Free Nobody's Baby by Carol Burnside Page A

stood on ceremony at mealtimes.
    Rio reached for the mustard as her hand closed around it. His fingers grazed her knuckles while veering toward the ketchup, and they laughed, though there wasn’t anything particularly funny. She finished with the mustard and offered it to Rio, holding out her other hand for the ketchup. More glances were exchanged between the building of their burgers, and despite the repeated cautions in her head, Kate could swear Rio’s held a flirtatious gleam.
    Did the last stages of pregnancy make a woman hallucinate? Another question to ask her doctor on Monday.
    * * * * *
    W ith the delectable scent of Kate still filling his head, Rio eased her door closed so as not to disturb her reading. He was startled by a tap on his shoulder. “Geez, Mom. You ‘bout gave me a heart attack.”
    “What do you think you’re doing?” She pulled him down the hallway away from Kate’s door.
    Even at thirty, he still felt like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar when his mom used that tone. “Uh ...what do you mean? I was carrying Kate to —”
    “A fool with one eye and half-sense could see you’re flirting with disaster, but do you?” She poked him in the chest with a nicely manicured finger.
    “Ouch.”
    “That girl has worked hard to insulate herself from hurt. Harder than you know. James and Allie shielded her too, for her own good. Don’t mess with her head.” That same finger shook in his face.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Allie was like a daughter to me. We talked every week, sometimes more. Months ago, she told me all about the woman they’d selected to carry my grandchild. I’d forgotten until Kate mentioned her background.
    “She wasn’t kidding when she said she raised her brothers. Their mother — though she doesn’t deserve the title — stuck around until Kate turned eighteen, then left them to fend for themselves. That girl had to prove to social services that she was committed to supporting and raising those boys and then stick with it though she was hardly old enough to take care of herself.”
    “Okay, so she had it rough. I still don’t see how I’m messing with her head.”
    “You really don’t, do you? Rio, you’re committed to raising a child she’s desperately trying to keep at an emotional distance. It’s likely she’s never had much of a dating life, so you flirting with her can only lead to her dreaming of a you-and-her-and-baby-makes-three scenario. She deserves to finish her education and have a life of her own.”
    “You’re overreacting, Mom. I’ve no intentions of stopping her from doing any of that. We were just having fun.” He shrugged, understanding now why that might not have been the smartest move. “But, you’re right. I wasn’t thinking about anything but indulging in something that felt good. I see your point.”
    His mom’s gaze turned sharp. “That’s not like you. Is there more interest on your part than you’re letting on?”
    “Of course not.” His denial had come so fast that he felt led to back it up. “Kate’s the kind of woman you take home to meet the family. She’s not my type at all.”
    Rio could see his mom wasn’t convinced, but she nodded and heaved a sigh. He crossed his arms over his chest and groaned. “There’s more, isn’t there?”
    “Well ...” She pursed her lips. “I hope what you say is true, dear. Please be more careful because I won’t be here to remind you or to act as a buffer.”
    “What do you mean? Where are you going?”
    “Don’t sound so panicked. I’m due to fly back home on Tuesday. A friend of mine is having surgery, and I promised to help her out until she’s back on her feet.”
    “I thought you’d be here until after the baby is born. Mom, I need you here.”
    “No, you don’t. Not really. But don’t worry. I’ll be back for the birth if everything goes according to plan. That baby will come when he’s ready, regardless of who is here to welcome him.”
    “Hire a