Hillmore might be filled with broken promises and bad memories, but he refused to be anything like his own father. No, he’d do right by that baby, even if it meant being trapped in the one place he’d vowed to never return.
The minutes tickedby far quicker than Celine wanted. Her feet were still sore and body tired, but she’d take rushing around a busy restaurant over having a conversation with Lane. Now, as she maneuvered up her driveway with Parker asleep in the backseat, she’d give anything to turn back around and put in another ten hours.
But that wasn’t an option.
Maybe it was better to get it over with. To rip off the Band-Aid. Even if she already knew exactly how the conversation would go. Lane had always been clear fatherhood wasn’t in his plans.
And the last night they’d spent together, he’d been very straightforward. He wouldn’t be back to Hillmore if it was up to him, and nothing would extend their time together. He’d hammered that point home when she’d woken to an empty bed and an evening filled with regrets.
She glanced behind her at Parker. No, not regrets. Because without that night she wouldn’t have her son.
Now she just needed to brace herself for the shitshow that waited. Lane would be there soon. It’d be best to transfer Parker to his crib so she wouldn’t be distracted. Not to mention throwing him off his bedtime routine for one night would ruin the next few days.
Stepping outside, she hooked her elbow on the top of the car door and stared at the rental she now called home. The old, faded blue siding had offered her and her child shelter when she’d needed it most, but she couldn’t help but wonder what Lane would think. The little bungalow nestled on the crowdedstreet with similar houses was a far cry from where she’d lived with her ex-husband.
She rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what Kevin thought of her new place. He’d tried to use his money and promise of taking care of her and Parker to lure her back into a toxic marriage.
A marriage built on nothing but lies.
So she’d said no—over and over again. Then set about tending her garden and building a home she could be proud of. She might not have the money she once had, but her heart was full and her life fuller.
No matter what anyone else thought about it. Including Lane Tipton.
A shrill cry from the backseat snapped her out of her reverie. Sighing, she shut her door then hurried to unhook the car seat in the back. So much for a peaceful transfer to Parker’s crib. Hopefully she could feed him a little and settle him back down before Lane arrived.
A sense of urgency quickened her pace. The porch light illuminated the outside of the house, helping her to find the deadbolt and unlock the door. With Parker’s carrier looped on her forearm, she stepped inside and made a beeline for his nursery. Once in the room, she placed the seat on the navy shag rug that covered the wooden floor and released the straps keeping Parker’s little body safely confined.
Parker raised his arms high over his head and whimpered.
“It’s okay, little man. Mama’s here. Let’s get you all settled for the night.” Her mom had already decked him in his pajamas, and a quick check revealed a dry diaper. “Looks like all you need is a full belly and a little love, huh?”
She turned on the sound machine on the dresser before settling into the rocking chair situated in the corner of the room. She waited for Parker to latch before melting against the softcushions. Staring down at Parker’s face, she hummed one of his favorite lullabies until his eyelids drifted shut.
She checked her watch. Five minutes before Lane was due to arrive, and if he was anything like the Lane she used to know, he wouldn’t be a second late. She rocked a couple more minutes then slowly stood and carried her precious bundle to his crib. Tossing up a quick prayer to the bedtime gods that he wouldn’t wake, she slowly laid him on his back then tiptoed out of the room.
The door clicked close with no cries from Parker, and she let out a long breath. One impossible task complete, now it was almost time for the next.
Facing Lane and telling him that he was a father.
The conversation would be hard, but she’d make sure he understood she had no expectations of him stepping up and playing a role he never asked for. He could go back to riding his bulls and living his life exactly the way he wanted.
The idea of Lane walking away from her—again—sat heavy on her chest as she moved down the short hallway to the kitchen. Time was a luxury she didn’t have. She might as well clean some bottles before Lane arrived.
With one ear tuned for the doorbell, she turned on the faucet and fiddled with the temperature until it was right below scalding. She dipped her hands into the hot surface, wishing she could sink her whole body in a bath. Maybe after Lane left, she could indulge in a little self-care.
A creaking sound set her nerves on edge, and she stilled. A quick peek behind her shoulder showed her nothing but bills scattered over her kitchen table and recipe books lined up on a shelf she’d put up the week before.
Okay. She was just nervous about seeing Lane.
Turning back to the sink, she continued cleaning the bottles then slid some dishes from that morning in the now lukewarm water. A plate, some silverware, and her favorite coffee mug.
The energy in the room shifted, a weird tension causing goosebumps to prickle her skin. She was more in her head about this whole Lane thing than she realized. Maybe she just needed to sit for a second and?—
A hard hand clamped over her mouth, the smell of rubber from the latex glove invading her senses. An arm snapped around her waist, pinning her to a wall of muscle. “Don’t bother fighting,” a hot, deep voice said against her ear. “There’s nowhere to run.”
Fear churned in her gut. Thoughts of Parker asleep in his room pumped adrenaline through her veins. She tip-toed her fingers through the murky suds until she found a knife. Her breaths came out in sharp, short huffs through her nose as she latched onto it and swept it backward, plunging into the man’s thigh.
“You bitch!” His hold dropped.
