His Secret Starlight Baby

by Michelle Major

  “You fell for her, and not just for pretend.”

  “What does it matter when she left?” He forced a breath when he realized he was starting to raise his voice. “She left me, and it looks like she left you.”

  “She quit the job in my kitchen.” Madison inclined her head, giving him a funny look. “Yeah, it makes me mad because I liked working with her. She knew nothing about cooking, but she tried hard and never complained. Plus, she’s a damn fine waitress. She and I will still be friends. The way she explained it to me, she ended the pretend part of your relationship. The part where you were playing house but not really committed. She wanted something real, and you wouldn’t give it to her. She quit this job because she thinks it will be too hard to see you every day.”

  “That’s ridiculous.” He shook his head. “She knows I want her in my life for real. Hell, I put the toilet seat down after I flush.”

  Madison made a show of patting the pockets of her white chef’s coat. “Too bad I’m fresh out of gold stars. You definitely qualify for one. Cory doesn’t know you want to be with her for real.”

  “She should.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I would never let anyone as close as she’s gotten to me if I didn’t want them for real.”

  “But did you tell her?”

  “I didn’t have to tell her,” he insisted, although the argument sounded weak even to his ears. “I showed her.”

  “The testosterone in here is making it hard to breathe.” Madison waved her fingers in front of her nose. “I’m gagging on your male stupidity.”

  “Not helpful,” Jordan muttered.

  “About as helpful as allowing a woman who’s always considered herself a drain on the people she cares about to believe you were doing her a favor with your affection.”

  Jordan crossed his arms over his chest like that would protect him from the onslaught of the truth being hurled at him like spikes. “Let’s not forget, she’s the one who walked away.”

  Tanya came through the sliding door that led to the front of the bar and quickly approached. “Jordan, there’s someone asking to talk to you.”

  “Can you handle it?” Jordan kept his gaze on Madison. “Comp their tab if you need to. We’re in the middle of something important here.” He had a feeling this conversation might help him fix the mess of his life.

  “Kade Barrington just took a seat at the bar,” Tanya said. “I don’t think he’s going to care that I buy him a drink.”

  Jordan’s gut tightened. What the hell was Kade doing in Starlight? Did Cory know her ex-boyfriend had shown up in town? Something like panic niggled its way along his spine, but he pushed away the doubts. He couldn’t allow himself to believe that her walking away earlier had anything to do with Kade.

  “We’re not finished,” he told Madison.

  “I’ve got cheese to fry,” she answered and turned away. “But let me just mention I’ll make a batch of your favorite cookies if you turn that rat-fink jerk out on his ear.”

  “No fighting,” Tanya told him as they headed out of the kitchen.

  “I break up fights,” Jordan reminded her. “When have you ever known me to get in one?”

  “I’ve never known you to be in love before Cory,” Tanya answered. “Love changes everything.”

  Jordan muttered a curse. “Is it that obvious?”

  “To everyone but the two of you, apparently.”

  Kade was sitting alone at the end of the bar as Jordan approached. It was the first time Jordan had ever seen the marquee quarterback without his crew of sycophants surrounding him. Somehow it made him look younger and less cocky than Jordan remembered.

  No one in the bar paid him much mind, which was also strange, since Kade was a bona fide sports celebrity. Then he lifted his head and fixed his steel-blue gaze on Jordan, and the reason he was being left alone—as well as the reason for Tanya’s warning about fighting—became clear. Kade Barrington had murder in his eyes.

  “You’re a long way from home,” Jordan said casually, picking up a beer glass to dry as he moved closer.

  “I’m here to collect what’s mine,” Kade said without preamble. “I’m not going home without her.”

  Jordan didn’t pretend to misunderstand the other man. “Cory doesn’t belong to you. She doesn’t belong to anyone, and she gets to choose whether she stays or goes.”

  “You think she’s going to choose you?”

  “I think she’s happy in Starlight.”

