Page 113 of The Hotel Room

James sat across from Nick at a corner table in the bar. It wasn’t the dimly lit haunt Nick preferred but a brighter, quieter spot where they could talk without raising their voices. James nursed a ginger ale—his alcohol-free choice these days—and Nick sipped something stronger, his expression a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

“So?” Nick asked, leaning back in his chair. “You called me here with that ‘I’ve got news’ tone. What’s up?”

James hesitated, a faint smile breaking through the seriousness that had settled over his face. “Kate’s pregnant.”

Nick froze mid-sip, lowering his glass with exaggerated slowness. “Pregnant? Like—another baby?”

James nodded, unable to help the small swell of pride in his chest. “Yeah. Another baby.”

Nick shook his head, letting out a low whistle. “Man, that’s…unexpected. But congratulations, I guess? How’s she doing?”

“She’s…handling it,” James said, his voice soft. “It’s been complicated, you know, with everything that’s happened. But she’s strong. And amazing. She always is.”

Nick studied him for a moment, his brow furrowing. “And you? How’re you handling it?”

James exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I’m overjoyed. And scared.” At Nick’s curious expression, James went on. “I’m scared that I’m not worthy. Not of this baby, and not of Kate. But I’m trying. Therapy’s been helping.”

“How is that going?” Nick asked, leaning forward slightly. “Doing the work?”

James nodded firmly. “It’s been hard—facing all the things I screwed up, really looking at myself—but I want to do it. I owe that to Kate. To the kids. To myself.”

Nick’s gaze stayed steady, his tone uncharacteristically serious. “Good. You can’t half-ass this, James. You know that, right?”

“I know,” James said quietly. “I’m not. I swear.”

Nick nodded, satisfied for now. “Okay, so what’s the plan? You and Kate back together or what?”

James hesitated, the faint smile slipping from his face. “No. Not yet.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, ‘not yet’? You’re living in the same house, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” James admitted, his voice tinged with a mix of hope and regret. “At first, she stayed in the guest room for a while.”

“And now?” Nick asked, his gaze sharp.

James hesitated, the corners of his mouth tugging upward in a faint, almost sheepish smile. “Now the guest room is being converted into a nursery.”

Nick’s brow lifted. “So, where’s she sleeping?”

James rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the heat creep into his face. “With me. Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“She, uh…” James cleared his throat. “She uses me as a pregnancy backache sleeping aide.”

Nick’s lips twitched, and he shook his head. “That’s one way to put it.”

“It’s not what you think,” James added quickly, his voice softening. “It’s not about sex. She needs me to help her sleep. I…God, Nick, I’m so glad I can be there for her like that. Even if it’s just that. I’ll take it.”

Nick studied him, his expression unreadable for a moment before he spoke. “And what about her? What does she want?”

James stilled, the question hitting him harder than he expected. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice low. “I’ve told her I’ll do whatever she needs but I haven’t outright asked her what she wants. Not really.”

Nick leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. “Then maybe you should. Because you can do all the therapy in the world, but if you’re not giving her the space to figure outwhat she wants—what she needs—then you’re not really fixing anything, are you?”

James nodded slowly, the weight of Nick’s words settling over him. “You’re right.”

Nick smirked faintly. “Of course, I’m right. I’m the smart one, remember?”

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