Page 70 of This Wild Heart

Sheila tilted her head. “Who, dear?”

“Oh my gosh, did you guys get a puppy?” Poppy gasped. “Please tell me it’s a puppy.”

Parker grimaced. “So close, Pops.”

Because I didn’t think Parker would know how to unhook the car seat from where it was locked into the base, I gave him a quick look and opened the back door to the truck, leaning up on my toes to be able to reach into the center of the bench in the back seat.

My heart rolled over because Leo was just waking up, his forehead wrinkled as he yawned. “Here we go, buddy,” I whispered.

I came around the side of the truck with the car seat in my hand, and Sheila went stock-still. Poppy’s mouth fell open.

“What the hell is that?” Poppy whispered.

“Some people call it a baby,” Parker said slowly. Poppy leveled him with a fierce glare. I elbowed Parker in the stomach, and he muttered a curse underneath his breath. “Sorry,” he told his sister. “I think I’m having an inappropriate stress response at the moment.”

She gave him a look. “You think?”

Parker swallowed, pulling in a deep breath before he turned to Sheila. She couldn't take her eyes off the baby.

“Mom, this is Leo,” Parker said.

Sheila’s face had drained of color, and she blinked up at her stepson’s face. “Is he… is he yours?”

Parker and I traded a look, and I smiled a little.

“I don’t know yet,” he answered honestly, “but we should tomorrow.” Then he paused. “It’s likely, though, yeah.”

She sucked in a shaky breath and crouched in front of the car seat, deftly unhooking the straps latched in front of his chest. Her eyes were determined, even full of unshed tears. Behind her, Poppy stood with one hand over her very pregnant belly, the other hand over her mouth.

Sheila let out a smallOhhsound when she pulled Leo out of the car seat. He scrunched up his body, then stretched with a tiny groan.

“Hello, Leo,” she said quietly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man.”

Then she stood and tucked him against her chest. The smile on Sheila’s face was just love. Pure, perfect love.

Parker wrapped a hand around the back of my neck, and my eyes fluttered shut at the firm hold.

Tap, tap, tap.

When I glanced up at him, his eyes were slightly red. Moving on instinct, I wrapped my arm around his waist and squeezed.

Poppy let out a harsh breath. “Holy shit, I’m going to start filming when everyone else arrives.”

Chapter 18

Parker

“I think we just tape a sign on the door or something,” Poppy stated, arching her hands in the air like she could visualize it. “A nice big one.”

From my seat at the dining room table, I gave her an unamused look, which she ignored. She was in Dad’s old recliner because she liked having her feet propped up, and one hand moved almost continuously over her belly.

Even though it was Poppy, and even though I’d been here a few times since he died, every time I saw that fucking chair was a punch to the gut. I let out a slow breath and tore my eyes away.

“A sign?” Anya asked. She was in the kitchen making a sandwich, and I tried to decide whether it was too early totap, tap, tapmyself right back up to the privacy of my old bedroom.

Which I’d be sharing with Anya and Leo.

Just a casual little sleepover with the two people who threw my entire fucking life upside down. If I slept poorly before, it was almost a guarantee I wouldn’t get much now.

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