Chapter 6 #3
SJ had always been a good eater. His chubby little legs, arms, belly, and face were adorable, and his doctors said were completely normal for his age range as he reached his first birthday.
Pumpkin, along with SJ’s many aunts and uncles, used loving nicknames for SJ, like ‘chunkster’, ‘chunky monkey’, and ‘chubby bunny’.
He’d grow out of his baby fat one day, though Pumpkin wasn’t sure his heart could take it when he did.
SJ’s aunts already foresaw SJ being a heartbreaker when he was a teenager.
Pumpkin needed to figure out how early was too early to have the birds and the bees talk with his son. He was not becoming a teenage father, and not just because Pumpkin was far too young to become a grandfather in fifteen years.
Christ, what was he thinking? This train of thought was completely jumping the gun. Many adorable babies turned into ugly teenagers. Otherwise, there’d be a lot more beautiful teenagers and adults out there, right? It wasn’t too much to ask for his son to be one of them.
Glancing down at SJ’s two-toothed smile as he stared up at Pumpkin with a gooey face and full belly, Pumpkin knew that wouldn’t happen.
SJ looked too much like him , after all, and Pumpkin had been a heartthrob in high school.
It wasn’t entirely egotistical to think that when it had been true.
He’d just have to do what his mom did and teach SJ how to respect girls—or boys. Pumpkin didn’t judge or care.
After cleaning SJ up, Pumpkin turned to his own dinner.
Both Dosia and Frankie were almost done with the food on their plates.
He was a bit behind, but it wasn’t like it mattered.
When SJ started fussing, Pumpkin gave him his hand again.
Eating lefty was a bit uncomfortable. Pumpkin kept dropping things off of his fork.
It had been the same in rehab when his left cast had been removed before his right.
Having to be hand-fed like he’d just done with SJ had been humiliating and frustrating, especially if someone from the club had been visiting at that time, so Pumpkin had tried to learn how to eat with his left hand as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, he was just as bad at it now as he had been then.
Rather than twisting himself like a pretzel to give SJ his left hand so Pumpkin could eat with his right, Pumpkin took his hand back from his son. Pumpkin worked quickly, not wanting SJ’s unhappy noises to get louder.
Frankie put her fork down, offering to take SJ, but Pumpkin shook his head as he finished unbuttoning his shirt down to the middle of his abdomen.
He did not miss Dosia’s wide eyes as he revealed his tattoos and muscles.
They weren’t as impressive as they had been six months ago, but he was working to regain what he’d had and to not lose anymore.
The one good thing about spending the day in a wheelchair was that it was a good workout for his arms.
And Pumpkin wasn’t above using his body for more than just comforting his son.
As he picked SJ up out of the highchair and laid his squirming son against his bare chest, he was very aware of Dosia’s staring.
Careful not to bring attention to her, because he didn’t want her to stop, Pumpkin settled SJ over his left pec with his left hand under his butt.
SJ immediately calmed down and curled his little body against his father’s breast. This wasn’t as easy as it had been when he’d been a newborn, but skin-to-skin therapy was one of the few things Pumpkin had been able to continue to do while injured, and it hadn’t just calmed SJ.
Pumpkin dreaded the day when SJ was too old to need such contact anymore.
Picking up his fork with his now-free right hand, Pumpkin speared a bite of steak that Dosia had kindly cut up for him as SJ wound his little hand into Pumpkin’s beard, not caring as his father chewed his dinner.
Keeping his eyes on his plate, he did not miss the light, feminine sigh that came from his left. A quick glance to his right confirmed that Frankie was trying her damnedest not to laugh as Dosia openly stared at Pumpkin and SJ.
It was only when Piper came to refill their water glasses that Dosia jumped like she’d been tased, dropped her fork onto her ceramic plate, and bumped her knee against the table. Flustered, she tried to right herself.
Pumpkin turned and innocently asked her if she was okay.
Face flushed, Dosia tried to cover her cheeks with her hands as she nodded and hastily assured him that she was fine.
Piper finished filling their glasses and headed away again .
