CHAPTER THIRTEEN
**
“I’ll be fine.” I squeezed Lucy’s fingers and followed him to the elevators. The ride up was quiet…uncomfortably so. Neither of us knew what to say once we were alone. In the room, we went over and sat on the couch, avoiding the bed and trying to pretend it wasn’t there.
After a bit of an awkward silence, he cleared his throat, and whispered, his eyes on the floor, “Do you have a picture of him?” I stared at him for several moments, mystified. Picture of who? Then, “Please? I’ve only seen the one picture, and he was obviously younger. I promise I’m not trying to butt in and take over…I just—”
My brain finally jumpstarted and made the connection. I gasped and apologized, “Oh, I’m sorry! A picture! You’re talking about James, aren’t you? Of course you are, and yes, you can see pictures. I have a ton of them. Here’s one, now…I took it this morning after he woke up.” I tapped my phone and pulled up the photo app. “Look at that adorable face, those eyes, those dimples—“
“He looks like me.” His voice sounded awed as he touched his face through the glass. I glanced up at him, ready to say something sarcastic. His eyes were bright and shiny, as if—before I could think it through, I watched a tear well up and trickle down his cheek. “I never thought this would happen…that I could father a child.”
“Why not?”
“When I was eight, I came down with the mumps and my…” He gestured to his crotch, “My guys got infected—orchitis, I think they called it. At the time, I thought he said horse-itis, and I was gonna turn into a horse.” His lips curved slightly. “The doctor told my parents there was a good chance I could be sterile, because both testes were involved. A follow-up test, after I hit puberty, seemed to say the same thing—it’d be a miracle if I ever fathered a child; it was like a-a one in a million shot, or something.” He lifted a shoulder and let it drop, “I just never dwelled on it—not until an ex I confided in used it against me. Before that, I thought it was kind of good. No condoms, hey! But, she wanted kids…and I couldn’t give her any, so she dumped me. Publicly.”
“Then she didn’t love you.”
It was like he didn’t hear me. “My next girlfriend, in college, came up pregnant and claimed I was the father. When I insisted on a paternity test, she got mad and admitted she’d cheated on me with the chemistry professor.” His face rueful, he continued, “And, boy, after I got a little fame under my belt, they really started coming out of the woodwork—not a single one mine, though.”
“So, on New Year’s Eve…” I felt my brow furrow, “You thought I was doing the same thing? It wasn’t even me that said it—it was Todd. But still…” I admitted, after taking a deep breath and blowing it out, “You weren’t the only one jumping to conclusions. When you didn’t call me, after that night, I was devastated.”
“You didn’t even leave a note. How could I call you?”
“I did, too.” I sat up, glaring. “I tucked it in your toiletry bag, so you’d find it when you packed up your shampoo and stuff before you left.”
“That wasn’t my bag. It was there when I arrived. I don’t have a toiletry bag.”
“The brown bag on back of the toilet?”
“Nope, not mine. I pack my bath stuff in gallon baggies and stuff them in my duffle bag. I was a poor boy…didn’t you even look at my van when you rode in it? It was like one of those Chester Molester vans—dark windows, bad paint job. Mothers actually clutched their children closer when I parked at stores.”
“Oh.”
“Wait…you thought—so, you really did leave a note?” I nodded. “And when I didn’t call…”
“I thought I was just a one night fling.”
“Oh, shit, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” He collapsed against the back of the couch, his fingers in his hair. “I knew you were a virgin; there was blood on the sheet. When I didn’t find a note, I just figured I was a trophy fuck.”
“Ego much?”
“Wha—? No!” He chuckled, his shoulders shaking. “I mean, deep down, I knew I’d be famous, so yeah, a little. But…” He met my eyes, “It hurt to think you’d just used me. Things felt right with you. I mean, it was only one night, but…you stole my heart. I was ruined for anyone else.”
I nodded, understanding. “Me, too. All through high school, I focused on my studies. I didn’t want a boyfriend. I had to keep my grades up, because my ultimate goal was to be a pediatrician. Then in one night, with one interlude, in the middle of my senior year of high school, everything changed. I fell for you so hard that night. And even though you didn’t call, there was no way I would have gotten rid of our child, even though it meant changing my entire life’s plan. He was like a precious, unexpected gift…so, instead of being a doctor, I’m a nurse—and a mother.”
