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“I’m more lucky than clever, and James thinks his name is Ozzy.”
Her head tipped sideways. “After the guy fromSurvivor?”
I allowed a crinkle of a smile.
“So, are you waiting to tell him until Foxy can pronounce his name?”
I chuckled. “I’m afraid he’ll realize how I’ve lied to him the moment he lays his eyes on his son. You’re right. The resemblance is uncanny. I’m… I’m trying to find the right time.”
My son’s darker complexion definitely came from James. He would be as handsome as his father one day.
“Did you see the lighter strand of hair on his left?” I asked, between sips of my coffee. How did she make me feel so comfortable so fast?
“Just like James.”
“I’ve always wanted Foxy to have a father, but you can’t make honey without bees. But then James walked back into my life, and everything changed. Suddenly, the dream of a full hive was within my reach.”
Her high-pitched laugher brought Foxy’s attention to his grandmother. He stood up and carried a ball her way. She bounced it on the floor. He laughed and returned to his new toys.
“Thank you for that. I can see how much you care about him. He’s very lucky.”
“All right. You need to start at the beginning.”
I sucked in a stuttering breath. “I came back, Teresa. I was afraid at the beginning of my pregnancy because we barely knew each other, but a month away from giving birth, I came to tell him. I drove to his house, parked the car, and then I saw them in the window: a perfectly happy family. Kensi was coloring on the dining room table, Laila was bouncing in a swing, and James and Tiffany were dancing in the middle of the room. And then he kissed her. That’s how I knew I’d lost my chance, and I didn’t want to break them up.”
“They’re not together any longer,” she said. “They tried, but it didn’t work.”
“Nothing can make a right from the fact I kept James from his son. I’m a cop, and there’s not much I fear, but I’ve never been so scared in my life. I could lose so much.”
“But think about what you could gain. My son is a forgiving man.”
“Who else knows about him?”
“Emma, her mother Wilma, and my husband, Jake. We were at my sister-in-law’s for an evening tea when your friend dropped off Foxy with Emma.”
“It’s nice you have so much family around.”
She reached across the counter and took my hand in hers. “So do you, Laura. Believe it or not, we’re your family now, and the sooner you speak with James, the better. Accept his job offer. Reconnect.”
“How do you know he offered me a job?”
“James confided in me. He also told me about the arrest and about your blind date. He’s already talked to your parents once.”
“He said it was part of my job interview.”
“Need I remind you that James is an investigator, and he’s earned his nickname for a reason?”
“You’re right. I think my time is limited.” I lowered my head into my hands.
“Why haven’t you told your parents about Foxy?”
My head flew up, and she scrunched her shoulders against her neck. “When James asked me for your father’s contact information, I got in touch with your mother. Don’t worry. I said nothing.”
“Teresa, there’s more to this than I can explain.”
She covered my hand with hers. “Try me, honey.”
“I’m not proud of the choice I made. My parents would have been disappointed the same way they were when I got pregnant at seventeen. It wasn’t even my damn fault, but I lost my baby girl.”
