Page 82 of A Return For Ren

She laughed at her brother. “You’re always ruled by your gut.”

“Do you think Max will come to me?” her mother asked. She’d stood up and moved closer to Ren and Max actually reached for her mother. She smiled at Ren’s surprised face.

“Guess he is definitely warming up more than he used to,” he said.

“Lily, I’ll help you get some snacks out. Ren, do you want a beer? My brother can be a better host and deal with that.”

“You tell him,” Lily said, bumping shoulders with her.

Zane grabbed some beers for the men; Poppy was popping the wine and handing out the glasses. Zara took one because she’d been a little nervous about tonight and wasn’t sure why.

This past week, she’d helped Ren put a tree up at his rental and some decorations. Max was trying to get into it and pull everything off, but she’d told Ren his son needed a tree.

It didn’t take much convincing. She found herself falling much faster than she wanted to be and wondered how much of it had to do with Ren and how much was Max.

Or more like, was Ren thinking of Max and wanting a mother for him?

She’d heard Ren tell her father that there was more at stake this time around. She wanted to know what that meant but told herself not to ask. She wasn’t sure she was prepared for any answer.

She and Lily brought out the snacks with Rose’s help. Max started to move on the floor to go toward the food. “Whoa,” Ren said. “You can’t have any of that.”

“Have you tried to give him any table food?” Zara asked.

“No. I’m afraid he’ll choke. There isn’t anything there he can eat.”

She looked at the food that was set on the coffee table. There wasn’t anything suitable for a baby to eat. “How about a banana? I’ll mash one up. Lily has some on the counter. He loves it in the jar.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

He looked so concerned, but her mother jumped in. “My kids had more mashed fruit than the jarred stuff,” she said. “It’s healthier.”

“I must look like a complete wuss,” he said. “Or an idiot.”

“None of that,” Zane said. “Trust me. I’ve been in your shoes. You’ve got it worse. My mother and sister were caring for Willow until I got home. When I came back, they’d already started things and showed me. She was a little older.”

“Can I feed Max?” Willow asked. “You know, like a dog. If I give him something will he come to me?”

The room erupted into laughter. Zara turned to her brother. “When you have another kid that is going to be fun to watch.”

Zane smirked at her. “It’s better than her asking nonstop for a dog. She finally gave up on that.”

“Because I figured a baby was easier,” Willow asked.

More laughter in the room. Ren pulled out some puffed treats for Max since he was wiggling to get food. His kid was obviously hungry. “Here, Willow. You can give him a few of these. One at a time.”

He handed the can over and Willow said, “Thank you.” She sat on the floor. “Come here, Max. Come get them.”

Max crawled over and she bit back the comment that he did almost look like a puppy being called.

“You can mash a banana if you think he’ll eat it,” he said.

She went into the kitchen to get a banana off the counter and a plate and fork. “You’re sliding right into the mommy role,” Lily said.

“I know. I need to stop it.”

“No, you don’t,” Lily said. “It’s part of who you are. I think Ren is the type of guy to tell you no or he’s got it if he doesn’t want the help.”

“He is,” she said. “I tell myself that all the time.”