His Baby Dilemma

Sam Crenshaw stepped out behind Gina. “What’s going on?”

“Grace has come for a visit,” Mica growled. “But she’s just leaving. Aren’t you, Grace?”

Grace felt her heart land on the pavement. No amount of preparation could have helped her combat Mica’s anger.

True, Grace needed time to concentrate on her career, but she also loved her baby with all her heart. She thought she was doing the right thing. Jules needed to learn about his father and experience a father’s love, too. She couldn’t just up and move to Indian Lake, and until she and Mica could figure out some other arrangement, this was the best she’d been able to come up with.

In her daydreams, Grace had thought that once Mica saw how adorable Jules was, he’d love his son on the spot. That had happened to her. She’d expected Jules to bring out the other side of Mica—the one with the heart as big as the sky. This closed-off, defensive and antagonistic man appeared to want a war.

Well, she was here to fight for her future—and their son’s. Battle was easy. It was the heartache she hadn’t figured on.

Grace lifted her chin and walked over to Gina, still blinking back her tears. “Hi, Gina. I’m afraid I’m delivering a shock, but there’s no way around it.” She stood in front of Gina and Sam. “This is Jules. Mica’s baby.”

Gina’s mouth fell open.

Grace glanced at Mica, who shoved his right hand in his jeans pocket. He was silent.

“A boy?” Gina asked, reaching out to touch Jules’s sleeve.

Sam put his hands on Gina’s shoulders and leaned closer, his affection for her evident in his eyes and his gestures. “He looks just like you, Mica.”

“Sure he does,” Mica said bitterly, turning away from them to stare at the horse barn.

He was shutting her out—and his mother. That’s odd.

“How old is he?” Sam asked.

“Six months. He’s a very good baby.”

Gina raised her eyes to Grace. “You didn’t tell us.” She looked at Mica. “And you didn’t, either!”

“Gina,” Grace began sheepishly, “Mica couldn’t tell you because he didn’t know. I never said a word—until today.”

“He does look just like you did when you were a baby, Mica,” Gina said, ignoring Grace’s revelation. Without asking permission, she reached over and took Jules, cradling him in her arms. “It’s cold out here. I think we should all go inside and talk.”

Sam opened the door and stood back for Grace and Gina to enter. “I’ll make a fire.”

Grace turned back to Mica. “Are you coming?”

“No,” Mica said, then rushed up the stairs to his apartment.

“He’s had one too many shocks today,” Gina said.

Grace frowned. “You mean there’s more than finding out he has a son?”

“Yes. Now come on in. We have a lot to discuss.”

CHAPTER THREE (#u16093c9a-97f8-5f09-b2e5-858ed1874e7b)

THE WALLS OF Mica’s apartment were closing in on him. His heart was racing as if he’d just lifted the John Deere tractor off its tires with both hands. He couldn’t catch his breath.

A son?

When Grace had pulled up, he’d been caught between elation and shock. For a brief moment, he’d actually thought she’d come to back to see him. That she was back in town to stay. Back in his life.

He’d been a fool.

A baby. How had he missed that? He’d known something was wrong when Grace hadn’t answered his texts and emails, though he’d chalked it up to her busy career. And when she’d continued to ignore him, his hurt had turned inward. He should have seen her silence as the red flag it was. Should have pressed her, tried to find out what was going on.

But ultimately, she was the one who should have reached out.

Told him the truth.

And to think only this morning he’d considered her an honest person.

She was about as honest as a cat burglar.

That’s exactly what she is. She swoops into town, takes what she wants from me and leaves. Then, when that doesn’t work out for her, she flies in again and deposits her unwanted “mistake” on my doorstep.

She was a piece of work.

Mica rubbed the back of his neck. Grace had betrayed him in the worst way. As contradictory as his emotions were, he mourned the loss of those precious days in Jules’s life that he’d never get back. How had Mica spent those days? He’d been here, brooding, while his son was learning to smile, to roll over, experiencing so many things for the first time. Despite all he’d lost in the accident, Mica had held on to the dream of one day becoming a father. It had been his one remaining beacon of light.

At the same time, Mica was in no position to take care of a baby. Not yet. As the youngest of four, he’d never changed a diaper. Sure, he played with his nephew, Zeke, but when he got cranky or hungry, Mica handed the baby back to Gabe or Liz.

He raked his fingers through his thick hair, hoping to hold down the top of his head so he wouldn’t explode. Grace had to be out of her mind. None of this was logical. Was it?

He paced the room. His mother was right. Jules was one cute baby. And Grace had him dressed in a little navy jacket with a matching hat. Like he was a doll. Mica would have to find baby cowboy boots. They did make them for babies, didn’t they?

A baby. My son.

Suddenly, his anger deflated and the liquid steel that had been running through his veins dissipated. He collapsed into his recliner chair. “My baby.”

A few moments later, the door swung open. Grace stood in the doorway, hands on her hips and fire in her blue eyes. Her blond hair spread over her shoulders like a veil of gold. She was stunning. He was glad he was sitting down. The pain of her betrayal crept back onto his shoulders like an iron monkey.

“Grace,” he said with as little emotion as he could muster. It took all his self-control not to shut the door in her face. “I don’t want to see you. Or talk to you.”

“I get that.” She came in without an invitation and closed the door with a bit more force than he’d expected. “But that’s what I’m here for. To talk. All day and night and all week, until I have to go back.”

His eyes widened. “You’re only here for a week?”

“Nine days.”

“Well, isn’t that nice. What do you plan to accomplish in nine days?”

“It’s all I had.”

“And I have all the time in the world. It doesn’t work this way, Grace.”