The Nature of Love (Love in the Spotlight #3)

Chapter 33

Thirty-Three

Chris’s friends were great.

Nevaeh was giving Cheyenne a miniature spa experience, and Piper was getting baby cuddles from Ashlynn. And me, well, I was chatting with both of them as they lobbed questions at me.

“So you’ve never felt queasy at all? I don’t think I could handle seeing blood or body parts.” Nevaeh shuddered.

“As bad as this might sound, it becomes ... clinical,” I mused. “Logically I know the patient is a human, but when I’m operating on them, I see the medical issue. My focus becomes lasered on the bone and all the surrounding parts.” I took a sip of water. “That’s why surgeons don’t operate on someone they know personally. It becomes impossible to separate your knowledge of the person and what they mean to you from just their anatomy. So for the safety of the patient, another surgeon will step in.” I rocked back in the recliner.

We’d been sitting in Lamont’s hotel suite, which was simply stunning. My hotel room wasn’t as nice, but it wasn’t too shabby either. By Chris’s request, I’d gotten connecting doors so that he could help with the kids. My side had two queens, and his had one king. There was plenty of room for the Pack ’n P lay to act as a crib. He’d offered to take the baby at night so I could rest, but he was already doing so much so I declined. All we were missing was Charlie, whom we’d boarded near home.

“Have you found what you were looking for?” Piper asked, her gaze flicking to Cheyenne with a question in them.

I shook my head. Cheyenne knew we needed our own place, but she’d begun to call Chris’s house home . I wasn’t quite sure she understood he wouldn’t be moving with us, and I wasn’t prepared to rock the boat. Since then, I’d been looking at houses without her or anyone else’s input.

“I’m still looking.” I grimaced. “Cheyenne started school.” That I could talk about.

“You did?” Nevaeh asked. “What grade are you in?”

“Kindergarten. And I’m smarter than everyone.”

“Cheye...” I used my warning voice.

“But I am. Ms. Vega said I was too smart for her to teach.”

I frowned. Did she mean in temperament? Because let’s face it, Cheye had some of my younger self’s sass, before life stomped it out. Or did she really believe Cheye needed to skip a grade?

“I’ll talk to her and see what she means.”

“Sure.” Cheye shrugged and faced forward once more.

Nevaeh was now polishing Cheyenne’s nails, since her hair was all done. I’d said no to the makeup because five just seemed too young, even for play.

“Uh-oh.” Piper grimaced. “I think Ash needs a change.”

“Did you make a stinky?” I asked my youngest niece.

She giggled.

“Yep. That means she totally did.” I took Ash from Piper. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

I went to my room and unlocked the door now that I’d downloaded the hotel app to my phone. Chris had given me h is login info. How wild to think we were sharing app info like a regular couple.

You could’ve made a step in that direction had you not chickened out.

Probably so, but I also could breathe easier knowing I’d dodged the bullet of confession. Being vulnerable and taking a chance he felt the same way made me sweat. I unlocked the door, grabbed the diaper bag, and pulled out the mat to lay Ash down on. Before I could put her down, Chris knocked on the connecting door.

“Yes?” I called.

“You okay?”

I unlocked the bolt and opened the heavy door. “Yep. Came back because Ash obliterated her diaper.”

Chris grinned. “Better you than me.”

“Oh, do you want an opportunity to change her? I know it’s your favorite thing.”

He took a step back. “How about I grab the wipes and a clean diaper for you?”

“What, you’re not going to tell me how I need to use a towel and a cloth diaper?” I could barely contain my mirth at the chagrined expression on his face.

The first time Chris saw me using a disposable diaper, he’d gone on about how it was affecting our carbon footprint. There were words like waste , pileup , and others I’d ignored. Instead, I’d held up the offensive material in front of him so he could get a good whiff of Ash’s healthy bowel movement.

He quickly changed his tune and was now the first one to throw soiled diapers in the trash.

A great convert.

Still, I was willing to compromise in some areas, just not diaper duty. No way I wanted to wash poo out in the sink, bathtub, or anywhere I would put my clean body.

“No.”

