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"No I was seeing someone for a while but it didn't work out," he admitted "I hope you like potato salad"

"I love potato salad," she murmured "Why didn't it work out?"

Nolan shrugged "It never does"

His ansas flip but she sensed there was so else beneath that fatalistic answer Did she care enough to pry? Was it her business? She was afraid to be honest with herself Luckily she was saved fro too deeply into that topic when he turned the question around on her "How about you? Are you seeing anyone?"

"No I'le mom; I don't have time to date"

"If you had the time, would you date?" he asked

"There are times I wish I had someone to spend time with for some adult conversation but I'm so focused on my work and on Aubrey that I just don't know if I have room in my life for someone else on a permanent basis"

"I kno you feel Sometimes relationships seem like so much work"

"If you think a relationship is a lot of work you should try raising a child,” she quipped wryly

He nodded, his gaze following their child "I can't see about her I hate that I've missed so much When you told me that she had colic for threethat si else"

"Nolan, being a father is so much more than you can even understand Are you ready for that kind of commitment?"

"I don't know," he answered, adding, "but does anyone ever know if they're ready? Did you know you were ready to be a mother? Sometimes you’re put into a situation and you're forced to be ready"

"Yes, but so hurt I don't want Aubrey to end up on the wrong end of that deal when you realize that you're not cut out to be a dad"

"Why do you assu her with a stern stare "Maybe I’ll be great at it"

"Maybe” She shrugged, then sighed “Maybe I'm not ready for you to be in the picture" It took a lot for her to ad step she’d taken in ad His quiet acceptance of her reasoning compelled her to explain “When you said I didn’t know you, you were right But what I do know scares me I don’t approve of the lifestyle you live How can I trust you with our child? I have traditional values and I know you don't"

Nolan fell silent and returned his gaze to the child as she squealed and laughed, dancing in the sunlight Without another word, Nolan climbed to his feet and strode toward Aubrey Shannon’s first inclination was to follow but for some reason she held back When he knelt down to Aubrey’s level and plucked a dandelion for her, the moment Aubrey's chubby little hand closed around the delicate stem Shannon's heart et to know their tiny child that Shannon couldn't help but think that she was being too stiff, too rigid Maybe she had ed Nolan and, in fact, had cheated him of a relationship with their child She’d been so sure she was ht have just beena selfish one

And that was a tough pill to s Could Nolan be the father Aubrey needed? And if so, where did Shannon fit in the picture?

She squirmed in discomfort as she realized she wanted Nolan to want her, too

This is about Aubrey, she cautioned herself Not you Besides, Nolan had never said he was interested in rekindling so her pride

Nolan watched as Aubrey's eyes lit up onder as she ran as fast as her chubby legs could carry her froht to the next He followed to keep her safe but with each step he realized he could never walk away from his child Ever And when Aubrey tottered and fell on her little bottom, he was there to quickly pick her up He didn't hesitate and sirinned and stared into his eyes without fear And if he worried that holding her would feel aard, he realized his fear wasin the world

"Hello Aubrey," hein every detail of her precious face "I think I'm your daddy"

"Da-da,” Aubrey copied, sladly helped search for every tiny little wildflower on the grounds Each squeal of delight was like a shock to his heart that he quickly came to crave He'd see to it that she had fresh flowers every single day if she so desired And by the ti Aubrey in his ar by her expression, Shannon knew it, too

They sat and ate their lunch, laughing at Aubrey and sharing what looked like an idyllic afternoon together but Nolan knew the questions swirling in hisin Shannon's mind They had a lot to work out and there were no easy solutions

Shannon was right; their values were not remotely the same How could they raise a child somewhere in the e or Shannon had to change And given the fact that he didn't have a solid argue fell on his shoulders Could he be the ood father to Aubrey? He honestly didn't know And it scared him to think that he could lose Aubrey because of his past