Page 62 of The Guest Cottage

Hearing her say it pleased Marlow but also made her wonder if other people in the town thought they were together. Not that she’d mind, but would Cort? “It’s his and his alone. He lives in the bigger house next to you and owns both this property and the one I’m staying at.”

“Three houses,” Pixie breathed. “Can you imagine?”

Yes, she could. The home she’d shared with Dylan was extravagant, and his parents had multiple homes in multiple locations. She’d long ago gotten used to their wealth. Thinking of his parents brought her to her next topic. “Now, one more thing.”

Wary, Pixie said, “Okay.”

“Do you plan to tell Dylan’s parents that they have a grandson?”

To Marlow’s surprise, Pixie gave the question some thought before saying, “To be honest, I haven’t decided. Dylan warned me against it. He said his parents wouldn’t recognize my baby as a grandchild, only a mistake, and that they could be ruthless.” Her mouth screwed to the side. “He was still alive at the time, and I hadn’t yet gotten sick, so I didn’t think too much of it. Guess I assumed he’d still be around, and he could decide what his parents should know or not know. I was so mad at the time, I didn’t really listen to him. Now, though, it worries me. What did he mean by ruthless? What could they do? They wouldn’t hurt Andy, right?”

Marlow suspected Dylan had been covering his own behind more than trying to protect Pixie or Andy. If his parents had found out about the baby, they’d have been disappointed in him. Would he have suffered repercussions? Unlikely, given the way they’d pampered him, but they probably would have lectured him and Dylan had hated that, too.

The problem, Marlow decided, was that Dylan hadn’t been wrong. “Knowing them, I don’t disagree that they could be trouble. It’s not that they’d hurt Andy.” At least, she didn’t think so, but she understood that there were all types of hurt. “They might try to make your life more difficult—like blackballing you, which they’ve already done.”

“Would they try to take Andy from me?”

Seeing the horror in Pixie’s eyes, Marlow decided to deflect. “I don’t think we should put too much stock in anything Dylan said.”

Back to being wary, Pixie whispered, “So you plan to tell them?”

“No. It will be your decision, but I’d like you to consider it. We can talk about it if you’d like, go over the pros and cons—what is easiest for you versus what is morally right.” Again, she covered Pixie’s hand. “Who can know for certain how they’d react at seeing such a beautiful baby?”

Pixie’s expression brightened. “He really is beautiful, isn’t he?”

Marlow grinned. “I imagine all mothers think the same of their children, but I happen to agree. He’s adorable.” There was one important point she needed to stress. “If you do decide to tell them, you won’t have to face them alone.”

Pixie covered her mouth. “That means so much to me.”

Smiling, Marlow moved on. “Nothing has to be decided right now. I’d like you to have at least a week of rest before we tackle any weighty decisions. You and Andy both could use a little peace and quiet. Now, would you mind if I see the rest of the house?”

Again blushing, Pixie shot to her feet. “Of course not.” She looked around and frowned. “I didn’t even think to offer you a drink. I’m hopeless.”

Hooking her arm through Pixie’s made Marlow feel large in comparison. Where she was of average height and on the sturdy side, Pixie was petite and currently so thin that she seemed delicate. She could have passed for a sixteen-year-old. “We’ll work on that, too, if you want, as long as you don’t feel pressured.”

“I’d love to learn . . . well, anything you want to teach me, really.”

Together they went through the house. Marlow tried to see it through Pixie’s eyes, and that made her absolutely love it—just as Pixie did. It was tiny, no way around that, but the small size just meant it’d be easier to keep tidy. Although it lacked upscale finishes, it had a lot of charm. Like the wood-burning stove in the sitting area adjacent to the kitchen. And the curved shower rod in the minuscule bathroom.

Personally, she enjoyed a long soak in a deep tub, but the lake house didn’t have a tub, and Pixie said she didn’t have time for long soaks anyway.

The bathroom consisted of a pedestal sink right next to a toilet and a narrow, tiled shower. At least there was a linen closet to store towels and toiletries.

The bedroom was only large enough for a single full-size bed, one nightstand, and a narrow dresser.

There was no crib or bassinet. Instead, Andy was in a sturdy laundry basket on the floor. Marlow blinked several times at seeing him. He looked cozy enough with a quilted pad under him, his little rosebud mouth pursed and his pudgy fists resting beside his face.

As she watched him, he made a few soft sounds in his sleep. Today’s outfit was a little one-piece footed garment similar to what he’d had on yesterday. Pixie knelt down to smooth the back of one finger over his cheek. Pride glowed on her face as she looked up with a smile.

This time, it was Marlow’s eyes that smarted with tears, and she knew why. Right there before her was the evidence of Pixie’s love, and seeing the depth of her caring made it that much harder to acknowledge what the girl had been through. Marlow smiled back, then offered a hand to help Pixie stand again.

Silently, they left the room.

Pixie didn’t wait for her to ask before she explained. “I couldn’t fit a crib in my car. With the car seat and a few of our belongings, the laundry basket was the best I could do. He’s small enough right now that he doesn’t mind, but once he gets the hang of rolling over, it’ll be another story. I thought when that happens, we might both sleep on the floor or something. That’d be safer for him, especially if I put some pillows around him so he can’t roll too far.”

“Yes, that could work.” But in her head, Marlow was making a list of everything this incredible young mother might need for the immediate future. It was a long list, and she didn’t want to overwhelm Pixie with everything at once.

She’d start small and just gradually, subtly, add things. Perhaps she could claim it as partial payment once Pixie began to work for her. And thinking of that, she led Pixie back to the kitchen so they could set a doctor’s appointment.

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