Page 10 of Fated Secret Baby

Orion must notice, because he gives me a wry grin. “I don’t live with my mom anymore. Moving up in the world, you know?”

It’s a poor attempt at humor, but it does make me feel just slightly better. And even more curious. Why did he move out?

“Okay,” I say slowly. “Where?”

“Stay here.”

Orion disappears for a second. I take the chance to step forward and grab the Cocoa Krispies off of the shelf for Juniper. When he comes back, he’s got a paper with an address scrawled on it. “Here. Tomorrow afternoon?”

“Okay,” I whisper.

“Looking forward to it,” Orion says with another smile. He looks down at the box in my hand. “You have great taste.”

“What?”

“In cereal. That’s my favorite.”

“Oh, it’s not…” I stop. He’s looking at me, and I force a smile and nod. “Yeah. Cocoa Krispies are great.”

He grins. “See you tomorrow, Calista.”

“See you then.”

Clutching the cereal to my chest, I turn on my heels.

I have a date. With the father of my baby. But, even scarier than that, I realize something else that makes my heart sink and my head pound.

I think I still have feelings for him.

“Yay! Chocolate cereal!”

Juniper’s enthusiasm is a little extreme, but I diligently pour her the cereal and add oat milk to it. Once she’s happily crunching, I look over at Amara. “Porch,” I mouth.

She follows me outside, eyes wide. Once the front door shuts behind her, she waves her hands. “Spill.”

“I saw Orion at the grocery store.”

“No!” she gasps. “What did you do?”

“Um. He asked me to come over for coffee tomorrow?”

Amara’s jaw drops. “Stop. For real?”

“Yeah. So. I guess tomorrow’s the day. I’ll tell him about her, and?—”

“And you’re going to ask what the hell happened, right?”

I snap my jaw closed, refusing to answer that question, and Amara shakes her head.

“No way. Girl, you have to ask him. Don’t you want to know?”

“I do.”

She throws her hands up in exasperation. “So, ask him what happened!”

“I can’t!”

That was too loud. We both look up and down the street, but there isn’t anyone out.

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