Chapter Twenty-Nine
Adam
Lainey tasked me with looking through the closet in the nursery for the breast pump while she nursed Conor. I found the box immediately on the top shelf, pulled it out, and opened it up to take out something that looked like an airhorn with suction cups.
“This looks intimidating as hell,” I remarked as I took a second, matching contraption out.
“It can’t be as intimidating as breastfeeding for the first time.”
“Have I mentioned you’re a rockstar?”
“I’m really not. Moms have been breastfeeding for thousands of years. I’m nothing special.”
Au contraire.
“Well, I think you are.”
She glanced down at Conor, who was latched to her breast, then up at me with a smile.
“You’re very sweet for saying that. There are a lot of days that I feel like I’m completely effing everything up.”
“Your kid is fed and has a clean diaper, you showered today, your business is thriving… I’d say you’re ahead of the game.”
“Can you text me that every day to remind me?”
“Well, since it looks I’m your roommate for the foreseeable future, I’ll be sure to just tell you.”
She studied me for a minute, then murmured, “I think I’ll like having you as a roommate.”
I know I’ll fucking love being here with you—even if I don’t deserve it.
“Especially if Conor gets this bottle thing figured out. Maybe you’ll be able to get a full night’s sleep.”
She closed her eyes with a dreamy smile. “Wouldn’t that be lovely,” then quickly opened them. “But then you wouldn’t get a full night’s sleep, and you’re going to need your rest with your new job.”
“My new job is going to be a cakewalk compared to being on patrol overseas. I’ll be fine. I’m used to operating on limited sleep.”
“Well, I am, too, now.”
I tried to offer a compromise. “Maybe we can take turns.”
“Maybe. But I’ll bet they figure out who sent that letter in no time, and then it will be a moot point.”
Hopefully not too soon.
“Well, even if we’re not roommates, I still plan on being around, a lot.”
At least until I go back to Lancastle.
“Do you not understand how secrets work? Weren’t you, like, in an elite squad in the Marines? Surely you had to keep secrets there. Or at least have taken Super-Secret-Keeping 101 in officer school.”
That made me laugh out loud.
“Yes, Super-Secret-Keeping 101 was required training in officer school, and yes, I know how secrets work. But I guarantee everyone in town either knows, or will know by the end of this week, why I came to Haven Springs. Of course I’m going to be protective over you.
It would be weird if I wasn’t. Especially if I’m staying with you to keep you safe. ”
She switched breasts, and my dick twitched at the sight. Because I’m a fucking perv.
Lainey noticed where my attention was drawn and rolled her eyes as a tiny smirk escaped her when she pointed to her face.
“Eyes up here, jarhead.”
I refused to even be apologetic.
“Sorry baby, you’re just so damn sexy.”
“I’m the human version of a dairy cow.”
I squatted beside the glider and looked up at her as I ran my thumb along her bare knee.
“You are a fucking goddess. You’re giving your son sustenance and keeping him alive. That’s like a damn super power.”
She stared at me for a beat, then whispered, “How are you able to take my biggest insecurities and make me feel like they’re strengths?”
“Because they are, baby. You’re the only one who doesn’t see it. You are truly incredible, and it’s now my goal in life to make you realize it. Well, that, and keep you and Conor safe from the whack-a-doodle running around leaving you crazy letters and jumping me.”
“I haven’t thanked you for that.”
“You don’t have to thank me—”
“Yes, I do. I was able to sleep so soundly last night, knowing you were here to protect us. I didn’t feel an ounce of anxiety, and that’s because of you.”
“Well…” I couldn’t disguise my grin. “I think there were other factors in play that helped you sleep soundly.”
“No doubt, I appreciated the O’s, too.”
“I told you the right man would step up and handle those for you.”
It was the other O’s in her life that were a bit more complicated. And I wasn’t so sure I was the right man for that job.
****
Lainey
I snapped a picture of Adam feeding Conor with a bottle and sent it to Brian.
He responded seconds later.
Brian: Yes! Success!
Me: Adam seems to have the right touch.
Brian: I love that he’s helping you. Make sure you let the O’Briens know, too. They’re going to be thrilled.
Me: I will.
Actually, I probably should pay them a visit. I tried to take the baby to visit them at least once or twice a week, and it’d been almost a week since I saw them last.
A lot had changed since then.
I sent Teresa a text message with the same picture I’d sent Brian.
Me: Look who took his first bottle today.
Like Brian, she replied immediately.
Teresa: Oh my goodness! That’s fantastic! Does that mean we can babysit?
Me: If you want to.
Teresa: Of course we want to! We’ve been waiting for this day!
Me: Are you busy in a few hours? I can bring him over for his next feeding, and you can try the bottle with him.
Teresa: We’d love that! Bring Adam, too. I heard he’s staying in town.
Ah, Adam.
I wasn’t sure how the O’Briens were going to feel about him spending so much time with me and Conor.
Still, I’d let him make the decision if he wanted to come with me.
“I’m going to take Conor over to see his Grandma and Grandpa O’Brien later. Teresa wants you to come, too. Fair warning: it’s probably to grill you about why you’re still in town.”
Adam chuckled as he pulled the bottle from Conor’s mouth to measure how much he’d drank.
“You said the whole bottle, right?”
“If he’ll take it. But if he decides he’s done—that’s enough.”
He put the nipple to Conor’s lips, but the little guy turned his head.
“I guess he’s done.” He set the bottle on the ground and transferred Conor to his shoulder, like he was an old pro. “I’d love to visit the O’Briens. Granny O’Brien seemed to love me—not as much as Brian, but a close second. And they can grill away; I’ve got nothing to hide.”
I looked at him with raised eyebrows.
“I mean, other than I’m fucking you every chance I get and plan to keep doing it. But that’s none of their business, so I’m not worried about their grilling.” He pointed to his temple with a grin. “Super-Secrets 101, remember?”
“Well, I never took that class. I’m afraid I’ll crack like a pinata.”
“Just be honest about everything other than I’m sleeping in your bed. Easy peasy.”
“Easy for you to say,” I grumbled.
“Actually, it’s not. I’m a terrible liar. But the way I see it, it’s nobody’s business but ours. I view it the same as I wouldn’t tell someone how much money I have in the bank, even if they asked. I don’t have to disclose the details of my love life.”
Love life?
I decided I needed to correct him, and maybe remind myself in the process
“Especially since this will never be anything more than a sexy secret between us.”
He studied me for a second, and I thought he was about to reply, when Conor took that opportune moment to spit up on him.