“Where are the guys?” I wrapped up Ash’s dirty diaper.

“They went to see if the ladies want dinner soon.” He held out a hand. “I’ll take it.”

“There’s a trash can on my side of the room.”

“But you’ll be so distracted by the kids you won’t take it out. Plus, it’s cold, and you don’t have a jacket on.”

True. “Thank you.” I handed him the offender. “What time is it that we’re talking about dinner already?”

“Six.” He set the diaper near the trash can, then leaned against the doorjamb. “I’m surprised Cheyenne hasn’t asked you about food yet.”

“She’s eating goldfish and getting pampered by Nevaeh. Her needs have already been met.”

Chris chuckled. “I love that kid.”

My heart warmed in my chest. “Chris, I...” Yikes. Now was not the time to bare my soul. We were surrounded by his friends— yours too —and on vacation. Surely now wasn’t the time to get brave and confess how interested I was in a romantic relationship with him. I bit the inside of my cheek, indecision tugging at me like tweezers pulling on threaded stitches.

“Yeah?” Something shifted on his face, and he leaned closer, still miraculously leaning. But now leaning against the doorjamb and leaning forward. Was that like leaning squared? Because I’d watched While You Were Sleeping more times than I could count. Leaning equaled wanting according to the rules of Jack Callaghan.

Just say it! He’s leaning!

Ash yelled. I whipped my head around to make sure she hadn’t fallen off the bed or anything. How could I have forgotten about her? What was wrong with me? My niece was now my responsibility until she turned eighteen and left my house but never my heart.

I gr abbed her off the bed, thankful she hadn’t decided to roll off or attempt a vault landing. She’d simply been frustrated trying to grab hold of her sock. Keeping the baby between us, I looked at Chris, who now stood straight. Guess the moment was over.

That’s a good thing. You don’t want to tell him on vacation anyway.

Only the disappointed feeling in my gut said otherwise.

“How about something in the resort so that we don’t have to leave?” I suggested, getting us back on normal footing.

“Sounds good to me. Let’s go find everyone else and see if they came to the same conclusion.”

We said nothing as we walked down the hall to Lamont’s suite. Just like we never spoke about the moment at the Garden of the Gods or all the countless times I thought my feelings could possibly be reciprocated. Was the timing simply not right?

Chris knocked on the door, and Lamont quickly opened it.

“Come on in. So far the vote is eating in the lodge restaurant. How do you two feel about that?” he asked.

“That’s what we were thinking, so sounds perfect,” Chris said.

“Great. Do you need to grab anything for the kids?” Lamont asked me.

I pointed to the strap on my shoulder. “Already got the diaper bag.”

“Great. Let’s go eat.”

We walked down the hall toward the elevator. We had no problem getting on or arriving at the restaurant without a wave of visitors. Soon we were seated in the back, after the staff pushed multiple tables together. I got a highchair for Ash, who sat happily at the end, playing with the puff snack I’d taken out of the diaper bag. Our server placed fresh bread and butter at the table for a complimentary appetizer. Chris sat across from me, and it took all my strength not to stare into his gorgeous eyes.

“So we hit the slopes tomorrow?” Lamont asked.

He and Nevaeh sat at the end, but across from each other so that our table was naturally boys across from girls. So grade school.

“Nah,” Tuck said. “I’ll be hanging in the lodge in front of the fireplace.”

“Come on, man.” Chris looked at his friend. “You can ride a jumping horse but can’t go down a hill in some skis?”

“Some things were not meant for man to try.”

Nevaeh snorted. “I never thought I’d agree with you about something like this, but you are so correct. There’s no way I’m sliding down a hill willingly.”

“Babe, it’ll be fun.” Lamont smoldered at his fiancée.

Smoldered! Did that work? Judging from the demure expression on Nevaeh’s face as her eyes practically shot out hearts, it did.

“Okay. I’ll try it once.”

“Yes.” He placed a kiss on the back of her fingers. Then Lamont remembered the rest of us were at the table. “Piper, you going?”

“I’ll try once like Nevaeh.”

All heads swiveled to me. “I think I’m with Tuck on this one.”

