CHAPTER ONE
Among the shoutsof congratulations and loud whistles, Lacey’s son tugged on her shirt.
“Where’s Sammie going?”
Lacey beamed down at him, dropping until they were eye-to-eye. “Sammie’s going to have her baby.”
His eyes grew wide. “Really?”
She nodded. “I’m sure she’s gonna want you to meet the baby when she comes, too. Would you like to do that?”
Bridger’s vigorous nod and excited smile said it all. “Do you think she’ll like me?”
“I’m sure she’ll love you.” Lacey ruffled his hair. Six years ago, she’d gone into labor. She’d been a teenager and absolutely terrified. Her eyes followed her son as he hurried away to play with some of the other children at the party.
Five years of his life had been taken from her. Five years where her parents stole custody of her son while disowning her for her mistakes.
Lacey’s heart lurched from the memories. They’d destroyed any relationship they might have had with her. And now that she’d taken Bridger back, tensions between them were even higher. She still had a hard time having respectful conversations with both of her parents.
Folding her arms, she leaned her hip against a table filled with refreshments. A smile tugged on her lips. It was just the two of them. Bridger would forever be her one and only. They didn’t need anyone else. Not her parents, and definitely not Bridger’s father.
“They’re cute, aren’t they?” A low, husky voice spoke close to her ear.
Too close.
Lacey was used to it. She made her tips off men who were a little too friendly. She didn’t react to his nearness, but simply tilted her head and asked, “The children? You got any?”
He chuckled, the sound nearly lifting the hairs on her arms. “No, but I want them someday.”
She cocked a brow, turning to the guy who couldn’t seem to stop flirting with her. Caleb’s brother. Sammie’s brother-in-law. “Really,” she said flatly, “you want kids.”
His smirk might have been charming if she didn’t see right through it. Guys like him were a dime a dozen. He reminded her of guys she used to date before she finally won custody of Bridger back. The way he ran his hand through his dark locks said it all. He knew he was attractive, and he was ridiculously confident about it.
His name was Mack. It was her curse to remember names after hearing them once. He’d probably told her three or four times already since she’d started hanging out with Sammie. And every single time, she pretended not to remember—just to mess with him.
Lacey narrowed her eyes. “Mark, right?”
His jaw tensed almost imperceptibly. “Mack.”
She laughed, making her sound embarrassed. “Oh, right. Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“Mack,” she murmured. “I’ll remember next time.”
He walked around her and plucked a chip from the bowl nearby before dunking it into ranch dip. With a flick of his hand, he tossed the snack into his mouth and grinned at her. “You like kids?”
“I do,” she murmured, turning her attention once more to the children playing. “They’re sweet. Innocent.” Lacey gave him a knowing look. “They haven’t been corrupted yet.”
Mack chuckled. “I don’t know. Some of those kids belong to my cousins, and I’m pretty sure they’re nothing but spoiled. How could they not be? I don’t know about you, but growing up in a place like this? Horses? Cattle? Land to go wherever they want? It’s heaven on earth.”
He wasn’t wrong. What she wouldn’t have given to have a life like this. But it wasn’t the property or the animals she envied. She’d been paying attention to the bigger picture. The Reese family was something else. She’d never seen any group of people so close.
It was hard not to wonder what would have happened if she had a supportive family when she’d found out she’d gotten pregnant. Would she have been able to be in Bridger’s life during his more impressionable years? A lump formed in her throat, and the anger simmered beneath the surface.
“You okay?”
Lacey jumped and glanced over at Mack. The look of concern in his eyes was almost believable. But she knew better. They were strangers. He didn’t really care about her. She forced a smile. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
