Love and Secrets - Kit Morgan Page 0,16

And here she was, about to be enmeshed in the middle of it. At least for a day or two. But then what?

She shut her eyes tight. “Don’t go there. He’s not right for you. He might be staying, but he has a child. You’re not ready for children. Besides, he’s probably still in love with Sophie’s mother. Maybe that’s why he’s so sad.”

She opened her eyes. “Yes, of course it is. He’s mourning.” She slapped her legs, stood, and turned toward the bedroom. If there was one thing that could get her mind off this, it was her closet. Maybe she should wear a rubber band on her wrist. That way every time she entertained the idea of Zane being anything but a long lost friend, she could snap herself.

She went into the bedroom and began to sort through the boxes. She really did need to do something about her photographs. She opened the box full of old ones. “Oh my, these are from high school.” She began to sort through them, smiling and laughing on occasion. Then she found one of her and Zane, their arms around each other, smiling like they didn’t have a care in the world. Which, at the time, they didn’t.

“Oh, Zane,” she whispered. “I hope everything works out for you.”

She continued to leaf through the photos. There were pictures of Katie and her family, Holly’s own parents. Hmm, should she call Mom? She hadn’t talked to her all week.

She picked up her cell phone, got into her contacts and found her mother’s number. Maybe a conversation would get her mind off things for a while. She just had to make sure she didn’t mention Zane or she’d have to listen to a speech worse than anything Katie could come up with. If there was one person who loved to play matchmaker more than she did, it was Gladys Kupiec.

She cringed on the first ring, then braced herself as her mother answered.

Chapter Six

Holly showed up at Zane’s motel room promptly at four and smiled when he opened the door. “Hi!”

“You’re cheerful. But then you always are.” He opened the door wide and stepped aside.

Holly entered, saw the playpen at one end of the room and clapped her hands together. Sophie was sitting in the middle of it surrounded by toys. “There she is!” She went straight to the playpen. “Zane, she’s beautiful!”

She crouched next to it. “Hi, Sophie. Hellooooo!” The baby looked at Holly and smiled.

Zane crouched next to her. “I think she likes you.”

“Of course, she does. All babies do.” She waved at Sophie who smiled again.

“She really does like you,” Zane said in disbelief.

“Well thanks a lot,” Holly said with a frown.

He laughed. “I was just joking. But I’m glad she likes you.”

Holly stood. “Well, what’s not to like,” she said and flipped her bangs out of her eyes.

Zane got to his feet and smiled. “Same old Holly. Always so happy and joyful.” He looked into her eyes. “I’m glad you haven’t changed.”

The pulse in her neck skipped. “You have. So, I must have too. You just haven’t noticed it yet.”

He looked into her eyes a moment longer then studied her face. It did nothing for her resolve to not fall for him. He took a step closer. That didn’t help either. “Thanks again for watching her. She’ll stay awake for at least a couple of hours and want to play, then eat.”

Holly, unwilling to break their gaze, nodded. “Does she have a bottle?”

“Yes. The formula’s in the diaper bag. You can heat it up in the microwave. I wrote everything down. She also has her baby food.”

Holly nodded again, still unable to break their gaze. “Does… she crawl yet?”

“Not quite. But I think she’s about to start. She sits fine, reaches for her toys. I… have a couple of baby books if you want to look at them.”

Holly blinked, breaking the spell. “Books?”

He gave her a helpless shrug. “I’m new at this, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. Sure.”

He gave her a worried look. “You have experience with babies, right? You mentioned…”

“… Katie’s kids, yes. All three of them. I’m good, really. We’ll be fine.”

He nodded, grabbed his cell phone, stuffed it in his back pocket, then went to the playpen and picked Sophie up. “Hey, beautiful. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Holly smiled at the gentle tone he used and forced herself to concentrate on Sophie. “Hi there, pretty girl. How are you?”

Sophie waved an arm up and down and laughed.

“Is that good