Debbie stepped back and opened the door wider. “Of course, come in.”
“Are you sure? You look like you’re getting ready to go somewhere. I can come back another time.”
Anything to delay the awkward conversation he needed to have with her.
Debbie waved a hand. “Oh, I’m not going anywhere. I’m just having a good hair day, so I thought I’d dress up a little.”
His gaze jumped to hair again. She was definitely having a good hair day.
“I’ll try not to take up too much of your time.” Austin stepped inside, resisting the urge to fidget by clasping his hands together behind him.
His gaze roamed over the wide entryway, from the hardwood floors to the vaulted ceiling with an expensive Crystal chandelier. A wide staircase swept up one side of the entry to a balcony on the second floor.
Debbie closed the door and led him past a sparsely decorated sitting room with an arched doorway to the kitchen where he’d deposited the diapers last week. “Will you join me for a treat?”
“Oh no, that’s okay.” Austin stepped back.
Again, his gaze wandered around the room. Custom oak cabinets, gleaming countertops, crown molding. No expense was spared on this house.
“Please save me from myself. I got carried away yesterday and ordered two pieces of chocolate cake at Charity’s Diner. It’s so rich, I’ll never be able to eat them both.” She crossed the kitchen to the fridge and pulled out two take-out containers.
Within minutes, Austin was seated across from Debbie at the small table in the breakfast nook with a fat slice of chocolate cake and a glass of milk. A wall of windows let in the evening light, giving the area a soft, almost romantic glow. He wished Debbie had insisted they sit at the larger, much wider mahogany table he’d glimpsed in the next room.
“So, you said you have some questions for me?” Debbie poked her fork into the cake.
He fiddled with his fork, dreading the topic he needed to discuss with her. Before he could find the words to broach the subject, she put a bite of cake in her mouth.
“Mmm…”
The unexpected sound created an awareness in Austin he hadn’t felt in years. His gaze lingered on her face. Her long eyelashes fluttered closed, resting on her cheeks, and her pink lips pursed.
She opened her eyes to see him staring at her. “Sorry, this cake just gets me every time. It’s amazing—so moist and rich.”
Austin tore his gaze away and forced himself to take a bite. His own eyes drifted closed when the decadent chocolate hit his tongue. “Mmm… Thatisgood.”
He hadn’t tasted anything that rich and delicious in years.
Debbie laughed. “See, I told you.”
Austin took another bite, barely suppressing a moan of his own, before he cleared his throat and brought up the subject he needed to discuss.
“Savannah is eager to tackle your project, but I have some…reservations.”
“As any good parent should. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.” She put a hand to her chest. “I’m an open book.”
Austin put down his fork and scratched his neck. “I’ve um…heard some things about you that concern me about…what kind of influence you might have on my daughter.”
Debbie’s eyes widened, and her fork fell from her hand, clattering against her plate. Rosy spots filled her cheeks, reminding Austin of the doll his little sister had when they were young.
Her chin rose a fraction, and she gave a tight smile. “I know what people say about me, and most of it’s conjecture. They call me a fake because I look so different now than I did when I left town at eighteen.”
“A fake?” Austin hadn’t heard anyone call her that.
Debbie squared her shoulders. “I was a late bloomer.” She pointed at her head. “My hair was a much lighter color when I moved away. It darkened up during my early twenties. People think the color comes from a bottle, but it doesn’t.” She pointed to her eyes next. “They say the same about my eyes.”
He looked into the eyes that matched her vivid blue shirt. “They think you wear contacts?”
“Yes, because my eye color varies from day to day, depending on the color of my shirt. But I don’t wear contacts.” Pink tinged her cheeks again. “Okay, so my eyelashesarefake, but that’s only because I hardly have any eyelashes at all.”
