Page 32 of Romance Reset
“I’m about to pee on a stick with you outside the door. I think we can pretty much discuss anything at this point.”
True. Definitely true. “Fine. I’m serious about having a baby, so I was researching alternative ways of making it happen. Izzy—my best friend—thinks I shouldn’t give up on romance and finding someone, soshehired Marsali, and your father and I met.”
“That is seriously cool.”
“You think?”
“Yeah. But if you’re okay with being with Dad now, why did you break up in high school?”
Another red light. Great. More time to get grilled by the teenager. “It’s complicated.”
“More complicated than getting knocked up at eighteen even though you used protection but it broke?”
A huff of a laugh left her chest. “Okay, you win. Back then, your father asked me to marry him because he wanted to settle down and make a home for Carter. I wasn’t ready. I wanted to travel and go to college— Hey, you wanted to know,” she said when the girl flinched. “I know it’s tricky to think about right now, but just hang tight until you take that test and have a definitive answer, okay?”
Breanne nodded and Amelia got the car moving again when the light changed.
“Does my dad want more kids?” Breanne asked.
Amelia inhaled. “I honestly don’t know. That’s something we have yet to discuss but I hope so. Would that bother you?” She made the turn into her condo complex along the river.
“I don’t know. Maybe. Especially if I’m… Oh, no. No, no, no, this can’t be happening.”
“What?” Amelia asked, slowing the vehicle to glance at Breanne. “What is it?”
“Is that myDad?”
Chapter 13
Lincoln blinked at the sight of Breanne sitting beside Amelia in her SUV. He waited for them to park in Amelia’s appointed spot and stood from the bench where he’d sat waiting. “Hey. What’s going on here?”
Amelia looked a little wide-eyed and flushed, but it was nothing compared to Breanne’s pale-as-death complexion.
“I, um, saw Breanne in a store and she was upset over her breakup, so I offered some company and chocolate therapy,” Amelia told him, tilting her head to the side to give him better access to the cheek she offered.
“Is that really it?” he murmured as he brushed his lips over her face.
“Of course. What are you doing here?”
“You said you were working late and stopping by the store, so I thought I’d come help carry in your groceries and kiss you good-night.”
“Lincoln… that’s sweet.”
Lincoln greeted his quiet daughter as he opened the rear access to gather the plastic bags.
“Oh, we can get those,” Amelia said.
“Yeah. I’ll do it, Dad. G-go with Amelia.”
He gathered up the bags in one hand and pressed the button to close the door with his free hand. “I’ve got them. Let’s go have some chocolate,” he said, inviting himself along in the hopes that Breanne might open up a bit more about what was going on with her with Amelia around.
The ladies exchanged a long look Lincoln couldn’t interpret, but Amelia turned and urged Breanne toward the walkway leading to the elevator. The ride up was suspiciously silent and Lincoln’s unease grew. “You two seem… distracted.”
“We’re fine,” they said in unison.
Okay. Nothing strange about that, he mused.
The elevator door opened and Breanne bolted out of the enclosure. Amelia led the way to her door and unlocked it with hands that trembled slightly.
