to go home. Who is picking you up today?”
“Daddy is picking us up.”
“Well, let’s go find him, okay?”
Cori nodded and tugged on Katelyn’s hand, pulling her behind. Katelyn loved the way the little girl hurried to see her father now. As they entered the large room, Cori pointed over to the door. “There’s Daddy,” she squealed.
Katelyn looked in that direction, and when she recognized the man talking to her sister, Katelyn’s stomach dropped to her feet and dizziness consumed her. Shane Hunter? As pieces started fitting together, she glanced down at the little girl and saw the resemblance. Although she didn’t have her father’s dark hair, Cori had her father’s eyes, and especially his smile. Katelyn’s heart leapt, and at the same time, it took a nosedive and crashed. This was all she needed. If Shane knew she’d been talking to his twins, his suspicion of her would grow by leaps and bounds.
Why hadn’t she realized Shane was Cori’s father before now? She knew he had twins and that his wife had died. Oh, why hadn’t her mind been working properly? Yet, since he kissed her the other day, she had been a mess. On second thought, ever since meeting him at the pancake house, he’d turned her world topsy-turvy.
When Cori slipped away from her and ran to her father, Katelyn rushed into the other room and flattened herself against the wall. There was no way she wanted Shane to see her here. He’d only accuse her of stalking him. Again.
Peeking around the corner, she spied on Shane. He looked so incredibly handsome, and even more when his face lit up. She didn’t know why he seemed surprised when he picked up Cori and she hugged him. There were even tears in his eyes when Cori leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Casey ran to his father and gave him a hug, too. It shocked Katelyn to see the genuine love on Shane’s expression as he talked with his children. This was certainly different from what Tori had told Katelyn several years ago about her brother-in-law.
Cori said something to Shane, and they both looked across the room, searching through the crowd for someone. Katelyn quickly ducked back behind the wall to block their view, since she figured she was the one Cori was looking for.
Katelyn’s nerves caused havoc to her body as she waited. She didn’t dare peek to see if they’d left, so she remained glued to her spot until the voices dimmed to two or three. Katelyn relaxed slightly. It had been at least fifteen minutes. Surely Cori and Casey had left with their father by now.
Taking a deep breath, Katelyn stepped around the wall and back into the room. When the only ones in the room were her sister and their nephew Luke, Katelyn breathed a sigh of relief.
Stacey gave her a grin and laughed, adjusting her six-month-old daughter, Gracelyn, on her hip. “Trying to hide, Katie?”
Katelyn’s cheeks grew warm from embarrassment. “Why would I hide?”
“Because you didn’t want Shane Hunter to know you were here.”
Gracelyn smiled wide and reached her chubby arms out for Katelyn. She took her niece and cradled her. “I told you about him, so why should you blame me for hiding? In case you’ve forgotten, let me refresh your memory. He’s the man I wrote about in my book.”
“Yes, I know. And I can see now why that book was a big seller.”
Katelyn rolled her eyes. “That’s not the reason. Besides, I’ve made him a better person in my book than he is in real life.”
“I don’t think so. From what I’ve seen of him so far, he’s a genuinely caring person.”
Katelyn rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
Stacey bent to pick up a toy, chuckling noticeably. “He asked about you.”
Katelyn literally felt her heart stop beating. “What?” Panic seized her.
Stacey walked by her to put the toy away. “A little while ago when you and the kids were outside playing animals, he stood by the fence watching. He asked who you were and I told him you were my sister. He admitted to
“Daddy is picking us up.”
“Well, let’s go find him, okay?”
Cori nodded and tugged on Katelyn’s hand, pulling her behind. Katelyn loved the way the little girl hurried to see her father now. As they entered the large room, Cori pointed over to the door. “There’s Daddy,” she squealed.
Katelyn looked in that direction, and when she recognized the man talking to her sister, Katelyn’s stomach dropped to her feet and dizziness consumed her. Shane Hunter? As pieces started fitting together, she glanced down at the little girl and saw the resemblance. Although she didn’t have her father’s dark hair, Cori had her father’s eyes, and especially his smile. Katelyn’s heart leapt, and at the same time, it took a nosedive and crashed. This was all she needed. If Shane knew she’d been talking to his twins, his suspicion of her would grow by leaps and bounds.
Why hadn’t she realized Shane was Cori’s father before now? She knew he had twins and that his wife had died. Oh, why hadn’t her mind been working properly? Yet, since he kissed her the other day, she had been a mess. On second thought, ever since meeting him at the pancake house, he’d turned her world topsy-turvy.
When Cori slipped away from her and ran to her father, Katelyn rushed into the other room and flattened herself against the wall. There was no way she wanted Shane to see her here. He’d only accuse her of stalking him. Again.
Peeking around the corner, she spied on Shane. He looked so incredibly handsome, and even more when his face lit up. She didn’t know why he seemed surprised when he picked up Cori and she hugged him. There were even tears in his eyes when Cori leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Casey ran to his father and gave him a hug, too. It shocked Katelyn to see the genuine love on Shane’s expression as he talked with his children. This was certainly different from what Tori had told Katelyn several years ago about her brother-in-law.
Cori said something to Shane, and they both looked across the room, searching through the crowd for someone. Katelyn quickly ducked back behind the wall to block their view, since she figured she was the one Cori was looking for.
Katelyn’s nerves caused havoc to her body as she waited. She didn’t dare peek to see if they’d left, so she remained glued to her spot until the voices dimmed to two or three. Katelyn relaxed slightly. It had been at least fifteen minutes. Surely Cori and Casey had left with their father by now.
Taking a deep breath, Katelyn stepped around the wall and back into the room. When the only ones in the room were her sister and their nephew Luke, Katelyn breathed a sigh of relief.
Stacey gave her a grin and laughed, adjusting her six-month-old daughter, Gracelyn, on her hip. “Trying to hide, Katie?”
Katelyn’s cheeks grew warm from embarrassment. “Why would I hide?”
“Because you didn’t want Shane Hunter to know you were here.”
Gracelyn smiled wide and reached her chubby arms out for Katelyn. She took her niece and cradled her. “I told you about him, so why should you blame me for hiding? In case you’ve forgotten, let me refresh your memory. He’s the man I wrote about in my book.”
“Yes, I know. And I can see now why that book was a big seller.”
Katelyn rolled her eyes. “That’s not the reason. Besides, I’ve made him a better person in my book than he is in real life.”
“I don’t think so. From what I’ve seen of him so far, he’s a genuinely caring person.”
Katelyn rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
Stacey bent to pick up a toy, chuckling noticeably. “He asked about you.”
Katelyn literally felt her heart stop beating. “What?” Panic seized her.
Stacey walked by her to put the toy away. “A little while ago when you and the kids were outside playing animals, he stood by the fence watching. He asked who you were and I told him you were my sister. He admitted to
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