Even if I hadn’t been ordered away from the festivities, I would have kept my distance.

I stayed in Settlement, entertaining the men with scotch while the women unwrapped presents and drank wine over my head.

I wasn’t worried – I knew Maggie was in good hands up there and no matter how close to the chest she played it, she was happy that Regan was there.

Of course, Regan had made no secret of how she felt about my return into her sister’s life, but I could swallow my own resentment and deal with it if it made Maggie happy.

It wasn’t like I had occasion to see Regan often anyway.

Viktor nudged me, a crystal glass in his hand.

“In three more months, your life will change forever,” he said, his accent lilting. “And we will never see your face again.”

I grimaced at him.

“I hardly think that’s true,” I replied. “I’ve seen more of you guys since Maggie got pregnant than I did before.”

He chuckled.

“Very true,” he drawled, leaning over the bar. “There is something about babies which bring people together.”

I could see something was on his mind.

“What are your eyes flashing like that for?” I demanded.

He shrugged and sighed heavily.

“I shouldn’t be asking you this because it is not my business,” he started slowly. “But it weighs on my head.”

I smiled at the terminology.

“Well I don’t want your head to be heavy,” I replied in a stoic manner. “What is it?”

“How are you going to support the baby when he is born? They are very expensive, you know?”

The question sparked a note of defensiveness in me.

“Yes, I know. I can work,” I retorted, looking at him angrily. “What kind of question is that? You think I’m going to be some kind of deadbeat father?”

“Of course not!” he replied, looking around nervously as my voice grew louder. “I never said anything like that!”

“Then what?” I snapped, rising from my chair as a familiar burst of hot-headedness coursed through my veins. “You just thought you would bring up my shortcomings? I’m working right now, in case you haven’t noticed!”

Viktor smiled patiently but it didn’t meet his eyes.

“You are very capable,” he agreed. “But I thought you said that Maggie is on medication now and will be back in the restaurant soon.”

Every word he spoke seemed to drive home more insecurity, as if all the doubts I had been sweeping under the rug and amassed into a volcano that had just erupted in my face.

I had been wondering every day what would happen when Maggie was back on her feet.

We hadn’t discussed my future with Settlement or if I even had one.

We hadn’t talked about what we were doing with one another, even though I had tentatively been allowed back in her bed.

It was like we were just waiting to see what happened day to day instead of asking ourselves any questions.

My biggest fear was that she would simply tell me to get out the second that medication did its magic and I would be back living in my lonely apartment, hoping she would call me if the baby was born.

“None of this is your business,” I growled, spinning to leave. “Some friend you’re turning out to be, asshole.”

“You have such a hot temper, you don’t listen when you should,” he chided me and I whirled back around to stare at him in disbelief.

“You’re accusing me of being a shitty father already!” I stormed and he hung his head.

“No, you fool, I am trying to offer you an opportunity, if you would listen to me instead of flying off the handle.”

I opened my mouth to respond but instantly closed my lips together.

It was true – Viktor had proven himself to be a very good friend and I was acting slightly irrational.

Are hormones only for the mother or can the father get them too? I wondered.

“What opportunity?” I asked reluctantly, sliding onto the chair beside him again, my eyes cast down with shame.

“Ah good, you’re listening,” he said. “I have an ‘in’ on a huge investment, one which will set you, your child and Maggie up for a while.”

I eyed him speculatively. “You’re being a little vague,” I commented. “How long are we talking?”

“In six months, you could double your money.”

I liked the sound of that.

Being flush for cash with an infant seemed like a place I wanted to be, especially when I was technically unemployed.

Am I unemployed? I shoved the question out of my mind.

“What kind of investment?” I demanded, my mind whirling.

Viktor knew money and if he had a stock tip, I was going to be all ears, even though I had about two hundred dollars to my name.

“It’s a new social media site,” he explained. “But it’s only in China.”

My brow furrowed.

“What – how…?” I didn’t even really know what questions to ask because it was so bizarre.

“China is well insulated, technologically speaking,” the Russian explained. “Being so close to my country, we know a great deal more about what happens there than the rest of the world. Social media within the country is huge, bigger than I can explain.”

My head was swimming already.

“Just tell me about how to make money in six months?”

“The buy in is fifty grand,” he explained. “But you will quadruple your profits in a year’s time when the site goes public, double them in six.”

I laughed, my cheeks stinging with humiliation.

“You may as well have asked for a million,” I sighed, shaking my head. “I don’t have any money, man. You should know that.”

Explaining that to Viktor was humiliating but his smile only broadened.

“You do,” he explained. “Well, your baby does.”

I looked at him uncomprehendingly.

“What?”