The table was silent for a long minute before Frankie leaned forward and stage-whispered, “Only thing that would make that sight better is if he was in sweatpants. I mean, he’s like my brother, but damn .”
Dosia’s head snapped up to look at Frankie. Slowly, she dropped her hand. She glanced Pumpkin’s way, saw he was watching her, and quickly flicked her eyes back to Frankie. A second passed before both women burst out laughing.
Dosia was going to Hell. Metaphorically, of course, because she didn’t believe in the doomed afterlife where souls of the damned dwelled, but it was the only expression she could think of.
She was in public at a steakhouse with her daughter’s unknowing father, his son, and his son’s nanny, and all Dosia could think about was tackling that man to the table and riding him till dawn.
Yup. She needed to change religions because Hell was definitely where she belonged.
Taking a long sip of water to try to cool herself down, Dosia fanned herself with her other hand. Gods above, was she ever going to get that image out of her head? Both the reality of man and baby sitting next to her and her fantasy about riding him.
Thank the gods for Frankie’s little joke, because Dosia needed the humor to help break her embarrassment for openly staring. And very likely drooling.
She wasn’t entirely over feeling flustered, but laughing was better than crying.
To keep the joke going, she lifted her right hand to the side of her face to block Pumpkin from her periphery. “There, now I can eat in peace.”
Frankie chuckled. “He’s pouting now.”
Dosia shrugged like she didn’t care, but it didn’t keep her from peeking around her palm to see that Pumpkin was indeed pouting.
Like a little boy who’d just lost a board game.
Snickering, Dosia moved her hand back into place.
“Good. So, you were telling me about how you are the club’s nanny, not just SJ’s? ”
“Well, yes and no,” Frankie hedged. Her eyes kept glancing back to Pumpkin and she couldn’t keep the smile entirely off her face. “I was hired as the club’s nanny, but after SJ came into the picture and I saw how helpless Pumpkin was with him?—”
“Hey!” came from Dosia’s right, but she refused to look again. Thankfully, she was better at eating with her left hand than Pumpkin had been.
Frankie gave her a knowing look and kept going. “I wanted to help him out more. He was single, and trust me when I say, he had no idea what he was doing.”
Dosia hadn’t either. “Babies are adorable, but a lot of work.” Where was SJ’s mom? It sounded like Pumpkin had been a single father from the start.
“When…” Frankie looked to Pumpkin and then back at Dosia. “When Pumpkin had his accident, he was in no condition to do anything. It was awful,” her voice cracked. “I was with SJ at the time, and I just… I felt responsible for him. So I went to Steel and said?—”
“Who’s Steel?” Dosia asked, interrupting.
“The club’s President,” Pumpkin answered as Frankie said, “He’s like the big, bad boss of the club. Total silver fox. Remember your reaction to Pumpkin and SJ? Just wait until you see Steel and his grandson. Your ovaries will never recover.”
Dosia laughed as Pumpkin let out a groan.
Frankie continued, “Anyway, Steel said I could take on SJ full-time until Pumpkin was recovered and hired on two others to help with the other club kids’ childcare.”
Until Pumpkin was recovered… Dosia recalled how unsteady on his feet Pumpkin had been, even though he’d still placed himself between Bart ley and her.
Frankie was still here, still SJ’s nanny.
She lowered her hand back down to the table and turned to look at Pumpkin, keeping her eyes on his face as understanding dawned.
“You’re not fully healed. Your accident, I mean. You’re still hurt, not just hurt ing .”
Pumpkin stared back at her. There was something in his eyes, something so close to shame that it broke Dosia’s heart, as he answered, “Yes.”
It was like he was admitting to a crime he was at a fault for.
Dosia pushed her plate away from her. She’d been done eating a while ago, but now couldn’t stand the sight of the food. What was the saying? ‘Don’t judge a person before you walk a mile in their shoes’? She’d judged. She’d judged him so harshly.
“I’m sorry,” she said, for more than he knew.
“I’m getting better, stronger, each day,” he assured her. His eyes bore into hers, like he was pleading with her to understand.
