Page 75 of Forever Mine

“That's if she can bear to separate herself from Scott.”

Mom laughed as she uncovered the empty containers from lunch and dropped them in the sink. “I know, but my grandbaby is bright. She'll understand that you haven't seen each other in a while and need what she calls 'date time.' I know my Angel.”

“It would help, and since tomorrow is a school day, I wouldn't be late.”

“She has things here, so she can shower and eat later.” Mom squeezed my shoulder and her eyes twinkled. “Take the time you need and use it wisely.”

“Thanks, Mom.” I wasn't sure if she meant what I thought she did, but she’d always been a romantic. Whatever the case, I was grateful. “Let me see if I can unstick her from Scott's side.”

In the living room, I sat next to Angel. “Honey, I'm going out with Scott for a bit and then I'll be back to pick you up, okay?”

Angel smile was a mile wide as she hugged me with all her strength. She loved anything that switched up our routine. “Grandma and me can finish our game from Friday when I was winning.”

“Grandma and I.”

“Yes, Mommy. See you later, Uncle Scott. Are you going to be at work this week?”

“I'll be there.”

“Maybe I'll see you.” She made a face that started out as a wink but was closer to a grimace.

Scott was kind enough not to laugh at her funny expression. “I’ll look forward to that,” he said.

We left the house and when Scott sat next to me in the car, he ran a hand up the back of my neck and cupped my head. “I've missed you,” he murmured.

On a sigh, I admitted, “I missed you, too.”

Scott withdrew his hand and fisted it on his lap. “And yet you shut me out like I didn't matter.”

I gripped the wheel with both hands and avoided looking at him. “I was protecting myself.”

He nodded and then said, “I'll give you that.”

We didn’t talk during the drive to his place and the moment we stood behind his door, Scott pulled me to his chest and pressed his lips to mine. After a needy kiss that left me gasping and my legs trembling, I looked deep into his eyes hoping we could resolve our differences.

“I'm sorry you had to go through all that,” he said. “Not knowing what was going on must have been tough on you. Again, I apologize.”

Taking my hand in his, he led me to the sofa.

We sat facing each other, with Scott studying me in minute detail. He sighed, his breath wafting over me in a warm tide. His shoulders slumped, and he ran both hands over his face.

“Lucy.” He shook his head and rubbed his jaw. “She turned up at my parents' house before I got there and convinced them that she needed a place to stay. She told them she lost her apartment and naturally, they didn't turn her away because of the baby.”

Frowning, I asked, “What about her parents or the father of the baby?”

“I don't know about him, but I got her situated at her parents' house.” He waited a beat before adding. “She wanted me to do another DNA test and threatened to give her baby my name if I didn’t.”

My response was quick and sharp. “Why?”

A tired smile greeted my question. “She didn't believe the first result, but I think she was clutching at straws.”

“When she was sleeping with two of you and you already did a test? Aren't DNA tests supposed to be almost one hundred percent accurate?”

“Yes. Which is why I refused to do another one.”

I was uncomfortable and didn’t know what to think. Keeping my hopefulness in check, I asked. “So, what happens after this?”

His exhale came out with a groan. “I'm done with it. I've gone through enough. If I hadn't found out, I'd have been married to her and raising some other man's kid.”

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