The Doctor's Family Reunion. Mindy Obenhaus

quickly. Better make sure you enjoy every moment.”

      And there went the zinger. Ross’s not-so-subtle hint that she should sell Adventures in Pink so she could spend more time with her son.

      “Oh, don’t you worry about that.” Blakely draped an arm around her son. “Austin’s my right-hand man.”

      Nicole’s gaze flitted from Austin to Trent and back again, shifting Blakely’s panic into full throttle. Nicole might act the part of a dumb blonde; however, she was anything but. More like shrewd and discerning. And definitely not one to dismiss the similarities between Austin and Trent without digging further.

      “As it should be.” Ross placed a hand on the small of his daughter’s back and urged her away. “You folks enjoy your lunch.”

      Too late. He’d already ruined it.

      Trent settled back into the booth. “That was...awkward.”

      “Trust me. It could have been worse.” Blakely moved her shaky hands to her lap. If the Chapmans had the slightest inkling that Trent was Austin’s father, they’d find some way to use it against her.

      Trent lowered his head a notch. “You okay?”

      Far from it. But she couldn’t let on in front of Austin. “Fine.”

      “You’ve barely touched your other taco.”

      “I think I ate the first one too fast.” She grazed a hand over her stomach. “I’ll take it home and have it later.”

      “Excuse me, please.” Austin wiggled next to her.

      “Too many sodas?” She stood to let him out.

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      In Austin’s absence, Trent tucked his paper napkin beside his empty plate. “There’s a lot we need to talk about.”

      If it involved custody of Austin, she wanted no part of it.

      Her shoulders slumped. “I suppose. But not while Austin’s around.”

      “Agreed.”

      She faced him, mustering enough courage to ask the question that had plagued her most. “Trent, are you going to try to take Austin away from me?”

      “I don’t think I can answer that right now. I’m still trying to absorb the fact that he’s my son.”

      His answer was fair enough. Still, that question would be her constant companion.

      “Can I ask you a favor?”

      “Anything.”

      “Please don’t tell him who you are without me.”

      “Blakely, I wouldn’t....” He raked a hand through his hair before clasping the other atop the table. “There’s so much I want to know about him.”

      She jiggled the ice in her now-empty glass. “Like what?”

      “Like...his middle name?”

      “Blake.”

      “After your father.” His voice was endearingly gentle.

      She nodded.

      “I like it. Is he always so easygoing?”

      “For the most part.”

      “When’s his birthday?”

      “Who’s birthday?”

      Trent’s uneasy expression mirrored her own. Was that all Austin had heard?

      “Yours, of course.” Emotions collided as she scooted over to let him sit down. The day Austin was born was the happiest of Blakely’s life. It was also the saddest.

      “June first,” Austin announced with pride.

      “That’s coming up pretty quick, isn’t it?” Trent seemed to relax once again.

      “Yeah. Hey, maybe you could come to my birthday.”

      Blakely glanced from Trent to the Chapmans.

      This day just kept getting better and better.