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And just like that, her wariness and almost-mad faded. She stared into his eyes and saw nothing but honest concern and a little disappointment.

“I’m sorry,” she said, immediately feeling foolish. “I shouldn’t have judged you.”

“Somebody hurt you.”

“More than one somebody.”

His dark gaze locked with hers. “Can I buy you some fudge?”

A simple question that shouldn’t have been more than it was, but somehow Shaye sensed she was being tested. Not by Lawson so much as by herself. Was she going to assume all men were jerks, or was she willing to accept that there were still really nice guys in the world?

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

They discussed the various flavors before she settled on one. “I’m going classic,” she said, reaching for a square of the chocolate walnut.

“Always a good choice.”

They started for the cash register. Partway there, a woman with a baby in her arms ran up to Shaye.

“I’ve lost Joey. I can’t believe it. Would you hold Jessie, please?”

Before Shaye could answer, a baby was thrust into her arms, and the woman ran off yelling for Joey.

Shaye stared into the big, blue eyes of a really cute baby who didn’t seem the least bit rattled by what had just happened.

“How could that mother do that? She doesn’t know me.” She shifted the baby, feeling awkward and not exactly sure how to hold her. She knew she was supposed to support her head and—

Lawson chuckled. “Okay, give her to me.”

He set the lotion and fudge on a shelf and took the baby, holding her expertly and swaying back and forth.

“You’re a beautiful girl, aren’t you?” he said softly. “You’re going to be a heartbreaker. That has to upset your daddy. Yes, it does.”

The baby smiled and waved her little hands.

“So Adien has more kids than the one she’s carrying,” Shaye said.

“Two. The baby-to-be is her last, or so she says. I’m not convinced.” He flashed her a smile. “Yeah, I do the uncle thing a lot. I like kids, and babies are easy. You tell them what to do, and they never talk back.”

“They also never do what you say.”

“A flaw in the plan, I’ll admit.”

The woman returned, a toddler in tow.

“Thanks,” she said, taking the baby back from Lawson. “My husband is parking the car and getting the stroller. I thought I could manage, but this one is a runner.”

Joey smiled winningly.

“You have a beautiful family,” Shaye said.

“Thanks. I appreciate the help.”

Keeping a firm grip on her son, she moved toward the exit. Shaye and Lawson walked over to pay for their items. They had a brief tussle over who would pay for what. In the end, Shaye convinced him to let her buy her own fudge, but he insisted on purchasing the lotion.

When they were outside the store, she looked at him.

“I can’t believe that woman did that.”