Chapter 12 #2
I muddled her advice through my head as I processed it, and of course, she was right. She usually was when I sat down and calmed my racing mind.
“You’re right. As per usual,” I said as I took a sip of the tea.
“How’s it been bein’ around him again?” she asked, and I groaned.
How’d I know she’d eventually go there?
“It’s awkward. I keep waiting for him to get mad or snap at the situation, but he doesn’t. He keeps things all about Luke and seems genuine in wanting to get to know him and be in his life. He asked me if I planned on leaving,” I told her.
“And what did you say to that?”
“I told him I wasn’t planning on it.” Which was the truth. I knew when I returned and Leo found out about Luke, I’d have to replant roots in my hometown. And I was finally okay with returning.
“Did you mean that?” I hadn’t discussed my future plans with her. I just told them I needed to come back, not how long I’d planned on staying.
“Yeah, Mom. I did.” She smiled ear to ear at hearing my news.
“I’m glad you’re home, honey,” my mom said.
We finished our tea and discussed how I planned to decorate the house, something my mom loved to do. She’d take over if I’d give her the go-ahead, which if things stayed the way they were, I might just let her.
Once we were done, I stood and leaned down to give her a hug.
“Thank you for everything, Mom,” I said as I hugged her tight. I meant more than the dinner, advice, and tea. I meant everything they’d done for me.
“Anytime, sweet girl. Anytime,” she said as she wrapped her arms around me.
I got Luke and headed home.
He yawned in the backseat the whole way, staying quiet the entire ride, which wasn’t like him. He must’ve been tired after the day he’d had with my parents.
I pulled into our driveway and looked in the backseat. He was nodding off, and I smiled at how much he fought the sleep that tried to pull him in.
After I grabbed my bag, I got out of the SUV and closed my door quietly, so I didn’t scare him. I rounded the SUV and opened the door. Luke grumbled something as he leaned toward me to carry him inside.
“What was that, buddy?” I asked as I unbuckled him and picked him up.
“Can I say goodnight to Dad?” he asked as he lay his head on my shoulder.
I closed the door and turned to look in the driveway next door, noticing Leo’s red pickup truck parked.
“Let’s go see if he’s home,” I told him as I kissed the side of his head and walked over to the house next door.
I shifted Luke in my arms as I walked up the porch steps. It wouldn’t be long until he was too heavy for me to do this.
Lifting my hand, I knocked on the door and stepped back, hoping Leo answered so Luke wasn’t disappointed.
The door opened, breaking me out of my thoughts.
Brooks stood on the other side of the doorway and stared at me in shock.
“Is Leo here?” I asked warily. I knew that Brooks and Holden knew about Luke, but they hadn’t met him yet.
“Um … yeah. Is everything okay?” he asked as he looked between me and Luke. Back in the day, Brooks was always the cautious one, the one that would go out of his way to make sure everyone was okay. It was nice to see at least that hadn’t changed.
“Yeah. He’s about to fall asleep, but asked if he could tell Leo goodnight,” I told him as I lifted Luke in my arms to situate him again.
“I’ll go get him,” he said as he hurried away from the door.
I walked up and down the porch as I waited for Leo to come outside. It was easier for me to carry Luke when I was moving rather than standing still.
Leo rushed out the door minutes later putting on a white T-shirt.
“Everything okay?” he whispered as he walked right up to me.
I had to back away to look up at him.
With him so close, I could smell his cologne and memories of the past threatened to enter my mind.
I cleared my throat and told him that Luke wanted to say goodnight.
“You’re sure everythin’ is okay?” he asked as he ruffled Luke’s hair and checked him over.
“Yeah, I’m sure. He was almost asleep when we got home and when I picked him up out of the SUV he asked to tell you goodnight,” I told him and looked over at Luke to find him fast asleep.
“You need help carryin’ him next door?” Leo asked. The hopeful look in his eyes told me he prayed I’d say yes.
“Yeah, that’d be great. He’s almost too heavy for me to carry.”
