Page 41 of Dancing With Redemption

“Yes, babe?” She asked, coming out of the living room. “Want the kids?”

Her smile was everything he needed in that moment. Reassuring, full of love, and overflowing with kindness. “Yes, please.”

“Okay, be there in five.” Roxie went up to get the kids from Aunt Katie and was back in just a few minutes. “This is Lily, say hello to Mr. Fuller, and this little bundle of joy is Michael.”

Roxie kept Michael in her arms as Colin looked him over and shook his granddaughter’s hand. Lily hid behind Lincoln’s chair, her hand on his, once she’d shaken Colin’s hand, but she soon came out to smile at the stranger.

“Would you like something to eat, Colin?” Roxie asked, rocking Michael gently to keep him quiet while she talked.

“No, no thank you. I had a burger on the way here.” Colin smiled politely at Roxie and looked at Michael again. He wasn’t ignoring Lily, it was just that the girl was stuck to her father’s side and didn’t want to budge.

Lincoln watched the man’s eyes as he looked at Michael, surprised when he saw tears of joy in his eyes. “He’s beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Roxie answered with her own pride, looking over at Lincoln. Lincoln nodded at her, letting her know all was well. “He and his sister are our pride and joy. Aren’t you Lily?”

“Yes, Mommy,” Lily answered automatically, all the fingers of her left hand around Lincoln’s fingers. She wasn’t frightened, just shy. Lincoln had done this with her dozens of times, always determined to be her protector, even if she had no reason to be afraid. He wouldn’t force her to hug the stranger or kiss him, she’d do that in her own time, if she chose to. “Are you like Papa George?”

“Who?” Colin asked, looking over at Roxie for an answer.

“That’s Lincoln’s former stepfather and his sister’s father. He’s still a part of Lincoln’s life. Lily calls him Papa George.” Roxie provided the information with a smile.

“Your mother had another child?” Colin asked, surprised.

“Yes, my sister June. She’s a doctor,” Lincoln answered with a nod. “Her father is a doctor, as is her half-brother, so it wasn’t a surprise when she went into medicine too.”

“Your mother must be very proud of you both.” Colin nodded, his eyes bright with humor. “Especially with June being a doctor. Not that you aren’t impressive too, I just don’t understand what fintech is.”

“Not a lot of people do, it’s alright,” Lincoln answered, smoothing over the moment that could have been awkward. “Actually, June thinks our mother prefers me and is proudest of me. I’d say Mom is an expert at getting what she wants and pushes June’s buttons a lot. June is a wonder, she really is. And Mom is very proud of her. Of us both.”

It was an intimate thing to say, to reveal that his mother was a master manipulator when it came to her children, but if Lincoln was going to be frank with his father, he’d do the same with his mother. Of course, his mother had been through a lot, but still, she was very good at manipulating her children. Lincoln and June both knew it. It wasn’t a shocking thing to them anymore.

“I hoped she’d found love and settled down,” Colin said after a long pause. “I wanted her to be happy.”

“Oh, never doubt she’s happy. She moves on when she’s unhappy. I think she’s in Borneo this week. She’s coming to the wedding next week, but she’ll only stay for the day, then trip off to wherever her new man takes her. Or her new fancy, depending on where she’s at in relationships right now.” Lincoln smiled, trying to puzzle out which it was with his mother now. He could never keep it straight whether she was engaged, married, or single. The status between single and engaged changed too often.

“Well, I guess happy is good,” Colin said and looked over at Michael again. “Um. Could I hold him, maybe?”

“Sure,” Roxie said, and Lincoln knew she’d made a decision about the man. If not, he wouldn’t get anywhere near Michael. “Want me to take a picture for your family?”

“If you don’t mind.” Colin blushed a little and then looked over at Lincoln. “Could you sit with us?”

“Of course,” Lincoln said and got up to go to the couch. He hadn’t quite expected this, but he wasn’t unhappy to be sitting beside the man either. There was no telling if a relationship would form from this meeting, but Lincoln had made the effort to reach out. That’s all he could do.

His mother knew about the meeting and that Lincoln would be inviting Colin to the wedding. She hadn’t looked pleased about it, but after a few moments of thinking, she’d nodded her head and agreed. “He is your father. I understand, Lincoln.”

Lincoln had been glad to have her approval. He loved his mother, in the distant way she allowed him to, and he didn’t want to make her unhappy or uncomfortable. It was good that she’d accepted his decision. It meant they could all move on.

“Can you take one with mine, too, Roxie?” Colin asked, handing his phone to her. “I don’t know how that blasted thing works, but I’ll figure out how to send it to my wife in a second. I just don’t know how to turn the camera on.”

“I’ll figure it out,” Roxie assured him and was soon taking pictures of Colin cradling Michael in his arms, Lincoln watching over his shoulder, with both men smiling. It was a good picture, and she had a few good ones on her phone. She’d print them out for Lincoln later and send Colin the ones she had. “The wedding will be on the beach in the back, Colin. And we can find accommodation for your family if they want to come too.”

“Thank you, Roxie. I know his siblings would like to come. I’ll have to talk to my wife about it. We live near Charlotte over in North Carolina now, but it’s not a massive drive. I’m sure she’ll want to come too.” Colin fiddled with his phone before he put it down. “I’ve just asked her, in case we need to make arrangements.”

“Great. Are you staying for dinner?” Roxie asked, taking up the question Lincoln had forgotten to ask. “I know it was a long drive for you, so you’re welcome to stay the night here.”

“No, I have a hotel booked. Sheryl stayed home, to let me have all the time I could with Lincoln in private. She didn’t want to intrude. But I’ll stay for dinner if you don’t mind.” Colin looked up at Lincoln, to make sure it wasn’t just that Roxie was being nice. “I don’t want to intrude.”

“You aren’t intruding, Colin. You’re Lincoln’s father. He asked me to make this dinner special for the occasion. It’s his favorite roast,” Roxie said with a patient smile. “I don’t get to cook often, but I do like to when I have time. It would be great if you could stay and eat with us.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.” Colin watched Roxie go as she went out of the room to put the roast on. She’d left Michael in Colin’s arms. That was a very trusting thing to do. Yeah, Lincoln was right there, but if she’d been worried about the guy, she’d have taken Michael back up to Aunt Katie. “He’s a handsome little fella, isn’t he?”

“He is, and he’s my brother,” Lily said, finally coming out from behind the desk. “You can’t have him.”

“Oh, honey, he’s not taking Michael. He’s just holding him,” Lincoln said as Lily flounced over to sit on Lincoln’s leg.

“Are you sure?” Lily looked up at her father, her face confused. “I thought he was coming to be a daddy.”

“Oh, Lily. You have to stop listening at doors. He’s my father, honey. He’s my dad. He came to meet me.”

“Oh. Well, that’s alright then. Nice to meet you.” Lily stuck her hand out to Colin and Lincoln decided then and there things might just turn out alright with his father.

If Roxie and Lily approved, then he must be a changed man. And now, he had more family than he knew what to do with, with three other half-siblings and a stepmother he hadn’t met yet. It wasn’t going to be lonely around here from now on. And that was just fine with Lincoln.