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baby, who reminded him of how far he’d come from where he’d started out in life.
    He brought Holden into the kitchen and put him into his high chair with some dry cereal. They had the same routine everymorning, and Owen loved it. He took the morning shift with the baby so Laura could sleep in. As her pregnancy progressed, she couldn’t seem to get enough sleep.
    A soft knock on the door preceded his mother ducking her head into the apartment.
    “Come in,” Owen said, smiling as she came in the door with her fiancé, Charlie, trailing behind her. They were nearly inseparable these days,and Owen couldn’t be happier for them.
    “Morning.” Sarah went past her son to kiss her grandson’s forehead.
    Holden squealed with happiness at the sight of two of his favorite people.
    “I see where I rate around here,” Owen said, amused by his mother’s focus on the baby.
    “Grandchildren always bump children.” Sarah leaned in to kiss Owen’s cheek. “You should know that bynow.”
    “Wait till the twins come,” Charlie said. “You’ll be lucky if she says hello to you.”
    Owen laughed, because he knew that was true. His mother was almost as excited about the new babies as he and Laura were. She was excited about everything now that his father’s trial was behind them, and he was finally exactly where he belonged. Which was why Owen was so tormented over hisfather’s latest cruel volley. His mother and Charlie wanted to be married but were content to live together forever if his father refused to let her go.
    After everything they’d both been through before they found each other, they should have everything they wanted, and Owen hated being the one thing standing between them and a happy future. Intellectually, he knew it was his father standingbetween them, not him, but he could fix that. If only he could bring himself to accept a call from the person he least wished to speak to.
    “We’re on our way to Uncle Shane and Aunt Katie’s for breakfast,” Sarah said to Holden. “You want to come with us?”
    At the words Uncle Shane , Holden began kicking his feet and trying to break out of the high chair.
    “I’ll take that as ayes,” Sarah said, laughing. “Is it okay with you?”
    “Sure,” Owen said. “He loves his time with Shane.” Laura’s brother was happily engaged to Owen’s sister, Katie, and living a few doors down the street from them. Having his sister nearby and seeing her settled with Shane was another thing to love about his life on Gansett Island.
    Sarah expertly removed Holden from the high chair,got him cleaned up and into his hat and coat. “We’ll be back in a little while.”
    “Take your time. We’re not doing anything today.”
    “Maybe we’ll come back at naptime, then,” Sarah said with a smile that lit up her eyes.
    “Just let me know,” Owen said.
    “We will.”
    “Give Dada a kiss,” Sarah said.
    Holden came stumbling across the room on legs that wobbled underhim. He and Laura called him the “drunken sailor” since he’d begun walking a week ago—at only ten months old. Owen bent to receive a wet, sloppy kiss from the little guy. “Be good for Gram and Gramps.”
    “Dadadadada.”
    “Let’s go see Uncle Shane and Auntie Katie,” Sarah said as she picked up Holden.
    Owen saw them out and then went to look in on Laura, who was still sound asleep.He stretched out on the bed next to her, staring up at the ceiling and filled with anxiety as he waited for the phone to ring again. He’d been there about thirty minutes when Laura turned over, cuddling up to him as best she could with the huge baby bump between them. March couldn’t come soon enough for either of them. Her hand landed on his chest, which helped to calm and settle him.
    The calming effect she had on him was one of the things he loved best about being married to her.
    “You gonna tell me what’s wrong?” she asked in a sleepy, sexy-sounding voice.
    “Nothing’s wrong. Holden’s with my