He scratches at the back of his neck. “Yeah. Sure.”
“Great. Thank you.”
I get her onesie unbuttoned by the time he returns. “Here you are.” He places the items next to her on the bed. “What the heck is that?” his face screws up, deep blue eyes widening.
“What?”
“Her bellybutton.”
“Oh. That’s from her umbilical cord. Um one more favor. I need an alcohol swab from my bag. It’s in the chair in the living room.”
“How about I just bring you the bag?”
“Good idea.” I still have no idea what he’s doing here. I change my baby’s diaper while he’s fetching the bag for me. “So what are you doing here?”
“Um. I don’t know for sure, but Rochelle’s mom called my mom and said she needed my help with something. She made me go shopping for baby stuff and had this weird conversation with me about responsibility and being a man. It made me super uncomfortable. I got the impression she thinks I’m the father of your baby, but I know that’s not possible so you wanna tell me what the hell is going on?”
“I’m so sorry for dragging you into my mess. It’s my fault. I hope she didn’t say anything to your mom.” I clean the umbilical cord and snap the onesie back.
“Not sure. But why does she think we slept together?”
I grit my teeth. He ought to have full transparency. “Because I may have told her that we had a one-night stand that resulted in my baby.”
“I like you, but my parents will kill me if they think I got you knocked up.”
“I’m sorry, Tanner.” I cradle Wylla Mae to my chest. “I don’t expect you to lie for me. It’s just...I can’t. People can’t know who the father is, and I had to tell her something. She was asking questions, and I didn’t have answers. If you mom asks questions, tell her it was a misunderstanding.”
“You’re beautiful,” he blurts out. He blushes and stares at his shoes. His head snaps back up. “What I mean is whoever or whatever they’re the one missing out. I’ve thought you were the prettiest girl in all of West Virginia since the fifth grade when my family first moved here. If people think that you...that we. Then I’m okay with that. I’ve been wanting a shot with you long as I can remember. You might not think of me that way, but maybe one day you will.”
“That’s sweet. Probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. I’m not looking for a boyfriend, but what I could really use tonight more than anything is a friend.”
He smiles at me. Tanner has one of them golden smiles. Perfectly sculpted lips and a chiseled jaw that’d cut glass. Any girl would be lucky to have him. Because sure he’s cute, but he’s sweet and kind. The kind of guy most parents would love for their daughter to bring home. The guy I shoulda been dating, but he’s not the one I love. My heart belongs to a royal bastard in every sense of the word. As hurt as I am, I still ache for James.
“How about we get this crib set up?”
“I’d like that. Thank you, Tanner.” I shift my baby girl to my other shoulder and kiss his cheek. I don’t know if I will ever open my heart to another man, but maybe one day.
Chapter Twenty-six
“What’s all these charges?” I flip through my bank statement. “Why you buying fuckin’ pampers? Something you wanna tell me?”
Ruthie tucks her dark hair behind her ear. “I bought them for Wylla Mae.”
“Who the fuck is Wylla?”
“Alexa’s daughter. I felt so awful for the poor girl. She has no help. Her parents are dreadful people, and she meant so much to Rochelle. It felt like the right thing to do.”
I steel my facial expression, not wanting Ruthie to gauge my reaction to the news Alexa kept our daughter. My chest squeezes so damn tight I’d swear I’m having a heart attack if I didn’t know better. She didn’t give her up. Our little girl. Fuck me. Fuck me hard. “Since when do you give a shit about what happens to Alexa?”
My wife laughs. “I told you. Her baby might be my half-sister.”
“Cut the fucking bullshit. What kind of game are you playing at?”
“No game. It’s the truth.” She moves in, slinging my papers out my lap. “You kno
w visiting with her...brings back all those good memories. When we first had Rochelle. I want a baby, James, and you’re going to give me one.”
“Why in the hell would I do that?”