, but she knew Kevin too well. He wouldn’t budgeuntil she let him speak his piece. A stubborn characteristic that had always annoyed her.
“You’re going to have to wait a little bit, okay? Let Mommy deal with this then we’ll get back to your bedtime routine.”
Parker answered with a large yawn that told her she better hurry and get Kevin out of there or her little one would lose his patience soon.
Hurrying to the front door before another blast of the bell gritted her nerves, she shut off the alarm and pasted on a tight smile to greet the last person she wanted to see. “Hi Kevin. What’s up?”
The porch light shined down on her ex-husband, beating back the dark sky. He lifted a bag in the air and flashed an over-enthusiastic smile. “I brought dinner. You had a rough night, and I figured cooking was the last thing you’d want to do.” He shifted his attention to Parker. “And look at you. All shiny and clean. Cute pjs.”
“I was about to get him ready for bed.”
“Then it’s a perfect time for me to set out the food. It will be all ready when you’re finished.” He made a move to step inside.
Frowning, she blocked him. “What are you doing?” she asked, sighing. Now wasn’t the time to deal with her exhausting ex-husband. Her patience was too thin to even pretend to be nice.
His clean-shaven face crumpled in confusion. “I’m only trying to help.”
“That’s not your job anymore. Hasn’t been for some time.”
“But it can be again. I want to make things right. I want to be the man you married—the man you fell in love with.”
She lifted her chin, irritation sliding down her spine. “The man I married lied to me for years about his gambling. Hid his bad habits. Made me look like an ignorant fool.”
“But I’m better now. I’m done with that. I can step up and be the man you want, the father Parker needs.”
An image of Lane popped in her head. He was the man she’d wanted for the past year. That would never happen, but it was time to tell the world that he was Parker’s father. Kevin knew he wasn’t, but that hadn’t stopped him from trying to claim the title and worm his way back into her life.
She sucked in a deep breath before spilling the truth. “Parker’s father is back in town and ready to be here for him.” There was more she could say about Lane, but she didn’t owe Kevin any kind of explanation. She just needed to say enough to get him off her property.
Narrowing his eyes, he moved his jaw back and forth. “Only one man I know of has come back to town lately. Are you freaking kidding me? Lane Tipton? How the hell did that even happen?”
Fire scorched her veins. “You lost the right to question my decisions the day I found you crying about all the money you owed. We are no longer married. It’s time you get that through your head.”
His shoulders slumped forward. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll go, but you might as well take the food.”
She wanted to say no but her growling stomach said otherwise. “Thank you. Good night,” she said, grabbing the bag and closing the door before he managed to say something else to try and sway her. She pressed a quick kiss to her baby’s cheek and headed for the kitchen. “Just gotta make a little pit stop then I’ll get you fed, okay little man?”
With his gaze latched on her face, he cooed and gurgled.
She took a second to soak up his sweetness and let the stress bunching her neck melt away. No matter what happened outside these walls, as long as she had Parker, she’d be fine.
With the bag of take-out in the fridge, she turned toward the hallway.
