Chapter 58
Chapter Fifty-Eight
CALEB
“What the fuck?” I ask, my voice coming out harsher than I intended, causing Jessica to wince.
I reach for her free hand. “Sorry, little one, I just want Noah to fucking explain himself.”
Because what the actual fuck?
At no point did I envision him saying that. Regardless, this child will be all of ours, so why the hell has he said that, of all things?
He holds up his palms, as if to pacify me, and I’m trying like hell to rein in my temper right now, because everything up until those words that just spilled from his mouth has been perfect.
“Before you get ahead of yourself it’s not like that,” he says.
I hate and love how he has the power to read me so well, in equal measures.
I cock a brow. “Then what is it like, explain?” I reply, trying in earnest to keep my hurt and temper down. We’re about communication, therefore I owe it to him to allow him to make sense of his comment because fuck, that hurt.
He puts his glass down and reaches for mine and Jessica’s joined hands as he blows out a breath.
Just as he’s about to speak again, we’re interrupted as our food arrives, and though the smell is divine, I feel sick. Right now, all I’m interested in is him explaining his earlier comment. On autopilot, I thank the waiter.
Noah blows out a breath as soon as we’re left alone again.
“Fuck, I’m sorry. I realise that came out wrong.
Firstly, I will love our baby regardless of who the biological father is.
The only reason I think it’s something we need to know is because my cancer was hereditary and from a health perspective it’s important we know in case they need early or regular screenings. ”
He reaches for our hands again, the bench around the table perfect for our trio.
“I will love our baby unconditionally, regardless of who the ‘biological father’ is,” he says. “That’s not even in question.”
I feel like a cunt, because yeah, that makes absolute fucking sense.
“I just think with my family history we’d be irresponsible not to?—”
Jessica leans into him and captures his lips, cutting off his words before pulling back.
“You’re right, and as parents that’s our responsibility, this isn’t about sensibilities,” she says.
I nod, because I can’t argue with that.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I was shocked when you originally said what you did and now you’ve told us why, I completely agree. We’ll find out. But like Noah said, I will love our child unconditionally, regardless.”
Jessica looks between the two of us. “We’re really doing this, aren’t we? We’re having a baby,” she says, her eyes glassy with an array of mixed emotions.
“Yes, we are. It makes sense now,” I say, reaching out my thumb and stroking over her jaw. She frowns as I continue, “There was something different about you, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.” I palm her belly.
She glances between us, a look of confusion crossing her face.
“It was you being pregnant, sweet girl,” Noah finishes for me.
Her cheeks glow from his words, or maybe that’s from her carrying our lovely miracle.
It was her aura that was different, not her appearance.
“It’s true, you are positively glowing,” Noah says.
She licks her lips, and her stomach grumbles, the reminder that she needs sustenance.
“Now,” I say, reaching for the cloth napkin and placing it over her lap. “Let’s get you fed. You are eating for two now, after all.”
Her light laughter is music to my ears.
“Not quite two just yet, but I am peckish,” she replies as Noah reaches for the cutlery, gets a small forkful of food, and brings it to her mouth.
“Open up,” he says. Her lips pull into a smile, but she shakes her head.
“Are you seriously going to feed me?”
I nod. “Yes, we are. Now, open up for Noah, I want to hear you moan.”
The blush she graces us with this time is for an entirely different reason, but one I still very much enjoy evoking from her.
We spend dinner discussing plans that we need to start making as we alternate between feeding her and eating our own food.
By the time dessert arrives we allow her to feed herself, the moans that escape her are worth it. It’s an interlude to the noises I want her to make when we take her home and eat her for our second dessert.
Any ideas I might have had for a second dessert are squashed by the time I pull into our garage and turn off the engine, the interior lighting up.
Turning in my seat, I unclip my belt. Jessica is passed out on Noah’s shoulder, and it’s only now I realise how exhausted she must have been.
I can see the slight bags under her eyes.
Noah is already carefully unclipping his and then her belt as I climb out and open the door.
“I’ve got her,” I say, “You get the door.”
He nods, and rushes ahead, turning off the alarm as I follow him inside before setting it again and then make my way to our bedroom. Jessica barely stirs, her cheek resting against my shoulder.
Walking into our room, I glance at the bed and can’t suppress my smile. It’s covered with some of her clothes and there’s make-up still strewn across the throw. I love that she’s now comfortable enough to be fully at home. It took a long time for her to truly settle.
It helped once we moved here, starting a new chapter. Thankfully, Noah joins me, quickly roundingup her stuff, and puts them on thechaise longue, allowing me to lay her down. I remove her heels and drop them to the floor.
Her handinstinctively goes to her stomach, her lips in a slight smile. Even in her sleep, she’s protective of the special cargo.
I just stare at her for a few minutes, soaking in every detail, in absolute awe.
Noah moves beside me, and I turn to pull him into my arms as he stares down at her too, his expression much like my own.
“I never thought it was possible to feel happiness like this,” I admit to Noah, not that it’s really news to him, he knows me better than I know myself.
He nods. “It’s surreal, isn’t it?”
“Yes. You know, I never thought myselfa prayingman, but when you had your surgery, I prayed to any power that would listen to protect you. I would have swapped places with you in a heartbeat.”
He turns his face towards mine and palms the back of my neck, pulling me closer.
“I know, and I love you for it.”
I lean in, his lips meeting mine for a slow sensuous kiss and he pulls back, a smirk on his face.
“You wanted second dessert, didn’t you?” he asks, his eyes flicking to our beautiful wife as she fidgets, trying to get comfortable.
“I did but hold that thought. Let’s get Jessica changed.”
We work together and successfully remove her dress and bra, leaving her in only her lace knickers before slipping her into one of Noah’s t-shirts.
And I retrieve her wipes from the ensuite and carefully remove her makeup.
“You know you’ll make an amazing dad,” Noah says as I throw the wipes into the bin.
“One can only hope,” I reply as I begin to strip out of my clothes, because right now I’m desperate to pull our sleeping wife into my arms.
Noah strips down too, fighting a yawn.
“Tired?” I ask him.
“Yeah, I think today caught up with me.”
I nod and lean in to kiss him before tilting my chin towards the bed. “In you get.”
Jessica has migrated to the centre of the bed like she always does, and Noah climbs in beside her.
“I’ll be right back.”
Heading back downstairs, I check the alarm before grabbing a couple bottles of water. By the time I get back to our room and place a bottle on each nightstand, Noah has already succumbed to slumber, his hand resting protectively over Jessica’s stomach.
I get in on my side, switching off the main light, leaving only my bedside lamp on.
I stare at the loves of my life, one of which is carrying our future—our legacy—and I make a silent vow to be the best dad I can be.
I’m not a perfect man, and I often question how I got to be so damn lucky, but I’m a selfish man because when they both agreed to be mine, I knew I’d never let them go.
I’ll spend my entire life showing them how much I don’t take that lightly. They are my beginning, my middle, and my end—now and always.