But there was Seb to think of. He couldn’t just leave him—not even with the best nanny or Anna, the housekeeper. No, Seb was his responsibility—his and Popi’s. Because what he was quickly learning was that the baby needed both of them.
And then a thought began to percolate in his sleep-deprived mind. But it was so far out there that he was certain it was all fantasy without any substance. Because there was no way Popi would want a future with him. Would she?
“Waah... Waah... Waah... Waah...”
There was no time to answer the question. He obviously wasn’t the only one not sleeping. Apollo sprang out of bed and headed for the nursery that was situated between his and Popi’s bedrooms. He hoped to get there before Seb woke Popi too. There was no point in them both being awake.
Not taking the time to dress, Apollo rushed out of the bedroom in nothing more than his blue-and-white boxers. After all, the whole mansion was asleep. No one would see him. And Seb needed him.
Apollo rushed into the nursery. He immediately turned off the baby monitor so as not to wake Popi. She needed her rest. He’d noticed her at dinner and she had been quieter than normal. She’d even yawned through the main course. Maybe he’d been spending too much time in the garden and leaving her to deal with the baby more than he should. He made a mental note to be on hand more instead of losing track of time in the gardens.
“Hey, little man. It’s okay.” Apollo spoke softly as he picked up the baby. He cradled Seb against his bare shoulder. “What’s the matter?”
Seb’s crying softened but it didn’t stop.
“Did you have a bad dream?” As he lightly bounced the baby in an effort to comfort him, he noticed that Seb’s diaper was wet. A problem that he could solve. The nurse had instructed him on how to do this in the hospital. Between Popi and the nanny, he didn’t have time to put the lesson to use until now.
“I see the problem. You need a diaper change. No problem. We’ve got this.”
Until this point, he never thought he’d want a baby—another human counting on him for everything was daunting. But Seb was teaching him that he was capable of being there for someone—did that include Popi?
* * *
The baby’s cry had woken her.
Popi hadn’t moved at first. One book she’d read about parenting said not to rush to the baby at their first cry. Sometimes the baby would self-soothe and go back to sleep. Waiting didn’t come natural to her. Her natural tendency was to rush to the nursery and comfort Seb. But she wanted to be a good parent—the best possible—even if it wasn’t always easy.
But the sound of Apollo’s voice over the monitor surprised her. Usually that man slept like a log and didn’t hear a thing. It didn’t bother her. She’d opted to take the baby monitor so she could keep a close eye on Seb. She didn’t want a nanny soothing the baby at night. Seb needed his mom holding him and letting him know that all would be right in the world again.
Popi sat up in bed, waiting to see if her assistance was needed, but then the baby monitor went totally silent. Apollo must have turned it off.
She knew he deserved some one-on-one time with the baby. It was good for both him and Seb. Since they’d returned from the hospital, Seb had grown a strong bond with Apollo. In the beginning, Seb would cry when Apollo picked him up, but now the baby would fuss for Apollo to hold him. At least that’s the way it seemed to her. But she couldn’t help worrying that Apollo would need help.
She’d never worried this much in her life. She was constantly thinking of ways to keep Seb safe or happy. She wondered if this was how it felt to truly be a mother. At times it could be exhausting. But the when Seb smiled, he made all of it worthwhile. He was a bundle of love.
Popi couldn’t go back to sleep. She had to know what was going on, so she slipped out of bed and put on her robe. She tiptoed into the hallway, not wanting to startle Apollo or the baby. She paused at the doorway to the nursery. Apollo was inside with his bare back to her, as he had Seb on the changing table.
“I’ve got this, little guy. We’ll have you all dried up in no time.”
Popi enjoyed watching her two guys together. She quickly realized her mistake. Apollo wasn’t her guy, even if they were living together and had shared a life-changing moment on the island—not to mention the toe-curling kiss beneath the stars.