“Oh no.” Piper shook her head. “Tuck is coming whether he realizes it or not.”

I hid a smirk while Chris made a whipping noise. I bit down on my lip, trying to keep silent, but Lamont laughed with abandon.

Chris met my gaze. “Piper and Tuck have been friends since they were about Cheye’s age. He’ll do anything for her.”

“That’s sweet,” I said.

“Thank you, Doc.” Tuck glared at Chris. “Just wait. It’ll be your turn one day.”

“One day?” Nevaeh laughed. “I’m sure that ship sailed.”

Lamont and Tuck stared at Chris, then looked at me. My face heated. They all seemed to think Chris was gone over me. My breath hitched. Was it true? Did he feel the same way? I wasn’t just a passing fancy but something more? I wasn’t sure what to think since I’d been keeping my feelings close to me, and Chris had said nothing. It wasn’t real unless it was spoken, right?

Chris changed the subject, and I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I remained quiet as the others joked back and forth. Observing their dynamics was pretty interesting. Fortunately, they didn’t let me stay completely silent. Each made sure to ask me a question here or there.

By the time we finished eating and Cheye had a dessert, I was ready to close my eyes. Driving up here had taken a lot of my brain power between Ash crying from being stuck in her car seat and Cheyenne’s endless “Are we there yet?” I just wanted to lay my head down and sleep before one of the kids woke me.

We waved bye to the others as we neared our hotel rooms.

“Give me Ash,” Chris murmured.

Ashlynn held out her hands the minute he said her name, and I let her go from the wrap I had around her. She snuggled against Chris. Guess she was as tired as I was.

I said nothing as Chris followed me into the room and got Ash ready for bed while I wrestled Cheyenne into pajamas. Soon the room filled with tranquility as the kids surrendered to sleep. Chris opened the connecting door, then turned to look at me.

“Erykah?”

“Yes ?” I watched him in the dim lighting.

“Could you come in here so we can talk a moment? I don’t want to disturb the girls.”

I nodded. “Sure.” But immediately my stomach churned. Was something wrong?

Chris gestured toward the chair in front of the desk. He sat on the couch near it and leaned forward, elbows resting on his thighs. “I think it’s time we talk about the subject you’ve been avoiding.”

I swallowed. Lord, help. “W-what do you mean?”

“I can tell there’s something you want to tell me, but something’s holding you back.”

Hurt flashed so quickly in his eyes, I almost missed it. Almost. “I know I can talk to you about anything,” I rushed out.

“Do you?”

“Of course. You’ve been there for me since day one.” I bit my lip, trying to grasp the words. “I simply don’t know how to tell you.”

“If I turn around so you can’t see my expression, would that help?”

Would it? I shook my head. “No, that feels too weird.”

He studied me, then his lips slowly curved into a smile, his blue eyes darkening with excitement. He pulled out his cell phone, not saying a word, and began to type.

I startled when my phone chimed but breathed a sigh of relief when I realized what was going on.

Chris

How about this way?

I got up, walked into my room, and sat on the nearest chair before typing my reply.

Erykah

This is perfect.

Chri s

Good. I’m all ears.

I could do this. Just admit how I felt and let the chips fall where they may, or however that expression went. Lord, please help me be brave.

Erykah

I like you. Not just as a friend, though you make the very best one. But I want more than friendship with you.

I blew out a breath, then hit send. Immediately the dots waved in a dance as I waited for Chris to respond.

Chris

I feel the exact same way.

Erykah

Really?

“Really.” Chris’s soft whisper reached my ears.

I turned and saw him standing in the doorway of our connecting rooms. Slowly my foot took a step before the other finally followed. I stopped right in front of him. “I’ve wanted to tell you so many times before.”

“Same, but I didn’t want you to think I was being disrespectful as you grieved or taking advantage of you since we’re sharing a house.”

I sighed. He was so good to me. “I wouldn’t have taken it that way.”

“Then can I...” He trailed a finger down the side of my face and down my arm until our fingers were entwined. “Take you on a date tomorrow?”

“Please.”

And we stood there doing nothing but holding each other’s hands and grinning like two fools.