The Father of Her Son. Kathleen Pickering

      Kelly mustered a smile. “Yes. Thank you, Evan. You are way too kind.”

      She ducked behind the heat-shield window to catch her best cook’s eye from the line of three who ran the morning grill. “Be sure you use the sweetest peppers in his-self’s potatoes. He is eating for free this morning.”

      The burly man, sporting a skull and crossbones earring, winked in return. “They’re ready.”

      Kelly retrieved Evan’s plate and refilled his coffee mug.

      Evan tapped the deep sea-green granite countertop; the one major extravagance Kelly made when renovating the diner. “You enjoy the show tonight. Don’t mind me. I’ll just drown my rejection in Jake’s free, down-home Louisiana cooking.”

      She reached under the counter for her ever-present Nikon and snapped a photo of Evan in sheer bliss at Jake’s superb cooking. Smiling to herself, she said, “That’ll be a keeper.”

      He swallowed his food. “You certainly are a beautiful sight with a camera for a nose, Kelly Sullivan. I think you missed your calling.”

      She gestured to the wall of framed photos she’d taken of patrons eating her food. “I think it’s time your mug took front and center on the Wall of Fame. Don’t you think?”

      “Ahh, I thought you’d never offer!”

      Matt had grown bored with their conversation and slid off his stool. A booth just outside Kelly’s office was designated as the rest station for family and staff. Matt tugged on Evan’s jacket and pointed to the booth. “Wanna play with my Lego?”

      Evan actually looked disappointed. “Sorry, Matt-man. I have to get back to the office. How about we’ll build a spaceship next time?”

      “Okay. I’m gonna start mine now!”

      Kelly watched him climb into the booth beneath a large framed photo of her and Matt, taken by holding the camera at arm’s length. She smiled. “Again, Evan, thank you for the theater tickets. I hope to repay the gesture one day.”

      He wiped his plate with a chunk of bread. “Dinner with me on Saturday night will work wonders to assuage my damaged pride.” The way one eyebrow arched to complement that crooked, playful smile made her stomach flip-flop.

      “But, you know...”

      He interrupted before she finished her worn-out declaration of no dating. “It’s not a date. It’s dinner for Matt for his birthday.”

      The cable man appeared through the door. Bunny glanced her way before leading the man to the back corner of the building.

      Guilt tugged on Kelly like an anchor around her neck as she watched the cable guy disappear into her office. Evan had easily forgiven her for not airing his show this morning, but from his excitement yesterday over snagging that interview with the awful Buzz Campbell, not supporting him had hurt Evan even if the circumstance did appear out of her control. She’d have to make amends this time simply to allay her own guilty feelings.

      She swallowed hard. “It’s Tuesday, Evan. Do I have to give you an answer now?”

      He shrugged. “I am a busy man, Kelly Sullivan. I don’t make time for just anyone. I’d appreciate a commitment.”

      His lips twitched to keep from grinning. She liked that, but at the same time she chafed at pushy men. Kelly chided herself. Evan had been sweet with his continued offers to take her out. Seven years of celibacy was a hard taskmaster. Staring into Evan’s smiling eyes made it difficult to drum up reasons to support her stringent decision.

      She was a different person from the scared and lonely girl he’d met seven years ago. She had full control of her world now. Yet, she could not deny that if Evan wasn’t so headstrong or ambitious, his looks alone could be enough to make her say yes.

      Could she handle one dinner with Evan—especially with Matt in the mix? Matt worshipped Evan. He would love the time with him. Or would the dinner give Matt ideas about Evan becoming a part of their private life? She needed more time to stew over the invitation.

      “Ask me later, Your Majesty. I need to take one more look at the FBI records to make sure you’re not a wanted felon.”

      He finished the last of his coffee. “Then yes it is, Red. Those records will come up clean. We’ll confirm details Saturday morning. Thanks for breakfast.”

      He eased off the stool and waved to Matt before exiting the diner, whistling.

      Bunny sidled up next to her, watching Evan leave. “I told the cable man the cord got caught under the chair wheel. I’m making him shorten the cable line.”

      Kelly wrapped an arm around her friend for a brief squeeze. “Brilliant solution, Bunny. Thank you.”

      She shrugged. “Well, your plan of pulling the cable to land a date couldn’t have worked any better.”

      “That was no plan!”

      Bunny moved to a table with new customers. “Then why else would you take such a drastic measure to get his undivided attention?”

      Kelly left that question unanswered. Better to endure the smile on Bunny’s face—which would surely last past lunch—rather than explain the truth. “It’s a birthday dinner for Matt. He’s going to love it.”

      Matt heard his name and pulled his attention from his building bricks. “Does Evan know I want a homemade ice-cream cake?”

      Bunny burst into laughter.

      Kelly headed for the next customer. “No, son, but I’ll surely tell him.”

      CHAPTER THREE

      ONE FACT CONSUMED Evan’s thoughts as he headed back to the office. Kelly hadn’t said no to Saturday night. This was the closest he’d gotten to a yes from her and he hightailed it out of Neverland before she could reconsider her halfhearted agreement.

      When he’d first returned to New York, Steve Fiore said Kelly owned the revamped Neverland diner. Evan’s heart did a little twist when he found her ensconced behind the counter, eyes wide at the sight of him.

      Yet, Kelly had changed. He’d realized why the minute she introduced him to Matt. Evan had done the math. Matt had been conceived within months after he and Kelly first met, on the first day Herby, the old softie, had hired her.

      Kelly wouldn’t budge on revealing the paternity of the boy. Honestly, he didn’t care. He was more concerned that perhaps some deadbeat needed to be paying child support. If that was the case, he’d be more than happy to hunt down the bastard. Kelly clearly loved her son to distraction, but whatever she went through to get that great kid into her life, the deed had left its mark. Kelly had lost her innocence. She had become cautious while still remaining alluring. Caring, but from the distance of a football field.

      Why the hell hadn’t he called her while he was gone? Checked up on her?

      He knew why. But he didn’t even want to go there. Not now that his career launched as he had planned. He swallowed the guilt that he may have hurt her. Back then, he didn’t have the time to concentrate on a relationship. Funny how the tables had turned. Now that his career was on solid ground, he was ready to find a wife and begin a family. After all the women he’d dated, his sights continued to zero in on Kelly. No other woman compared. Getting her to date him would help fill the void in his happiness as only a companion could.

      Yes, indeed. He was all for second chances. And for finding answers. He wanted to help Kelly as much as he wanted to date her. Someday, he’d unearth Matt’s father. If the guy had hurt Kelly in any way, he’d make sure the dude got his comeuppance.

      Evan’s notoriety in the news world came from his doggedness with a story. If he got wind of possible news, he sniffed out every corner, every fact, every morsel of research until he put flesh on the skeletons he found.

      The radar