Page 22 of The Nicolaides Baby

“No, Mother.” Leo passed by Rowan and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. “Everything is fine.”

“I’ll just get Mara,” Rowan said, bypassing Leo and his mom to start up the stairs.

“Can she stay?” Charlotte’s words stopped her and she turned around to see her hopeful expression. “Poor little thing really was exhausted and she’s only been asleep a short time.” She gave Rowan a smile. “It would be a shame to have to wake her up. Plus, I love having her here.”

Leo’s intense stare bore into her, but she kept her focus on Charlotte. Perhaps a night alone to finish calming down might not be such a bad idea.

“If you’re sure she won’t be any trouble.” She managed a smile she didn’t feel but thought was appropriate.

Charlotte’s face brightened, her smile beaming. “Absolutely not,” she said, but her regard of the two of them remained hesitant. Charlotte stepped away from her son and took Rowan’s hand. “Are you certain everything is okay?”

“It’s all fine,” Rowan said, stepping down from the stairs and pulling the woman in for a hug, whispering, “Thank you for taking care of Mara today.” Rowan moved back and gave Charlotte another smile. “I’m feeling rather tired myself, so I better be going.” Rowan headed toward the back of the villa, saying over shoulder. “Be sure to ask Leo about our hospital visit.”

And while you’re at it, let him tell you his thoughts about Mara.

She left through one of the glass French doors spread across the back of the villa, not bothering to look back.

8

His mother didn’t wait longafter the glass door closed—less than a second, in fact.

“Leo, what is going on between the two of you?” He ignored the hard look his mother skewered him with. “Did you say something to her you shouldn’t have?” And there went the heavier native British accent that only came out when his mother was about to get worked up over something.

“You heard Rowan. It’s all fine.” He shook his head as he wrapped an arm around his mother’s shoulder and led her into the main living area. He could only imagine how angry and disappointed she would be in him if told her what hehadsaid, so he didn’t tell her. Knowing his mom, she would let him have it good.

He rubbed over the cheek Rowan had smacked—something he was pretty sure had surprised themboth—as he walked over to the low white leather couch and sat. His mom looked down at him with her hands on her hips.

“Leo—”

“Tell me about your day,” he said, grabbing one of her fisted hands and urging to her to sit beside him. She gave him a knowing look but nodded on a sigh and joined him. Luckily for him she let him get away with it as she proceeded to regale him about the afternoon she and Libby had spent with Mara. They’d obviously had fun, and she seemed genuinely fond of Rowan’s daughter. Also, at least talking of the little girl had gotten her off the subject of Rowan and the tension she’d likely been able to taste.

He smiled and nodded while his mom talked and he half-listened, mentally kicking himself. He could have handled things better. And he could have also done without the slap. He rubbed his cheek again. He’d checked to make sure it was no longer red before coming in, but he could still feel it.

But he’d more than deserved it. Just like he’d deserved her continued wrath.

Perhaps if he hadn’t just blurted out his question, she would’ve been more open. He thought back to the wide-eyed—almost panicked—look on her face. No. She wouldn’t have.

But her staying away had nagged at him for years. So, he’d just wanted to… No, he’dneededto know why. But the calm, rational conversation he’d worked out in his head while they’d been eating was nothing like the confrontational one it had turned into. The only reason he could think of for his lack of diplomacy—or finesse, if you will—was perhaps he still had some deep-seated resentment over her going straight from his bed into another’s within a week of returning home.

He hadn’t liked what she’d done—old boyfriend or not—which was ridiculous. They were both adults and could sleep with whomever they wanted.

He held back an unexpected growl over that thought.

Dammit.When she hadn’t wanted to talk about it, he should have just let it go. But he hadn’t.

Couldn’t.

The rest of what he’d said…

He should never have brought her daughter into the conversation. Mara was innocent and off limits. So, he’d most definitely crossed a line.

I guess Iama bastard.

He relaxed his tense shoulders and sat back against the cushions, laughing with his mother over whatever she’d said. All right. Enough recriminations. What was done was done. Tomorrow, Rowan would stay out of his way, just as he would hers. It was for the best. So what if their visits together to Lukas had been the highlight of his days the past couple of weeks, the time spent together with her and the baby easing some of his pain. He didn’t need her, even if watching her tender care of their nephew had intensified another kind of ache growing in his chest.

He took a deep breath and interrupted his mom’s amazement at what a fish Mara had become after only a few times in the pool. “Let me tell you what happened at the hospital.”

Much later, Leo went through the lower level of the villa and turned off the lights. His mom had gone to bed not long before, claiming she was a worn out. She probably was after the afternoon she’d described—at least the snippets he’d caught. He grinned as he made his way up the stairs at his mom’s excitement over the news of Lukas’s progress and the prospect of gettingherchance to feed him the next day. He let out a sigh. He supposed he would be by himself in the afternoon.

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