But the sight of all those books left him unsettled. How much didn’t he know about all of this? Shit. Beth was right—they really did need their parents’ support when the baby came. Their folks may not have been great at interacting with their adult kids, but they did know how to keep babies alive. If that type of thing required all this equipment and reading, he and Dara were going to need all the help they could get.
He left the intimidating, depressing array of books and got in line. After he’d paid, a couple of employees brought the larger items out and loaded them into his truck, and Matt tied everything down.
On his way out of Goldmount, crawling through the shitty traffic toward the interstate, his mind kept wandering back to that book rack at the baby store, and a nervous feeling coiled itself in the pit of his stomach.
Beth really was right. Inexperienced parents needed experienced parents for support and advice, and he and Dara didn’t have a lot of options there.
In order for his parents to help with the new baby, they had to know about the baby. Which meant showing a few cards that they would not appreciate.
But maybe sooner was better than later. Especially now that Dara’s mother knew he was “playing Dad” to the baby, maybe it was time to visit his own mother and start feeling her out. The gossip would get to her sooner or later. Maybe now was a good time to find out just what they’d be up against once the truth came out.
And if he went over to her place now—she never minded the kids dropping by—then he could get this over with before he lost his nerve.
He glanced in the rearview at the boxes tied down in the truck bed. Pulling up to his folks’ house with all that would kill the subtle, tactful approach.
So, he went home and parked the truck in the garage. Then he took the cover off his one remaining sports car—the Ferrari he just hadn’t been able to give up. It was red, and loud, and fast—and at the moment, the only vehicle he had that wasn’t filled to the gills with baby things.
Then it was off to Mom’s, and hopefully this visit would play out better than the last several.
He parked in the driveway beside Mom’s old sedan. Before he’d even shut off the engine, the front door opened, and his mom appeared on the porch.
As he came up the walk, she smiled. “Well, this is a surprise. What brings you by?”
He shrugged, sliding his hands in his pockets. “Just, uh, was in the area.”
She stood aside. “Come on in. Can I get you something to eat?”
“No, no, I’m fine. Thanks.” Eating probably wasn’t a good idea—his stomach wasn’t even thrilled about him being here, and he didn’t want to push his luck.
As Mom closed the door, she said, “Do you know what I heard the other day? Your ‘friend’ is having a baby.”
Matt swallowed. “Oh really?” Funny you should bring that up. “Where did you hear that?”
“Where haven’t I heard it?” Mom rolled her eyes. “It’s all over church.” With a sharp, haughty laugh, she added, “That explains why she wasn’t drinking wine at dinner.”
“Yeah, I guess that could be it.”
“And why she’s suddenly come back to Aspen Mill.”
Matt raised his eyebrows. “Why’s that?”
“Well, a man isn’t going to divorce a woman who’s carrying his baby. Obviously he found out she’s been getting around town, and—”
“You don’t know that.”
“Well.” Mom sneered. “I do know that I can’t imagine what kind of man would leave the pregnant mother of his child, or what kind would stick around while she’s pregnant with someone else’s.”
Matt chewed the inside of his cheek. There was no way he could explain to her that she was right—the asshole ex-husband wasn’t keen on raising a child who wasn’t biologically his—without also explaining a few other things. Things that were none of her business, and things she would not be impressed with.
He watched his mother from the corner of his eye. Sooner or later, she was going to know. Putting it off wouldn’t prevent the inevitable.
Once Dara couldn’t hide the fact that the rumors were true and she really was pregnant, word would get around Aspen Mill even faster, and those who’d thought it was just a rumor before would start speculating. Was the baby her husband’s? Had he left her because she’d gotten knocked up by some other guy? Tongues would be wagging even more than they already were, because nobody in this town had anything better to do.
Maybe it was time to test the water.
“Mom, I’ve got a question.”