Just Getting Started (Fair Lakes 2)

“I can handle it,” she says, taking the keys I’m offering.

I lean in and kiss her. “I’ll carry him out for you.”

“I can do it,” she argues in typical Gabby fashion.

“I know you can, but I want to do it.” Reaching for Milo, I pick up his seat with one hand and lace my fingers through hers with another.

“You want to walk out there like this?” She glances down at our joined hands.

“Fuck yes, I do. I’m not hiding you, or what you mean to me.”

“Your fans will be disappointed.” She bites her lip to keep from smiling.

“Gabby,” I warn.

“Sorry, old habits die hard.” With her hand in mine, she leads us out of Harrison’s office, through the gym and out to my truck.

“We really need to get a base for this seat. I’m not sure this is safe or legal,” she says.

Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out my credit card. “Take this and get whatever we need. Order it online or go out if you think you want to with him, or hell…” I run my fingers through my hair. “…maybe meet me for lunch and we can go together?” I offer. I hate that I’m putting this on her.

“How about I go home, get this little guy fed, and make some calls to find out our next steps? We’ll come back and do lunch with you. We need diapers and formula for sure, and a safe place for him to sleep. That, along with the car seat base, are our immediate concerns.”

“Okay. I’m out of my element here, so we’ll go with that.” I open the back door and strap Milo into the middle section of the back seat. “All set,” I say, climbing back out of the truck. “Drive safe.” Reaching up, I cup her face in my hands. “I’ll see you in a few hours?”

“Yes.” She stands on her tiptoes and I meet her halfway in a kiss. It’s far too short for my liking, but I know she needs to go so she can feed the baby.

Opening the driver’s side door for her, she climbs behind the wheel, adjusts the seat, then puts on her seat belt. “I love you.” I kiss her quickly and close the door before she can reply. It’s not that I don’t want to hear her say it. I do, more than just about anything. I’ve hidden the depths of what I feel for her for far too long. Being able to openly tell her what she means to me, to not have to fight and bicker with her to gain her attention, it’s new, but I crave it. I crave her. I couldn’t handle her telling me she doesn’t feel the same. I’d rather pretend that she did. So, for now, it’s best if I not give her the chance to burst the bubble I’m living in.

When I get back inside, Harrison is waiting for me. “Gabby leave?” he asks.

“Yeah.” I plop down in the chair next to him at the reception desk. “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“Letting her leave today. For being so understanding about all of this.”

“Chase?” He waits for me to look over at him. “We’re best friends, and partners in this business. Sure, it’s mine, but I couldn’t have built it to what it is without you. That aside, I’ve had my own messes to work through, and you were there. We’ll figure this out,” he says. My guess is he can see the worry in my eyes.

“Yeah. Gabby’s going to make some calls.”

“Things are….” He trails off, waiting for me to fill in the blanks.

“More than I ever could have hoped for. Finally, we were on the same page, and then the doorbell rings. I was certain she was going to leave. I practically begged her not to, but she assured me she wouldn’t.” Last night filters through my mind. I couldn’t have done it without her. “I love her.”

“I know.”

“What?”

He shrugs. “I know you, man. I might have been wrapped up in my own life, but not so much as I didn’t see it.”

“I told her.”

He nods. “Good.”

“I don’t know if he’s mine, Harrison. I swear to you, I don’t remember that night. No one even struck my interest but Gabby. I was over casual hookups, have been for a long-ass time. I remember them joining us and Colton soaking up their advances like a sponge. I was content to let him. They weren’t Gabby. Then there were shots, so many fucking shots. I woke up alone in my room.”

“You do that.” He laughs. “Trust me, I’ve been blinded enough times that I’ve learned my lesson.”

I chuckle. “Yeah. But then there’s Milo. He looks like me, man.”

“I didn’t get a good look, but I can tell you this. Being a dad…” He stops and shakes his head. “Nothing like it, Chase. Sure, this isn’t how you imagined your life to go, but look at me. I never imagined Gwen and I would be divorced, then pregnant and remarried, but that’s how our story was told.”