  “I can make her happier.” Kade flicked his fingers across the bar. “I can give her way more than a small-time bar in a two-bit town. I can show her the world.”

  “Maybe she doesn’t want to see it on your terms,” Jordan suggested tightly. He was doing his best to keep a lid on his temper, but Kade’s arrogance didn’t make it an easy task.

  “You had no right to touch her.” Kade downed the remainder of the dark liquor and thumped the empty glass against the bar top. “Not then and not now.”

  “Again, it’s her choice. Cory chooses who she allows close to her.” He placed his hands on the edge of the bar and gripped it tight. “She chose me.”

  “Because I didn’t want her at the time. Now I’m back, and she’s coming with me. She’s meant to be mine.” Kade tapped a finger on the rim of his glass. “Another round.”

  “No.” Jordan shook his head. He’d only had to kick a handful of customers out of the bar since he took ownership. Normally he could mitigate a situation before it came to that. He had no desire to defuse anything with Kade. Jordan wanted the cocky son of a gun gone before they both lost their tempers. “Go drink someplace else, Kade. Or better yet, go home to Atlanta. This isn’t your place.”

  “I’ll tell you where I’m going.” Kade drew out an envelope from the inside of his coat. “I’m heading to the beach, and Cory’s coming with me.” He slapped a piece of paper that was clearly an itinerary with Cory’s and Kade’s names typed across the top. “You can’t begin to hold a candle to what I can give her, Schaeffer. You’re a washed-up former baller who’s way past your prime, and your prime wasn’t impressive to start.”

  Jordan couldn’t seem to take his eyes from the paper with Cory’s name printed alongside of Kade’s. Was the timing of her moving out an actual coincidence, or could she be going to some fancy resort with her ex? Would she be swayed by the promise of some grand lifestyle? Jordan’s dad had been kicking and screaming mad when Jordan retired and threw away the perks that came with being a professional athlete. He hadn’t given a damn that Jordan didn’t want to play the game anymore. It was like a knife to the gut to think Cory might feel the same.

  “You know what your problem always was?” Kade grabbed the paper and shoved it back into his pocket. “You didn’t have enough fight in you. Yeah, the coaches and management thought that was such an asset. They held you up as some sort of example because you’re so cool and collected. No one ever figured out the reason. It’s because you didn’t really care. Not about the game or winning.”

  The other man laughed without humor. “You were meant for a smaller life,” he chided. “But Cory deserves bigger and better. I’m going to give it to her.”

  “Get out, Kade.” Jordan felt a muscle ticking in his jaw. He felt the buildup of pressure in his chest and knew he was close to the point of no return.

  Kade climbed off the bar stool with a smirk, like he’d accomplished what he set out to do tonight. Jordan hated that he’d given the other man any satisfaction. “You know what else?” Kade’s chest rose and fell with a deep breath. “I’m going to be the man who raises your son. God knows, the kid needs a fighting chance to turn out normal—not a quitter like his daddy.”

  Suddenly all Jordan could see was a red haze in front of him. The anger came swift and sure and practically knocked him sideways with its force. He didn’t hesitate or think for
one second before he stepped around the edge of the bar.

  Kade immediately swung at him, but Jordan dodged the blow.

  He threw a punch that landed with a satisfying crunch against Kade’s perfect face. And all hell broke loose.

  * * *

  Cory arrived early for her first shift at Main Street Perk. She was scheduled to begin training at ten, and Tessa had agreed to watch Ben for the day when Jordan didn’t return Cory’s calls or texts the previous night.

  His silence weighed on her and broke her heart even more than his casual indifference at her leaving. She believed him when he told her he wanted to be a big part of their son’s life, and she hated to even consider that his feelings might change once she’d ended their fake relationship.

  In truth, she’d hoped that her decision to move out would be a new beginning for them. Surely he knew what she felt about him. Surely he understood that the only way for them to truly be together was for him to freely choose her, not because of ease or some arbitrary necessity to put on a show for friends or family.

