Chapter 7
Finishing up my shift at the café, I walk outside in the rain, expecting to see Dex just as I always do. The back door closes behind me and my smile falters because he isn’t here. I don’t know if I should be worried; maybe he got busy and forgot, or maybe he didn’t want to walk in the rain that’s hammering down. Pulling my phone out of my purse, I text him and then bring up my messenger app from Facebook and send him another message there. After waiting a few minutes with no reply, I decide to start walking on my own.
By the time I get around to the main building, I know I have to look like a drowned rat with my hair drenched in its ponytail. My clothes are soaked, no doubt my white top is not leaving anything to the imagination, and my mascara is probably a mess running down my cheeks.
Coming up to the lit-up area just in front of the main building, I notice someone standing under the covered entrance. As I walk closer, I can see the side profile of the person. “Dex?” I question, wondering what the hell he’s doing.
His head swings my way, and there is a mix of emotions on his gorgeous face. “Callie?” he questions, and then it dawns on him. “Oh, fuck! I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I deadpan. Then I hear a noise. “What was that? What are you doing here?”
Dex opens up his jacket with one free hand, and I see her, a little baby. All of a sudden the wailing cries begin. “I was bringing her to the sports doctor. I don’t know what to do. She hasn’t stopped screaming for the last hour.”
My head flies back like it’s been slapped. “You have a baby and didn’t think to tell me?”
“I didn’t know about her until today, and I don’t even know if she’s mine. I have to do something for her, though, I think something is wrong. She won’t stop screaming. Callie, I don’t know what the fuck to do.” Dex is freaking out, and with good reason.
Deciding right now isn’t the time to be mad at him—the baby needs help—I walk closer and feel her forehead; she doesn’t feel warm. “She’s not running a fever. Let’s take her back to your place and see what we can do.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with that?” Relief washes over his features, but he’s still concerned for me. How can I stay mad at him when he’s this sweet? “I promise I will explain everything to the best of my ability.”
“Don’t worry about me. It’s pouring, and that baby needs to get inside. I trust you.” Dex’s shoulders sag, he nods his head, and then wraps his jacket back around the screaming baby. He only leaves her little head sticking out.
We power walk the rest of the way to Dex’s apartment building right next to mine. I know he shares the space with his two best friends, Mav and Zac, and they’re on the baseball team as well, but that’s the extent of my knowledge about his roommates.
When we get inside Dex’s apartment, two guys jump up from the couch they were sitting on. “Is she okay?” they ask in unison.
“I don’t know, the main building was locked.”
The two guys look in my direction. Holy crap! Maybe my sisters and I should take an interest in baseball, because all three of these men are seriously sexy. It’s like stepping into a live sports-playing, tattoo-having, sex-on-a-stick magazine. These guys are built, tall, tan, and I’m sure a lot of women’s fantasy. Damn, the muscles in their arms with visible veins is enough alone to make you want to have a drink.
“This is Callie.” Dex looks at his roommates and adds, “Mav is the dark-haired one and Zac is the big fucker.”
“So what are you going to do? We can’t have a screaming baby in the apartment,” Zac says while looking almost scared of the baby, who is now unwrapped and letting out a new set of screams.
“I know someone that can help.” Pulling out my phone, I find Melanie on Facebook and send her a message.
I can’t explain everything right now but what do you do when a baby is screaming and doesn’t have a fever?
The three dots appear, letting me know she is messaging back. “She’s replying,” I let them know and we wait. “Dex, can I get some dry clothes?”
“Uh…yeah, sure.” Watching him walk down the hallway, I take note for the first time how great his ass looks in those loose-fitting jeans he wears. It’s one of those asses that you just want to reach out and grab. When he brings back the sweats and a t-shirt, I ask where the bathroom is and then I change into the warm, dry clothes. I look ridiculous with the plain white shirt almost hanging to my knees, and the sweats are way too big for me. I have to walk on the bottoms of them, and that’s after I rolled the waist down a couple of times so they would stay up. Hopefully!
