Free Peekaboo Baby by Delores Fossen Page B

feel. The flood of emotion nearly brought him to his knees.
    Because he knew.
    Ryan just knew.
    That this child was his son.

Chapter Seven
    Delaney made sure her top and nursing bra were fixed so she wasn’t flashing Ryan. Of course, Patrick didn’t cooperate. He continued to bat at the blanket and her clothes, probably giving their visitor a peep show in the process.
    She glanced at Ryan to see if he’d been embarrassed by the exposure, but her glance turned into a stare. That wasn’t an embarrassed look on his face. He was stunned, truly stunned. So much so that he grabbed each side of the door frame and held on.
    â€œWhat—” But that was all Delaney managed to say. She followed Ryan’s wide-eyed gaze and saw what had captured his attention.
    Patrick.
    Delaney’s eyes widened, as well.
    And she didn’t have to ask what was going on in Ryan’s head. She knew. It was no doubt the same reaction she’d had the night she’d seen his son’s photo.
    â€œThere’s a resemblance,” she said.
    That was all she could manage. And it was a weak attempt to defuse what was happening. It was like an avalanche, coming right down on top at her.
    Ryan wasn’t faring much better. He stood there, holding on to the door until his knuckles turned white, while he blew out quick, frantic breaths.
    Since Patrick no longer seemed interested in nursing, Delaney got up and eased him back into his crib. When he made a few sounds of protest, she turned on his overhead mobile. He immediately settled once the music started to play and the cartoon figures began to circle around.
    â€œA thousand things are going through my head right now,” she confessed. “And very few of those things are good.”
    Ryan just nodded. That didn’t do much to steady her suddenly raw nerves. The tears were threatening, too, but Delaney choked them back.
    â€œI can’t lose my baby.” Her whispered admission cut through Patrick’s cooing and the cheerful music coming from the mobile.
    But she immediately regretted her fear-induced confession, because it was a stark reminder that Ryan had already lost his son.
    Or had he?
    Judging from his reaction, he no doubt believed his child was in the crib.
    Unfortunately, she couldn’t challenge that. Dr. Keyes had claimed that the cloning was only a possibility, but it wasn’t a mere possibility that was causing Ryan to experience this turmoil. Patrick was the cause of it. His blond hair. His blue eyes. And his uncanny resemblance to the man standing in the doorway of the nursery.
    Why hadn’t she realized that there was some resemblance before now?
    Why?
    Probably because she hadn’t wanted to see it.
    As long as the experimentally cloned embryo was just a rumor and without a shred of proof to back it up, she was safe. Her son was safe.
    However, nothing was safe any longer.
    The perfect life she’d so carefully planned was coming apart at the seams, and she couldn’t even blame Ryan for that. He’d had no part in making this happen. But then, neither had she. They weren’t at fault, but both of them—and Patrick—would no doubt have to deal with the consequences.
    â€œI need to know what you’re thinking,” she said when she could no longer stand his silence. She edged closer. Small steps. Afraid to get too near.
    Ryan groaned softly, readjusted his position so that he was leaning against the nursery wall, probably for support. He definitely didn’t look steady yet. “I’m thinking we need to do that DNA test.”
    That was it. No veiled threats about challenging her for custody of Patrick. No shouts or accusations that she should have told him that he and Patrick looked so much alike. Just those calmly spoken words that hit her as hard as a heavyweight’s fist.
    â€œAnd then what?” Delaney continued before he could answer. She had to make him understand. “My