She shrugs. “He’s too little to understand just yet, but you need to work on your mouth, Daddy.” She puts me in my place.
Daddy.
This isn’t the first time she’s referred to me as such, and I admit the thought isn’t as scary with her being by my side. However, with that said, I still wish I could remember. I look down at the sleeping baby and think about what to tell him when he’s older. Yeah, son, your mom and I hooked up one drunken night. I didn’t know about you until you were three weeks old and she left you on my doorstep. How will that make him feel? My gut twists at the thought of this little guy, or any kid ever feeling unwanted. If he is mine, I’ll make damn sure that every day he knows he’s wanted and loved. But what if he isn’t mine? What then? Where will he go? So many unanswered questions swirl in my mind.
“Chase.” Gabby’s soft hands and soothing voice pull me out of my mental panic attack.
“Sorry, what?” I shake out of my thoughts.
“Harrison told me to just take off for the day. Are you okay with me keeping him?”
“Are you serious?” Turning to face her, I cup her face in my hands. “You are the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. You could run, Gabs. Hell, you should be running, but you didn’t. You stayed with me, saved me, and helped me through last night. Yet, this morning, you’re still here, standing tall.” I smirk because we all know she’s not anything close to tall. “Supporting me, and…” I swallow hard. “…my son.”
I shake my head as I continue. “I just… I don’t know what I would do without you, and I’m scared as hell once all this sets in, that you’re going to change your mind. Then I have a baby I’m not even sure is mine and the woman I love gone from my life. I don’t know that I can handle that, Gabby. I can’t lose you because of this,” I confess.
“I’m just going to give you two a minute.” Harrison grabs his coffee and scurries out of his office.
“Tell me I’m not going to lose you?” I say, leaning my forehead against hers. When her hands wrap around my waist, I can breathe easier. She’s not pushing me away.
“If I remember correctly, you told me once that we were just getting started. Sure, that might have been with all the sexy times, but I like to think that it’s us. Sure, this little guy wasn’t a part of the plan, but that’s no fault of his, or yours. She knew who you were and didn’t tell you.” She pauses, and I don’t say a word, giving her time to process what she wants to say. “I’ve been fighting my feelings for you for far too long, Chase Callahan. We haven’t even begun to scratch the surface to see what this could be. What we could be.” Pulling back, she peers up at me under long lashes. “So, no. I’m not giving up on you. I’m not giving up on us. We’ll take this one day at a time. And this little guy—” She looks down at Milo. “If he’s yours like we think he is…” She shrugs. “You’re a package deal now, Chase. It’s more than what we started with, but it’s not a game changer. Not for me.”
“I love you.” The words escape my mouth before I can stop them. She opens her mouth to speak, but I place my index finger over her lips to prevent her from speaking. “I love you. For so many reasons, I love you. There are not enough hours in the day to list them all, so I’m going to do you one better.” Her eyes glisten with tears, but she remains silent. “I’m going to show you and tell you every day for the rest of our lives what you mean to me. Then, and only then will it even come close to the depth of my feelings for you.” Wrapping my arms around her shoulders, I pull her into a hug. Her arms snake back around my waist and her head rests against my chest. I take a minute to just feel her, to just be.
Milo whimpers, and she pulls away. “He’s probably getting hungry. I’m going to take him home. I can feed him there.”
Home. Pulling the keys from my pocket, I hold them out for her. “You want me to drive you home, then come back?”
“Not unless you’re afraid I’ll hurt your baby?” she teases. She looks down at Milo and grins. “Both of them.”
“I’m not worried about the truck, but the cargo it’s carrying. If you feel comfortable driving my beast, then I’m good with it.”