Coming back into the living room, my phone dings with the awaited message. “Okay...she says to change her, feed her, give her a binky, and hold her close to your chest while bouncing her. “All three men stare at me like I’ve grown an extra head. “Give me the baby,” I demand while shaking my head. I hold my arms out, and Dex passes the little girl to me. Looking around the room, I see a baby bag. “Dex, get in that bag and see if there’s anything in there.” He finally gets a move on and dumps the whole thing all over the couch. “See that can there, and the empty bottle? Go read the instructions on the can and make her a bottle.” Dex does just as I told him. “Mav, you see those diapers and wipes?” He nods with an open mouth, like he’s in awe. “Give me a diaper and wipes. Zac, grab that outfit and find the binky.”
“What the hell is a binky?” He looks like a confused little boy right now. It’s almost laughable at how big he is, and yet he’s scared of a little baby.
“It’s a pacifier. It’s something she can suck on.” That sends him searching.
Moving over to the couch, I sit down with the baby in my lap, and soon Dex comes back from the kitchen with a full bottle. The baby gets excited when she sees it and starts kicking her legs out. As the bottle gets closer to her lips she reaches for it, trying to put it in her mouth. She immediately calms and starts sucking down the formula. The guys calm down as well and all take a seat around the living room with that awed expression back on their faces.
As the bottle becomes empty, she watches me with her blue-brown eyes. They are mostly blue, but have a ring of brown around the pupils. Her hair is a lighter shade of brown with a red tint to it, and she has some chubby little cheeks, so I know someone was taking care of her. I don’t know yet how she ended up here, but I’ll find out soon. She is a beautiful baby, really. Her little nose scrunches up as I remove the bottle and she starts to fuss a bit until I sit her up, pat her back and the loud burp comes. She then turns her little head towards me and smiles. An unexpected emotion fills inside of my chest and I have to blink away the tears, but I smile back and the guys let out a round of laughter.
I proceed to change her soaked diaper and put the new dry outfit on her. Zac hands me the binky, which she takes with no issues, and I hold her to my chest just like Melanie said. In no time she’s fast asleep; I’m sure she wore her little self out from all that crying.
“Goodnight,” Zac and Mav announce as they get up from the floor and head to their rooms. That leaves Dex and me alone with the baby.
“Thank you, Callie! Seriously, I don’t know what I would have done if you wouldn’t have been there,” Dex tells me while sitting next to me on the couch, where I’m still holding the sleeping baby.
“How did she end up here?” Using a quiet voice so I don’t disturb her, I ask the main question out of the many popping into my head.
“I’m not exactly sure; I’m assuming the mom dropped her off. I’ll start from the beginning.” Dex’s hand reaches out to run over the baby’s head as she sleeps in my arms.
“I think she’s out now,” I tell him while looking down at the precious little face. Then, I ask, “Do you have an extra blanket?” Dex grabs one from his room and brings it back, and I lay her in the car seat and cover her up with the throw blanket. Taking my seat back on the couch, I wait for Dex to start the story.
“When you were at work, I went to hang out with Mav and Zac at The Dugout while I waited for it to be time to walk you home. We left the bar together, came back to the apartment, and she was just here in her car seat in front of the door. The bag sat next to her and there was a note taped to the door with my name on it.” Dex grabs the letter off the wooden coffee table and hands it to me.
Dex,
I watched you for months on campus, at all your games, and the fraternity parties. Mr. Popular—everyone wanted to be you or get close to you. Everyone knew you were going places. I thought if I got my chance I’d be different. You were pretty drunk that night and when I finally approached you it wasn’t hard to get you into a room. I just wanted to be a part of the fame and I wanted out of Georgia so I came up with the best plan I could think of.
You were so drunk you couldn’t even get the condom out of your wallet. I told you it was okay and I grabbed one out of my purse. Little did you know I had already poked a hole in it—the condom was just waiting for that moment. So I put it on you, then after it was done you got up and got dressed then left me just lying there. I thought, ‘It’s ok, he’ll talk to me Monday.’ But you didn’t. You didn’t even acknowledge me. That was when I knew I made a mistake, and six weeks later it was confirmed.
I messed up my life by having her and it’s not fair that I have to do it by myself. I carried her for nine months and took care of her for six months, that’s how old she is—and her name is Raine—there’s nothing else you need to know. I’m done! I can’t take any more of the crying, changing diapers, and feeding her the minute she wants to eat. It’s your turn, Dex—I hope she doesn’t ruin your life like she has mine.
