Page 38 of Second Chance Baby

I started laughing though I quickly stopped when I realized Elaine wasn’t laughing. At all.

“I’m so sorry, I had my phone off.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it actually is. It’s actually better than okay.” I let out a wistful sigh as Carrington let out a boisterous laugh right before I heard a sharp bark and another laugh I recognized as my niece’s.

A bark?What the heck?

“Hey, Elaine, just a second, okay?” I held the phone against my shoulder as I padded barefoot down the hall then down the stairs to where Carrington and Amerie were running around in circles with a golden lab puppy scampering after them.

Travis was watching the current melee with a spatula in his hand. He was also barefoot and bare-chested, making me swallow hard.

God, he was a sight.

“Afternoon, sleeping beauty.” His voice was so rich, raspy, and arousing.

At once, my nipples beaded under his flannel nightshirt. At least I assumed it was his, because who else’s could it be? It certainly wasn’t mine.

But maybe it would be after this, since I had no intention of returning it.

The fire in the living room fireplace was simmering on low, and Carrington ran over to wrap her arms around me. “You’re still here, Mom. Did you see the puppy? He’s so cute. But he doesn’t have any balls,” she added in a whisper, making a cutting motion with her fingers. “He’s been snipped, Aunt Lacey said.”

“I sure am still here.” I gave her a big hug and laughed. “Good to know. So, she, uh, gave us a dog?”

Panic started flaring inside me. So many changes all at once. But I shut my eyes and counted backward, using a copingtechnique I’d learned to center myself. Within a minute or two, my heartbeat slowed enough for me to breathe through the uneasiness.

Travis nodded. “Your sister was worried about you since she’d planned on catching up with you after the shoot, and then you just vanished.”

“Um, yeah, we kinda did.” I rubbed the phone against my suddenly speeding heart and then lifted it to show him. “Yeah, Elaine just called too.”

“No problem.” His dimples flashed. “I figured she would.”

“Sorry,” I said into my cell. “There’s a lot going on.”

“Oh, I just bet judging from that shoot. Which we will need to reshoot some of. Not sure we can edit enough to make it PG.”

I had to laugh. “Oh, right. Of course. And I promise we’ll connect about that later. Just I need some time right now, okay?” I let out a long sigh at her clearly annoyed expelled breath. “I’m in my hometown, Elaine. I know the shoot kinda went off the rails, but?—”

“That’s one way to put it. And my damn phone has been ringing off the hook with people who want more of you both. Together.”

As my gaze locked with Travis, I barely listened to what my agent was saying. He walked over to me and Carrington, wrapping an arm around both of us before he leaned up to grip my chin and took my mouth in a soft, sweet kiss. I startled and began to move back, but he placed a stilling hand on my backside, holding me in place. “Dad explained it to me,” Carrington said calmly. “How you two made up or whatever, and now you’re going to be together. Since you took dirty pictures together.”

“Care Bear, that is not what I said.”

She shrugged and rubbed her fingers together, summoning the dog. “His name is Biscuit, and now he’s mine since Amerie said Aunt Lacey wanted us to have him for like a gift.”

I frowned, dazedly shaking my head. “She said what? How did we end up with a dog from my sister?”

“Because Aunt Lacey thought we needed one.” As Amerie ran off to play with some dolls scattered on the floor, Carrington leaned up and whispered, “They got the dog, but Amerie is too rough with him. At least right now. She might do better with him seeing how I play with him.”

I rubbed my eyes. “Have I been asleep for a week or does it just feel that way?”

Travis laughed. “Nope, just was one night and now it’s later in the day. Oh, and both of the girls had a resource day at school.” He hauled Carrington into a loose headlock.

She squealed, then it turned into giggles. “Daddy!”

“She conveniently forgot to tell me about it, so a movie night last night was actually fine.” He kissed her forehead and let her go. “It wasn’t a school night at all. But tonight is, so it will have to be a much earlier night.”

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