Page 101 of Just One Kiss

The woman looked up. Josh didn’t know if it was Gus’s police uniform or his intimidating presence that got through to her, but she ended her phone call and gave the man her undivided attention. “What can I do for you, Officer?”

“My grandson came in here a short while ago, and that young man is the father.” He pointed at Josh. “I think you were going to get him some information about his child.”

“Let me see what I can do,” she said. “What was the name again?”

Gus did a terrible job of trying not to seem exasperated. “Dixon.”

“Collins-Dixon,” Josh corrected.

Gus looked at him. He didn’t know Carly had hyphenated Jaden’s name. They weren’t married yet, so it seemed to make sense. Did that make Gus happy or was he indifferent?

Josh knew Carly’s dad was still angry with them. Telling him Carly was pregnant had been one of the worst days of Josh’s life.

Clearly, he blamed Josh, and maybe he was right to. Let’s face it, Carly’s life would be completely different if he wasn’t in it.

Gus had done nothing to hide his disappointment. Sure, he’d shown up for Jaden’s birth, but other than that, he mostly stayed away. He also seemed hell-bent on making sure the two of them had to face their current circumstances on their own—there was no bailing out happening here.

“I’ll be right back,” the receptionist said.

Gus turned a circle and heaved a sigh. “Sometimes you gotta get a little feisty.”

“Thanks for that.” Josh stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Gus nodded at him. “Doesn’t change anything. Just don’t think you should have to wait around for answers about your own kid.”

The receptionist reappeared. “You can come back.”

Josh tossed a grateful look at Gus, then followed her through the doors. He found Carly just as a doctor was telling her she was smart to bring Jaden in—his temperature was too high, and they needed to run some tests.

Josh’s stomach churned. What if Carly hadn’t come home when she did? What if something had happened to their baby while Josh was watching him? He would’ve never forgiven himself.

His mind flashed with the memory of the moment the screaming overwhelmed him. What if something had happened?

I’m not good for them.

It was too much.

“Most likely we’ll give him a round of antibiotics, and he’ll be just fine, but we want to rule a few things out.”

“What kind of things?” Carly asked.

“Infections, mostly,” the doctor said. “It could be a virus or bacterial. We’ll get to the bottom of it.”

The doctor walked out, leaving them alone in the small exam room. Josh didn’t move. His heart raced with thoughts he didn’t want to think.

Jaden lay at the center of the exam table, with Carly’s hand on his belly.

“This could’ve been really bad,” she said.

“He’s going to be okay,” Josh offered, though the empty words meant nothing.

“But if I hadn’t come home—” She stopped.

She was thinking it too. She was thinking the words she wouldn’t say because they were true. If something had happened—it would’ve been his fault.

He slipped his index finger inside the baby’s hand. Jaden kicked and cooed, his eyes focused on the ceiling. He was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

What if Josh ruined that?

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