Finishing the letter, I throw it down on the coffee table. “Wow! What a fucking bitch!” Shaking my head, I look over at Dex. “I can’t believe someone would be so horrible as to try and trap another person, but I don’t understand how anyone could do that to their own baby. Do you have any idea who the mother is?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Dex hangs his head, shakes it, and then makes eye contact with me. “No. I had a girlfriend throughout high school, and when it came to us going to college, she chose a different one and decided we should break up. I was heartbroken and went on a destructive path for a while. I kept my grades up for baseball, but I was partying every night and had a different girl in bed just as often. I don’t even remember half their names. Towards the end of last year, I decided I had enough and cleaned my shit up.”
“It’s okay, Dex. No one’s perfect and we all have pasts. Even me. Do you think Raine is really yours?” I question while grabbing one of Dex’s hands that now rest on his thighs.
“I don’t know. The letter says she is, but what if it’s just another scheme to try and get money or notoriety?” His fingers lace through mine as we look down at a peacefully sleeping Raine.
“So…what are you going to do?” Looking back over at Dex, I want to see where his head is at in this situation. I don’t want him to make a decision he might regret.
“I don’t know. I don’t know what the fuck to do. Maybe I should take her to the child services place, let her go to a good family. Does this change things with us?” Dex’s eyes are full of emotion, and I want to cry for him. A young college guy looking to go pro with his dream, and all of a sudden an unexpected bump in the road happens—I’m sure he is all over the place in his head.
“Not at all. Ultimately, this is your decision to make, whether you keep her or not, but let me ask you this. When you look down at Raine and say she really is yours, can you picture someone else raising her?”
Dex looks down again at the baby. “No.” He deadpans. “What do you think I should do?”
“I can’t make that decision for you, but let me say this: Sometimes life throws you curveballs and you either hit it out of the park or you strike out. Sometimes you get the fouls and get to walk, and sometimes you have to take one base at a time. What’s it gonna be Dex? Are you gonna strike out or are you gonna get the grand slam?”
“Nice analogy.” Dex laughs and looks down at Raine once more before answering. “I want the grand slam, Callie.”
“Then I’ll be here to walk the bases with you. Don’t take her to social services. First you’ll need to get a DNA test and go from there.” I’m trying to be the logical one and figure out where he needs to start.
“Callie, how can I go to classes, keep up on my studies, have baseball, and take care of her?” Leaning further into the couch, he blows out a deep breath. I know this isn’t easy for him, and his plate just got a whole lot fuller.
“I’ll help you.”
“I can’t ask you to do that. This is my problem to figure out.” His hand squeezes mine just a little bit tighter.
“You’re not asking, I’m offering, and my sisters will help—they love babies. I’m sure Mav and Zac will help once they get used to her.” I want him to see he isn’t alone. “When I did my tour of the campus, they mentioned an on-campus day care. So while you’re in class, Raine can go there. My sister Cayden still hasn’t found a job, maybe she would do some babysitting to make a little extra money.” Oh, no! That just flew out of my mouth! My sisters don’t know anything about babies or how to take care of them. She’s going to kill me!
“Do you think she would do that?” There’s hope returning to his brown eyes.
“I can ask her.”
“Will you stay here tonight?” I stare at Dex, not knowing what to say. “I mean, I’ll take the couch, you can have my bed. To be honest, this kind of scares the shit out of me and you were like a natural with her.”
I find myself saying yes and messaging my sisters, letting them know I won’t be home and to not wait up.
Letting my long hair out of the ponytail, I let it fall down my back in wet waves. My hair is thick, so it takes forever to dry, and the rain had me soaked. “Thank you for the clothes,” I tell Dex as he starts a movie on Netflix.
“You’re welcome! You look good in them.” Dex keeps his eyes submerged in the different categories of movies and shows. I bite down on my bottom lip, trying to hide my smile.
He decides on an action flick and I couldn’t care less right now because I’m exhausted. Dex gets off the couch and returns a few minutes later with another blanket. He covers us both up and I decide to lay my head in his lap. Dex starts running his fingers through my hair and massaging my scalp. It feels amazing! “I’m proud of you,” he says.
Gazing up at him, I ask, “For what?” My brows pull down in confusion.
“Once you got in the apartment, you didn’t act scared.” His brown eyes lock on my green ones.
