His Best Mistake Read Online Free Page A

now?” he asked as he continued to focus on the photo.
    “With my roommate, Macy.” All the more reason why Leah needed to leave as soon as possible, beforethe baby woke from her nap and Macy—a confirmed kid phobic—had to deal with Carly.
    Kevin stared at the picture a few more moments, and when Leah couldn’t stand the silence any longer, she said, “Say something.”
    He leveled his gaze on hers. “I don’t know what to say, Leah. This is one helluva shock.”
    She understood that all too well. She also acknowledged that he might have a difficult time coping with the news. He might decide not to cope with it. For that reason, she retrieved an envelope from the bag and offered it to him. “Here.”
    After a brief hesitation, he took it from her. “What is this?”
    “It’s a document that will terminate your parental rights if you sign it. You’re under no obligation to be involved in her life, emotionally or financially.”
    A flash of dismay crossed his expression. “After everything you’ve told me about the abandoned kids your parents fostered, you’re willing to raise her by yourself?”
    If she had a choice, Leah would prefer raising her child in a two-parent home. But that wasn’t an option, at least not with Kevin. “We’re doing fine.” For the most part. “I also have a good support system at home.”
    “You mean your new boyfriend.”
    Leah opted not to comment on that supposition. “My parents insist I move back in with them when I return to Mississippi. You don’t need to worry about whether or not Carly’s going to be cared for if you decide to sign the papers.”
    Without offering any response, Kevin lowered his head, the envelope and photo still in his grasp. He appeared so visibly shaken, Leah fought the urge to hold him.
    Instead, she gathered her things and stood. “I realize this is a lot for you to think about, so I’m going to give you that time to think. If you’d prefer to walk away from this situation, I’ll understand. All you have to do is sign the documents, have them notarized and mail them back to me in the envelope I’ve provided. I’ve already addressed it. In the meantime, I have the same cell number if you need to reach me.”
    It took all of Leah’s strength to leave without any answers from Kevin. She wasn’t certain what to hope for—that he sign the papers to sever his parental rights, ending their relationship, once and for all, or that he decide to be a father to Carly, gaining a permanent place in his child’s life—her life—for years to come. Either way, she would have to deal with the consequences of her actions. Her mistakes.
    But Leah didn’t view her baby as a mistake. Falling in love with Carly’s father had been a grave mistake. Thing was, a part of her still loved him, and probably always would.
     
    S HORTLY AFTER DAWN the following morning, Kevin traveled to Bodies by O’Brien, the health club owned by his twin brother, Kieran. His reasons behind the visit were twofold—a workout to clear his mind and counsel from someone he could trust.
    Even though he’d barely slept the night before, adrenaline sent Kevin through the double doors at a quick clip and straight to Kieran’s office where he found his brother seated behind his desk.
    “Do you have a few minutes?” Kevin asked as he stood in the open doorway, clutching his gym bag in a death grip.
    Kieran looked up from a stack of papers and tossed the pen aside. “Come in. You’re saving me from approving invoices, and you know how much I hate the business end of the business.”
    Spoken like a die-hard personal trainer, Kevin decided. But saving Kieran from accounting was a far cry from what Kieran had saved Kevin from—certain death—by providing his bone marrow. The ultimate gift, as far as Kevin was concerned. Since that time, they’d put aside their differences and had become as close as they’d been when they were kids, one of the few positives resulting from his