I'm in It (The Reed Brothers 10)

I stare down into the sleeping little face and I have to remind myself that he’s not mine. He’s only here temporarily.

I feel Mick’s heat behind me. “I didn’t think you’d put him in here,” he whispers.

“Someone should get some use out of it.” I turn on the baby monitor and take the receiver.

“Thank you,” he says. “For doing all this.”

“I haven’t done anything yet. You get to do diapers and middle of the night

feedings, big guy. Just sayin’.”

Mick walks out of the room, and I follow him, stopping only for a moment to look back at the sleeping baby, and the room that finally has some life in it. A little spark of life begins to build within me, too.

Mick

“How long do you think he’ll sleep?” Wren whispers from behind me. I’m bent over the crib putting Chase down to sleep for the night.

“No idea,” I reply quietly, trying not to wake him. Roxy is asleep in the toddler bed we set up on the other side of the room. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll sleep all night.”

Wren yawns. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

I reach out and brush a lock of hair from in front of her eyes. “You look tired.”

She snorts quietly. “Why do people say that? They should just say you look like shit. Or you have craters under your eyes big enough to drive a truck through. Or your hair is a rat’s nest of snarls and tangles.” She runs a hand through her hair and stops when she feels something sticky. “What is that?” she asks, holding the lock out so I can see it.

“Carrots, maybe?” I lean closer and give it a sniff. “Want me to taste it?” I grin at her and move it toward my mouth. She lets out a quiet shriek and steps back from me.

“That’s so gross,” she says. “I had better get a shower.” She yawns again.

“Thank you for doing this.”

She shrugs and walks out of the room. She puts a hand on her doorknob and starts to turn it, but she stops and looks back at me. “Did you get the monitor?”

I take it out of my back pocket and show it to her. “I did.”

“Do you need any more blankets or anything, for the guest room?” she asks. Her eyes don’t quite meet mine.

“No, I think I’ll be fine.” I’d rather sleep with her, but if she’s not ready…

“I’m going to turn in after my shower.”

“Good night,” I say.

Her eyes finally lift to meet mine. “Night,” she says quietly, almost shyly.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” I say, as I hitch my shoulder against the wall. She nods and goes into her room, and the door closes behind her. As soon as it shuts, I feel like she took all the breath in my body with her.

My phone chimes in my pocket.

BestBrotherEver: Is it true that you have all Patsy’s rugrats at Wren’s house?

Me: They’re not rugrats. But yes, if you’re referring to her children, I’m babysitting.

BestBrotherEver: Why?

Me: Patsy’s sick. It’s the right thing to do.

BestBrotherEver: Look at you getting all saintly on me.