A Baby for Christmas (Love at The Crossroads) Read Online Free PDF Page B

at his pros and cons.
    “Jesus, You said in all our ways acknowledge You…” As he whispered his prayer, Solae’s soft features faded in and out of his mind.
    “What’s going on, captain?” Royce strolled into his office, startling him.
    His first day back from his honeymoon, Royce folded his arms and leaned against the door frame. The wide grin stretched across his face boasted of his newfound happiness as a married man.
    Hershel remembered that feeling of utopia. It was barely seven years ago. However, his bliss was short lived. The moment wasn’t about him, so Hershel stood and gave him a hero’s welcome home. “I assume you had a great honeymoon?”
    “Funny you should mention that.”
    “Why wouldn’t I?” He frowned, eying his brother.
    “Your name came up several times.” The grin was gone.
    “Really?” Hershel waited for the punch line, but Royce didn’t hint that a smile was forthcoming.  He sat on the edge of his desk. “My name? Evidently you weren’t handling your business.”
    “My wife is my business, and if she isn’t happy, neither am I.”
    “Okay, clue me in to what this is all about.”
    Before his brother could explain, different crew members snagged Royce’s attention with their congratulations or ribbing him about being an old, married man. Owning up to his new status, Royce seemed to take it in stride. Once they were alone again, he dropped the grin and frowned at Hershel. “Remember Thanksgiving Day?”
    Racking his brain, Hershel tried to recall if something big happened on that day besides enjoying a scrumptious turkey dinner. He nodded for Royce to proceed.
    “Candace and Solae were in the kitchen with Julia. I made the remark, ‘Do you know what I’m thinking?’ and you said, ‘Yep, Solae is taken…’”
    “What are you, a computer chip? You memorize what I say word for word?” Hershel shook his head. “Unbelievable.”
    “There’s more.” Royce unwrapped his arms, then lifted his hand to stop Hershel from further commenting. “I’m wondering what were you thinking. Because I was thinking about ‘I do’ with Candace, so I proposed.”
    Hershel’s thoughts were along that line, too. He had even gone to pick out a ring. Somehow, the diamond pendant beckoned to him instead.
    The same thing happened for Solae’s Valentine’s gift and birthday. Clearly, it was a sign that something kept holding him back, so he decided to wait it out.
    If Hershel had his way, he would have scratched out the fact that Solae couldn’t give him the daughter he wanted. He and his brother were in two different situations. “It’s complicated.”
    Royce gave him a dumbfounded look. “Oh, it’s complicated all right because you’re about to lose your girl and honestly, you’d be a fool to let her go.”
    “I didn’t need you to tell me that,” Hershel snapped. “Do you think this is easy for me… to leave her hanging while I try to work through my issues?”
    Since their argument, the only thing he could do was ask God to help his doubts because he truly loved Solae, but he didn’t want to have any regrets down the line. “This discussion is over,” he practically growled at his brother before switching to work mode—supervisor. “Sign in, Kavanaugh, to begin your shift.”
    The two brothers had a stare down until finally, Royce followed orders. But not without shaking his head as he left Hershel’s office.
    Did Royce think he enjoyed being in this holding pattern? He loved Solae, but he didn’t want to make the wrong decision concerning their future.
    The problem was if Solae decided she wanted to walk away from the love they shared, he paused to consider what his response would be. It was against his code of manhood to chase after any woman who didn’t want him—not even his ex-wife for the boys’ sake.

Chapter 5  
     
    While Candace basked in the limelight as the recent newlywed in the office, Solae retreated to the solitude of her cubicle and watched from