Chapter Four

THE BABY started crying at 6:00 a.m., and Jeff stumbled out of bed, desperate to get her before Robin woke up. Every bone in his body was sore, his eyes crusted and watery. So tired.

He was so tired.

He scooped her up. “Hush. Hush, please.” He grabbed her bottle, a diaper, and stumbled back toward his room.

Donny met him in the hall. “Hey, you got her.”

“Huh?” He blinked, swayed, so fucking sleepy.

Donny took Kimberley from him. “I got to bed at ten last night. Why don’t you go back to sleep, okay?”

“You sure?” His head was throbbing, the world spinning a little.

“Come on, back to bed with you.” Donny gave him a little push.

He stumbled forward, staggered into his bedroom, and collapsed facedown on his bed.

The next thing he knew, his eyes opened, and the sun was up. The sun was up, and he felt human.

He heard giggling from the direction of the kitchen.

He grabbed the clock. Ten o’clock. Thank God. Okay. He had on shorts and a T-shirt, so he headed down the stairs, hunting coffee.

The pot in the kitchen was full, and Robin and Donny were at the sink, doing dishes, his son on a footstool he’d never seen before.

“Morning.” He grabbed a mug, kissed Robin’s head. “Is Kimberley in her car seat?”

“Nope. She’s got a swing now. Gets her up off the ground and gives her some motion.” Donny gave him a grin. “Sleep well?”

“God yes. Yes. Thank you.” He smiled back. “Robbie! Come hug me. I missed you yesterday!” He knelt down, held his arms open, beamed when his son leapt at him.

Sensing Donny’s eyes on him, he looked up to see him smiling at them. He blushed, grinned. Because the fact that he hadn’t expected them didn’t mean he didn’t love them. He’d been their godfather.

“You hungry? We could make you some breakfast.”

“Coffee first. Thank you. What did you have for breakfast, Robin?”

“Me ’n Donny made pancakes!”

“No way…. You? Wow. And I missed it?” He clasped his hands over his heart.

“Saved you some!”

“Oh, what a lover.” He lifted Robin up, kissed his son on the nose. “Where did you hide them?”

“Fridgelator!”

Donny chuckled from where he was putting away the last of the dishes. “On a plate, ready to microwave.”

“Thanks. How’s your morning been?”

“Good. We’re starting to carve out a routine, which’ll make life easier on everyone.” Donny went to check on Kimberley, smiling and goofing at her as she swung slowly back and forth.

“Good.” He’d been trying, hard, to do this right, but he wasn’t a pro by any means.

“What days are your weekends again?”

“Sundays and Mondays.” He winked at Donny. “Same as yours.”

That had Donny laughing, nodding. “Unless I’ve got plans, I’d like to stick around on the weekends, if you don’t mind. Robin really needs the structure right now.”

“I…. Are you sure? I don’t want to burn you out.”

“It’s not like I’m working much past eight o’clock when Robin goes to bed. And I’ll say something when I need a break. I think for the next little while, it’ll be better for him if things are stable.”

Jeff nodded. “I’ll pay you extra for your time.”

Donny’s mouth twisted. “That’s not why I’m doing it,” he said softly.

He sighed. Great. Pissed the man off on his second day. “I’m only trying to be fair.”

“I know, and I appreciate it, but it’s important for me that you know I’m not sitting here trying to figure out ways to get more money out of you.” Donny gave him a wry smile. “You should see the list of things I’ve made for you to buy….”

Jeff let one eyebrow raise. “You have lists?”

“I do.” Donny went to the fridge and lifted a piece of paper, handed it over. “Clothes, toys, kids’ furniture.”

“Wow.” Okay. Okay, cool. He’d been needing something like this. “Thank God. Yes. Okay.” He was so in the weeds with the basics, with the simple, normal stuff.

“Cool. That’s a better reaction than I was expecting, actually. It’s going to cost a small fortune.”

“There’s—” Robin called his name, and he scooped the boy up, hugged him tight. “—lots of insurance. Lots. That’s not an issue. Beth was fucking prepared.”

“Bad word!”

His eye ticked. “Yes, Robin.”

“Maybe we should have a jar.” Donny gave him a grin. “And whenever it gets full, you can choose something fun to do with the money.”

“Buy beer?” He winked. “Did you want to walk down to the park with me before I have to start thinking about work, Robin?”

“Daddy Jeff! I get shoes.”

Robin stomped off, and Jeff grabbed another cup of coffee. “He loves the park.”

Donny nodded and grinned. “Yeah, I noticed that. You want company or to keep it just the two of you?”

“You’re welcome to come. You need to know where it is. I got one of those stroller deals.”

“Did you get a harness for Kimberley? It’s better for carting the baby around. Especially if there’s more than one adult on the outing.” Donny went over to Kimberley and turned off the swing, picked her up out of it.

“A what?”

Kimberley’s little legs were kicking furiously.

“Look at you go, girl.” Donny held her back against his chest, hand across her belly so she could move. “One of those harness things that you wear so the baby can hang off you. Hands free, comfortable.”

“I got one of those fold-up things. With wheels.”

He nodded. “For Robin. What did you get for Kimberley?”

“I put her in and put that cushy thing on her sides to hold her up.”

Donny shook his head. “She needs a proper baby carriage.”

“Okay.” God, Beth, why did you leave?

“There’s a lot of shit to think about, but I’m here to help now. Come on, before Robin starts worrying that we’re not going.”

“Right. Let me grab some clothes.” He nodded to Donny, then headed upstairs. Park. Food. Then service tonight. Lord.

He heard Donny downstairs as he talked to Jeff’s kids, chatting away to Robin and Kimberley both.

He could do this. He was going to figure this out. For those two darling babies.