A Father's Name(37)

“But what if I’m the grenade that explodes all over him?”

“Shh,” she said again. “You love him too much and you’re too smart for that. But me saying that probably won’t make you worry less, so let me add this—if you ever lay a finger on that baby, now, or when he’s Bart’s age, I’ll step in, even take you on, Martinez.” She stood, hands on hips, looking fierce. “I might be small, but I’m scrappy.”

Something in him melted. She was such a petite woman. Tiny even. And yet, he believed her. She’d take him on and she’d win. She’d never let him hurt Jace.

Never.



His relief spread at the thought.

Angelina Tucker would never let him turn into his father.

He reached out, took her by the hand and drew her into his arms. “Thank you,” he said before he kissed her.

He kissed her with all the hunger he’d felt when he’d first asked her out. He’d hardly known her then, all he’d known was that he was attracted to her. Now, he wanted to know more.

He wanted to go on kissing her and more.

Much more.

The sound of a door slamming somewhere in the house reminded him they weren’t alone and reluctantly, he pulled back.

“Well,” was all she said.

“Well,” he echoed because he didn’t know what to say either.

She saved him from finding something else to say by asking, “So, you’ll stay for supper?”

He nodded. “I’ll set the table.”

And just like that, they bustled around her kitchen as if nothing had happened. Tyler tried to ignore the fact he never should have let it happen. She deserved her shot at freedom. She deserved a better man than him. He couldn’t let it happen again.

But something had happened.

Something big.





CHAPTER SIX



“IT’S OFFICIAL,” TUCKER declared to her friends Eli and Laura on Friday night.

One of the many nice things about being adopted by the Keller family was the occasional girls’ Friday night out. When Eli and Laura’s other sisters-in-law were in town, they sometimes joined them, but most of the time it was the three of them.

Eli and Laura were both teachers and both had young children. They said getting together on a Friday night every once and a while was sometimes the only thing that saved them after a crazy week. Tucker generally sympathized with their small-kid-woes, but Bart was, for all intents and purposes, an adult now and she’d forgotten what it was like coping with little kids…until now.

“What’s official?” Eli asked.

“I’ve lost three pounds in the last two weeks chasing after Jace. I officially remember what’s it’s like to take care of a toddler. All those other Friday nights out with the two of you, I’ve commiserated and I’ve sympathized, but I was faking it. Blatantly faking it. I’d forgotten how intense toddlers can be.”

“You’re still babysitting?” Eli asked.

Tucker had expected her friends to be amused by her statement. Instead, both looked concerned.

“Yeah. We did the same kind of baby-balancing act when Bart was young, and it’s all come back to us—to the whole shop. Of course, Joe and North weren’t around back then, but they’ve caught on fine. As a matter of fact, North offered to buy Jace his Halloween costume.”

“It’s only barely July.” Laura’s expression finally indicated the amusement Tucker had been hoping for.

Feeling encouraged, Tucker continued, “North’s got to special order it.”

Laura smiled, as she asked the proper question. “What is North thinking of making Jace?”

“Baby Spock.” Tucker had shared North’s love of all things Star Trek with the women before, so they all laughed. “I told Tyler it was his decision. If he gives North free rein on this, next thing you know, Jace will be in his teens and North will be teaching him to speak Klingon.”

Eli smiled at the statement, but her expression quickly turned serious as she asked, “Is Tyler still looking for a sitter?”

Tucker nodded. “But it’s summer. Whedon’s one daycare center is overflowing with younger kids who are on summer vacation. The same holds true for private sitters around town. And it’s not practical for Tyler to drive all the way into Erie each day, then back to work.” She didn’t add that the truth was, she hated the thought of Jace going to a babysitter. She’d fallen head over heels for the baby.