Be My Babies

Jenna gasped, and Gil’s face reddened. “It sounds horrible. It is horrible.”

Simon sat forward. “Gil, you know what happened with Cameron wasn’t all your fault.”

“It was all my fault. No one will ever convince me otherwise.”

Simon was not only wary now, but anger bubbled inside him. If what this woman said was true, she’d surely resent what had happened to her mother, and rightfully so. But given that, her motive for coming to Fairview couldn’t be good. Who could possibly forgive that kind of abandonment? “Is this why you came here—to make accusations at Gil? To hurt him with them?”

Lily focused on her grandfather. “I don’t want to hurt you. That’s not why I’m here.”

“Why, then?” Simon knew his tone was too harsh, but he worried about Gil—especially after his heart attack a few years ago. He’d protect Gil from Lily Wakefield, even if Gil wouldn’t protect himself.

“Dad?”

“Simon…” Gil admonished.

But Lily held up her hand. “I’ll answer his question.” She looked around. “But privately. I don’t feel comfortable baring my soul in front of strangers.”

Gil stood. “Then come with me. My house isn’t far.” To Simon he said, “I’ll call you later.”

Simon watched them go out the door. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to be good, and he hated it when he couldn’t keep the people he loved safe.

“Dad, is Grandpa Gil gonna be okay?”

“I hope so, honey. I hope so.”

TAKING IN A DEEP BREATH, Gil faced his granddaughter over the kitchen table in the home where her mother had grown up. No, that was wrong. Cami hadn’t finished growing up here. Alice hadn’t given her the chance to, and part of the whole ugly chain of events involved the fact that Gil himself had allowed his wife to have her way regarding their daughter. As he’d told Simon, his role in what happened was something for which he’d never forgive himself.

“Are you comfortable, Lily? In that straight chair?”

“Yes. My back feels better in one of these.” She sipped the tea he’d fixed her, while he made strong coffee for himself.

“Then talk to me. Tell me why you’ve come here.”

Shaking back her hair, Lily held his gaze. “I’m here because I’m pregnant and I have nowhere else to go.”

Gil froze. Oh, my God, just like Cameron. For a few moments, he couldn’t speak. Finally, he recovered his equilibrium. “What about the baby’s father?”

“Babies.”

“Excuse me?”

Her smile was as broad and generous as his daughter’s had been before things went bad. “I’m having twins.”

“Twins? That’s great.” What to say? “Are you feeling well?”

“I am.” She placed her hand on her abdomen. “The first trimester was hard, but it’s been better this past month.”

He felt awkward talking about this but he forged ahead. “How far into the pregnancy are you?”

“Four months.”

She didn’t look it. She was thin, and her complexion was pale. Her makeup was perfect, however, and her dark hair was stylishly cut. Yet, despite the sophisticated exterior, there was a vulnerability about her that tugged at his heart.

“Twins don’t always go full-term, but I’m going to make sure mine do.”

“You didn’t answer my question about the father.”

“He’s in no condition to help us now.” She drew in a deep breath. “So I came to you.”

Why she’d even ask him after what he did—or didn’t do—for her mother was beyond Gil. But maybe, in some convoluted way, Lily Wakefield showing up here was a chance for Gil to make up for having let his daughter down when she was having a child. “I can and I will,” he said instinctively. “I’ll do whatever you want. Is it money?”

“No! I didn’t come for a handout.”

He recoiled. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t snap at you.”

He drank his coffee and measured his words. She should be doing more than snapping at him. “Then what do you need from me, Lily? What can I do for you?”

“For now, a place to live, until I can find a job. I’d like to look for one in Fairview, if you wouldn’t mind my staying in town.”

“I’d love to have you in Fairview—and in my home, for as long as you want. But should you be working?”

“Pregnant women have been working for centuries.”

Stalling for time, he got up and poured himself more coffee, let its strong scent waft up to him. “I don’t want to rush you. I’m in foreign waters here. You’ll have to tell me what’s best for you.”

“That’s a switch.”

He pivoted to face her. “What?”

“In the situation I came from, nobody cared much about what I wanted.”

“Do you want to tell me about that first?”

Her slate-blue eyes grew shadowed. “No, not yet.”

“All right. Will you tell me about Cami and your life together? I never knew how she fared.”

“Nobody called her Cami.”

“No? I guess it was only my pet name for her.”

Lily shook her head. “You talk about her so…warmly, but I know she was kicked out of her home when she got pregnant.”

“That’s not exactly what happened.”

“It’s what she told me.”