Page 19 of Best Kept Secret

“Don’t we all.”

They walked and talked some more, but not about babies. Just like at the bar, their conversation flowed smoothly, and the time passed quickly. When the clouds started to roll in, he looked up at the sky and said, “We should probably leave before it rains.”

They’d circled the park and ended up at the parking lot.

“Right. We don’t want Emily to worry.”

“Thanks for meeting us.”

“I enjoyed it.”

“Maybe we can do it again sometime.”

“I’d love that.”

She considered asking if he needed help loading Annie into the car, but then she realized she was just trying to buy more time. Instead, she crouched down to say goodbye to Annie.

“Bye, sweetie. I’ll see you again soon.”

The baby’s eyes were already starting to droop, and she barely reacted. When she stood back up, he looked at her with a sweet expression.

“You might not have much experience, but you seem pretty good at this too.”

“Thanks,” she said, feeling ridiculously pleased at the compliment.

A few minutes later, she drove away with a huge smile on her face and buzzing with energy. She might have attributed it to the exercise, but she knew better. He’d made her feel like this. Well, not just him—Annie too.

Then she thought about what Jared would say if he knew about this. By the time she got home, she’d made up her mind.

I will see them again, and I’m not going to let Jared or anyone else stand in my way.

Six

Sonia opened the door and said, “You’re late.”

“Sorry,” he replied, but he wasn’t, not really.

She took one look at Annie sleeping soundly in the car seat and visibly softened. “How was she?”

“Great.” So was Kelsey, but she didn’t need to know about that—yet.

Sonia took the car seat from him and said, “Be right back.” Then she disappeared down the hall and went into Annie’s bedroom. He didn’t bother sitting down because he didn’t plan on staying long. A moment later, she rejoined him.

Looking at the bag he’d set down when he’d first come in, she said, “Did you go shopping for Annie?”

It would have been easy to say that he had, but he didn’t want to add another lie to his vastly growing collection. “Not me. A friend of mine.”

She eyed him curiously, but he picked up the bag and thrust it into her hands. “Take a look.”

As she pulled out the clothing, she smiled, especially when she saw the pair of leggings with the cheeky (pun intended) saying on the butt. Then she pulled out the stuffed teddy bear and said, “How cute. Which friend?”

“Nobody you know.”

“Did she go to the park with you?”

“She met us… Wait a minute. How did you know it was a she?”

Placing a hand on her hip and cocking her head, she said, “I know you, Hudson. Give me some credit.”