A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods Page A

back of the pantry. They might be packed up in a box, though.”
    “Not to worry. I’ll find them,” Jess said.
    “Take the rest of the kids with you,” Abby suggested. “They don’t need to hear any of this.” Carrie and Caitlyn, especially, were staring at the newcomer with wide-eyed curiosity.
    “Whose baby is that?” Carrie asked.
    That was certainly the uppermost question on everyone’s mind, Mick thought.
    “We don’t know,” Abby told her daughter and hurried her along to the kitchen.
    “Is it a boy? Why is he here?” Carrie wanted to know, determinedly hanging back.
    Out of the mouths of babes, more good questions, Mick noted. Though he was aware of all the undercurrents in the room, he couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from Megan, who was looking everywhere except at him. Judging from her tight-lipped expression she was still seething and trying very hard not to show it in front of everyone. He had the distinct impression she was torn between bolting and exploding.
    “Okay, now that the children have left the room, let’s look at this situation calmly,” he said mildly. He took his seat again, as did Abby and then with obvious reluctance, Megan.
    “Megan, what’s going on here? Where did that baby come from?” Mick asked, echoing Carrie.
    Megan finally looked in his direction with an expression that cut right through him.
    “That’s what I’d like to know,” she said, her voice like ice. “A young woman just dropped him off and said he belonged with his father.”
    An audible gasp greeted her announcement. It was the first time in forever that this family had been in unison on anything, Mick thought irritably.
    He regarded Megan with confusion. “His father? What the hell is she talking about?”
    “All I know is what she said,” she insisted, her gaze locked with his. “Did I forget to mention that his name is Mick? Michael Devlin O’Brien, in fact.”
    “Holy mother of God,” Nell murmured, sketching a cross over her chest. Thomas quickly moved to Nell’s side and put an arm around her, all the while staring at Mick incredulously.
    Mick could practically feel his blood pressure skyrocket at the unfairness of the implied accusation. He scowled at his mother and his brother. “Save your prayers, Ma. This is not my son, and anyone who says otherwise is lying!”
    “Then how do you explain him being dropped off here?” Megan asked. “I’ve seen enough O’Brien babies over the years to know he bears a striking family resemblance. Plus the name would seem to be more than a coincidence.”
    Mick was at a loss to explain any of it, but then Kevin spoke, his voice shaky.
    “I may know,” he said.
    “Then you need to explain fast,” Mick told him. “What do you know about this? Is the boy yours?”
    At Mick’s blunt question, Shanna turned on her husband with a dismayed expression. “Is he?” she murmured, sounding stunned.
    “Of course not,” Kevin said impatiently. “I can’t be a hundred percent certain, because I’ve never seen the baby before, but I’m pretty sure Connor must be the father.”
    “Connor!” Mick bellowed. “You can’t be serious.”
    “I can’t swear to it,” Kevin stressed. “It just fits with a few things I do know for a fact.”
    Mick couldn’t accept what had to be outrageous speculation on his older son’s part. “You must be wrong,” Mick argued flatly. “Connor couldn’t possibly have kept this kind of secret from the rest of us.”
    “Of course he could,” Bree said, speaking up for the first time. “Connor’s as tight-lipped as anyone I’ve ever known. That’s why his clients trust him.”
    “I agree,” Kevin said, giving Mick a challenging look. “Have any of us ever been invited to his apartment in Baltimore? No. When he wants to see us, he comes here. He never talks about who he’s involved with or even if he’s involved with anyone. Dad, you and I were talking about that very thing just the other day.”
    Mick