She realized then where she’d seen Frankie and Pumpkin the other day in town.
Their vehicle had been parked outside the medical center.
He’d been coming out of rehab or a checkup, she was sure of it now.
Her eyes glanced to his cane, still hooked over the back of his chair.
Likely he’d been using the stroller for balance.
“What happened?” she asked, her voice full of concern. “I know your bike was hit, but what happened to you ?”
Pumpkin continued to stare at her for a long moment.
It was Frankie who answered. “He almost died. Technically, he did on the way to the hospital but they were able to bring him back. It’s a miracle he’s doing as well as he is. Broke both legs and arms, half his teeth, ribs, burst lung, burst bladder, ruptured spleen?—”
Pumpkin turned to Frankie and said gently, “That’s enough.” Frankie clamped her mouth closed. Sighing, Pumpkin faced Dosia again. “I’m doing better,” he repeated, like he was trying to reassure himself along with her.
Dosia couldn’t help but reach out to touch his left arm. He had massive, tree-trunk arms years ago. She realized now that in addition to the beard and natural age-lines, he did seem smaller. Like he’d lost muscle tone. Which would make sense with the injuries Frankie had just listed.
“My aunt,” Dosia said without thinking. “She makes healing potions. I’ll see what she can make for you.”
Pumpkin looked surprised but not offended or disgusted by the word ‘potion’. “Thank you. My club brother’s woman is an acupuncturist. She’s done wonders, but I’d never turn down a healing potion too.”
Dosia cracked a smile, grateful for his acceptance.
Piper approached then with some to-go boxes and the dessert menu. “Think you have room for some cheesecake?”
“Yes, please!” Pumpkin licked his lips, which caused Dosia’s nipples to perk up again as if begging him to choose them over the cheesecake.
Dosia moved her arms. Despite her padded bra and dark outfit, she feared her nipples were still making themselves known. She noticed the time on her watch and balked. “Oh shit! It’s quarter to nine!”
Everyone turned to stare at her, and Dosia’s cheeks flamed.
“Do you have to be somewhere?” Pumpkin asked, concerned.
Dosia’s heart beat frantically in her chest. What was she to say, that she had promised his daughter she’d be home in time to tuck her in?
“Um, excuse me,” she said hastily.
Rushing away, she quickly pulled her phone out of her purse. The Uber app was still pulled up on the screen after she unlocked it. Stopping in the hall that led to the bathrooms, she scrambled to call Calliope.
It went straight to voicemail. “You’ve reached your local witchy babysitter.
Sorry I can’t come to the phone right now, but everything is fine here.
JJ is sound asleep after watching Frozen and getting Great-Grandpa to sing Let It Go with her four hundred times.
Go back to your date, Dosia. Enjoy yourself.
You deserve it. I’ll leave the backdoor unlocked for you. ”
Swallowing hard, Dosia brought her phone down, and with a shaky thumb, cancelled the call. She lifted her chin, closing her eyes, as she tried to convince herself she wasn’t a bad mom. She’d never missed a bedtime before.
Never.
A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump.
“It’s just me,” he said softly, his big body pressing against her back like a security blanket. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Dosia breathed in his scent of leather and mint and that intoxicating scent that was all male.
Forgetting herself, she leaned into his embrace.
His hands went down her arms, encircling her as he moved himself even closer.
A full-body shudder wracked her and he tightened his hold even more, but there was no fear.
She wanted him to squeeze more, to vow to never let go.
Slowly, not entirely sure what she was doing or if she should even be doing it, Dosia turned in the circle of his arms. In the dimly lit hallway, she stared up into his dark eyes.
She lifted her hands to his face. The rough texture of his beard scraped along her palms and made her think of all the places on her body she wanted to find his beard burn.
“Pumpkin…” His name came out like a question, but she had no idea what she was asking.
He seemed to know. He brought his head down to hers, pressing their foreheads together. They both took a ragged breath. Dosia’s eyes threatened to flutter closed, but she forced them to stay open, not wanting to miss a single second as Pumpkin lowered his mouth to hers.