“Luke gave the baby a check for the shower. You can use that as investment.”

I laughed.

“Maggie will never agree to that,” I said. “It’s – “

“It’s for your future,” Viktor interjected. “This is a guaranteed thing, Silas. My sources are concrete.”

I stared at him, shaking my head.

“There’s no way she’ll agree to that. You have no idea how meticulous Maggie can be. She accounts for every single penny of every single sale. She’s not the type to just throw money down on something like this.”

“It’s not her money. It’s the baby’s.”

My mind was filled with confusion.

Did I trust Viktor? Hell, yes. Did I trust his opportunity? Probably. Did I trust that Maggie would flip her lid if I used the baby’s money? Damn straight.

But my future was looking bleak.

What kind of father doesn’t have money set aside for his kid? He’s promising me a golden chance to make things right for everyone.

“Luke has already invested and Marcus too.”

That was enough for me.

“How much was the check for?” I asked and Viktor grinned genuinely.

“One hundred thousand dollars.”

I pushed aside any doubt I was feeling and nodded in agreement. “Bring me the paperwork in the morning. I’m in.”

“You won’t regret it!” Viktor cheered, raising his glass in toast and I knew I was doing the right thing. “To Zenocore Company!”

I’ll just keep it quiet from Maggie until the payout comes through, I thought. No need to tell her until I have good news. She’s got enough on her plate as it is and I have to think about her blood pressure.

But I wondered why that familiar sense of guilt was tickling the pit of my stomach, the same one I got when I had lost the money in our checking account or pawned her engagement ring.

You’re being ridiculous, I snapped at myself. This is not gambling. You are not sitting at a table in Atlantic City, expecting the next hand to be your payday. This is how real men make money. They invest and grow. I am not the same man I was six months ago. I have not gambled once; I am working and taking care of my family. I am not doing anything wrong.

I had convinced myself by the time I rose to pour myself another drink but I could not shake the feeling that Maggie would not see it the same way, no matter how I spun it.

* * *

It was after ten o’clock when I entered the loft apartment the following night.

Viktor and his lawyer had brought the buyer to the restaurant and a translator had walked us through the ins and outs of the investment.

I was exhausted but optimistic, even when I handed off the check, signing it over to Zenocore directly.

“What are you doing out of bed?” I demanded, hurrying toward her as she brushed her hair in the full-length mirror.

It had grown longer throughout her pregnancy and where some women lost their natural sheen, Maggie only seemed to grow more beautiful every day.

“I’m okay,” she announced and something in her tone made me believe her.

“Are you sure?” I asked uncertainly. “I mean, you look great but…”

“The medication is working. I think I might go back to work tomorrow, at least for a few hours.”

The words filled me with an insurmountable dread even though I had known they were coming.

“I -I’m really glad you’re doing better,” I told her and I meant it. I knew how hard it had been for her to follow the doctor’s orders and stay off her feet.

“What’s wrong, Silas?” she asked me, catching my worried gaze in the glass of the mirror. “I swear, I’m fine.”

I forced a smile on my face and moved to wrap her up in my arms.

“I know,” I replied. “I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt the baby.”

“And yet you’re still looking at me with that look.”

“What look?”

She chuckled and turned around to cup my face in her hands, her body raised onto the balls of her feet to reach me.

I realized that I was going to miss the sight of her pregnant, even with her seven-month belly protruding from her robe like a beach ball tucked under her nightgown.

“Maggie, we haven’t talked about what happens next,” I told her, wishing I could take back the words as soon as I said them.

Surprise filled her face and she studied me, falling back onto her flat feet, lowering her eyes.

“I know,” she sighed. “I guess that’s because I haven’t been sure myself.”

I nodded, knowing exactly how she felt.

“I couldn’t have gotten through these last three months without you, Silas, and I know that,” she continued, her blue eyes filled with something I had a difficult time understanding.

“I’m still trying to sort out my feelings, Silas but there are things I know for certain.”

I waited, her pulse racing as I waited for her to tell me she knew she still wanted me to leave her alone.

“I know that you are going to be a great father and I know that if it hadn’t been for you, Settlement would be in trouble right now. So, if you’ll agree, I’d like to keep you on at restaurant but most importantly, I want to keep you in my life…”

She trailed off, clearing her throat.

“For our baby,” she added quickly but her expression told me that she wanted me for more than that.

“Thank you,” I whispered gruffly. “Thank you for allowing me back into your life and for giving me the chance to be here for you and our baby.”

She nodded, blinking quickly, looking away.

It was clear that she didn’t know what she was going to do with me but I couldn’t force whatever was happening between us.

If it was going to happen, it was going to happen naturally.

Only time would tell if we were meant to be.