“I’m having a baby. It’s my first and I need to know everything.”
“Well, of course you do.” She led the way to the baby and childcare section and recommended a few books on first-time fatherhood.
He grabbed those. “I’m just going to look around for a while.”
She left him to it. An hour later, he’d chosen more than twenty new-dad and baby books. After all, he had a lot to learn. And that could take a lot of books.
Back at home, he stuck a frozen pizza in the oven and sat down to begin his education in fatherhood.
At two on Saturday morning, he was still reading. Not long after that, he must have dropped off to sleep. He woke to daylight at his breakfast nook table with his head resting on The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be.
He made coffee, had a shower and called both of his offices, where for once everything seemed to be rolling along right on schedule.
At a little after nine, he was knocking on the door of the house on Sweetheart Cove, a bag of baby books in one hand—just the ones he thought had the most to offer, in case he needed to refer to the experts while discussing his upcoming fatherhood with Karin.
Karin’s daughter answered the door. She was a cute little thing with big blue eyes and curly hair in pigtails.
“You came yesterday, didn’t you?” the child demanded at the sight of him.
“That’s right, I did.”
“Grandpa told us to stay in the great room when you came, but I peeked.” Her little mouth drew down at the corners in a puzzled frown. “Who are you?”
Otto Larson appeared from the living area. He wore a patient smile. “Coco, this is Liam Bravo. Invite him in.”
“Come in, Liam Bravo.” She swept out an arm in the general direction of the arch that led to the downstairs living area.
“Thank you, Coco.” He stepped into the foyer.
“You’re welcome.”
Liam shut the door as Coco darted to her grandfather and tugged on his hand. Otto bent close and she whispered in his ear.
He gave Liam a wink. “Yep. Liam is one of those Bravos. Your Aunt Madison is his sister.”
“I knew it!” crowed Coco. She aimed a giant smile at Liam, one that showed a gap where she’d lost a couple of lower teeth. “Aunt Madison is my friend and we have to be careful and not talk about her to most people because she is a movie star and she needs her privacy. But since you’re her brother, I can say what I want about Madison to you.”
Liam made a noise in the affirmative.
Coco Killigan chattered on. “I’m seven and I go to second grade. I have two best friends in my class and for Halloween, I will be Jewel from 101 Dalmatians.” Coco pointed at the bag of books dangling from his left hand. “You brought books. I like books.”
“Coco,” said Otto fondly. “I think Liam’s here to talk to your mom.”
Coco giggled. “Okay!” and skipped away through the arch into the other room.
“Come on,” said Otto. “I’ll get Karin.” He turned and led the way into the first-floor living area, where a boy a couple of years older than Coco sat at the table with a laptop, a paper notepad and a stack of schoolbooks. Otto introduced the boy as Ben, Karin’s son.
“Nice to meet you,” said Ben, sounding much older than his nine or ten years. He had straight brown hair and serious brown eyes.
As Liam tried to think of what to say to him, Karin spoke from behind him.
“Liam.”
He turned to her. She wore jeans and a long, ribbed sweater that clung to the front of her, accentuating her enormous belly. Her wild hair was pinned up in a sloppy little bun. She wore no makeup and the shadows under her eyes made her look tired—tired and soft and huggable, somehow. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and bury his nose in the curve of her neck, find out if she still smelled as good as he remembered.
“I wasn’t expecting you.” She didn’t seem all that happy to see him.
Too bad. He was going to be around. A lot. She would need to get used to that. “I said I’d be back.”
She glanced past him, at Otto. “Dad, I’ll just take Liam on upstairs?”
“Fine with me,” the older man replied.
She focused on Liam again and pasted on a tight smile. “This way...”
Liam followed her back into the foyer and up to the empty top floor, where she offered him a seat in the living area.
He took the sofa and set the bag of books at his feet.
“So, how are you doing?” Karin lowered herself into one of the chairs.
He had so many things to say and no idea where to start. “Uh. Good. Fine. Really. I talked to my lawyer.”
“Well, that’s good.” She gave an uncomfortable little laugh. “I think...”
Now she looked worried—and he didn’t blame her.
Seriously? Deke? He had to go and mention Deke? Nothing good was going to come of telling her what Deke had said. “He, um, wasn’t helpful, but the point is I’m realizing that everything is workable. You need to know that I will provide child support—and I’ve read a little about parenting plans. We’ll get one of those.”
“That’s great.” She sat with her knees pressed tightly together, like someone waiting for an appointment she wasn’t looking forward to.
He leaned in. “I also want you to know I’m here for you, Karin. Whatever you need, I’ll make sure that you get it.”
She nodded at him, an indulgent sort of nod, like he was her seven-year-old daughter, or something. He felt a flare of annoyance, that she so easily categorized him as someone she didn’t have to take too seriously.
The annoyance quickly faded as he realized he missed her—missed the real Karin, the woman who kissed him like she couldn’t get enough of the taste of him, the one who was always ready with some wiseass remark.
He wanted the real Karin back.
He also wanted her to learn to count on him, to trust him, though he’d never been the sort of guy who was willing to work to gain a woman’s trust.
But he’d never been almost a father before, either.
Somehow, impending fatherhood changed everything. She was the mother of his child and he wanted her, wanted to be with her, to take care of her.
One way or another, he would get what he wanted.
Karin wasn’t sure she liked the way Liam was looking at her. It was a thoughtful kind of look, a measuring look. It was also intimate, somehow.
He was a beautiful man, all golden and deep-chested, with hard arms and proud shoulders. It would be so good, to have those arms around her, to rest against that strong chest. Looking at him now, in the gray light of this chilly fall morning, she couldn’t help wishing...
No.
Never mind.
Bad idea.
She and Liam weren’t a couple and they never would be.
“So,” she said to break