The SEAL's Surprise Son (The Admiral's Seals, #1) - Leslie North Page 0,29

while Zach watched her, desire in his eyes. What she wouldn’t give for another hour alone with him.

“Do you want me to pick him up at Nina’s after I get off work?” Zach asked. His day usually finished before hers, so he’d bought a car seat and often picked Austin up.

“He’ll be with my mom today, and I want to ask her about a paper I found in that box in the attic last night. Can you meet me at her house after work?”

“No problem.” He kissed her one last time before leaving.

Later in the day, they arrived at her mother’s house at the same time and walked in the door together. Austin was sitting on Faith’s lap, flipping through pages in a book.

“Look who’s here,” Faith said to Austin, who squirmed to get down as soon as he spotted them.

Austin went to Zach first, arms extended upward. Zach picked him up, giving him a hug and a kiss before holding him out for Carolyn’s kiss.

“You three look good together,” Faith commented with arched eyebrows.

“We do,” Carolyn said, leaving it at that. She knew her mother’s game, but she wasn’t willing to give out too much information about her relationship with Zach just yet—which didn’t prevent him from grinning at her behind Austin’s back.

“I think Austin’s never been happier, too,” her mother insisted.

“He’s always been a happy baby,” Carolyn countered, which was true. Happy, cooperative, leaving her little fear of the coming terrible twos, despite the many warnings she’d heard.

“So I’m having no effect on my son’s life?” Zach whispered while Faith went to grab some toys for Austin.

“I didn’t say that,” she responded with a smile. “I think you’ve had a big impact on his life…and mine.”

“Good.” He stole a kiss just before Faith returned with a bag of toys and Austin wanted down to play. “I’ll get the box from your car.” Zach touched her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze before going out.

“It’s not my business, but…” Faith commented as soon as Zach was out the door.

“Mom, give us some time.” Carolyn stopped her with a good-humored warning. She and Zach were moving quickly to a reconciliation, but they’d spent nearly two years apart, and she wasn’t ready to discuss their future with her mother when she and Zach hadn’t even talked about it yet.

“Okay. I still think he’s a keeper, though.” The front door opened, and Faith clamped her lips shut until Zach came back in the room.

“Where would you like them?” he asked.

“Oh, not another old batch of papers. I should have shredded that stuff years ago.” Faith groaned as Zach placed the box on the coffee table in front of them before plopping down on the floor to play with Austin.

“Maybe,” Carolyn agreed, “but it’s been an interesting read. I came across this one last night.” Carolyn pulled the paper from the top of the box and held it out to her mother. Carolyn had reread it that morning to make sure her quick perusal the evening before had been accurate. She had, in all fairness, been distracted by Zach and the possibilities that lay between them. “You never told me that you owned a jewelry store before All That Sparkles.”

When her mother’s face fell, Carolyn wished she’d broached the subject differently. She’d almost called her sister earlier to see what she knew but decided their mother might have kept it a secret for a reason. Now Carolyn was sure of it. What could be so bad about having had a different store?

“I guess I should have told you about that years ago. You’ve been an adult for a long time, after all. It’s just so…” Her mother shuddered, obviously upset by it.

“You don’t have to explain.” Carolyn tried to take the paper back and stuff it in the box.

“No, I do,” Faith said firmly, catching Carolyn’s hand. Faith took the paper, smoothing it against her knee. “You should know.”

“Let’s go outside, buddy.” Zach picked Austin up. “It’s a beautiful day out there.”

“Thanks,” Carolyn mouthed to him before he headed out the French doors onto the back patio.

“He’s a good man,” her mother said once they were out of earshot.

“I know,” Carolyn readily agreed. She was grateful to have him back in her life. She pulled her attention back to the paper her mother still held. “Mom, you don’t have to tell me about it if it’s none of my business.”

Her mother sighed. “You deserve an explanation. If it were simply a poor business