“Okay,” I agree. I expected a fight, or at least some reluctance. I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I focus back on the baby in my arms while he sucks down his bottle. Gabby makes me stop to burp him, which I hate doing even with Sophia. They get pissed because they just want their food. “Come on, buddy,” I whisper to Milo. “Just one big one for me, and you can have the rest.” I do what Gabby showed me starting at the bottom of his back and I’m rewarded with a loud burp.
“There you go,” Gabby coos at him.
“Come here,” I say.
“What?”
“Please?” She relents and bends down toward me. “A little closer.” She does as I ask and leans in closer. I press my lips to hers. “I love you.” When she pulls back, her eyes are sparkling with happiness.
After Milo finishes his bottle, I move my last client and tell Harrison I’m out for the day. We stop to grab him a few outfits before heading home. I put together the Pack ’n Play with the bassinet, and we place Milo in it. He sighs, which I take as a sign that he likes it. Pulling Gabby to the couch, I sit first and tug her down onto my lap. I snuggle her close, breathing her in.
“Thank you for today, for last night, for being you.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, Chase.”
“I do. I need you to know that I appreciate all that you’ve done. I don’t know many others who would do the same in your position.”
“I’m not the others. I’m just me.”
“You’re not like them. You’re mine.” I bury my face in her neck, relishing the feel of her in my arms. I don’t know what the future holds for us, or for Milo, but I do know that no matter what happens, my life is better with her in it.Chapter ElevenGabby 11* * *A loud wail startles me from a deep sleep. The heaviest sleep I’ve been able to steal tonight, in fact. Or maybe that’s just exhaustion.
“I got him,” Chase mumbles, jumping out of bed beside me and racing for the kitchen to make a bottle. I hear his heavy footfalls on the hardwood as he makes quick work of going downstairs and grabbing what he needs. Since I’m awake, I hop up and check on Milo, noticing he’s fussing and squirming around in the bassinet. It’s not a full-fledged tantrum yet, but I know it’s only a matter of time. Since my bladder is screaming in pain, I run to the restroom to relieve myself while Chase gets what he needs.
From inside the bathroom, I can hear Chase’s return. He starts talking softly to Milo, words I cannot quite hear, and a smile instantly spreads to my face. Instead of racing back to the bedroom to help, I opt to take my time, listening in as a father changes his son’s diaper and prepares to feed him a bottle. This is the first time since Milo’s arrival where Chase has really taken the lead, and I’m interested in seeing how he does.
I’ll admit, I think he’s got this. Even if I weren’t living here with him, I have no doubt Chase would figure it all out. He’s been around Sophia enough, even at a very young age, to know a thing or two about babies. I believe his problem was the shock factor of this whole surprise-baby gig. I mean, of course he’d be a little freaked out when finding out he’s a father to an infant. Especially when you don’t exactly recall the conception part.
But you can’t argue with the timeline.
Chase keeps looking at me like I’m going to run screaming from the house. Okay, so part of me is a little concerned with the turn of events from the last twenty-seven hours, but who wouldn’t be? I just figured, right now, Chase doesn’t need more drama. So I push aside all my concern and worry over the fact that the guy I really, really like has a little baby-mama drama going on in his life. That needs to be his focus, his first priority. That’s why I can’t—and won’t—dissect his L-word declaration from yesterday. It’s probably just the emotions. Lack of sleep. The giddiness from helping him figure out this whole thing.
It can’t be real.
Recognizing that I’ve been in the bathroom too long, I finish washing my hands and quietly slip out the door. What I see before me stops my heart. Chase is sitting on the bed, shirtless. His hard body looks so big compared to the tiny human he holds in the crook of his arm. He’s smiling down at Milo, blowing little raspberries every so often, and I swear you can hear my ovaries weep for joy.