Holiday Baby. Jenna Mindel

made their way toward the baby section and she took a deep breath. “Here we go.”

      Simon chuckled. “You look like I feel. I have no idea about these things.”

      Cat laughed too. “I’m still figuring it out.”

      He touched her arm, bringing them to a stop.

      Cat looked into his warm brown eyes. “What?”

      “I’m sorry you were alone.”

      Cat’s belly flipped at the softness of his voice. To keep her thoughts away from what might have been, she tried to focus on the Thanksgiving-themed items shelved in the middle of the wide aisle, but the bagged stuffing and rows of bottled sage spices didn’t stave off the swell of emotions that assaulted her. Regret that he hadn’t been there.

      Her voice came out thick when she answered, “I wasn’t alone. My mom was with me when Opal was born.”

      He ran his hand through his hair, shorter now and much neater. “I should have been there. I would have been there had I known.”

      “Would you really? You didn’t even mention that you’d met me to Zach.”

      His face reddened. “We both had chances we let pass by.”

      A safe answer that was no answer at all. What might have happened had she called him when she’d found out she was pregnant? She heard Opal gurgle and peeked into the stroller.

      Opal cooed again.

      A passerby stopped and smiled. “Awww. She’s adorable. Your first?”

      Cat nodded.

      “Congratulations.”

      “Thank you,” she and Simon answered in unison.

      She looked at him.

      He looked back, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Come on, we’d better get what you came here for.”

       And get out quick.

      They moved deeper into the store and Cat glanced at Simon. The entire way, his face looked blank and hard, as if it had been carved out of stone. Maybe he was trying not to think about what might have been, as well. Although, she didn’t quite believe that he wasn’t sorry about this. He wasn’t any more comfortable with the idea of being a parent than she.

       We don’t have much of a choice, now do we?

      Those words echoed through her thoughts as they shopped, checked out and loaded the purchases into the trunk of her Honda. Cat showed Simon how Opal’s car seat worked, slipping it out of the stroller and back into the base. With the baby safely tucked into the back seat of the car, she showed him how to fold up the stroller.

      He looked thoughtful and then took a picture of the car seat with his phone. He’d checked while they were inside, but they didn’t carry the same model at this store. “Next time I’m in Traverse City, perhaps I’ll purchase one of those.”

      “What for? You’re leaving.”

      His brow furrowed. “Yes, but I’ll be back.”

      “What’s that mean?” Was he planning to just pop in and out of Opal’s life? And hers?

      “I haven’t figured it out yet.”

      Remembering the rough-and-tumble way Simon drove to the opal mines, the thought of him driving with Opal wasn’t welcome. She glanced at the baby. She snoozed peacefully, having fallen asleep while they were checking out.

      “What kind of car do you have?” She hadn’t seen it in his driveway. But then, it could have been in the garage.

      Simon grinned. “A very stable Jeep Cherokee.”

      Cat nodded. “Next time, you drive.”

      “So you can see how I do?”

      “Yes. Is that so bad? How do I know you won’t forget to drive on the right side of the road?”

      He laughed. “No, Cat. It’s not bad. Actually, it’s cute. Now, how about lunch?”

      It was noon and Cat was hungry, but sitting across from Simon with so little to say and everything that should be said hanging between them wasn’t exactly a prospect she relished. That comment about him coming back had given her a sense of optimism, but Cat knew better than to hope for impossible things. Coming back didn’t mean staying. “Where do you want to go?”

      He pointed at the three chain restaurants lined up across the street. “How about one of those?”

      “Sure.” Cat picked the middle restaurant. At least they had decent salads.

      It had been so easy interviewing Simon, seeing the mines and the chunks of rock with bits of translucent opal showing through. That had been exciting. Even being chased through the rain had been scary but strangely exhilarating. Shopping for baby items and then catching lunch at a franchise was awkward; the easiness they’d once shared was gone.

      Once again, her life had been irrevocably changed because she’d let down her guard. Although she loved Opal with a ferociousness she’d never expected, regret still lingered and fear of the future only grew. She had a dark past that never left her alone, making the thought of raising a baby more than a little daunting.

      When they were settled into a booth with Opal next to her, still sleeping in her car seat, Cat quickly scanned the menu and set it down.

      “You know what you want?” Simon slowly perused his.

      She wanted to be back in New York with its vast selection of places to eat. She wanted to hop a plane to exotic places with her camera and then write about them. She wanted the only responsibility in her life to be handing in a piece on time.

      Cat sighed. Those days were gone. “A salad.”

      Simon looked at her closely. “You look good, Cat. I hope you don’t think you need to lose weight or anything.”

      He had no idea. Her jeans still didn’t fit. “It’s what I want.”

      He cocked one eyebrow at her. “Very well.”

      “Speaking of eating, are you coming for Thanksgiving or not? I’d like to let my mother know.”

      He set down his menu, glanced at Opal, before zeroing back in on her. “What time?”

      “Noon, if you’d like to watch the football game. We usually eat between two and three, during halftime.”

      “Very well. I’ll be there for the game.” He looked like he’d bit into a sour lemon.

      She smiled because the waitress had arrived to take their orders. She had to give Simon credit for agreeing to face her entire family. Hopefully, it’d go well. For all of them.

       Chapter Three

      Thanksgiving Day, after driving ten miles north of town, Simon stared at the Zelinsky home. It was well kept and big. Cat had grown up in a nice place on an inland lake, with a large yard and plenty of trees to climb. She’d had everything a kid could ask for.

      He hadn’t talked to Cat for nearly two days. She hadn’t stopped by the shop, but then the past couple of days had been cold and rainy. Not good days to take a little baby out.

      He’d called last night to see if there was anything he should bring today, but Cat had told him not a thing. After hanging up, he’d prayed for direction, but Simon still felt adrift. With his troubled family background, how would he be able to relate to the Zelinsky clan? Even he and Cat barely knew each other. What mattered most was Opal’s welfare and that was why he was here. He wanted to see the rest of the family his daughter had been born into. The people who would have a role in raising her.

      Simon