Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
I looked toward the window. “Crap. I didn’t know it was going to rain.”
“Let me check the forecast to see how long it will last.” Tate reached for his phone. A moment later, he shook his head.
“What?” I chewed my lip.
“Looks like a heavy band of rain that will last for a bit.” He made a face. “I don’t want you driving in that.”
Well, crap. I didn’t want to drive in it, either.
“Stay,” he insisted.
“I didn’t bring any extra clothes, or anything for Nicholas.”
He sighed worriedly. “It’s up to you.”
Ultimately, clothes shouldn’t matter. Lord knows, I’d spent plenty of days when Nicholas was a baby wearing the same clothes for more than one day. That wasn’t a good reason to put Nicholas in danger by driving home in torrential rain. I needed to do what was right.
I turned to my son. “Nicholas, since it’s really raining, would you want to sleep here?”
“Yes!” he said excitedly.
I knew that would be his answer. Turning to Tate, I shrugged. “I guess we can make do with the clothes we have.”
He smiled softly. “I planned to spend the weekend here, so I brought several shirts. You’re welcome to wear one. I don’t have anything extra to fit the little guy, but I can pick up some stuff to keep here for next time if you give me his size.”
Wrapping myself in one of this man’s T-shirts was not going to help my internal battle. I took another deep breath. “I’m staying here against my better judgment, because I don’t like driving in the rain. I don’t plan for us to spend the night here routinely. I’ll drive back and forth so long as the weather isn’t bad.”
“Understood.” Tate nodded.
Silence filled the air for a moment after that, save for the sound of the rain.
Tate helped me give Nicholas a bath in the surprisingly well-stocked bathroom. As with everything else, he had purchased a variety of soaps and shampoos. After the long ride out here and the afternoon playing outside, Nicholas was bushed. He went down within minutes of me putting him to bed.
I emerged from the bedroom, ready to freshen up and join Nicholas for sleep.
But then Tate made a request. “I was gonna stay up for a bit. Will you join me?”
Chapter 28
* * *
TATE
Blair must’ve sensed that something was off. She agreed to stay up with me for a bit, but the moment she sat next to me on the couch, she tilted her head as if trying to read my mind. “What’s wrong, Tate?” she finally asked.
It was late, and I probably should’ve let it go, but I couldn’t. “I’m still thinking about what you said earlier, when you were concerned that I might try to fight you for custody. It bothers me that you don’t trust me not to hurt you.”
Blair shook her head. “It was only a fleeting thought. I just realized he’s not all mine anymore. I’m sorry if I gave you the impression I don’t trust you. I’ve been processing this whole thing in waves. It was just a vulnerable moment. And it’s passed.” She looked into my eyes. “I promise.”
I wanted to be sure. “I’d never do anything to hurt you, Blair. I mean, haven’t I fucking done enough to ruin your life? The last thing I will ever do is make it more difficult. You’re in the driver’s seat here. You always will be.”
She placed her hand on my leg. “You didn’t ruin my life. I chose to have Nicholas. And I’d never change that.”
There was so much bottled up inside me right now when it came to her. But letting it all out would be dangerous. Still, I expressed what I could. “I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but Nicholas is really lucky to have you for his mother.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
We sat in silence for a bit until she reached for her phone. “You want to see some photos of him when he was a baby?”
Is she kidding? “I would love to.” I beamed.
Blair scrolled through her photo library, and I leaned over her shoulder, closing my eyes as I recognized her floral scent. She smelled exactly the same. And fuck, that brought me back to those first resort nights when I’d fought with every fiber of my being to stay away from her. A lot of good that did.
Blair moved through her photos so quickly that she went too far and reached some images from when she was pregnant.
I stopped her. “Wait.”
She shook her head. “You don’t need to see that.”
“Yes, I do,” I insisted, holding out my hand for her phone. “Please.”
Her face reddened as she handed it to me. I could hardly speak at the sight of Blair pregnant with my baby. Her face was a bit fuller, and she absolutely glowed. Her smooth belly peeked out from under a shirt that could hardly cover her. If there were ever a photo I wished I could jump inside, this was it. I would have bent and kissed that beautiful stomach.