Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Baker
Knox and Corie stand in the middle of their kitchen with all of us gathered around.
They’re both smiling from ear to ear, and it makes me realize everything I missed with Camden.
I didn’t get to feel him move in his mom’s belly.
Not because I didn’t want to, but we were just never together outside of doctor’s appointments, and Levi was always there, making things even more awkward.
“Thank you all for being here,” Corie says.
“We didn’t have a choice,” Landry tells her. “You’re holding out on us.” He crosses his arms over his chest and scowls at his sister.
“We wanted to tell everyone at once.” She glances up at Knox, and there’s so much love shining between the two of them with one simple look.
Knox steps behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, resting his hands on her belly, on their unborn child. Envy like I’ve never felt before washes over me. That’s how it should have been, and I’ll be certain it will be next time.
As I shift Camden to my other arm, he leans over and reaches for Sloane, who smiles and takes him from me, kissing his cheek. He rests his head on her shoulder, giving her his complete love and trust.
It’s something to watch the two of them together.
Sliding my arm around her waist, I hold them both, hoping like hell that a moment just like this one is in our future.
“The suspense is killing me!” Reid calls out, and we all laugh, but he’s not wrong.
Knox grins. “Well, since you’re all here, my wife and I would like to announce that our son will be—” He doesn’t get to finish before we’re all shouting our congratulations and passing out hugs.
Camden claps and giggles, as does Coral, even though they don’t understand that our family is growing, which is the reason.
“Core,” Sloane says, her voice cracking.
Knox reaches for Camden, and the two girls hug as if it’s been years since they’ve seen one another. By the time they pull away, they’re both wiping tears from their eyes.
“Swoan, cwy,” Camden says, his lip quivering.
“Oh, no, baby, come here.” She holds her arms out, and he leans out of Knox’s arms for her to take him. “I’m not sad. These are happy tears.” She smiles widely to prove to him, then makes a silly face. “I’m just so happy that I started to cry,” she tries to explain.
“No cwy.” He shakes his head.
“I love you, Camden Sinclair. You have the biggest heart,” she says, her voice cracking as she holds him tightly against her chest.
I’m not gonna lie. Seeing them like this, I swallow back the lump of emotion in my throat.
“Fuck, brother,” Reid says, laying a hand on my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I croak.
“Things are good?”
“Damn good.” I nod.
“Happy for you, Daddy Sin. You deserve her,” he says as he walks away.
I’m maybe three feet away from them, so in a couple of long strides, I have them wrapped in my arms. “I love the way you love him,” I whisper to Sloane.
“He’s everything, Baker,” she says, her eyes misty with tears.
“Cam, wove,” my son says, and kisses her cheek, and a sob falls from her lips.
“Come here, buddy. I think Uncle Foster wants to play trucks.” He’s the closest one to us now, and when I hand him my son, he nods, and they turn toward the living room.
Rushing back to Sloane, I take her hand in mine and lead her out of the room.
We make our way down the hall and into the half bath, quietly closing the door behind us.
As soon as the door shuts, she loses her battle with the tears she’s been fighting. “I’m sorry,” she says, half laughing, half sobbing, as she wipes the tears from her cheeks.
Lifting her, I place her ass on the counter and stand in front of her. “Do you know how special you are? How rare it is to find someone who will love your child just as much as you do, without question or prejudice? Do you?” I ask her, framing her face with my hands.
“He’s so easy to love,” she says, her eyes meeting mine.
“You’ve given us so much,” I tell her.
“Baker?” she asks, placing her hands over my wrists.
“Yeah?”
“Kiss me.”
My lips quirk into a smile. “My pleasure,” I say, pressing my lips to hers. I can taste the salt of her tears. My lips feather across hers as our lips meet softly. This isn’t about desire, although that’s there, too. This is about showing her the words that I know are true, but that I haven’t said.
I can’t tell her that I’m in love with her in our best friends’ bathroom.
Now is not the right time, but the time will come when I tell her what she means to me.
What she means to us. I try to show her in every way, and my words dance around the truth, but one day soon, I’ll say those three little words I’ve never uttered to a woman I wasn’t related to.
Pulling her lips from mine, she whispers, “We should get back out there.”
“I know. Are you okay?”
She laughs. “I’m good. I don’t know why I got so emotional. I guess it’s because I’m so happy for Corie and Knox, and then Camden and his giant heart stepped up to the plate, and I got lost in my feels for a few minutes.”
