Page 69 of The Bad Girl and the Baby

Right now, he could imagine nothing he’d rather do than forget everything and lose himself in Darcy’s delectable body. But she gave a small shake of her head.

“No. I need a little space.”

Space from him? Obviously.

But her expression was resolute. He didn’t think he could change her mind. And more to the point—he didn’t think he should try. She clearly did need time to consider his parent’s offer. He cupped her cheeks with his palms, lowered his head and kissed her gently. She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them, they were bright.

Hell, he couldn’t leave her like this. He hated to see her sad. She needed to look at the positives of this. Just like he did. But it felt like something was squeezing his heart.

She stepped back, and his hands dropped away. “There’s my bus,” she said, nodding down the road. He hadn’t even realized they’d halted at a bus stop.

He ran his fingers through his hair. He had to let her go. Just not too far. “I’ll be round tomorrow night.”

She nodded almost absently. Then the bus stopped, the doors opened, and she climbed on board without a backward glance.

He waited until the bus had disappeared down the road. Then he shoved his hands in his pockets and headed home.

…

“Maybe it’s better she goes now,” Darcy said. She was seated on the sofa in the apartment, next to Regan, a big glass of red wine in her hand. “You know, before I have a chance to get really attached, and I make the wrong decision for selfish reasons. This is about Lulu, after all. Not me. Or Matt.”

Strangely, though, Matt hadn’t seemed happy.

“You think he’s telling the truth, that he didn’t put them up to it?”

“Oh, yes. Matt doesn’t lie. Besides, he looked as shocked as I was. And he didn’t jump up and shout ‘yes, take her now.’”

And really, it was a much bigger thing for Matt. His whole life had been turned upside down by the advent of a baby. It affected everything; where he lived, his job, his financial situation—which, whatever he said, had to be strained. She’d investigated the agency Diana worked for, and they were very expensive. For her, there would be hardly a ripple in her life if Lulu went. She’d have her Saturday afternoons back. That had to be good, right?

“It’s not as though I even like kids,” she said. “I never wanted them. Not like Emma did.”

“Aw, sweetie,” Regan said, patting her arm. “You love Lulu. At least accept that. Don’t make this decision by pretending she means nothing to you. Because it’s clear to everyone you love her. And she loves you.”

“She’ll forget me soon enough.” She took another slug of wine. “Hell, I won’t even be allowed out of the country until my parole is up. Lulu will have forgotten I even exist by then.”

“Maybe they’ll bring her for a visit.”

“This is the first time they’ve been back in over ten years. It’s not like popping down the road.”

“Perhaps Matt won’t agree.”

She remembered the shock on Matt’s face. And it hadn’t been a happy, this-is-the-answer-to-all-my-problems shock. But Matt would do what he believed was best for Lulu in the end. “I think he will.” She forced a smile. “They were great with Lulu. It was so sweet seeing her with Hannah.”

“What were they really like? I sort of got the impression from things you’ve said that Matt doesn’t get on too well with them.”

“He loves them. But he says they drove him crazy when he was a kid. I think they were just too young to settle down. And Matt likes things organized.”

“Weird. What about Steven?”

“What about him?” She did her best not to think about Steven, if she could possibly help it.

“Do you think it’s their fault Steven turned out the way he did? Is Lulu safe with them?”

This would be much easier if she even had any inkling of doubt on that matter. She could just say no. She had the report on Steven—she was sure she could make them back down. But she wouldn’t. “Without a doubt. They’re genuinely nice people. I suspect Steven was an asshole by nature rather than nurture. But his mom feels a lot of guilt about him. Maybe, like Matt, they let him go his own way too much and were too engrossed in themselves to notice what he was becoming. Then they ignored it because he was a long way away.”

“So a little parental ineptitude, but no evil intent.”

“I guess.”

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