Page 22 of Best Laid Plans

“I gotta tell you, Nat, Tatum is something else. She’s so smart and articulate for a…what, three-year-old? And she’s so damn funny. Almost everything she said had me in stitches. I can tell a lot of that is how you have raised her; you’re an amazing mother.”

I’m gonna puke. Exorcism style.I try to open my mouth to reply, but a small sob gets stuck in my throat. Alden, misreading my reaction, wraps me in his strong arms. “Shh. You’re good girl; you’re good.”

But he’s wrong. So wrong. I’m far from good, and when he discovers all of my truths, he’ll see.

“Th-thanks.” I pull out of his embrace, even though it feels more comforting than hot cocoa on a rainy winter day. “I-I better get Tatum…it’s p-past her bedtime.”

He can tell something’s off with me—hell, I’m acting like I’m fresh out of the loony bin—but he nods all the same as he presses a hand to the small of my back and guides me to the house.

Back inside, I quicken my pace, causing his hand to fall away. Being this close to him is not good for my sanity. Working with him his bad enough, but physical contact…yeah, it’s too much.

We find everyone exactly where we left them, gathered around the kitchen table. My brother catches my attention, his eyes narrowed at the two of us like he just caught us toilet papering his house. I hope he’s not putting together any of my puzzle pieces—I’d like to keep them scattered for now, thank you very much. I shrug, and he arches a brow, silently sayingwe’ll talk later—though to which one of us, I’m unsure.

Tatum is seemingly out cold. Now, I just have to hope she doesn’t wake up when I move her. I attempt to gently lift her from my dad’s chest, but she instantly wakes, letting out an ear-piercing shriek.

I gently pat her lower back and rock her a little in my arms while whispering soothing words into her ears, but my girl is having none of it. She rubs at her eyes with her tiny fists before pointing toward Alden, muttering something under her breath between bouts of angry-tired-toddler sobs, but I can’t quite make out what she’s saying.

“Say that again, Tater Tot. Mama can’t hear you.”

This time she speaks clearly. “I. Wants. Alden.” With her arms stretched wide, she flings herself in his general direction, her momentum causing me to topple. Luckily, Alden is close enough to stop me from tumbling to the floor. He smoothly takes her into his arms, and she contentedly snuggles into his chest, her eyes already slipping shut.

I shoot him an apologetic look, but he only smiles. And I mean he really smiles, beaming from ear-to-ear. After making the rounds of telling my parents and brother goodbye, Alden yet again walks out to my car with me. I watch on in awe as he effortlessly deposits her into her car seat. He makes an attempt to buckle her in, but laughs and steps aside. “I think this part is best left to the pros.”

Once she’s safe and secure, I back away, and Alden softly shuts her door. “Thank you for—”

“Don’t worry about it. Like I said earlier, that girl is something special. I’m shocked she doesn’t have your dad and Nate more wrapped around her little finger than she does.”

At that, I laugh. “Don’t let her fool you. You just distracted her tonight.”

His upper lips curls in a half smile. “Not gonna complain. She was the best part of my entire week.”

I smile and wonder if he’ll feel the same once he knows she is his. Because ready or not, it’s time for Alden to know the truth.

14

Alden

After this past weekend,thoughts of Natalie and Tatum have taken up residence in my brain, and like squatters, they refuse to leave. Saturday night after everyone left, Nate cornered me and asked me what was up with his sister and me.

Wanting to keep my balls, I lied. Told him I didn’t know what he was talking about. Told him she was an employee and a friend and nothing more. Utter bullshit, because I can totally see Natalie becoming myeverything.

And her little girl? Damn, I may have only just met Tatum, but I already feel fiercely protective of her. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t really have a father figure, or maybe it’s because she’s Natalie’s kid. Hell if I know. We justgoteach other. It’s like her brain and mine connected on a whole other level.

One thing’s for sure, I’m honored to know her, and that’s not something Ieverthought I’d be saying about anyone’s kid other than my own.

Still, I can’t stop wondering about Tatum’s father—no, not father, sperm donor. Howanyman could leave those two is beyond me. Nat is sexy, smart, selfless, funny, driven…the whole fucking package. And Tatum, my God, I’ve only met the kid once and can already tell she’s amazing. She possesses all of her mother’s best features and for some reason, we justgoteach other. It’s like her brain and mine connected on a whole other level.

I asked Nate about the father when he broke the news all those years ago that Natalie was going to have a baby before she even finished high school. He said she didn’t know for sure who her baby daddy was…or she wasn’t telling.

Hell, I even shot her a message asking about it all, and while it was read, it went unanswered.

But what reason would she have to keep it under lock and key?I know for damn sure if I knocked someone up, I’d want to know. I’d want to be present and to help…to know my child. I swallow down the bitter memories that threaten to invade. It’s fucking crazy how Mia has managed to poison so much of my life with her lies.

For real, though, that shit pretty much blew my mind. My Small Fry has always been a good girl, and the thought of her letting some dude between her legs when she probably should’ve been studying lowkey pissed me off. Which is kind of absurd. What right did I have to be upset over her doing the same things I was doing at that age? I told myself I was merely feeling overprotective of her—like a brother. Except, the uninvited thoughts I had of her from time to time were far from brotherly.

* * *

Natalie

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