tingles along the back of her neck.
“What about it?”
“It’s dark and curly. Like mine.”
Her lips dropped open. “Seriously? That’s what convinced you? I’m a liar but the hair doesn’t lie?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “You’re insulted. Not as much fun to be on the other side of judgment, Miss Spencer?”
Nell began to fuss, brilliant timing as it saved her from answering. Avery made herself busy by unclipping the T-strap securing the baby and then lifted her out, put her on her knee and held her snugly while her free hand straightened the frilly dress, smoothing it over white bottoms that covered her diaper in a profusion of ruffles. Content to be cuddled, Nell shoved her fist in her mouth and gnawed on it happily.
“I’m going to suggest something and I don’t want you to get offended again.” Callum leaned back, resting against the bench.
“I can’t promise that,” she responded. “But let’s hear it anyway.”
“I’d like a paternity test.”
The words made it sound all so real, which was ridiculous because Avery knew she wouldn’t have come all this way if it weren’t real to begin with. Last night she’d been angry but strangely relieved that he’d wanted nothing to do with Nell. How terrible did that make her? She was well aware that the feelings of relief were based on what was best for her and not best for Nell. She would have given anything to have known her father as she was growing up. How could she be relieved that Nell wouldn’t have that, either? It was beyond selfish.
A paternity test would prove that Nell was his. Then how far would he push things? Would he demand custody? Parental rights, certainly…
“You still don’t believe me,” she answered shakily.
He sat up and leaned toward her a little. “Look, it’s not personal. It wouldn’t matter who was sitting here right now, I would still have my doubts. I would still want concrete proof. I don’t take anyone at their word, okay? Words change. Proof? That doesn’t change.”
“And when you have that proof? What then?”
“I don’t know. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
He could have the power to take Nell away. Avery had been well aware of it before she’d even set out on this trip. It was why she’d put it off for so long. She just hadn’t been able to make herself do it, to plant the seeds of her own destruction. Because losing Nell would destroy her.
Nell was the only family Avery had left. Years ago she’d still had her mother, but Laura had moved to Vancouver and rarely ever contacted the two girls, she was so involved in her own life. They’d been abandoned not only by one parent, but by both. With Crystal gone, there was no one. Except Nell—Avery’s reason for getting up in the morning—and usually several times during the night, too. Especially lately. “She’s all I’ve got,” she whispered.
Maybe she shouldn’t have come. Maybe she should have just let it lie. Just her luck she had an overactive conscience.
“Relax,” he said. “You saw my place. Do I look like the kind of guy prepared for full-time fatherhood? What would I do with a baby and a farm to run?”
He leaned forward, close enough that she could see the fine lines in the corners of his eyes, and how his dark brown irises had tiny flecks of gold close to the pupil.
“I have no intention of taking her away from you,” he said with surprising gentleness. “If that’s what’s worrying you.”
Tears pricked the back of her eyes and she blinked them away. “But you still want proof,” she whispered hoarsely.
“I need proof.”
“I fly back to Ontario tomorrow.”
“Surely you can change your flight.”
Of course she could. But it wasn’t as easy as all that. “I do have a job, you know. I took a week off, but I have to be back…”
“A few days,” he suggested. “Enough time to set up the test and have it done. You don’t even have to stay and wait for the results. Once they’re in, we can discuss things over the phone.”
She looked down at Nell, whose attention was focused on a bright blue button. Her chubby fingers pulled and played with it, and Avery bounced her knee a little bit, making the baby look up and giggle with a toothless grin. She could afford a few days but that was all. When she wasn’t working she wasn’t earning money, and there were two of them to support now.
Besides, she didn’t want to play difficult. It was a simple and logical request considering the circumstances. If she refused, he could get nasty about it and have a court-ordered test if he wanted to, because whether or not he wanted to be a dad, for some reason he really wanted to know definitively one way or the other.
“A few days, but that’s all. We can stay here at the B&B. I’ll leave the arrangements for the test up to you, though. I’ve never done this before. I’m guessing you’ll have to contact your local doctor and set something up.”
“It’s not something I have experience in, either,” he pointed out. “But I’ll look after it. Give me your cell number so I can call you about the arrangements.”
She reached into her purse and took out a business card, flipped it over and wrote her number on the back. Nell grabbed at the pen, but Avery diverted her hand and reached into the diaper bag at her feet instead, and pulled out a teething ring. “Here, sweet pea. This is better for you to chew on than a pen.”
She gave him the card and he flipped it over. “The Icing on Top?” he asked.
“I’m a baker,” she replied. “I decorate cakes. Mostly cupcakes.”
“Cupcakes,” he repeated, making it sound as if it were the silliest job in the world.
Despite the improved tone to today’s meeting, it was clear to Avery that Callum had very little respect for her. It began with his skeptical attitude and continued with the assumption she could simply change her schedule to suit him and the dismissive tone when he asked about her job. She needed to be careful not to antagonize him, but she wasn’t going to go along with absolutely everything just because he suggested it.
She checked her watch. It was getting close to noon, and well-behaved as she was, Nell was going to start getting hungry soon. Avery knew from experience that leaving it too long would send the baby into full-on meltdown. “Is there a restaurant nearby? Somewhere that we can sit down, where they’d heat a bottle for me?”
He shrugged. “The Wagon Wheel diner is around the corner. It’s a run-of-the-mill family place, but the food’s good.”
“She’s going to be hungry soon. I’d rather stay a step ahead than deal with a cranky baby.” Politeness seemed to demand that she ask. “Would you care to join us, Callum?”
He stepped back. “Thanks, but I don’t think so. I like to keep to myself. And showing up with you and the baby…This is a small town. The gossip mill would be running before we’d even ordered.”
The rebuff felt like a slap. He couldn’t even call Nell by her name, instead referring to her as “the baby.” And he didn’t want to be seen in public with Avery—not for this conversation and certainly not sharing a meal. She shoved the pen and teething ring into her purse and made short work of strapping Nell back into the stroller. She stood and put her hands on the handles. “We won’t keep you, then.”
“Yes, I need to get back. Work to be done.”
His precious work. Of course.
“Call me when you have an appointment time.” She lifted her chin. “If you could do that right away, I’d appreciate it. I do have to adjust my travel plans.”
“Yes,