Just Getting Started (Fair Lakes 2)

The air thickens in my throat as I struggle to breathe, struggling to keep my emotions at bay. It doesn’t work, and a few traitorous tears slip from my eyes. “Thank you.”

She nods just as the boys enter the kitchen. Chase notices immediately that I’m crying, the look of concern and fear reflecting in his own blue orbs. I give him a reassuring smile, letting him know I’m all right.

Colton comes to stand beside me, his eyes never swaying from those of his son’s. “May I?” he whispers, the words hoarse and raw.

“Of course,” I tell him, adjusting my arms and placing Milo in his. He looks a little stiff at first, but slowly starts to relax as he holds the baby. His son. “Hey there, little man. I’m… I’m your dad.” Colton chokes on the words, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. It breaks my heart and heals it simultaneously, as I watch this big, strong military man, with tattoos and a badass vibe get all emotional over holding his son for the first time.

I’m wrapped in comfort as Chase pulls me into his chest and kisses my forehead. “You good?”

“Yeah,” I reassure him, tucking my cheek against his chest and listening to his steady heartbeat against my ear.

“Colt is gonna come stay with us tonight. Probably for a few days, actually,” he says as we watch his brother bond with the little boy we thought was with us to stay.

“That’s probably a good idea.”

“All of his stuff is already there. Colt will have to figure something out long-term, but for now, this’ll work.”

Yeah, we’ll make it work. The important thing is for Milo and Colton to get to know each other, and to figure out what’s next for Chase and me. There’s still so much up in the air, but it feels like things are finally starting to even out.The alarm clock reads just after eleven when I startle awake. The first thing I do is glance at the bassinet, only the bassinet isn’t there. It takes me a second to get my bearings and keep the panic at bay. Realization sets in.

The bassinet was moved.

To Colton’s room.

I glance at Chase’s side of the bed, only to find it empty too. Yawning loudly, I slip out of bed and head out the door. The door to the guest room where I once stayed is wide open, which means Colton isn’t in there. Peeking in the room, I spy the bassinet, which also remains empty.

Following the light, I head down the stairs. When I’m about halfway down, I hear their soft murmurs and smile instantly. They’ve been apart for so long, with Colton’s service in the military, and it’s nice to hear them catching up.

When I step into the living room, I find Chase sitting on the couch, a beer in his right hand. He’s smiling over at his brother, who’s rocking a sleeping Milo in the rocker recliner. There’s a beer can sitting beside the empty bottle too, though the older brother seems to be more focused on his son.

“Did we wake you?” Chase asks softly, his dazzling blue eyes bright with happiness the moment he sees me.

“No,” I assure him as I climb beside him on the couch and snuggle into his awaiting arms. Chase places a kiss on my head and wraps his strong arm around my shoulder, getting comfortable in our position.

“We were just discussing a few things,” he tells me after a drink of his beer.

Colton looks across the sitting area and smiles. “Like how I’m going to schedule a paternity test Monday morning.”

“But…” I start.

“It’s a very good probability that Milo is Colton’s baby, but we’re not taking any chances,” Chase finishes.

“You know, just in case there’s another Callahan brother out there we didn’t know about.” Colton laughs, startling the sleeping infant against his chest.

“Pretty sure that’s unlikely, but if Colton is going to have to deal with Laura in court, we want irrefutable proof that he’s Milo’s father. Clearly Laura doesn’t remember much about that night either, if she can’t even remember which one of us she slept with.” The tone in Chase’s voice is laced with both irritation and astonishment.

“What about the Army? When do you go back?” I ask, trying to piece together how this is going to play out. There’s a good chance Colton is only home for a short time and then he’ll be sent back to whatever foreign soil he’s been living on for the last few months. What happens then with Milo?

Colton looks at his brother before fixing his gaze back on me. He really does look like a slightly older version of Chase, though there are no butterflies in my stomach when he glances my way. “Actually, I’m home for a two-week leave before my reenlistment. However, in light of things,” he says, glancing down and kissing Milo’s forehead, “I’m reconsidering another tour.”