“Who is that?” she asked.
The group behind her slowed, too, and all of them seemed to notice the same thing. A man? A?—
“Jonah!” Eli bolted forward, running toward the stairs. “Jonah! Why didn’t you call and tell us you were back?”
As Jonah stepped into the sunlight, Tessa could see he held something in his arms. No, not something—someone. The baby!
They all reacted, running closer, but he stood stone still, as if shellshocked. He wrapped his arms around the bundle protectively, stepping back before they pounced on his baby.
“What are you doing here?” Eli asked. “With the baby? Where’s Carly?”
As they got closer, Tessa sucked in a breath at the look on Jonah’s face. He was…ravaged. Red eyes, blotchy face, thin and lost and actually terrified.
“Carly’s gone,” he croaked. “She died in a car accident three days ago.”
No one spoke except Kate, who let out a whimper, then a wail, instantly launching toward Jonah. Now her, he let hold him, and Eli, who was visibly shaking as he embraced his son and Atlas, a three-week-old grandchild.
“What happened?” Kate asked on a gruff whisper.
“She went out to get diapers. She needed a break so bad. And…” His voice cracked. “She didn’t come back.” He broke into a sob.
“Oh, son, I’m so sorry!” Eli went to hug him a second time, but Jonah jerked back.
“I swear, I’m cursed,” he exclaimed. “It’s me. I’m cursed.”
“Jonah!” Eli barked. “You will never say that again. You arenotcursed. You are blessed! With a child.”
Jonah threw him a doubtful look, cradling the baby closer. “How many people do I have to lose?” he muttered. “My mother, now…his mother?” He dropped his head and looked at the baby. “How? How is it possible if not a curse?”
“Stop that,” Eli insisted. “It’s tragic. It’s horrible. But it’s going to be okay. You will survive. So will your baby.”
“But Carly’s parents are out of their minds,” he said. “They want him. They want to take him from me. I literally ran off in the middle of the night and flew here to protect him from them. They will take Atlas from me.”
“What? No…they can’t do that!” Kate sputtered. “He’s your son.”
“But we weren’t married,” he said, tears threatening. “They say they have the right to him.”
“That’s not how it works,” Eli said. “You’rehis father.”
Jonah let out a sob, clearly hanging on by a thread. With the ease of a practiced mother, Kate gently took the sleeping infant from his arms, tucking him close to her chest. “Oh, poor, precious little man.”
“I didn’t know what else to do,” Jonah rasped. “I came here because I need help. I need so much help.”
“And you will have it,” Eli assured him, hugging his son with the same tenderness that Kate gave to the baby.
“We’re all here for you, Jonah,” Vivien said, coming closer. “You’re surrounded by people who love you and will support you.”
“But…what if they take him?”
“They will not.” Maggie marched right up to him and placed both hands on his soaking wet cheeks. “If they want my great-grandson, they’ll have to come through Magnolia Lawson and that will not be pleasant for anyone.”
For the first time, there was a hint of a smile on his face.
“You’ll still go to culinary school,” Kate proclaimed.
“I have to,” he said. “If I can’t show that I’m doing something…some judge will rule in their favor. I can’t lose him. I can’t. I love him so much.”
“Of course you do,” Kate cooed, already rocking the red-faced and bald baby. “We all love wee little Atlas.”
