Page 18 of Second Chance Baby

“No idea. I haven’t had one in years.”

“Their best milkshake is chocolate with caramel swirls,” Carrington announced as she marched off a few steps then stopped and turned back with her hands on her hips. “Who’s driving?”

“I am.” We both spoke at the same time.

Travis’s lips quirked. “Flip a coin?”

“Nah, you can drive. I always liked your truck. Just let me park my car.” I ran over to my car, ignoring the narrowed-eyed stares from other people in the pickup area. I jumped in and pulled out of the line of cars, quickly finding a spot in the visitor lot.

They were still waiting for me, our daughter talking animatedly about some sort of science fair coming up. “Sorry,” I said breathlessly.

“No problem.”

I glanced around for his Jeep as we fell into step heading across the parking lot, with Carrington between us.

“That old Jeep went to the Cherokee junkyard in the sky many years ago,” he explained before I could ask.

Surprised at the disappointment that hit me hard, I tried to brighten my smile. “Too bad. That Cherokee saw a lot of good times.” As Carrington gave me a pointed glance, I cleared my throat. “So, what do you have now?”

“Chevy Equinox.” He hit the key fob to unlock a newer, hulking all-black beauty, and Carrington rushed to get into the back.

Travis lengthened his stride to open the passenger door for me, gesturing for me to climb in. “Only have 33 payments left,” he added in a low voice.

“Oh, is that all?” Quickly, I clicked my seatbelt into place and tried not to marvel at this even happening.

We had never had a regular meal together, all three of us. At least not while Carrington could speak in multiple syllable words.

Travis circled to the driver’s side and climbed in, then he put on his seatbelt, and slung his wrist over the wheel. The sweet, sharp memory of him driving us around after school in just the same way burned in my chest. How many days had we taken off after class to make out by the lake, or hit the diner for a plate of fries and shakes?

I clicked back in as he began questioning Carrington about school.

Many, many questions.

She answered each one with only a little sass, as if she was very used to this daily routine.

Yet again I was on the outside. Nothing new there. I was just happy to be included at all.

“No one could ever say you aren’t thorough,” I murmured a few minutes later when he finally took a break from the inquisition to search for a parking spot up the block from the diner. On a sunny, crisp fall day this close to the lake, every single spot was taken.

“I pride myself on that.” His gaze lingered on mine for a beat too long before he apparently zeroed in on a spot across the street. Before I could take a breath, he shot into a U-turn so fast I worried he’d take out the family of ducks currently crossing at the crosswalk at a sedate pace.

“Ooh, Daddy, duckies. Did you see?”

“I saw, princess. That’s Arlo in the back. He makes sure to guard them from behind as they cross.”

“Because that’s what daddies do.” Carrington didn’t have the slightest qualm in her voice. Because she knew that was a father’s job—to protect.

Whether it was a human father or duck.

My eyes prickled with warmth as I looked determinedly out the passenger window. Whatever I’d done wrong in my past—and the list was long—at least no one could say I’d picked a bad baby daddy. Travis adored our little girl, and he had from the very first day he’d known of her existence.

He’d never faltered. Never suffered from unexpected attacks of overwhelming anxiety. At least none that had ever been visible.

Of course he’d never had to deal with waves of hormones, either, nor been raised with anything but the securest of parental bases.

Despite myself, my hand crept over my middle under the guise of adjusting my seatbelt after his unexpected U-turn. I was still wearing his denim jacket, buttoned to cover my ripped dress. I’d wondered why Carrington had seemed so interested in what I was wearing when she’d first spotted me, momentarily forgetting that I still had on Travis’s snug jacket. But now it all made sense. She probably knew something was very up with us, thanks to my clothing situation.

Very up indeed. How would he react if we ended up in that very same situation with an unplanned child again?

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