  So why the radio silence?

  “Hey, Mara,” she said as the coffee shop manager and baker extraordinaire noticed her approaching the front counter.

  “You’re early.” Mara glanced at her watch with a raised brow, then flashed a smile. “I like early.”

  “Does she ever,” the dark-haired barista standing next to Mara said with a laugh. “Sometimes she thinks that because she’s up at four in the morning to start baking, the rest of the world should follow suit.”

  “At least you work in a coffee shop,” Cory said, feeling the heavy weight of her thoughts about Jordan start to lift. She’d reached out to Mara after she got settled at Tessa’s and had been grateful when she received an immediate answer and job offer. “There’s an endless supply of caffeine to get you through the day.”

  “Oh, she fizzles out right around two.” The barista ignored Mara’s eye roll and held out a hand to Cory. “I’m Ellen, and I’ll be showing you the ropes today.”

  “Don’t get your attitude from this one,” Mara said, but she placed an arm around Ellen’s shoulder and squeezed.

  The small gesture made tears prick the backs of Cory’s eyes. One of the things that had been the hardest about tendering her resignation with Madison was the thought of losing the connection between the kitchen staff. When she’d dated Kade, he hadn’t wanted her to take a job that would compromise their time together, so she’d worked as a receptionist in the car dealership managed by the younger son of the team’s owner. It was fine, but the connection to Kade ended up leaving her feeling like she had nothing that truly belonged to her.

  Why had it taken her so long to realize she deserved that?

  “You won’t have to worry about my attitude,” Cory promised, trying for a laugh, which came out more like a sob.

  “Okay.” Mara grimaced. “Why don’t we start with a tour of the kitchen?”

  Ellen, who clearly hadn’t noticed Cory’s upset, gave her boss a funny look. “Don’t you think we should start with the cappuccino machine while we aren’t too busy?”

  “That’s fine,” Cory said, and drat if her voice didn’t crack again.

  “It will just take a few minutes,” Mara told the barista, then crooked a finger at Cory. “First rule of Perk. Do what the boss tells you.”

  That earned a genuine laugh from Cory. “You might have a few things in common with Madison.”

  “Don’t say that again,” Mara said at the same time Ellen whispered, “I like this one.”

  Cory followed Mara into the kitchen. Unlike the back of the house at Trophy Room, this space smelled like sugar and butter. Cory breathed deeply. “This is how I imagine the scent of a perfect childhood. Your daughter must love it here.”

  “She does.” Mara grabbed a snickerdoodle from the cooling rack and shoved it toward Cory. “What’s the problem?”

  “There’s no problem.”

  “If my baristas are choking back tears in front of customers, that’s a problem.”

  Cory popped a bite of cookie into her mouth. “I have allergies.”

  “Do they have to do with Jordan beating the crap out of Kade Barrington last night at the bar?”

  Cory choked on the cookie. “What are you talking about? Was Jordan hurt?”

  Mara gave her a hard pat on the back, then turned to fill up a glass of water. She handed Cory the glass. “The way I heard it, Jordan took care of business. I assumed you knew.” She leaned in. “The way I heard it, their beef had something to do with an old grudge from the days they played together back in Atlanta. But I think there’s more to the story. You’re that more.”

  Cory took a long drink of water and then wiped a hand across her mouth. All the while, her mind whirled with the idea of Jordan and Kade getting in a fistfight and the fact that it could have anything to do with her.

  “I don’t...” She wanted to deny it but couldn’t bring herself to tell another lie to someone in this town she cared about or might one day consider a friend. “I don’t know how to keep pretending like I know what I’m doing.”

  “You don’t have to have all the answers,” Mara said gently.

  Cory gave a shaky nod and shoved the last piece of cookie into her mouth. “No chance of that,” she admitted. “I have no idea what happened at the bar. Kade showed up in town yesterday, but I sent him away. I didn’t think he’d seek out Jordan. Who, by the way, doesn’t seem to be speaking to me at the moment. My life’s a mess.”

