Page 5 of The Sweetest Mistake

“I know that. I’m offering.”

Placing his hand on her arm, he said, “Thank you,” while Cam looked on with a disgruntled expression.

Julia saw relief and tenderness in his eyes, but sadly, she didn’t share the same feelings. It still stung that he hadn’t told her about Ava sooner. She imagined he’d been shocked by the news, but still. Relationships were built on mutual respect and trust, and if he hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her—well, what did that mean for them? And if she hadn’t shown up today, when would he have told her? Was he considering getting back together with Cam? Is that why he’d kept Julia out of the loop? The issues they’d dealt with up until now seemed minuscule compared to this, and she wondered how or if they’d get past it.

“Connor? I think Ava’s wet. Would you mind taking her into the spare room and changing her?” Cam asked.

Connor stood and said, “Sure. I could use the practice.”

“Thanks,” Cam said, handing Ava to him. “The diaper bag is by the door.”

Julia watched him walk away with Ava cradled in one muscular arm, and she couldn’t help but smile. Connor will make a good father. He just doesn’t know it yet.

“You’re smiling,” Cam stated after he’d disappeared from view.

“Yes. I guess I am.”

“I wouldn’t have expected that.”

“I love babies.”

“Do you love him too?”

Julia stiffened, one, because she couldn’t believe Cam’s boldness, and two, because it was too soon to be talking about love and Connor in the same sentence, especially after what had just transpired. “I…uh. You know what? That’s really none of your business.”

“Fair enough. It’s just that I noticed the way you two look at each other, and I wondered if it was serious. Well, serious for Connor, anyway.”

Julia darted a glance down the hall, and when she was sure that it was empty, she said, “What is that supposed to mean?”

Flipping her long blonde hair off her shoulder, Cam replied, “It’s just that I can’t imagine Connor settling down with anyone. That’s why I didn’t come running to him when I found out I was pregnant. I didn’t think he’d want to be saddled down with a wife and baby.”

“Wife? After what you did, who could blame him?”

“You don’t know the whole story.”

“I know enough, and I know that Connor might have stayed loyal to you if you’d have done the same.”

Cam winced, but then they heard footsteps, and they stopped talking.

“Good as new,” Connor said, holding Ava up in the air. He must have been proud of the job he’d done as he hadn’t bothered to put Ava’s pants back on.

Julia took one look at Ava’s diapered bottom and started laughing. Cam tried to remain stoic, but soon she was laughing too.

“What?” Connor asked, looking dumbfounded.

“You put it on backwards!” Julia exclaimed, and she immediately jumped up to assist; however, Cam beat her to it. It was like Cam was trying to stake her claim on her daughter, and maybe on Connor too.

Rubbing her hand along Connor’s bare forearm, Cam said, “That’s okay. You’ll learn.” And then she took Ava out of his arms, along with the diaper bag and her pants, and left to fix the mistake.

It was the first moment they’d gotten alone, and Connor looked more nervous than he had before.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he said, “I’m sorry about all this. I don’t know what else to say except that I’m really sorry.”

“I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me sooner. Maybe I would have gone to Denver with you.”

“Why would you have done that?”

“Because that’s what couples do, Connor. They work together. They help each other. They share things with each other, especially huge, important things like this.”