Father by Choice. Amanda Berry

notification pinged on his phone. He clicked over to it. His blood pressure started to rise as he read the email Peterson had sent out to all the employees working on the project. He’d worded the email perfectly. It implied the project was his baby and that he was letting Brady and Jules work it.

      Brady would need to keep close tabs on this project if he wanted to keep Peterson from taking over.

      “This is ridiculous.” Maggie pulled the jeans out of the suitcase and folded them before returning them to the dresser drawer. It had taken every ounce of will Maggie had not to drive out to Sam’s farm and cram the tickets down his throat.

      “What’s ridiculous is how long it is taking to pack a simple suitcase.” Penny rested against the headboard with her coppery hair pulled in a knot. Her brown eyes sparkled as she held up a lacy nightgown. “You should take this.”

      Maggie snatched the nightgown from her best friend’s hands and stuffed it into the bottom of her nightgown drawer. She sank on the edge of the bed and put her hands over her face.

      “What am I doing?”

      “I’ve been wondering that for the past half hour. Are you packing to go to New York or just testing out your suitcase? I’m fairly certain it can hold more than the blouse you left in it.” Penny leaned forward to consider the insides of the suitcase.

      “How can I walk up to Brady Ward and tell him, ‘Hey, you have a seven-year-old you know nothing about. By the way, it totally wasn’t my fault.’” The lump in the pit of her stomach said otherwise, though.

      “It wasn’t your fault.” Penny patted her back. “Now pack up and enjoy life a little.”

      “I should have tried harder.”

      “To pack. I agree. This is no way to pack to confront the one-night stand you had a baby with.” Penny shifted off the bed and started opening drawers. “Not to mention the biggest crush you ever had.”

      “That’s it, Penny. It isn’t about me. It’s the fact that we weren’t anything more than bed buddies for a night.”

      Penny stopped with a red sweater dangling in her hand and quirked an eyebrow at Maggie. “Bed buddies?”

      “Whatever.” Maggie took a deep breath. “Shouldn’t I call him or email him? Like I should have done in the first place?”

      With an armful of clothes, Penny made her way over to the suitcase. “Bygones.”

      “What if he’s too busy to see me? Shouldn’t I at least call and schedule an appointment?” Maggie pulled the lacy nightgown out of the suitcase again and tightened her grip when Penny reached for it.

      “Okay. I get it.” Penny sat next to her on the bed and took Maggie’s hand in hers. All playfulness put aside for a moment. “What are you really worried about?”

      Maggie’s eyes filled with unshed tears. “What if he doesn’t want her?”

      Eight years ago, her mother had held her tight while she cried over the fact that Brady didn’t want anything to do with their baby. Part of Maggie had dreamed that he’d show up on her porch and sweep her off her feet. They’d shared something special that night and relationships had been started under worse circumstances than an unplanned pregnancy.

      “Why wouldn’t he want her?” Penny squeezed Maggie’s hand.

      Maggie took a deep breath in. “If he’s a self-involved nut job.”

      Penny smiled. “Then we wouldn’t want him around our girl, anyway. Now about this nightgown…”

      “No way. Grab my sweats.”

      “You afraid you’ll be tempted to show him your pretty nightgown?” Penny laughed, but Maggie had no idea what to expect when she saw Brady. Would she feel anything? Would her old crush rear its head? Or would she resent him for not being there?

      “There won’t be anything to worry about. I’ll be in a hotel. By myself.” Maggie stood and took charge of the packing. “I should call first, though.”

      “What could you possibly say on the phone?” Penny tried to mimic Maggie’s voice. “I’m planning on being in New York this weekend and ran into Sam. Even though you apparently haven’t spoken to him in years, he told me your phone and address so that we could hook up. You don’t have time because you are a busy man? That’s fine. I’ll tell you some other time that you have a daughter.”

      “I get it.” Maggie held up her hands in defeat. She hadn’t been able to figure out a better plan for the past few days. “I guess this is the way it will have to be.”

      Penny grinned and held up a different lacy nightie.

      “I’m not going for me. I’m going for Amber.” Maggie pointed to the drawer until Penny returned the nightie to its proper place.

      “Yes, ma’am.” Penny saluted with two fingers. “I guess I don’t need to run to the drugstore and get some condoms?”

      “No!” Maggie blushed as a little remembered heat flushed her body. “I don’t need a man. I’ve done fine on my own for years now.”

      Penny muttered, “It isn’t about need.”

      “Where are you going, Mommy?” Amber hugged her brown bear close to her small body. Her hair spread on the pillow, making her look like a dark-haired angel.

      Maggie drew the covers to Amber’s chin. “I’m going to New York for a few days. Penny is staying with you.”

      “I like Penny. She orders pizza for dinner.” Amber smiled. Her front tooth had come out a few days ago, prompting a visit from the tooth fairy. Another thing Brady had missed out on. If he even wanted to be part of their lives. She tried not to dwell on it, but she had to be prepared for him to reject her like she thought he’d already done. What would he want with a small-town family when he had New York?

      “Are you going to see the Statue of Liberty?” Amber asked with awe in her voice.

      Maggie smiled. “Maybe.”

      “Will you bring me something?”

      “Definitely.” She tickled Amber until she laughed. Maggie had her own ideas of what she wanted to bring home for her, but she wouldn’t dare to get Amber’s hopes up. It was bad enough that Maggie was thinking hopefully. She’d been kicked enough to only have doubt left, but apparently, a little spark of hope had survived.

      “Go to sleep. Penny promised she’d get doughnuts.” Maggie dropped a kiss on her daughter’s cheek.

      Amber linked her small arms around Maggie’s neck and pulled her down to the bed. “I’ll miss you.”

      “I’ll miss you more, baby.” Maggie hugged her as best she could with all the bedding and stuffed animals in the way. She stood and walked over to the light switch. “Good night.”

      “Night.” Amber squeezed her eyes shut like she always did at bedtime with her hands clasped together. What she prayed for, she never said aloud. Maybe Maggie, maybe her father.

      Amber knew her daddy lived far away. But Maggie couldn’t bear to break Amber’s heart by telling her that her father didn’t want to be part of their family. Now she was glad she hadn’t.

      A whole week hadn’t been long enough to figure out what to do or say. She’d never imagined Brady didn’t know. Over the years, she’d come to terms with the fact that he didn’t want her or Amber. Okay, maybe she was upset with him not wanting to be a father, but Maggie didn’t need him to want her.

      That knot twisted a little tighter in her stomach.

      How was she going to tell Brady about their child?

       Chapter Three

      “This