He cooed and a little smile lifted his lips. His brown eyes were open wide, and a drop of milk wet some of his dark curls.
A quick scan of the small office led her to a fitted gray t-shirt tucked in a tote bag in the corner. She swapped shirts and made her way back out to the restaurant. A young woman and man in a black cowboy hat stood beside her mom’s table, both with their backs to her.
“Here you go, Mama. He’s nice and full. I’ve got to get back to work.”
The man turned. Lane Tipton stared at her, his brown eyes wide and dark curls now cut and no longer brushing against his ears like the last time she saw him. His gaze darted from her to Parker and back again. Shock twisted his expression. “Celine?”
All the air was sucked from her lungs. Her hands shook, and she held tighter to son. Whether she liked it or not, the day she'd dreaded was here. Lane would hear the truth he could already see on their son’s face.
2
Apit the size of his fist settled in Lane’s gut. He swallowed hard, searching for words to say to Celine.
Any words.
But his mind was blank. His heart hammered against his chest and a million questions clamored for attention in his head. But one rang out louder than the rest.
How old was the baby she held in her arms?
“Oh, my goodness,” Suzy squealed. “Look at that little bundle you’ve got. I’ve been dying to get my eyes on him. How are you both doing?”
Celine tore her gaze from Lane and focused on Suzy. “Umm, we’re good,” she stammered.
Either he still knew Celine better than he knew himself or her nerves were blinking louder than the neon signs behind the bar.
Not like he could blame her. The last time he saw her, he’d snuck out of her bed like a coward. That had been twelve months ago. He didn’t know much about babies, but the boy in Celine’s arms couldn’t be more than a handful of months old.
He studied the chubby cheeks and brown eyes. The dark hair that curled along his neck. No hint of his mother’s blond strandsor blue eyes. Even the child’s naturally tanned complexion was the opposite of his mother’s. The rest of the room disappeared, the noise relegated to ringing in his ears. Lane’s chest tightened.
“Celine?” Her name caught in his throat and came out as more of a plea.
“I…I’m busy. I can’t talk right now.” She handed the baby to her mother and plucked an order pad from the back pocket of her jeans.
He frowned. “Do you work here?”
She lifted her chin, fire sparking in her eyes. “Yes, and I need to get back to my job. Are you two dining in? I can find you a table.”
“They can sit here with me,” Lisa said with far too much enthusiasm. “This place is packed, and they don’t want to eat at the bar. Besides, it will give Lane and me a chance to catch up and Suzy can help with Parker while I eat.”
Lane noted the blood draining from Celine’s pretty face. His instincts went wild, and he fought the urge to drag her outside and demand answers. “We’re not staying. I’m not hungry anymore.”
“But you said you wanted a burger,” Suzy said, crossing her arms over her chest. “And I’m starving.”
“Then order something to go. I’ll wait in the truck.” He spoke each word through gritted teeth. He needed air, needed space—hell, he needed to be anywhere but standing in front of a child that heknewwas his.
Celine stood with her back straight and stiff as if bracing herself for his anger.
But he wasn’t angry. He was confused, and if he was being honest, a little hurt. And maybe terrified of the sudden shift his entire world had made.
Again.
Clearing his throat, he rubbed the back of his neck and forced himself to look in her eyes. The hesitation and fear he saw threatened to take him out at the knees. “Can we talk later?”
She nodded. “Sure. I’m off in a couple hours.”
He had no choice but to wait but damn, two hours would stretch like an eternity. “My place or yours?”
Her brows shot up, but she didn’t voice whatever questions brewed in her mind. “Mine. I need to get back to Parker.”
