Chapter Thirty-one
Payton
Fourteen weeks old (three and a half months)
“Pay. Is that you?”
I dropped my purse on the entryway table. “Yeah. Where are you guys?”
“Kitchen.”
I followed the sound of my brother’s voice and started to laugh when I finally made it to him and Katie. “Spaghetti, huh?” The kitchen was covered in marinara. “Did you cook with the sauce? Or just use a paintbrush?”
I placed a kiss on the top of Katie’s head. She rested in her surrogate uncle’s arm. Then I kissed my youngest older brother, Paxton, on the top of his head. He gestured to the table. “We made you a plate.”
“You did?” I tickled Katie’s little tummy, eliciting a smile. “You two are the best.” I sat down next to them and started to eat. “I’m starving. I forgot to eat lunch today.”
“How was it being back at the hospital?” Paxton shot me a look. More concerned than annoyed. My brother knew that Mason was still paying me to take care of Katie and that I didn’t need to work. But after a few more weeks of staying home with her, I’d realized that there might be a way for me to do both. So I’d called back and let them know I was availed to sub if anyone needed help. They agreed to keep me on as an alternate. It wasn’t something they usually did and I was grateful. That way, if Mason ever did come home, I really would have a job waiting for me.
“It was good. I’d really missed it.”
He made a silly face at Katie, making her smile come back full force. “I had to go to mommy and me zoo day.” He turned to me. “I still think it’s downright ridiculous to take a three month old to a mommy and me group. She doesn’t even know those other kids are there. Plus, do you have any idea how hard it was to be the only attractive man in a ten mile radius? I’m exhausted.”
I laughed. “I’m sure.” I took a big bite, then talked around it. “How many numbers did you get today?”
“Three.” He winked.
My brother was a godsend. Paxton was a writer, a phenomenal writer to be exact. He had a widely successful blog, almost like a Sex in the City type thing, but for men. His audience was loving the new angle he was working, living here with me and helping me with Katie. After I’d made up my mind to move onto the ranch for the time being, I called him to see if he’d come help me move out of my apartment. And he’d never left after that.
“Honeys, I’m home.” And that would be one of my other brothers, Parker. He was a paramedic. A few weeks ago his girlfriend kicked him out. I wasn’t sure my big brother had been faithful a day in his life. He’d showed up at our doorstep around midnight, hat in hand. He’d been here ever since too. I didn’t mind. I loved having them around. I got help with Katie from people I trusted, and this big house felt less empty. “Spaghetti? Yum.” Parker went and made himself a huge plate of food before sitting down to join us. “How was the zoo?”
He was talking to Katie. He always spoke to her like she was fourteen years old, not fourteen weeks. Paxton answered for her. “It was great. Uncle Pax got some single mom digits. We’re going to set up some play dates. No big deal.”
Parker chuckled. “Nice.” He pointed to Katie. “You and I are hitting the park tomorrow, though. Uncle Parker needs to get some.”
I slapped him on the back of the head. “Don’t say that to her. And you both need to stop using that baby as chick bait.”
Paxton looked down at her while he spoke in a sweet voice, “Your momma needs to lighten up, huh kid?”
I went still at his words, swallowing loudly. “I’m not her mom, Pax.” I loved her and I took care of her. I’d never leave her. But I wasn’t her mom.
Parker met my eyes across the table. “Then who is?”
“Kate.” I got up and put my plate in the sink, my appetite suddenly gone.
Paxton shook his head. “You need to wake up and realize that you’re it. You’re the only mom this little girl will ever know. You can tell her all about Kate, you can correct her when she calls you momma until you’re blue in the face. But the truth is, to Katie, you’re her mother.”
“Yeah, until Mason decides to come home. Then what? I have temporary guardianship papers. That’s all.” He’d sent them a week after he’d left. He’d included a letter telling me that this would make it easier for me to take her to the doctor. He’d also set up a bank account in her name. There was so much money in it my eyes had gone blurry trying to count the zeros.
Parker’s face turned hard. He hated any mention of Mason. In my brothers’ eyes, Mace was lower than low. He’d abandoned us, so he was nothing. “Let him try to take her away from us. I dare him.”
They loved Katie like she was their own flesh and blood. They’d die for that kid. I knew that the reason they’d come to the ranch was for me. The reason they stayed? That was all for Katie. I waved my hands in the air. “You know what? I don’t want to talk about this tonight. Okay?”
“Sure. When would you like to talk about it, Pay? When he comes home and kicks you to the curb? Finds some hot Swedish nanny to finished raising his kid?”
“He wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t just shut me out of Katie’s life.” I closed my eyes and silently prayed that I was right. I’d been with Katie for over three months. I knew she wasn’t mine, but I was starting to have to remind myself of that more and more often.