Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57337 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57337 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
The pixie guard upfront watched me as I got closer—she clearly had heard the confrontation, and she saw everything in my face as I made my way up front. Even before I got there, she had grabbed some tissues and came out from behind her counter. As soon as I breached the partition wall, she took hold of my freer upper arm and steered me to the loveseat, gently pushing me down to sit and taking the bag from my shoulder.
“I can’t believe what an asshole he is sometimes.” She looked into my eyes, reassuring me that she was on my side. I was totally confused at this point.
But the tears had already started to rain down my face, and poor Peter was crying so hard from the movement—and I’m sure he could sense my upset as well—so with some embarrassment, I accepted the tissues to wipe my face.
The suddenly-nice pixie pulled a fast one and swept Peter from my arm, settling him comfortably and capably in her own body cradle. She was obviously experienced with babies, somehow, despite the fact that there was nothing about her that might suggest it. She was smiling and cooing at him, giving his rooting mouth the tip of her pinkie finger to suck, and watching his face closely as he closed a tiny fist around it. She looked up at me quickly, and noted my expression of horror.
“Don’t worry, babe. My hands are super clean. I’ve been anti-bacterializing for the past two hours, hoping I’d get a chance to hold your little bugaboo. God, he’s beautiful. Don’t worry!”
That was my cue for a light laugh. I was relieved, sure, at the drop in anxiety in the room, but also I had a tendency to laugh when nervous. I did not know what I was doing, or how to fix this. So I chuckled, and choked myself a little bit, and watched my boy in this unknown woman’s arms, biting my lower lip and at a complete loss for my next step.
Chapter 3
Jack
My nephew? Keith’s baby? Keith had a child? Wait. Hold on, just a minute. My little brother was a dad. He’d had a son. I could feel my own eyes burning—goddammit, Keith, why did you have to die? And that this woman, this beautiful woman, who was my brother’s baby-mama, the mother to my nephew, should show up here—this week of all times—to present him to me? Fucking hell.
I was not going to cry. I mean, I didn’t do that. There was just something in my eye. I took off my shades and rubbed my face, getting a grip.
Okay, so maybe I jumped the gun with ordering the woman out of my office before hearing her out. I’d own that.
The kid had a loud set of lungs. Apple didn’t fall far, I guessed, presuming the woman wasn’t lying. If that was really Keith’s son. But there was no question in my mind now—I needed more information. I needed more time with her to hear her story, to see if what she said was true.
Could we do a test? I had no idea if that was even possible, to see if this baby was my nephew. I mean, I knew they could do paternity tests, but uncle-ernity? I just had no clue. But it was definitely worth looking into, to find out.
Once I was sure I had gotten my eye problem under control, I looked up front, expecting to see nothing out of the usual, but hoping…ah! She hadn’t left yet. Ha. She didn’t get very far at all, did she? Nope. I could only see the top half of her head, this time looking up with a kind of strange look in her big, brown eyes. It was clear she had been crying, but now there were no tears, and her expression was caught somewhere between wonder, confusion, happiness, and lost.
Trini, on the other hand, looked…maternal and ridiculously happy. Well, that was new. She had the baby in her arms and was smiling and cooing at it, rocking her body to soothe the kid, I guessed. Trini liked babies. Who knew?
I slowly made my way to reception, resettling my sunglasses on my nose to shield the glare from the picture windows. Damn, but my head was still pounding. There was too much going on.
I leaned against the partition wall in the doorway and crossed my arms over my chest, just taking in the blonde on the loveseat. She really was gorgeous. Everything about her was soft-looking. I knew already that she had some backbone, and a good bark when riled. But it was nice to observe this other side for a minute—to see her more relaxed as she gazed at Trini enjoying a moment with the baby.
Her eyes slowly shifted over to me, and there went the moment. She stiffened her spine and stood up, watching me for any indication of a renewed attack. I wasn’t going to give it to her.