Delivering His Gifts (Mountain Men of Liberty #10)- K.C. Crowne Page 0,35

of your life. We’re having a baby together and—”

There was pounding on the door behind me. “You’re having a baby?”

Shit.

“Mason, go. Please. We can’t talk right now, and I meant what I said before. I’m not interested in us being together just because I’m having your baby.”

Mason threw on his shirt as Skyler continued pounding on the door. “Baby! Baby! I’m going to be a big sister!”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Since Mason was dressed, I opened the bedroom door and Skyler rushed into the room, literally jumping and bouncing. “I’m going to be a sister! I’m going to be a big sister!”

Mason looked at me, his face softening. He mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.”

“Go,” I mouthed back to him. Mason slipped past us. I let him see himself out.

I needed to deal with Skyler. I wouldn’t lie to her now that the cat was out of the bag. But I would need to convince a five-year-old to keep the news of a baby to herself.

That was not going to be easy.

It might not even be possible.

But I had to find a way.

Mason

The sun was rising over the distant mountains, and I simply wasn’t ready to head home. There was too much on my mind, and driving was one of the ways I often sorted my thoughts.

I drove through town, surveying the damage from the disaster. Things were finally getting better in Liberty after the flooding. Most of the damaged buildings in the downtown area were rebuilt. Some lots still remained empty where homes used to stand - one of them was Calvin’s old house.

Thinking about the old man, I pulled into the local diner to order some breakfast. Calvin was always up early, often only sleeping four hours or so at a time. And I knew I could use the company.

I was going to be a father. The thought kept hitting me hard. It felt like a punch in the gut, or like someone was rousing me from a dream. It couldn’t be true. Not that I had anything against having children - I just wasn’t sure I was cut out for fatherhood. But I didn’t have a choice now, because there was no doubt in my mind that I would be part of my child’s life. I hardly knew Danielle, though I knew she was a good person and a good mom. She didn’t want a relationship with me, and that was fine - but I wasn’t letting her be a single mom. I would step up, be there for my kid.

Even if the thought of being responsible for another human being terrified the shit out of me. It scared me more than going into the military or entering enemy territory in Afghanistan. Because it wasn’t just my life at stake anymore.

I ordered the food in a blur, feeling terrible for not engaging in small talk with the diner owner, Felicity. She was always so polite and friendly, and normally we’d talk about the weather or the rebuild efforts or something. But today, I just wanted to get my food and go.

She seemed to be okay with that, handing me the bag with my food in it and telling me to have a good day. I climbed back in my truck, my stomach growling at the scent of bacon and homemade biscuits and gravy wafting from the bag.

I drove to Calvin’s house, and as suspected, he was awake. He was sitting on his front porch when I pulled up.

“You’re up early,” he observed as I got out of the truck.

“Yeah, decided to get some breakfast. Thought you might like some too.”

Calvin’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t have to baby me, you know.”

“I know,” I said, grabbing the bag and walking up the path to the porch. “But to be honest, I needed this more than you do.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have a lot going on right now, and I didn’t feel like going home,” I said. “So this is a nice distraction.”

Calvin stood up and motioned for me to follow him inside.

“Problems with the pretty little dog trainer who’s certainly not your girlfriend or anything?” Calvin winked at me. He’d been saying for weeks now that the chemistry between Danielle and me was off the charts, but I continued to deny that there was anything between us.

Now I would have to face that lie head on and admit the truth. Not only to Calvin, but also myself.

“Not problems exactly,” I said, placing the bag on the table. I opened it as Calvin