“Lor-wee.”
“Okay. Lory it is.” He freed one arm then the other. “Now why don’t we go eat? There might be a cookie after you eat your spaghetti.”
In a flash, Maddox spun around and, screaming cookie again, raced as fast as his little legs could carry him out of the kitchen. He had just disappeared around a corner when they heard a thump.
“Don’t worry. He’s all right,” Rylan called out. “I’ll get him in his chair.”
Mallory didn’t have to see the other man to hear the smile in his voice.
Jacob placed his hand on her elbow once more. “C’mon, let’s get in there before Mad eats all the spaghetti so he can then eat all the cookies.”
“Oh, I should—”
“Lory. We’re going to go in there and I’m going to feed you lunch as a thank you for everything you’ve put together for me and Mad. Then, when Mad goes down for his nap I’d be forever grateful if you went through all the information with me so I make the right decisions about the care of my son.”
She wasn’t sure what had her most rattled. The hand on her skin, the shortening of her name, or the way Jacob was looking at her. Without the ability to speak, she could only nod. The smile he gave her when she did did nothing to help her unsettled nerves.
“Good. Maz will be happy. She wanted to go meet you the second they arrived.”
“Oh.” She had found her voice. Shame she couldn’t find anything more intelligent than that to say.
“Yep. Mad kept talking about you yesterday when we were over at their place for dinner.”
She had to swallow to ease the constriction in her throat. The idea that Maddox would talk about her to his aunt and uncle…
Both man and child continued to poke at her emotions in a way that had nothing to do with the guilt and remorse she felt for everything Renee had done to them. If either she or Donna had tried harder to reach out to Renee over the years, would they have been able to save these people heartache?
“Hey?” Jacob gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “You okay?”
Pulled from her thoughts, she discovered they’d made it all the way to the dining table where Rylan, Mazey—with the baby still strapped to her chest—and Maddox were already seated and waiting for them. “Oh, yes, sorry. I was thinking about something I need to do later.”
It wasn’t a lie. She did have something to do. Something that involved the woman who had made all their lives hell in varying degrees for years.
Forcing her lips into a smile, she took the chair Jacob indicated. “Thank you. The invite to lunch is unexpected and unnecessary, although I am pleased it was extended.”
“You’re welcome.” He took the seat beside her, Maddox’s highchair on the other side of him. “Would you like water or juice?” Jacob asked, his hand already reaching for her glass.
“Water is fine. Please.” She felt out of place. The ease of yesterday’s afternoon picnic was nowhere to be found. Perhaps it was the meal itself? The pasta in the huge serving bowl, the plates and glasses, sitting at a table.
Or maybe it was the couple sitting across from her.
Mallory never dreamed she would be this close to all the people Renee had hurt. The omission of who she was sat heavy in her chest, churned her stomach in a way that had nothing to do with hunger.
She wanted to blurt out the words, tell them who her stepsister was, but her vocal cords were tangled, her mouth dry.
The second Jacob placed her full glass in front of her, she grabbed it up and gulped several mouthfuls. Unfortunately the cool liquid did nothing to ease the guilt of deceiving these people. Getting through lunch would be a test of her fortitude. She only held her tongue because she knew the second she uttered the words, Jacob would likely throw her out and as much as she hated pretending to be something—someone—she wasn’t, she couldn’t bring herself to confess.
Not until she had helped him find a nanny for Maddox. A nanny who would care for him as though he were her own, love and nurture and keep him safe.
A vision filled her mind. Maddox and Jacob in the yard beneath the oak tree enjoying another picnic. Some faceless woman beside them.
It was enough to bring tears to her eyes and she blinked rapidly to clear her gaze. Glancing up she found Rylan studying her with concern and Mazey smiling at her with sympathy.
Nobody had spoken in what felt like hours but could only be a minute at most. The tension in the air had Mallory wishing she had tried harder to decline Jacob’s offer.
Hating the thought of spending the rest of the meal in this strained silence, Mallory pushed herself to engage in a way that would take the spotlight off her. “How old is your baby?” she asked Mazey.
“Almost four weeks.” Mazey patted the baby’s back. “This is his first outing. We thought it might be better to start off small before venturing into the big wide world.”
