“Did you even stick around to see if you were right about your gamble or did you go straight to the airport once you’d delivered our child like a stray dog?”
She glanced away, guilt on her face. “I knew you wouldn’t send him away,” she said. “You’re a good man.”
“Which you know from our extensive history together.”
Her hands fisted. “You can berate me all you like, Walker, but I want to see my baby. Will you let me do that or not?”
“Of course,” Clara cut in when Walker opened his mouth. “He’s sleeping. I’ll go get him.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t think so,” Walker said at the same time.
With a sigh, Clara navigated around Veronica and took his hands in hers. “Think logically,” she murmured to him. “This is his mother. What are you going to say to Hunter when he’s old enough to start asking where she is?”
He scowled.
“You don’t have to forgive right now,” she said. “But this isn’t a door you should close. Let me go get the baby.”
His eyes met hers instead of the blonde beauty standing a few feet away. “You think this is a good idea?”
“I do.” The words were like acid on her tongue.
He jerked his head. “All right. Get Hunter.”
Ducking around him, she raced to the nursery before he could change his mind.
Stepping into the dark room, she tiptoed to the crib and scooped up the sleepy baby.
“There’s someone I want to reintroduce you to, little man,” she whispered against his blonde curls. So much like his mother’s.
He gurgled in her arms.
“Come on.” Tucking the blanket around him she went back downstairs, every step feeling like a weight pressing down on her shoulders. When she entered the living room she paused. Walker and Veronica stood close together. By his body posture she could see Walker was less than thrilled to be so close to his ex, but she couldn’t help feeling they made a striking pair. With his dark charm and Veronica’s angelic beauty she could see why they’d ended up together.
And how they’d managed to create such a beautiful little boy.
“Veronica,” she called.
The woman jerked around, her eyes zeroing in on her child.
“Oh,” she whispered, the fight draining out of her face as a naked need replaced it. “Can I hold him?”
She looked to Walker who gave her a sharp nod.
“He’s tired so he might be fussy,” she warned before handing over the baby.
“Hello,” Veronica said to the infant. “Your daddy calls you Hunter. What do you think of that?”
She rocked him easily in her arms, and Clara’s chest tightened. They fit together. Two pieces that were never supposed to be separated.
Hunter reached up to grasp one golden curl that was so like his own. Pulling it into his mouth, he sucked on the strands, utterly content.
Seeing the child, she’d come to think of as hers that happy in the arms of another woman was yet another knife in Clara’s heart. What had she expected? She’d always known one way or another her presence in Hunter’s life would be temporary. She wasn’t his mother. Nor his stepmother.
She wasn’t anything to him.
And with Veronica back, the odds of her ever being any of those things was growing increasingly smaller.
Clara stood on the edge, looking at what would have been a family had Veronica made a different choice.
Once again, she was on the outside looking in. The one left in the cold, able to see the life she wanted but never quite able to reach it. Hadn’t this happened time after time when she was younger? Hadn’t she nearly run herself ragged trying to be someone others would view as being worthy of their time?
Their love.
But not even her own flesh and blood had ever seen any value in her.
Staring at him stare at Veronica made her realize how foolish a dream that had been. She’d been right back in the first year. He wasn’t the man for her.
She was alone.
“He’s so beautiful,” Veronica said. “And he looks happy. I knew you’d keep him safe.”
“He’s my son,” Walker said, cupping Hunter’s head with a gentle hand. “There was never any question of doing whatever he needed of me.” He glanced up, his eyes finding hers. “Of us.”
Veronica followed his gaze. “Of course. Forgive me, I should have realized. Thank you, as well,” she said to her.
“Clara,” she introduced herself with a wave. “It was no trouble. Hunter is an amazing kid.”
“Still, if you were helping take care of him, you have my deepest thanks. I’m glad Walker didn’t have to go through this alone.”