His Best Mistake by Kristi Gold Page A

like it any more than she did. “I’ll see Carly when I can.”
    Lucy shook her head. “Do you realize the importance of raising a child in a two-parent home?”
    “I don’t have a choice, Mom. Leah’s seeing another man.” No matter how many times he’d said that, he still wanted to choke on the words.
    She began lining up a series of vegetables on the counter. “Even worse, another man raising your daughter. What do you know about him?”
    Not much. “Leah has good judgment. I’m just going to have to trust her. And she’s going to have to learn to trust me with Carly.”
    “Well, at least she believes you can take care of the baby, otherwise you wouldn’t be here with her.”
    “Actually, I’m planning on taking care of her all day while Leah’s at work, at least until she moves.” As soon as he’d convinced Leah he could deal with an infant.
    Lucy’s expression brightened. “Wonderful, dear. I’ll clear my schedule and help you. We’ll have such fun.”
    “I don’t need any help, Mother.” When her elation faded, Kevin added, “It’s important to me to do this by myself.”
    His mother looked unconvinced. “You’ve barely recovered from your illness, Kevin. It would be no trouble for me to help you.”
    He could understand why she might think him incapable of caring for an infant, even though she would never come right out and say it. “It’s been six months since the procedure, Mom. I appreciate your offer, but I can manage taking care of Carly.”
    Lucy laid a hand on his arm. “You have no idea what it’s like, Kevin, taking care of a baby. There’s so much to worry about.”
    “You’re right. I’m going to worry about Carly, but I’m not going to suffocate her. I want her to grow up strong and independent.”
    He could tell from the mist forming in her eyes that he’d wounded her with his careless words.
    Kevin came up behind her and gave her a hug. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
    “I always cry when I’m chopping onions.”
    “You’re cutting up a tomato.”
    She waved him away. “You need to go see about your daughter, unless you want her first word to be an Irish insult.”
    She had a point, and he had one small way to make it up to her. “Set a place for me. I’ll stay for dinner.”
    She attempted a slight smile. “Good. Now hurry along so I can finish up.”
    Kevin returned to the den, only to find it deserted. He couldn’t imagine where his father had gone with his daughter, until he glanced at the sliding glass doors and found the pair seated on the covered patio. Carly looked content in her grandfather’s lap, waving her arms like an orchestra conductor.
    Kevin walked outside, pulled up a lawn chair and joined them. “It’s kind of hot out here. I think I should take her back inside before she gets overheated.” And now he sounded just like his mother.
    “There’s plenty of shade,” Dermot said. “And thislittle lassie is made of solid Irish stock, although I’m thinkin’ your mother’s Armenian roots overtook the Irish. She’s not the least bit fair of skin.”
    His dad had always put a lot of importance on cultural lineage, particularly the Irish part. “Leah’s great-grandfather was Venezuelan, so that accounts for some of her darker coloring.”
    Dermot bounced the baby a couple of times. “Then she is a little melting pot, she is.” He took his attention from the baby and gave Kevin a curious look. “Did your ma give you a hard time, son?”
    “Not too bad. She’d be happier if I told her I was going to marry Leah.”
    His father sat silent for a moment. “Did you tell her that you’re livin’ with the lass?”
    Kevin swallowed hard around his shock. “How did you know about that?”
    “I spoke with Kieran not long ago. We both decided it would be best if you told your ma yourself.”
    Great. His brother had ratted on him, just like in the old days. And his father had basically decided to keep the news to