She hurried for the stairs.
“Cat, why didn’t you tell me it was Simon!” Monica hissed as she came down the steps with Opal in her arms. “I have to admit he’s pretty hot for an older guy.”
Cat knew her sister was teasing by the way she smirked. It didn’t matter that Simon was older than Cat by more than a few years— Wait, she didn’t even know his age.
She reached for the baby. “Does she need to be changed?”
“I did it. Don’t try to change the subject. I think Mom’s a little surprised by his age too, and I think Dad’s going to give your man a talking-to.”
Cat felt her stomach drop yet again. Please, not today. “He’s not my man.”
“Give it time.” Monica grinned and carried Opal the rest of the way down the stairs with no moves toward giving her up.
Cat didn’t have time where Simon was concerned. He’d severed his lease on his jewelry store effective the first of the year. Would Opal change his mind? Could Cat? Did she even want to? The idea of his sticking around just because he felt obligated was horrible. She didn’t want him to feel like he was stuck with them—trapped into being part of a family he didn’t want and wouldn’t have chosen.
When Cat returned to the family room, her mother announced that dinner was ready. Her father had hit the pause button on the TV so they wouldn’t miss the rest of the game. He stood and stretched. “Let’s gather in the dining room.”
“Where’s Opal?” Simon asked.
“Monica has her.” Cat caught the quick flash of disappointment in his eyes, causing her stomach to twist.
He was forming an attachment to Opal. But was that good or bad? Even though she didn’t want him feeling trapped, she also didn’t want Simon going back to his old globe-trotting routine. Was there any kind of middle ground? A way he could be part of their lives on a regular basis, without giving up the life that he’d chosen for himself?
Standing in the dining room, Cat watched as her family gathered around the huge table set with Grandma Zelinsky’s fine china and crystal goblets. Covered dishes were strategically placed down the middle, but the luscious aroma of turkey gravy and sage stuffing escaped, making her mouth water. It had been a long time since she’d been home for Thanksgiving. She waited for everyone to slip into their usual seats and a lump caught in her throat. This was home, loud and loving and terribly bittersweet.
“Here, you two sit at this end so we can tuck Opal in her bouncer out of the way of traffic.” As usual, her mom had everything under control, even seating.
Monica handed Cat the baby.
Simon reached to take the elevated bouncy seat from her mom and positioned it between their chairs. He looked it over while she buckled Opal in. “She won’t tip?”
“It’s solid.” Cat looked away so Simon wouldn’t catch her irritation with him questioning her choice. She’d read countless reviews on the item before purchasing it, making sure it was sound and safe for Opal.
“Let’s say grace.” Her father, at the other end, reached out to hold the hands of her mom on one side and Cam on the other.
Cat clenched her teeth as she reached for Simon’s hand.
His thumb brushed over hers, distracting her from the rote prayer she knew by heart. She stared at their clasped hands, remembering the gentle way he’d touched her on their one night together. The way he’d held her. She’d been half-frozen from the cold rain, but his touch had been so warm.
“Amen.” Simon lifted his head.
Had he thought about her at all?
Cat pulled her hand away, grateful for the increased noise of chatter and the clatter of serving dishes being passed. She glanced at Simon and nearly laughed at the shocked look upon his face. “Crazy, I know, but this is home.”
“Worse than chow time at some mining camps I’ve been in.” He accepted the tray of turkey and offered to fill her plate before his. “White or dark?”
“A little of both, please.” Her mother had always made two turkeys so there would be plenty of leftovers. She watched as Simon served her before choosing an ample portion for himself.
“What about Opal, when will she eat solid food?”
Cat’s head spun. Thinking back to when her youngest sister Erin and brother Luke were babies, she couldn’t remember when they started eating solids. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”
Simon stared at her as if she should know these things by heart. “I bought a book.”
“A book?”
“About the steps of childhood development over the first year. I purchased it at the local bookstore a couple of stores down from me.”
Cat stared at him. Why would he do that? Was he thinking about giving more than financial support?
“What?” His dark eyes looked warm and sweet.
Now wasn’t the time to discuss anything in depth, but she had to know. “Why’d you buy that?”
He shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”
Cat looked away and connected with her father’s piercing gaze.
Dad’s going to give your man a talking-to.
She didn’t want her father or Zach making demands on Simon that they had no right to make. She and Simon were too old for her father to pull out the proverbial shotgun, yet that was exactly what he looked like he might do.
* * *
After dinner and cleanup, Cat’s family gathered in the family room once again for the remainder of the football game. Simon held Opal in the rocking chair near the fireplace, glad for some distance from Cat. The woman’s nearness made his head spin. Not at all a good thing, especially when it made him question everything he’d decided about his future.
He’d put plans in place that were hard to change. Namely, a gem hunt in January for a high-end investor. He couldn’t exactly back out and keep his reputation solid. He needed this for future income. Bottom line, he didn’t want to back out. He loved gem hunting. It was his life—always had been.
He gazed at his daughter’s pretty little face as he cradled her in his arms. Holding her might not have been the best idea. He’d used rocking her as a shield against Cat and her family and all that small talk. He wasn’t part of the jokes they shared as they loaded the fridge with leftovers and the dishwasher with dirty dishes. He didn’t want to be part of them, but using Opal as an excuse for distance had backfired. He’d climbed from one hot pan into another because this baby pulled hard on the heartstrings. This precious little bundle was sinking her sweet little brown-eyed hooks into him fast.
Opal blew bubbles and cooed and kicked her legs. He reached for her hand, amazed at the baby’s grip. “You’re a strong one.”
She gurgled back.
He spotted Cat in the kitchen, talking with one of her sisters-in-law who held a large boy of her own. The child fought to keep his eyes open. Cat’s sisters were busy placing pies on the counter and making coffee.
The Lions were down by seventeen, so the game had lost some of its appeal. Simon glanced around the room. Cat’s younger brothers were sprawled on the floor, sleeping. Even Andy Zelinsky, sitting in a recliner, had closed his eyes. Zach did too, with his wife, Ginger, cuddled into him.
What