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She takes the seat beside me again, shifting him so he’s on her lap and she can play and make silly faces at him. He’sbabbling and squealing in delight, and I stand to get his lunch, needing to move.

“All that was in the basket along with him was a note that had his name on it and claimed I was his father. That was it.”

“Jesus,” she hisses. “What kind of person does that?”

“I don’t know.” I glance down at the counter. It’s a question I’ve wondered more times than I can count over the years since my dad walked out on us when I was just a boy. How can anyone abandon their child? Especially like that. “I don’t know who his mum is, and Vander can’t sort it out either.”

“Vander couldn’t find anything?” she asks incredulously, her voice climbing on the end.

Vander is one of Tinsley’s and Keegan’s lifelong friends. His parents and Tinsley’s parents are best friends as well. Vander is a cybersecurity CEO by day and one of the world’s best hackers by night.

“My mum’s place has no cameras on the door, and around the time he would have been conceived, the film I was working on was shooting in London, Paris, and Germany. I had been… enjoying a bachelor playboy existence in all three locations.” I stare down at my hands, not at all happy or proud to admit this to her. “I recall at least three women I met in various places. I never got their names, though they certainly knew mine. Vander’s got nothing. He couldn’t even find a birth certificate for a Fenric, though that’s hardly a common name. For all I know, it’s not his actual name.”

She’s aghast, her eyes round and jaw agape.

“I told you, and everyone else for that matter, that Mum broke her hip and I had to fly to London to help her. That wasn’t true.”

Fen climbs and stands on Keegan’s thighs, bouncing up and down on her, her big eyes and dazzling smile making him laugh and go faster. He likes her, and the lucky lad gets to touch hertits, which is what he’s doing now. Never thought it was possible to be jealous of a baby, but here we have it.

“Obviously he’s yours. I mean, he’s your tiny doppelganger when you don’t look like something out of a lumberjack competition.”

I snort a laugh. “Lumberjack competition?”

“All that’s missing is the flannel and the ax,” she tells me cheekily. “Did you get a DNA test?”

“Yes, and that proved it. We’ve kept him a secret since then while we looked for his mother and I tried to figure out what to do. You see, I don’t know anything about him. Not his last name or birthday or even his citizenship. I essentially snuck him back to the States on the Monroe jet, and I have yet to notify social services or the police or anyone because it’ll blow up like the perfect scandal it is, and I…” I’m afraid of losing him. I’m afraid they’ll take him. They almost did that with me, it was so close, and I can’t have that happen with him. I can’t have him chased by the press and cameras flashing in his face.

I need to protect him from all of it.

“I understand,” she offers, her eyes soft. “That’s a lot all at once, and I can’t imagine how you’ve managed it. Mostly on your own, too, though I have to say, you look like you’re doing a great job.”

I scoff and put my back to her as I admit, “Most of the time I feel like I’m barely treading water and am always one breath away from drowning.” And that’s an understatement. I wake up in cold sweats from panic. I don’t know why I’m telling her that other than there’s something about Keegan that brings out my honesty.

“Well, it doesn’t look it. He’s doing great, and so are you. Oh boy, you need a tissue, big guy, before that green slime goes into your mouth.” She shoots me a panicked look. “A little help?”

I spring into action, grab a tissue from the box on the counter so I can wipe his nose, which makes him whine and squirm. “Yeah, yeah, no one likes having their nose cleaned. Are you hungry?” I ask, kissing the top of his head and stealing him from Keegan so I can put him in his highchair.

“I have to say, this is pretty wild. Seeing you all daddied up. It’s a hot look.”

I choke on my tongue and cock an eyebrow at her. “You think this is hot? Wiping snot, fixing lunch, and changing dirty nappies?”

She shrugs. “Yes. But I’ll be honest with you, that nose and those round cheeks and that scraggly hair sort of kill your hot daddy vibe.”

My hands fly up to my face. “Buggar, I forgot I was still wearing them.”

She laughs and stands, coming in beside me. “Go de-face your face. I can feed him.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I realize that,” she deadpans. “But I love babies. Plus, it’ll give you a minute to get out of yourMission: Impossiblemeets the wilderness getup since it’s a struggle to have this conversation with you looking like that.”

“Really? I was kind of liking the beard and glasses.”

“Those I can handle. The rest?” She gives an exaggerated shudder, and I can’t help my light chuckle.

“Fine. I’ll be back.”

I head into my bathroom and start to peel the silicone prosthetics from my face. I hate this part. It feels like someone is pulling off my skin, and I can’t wait for the day when these disguises will no longer be needed. From in here, I can hear Keegan singing and talking to him, and it has me pausing and shutting off the tap so I can get a better listen.