“Little man is going to be a charmer,” I say, trying to lighten the moment.
“For real. The ladies better watch out. I mean, unless he ends up with Coral.”
“Are you matchmaking for him already?” I chuckle.
“Admit that it would be great for your son to marry one of your best friends’ daughters.”
“He’s two.”
I laugh. “I know, but Bellamy and I have already talked about it. We’re all for it,” she tells me, as I pull open the door and lead her out of the room.
Camden is playing with Coral on a blanket in the living room, and no one seems to notice we’ve slipped back into the room. We spend a couple of hours laughing, eating, and celebrating Knox and Corie’s news before we load up and head home.
Sloane slides into my bed next to me, where she belongs, and even though I want nothing more than to strip her out of those cute-ass pajamas she’s wearing and have my way with her, my girl has had an emotional night.
So, instead, I wrap my arms around her and hold her while we both drift off to sleep.
“So, I’m heading to my parents’ later today.”
I glance up from my phone to look at Sloane, who has just walked into the living room looking like a wet dream.
She’s in a pair of tight, faded jeans that mold to her body as if she were poured into them, black boots that come up to just below her knees, and a long black sweater.
“Okay,” I finally answer, after I shamelessly finish checking her out.
“It’s my dad’s birthday, and we’re having dinner.”
I nod and move to the edge of my seat. She steps closer, and I widen my thighs, making room for her.
I grip her ass as I peer up at her. “Do you want us to go with you?” I haven’t met her parents yet, at least not in an official capacity.
I don’t want to push that on her, but I need her to understand that if she wants us to, Camden and I will be there.
She bites on her bottom lip. “I was hoping that you would.”
“Of course. What time are we leaving?”
“In half an hour,” she says, and I toss my head back in laughter.
“Babe, you said later,” I tease.
“I know. I was nervous, okay?” she says, as the corner of her mouth tilts into a grin.
“There’s never anything you need to be nervous about. Not with me. Do they know about us?”
She nods. “Yeah, they were concerned about the whole dating-my-boss thing, but they see how happy I am, and they haven’t brought it up since.”
“Good. Let me run upstairs and change.” I glance down at my sweats and faded Rampage T-shirt I’m wearing. “What about Camden?”
“He’s coming,” she says, her tone firm.
I smile. This fucking woman, she’s my everything. “I know that. I meant what should he wear?”
“Oh, um, I’ll grab an outfit for him.” She steps back, or tries to, but I hold strong.
“Kiss me.”
Her lips meet mine, but it’s over far too soon. “Hey, Cam,” she calls over her shoulder to where my son is playing with blocks. “We’re going to go visit my mommy and daddy. We have to get you changed,” she says, her tone light and filled with excitement that she knows he’ll respond to.
“Cam, go.” He climbs to his feet and comes rushing toward us as fast as his little legs can carry him. He crashes into us, laughing.
“Come on, little man. Daddy will give you a ride.” I lift him to my shoulder, stand, and bounce around a few times, making sure to give him some extra jiggles as we head upstairs. I drop him off in his room with Sloane, while I head to mine to get changed.
I don’t really know what one wears to meet the parents, so I grab a pair of light-washed jeans and a black long-sleeved button-up. It’s casual, yet not my normal sweats, and I don’t want it to look like I’m trying too hard.
As I’m walking out of the bedroom, Sloane and Camden are stepping out of his, and she laughs. “What?”
“The two of you match.”
I take in what my son is wearing, and she’s right. He, too, has on a pair of light-washed jeans and a button-up, but his is plaid with different colors of blue. “Great minds, I guess.” I smile at her. “Come on, bud.” I hold my hands out for him, but he turns his head and grips on to Sloane.
“I’m sorry.”
“What? Why on earth would you be sorry? I know he’s attached to you. You love him, and he loves you. There’s nothing to be upset about. I know he loves me, too. Right, Cam?”
“Cam wove Daddy,” he says. “Cam wove Swoan.”
“See.” I smirk. “What can I do?”
“The diaper bag is downstairs. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of diapers, wipes, and an extra outfit. We’ll need to make sure he has toys, some snacks, and a sippy cup. Mom and Dad will have milk for him. My dad drinks it like the two of you.”