I think about it for a minute, and he’s right: I didn’t. “I guess I didn’t have time to think about it. I just knew Raine needed to be taken care of.”
“That might be part of it, but you’re changing, Callie.” He smiles down at me, and I swear every time I see it I want to fall at his feet it’s that sexy.
“You’ve helped me a lot. I didn’t think it was possible, but you and the café have made it happen. A few months ago, I wouldn’t have even taken a chance at coming home with you. I trust you, Dex.” Our eyes stay connected in a heated stare and I’m practically begging for him to kiss me without saying the words. He doesn’t. He leans down and kisses the top of my head instead.
“You don’t know how much that means to me. Try and get some sleep now.” I do just that as my eyes start to close from the relaxation of his fingers in my hair.
Little cries startle me out of the deep sleep I was just in and I jump up from the couch I was lying on.
Dex’s apartment!
Blowing out a deep breath, I remember falling asleep with my head on Dex’s lap. I look to my right and there he is, sitting up with his head tilted back against the couch, and a light snore can be heard over Raine. That can’t be comfortable, but he slept like that for me.
“Dex,” I call his name barely above a whisper, and it does no good waking him. Walking over, I nudge his knee with my hand and say his name a little louder.
A few more attempts and he finally somewhat wakes up. “Wha...Huh? What’s goin’ on?” Dex rubs his sleepy eyes and it makes me silently laugh. He’s really cute when he gets woken up.
“The baby is hungry.”
“Oh, shit. Okay.” Dex yawns, then runs his hands down his tired face before gripping his short brown hair, giving it that sexy messed up look. “I’ll make her a bottle.”
“Okay,” is all I can get out because my mouth has suddenly gone dry.
A few minutes later, Dex returns with a full bottle, and I guide him through how to change Raine’s diaper. I show him how to hold her while she eats, and when she’s done he holds her against his covered chest so she can burp. “Shit!” Dex whisper-shouts as he pulls her away from him—and that’s when I see the white spit-up running down his beater.
“Here, I’ll take her.” Reaching out, I grab Raine and put her on my knee so she can sit up. “Hi, baby. Did you get your belly full? That was a big messy burp.” I talk to her in the little baby voice people use and she likes it. Her smile is full, her nose is wrinkled, and she starts cooing back at me. She is so freaking cute!
“I’ll take her now.” I look up at Dex standing in front of me with those heavily tattooed and muscled-up arms sticking out. My eyes travel to his now bare chest—and ohmajesus, it’s tattooed too! More muscles—and pierced nipples! It got hot in here all of a sudden. I hold Raine out in front of me and Dex reaches down to take her while my gawking continues. My eyes travel downwards to the best freaking six-pack I’ve ever wanted to purchase. His waist tapers with that lickable V-shape, and right before his sweatpants start there’s another tattoo.
Dex is like a tattooed, muscled God, and I’d really like to see what’s down south, because all my lady bits just came alive and I’m all sorts of tingly between my thighs—and a little wet, to be honest. I haven’t felt this way in so long, but I can’t even remember actually having this reaction to any boy back home ever. Maybe because Dex isn’t a boy; he’s all man.
“Callie!” Dex sternly speaks my name, pulling me away from my ogling.
Bringing my eyes back up to his gorgeous face, I reply the best I can. “Hmm?” Oh, for the love of God! My ovaries just freaking exploded, I shit you not. Seeing this man holding this baby to his naked chest might be the sexiest thing I’ve ever witnessed.
“I’ve been trying real hard here to be the nice guy, but you keep lookin’ at me like that and it’s gonna go out the window. So unless you want to be taken into that bedroom back there and get into something you might not be ready for, I suggest you turn on another movie and start watching that instead.” Dex smirks as he looks down at Raine, who is very content with her binky and being bounced back to sleep.
“Yes, sir.” I start fumbling blindly, trying to find the remote without taking my eyes from him, and giggle a little at trying to push him. After all the time I’ve spent with Dex, I trust him and I know he would never hurt me or make me doing anything I didn’t actually want to do.
“Callie!” Dex quietly yells, and it makes me laugh harder.
Turning on another movie, I realize I never had a nightmare tonight. It was the best sleep I’ve had in months, and I settle back into the couch, watching the movie with a smile on my face. For once I’m looking forward to the darkness taking over again.