Page 93 of Labor of Love

“No worries. We’re not going anywhere until you come back,” I joked. The nurse laughed at my lame dad joke and hurried out of the room to find a chair for Audie and Rowan.

Once she was gone, Rowan and I gave each other awkward looks even though we had spent the last three days in each other’s company. There’d been an unspoken agreement until now to table any discussions about the messed-up situation we’d found ourselves in. But now, leaving the safety of the hospital, we couldn’t avoid it.

“I’m sorry for upending your life,” Rowan offered.

“We’ll figure it out. All you should be concerned about is taking care of Audie. I’m a big boy. I can wait until it’s a better time. You need someone with you, and I volunteered for it. That’s it.” I hated how scared and worried he looked. It seemed bigger than nerves about being with a newborn. “Audie is a great baby, and you’re already a great daddy.”

“Okay, but I still owe you an apology.”

“There’s nothing to apologize about. It is what it is, and we’re just gonna figure it out. Let’s wait to worry until we have more time to talk it out without feeling rushed. The only thing you should be focused on right now is ensuring Audie is taken care of, and that’s a full-time job.”

Rowan accepted my deflection and dropped the subject. By the time the nurse returned, I felt like things were back tonormal between us. Once the nurse gave me the clear to leave, I hustled downstairs to get the car and be waiting at the curb when Audie and Rowan came through.

When they appeared, I opened the back passenger door so Rowan could get Audie strapped into the seat. Once finished, I expected him to climb out and join me in the front. Instead, he hesitated and looked at me from his seat.

“This probably sounds dumb, but do you mind if I sit in the back with the baby?”

“Why would that be dumb? It’s his first car ride. What if he’s nervous? What if he doesn’t like my driving? It’s a lot for a little guy to handle, Daddy.”

“Ha! I don’t know how to answer to being called daddy.”

“Some guys are into it…” I said with a suggested waggle of my eyebrows.

“No judgment, but I think I’ll stick to being Audie’s daddy and call it a day.” Rowan snorted.

“One of these days, you’ll actually get to sit in the front seat of my car.” He laughed like I’d hoped, so I hustled to the other side and slid behind the wheel. “Audie, are you ready to go see your new digs?” There was no response, but I had a good feeling about it.

The trip to my new temporary home took longer than expected, mostly because I drove no faster than five miles under the speed limit. I’d never had my kid in the car, and I wasn’t taking any chances. Thankfully, Rowan didn’t seem to mind at all. He narrated the entire trip. Audie slept the whole drive like the sweet boy he was. I hadn’t realized before how calming Rowan’svoice was. The man could narrate books, it was so inflective. I wish he would—especially the naughty bits.

“Silas, I appreciate you being careful on the ride, but I’m not sure the other cars do as much.”

“They shouldn’t be in such a hurry,” I said primly.

“Safety first,” Rowan laughed, unsnapped Audie’s carrier from the base, and lifted him out then grabbed my overnight bag from the trunk and the baby’s diaper bag from the backseat. With Audie hanging from his bent arm, Rowan led the way into the house burdened down with the baby and bags.

The last time I was here, I’d been too busy with Rowan to pay attention to the details. This time, he led me past the staircase into an open-plan living area. The furniture was in rich browns with valiant attempts at greenery. He’d likely neglected the watering because they all looked thirsty. The kitchen was small but efficient. Near the patio doors was a small round table, again in wood tones, that was stacked with miscellaneous baby items. Except for the table, there was no other clutter. The art pieces on the walls were watercolor landscapes that obviously hadn’t come from a big-box store.

“You must really like this artist,” I remarked after seeing they all had the same signature. The landscapes were mostly of rivers and flowers, but I didn’t recognize any of the locations. “I like these.”

“Well, it’s a cheap way to decorate when you paint them yourself. I’m not any good, but it’s an effective way to clear my mind from numbers.” A blush stained Rowan’s cheeks as he confessed his artistic secret.

“Hey, I said I liked them before I knew the artist, so it must be true,” I said and gently nudged his shoulder.

Rowan’s blush intensified, and he’d never looked cuter. Audie’s snuffled noises broke the spell, and the reason we werein this position returned to the forefront. Rowan pulled him from the carrier and snuggled him close.

“Yeah, well, anyway.” Rowan cleared his throat and continued, “This is the living room and stuff. My office is over here and has a single bed. I hope it’ll fit you.” I followed him to the closed door and peered over his shoulder when he pushed it open. Two of the four sides were floor-to-ceiling windows. The shrubs from the backyard were tall enough that it felt like the room was directly in the garden. “Sorry for the mess.”

There was no mess. It had the lived-in look of a man who used his office. There were various books and printouts on the desk, but nothing else. In my studio, I’d call it clean. The bed was small, but it was better than the couch would be. My shoulders were the width of it, but I was a side sleeper, so it wouldn’t matter anyway.

“It’s not messy, and I’ll be fine,” I said with a shrug.

Rowan shot me a questioning look but didn’t argue. “Let me show you the nursery.”

We trooped upstairs and turned at the first door. Inside, Rowan had created a beautiful forest for his—our—baby. Woodland creatures danced around a fire, and firefly lights twinkled around the curtain rods.

“I agonized over this room.” Rowan chuckled, but the edge of embarrassment was unmistakable.

“There’s not a kid in the world who wouldn’t love this room. Good job, Daddy.” Rowan rolled his eyes but didn’t turn quickly enough to hide his pleased smile. “You told the nurse you wanted a proper shower. Why don’t you let me take over Baby A, and you go do that?”

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