A Dad At Last. Marie Ferrarella

referee, but time out. Time to heal.

      She intended to give it to them.

      “Hello, I thought I’d find you here,” she said to Lacy. “But not you.” That had been for Connor. Looking from one to the other, she deliberately kept her expression blank. “Am I interrupting something?”

      “No,” Connor growled, turning away from them toward the counter. A coffee urn, filled to the brim, stood to the side, all but forgotten in the heat of the moment. “I just came down for coffee.”

      “Me, too,” Megan told him cheerfully, determined to keep the peace. She took three cups and saucers out of the cupboard, lining them up on the counter. “Can’t seem to begin my day without at least two cups.” Pressing the spigot, she filled the first cup to the rim. “Used to be one, but the body slows down with age.” Megan sighed appropriately, then smiled at her firstborn. “Although I’m determined to fight it all the way.”

      She set down the first cup and filled the second, glancing over her shoulder at Chase as she did so. Even the tiny scrap of a look caused her heart to tighten. She dearly loved the little boy. In a small way, having him with her these past months made up for missing out on Connor’s first year.

      “I missed looking in on him during the night.”

      There was nothing but everlasting gratitude in Lacy’s heart toward Megan Maitland. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for Chase.”

      Megan waved away the words, embarrassed. “No need to thank me, especially since he’s family.” The birthmark crescent on Chase’s tummy had been proof enough for Megan. It was reminiscent of the one that had been in the same area on Connor’s father. Although birthmarks weren’t necessarily inherited, this one was too unique to question.

      It was Lacy’s turn to be somewhat embarrassed. No matter what the circumstances, she still owed Megan a great deal. “Yes, but still—”

      “Thanks aren’t necessary,” Megan repeated, her eyes kind as they washed over Lacy. “For any of it. So—” she handed Connor a cup and then gave one to Lacy before picking up her own “—any plans yet?”

      Taking a sip, Megan kept her eyes on the younger woman. She’d all but made up her mind about Lacy, deciding that she was one of the good ones. A little defensive perhaps, but who could blame her? The girl had had more than her share of bad breaks. But all that was going to change.

      Lacy shook her head. So much had happened, she was having trouble assimilating it all. “Catching my breath first.”

      Megan smiled, her eyes shifting to her son. Connor didn’t look too happy. His brooding expression reminded her so much of Clyde, the ranch hand who had captured her heart at seventeen, only to desert her when she needed him most. But for all that, there was no denying that he had been exquisite to look at.

      “Always a wise thing to do,” she said to Lacy.

      Lacy took Chase’s bib off and set it on the table. The high chair’s small tray was far too messy. “And then I guess I’ll be taking him home with me.”

      Megan’s heart felt as if it had stopped midbeat, though she tried to give no indication. “And home would be…?”

      Lacy picked up a sponge and cleaned off the tray, lifting Chase’s splayed hands one at a time to finish the job. Cereal and the fruit she’d added to the mix were on his fingers, evidence of his enthusiastic attempts at feeding himself. She thought Megan knew where she lived. “Why, the room I have now at the boarding house.”

      Megan released the breath she’d been holding. It had already been established that Lacy was Chase’s mother. She’d taken the simple lab test eagerly. Fighting for custody of the baby wasn’t in her, but Megan’s heart would have broken if she drastically lost Chase out of her everyday life. “Thank God, I was afraid you meant someplace else.” She saw that Lacy didn’t follow her. “Where you came from originally.”

      Lacy shook her head, deliberately not looking in Connor’s direction. The ranch was gone. “I’ve no reason to go back.”

      Even if Connor planned on returning to the area, she added silently. Whatever had brought him to Austin and the Maitlands was probably only temporary, and when it was over, he’d go back. And she would remain here, making a life for herself and her son.

      She tried to ignore the sharp prick she felt in her heart.

      Megan could feel the tension in the room. There was so much she wanted to say to Lacy. To both of them. But that would be getting ahead of herself. It was all set for this evening. No matter how upside down everything until now had been, this one revelation had to proceed according to the order she’d decided on.

      Still, she felt impatience goading her. Trying to distract herself, she looked at Lacy, then nodded at Chase. “May I?”

      If I could give my son a grandmother, Lacy thought, the woman would be one exactly like Megan Maitland. “Of course.”

      Megan slowly lifted Chase from his high chair. He greeted her efforts with a wide grin. A sweetness pressed against her chest as she held him to her.

      Her grandson.

      She still could hardly believe it was true.

      Turning to Lacy, she placed a hand on the young woman’s arm. “All I ask is that you make no decisions about anything until tonight.”

      That sounded very mysterious. Without meaning to, Lacy glanced in Connor’s direction. There was nothing in his expression to enlighten her. “Tonight?”

      Megan patted Chase on the back, rubbing in small concentric circles. With so much on her mind, Lacy had obviously forgotten, she thought. “I’m having the family over for an informal dinner. To celebrate Chase’s recovery.” She saw the light dawn on Lacy’s face. “And I have a few things to announce.” Only one of which was important to her, she added silently. But she didn’t want to give away any more than was necessary. “Also, I want to hear all the details that were glossed over last night.” She looked at Connor. “Everything,” she emphasized.

      What was she driving at? he wondered. She already knew everything that seemed pertinent. Petey was dead and Janelle was behind bars. What more was there?

      “Such as?” His tone was naturally wary.

      “Such as there are pieces missing from this puzzle. Important pieces.” Megan saw by the look on his face that he wanted her to be more specific. But she didn’t want to launch into that now. She wanted to wait until they were all together. “But I’ll contain my curiosity until tonight.” She turned to Lacy. Though none of what Lacy had gone through this past year was her fault, she wanted to make things up to the girl. “Right now, I think we need to get this big boy changed and ready to go.”

      “Go? Go where?” Lacy asked.

      “Shopping,” Megan replied brightly. She held Chase in the air, and the baby gurgled, shoving his fist into his mouth. The drool that followed told Megan another tooth was coming in soon. “I think in honor of his being officially recognized as a Maitland, he needs to get additions to his wardrobe befitting his station in life.” Laughing, she inclined her head toward Lacy. “Humor me, I feel like lavishing money and attention on him—and his mother.”

      Lacy wasn’t about to accept charity, not even from someone as nice as Megan. “Oh, no, that’s not necessary. You’ve already bought so much for Chase, I—”

      Megan wasn’t about to put up with excuses. “The only thing that’s necessary,” Megan told her, cutting Lacy off, “is for you to pack away your pride and say yes. Pride’s all well and good in its place, but it’s a poor substitute for having things. Take it from a woman who knows.” She saw the skeptical look on Lacy’s face. “There was a time that church mice thought of me as being poorer than they were.”

      Lacy couldn’t believe that Megan had experienced anything less than living