Page 34 of Unveiled

He absorbed that, mentally doing the math in his head. “So she’s almost one?”

A soft smile curved her mouth. “Her birthday’s next month—the eighth.”

Her smile dissolved as he stared at her. There was so much between them, so many things that needed to be hashed out, but he couldn’t think of a single one of them right now with her in front of him. Just as beautiful as she’d been two years ago, she stopped him in his tracks. Even when he’d been overseas, she filled his dreams. They’d had a connection once—he knew he hadn’t imagined that. He’d thought he’d lost her, but in a strange twist of fate, they were now tethered together for life.

His heart softened just the tiniest bit toward her. The anger was still there, the faint sting of betrayal, but now lust overrode the other emotions. His fingers twitched with the need to reach out and touch her face. A lock of nearly black hair had fallen across her cheek, and he wanted to brush it away, tuck it behind her ear. In the end, he did none of those things.

He’d been hoping to win her over again, but knowing he had a little girl changed things. If Adalyn still wanted an annulment, he would grant it to her. No matter what happened between them, the only truly important thing now was their daughter. He wanted to make sure she grew up knowing that she was loved and cherished, and he planned to start right now.

Moving toward the living room, he ventured closer. The baby’s head snapped up as she watched him curiously. He knelt and handed her a block; giant gray eyes met his before she reached out and took it from his fingers, then placed it at the top of her tower. They continued like that for several minutes until she lost interest in the blocks and toddled off to find something else.

A smile curved his mouth, and he winked at Adalyn as she maneuvered around the couch and sat watching them. Once again, he wished he could read her mind. Her face was a mixture of emotion, but he’d be lying if he didn’t see the sadness deep in those eyes.

Was she worried that he would leave again, or was she concerned, like she stated yesterday, that he would try to take their daughter away from her? He’d been upset—understandably—but he deeply regretted his words. He would never be selfish enough to try to split up mother and daughter. He said things he shouldn’t have in the heat of the moment, and he owed Adalyn an apology for that. But not now. He’d save that for later, when it was just her and him.

He thought back to the emails she’d sent more than a year ago. Maybe Adalyn really would’ve told him. He’d never know. The important thing now was their daughter; from now on, he was going to be involved in her life as much as possible. He was here to stay—whether Adalyn liked it or not.

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

Adalyn darted a glance at Jaxon from the corner of her eye. His cockiness had leached away, giving him a softer look. He sat at Jaclyn’s level, watching with a smile as she dragged toys out of the bins in the corner. She brought him her fuzzy yellow duck and a handful of other toys, depositing the gifts at his feet.

She grinned and picked up a toy phone. “This is her favorite. She doesn’t talk much yet, but she loves to pretend.”

Holding the phone to her ear, she carried on an imaginary conversation with the peppy mechanical voice on the other end. Jaclyn held her hand out, fingers grasping for the device, and she passed it to her.

Jaxon was quiet for several minutes, just watching their daughter before he finally turned to her. “I’m really angry with you, Adalyn.”

Her cheeks burned, and she dropped her gaze to the floor so he wouldn’t see the tears burning her eyes. She’d regretted not telling him—really, she had. He’d never truly believe that, though. And she deserved his scorn. Although she’d tried to contact him a couple of times, it wasn’t enough. She should have tried harder, should have made it a point to tell him he had a daughter. It was the absolute least he deserved.

“I’m sorry.”

He must have heard the remorse in her voice because he cleared his throat as if to swallow down whatever retort had sprung to the tip of his tongue. It was another long moment before he spoke. “I feel like an ass for having to ask, but… what’s her name?”

Shock and surprise jolted through her, but she immediately schooled her features. It was her own fault, after all, that he didn’t know. She smiled softly, attempting to set him at ease. “Jaclyn Lorraine.”

He turned a startled gaze on her, and she just shrugged in response. “It seemed to fit.”

He nodded slowly, testing the name on his tongue. “Jaclyn. Jaxon and Adalyn. Makes sense.”

She dipped her chin in acknowledgment. “She’s ours. Both of us.” She felt the weight of his gaze but couldn’t bring herself to meet his stare.

“That she is.” He paused. “Why Lorraine? It’s not exactly a common name.”

She bit her lip. Did she dare tell him the truth? Once she’d found out she was pregnant, she’d wanted to incorporate him into Jaclyn’s life, even if not physically. She’d been intensely curious about the man she’d married and had done hours of research trying to dig up his past—where he’d come from, what his parents had been like.

She’d found an article detailing his parents’ deaths on a mission trip to Africa almost two decades ago now, and she’d felt a strong urge to link their daughter to them. She wanted Jaclyn to know about her grandparents and what good people they’d been—though she personally had never met them—and she’d decided that Jaxon’s mother’s name was perfect.

She lifted one shoulder. “I came across it online.”

He raised a brow but didn’t say a word, and he turned his attention back to Jaclyn. His words soon cut through the silence. “I stormed out yesterday, so we didn’t have much time to discuss anything like I’d originally planned.”

She stiffened at the statement, unsure as to where he was going, and she responded cautiously. “We can talk now if you’d like.”

Seeming almost hesitant, he withdrew a sheaf of papers from his back pocket and handed them over. Before her fingers even touched the heavy envelope, she knew what it was. Jaxon cleared his throat, avoiding her.

She ran a fingertip over the edge of the envelope. “Have you signed yet?”