When they arrived at the Italian restaurant that night, Gina and Anthony had already pushed several tables together for them in the middle of the room. Jordan had the distinct impression that they, too, were in on this hush-hush secret.
In fact, only the men in the family seemed to be left out. Luke and his father seemed as bemused by all the fuss as he was. The women were all smiling conspiratorially—even his mother—which only added to his nervousness. He was tempted to run out and call Ginger just to make sure a special occasion hadn’t slipped his mind, after all.
Kelly seemed inclined to prolong his agony, too. Not a word about what had drawn them together was spoken all during the noisy, laughter-filled dinner. Only after they’d finished the pizza did he glance at the other end of the table where Kelly was seated next to Jessie and her almost-two-year-old daughter, Angela. Kelly was whispering to Gina, who smiled broadly and nodded.
“I will get dessert now,” the restaurant owner said.
“Bring me some of that Italian ice cream,” Harlan said. “What’s it called? Spumoni?”
“Not tonight,” Kelly said. “I’ve arranged for something special.”
Jordan’s gaze shot to hers. Her expression was unreadable and she refused to meet his eyes.
“Anyone like coffee?” Gina DiPasquali asked.
“Another beer for me,” Harlan said.
“I’ll take the coffee,” Luke told her. He leaned over and kissed Jessie’s cheek. “What about you? Coffee?”
Jessie nodded.
As soon as the order was complete, Gina vanished into the kitchen. A moment later she returned, dispensing cups and filling them with coffee. She brought Harlan’s beer from the bar, then disappeared again.
A few minutes after that the restaurant lights inexplicably dimmed. Jordan started to get to his feet, but his father stopped him with a firm grasp of his arm and a gesture toward the kitchen. He looked up and saw Gina carrying a cake ablaze with candles. Once again, his heart climbed into his throat. Whose birthday was it? And why the hell hadn’t Kelly or Ginger, either one, just told him? He felt like an idiot.
To his complete consternation, Gina seemed to be heading his way. She lowered the cake to the table in front of him.
His startled gaze sought out his wife. “It’s not my birthday,” he said.
“Read the inscription,” she suggested.
He glanced down at the huge white cake with its pink roses and blue writing. Happy Father’s Day, Jordan, it read. Love Kelly, Dani and ?
Father’s Day? Wasn’t that one of the ones Ginger was supposed to remind him about? And shouldn’t this cake be for Harlan?
He looked around the table and saw everyone grinning expectantly. Father’s Day? Question marks? His name, not his father’s on the cake? The implication finally sank in. All of the breath whooshed out of him.
His gaze shot up. “Is this... Are you...”
Kelly’s head bobbed up and down. “We’re going to have a baby,” she confirmed as the entire table erupted into applause.
Jordan’s pulse raced. His eyes locked with his wife’s and stayed there as he moved from his chair and headed straight for her. A baby? They were going to have a baby! Suddenly he was afraid his heart might burst from sheer joy.
Kelly stood and hurried into his arms.
“I love you,” he whispered against her soft, fragrant hair. “More every single day.”
“I love you.”
“Me, too, Mommy. Me, too,” Dani said, tugging on their shirtsleeves.
Jordan reached down and hefted her into his arms. “You, too, munchkin. We love you, too.” He glanced around at the others and a smile spread across his face. “Happy Father’s Day, everyone!”
He saw his mother reach for his father’s hand and squeeze it. Tears glistened in his father’s eyes as he looked from his wife to his two sons and back again. Luke’s hand had settled possessively on Angela’s tiny shoulder. Jessie rested her hand on top of his. Angela’s birth had brought them together. Today they were happier than ever.
During his entire life, Father’s Day had been one of those occasions that Jordan acknowledged dutifully but without much thought or emotion. Ginger usually picked out the card and gift for his father, often sending it without even getting his signature. It had happened just that way this year, he was sure.
He doubted that he would ever treat the occasion so cavalierly after today, though. From now on, he knew that being a father would give him the kind of emotional fulfillment he had once despaired of ever feeling. Maybe it was true what Kelly had once said to him, maybe he really was a natural born daddy.
In the midst of their celebration, he happened to glance across the restaurant. Melissa Horton was sitting in a booth all alone, her expression forlorn as she watched the family she had once wanted so badly to be a part of. Even across the room, he could detect the tears shimmering in her eyes.
Jordan was about to go and ask her to join them when she hurriedly stood, then bent over to retrieve something from the booth. To his astonishment, he saw that it was a baby carrier.
Stunned, he was drawn across the room despite himself. Perhaps he was thinking of the news he’d just received. Perhaps he was thinking of his brother, settled now on a ranch in Wyoming and determined never to set foot in Texas again because of this woman.
“Melissa,” Jordan acknowledged, stopping her in her tracks with the quiet command in his voice.
She blinked hard, fighting those unmistakable tears, then finally faced him, her chin tilted defiantly. “Hello, Jordan.”
He automatically glanced at her hand, wondering why he’d never heard that she had married. It would have been the kind of news that his family would surely have been aware of. Her ring finger was bare.
He turned his attention to the carrier. “May I see? I just found
