Page 24 of Under His Control

He furrowed his brow. “He worries that someone would poison her?”

“No!” Now I did laugh. We all trusted the staff on the properties we owned. They were like extensions of family. “He wants her to know that he cares. That if he’s bringing her breakfast in bed, that she can know he made it, thinking of her.”

“Huh.”

“Where to?” I asked, enjoying this chance to be with just him. To talk. I wanted him, but this was nice too.

He typed in an address on the navigation. “Target.”

“Why not have it delivered?”

He shrugged. “I’ve never shopped for this kind of stuff before. I figured it might make more sense to see it in person.” He glanced at me, brows raised again. “If you’re too busy, I’ll find another ride.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

He shook his head, but the slow, appreciative look he gave me suggested he’d rather do something else with me.

“I said I’d drive you. And I will. Not because I don’t have anything else to do.”

“Suit yourself. And I’m hardly in any position to judge you for being unemployed. I am too.”

“By choice?”

He shook his head. “No. I need to figure something out soon.” After he shifted in his seat, I realized he was uncomfortable. Not necessarily physically, but maybe with the idea of finding work. “Although your uncle wants me to work for him now.”

“So I’ve heard.” I knew he had to notice me glancing at him, but he didn’t take the bait and make eye contact before the light turned green. “Are you considering it?”

“I’m not crazy about the idea of being one of many working for another institution.” He shrugged. “I wanted out of the military to do something else for my life.”

“To march to the beat of your own drum? Something like that?”

“Yeah, I guess. I was just tired of the same old, tours one after the other. But that was before I found out about Olivia.”

I’d been dying to learn more about how he came to be a father. I hadn’t asked Tessa or anyone else out of the fear that I’d look too curious about Liam. “If you were overseas for so long, how…?” I shook my head.

“Olivia was the product of a one-night stand. Her mother was someone I met in a bar while I was serving. And she passed away from a drunk driving accident.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Me too. I wasn’t close. I don’t think she even gave me her last name when we hooked up. But she apparently knew who I was, enough that she had me listed as an emergency contact at the daycare she dropped Olivia off at.”

“Wow.” That seemed so impersonal.

“It was just a hookup.” He rubbed his face. “Cheryl, the daycare owner, contacted me and explained it all. According to her, Pamela thought I was a military man who wouldn’t have the time for a baby, and she’d rather raise her how she saw fit.”

“That’s still cruel not to inform you. She’s your child.”

He nodded. “I understand her perspective.”

“Isshe your child?” Olivia looked like him, but still, I had to wonder.

“Yes. Cheryl insisted on a paternity test when I showed up. She watched over Olivia until I came. It was either I man up and take my daughter or let her go through into the system, and I’d be damned if I did that to my flesh and blood. My grandparents stepped up to raise me when my parents bailed on me, and I couldn’t consider abandoningmykid, even if she was a complete surprise.”

Now it made sense, how overwhelmed Liam looked all the time. He’d had a lot put on him quickly and so unexpectedly.

Once we arrived at Target, we went through the list that I’d noted on my phone.

“How can she not haveanytoys?” I asked, trying to puzzle out what some of them did. All the labels were helpful, indicating what ages the items were intended for and what skills they helped to foster, like fine-motor movement or eye coordination.

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