His hand brushed against my arm as he carefully took Luke out of my arms, and I sucked in a breath between my teeth due to the spark that ignited at the heat of his touch. Luke settled into him, wrapping his arms around Leo’s neck.
We walked over to my house in silence. As I walked up the steps, the light from the porch illuminated the wooden planks and I noticed there were new boards replacing the old ones.
I searched for my keys in my bag once we got to the door, thankful for the porchlight that automatically turned on once the sun set so that I could see inside the bag to find the keys.
Once I opened the door and we were inside, I took Luke’s shoes off and tossed them in the direction of the basket, not caring if I made it or not.
“You want to put him in pajamas?” Leo asked as we walked down the hall to Luke’s room.
“Yeah, he ran around outside a lot today,” I told him.
I grabbed a shirt and shorts out of Luke’s dresser. Leo laid him down on the bed and moved out of the way so I could change him. Carefully so I didn’t wake him, I got him changed in a matter of minutes.
Leaning down, I kissed him goodnight and moved out of the way so Leo could do the same.
Leo sat on the side of the bed and stared down at Luke for a moment before he felt around on the bed and found his favorite blanket. He snuggled it up beside Luke as he went to stand.
“Night, Dad,” Luke grumbled as he turned over and got comfortable in bed.
“Night, little man,” Leo said back to him before he leaned down and kissed his forehead.
I had to turn away from the sweet moment before Leo saw how it affected me. Seeing Leo with our son and how good he was with him did something to me that I didn’t want to think about. Because thinking about it would do nothing but cause me heartache in the end.
“Can we talk?” Leo asked after I walked him out the front door.
“Yeah, what’s up?” I asked, scared of what he’d want to talk to me about.
“I was wonderin’ when you’d feel comfortable enough for me to have Luke by myself. I know you mentioned I could get him on Sundays, but I wasn’t sure when you were thinkin’ that would start.”
I hadn’t really thought about it to be honest. I knew I’d have to share my time with Luke, and Leo wouldn’t always want to spend his time with Luke here on his evenings with him, but I wasn’t ready to let go just yet.
“Um…” I started to say, trying to come up with a way to explain my feelings on the matter.
“If you’re not ready, that’s understandable. He doesn’t know me very well yet. It’s just, my parents want to meet him, and I thought Sunday at dinner might be a suitable time since everyone will be there,” Leo rambled.
That would make sense. Luke was a people person and loved meeting new people. I just wasn’t sure if having the entire Courtright clan together would overwhelm him or not.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you with him or anything. I think Luke would be fine alone with you since he’s already so comfortable around you. It’s just…” I said as tears welled in my eyes.
I turned away to try and mask my emotional state. I didn’t want Leo to see me like this.
“It’s just what?” Leo asked, his voice now above a low whisper.
“It’s always just been Luke and me. Well, and Lexi and Neil, but they aren’t here now. I guess I just haven’t gotten used to the idea of sharing him. It’s selfish, I know,” I admitted.
Leo tensed at the mention of my friends, and I should probably explain their relationship with our son. Luke would likely mention them around Leo eventually, and it’d be a promising idea for him to know about them beforehand.
“Lexi and Neil are my friends. Friends who are now together,” I explained.
Leo’s shoulders relaxed, and his body wasn’t tight with uncertainty anymore.
“I get it. You can join us if that’d make you more comfortable,” he suggested.
It would, but if I had to guess, his siblings didn’t like me very much based on how I'd left and now returned with a child Leo had never known about.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Have you even had the chance to tell Ainsleigh and Gentry about Luke?”
“Not yet. I keep missin’ the chance to tell them together. But I’m makin’ it my mission to tell them Saturday. Think about coming. If not, everyone can wait to meet him. It’s not like he’s going anywhere,” Leo said with a smirk.
“I’ll let you know. It shouldn’t be a problem, though. I’ll get used to him being with you. It’ll just be an adjustment.”
“Thank you. Night, Carolina,” Leo said as he gave me a thoughtful look before he turned and walked away.
“Night, Leo,” I whispered back, my throat clogged with emotion.