“I’m on it.” I kiss his head, then do the same to hers, and bound down the stairs to get us ready to hit the road.
“Oh, my goodness, look how handsome,” Nancy, Sloane’s mom, says as we enter the kitchen. She walks up to Sloane, who’s carrying Camden—at his insistence—and offers him her hand. He shies away from her, turning his head.
“Sorry about that,” I say. “He’ll warm up to you.”
“Baker, it’s good to see you again,” she says, hugging me.
“You, too, Mrs. Peterson.”
She waves her hand in the air. “Nancy.”
“Welcome. Can we get you something to drink?” her dad, Carl, asks.
“Happy Birthday, sir. I’m good for now, thank you.”
“Cam, do you want some milk?” Sloane asks.
He nods his reply, still keeping a tight grip on her sweater. By the time I get the sippy cup out of the diaper bag, her dad has a gallon of milk ready to fill it up. “Thank you,” I tell him, then hand the cup to Nancy and nod toward Camden. She beams at me.
“Look at what I’ve got?” She shows him the cup, and he gives her a half grin. “This is for you.” He takes it from her and takes a full drink.
“Sloane tells us he’ll eat what we do, but I can make a mean grilled cheese,” Carl offers.
“Thank you, but he’ll eat just about anything. We’ll just make sure it’s in small enough pieces for him.”
“Well, we’re ready. Let’s make our plates,” Carl tells us.
“You can set the diaper bag in the living room.” Sloane nods to the couch that’s visible from the open-floor concept.
By the time I get back to the kitchen, I’m shocked to see Nancy cutting up some grilled chicken, adding some mashed potatoes and mac and cheese to a plate with Camden’s favorite cartoon character.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I say, my heart warming at the same time I realize this is where my girl's huge heart came from.
“We wanted him to feel welcome. I wasn’t sure you all would be with Sloane, but we’re glad you are.” Nancy smiles kindly. “Camden, look at this.” She holds up the matching fork and spoon, and that earns her a full-on grin as he reaches out for them. “Let’s get you set up at the table.”
“I’ll hold him,” I tell Sloane. “I didn’t think to bring the booster seat. All my friends keep one at their place for him, and so do my parents. Rookie mistake.”
“No need,” Carl says. “We got the little one a booster seat. It says ages two and up. He’s two, right?” he asks.
“He is. Thank you for that. That was very nice of you. You didn’t have to.”
“Of course, we did. We hope to be seeing more of this little guy,” Nancy says.
Sloane places Camden in his seat, which is between us, and he digs right into his food. He makes all kinds of noises and says, “Yummy, yummy,” when he tries the potatoes, and Sloane’s parents just ooh and ahh over him.
Dinner is easy, as if the five of us have been dining together for years. It was similar when my parents were in town, which is just one more reason I love this woman. She just fits. We fit, and I can’t imagine my life without her.
After dinner, Sloane and her mom give Camden Carl’s gifts to deliver, and he claps each time he does.
I stopped at the liquor store on the way over and bought him a bottle of bourbon, which Sloane told me was his favorite.
Sloane got him a new shop light to use when he’s working in the garage—his old one is on its last leg, Carl’s words, not mine—and Nancy got him some clothes, and they’re going to dinner next weekend with friends.
“Well, this has been the best birthday,” Carl says, after opening the final gift.
“Happy Birthday,” we all say at once.
Cam moves to the couch, crawls up in my lap, and rubs his eyes. “You tired, bud?” I ask him.
“Swoan, book.”
Sloane chuckles. “We like our bedtime stories, don’t we?” she asks him, and he nods. “We should get him to bed.” She stands and hugs her dad, then her mom.
“Thank you for having us, and for all of the special accommodations you made for Camden. I truly appreciate you welcoming us into your home, especially on such a special day.”
Nancy waves me off, and she and Sloane move toward the front door. “She’s been smiling more lately. Even over the phone, I can hear it,” Carl tells me.
“She’s special,” I tell him. I should say to him that I’m in love with her, but she needs to hear those words from me first.
“She is. Take care of her.” His tone is light, but there’s so much meaning behind it. Not a threat. Not at all. Just a father, telling the man with whom his daughter is dating to keep her heart safe.
“Always,” I assure him. It’s the best I can do right now, but one day, I’ll be back in this living room, asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage. It’s too soon, but I know she’s it. She’s ours, and we’re keeping her forever.