Page 67 of The Sweetest Mistake

“Back when you used to love me.”

“Used to being the operative phrase.”

“Oh, come on, Connor. You can’t possibly feel that way about Gillian.”

He glared at her. “Julia. Don’t pretend you don’t know her name.”

“Whatever. The point is, you loved me once, and now we have a child together. We could be a family.”

“No, Cam. We can’t.”

And then, as if Ava sensed the discord between her parents, she started to fuss.

“I think she needs to eat,” Cam said, standing and holding out her arms.

“I’ll hold her while you get the bottle,” Connor said, standing his ground. He didn’t want Cam thinking he was incapable of caring for Ava. That wouldn’t help his cause any.

Cam huffed out of the room to warm a bottle while Connor stood up and started pacing. Bouncing Ava up and down in his arms, he willed her to stop fussing, but it was to no avail. The second Cam reappeared with a bottle, Ava calmed down, and Cam went to take her from him again.

“I’ll do it,” he said, snatching the bottle from her hand before she could argue.

Sitting back down, he cradled Ava against his chest and offered her the bottle. He watched with something akin to awe as she suckled and stared back at him. It was almost as if she were trying to memorize his features—features that looked a lot like hers. It was amazing, really, and for a moment, he forgot that Cam was even there.

“You’re getting better at it,” Cam said softly.

It was the first compliment she’d given him that hadn’t made him uncomfortable. “I’m trying.”

Tucking her bare feet underneath her, she smoothed her skirt over her legs, but this time, she didn’t give him a peep show. Maybe she was finally taking the hint. But just in case…

“Look, Cam. I know this has been hard for you, and believe me, I have a better appreciation for single moms than ever before. But I’m here to help in any way I can, and I think I’ve proven that.”

She nodded, her fingers clasped tightly in her lap.

“But you and I are never going to be together. I’m with Julia now.”

“Do you love her?” Cam asked as if she were issuing him a challenge.

He swallowed hard. He hadn’t put his feelings for Julia into those exact words, but he was getting closer to that. However, he didn’t want Cam to be the first to know.

“I didn’t think so,” she said, looking victorious.

“What I feel for Julia is between her and me. My relationship with her is private.”

“If she’s going to be spending time with my daughter, I have a right to ask questions.”

His eyes went wide. “Your daughter? I believe she belongs to both of us.”

“You weren’t even there for the first few months of her life.”

“And whose fault was that?”

Okay. Breathe, Connor. This was not going well at all. He decided to try a different tact.

“What about you? What happened with Tyler?”

Flapping her manicured hand around, she said, “That was nothing. It ended a long time ago.”

Just then, Ava’s mouth went slack, and formula started dribbling down the side of her face.