No Stranger to Scandal - By Rachel Bailey Page 0,47

that reminded him of Lucy’s. He liked her already. “Call me Hayden.”

“Then you must call me Judith. Please, come in.”

She led them through a house that was all soaring glass and warm wood tones. Fires crackled in grates as they went past, and thick wall-to-wall carpets kept the rooms toasty from the spring-night air in the mountains.

They emerged from a hallway into a large library with soft yellow walls, fresh flowers on small tables and built-in bookshelves on each wall. Three people were already standing in the room, each holding a sparkling crystal glass—he recognized them from Lucy’s descriptions as Piers, Philip and Rose. Piers and Philip came over to give Lucy hugs, and Judith performed the introductions.

Within minutes, Hayden had a martini in his hand and was ensconced in small talk with Philip that mainly revolved around skiing and red wine. Every so often he met Lucy’s eyes across the room and lost his place in the conversation, but he seemed to cover well enough for Philip not to notice.

Partway through a discussion on the finer points of choosing a good merlot, Judith interrupted them to lead the group into the dining room—a room with spectacular views of the town below. Hayden found himself seated with Lucy on one side and Rose on the other and served stuffed mushrooms that appeared to be a traditional family favorite. The main course followed and conversation flowed smoothly among the group.

“So, Hayden,” Judith said in a deceptively sweet voice once the plates were cleared. “Are you married? Single?”

Hayden cleared his throat. “Widowed.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” Judith’s tone was sympathetic, but she clearly intended to pursue the topic. He shifted in his chair and prepared to redirect the conversation.

“Hayden has a little boy,” Lucy said from beside him. He held back a smile—she’d dived in to protect him from her family. She was a good woman, that Lucy.

“How old is he?” Judith asked.

Hayden took a sip of his wine. “He just turned one.”

“Such a lovely age,” Judith said. “I remember when Philip was that little. He was so sweet, always rushing up with flowers he’d picked for me.”

Hayden saw Philip look across the table at Lucy and share a glance of amused exasperation. Either not noticing or not minding, Judith continued. “And Philip was always being carried around by one of his sisters when he was one. He milked it for all he was worth.”

“Smart boy,” Hayden said to Philip and grinned.

Philip tilted his head in acknowledgment. “What’s your boy’s name?”

“Joshua. Josh.” His chest hurt, missing his little boy—he hadn’t been away from him overnight since Brooke died and he’d taken complete parental responsibility. He was already looking forward to seeing him again the next afternoon.

Judith leaned forward. “Do you have a photo of him?”

Hayden found one in his wallet and passed it across to Rose, sitting to his side, just indulging in a quick look himself first. “It’s a couple of months old now, but he looks much the same. Just bigger.”

“He’s gorgeous,” Rose said, and passed the photo along the table. Hayden’s chest expanded an inch or two. Josh was the best son a man could hope for.

“So you’ll be on the lookout for a new mother for him?” Judith asked, smiling to cover for her complete lack of tact.

“Mom,” Philip interjected good-naturedly. “The man lost his wife not long ago. Give him a little peace.”

“It’s okay,” Hayden said. “It has only been three months, but, no, I won’t be looking for a new mother. I won’t marry again.” He resisted the impulse to glance over at Lucy and gauge her reaction, but she’d known their relationship was only temporary. This shouldn’t be too big a shock for her.

“Maybe with time...” Judith began but let her words trail off when Hayden shook his head.

“It’s not about time, or healing. It’s about parenting. This might sound selfish, but I’m not prepared to share decision making about Josh ever again.”

Judith’s brows shot up with unbridled interest. “You didn’t agree with your wife’s philosophy on child raising?”

“Not even close to agreeing with it,” Hayden said with blunt honesty, which seemed to please Judith. “In fact, I was locked out of most of the decisions. Obviously, I should have challenged it at the time, but I didn’t. I won’t risk a situation where I don’t have a say about my own son again.”

“What about love?” Judith asked, leaning back in her chair, wineglass in hand. “You can’t control that.”

“Love isn’t the most important