“The way you acted at the other shows makes more sense now,” he admitted. “Do you regret it?”
“Hell, no!” I pulled a small book of photos out of my purse, “Look at him. He’s perfect.” We leafed through page after page, from the day he was born until the present, before stumbling to the bed and passing out in each other’s arms.
When morning came, I turned my head and saw him staring at me. He smiled. “Good morning.”
“Good morning. How long have you been awake?” I stifled a yawn.
“Not long. Maybe five minutes.”
“What time is it?”
“Around six thirty, six forty-five.”
“Oh, shit, I almost forgot.” I sat up and grabbed my phone, “I have to call in. I was supposed to work today.” A few moments later, I hung up and sighed.
“All good?”
“Eh. They weren’t happy that I called in, but then, call-ins never make them happy. They even begrudge vacation time.”
“Why stay?”
“The pay and benefits are top notch. Some of the best in the area. Plus, they let me work during James’ school hours, so I can be home when he is.” I worried my lip, debating, then turned to more fully face him. “What are your plans for today?”
“I didn’t really make any because I didn’t know how last night would go. Why?”
“Question, first.” I waited for him to nod, then continued, “Did you come here with the intentions of meeting and talking with me, yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“That’s more than one question.” He grinned, winking at me. “The short answer is because I love you.”
I felt my cheeks heat up. “Did you get re-tested?”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes, I did.”
“And?”
“There are some sperm…whether it was enough to intentionally knock someone up, he couldn’t say. When asked if it could have happened accidentally, he said it only takes one reaching an egg to get the job done.”
“Last question…do you want a paternity test for peace of mind?”
He grabbed my hand and kissed the backs of my fingers, shaking his head. “Not necessary. My eyes tell me he’s mine, as do my brother’s and my mother’s eyes. She’s thrilled, by the way, at the thought of being a grandma. Plus, since I was your first, unless you went crazy during the first few days while you were waiting for me to call, that’s my kid.”
“Do you want to meet him?”
“I thought you said last que—wait…what?” His breath seemed to stop as he waited for me to repeat my question.
“I asked if you wanted to meet him.”
“Meet…James?”
“No, the man in the moon—yes, meet James.” I peeked up at him. “Well, do you?”
Lunging toward me, he tackled me and rolled me beneath him. Planting kisses all over my face, he declared yes after each and every one. He didn’t stop until a loud knock at the door grabbed both our attention.
“Ahem.” Leo and Lucy stood just inside the doorway, huge grins splitting both of their faces. “Are we interrupting?”
“If you were, I’m pretty sure there would be no doubts in either of your minds, so I’m gonna venture a guess and say no.”
“Ew, somebody didn’t get laid last night.” Leo teased.
“Bite me, Leo. It isn’t always about sex.” Jessie flipped him off.
“More’s the pity. We just stopped by to see what the two of you had planned for the day.”
“I’m guessing that was her idea?”
“You know it.” He grinned and Lucy rolled her eyes. “I was headed to the buffet for a big breakfast and she was all like, maybe we should check in on Callie and Jessie—Callie isn’t answering her phone.” He mock-glowered at me, “Thanks, Callie. Now I’m starving.”
“Actually, food sounds pretty good.” Jessie checked with me. “Do we have time for breakfast before we go?”
“There’s always time for breakfast.” Taking my phone off mute, and struggling to sit up at the same time, I winced and waved it at her. “Sorry for worrying you, Lucy. It was an accident.”
They spoke at the same time.
Lucy, “It’s fine.”
Leo, “Go where?”
“To meet James,” Jessie crowed.
Leo’s eyes grew huge and his lips quivered. “Without me?”
Lucy hugged him close, “Aww, Uncle Leo worried about being left out of the first meet and greet?”
“Hell yeah, I am,” he agreed, “This is my first, and maybe only, nephew. I’ve been waiting since New Year’s for this day…was starting to think I was gonna have to put the cart before the horse and meet the kid before Jessie did.”
Jessie gasped, “Bite your tongue!”
“Then get ready, let’s grub and go!”