and eyes were heart-wrenchingly vulnerable in those seconds.
He held himself rigid. Cold. Locked in his anger.
“It might be best if you meet Cole. So he’s used to you. Get familiar with the house.
Once I get a security system in, I’ll give you the codes.”
Security system. Shit, he’d gotten lost in his anger, and forgot there was a very
real threat hanging over Megan. And a threat to Megan was a threat to their son.
“I’m moving in. Today.” He’d handle getting her place secured too.
She stared at him like he’d lost his mind.
Folding his arms over his chest, he said, “I might not be father of the year material,
but I can damn well protect my son and his mother.”
Chapter Ten
Megan was emotionally wrung out by the time she got home after working a few hours.
She parked her car and started across the yard to her mom’s house. Her mother and
Cole came out.
Her boy’s face lit up when he saw her. He toddled to her, arms raised.
She scooped him up, hugging her baby. “Hey, little man. You ready to go to story time?”
Library story time was the reason she scheduled two Wednesdays off a month from her
practice. Cole loved it, and she enjoyed taking him. Usually they spent the whole
day together.
Catherine put her hand on Megan’s shoulder. “You okay?”
A lump tried to form in her throat, but she fought it. “I have to be.”
“Megan, let me take Cole to the library. You can use the time to figure out if having
Adam at your house is really the best thing. You know you and Cole can stay with us.”
In her mind, she saw Adam’s face. First as he was listening to her problems and so
there for her, trying to help. He had cared as best he could. She saw that now.
Then she’d told him about Cole. And anything he ever felt for her, any shred of caring,
died in that instant. Regret lanced through her chest. Adam had looked at her exactly
as her father had all her life.
She hated herself for that. If she had tracked him down and told him when she was
pregnant, things might be different. They could have found a way to be friends, to
do what was best for Cole. In time, he might have even wanted to be a part of Cole’s
life. She could have helped him overcome whatever held him back. Been a real friend
to him. Now he’d never trust her to help him.
Cole pressed an open-mouth kiss on her cheek, pulling her from her thoughts.
She looked into her son’s eyes and saw his sweet face so full of love. She’d screwed
herself out of any kind of relationship with Adam, any kind of friendship. But that
didn’t mean Cole couldn’t have something special with his father. She had to try.
She had to give them a chance.
Turning back to her mom, she said, “I’ll be fine. Adam will keep us safe while I figure
out how to fight whatever it is Nathan is doing. In the meantime, Adam can get to
know his son.”
Catherine squeezed her shoulder. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. That being said,
I do think you’re doing the right thing.”
“It’s not about me anymore. It’s about Cole.” She turned her son. “Hey, do you want
Grandma to take you to story time?”
Cole held his arms out to his grandmother.
Megan laughed. “I think that’s a yes.”
…
By the time he and Logan had changed all her locks and installed the security system
and motion sensor lights, Adam knew Megan’s house inside and out. It was a cute little
place. Three bedrooms, open-concept living room, dining room, and kitchen. She had
a nice backyard littered with toys. But he hadn’t seen his son yet.
Cole had been with his grandmother at story time. Now he was taking a nap at her house
next door. Megan had gone over to get the boy. He paced the light wood floor with
both dogs, Ellie and Max, following him.
Adam paced through the living room, passing by a sliding door that led out to the
backyard. Tucked in the corner of the room were bookshelves stuffed with
He held himself rigid. Cold. Locked in his anger.
“It might be best if you meet Cole. So he’s used to you. Get familiar with the house.
Once I get a security system in, I’ll give you the codes.”
Security system. Shit, he’d gotten lost in his anger, and forgot there was a very
real threat hanging over Megan. And a threat to Megan was a threat to their son.
“I’m moving in. Today.” He’d handle getting her place secured too.
She stared at him like he’d lost his mind.
Folding his arms over his chest, he said, “I might not be father of the year material,
but I can damn well protect my son and his mother.”
Chapter Ten
Megan was emotionally wrung out by the time she got home after working a few hours.
She parked her car and started across the yard to her mom’s house. Her mother and
Cole came out.
Her boy’s face lit up when he saw her. He toddled to her, arms raised.
She scooped him up, hugging her baby. “Hey, little man. You ready to go to story time?”
Library story time was the reason she scheduled two Wednesdays off a month from her
practice. Cole loved it, and she enjoyed taking him. Usually they spent the whole
day together.
Catherine put her hand on Megan’s shoulder. “You okay?”
A lump tried to form in her throat, but she fought it. “I have to be.”
“Megan, let me take Cole to the library. You can use the time to figure out if having
Adam at your house is really the best thing. You know you and Cole can stay with us.”
In her mind, she saw Adam’s face. First as he was listening to her problems and so
there for her, trying to help. He had cared as best he could. She saw that now.
Then she’d told him about Cole. And anything he ever felt for her, any shred of caring,
died in that instant. Regret lanced through her chest. Adam had looked at her exactly
as her father had all her life.
She hated herself for that. If she had tracked him down and told him when she was
pregnant, things might be different. They could have found a way to be friends, to
do what was best for Cole. In time, he might have even wanted to be a part of Cole’s
life. She could have helped him overcome whatever held him back. Been a real friend
to him. Now he’d never trust her to help him.
Cole pressed an open-mouth kiss on her cheek, pulling her from her thoughts.
She looked into her son’s eyes and saw his sweet face so full of love. She’d screwed
herself out of any kind of relationship with Adam, any kind of friendship. But that
didn’t mean Cole couldn’t have something special with his father. She had to try.
She had to give them a chance.
Turning back to her mom, she said, “I’ll be fine. Adam will keep us safe while I figure
out how to fight whatever it is Nathan is doing. In the meantime, Adam can get to
know his son.”
Catherine squeezed her shoulder. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. That being said,
I do think you’re doing the right thing.”
“It’s not about me anymore. It’s about Cole.” She turned her son. “Hey, do you want
Grandma to take you to story time?”
Cole held his arms out to his grandmother.
Megan laughed. “I think that’s a yes.”
…
By the time he and Logan had changed all her locks and installed the security system
and motion sensor lights, Adam knew Megan’s house inside and out. It was a cute little
place. Three bedrooms, open-concept living room, dining room, and kitchen. She had
a nice backyard littered with toys. But he hadn’t seen his son yet.
Cole had been with his grandmother at story time. Now he was taking a nap at her house
next door. Megan had gone over to get the boy. He paced the light wood floor with
both dogs, Ellie and Max, following him.
Adam paced through the living room, passing by a sliding door that led out to the
backyard. Tucked in the corner of the room were bookshelves stuffed with
Similar Books
