Page 43 of Twins for the Silver Foxes

“Wait.” His brows slashed downward and he leaned around to get a better look at Liddy. When that wasn’t enough, he moved to a knee so they were eye level. “Is that her?”

“Her?” I lowered my voice to a dangerous tone.

Chad had the decency to flush but waved carelessly. “You know what I mean. Is she mine?”

Defensiveness rose up and locked my voice. Liddy wasmydaughter. This man contributed his DNA and nothing else. Shehadn’t been his since the minute he walked away from her. Saying yes risked confusing Liddy. She’d never asked about her father. She knew she had one but the subject rarely came up. I avoided the lessons at school that mentioned defining parents into groups of mothers and fathers. No one ever questioned it. Despite the worry and anger taking hold, I refused to lie. “Yes.”

Liddy ducked behind my legs and peered out from beside my thigh. She peeked at Chad, her little mind scrambling to come up with an explanation why this man seemed so interested in her. She’d never been the shy type, but most men tended to let her warm up a bit before they invaded her space.

Chad looked up at me, and an expression I’d never thought I’d see on his face appeared. I’d swear the man looked ashamed.

“What’s her name?” He spoke to me as his eyes darted back to Liddy. She shoved her giraffe over her face and ducked tighter against my leg.

“Liddy.” I smoothed her hair back from her face. My tone remained solid, my body an impenetrable wall against the charms he possessed. He’d never had to use those charms against me before but I knew they existed, and I was too smart to fall for them now.

“Hi, Liddy.” Chad held out a hand. Liddy merely stared at him with wide-eyed confusion and he finally dropped it. “I’m your?—”

I coughed to cover up whatever else he intended to say. “I’ll discuss that with her, Chad.”

Surprise flitted over his face, followed by chagrin. “Right. Well.” He cleared his throat and stood. “I feel horrible, Hannah.”

All the joy I’d felt when I left the doctor’s office fell apart as I realized what he was about to say.

“Really?” I tipped my head to the side and prayed I was wrong.

“Yeah. It was a lot, you know?” He shrugged.

“Was it?” I fisted my hand around the handles of the gift bags. “Was it a lot, Chad? Tell me how horrible it was for you, the one who walked away from his responsibilities and left me holding everything together on my own.” I forced my lips shut. Liddy didn’t need to hear all of this. It bubbled in my gut, all the things I’d never had a chance to say back then. Three years. Three years of absolute silence and all he can say is, ‘it was a lot.’ No fucking shit it was a lot.

“I’ve changed.” He met my glare with what appeared to be genuine remorse. “Three years is a long time. I’ve grown up.”

“You seem the same to me.” Same hazel eyes Liddy had inherited. Same stupid smile that made everyone around him want to smile back.

Warm sunshine fought against the brisk wind tearing down the street flapping my coat tails. Liddy’s arm squeezed around my leg. “Mama, can we go?” She talked into her giraffe, refusing to look at Chad.

“I’m really sorry,” Chad rushed to say, like he knew I was about to storm away and never look back. “I feel terrible for how I left things.”

How he leftthings? I ground my teeth together.

“I’d like the chance to get to know her.” He nodded toward Liddy. “Every kid should know their father.” He said it before I could cut him off.

Liddy stiffened beside me but kept silent.

“I miss you.” He stretched out a hand toward my face.

My quick backstep had me almost tripping over Liddy but I managed to avoid the touch. He’d given up the right to touch me when he walked out on me and Liddy. His hand fell back to his side. All my doubts and fears congealed. “What are your intentions?” I doubted he’d tell me the truth, but his reaction to the question revealed a lot.

He smiled that charismatic grin that had gotten him through most of his life. “Just to spend time with you two.”

Yeah, right. I didn’t believe that for a second. Chad always had ulterior motives. What would he say if he knew I was pregnant again? I almost shoved the bags in his face and revealed it all. The only thing holding me back was Liddy and the three men waiting for me at the mansion. Why tell Chad—the bane of my existence—before any of them? Not worth it. Not in the least. Letting Chad in was guaranteed to disrupt the newfound family dynamic I’d managed to eke out.

“Now’s not a good time.” I made myself clear that if I allowed this, it was an inconvenience.

“Come on, Hannah.” He refrained from reaching out again, but I spotted the shifting weight and the opening and closing of his hand. He wanted to demand that I give into him. He’d always been a selfish bastard. I’d let him get away with it because he’d protected me.

No more. I’d found better. Still, damn it all. He was Liddy’s father, and he was right—she did deserve the opportunity to get to know him if he truly had changed. Keeping Liddy from her biological father felt too wrong to ignore.

“We can meet you next week.” I laid out the date, time, and location. “I’m in control of this, Chad. If Liddy doesn’t want to do it, we’re not doing it. If she is too uncomfortable, we’re leaving. We’ll take it slow, at her pace, and her pace only.”

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