Free The Baby Battle by Laura Marie Altom Page B

talking, raising issues she’d fought so hard to keep in her past. Did he think she hadn’t pondered the implications of what Flynn’s life would be like without a father? Every parenting book stressed the importance of a child having both parents. Of course, in a perfect world Phil wouldn’t have screwed her best friend. She wouldn’t have been incapable of trust, and she wouldn’t have been afraid to try for another child with a man because she was terrified of suffering that kind of loss all over again.
    Her decision to be artificially inseminated hadn’t been an easy one. In the end, it had been the only route for her. After Gabby’s wedding, she’d tried dating again, but the lack of trust had always resurfaced. Bottom line, there were millions of single moms out there, and a million more well-adjusted great kids raised by them.
     
    “H OW DO I LOOK ?” Tag asked, stepping out of the small-town department-store dressing room in a comfortable pair of Levi’s. It felt damned good to be rid of his suit. After breakfast, though Olivia hadn’t looked all that happy about the prospect of sharing a car ride with him, she’d agreed to accompany him on a shopping trip.
    “Better,” she said with Flynn riding her knee to the accompaniment of a canned show tune. “I’m no fashionista, but your whole vibe wasn’t working.”
    “Consider yourself lucky you delivered that line with a smile.” Yet one more thing Tag hadn’t anticipated was purchasing a new wardrobe. Luckily the country store had all of the necessities. Jeans, sweaters, T-shirts, pj’s, socks, boxers, hiking boots and tennis shoes.
    Next stop was a drugstore, where he picked up toiletries and a razor. And a box of Sprite—just in case.
    Back out on the quiet, tree-lined street Olivia said, “I am sorry. When I took off like that, I…” She kissed Flynn’s forehead. “I hadn’t thought it even part of the way through. If you’d like, I’ll be happy to reimburse you for every dime you’ve spent.”
    “Thanks,” he said, repositioning his many bags, “but it’s not about the money. I still feel sick thinking about how horrible this could’ve turned out.”
    She nodded.
    “Promise you won’t scare me like that again?”
    “I’ve learned my lesson. From now on, I’ll behave.”
    Her answer wasn’t the outpouring of remorse Tag had been hoping for. But they’d both been through a lot inthe past few days, and for now, baby steps would have to do.
    “Hungry?” he asked when she opened her car’s trunk to dump his bags inside. They’d taken her car, for Flynn’s safety seat and stroller. It unnerved him not being the one behind the wheel, but just as Olivia was learning to cope with the oddities of their predicament, so was he.
    “Not even a little bit. After Grandpa’s Breakfast extravaganza, I wouldn’t have thought you’d need food for a week.”
    “It’s not so much a matter of needing to eat,” he said, “as it is a craving for something sweet. Come on, follow me.” He commandeered the stroller and took off running down the street.
    “Where are you going?” Olivia asked, jogging to keep up.
    “Flynn and I need sugar.”
    “That’s not on his diet!” she shouted, losing ground. Tag’s new tennis shoes fit surprisingly well. He hadn’t sprinted this fast in years.
    While he’d been paying for his clothes, he’d noticed outside one of the store’s windows a combination bakery and ice cream shop. Rounding the corner, he found it, and was standing at the front counter making his selection before Olivia even walked through the door.
    “It’s about time,” he said, grinning to see her winded. It served her right to be chasing him for a change.
    “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, hunched overand grabbing her knees. “No sane person takes off like that.”
    “Whoever said I’m sane?” He winked. “I do have all of that nutty circus blood in me.”
    She elbowed his ribs.
    Five minutes later they sat