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Renata was speechless. Fisher had outed her. In front of her brothers. And her father. Until now, he’d always been on her side. Always.
The room was absolutely quiet. And still. Like they were all suspended in space—waiting for the other to make the first move. Renata would be perfectly happy if a hole opened up in the floor and swallowed her.
But things only got worse when Ash walked in, an adorable dark-haired toddler on his hip, smiling a sweet baby grin. Two middle-aged women followed in his wake.
“Can we move this some place more private?” she hissed, desperation mounting.
“You’re pregnant?” Archer looked stunned. And he was talking way too loudly.
Because now Ash and the women were looking their way, too.
“Are you... Who... What the hell?” Ryder growled. “Like I said, whose ass are we kicking?”
She was doing her best not to stare at Ash, but the look of sheer determination and resignation on his face set off warning bells. He straightened, heading straight toward them. And it took everything she had not to run from the room. Nope, no running away. It’s not like this could get worse. She was shaking her head, holding up her hands, before she realized what she was doing.
Her brothers and father, all frowning and confused, looked from her to Ash, then back again.
“Everything okay?” Ash was looking at her, his voice low and soothing.
“Fine, Dr. Carmichael,” Archer snapped. He wasn’t a fan of outsiders butting in. Ever.
“This is a family matter, Ash.” Fisher’s smile was brittle—not in the least bit welcoming.
Still, Ash was looking at her, not her brothers or her father or the women standing, gawking, behind him. The toddler Ash carried turned huge eyes on the crowd assembled, making baby sounds, repeating, “Hi,” and waving frantically.
She couldn’t help it, she waved back. He, Ash’s son, was beautiful. “Curtis?” she asked.
Ash nodded.
Curtis clapped his hands and looked up at Ash, all the love in the world on his little face. “Daddy here.”
Ash nodded and pressed a kiss to the boy’s forehead. “I wanted to be here when you did this.”
She winced, pressing her eyes shut. Yes. Apparently, it could get worse.
Ryder was on the verge. “Why would she—”
“You’re kidding me?” Fisher groaned, long and loud. “It’s yours? It’s his.”
“He’s been here what? A week? Days?” Archer shot Fisher a look of pure irritation.
“He was here in October.” Hunter glanced her way. “For the interview.”
Her brothers turned on Ash, wound tight and stone-faced. This was very bad.
“Well,” her father mumbled, giving Ash a look Renata had never seen before. Still, his expression softened when Curtis waved at him. Her father adored children, especially his grandchildren. “Is that the way of it?” he asked.
She nodded again.
Her father was patting her arm again. “I see.”
He didn’t see. But she needed him to, before anyone jumped ahead and started presuming what happened next. “Ash and I will co-parent. We’ve agreed that’s best.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Ryder asked, his jaw locked stiff and his hands fisting at his sides.
“It means we will raise this baby together—”
“Of course you will,” her father agreed, his spirits lifting. “Ash here is a solid young man. He knows what the right thing to do is, given the situation.”
