Page 7 of Surgeon's Surprise Baby
Chapter Four
Ryan called Connorafter he left Aria’s.Connor knew all about Aria, or at least the fact that he and Aria had dated for two years.
But leaving Denver was harder than anywhere else he’d been since he got out of the army.It wasn’t the job.No, the reason he’d had a hard time leaving was Aria DeLuca.The woman he’d just found out had his baby.
Luckily, since his wife was working, Connor was free.The two of them met at Grey’s Saloon for a beer.“What’s up?”Connor asked him.“You sounded weird on the phone.If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were panicked or at least stressed.”
Ryan snorted a laugh, even though Connor was spot-on and it wasn’t funny.“I am.Panicked.Stressed.Shocked out of my mind.”
“What happened?”
“I told you about Aria.”
“Yeah.The hot brunette you’re still hung up on.”
“I’m not hung up on her,” he said, distracted.
Connor shrugged and picked up his beer.“If you say so.”
Damn it, Connor was right.When he’d seen Aria in the grocery store his overwhelming emotion had been happiness.He’d missed her more than he wanted to admit.And then he’d seen the baby and everything that followed had been a shock.
“Aria moved to Marietta.Just a few days ago.”
“Did you know she was going to move?”
“No idea.”
“Did she move to be near you?”
“Yes, but not for the reason you’re thinking.”
“I’ll bite.Why here?”
“She thought it would be a good place to raise her baby.Her baby and mine.”
Connor’s eyes widened.“Holy shit.I take it that was a surprise.”
“Absolutely.I had no idea she was pregnant when I left town.If I had known I wouldn’t have left.”
“Are you sure you’re the father?”
“I’m sure.”And he hadn’t needed a DNA test to be certain.Sophie looked like Ryan’s baby pictures.The ones his mother pulled out when trying to convince him to settle down and give her grandbabies.Besides, Aria wasn’t a cheater.She wouldn’t have come to him if she weren’t certain he was the father.
“How old is the baby?Is it a girl or a boy?”
“She’s a little girl.Three months old.She’s… she’s perfect, Connor.I’ve never seen a prettier baby.”
Connor smiled.“You sound smitten.”
“Smitten?What kind of word is that?”Damn it, that was the perfect word to describe his feelings.The moment he’d held Sophie, she’d wrapped herself around his heart.
“It means—”
“Yeah, yeah.Whatever.”
“Why didn’t she tell you before you left?Why tell you now?”
“She didn’t know she was pregnant until she was pretty far along.Long after I’d left.She said after she had her, she decided it wasn’t fair not to give me a chance to know Sophie.”At least Aria hadn’t thought he’d deny paternity.But she hadn’t known what to expect.Judging from her behavior she wasn’t holding her breath that he’d stay and be a real father to his child.But she was wrong about that.
