“Why?” She gulped back.

“I couldn’t wait to get to you.”

The moment was quickly over taken by Sam tugging on Scott’s leg. “Car tower!” And then he ran back.

“He wants you to see it.”

Scott nodded with a smile as he set his bag by the stairs and followed him.

It was comfortable having Scott around as she started dinner and he played with the kids. He was a good role model and so good with them.

Dinner wasn’t fancy. Spaghetti and meatballs, but she’d made some garlic bread to appease the adults at the table.

After dinner it was time for a movie, which she and the kids sat and did every Friday night. Scott was right along for the ride, having changed out of his suit and into a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt which accentuated his very nice biceps. It was then she noticed he had a tattoo peeking out from under the sleeve. She hadn’t noticed that when they’d gone swimming or even this morning when he was pressed up behind her.

“What is this?” She reached over and pushed up the sleeve.

He smiled shyly. “Tribute.”

The tattoo was very small, but it was a set of angel wings and the word mom.

She had to swallow back tears. The Kellers had a tattoo. Clara had hers on her wrist. The infinity symbol and the word family.

Victoria had lost her entire family. Her mother had died of cancer years ago and her father a few years later from complications with diabetes. Then her sister died in that horrible accident. She’d been alone for years and now here was this man…

She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, drawing him closer for a kiss.

“What was that for?”

“I really like you. I’m glad you’re here.”

There was a tingling in her body now and the movie they were watching couldn’t end fast enough. When it did she announced bed time and they didn’t even have to pick up their toys first. That at least made the walk up the stairs quicker.

She and Scott tucked in each of the kids, kissed them good night, and then headed for the bedroom.

The moment they both were in the room Victoria shut the door and turned the lock. This was it. She was moving on!

“What happened in here?” Scott asked as he turned toward the bathroom. “Oh, you had a leak. I can…”

He’d stopped talking just as she realized she hadn’t been back upstairs since she’d taken that test.

She hurried to the door and saw him holding the pregnancy test in his hand.

Her heart pounded hard in her chest and her head spun. She couldn’t read him. His face had gone pale and blank.

She watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed hard and then looked up at her.

“You’re pregnant?”

“I am?” That wasn’t really the response she’d meant to give.

“Is this yours?”

She licked her lips to moisten them as she thought of an answer. But she simply nodded.

“You’re pregnant and you didn’t tell me?”

“I bought the test on a whim. Something Sonia said the other day about me being sick…so I bought it. I took the test and forgot…”

“You’re pregnant?”

Victoria dropped her shoulders. “I guess I am.”

Scott ran his hand over his chin and she could hear the scratching of his stubble against his palm.

“This puts us in a very awkward situation. You and I haven’t had sex.”

Tears were stinging her eyes and she tried to bat them away.

She watched as Scott considered. “How far along do you think you are?”

Victoria balled her fists to her side to keep her hands from shaking. “About four weeks.”

The color in his face began to deepen. The darkness in his eyes did the same.

He lowered his head and looked at the stick again before looking back up at her. “The wedding?”

She nodded.

“We’ve been dating since then.”

She nodded again and now the tears streamed down her face.

Scott pursed his lips and she noticed there were tears in his eyes too. “Do I even have to ask whose baby this is?”

“Scott, I didn’t mean…it just…no,” she finally resigned and hung her head.

Scott shook his head and took a long deep breath before walking toward her. She lifted her head and he handed her the pregnancy test which boldly had printed on it PREGNANT.

“Here. You’re going to want to show this to the responsible party.”

He walked past her and unlocked the bedroom door.

Victoria turned and followed as he pulled open the door and headed down the stairs.

“Scott, I’m so sorry. You have no idea…”

“Save it. You’re going to need to keep your strength for your baby and the kids. Tell them I said goodbye.”

“Goodbye?”

He picked up his bag which still sat by the stairs. “Victoria, I don’t mind taking on the responsibility of others. I thought making a life with you and the kids would be fine. And under different circumstances I’d never have given another thought about taking on this baby, too. But knowing that commitment doesn’t mean anything to you and that this baby was conceived while we were together…well that’s a game changer. I don’t take to people who lie to me.”

He opened the door and walked away.

Chapter Thirteen

Victoria fell to the floor still gripping the pregnancy test in her hand. How could she have gotten pregnant? How could they not have even considered it?

She didn’t even bother to wipe at the tears that fell down her face.

How could her life have turned into such a disaster?

But that didn’t feel right? That wasn’t the right assessment of her life. She had lost a lot. That part was true, but she’d never ever give up on Sam and Ali. No, her life had just changed.

She ran her hand over her belly. And now there was this.

Lifting her hand to her lips she began to sob harder. There never had been a doubt in her mind that she’d carry Christian’s baby—if she had a baby at all. But this wasn’t the way she wanted to do it—alone.

What if he turned the baby away just as he had turned her and the kids away?

Her breathing eased when she thought about the Kellers and her tears began to dry. Christian might push her aside, but they wouldn’t. They took family very seriously. Again, she ran her hand over her stomach. Her baby would be okay. He or she would have a family that would help to take care of them.