Baby, Come Home by Stephanie Bond

courthouse.”
    “Marcus mentioned they weren’t available,” she murmured.
    “But the Preservation Society sent us blueprints on a similar bridge in Ohio. Do you think you’ll still be able to use these pieces?”
    “Maybe, if they’re in good shape,” she said, giving each log a pat or a rub. “Can you have them moved to the site?”
    “Absolutely.”
    It was the first time since Amy arrived that he’d seen a familiar light in her eyes. Her cheeks were pink and she was animated, her quick mind turning over the details of the project before them. A wide smile lifted her mouth.
    “Oh, Kendall, this is…” She looked up to lock gazes with him. Kendall’s senses leapt to feel the old sizzle between them.
    “Yes?” He took a step toward her.
    Then her smile faded, and he knew he’d lost her again.
    “I mean…that would be great,” she said, visibly reining in her enthusiasm. Then she straightened. “I should be getting back. I’d like to change and get a few things ready for the conference call.”
    He nodded, disappointed, but closed the door to the cage and backtracked to the front of the warehouse.
    When they passed one section of furniture odds and ends, though, Amy stopped. “That looks like your mother’s dish cabinet, the one she kept in the dining room.”
    He smiled. “It is, minus the glass. And that’s Mom and Dad’s bed. And the coffee table—”
    “From the family room,” Amy said.
    “That’s right. Marcus made it for her.”
    “How is your mother?”
    “Right as rain,” he said. “After the storm, she moved to Calhoun to live with her sister, but she’s determined to come back to Sweetness someday. We’re holding all this stuff for her until the town is stable and we can build her a house to move into.”
    “She was always good to me,” Amy murmured.
    “She’d love to see you,” he said.
    Amy gave him a rueful smile. “Except I won’t be here when she comes back.” She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “I’ll find my own way out.”
    Kendall watched her go, his arms aching to reach out to her. She always seemed to be walking away from him. And he always seemed powerless to stop her.

10
    W hen Amy arrived at the construction office for the conference call with the Preservation Society, she was surprised to find Marcus alone.
    “Come in,” he said, standing. “Have a seat. Kendall should be here shortly. Something came up at the last minute and I needed him to take care of it.”
    Meaning, he wanted to speak to her alone for a few minutes.
    Amy leaned her portfolio against his desk, then sat in a chair opposite him with a sense of impending doom.
    “How’s it going so far?” Marcus asked, settling back into his chair.
    “The bridge site seems stable. I have all the measurements and pictures I need. For the first day, I’d say things are good.”
    He gave her a flat smile. “I meant with Kendall.”
    She shifted in her seat. “For the first day, I’d say things are good.”
    “When are you going to tell him he has a son?”
    Amy released a pent-up breath. “How long have you known?”
    “A few months.”
    “ How did you know?”
    “When I started researching Broadway, I came across your name in a professional listing. I dug a little. When I found out you had a child, the timing seemed right, and when I found a picture of him on the internet, it was pretty clear that he’s an Armstrong.”
    “His name is Bradshaw,” Amy corrected.
    “You should’ve told Kendall you were pregnant, Amy. He would’ve married you and taken care of you both.”
    Amy bit her lip. “Probably. Kendall always does the right thing. But I didn’t want to be part of a package deal, and it was clear that Kendall didn’t want me for myself.”
    Marcus pulled his hand over his mouth. “Look, I’m sure you had your reasons for not telling him, but if I found out, he can find out, too.”
    She gave him a tight smile. “And yet, he hasn’t, has he?”
    Marcus sighed. “Are