Page 29 of Romance Reset
“We’re just teasing you, honey.”
“I know. Just like I know we’ll keep trying for a girl,” Priscilla said pointedly. “Every mother should have the chance to buy the frilly little dresses and bows and shoes.” To Amelia, Priscilla said, “Trust me, our house needs more estrogen to even out the testosterone.”
“You had the right idea,” John said to Lincoln. “Twins on the first try. One of each, and boom—done. You’re going to be sitting on a beach somewhere enjoying life while I’m still changing dirty diapers.”
“You’ll get there eventually,” Lincoln said. “It happens before you know it.”
Amelia listened and watched Lincoln’s responses to the conversation until the men began discussing real estate. Priscilla murmured an apology when she had to answer a text from their babysitter, and Amelia found herself sitting there silently, wondering how it was possible to want both worlds. She’d love to explore the world with Lincoln at her side, but she’d also love a home full of giggles and little-boy engine sounds.
The restaurant noises faded away as Amelia retreated into her thoughts even more. Her appointment at the clinic was coming up fast, every day that passed disappearing more rapidly than the one before it. She had to make a decision, but to do that, she needed to know where Lincoln stood on the matter of parenthood. Know where they stood as a couple. Would they see eye to eye about starting a family? Or was Lincoln “one and done” because he and his first wife had the twins?
Given the conversation that had just taken place, did she already know the answer?
Chapter 12
“Play your cards right and he’d agree to just about anything right now,” Carter said from somewhere nearby.
His son’s laughter followed the statement and pulled Lincoln from his dazed state. He focused on his son and brother. “I was listening.”
“Uh-huh,” Brendan said, grinning.
“Look, here’s a bit of advice. If your uncle suggests it, I don’t recommend trying it,” Lincoln said to Brendan. “And you,” he said to Carter, “need to remember Piper will be around at least another fourteen years for me to pay you back for whatever you’re trying to instigate.”
Carter chuckled at the warning and flipped the burgers on the grill. “So you going to tell us how things are going with Amelia?”
“No.” Because how could he after last night’s strange ending? Their date had started off fine. Drinks, dancing, dinner. They’d laughed and talked and done more than a little contact flirting, with brushes of fingertips and light, stroking hands that couldn’t linger due to their public presence but got the point across. Until—
“Come on, Dad. She seemed nice enough or you wouldn’t have introduced her to me and Bree.”
“Agreed,” Carter stated in a low voice. “Because most guys would keep the hotties away from the kids for the first few months at least.”
Maybe he should’ve. After last night’s quick exit into her condo, Lincoln wondered if maybe he’d rushed things. Rushed Amelia. Because why else would she go from warm and welcoming to silent and distant so quickly? Had he said something he shouldn’t? He tried to review the various conversations in his mind and all had seemed good until Priscilla and John had joined them at their table.
He’d been uncomfortable at first, knowing John wouldn’t keep Lincoln’s dating status to himself but would share with the others in his real estate company. The last thing Lincoln needed was his employees and colleagues focused on his love life rather than their jobs. Had Amelia sensed his unease and taken it to mean something else?
Time had flown since he’d introduced Amelia to the twins, and even though it didn’t seem possible, the twins would be leaving for school in a matter of days. He’d rented a cargo van to haul their stuff north and help them settle in and hoped he didn’t make a fool of himself when he had to leave them there.
He’d heard little from Amelia since their date because Amelia was required on set during filming.
“There he goes again. Dad, you’ve got it bad,” Brendan said.
Lincoln inhaled and resigned himself to an interrogation. He just wished he had more answers. “Should we call Breanne down from her room to hear this so I don’t have to repeat myself about how much I enjoy Amelia’s company?”
“She’s gone.” Brendan grabbed a soda from the cooler and popped the top. “She left an hour or so ago. I thought you knew.”
He hadn’t. And seeing as how this was supposed to be a family dinner… “Any idea where she went?”
“No. Maybe Jo’s house. Or Kari’s. Bree’s been acting weird lately.”
Lincoln exchanged a glance with Carter, and the two of them turned in unison to face Brendan. “Weird how?” Lincoln said. “Is she worried about going away to school?”
“The breakup with Jax?” Carter asked.
“I don’t know. I guess. The whole breakup thing is definitely part of it. She and Jax talked a little at the pier a few weeks ago when we fished, but she didn’t seem any better afterwards.”
“Daddy, look,” Piper said from her kids’ table.
His niece lifted the picture she’d drawn.
