Page 17 of Just One More Affair
She took a taxi to his building, walked up one flight, and knocked on his door. He greeted her, immediately pulling her into a hug.
“How’d it go with the baby daddy?” he asked, concern in his tone.
“Jared was so nice,” she said and burst into tears.
Leo wrapped an arm around her, patting her back, then bringing her into him. She absorbed the much-needed hug before stepping away. “I’m okay. Just overly emotional.”
He nodded in understanding, taking the bag with the six-pack and the ice cream. “Come in and we’ll talk.”
She followed him into the apartment and to the kitchen, where he grabbed a bowl and spoon. He scooped out the ice cream, handed it to her, took a beer, and they settled in the family room on the sofa across from the massive TV.
“Tell me about what happened this morning,” Leo said.
Skipping the part about how she’d blurted out the pregnancy news before Jared could kiss her, she explained what a gentleman Jared had been and how she’d lucked out twice.
“Then why the tears?” Leo asked.
She dug out a spoonful of ice cream and savored the flavor before answering. “I’m overwhelmed. The apartment issue is hanging over my head. Either I’m on a corner bordering a not-so-great area or I’m in a luxury building in an apartment Jared knocked the rent way down on, doing me a favor.” She continued to eat as they spoke. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m so grateful and I’m aware of how fortunate I am. But I hate feeling like a burden.”
Leo shrugged. “Is a favor really so bad? It doesn’t seem like it’s an issue for him or he wouldn’t lower the price. And same with Noah, who you said offered to help out.”
“I have pride, you know. I want to feel like I can support the girls on my own.” Without relying on a man who might one day decide to opt out of her life.
She placed the empty bowl on the table, spoon inside.
Leo shifted so he was facing her. “Not every man is your father, Charlie. Noah’s been rock solid for more than ten years. What makes you think Jared won’t be?” he asked, ever the voice of reason.
But he didn’t know what being abandoned felt like. “I just want to feel like if something changes, I won’t be in a bind with nowhere to go.”
Leo rolled his eyes.
“Don’t do that. I’m serious.”
“So am I. You didn’t make any of these children alone. Their fathers are willing to step up. Swallow your pride and let them.”
She swallowed hard. “I’ll give it serious thought.” Though it hurt her need for independence, she had a hunch that ultimately she’d have to give in so her girls were in a good place.
Which would put her in close proximity with Jared, the man she couldn’t get out of her mind for reasons that had nothing to do with her having his baby.
Chapter Seven
Despite the morningsickness Charlie couldn’t shake, which surfaced on and off all day, she took the girls to the Museum of Natural History, as promised. Dylan loved the Butterfly Vivarium where she saw hundreds of species. Dakota, naturally, flipped over the pupae incubator where she viewed chrysalises and watched butterflies emerge. Thanks to Egypt, Charlie was used to the eighty percent humidity in the enclosure, but it didn’t help her queasy stomach or dizziness.
She sat with the girls while they shared a cheese panini and she sipped on a cup of iced decaffeinated tea. After the space show and movie, which were hits, they toured the dinosaur exhibit, a place Charlie used to frequent with her own mother.
She also used to bring the girls before she left for Egypt. It warmed her heart to be able to share the foundation of her love for archaeology with her children, and it gave them something unique to bond over.
Once their long day ended, she brought the girls back to Noah’s for the night. Charlie had a meeting scheduled with Jared to do a final walk through the available apartment and make a decision, but she wanted to talk to Noah first.
Once at Noah and Fallon’s, Charlie turned to Fallon. “Can you take the girls to get something to eat? I need to discuss a few things with Noah.” She didn’t mean to exclude Fallon but she needed the privacy from the kids.
“Little ears,” Dakota said with an eye roll.
“Yep. The parents need to talk,” Dylan chimed in.
A grin lifted Fallon’s lips at their word play and she glanced at the twins. “Who wants homemade cookies?”
“Me!”