  “Messes can be cleaned up,” Mara said. “Trust me.”

  “Would it be okay if I just got to work? Right now I need a distraction, and I promise no tears.”

  Mara studied her for a long moment. “Sure,” she said finally. “And if you’re going to cry, come back here. Free cookies for your first day on the job.”

  “I might take you up on that. Now I’d like to learn how to make a fancy coffee.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jordan parked his car in front of the small cabin tucked away in the trees and wished that a million things were different in his life at the moment. Most of all, he wished that Cory wasn’t coming down the front steps holding his baby and an overnight bag to give to him.

  The soft pink sweatshirt she wore highlighted her creamy skin, and her hair was pinned back from her face in jeweled barrettes. She offered a tentative smile as she got closer, but the smile faded when she took in the bruise that darkened his left eye. “What happened to you?”

  He shrugged and reached out a hand to smooth it over Ben’s head. The boy gave him a wide, toothless grin, then curled shyly into his mother’s chest, which made Jordan’s chest ache. “Things got a little out of hand at the bar. No big deal.”

  “Did that out of hand involve Kade?” she asked quietly.

  Jordan couldn’t read her expression. “If you’re asking, then I think you know it did. Word travels fast in a small town. And Kade did more than his share of talking last night.”

  Her mouth thinned, and she glanced away. “I hope you didn’t believe him.”

  “You’re still here. If he’d been telling me the truth, you’d be on your way to Fiji by now, along with Ben.”

  “Things are over between Kade and me,” she said. “They have been for a long time.”

  “Does he know that?”

  “He does now.”

  Jordan nodded slowly and thought about what to say next. The truth was he didn’t want to say anything. He wanted to pull Cory into his arms and hold her close. He wanted to breathe in the scent of her hair and feel the warmth of her body pressed against his. He hated the distance between them and the way she wouldn’t hold his gaze. “I wondered at the timing of you ending things between us and then Kade showing up at Trophy Room. Had you seen him before you left?”

  She gave a tight nod. “But Kade isn’t t
he reason I moved out of your house, Jordan. Although, talking to him did make me realize some things about how I want my life to be.”

  “And I take it that doesn’t involve any football players, ex or current?”

  Her brows drew together like she didn’t understand the question. “I want to make a good life for my son.”

  “Our son.” Ben decided at that moment that Jordan passed the familiarity test and reached for him. As soon as he took the boy into his arms, emotion clogged his throat. “I missed you, buddy. We’re going to hit it hard tonight. Maybe even peas and pears for dinner.”

  He felt a ridiculously inflated sense of pride when Cory laughed at his corny joke.

  She passed him the diaper bag and duffel she’d packed. “If you need anything, call me. This is the first time since he came home after his surgery that I’ve been away from him for the night.” She swiped at her cheeks. “It’s going to be strange.”

  “It doesn’t have to be like this,” Jordan told her.

  She shook her head. “I’m done pretending.”

  He almost staggered back a step at those three words. Was that all he meant to her, really? A pretend relationship that she no longer wanted or needed?

  “Okay, then. That makes it clear.” He turned and secured the baby into the car seat, stowing the bags on the floor of the truck. “I’ll call you tomorrow about dropping him off. Thanks for letting me keep him for the night, Cory. I guess...” He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “We’ll have to come up with a more formal custody agreement going forward.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed and swallowed hard. “I’m hoping to get more hours at the coffee shop after I finish training.” She looked at the ground. “I ordered some supplies to start making more jewelry. I’m going to try to get enough inventory to participate in the Dennison Mill event, and whatever’s left over I’ll list online. That should bring in some extra cash, and it’s something I can do at night while Ben’s sleeping.”

  “I don’t want you to worry about money,” Jordan told her. “If you need anything, I can help.”