Just Getting Started (Fair Lakes 2)

There are just too many questions that even we can’t answer.

My office is quiet, but the door to Harrison’s office is open. Instead of stopping at my desk, as I usually would, I follow Chase as he enters his boss and best friend’s lair.

“I was starting to think you were—” Harrison starts, but cuts himself off when he sees the baby carrier.

“Yeah, as you can see, something came up.” Chase walks over and sets the seat on the chair, dropping the diaper bag on the floor.

My brother-in-law looks from me to Chase to the baby sleeping in front of him. You can practically see the questions bouncing around in his head. “Uhh, are we babysitting this morning?” he asks tentatively, making his way around the desk to glance at the infant.

“Apparently, I’m babysitting for a while.” Chase takes a deep breath, seeming to steel himself for the words he’s about to say. “Harrison, meet Milo. My son.”Chapter TenChase 10* * *I hold my breath waiting for my best friend’s reaction. I just spoke five words that still have me unsettled, so I know he will be as well. Glancing down at the baby, I fight the urge to say he’s not mine. Gabby’s right, the resemblance is there, but surely, I would have known that I slept with someone that night. It’s only been Gabby for me for a long damn time. I remember the girls joining us, and that I wasn’t interested, but you know beer goggles and all that.

“You want to rewind that back for me?” Harrison asks.

I run my hands through my hair. “Got a late-night visitor last night, almost midnight, doorbell rang. Opened to find this little guy with a diaper bag and a note. As soon as I stepped out on the porch, a car sped away, I didn’t get a make or model or anything, I was too shaken up from the fact that there was a baby on my front porch. The car was black. That’s about all I got.” I close my eyes and try like hell to remember something else, but it’s useless. The car sped away before I could process what was happening.

“And the note?” Harrison prompts.

“You remember when I took that trip to St. Louis to see Colton before he left?”

“Yeah, about a year or so ago?”

“Try about ten months.” I point down at Milo. “Letter claims we slept together, and she snuck out the next morning. All I remember is some girls joining us. I wasn’t interested, but there were shots, man. Lots of fu-freaking shots. Then, the next morning, I woke up alone.”

Harrison just stares at me, his mouth slightly ajar. Seconds pass that feel like minutes when he finally speaks. “Holy shit.”

“So, are you okay with me keeping him with me today? We’re going to go out at lunch and get… stuff,” Gabby says. She’s taking control of the situation and I could kiss her for it. She looks up at me. “We don’t know what’s going on, but until we do, we have a baby to take care of.”

“We?” Harrison asks.

I slide my arm around Gabby’s waist. “Just my luck, man. I finally convince her to give us a go, and the same night a baby boy from a supposed one-night stand shows up on my doorstep.”

Harrison laughs and shakes his head. “I’m glad the two of you finally figured it out. My wife will be thrilled. She’s been trying to get me to push you two together more for weeks. It’s been hard as hell holding her off.”

I grin. It’s good to know Gwen is in our corner, that is until she hears about Milo. I can only hope she’s as understanding as her sister. Speaking of Gabby. I was scared as hell last night that she was going to walk away. She surprised me though; she not only stayed, but she jumped in and helped me with him, which I’m thankful for. She’s given me no signs that she’s going to end this before we really even get a chance to get started.

“As for today, do what you need to do. The schedule’s light,” Harrison tells us.

“Thank you. I don’t really know where we go from here.”

“I think a social worker is the best bet,” Gabby says. “Although, my fear is that until you are proven to be the father, that they might take him and put him into foster care.”

“No. If he’s mine, he’s not going to some damn foster home when he can be at home with us.”

“Okay.” It’s a simple reply, but her willingness to support me could bring me to my knees. “I’ll make some calls. See what our next step should be.”

“Maybe you should think back on that night?” Harrison suggests. “Surely something might trigger your memory?”

“You think I haven’t been doing that?” I ask him. “My fucking mind won’t shut off.” I wince and give Gabby an apologetic look at my profanity.