Page 57 of Conflagration
She laughs and moves away just as Branson makes his way over to me, baby in tow. He leans down and gives me a kiss on the cheek, the baby taking the opportunity to wrap his little fingers around my hair. Laughing, I tickle under his chin as I use my other hand to pry my hair loose.
“Hey, little guy,” I murmur, and he grins up at me, melting my heart in an instant. Looking up at Branson, I raise an eyebrow. “Want to introduce me to your little buddy here?”
Branson repositions and lifts the baby high in the air before bringing him down and placing him on his hip. “Babe, this little guy is Jacob, my godson. Jacob,” he says to the infant, picking up his hand and making a waving gesture, “this pretty lady is my fiancée, Ari. Now, little man, I know you’re a ladies’ man and all, but this one’s off-limits.”
Laughing, I can’t help but find the whole exchange endearing. “Ahh, so this is the infamous Jacob. I was hoping I’d get a chance to meet him tonight.” Leaning in closer to Jacob, I whisper stealthily, “Don’t tell him this, but I think you’re pretty darn cute.”
Branson turns, shielding me from the baby. “Hey! I heard that!”
“So did I, and she has a point. He’s definitely cuter than you are.” A pretty blonde, who I recognize as Lucy, Charlie’s maid of honor, walks up, patting Branson on the arm as he hands her son over. She holds out a hand to me, and I take it, appreciating her warm smile. “Hi, I’m Lucy. I wanted to meet you last night, but this little guy’s daddy got called into work and I had to take off before the rehearsal dinner.”
“Hi, Lucy. I’m Ariana, but you can call me Ari if you want. It’s so nice to meet you. You have quite the handsome little guy here,” I gush, my biological clock winding up and getting ready to tick.
“Thank you. He’s a handful, that’s for sure, but we love the heck out of him. And this guy here,” she says, patting Branson affectionately on the arm again. “We couldn’t have done it without him.”
I’m taken aback at her words, unsure of what she means. Sure, Branson’s mentioned his godson, but he’s never gone into detail on how it came to be. And since I was content with being vague about Benjamin, I never wanted to push him to share. Lucy must sense my confusion, and she wraps an arm around my shoulders, turning me slightly.
“He didn’t tell you, did he?” she asks astutely.
I shake my head and watch as Branson places his hands in his pockets, looking uncomfortable.
“See the bench just to the left of the stage? Don’t sit there. At Knox and Charlie’s engagement party, I was resting, pretending the pains in my uterus were actually from gas, when, in reality, I was in labor. This guy,” she says, gesturing to Branson, “helped keep me calm through my contractions. That bench? I was sitting there, excruciating pain in my abdomen, and Branson came up and held my hand, not even caring when my water broke all over his suit. I will never be able to thank him enough. It was a no-brainer to make him Jacob’s godfather. Although I’m seriously considering revoking that card from him since he kept you a secret.”
I laugh, knowing all too well what she means. “Trust me. I’ve learned he’s full of mysteries, so don’t feel bad. He told me he had a godson, but he left out all those details. He doesn’t seem to like the recognition, and I think that’s part of why he wanted to keep our engagement a secret, at least through Knox’s wedding.” The lies are becoming increasingly easier to tell, and if I’m not careful, I’m going to start believing them myself.
Lucy laughs. “That he doesn’t. I had to practically force him into accepting the godfather role. He didn’t think he deserved it, but even Kale was grateful someone else’s hand was nearly broken that day.” Her eyes twinkle as she lovingly looks down at her son and then back up at me.
“Okay, ladies. I am standing right here. Either you stop talking about me or I’m taking the little guy and getting us both far away from you two.”
Lucy and I both laugh, and Branson just shakes his head at us before looking down at Jacob, his finger gently touching his sweet, little nose.
“Women. Don’t even think about ever trying to understand them.”
Jacob coos and gives Branson an adorable smile as he holds his hands up, squealing when Branson takes him and holds him high up in the air.
Tick… Tick… Tick…
My internal biological clock starts ticking off the charts as I watch the grown man and baby boy watch each other with affection. I take a step back, swallowing hard.
Lucy must notice it, as she leans in and whispers in my ear, “You look like you’re not sure whether to mount him right here or be scared shitless.”
My eyes not leaving Branson, I respond. “I’m pretty sure it’s the latter.”
Lucy chuckles and pats my arm reassuringly. “Trust me. I felt the same way when I found out I was pregnant.” She sighs, and I tear my eyes away and look at her, seeing the adoration in her eyes. “But Jacob and his daddy are the best things to ever happen to me. And when I see Branson with him, I know you have nothing to worry about. He’s going to be one hell of a father. You two will make gorgeous babies.”
I want to agree. Hell, Idoagree, and that sends a wave of pure terror through me. Here I am thinking of weddings and babies, dreaming of a future that’s not mine. I need to take a step back. My emotions are heightened from the wedding, and if I’m not careful, I’m going to be laying my heart out on the line to him—something I’m not sure either of us is ready for.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I tell her, plastering on a fake smile. “We still have a lot to do before we even think about starting a family.”
“I don’t know about that,” she says, turning back to Branson and her son. “Looks to me like he could settle into the role pretty easily. And if I’m any indication, no amount of planning matters when the time is right.”
Before I can respond, Branson steps closer and holds his arms out to Lucy, Jacob dangling in them, still smiling from his playtime. “I love this little guy, Luce, but he’s all yours now.”
Lucy takes him, sniffs, and then rolls her eyes at me. “Men. They’re all big, bad, and strong until they get around a dirty diaper. Then they become huge wimps. It was nice to meet you, Ariana. We’ll chat later.” With that, she takes Jacob and heads inside, leaving us both to watch after her.
Branson slides an arm around my waist and pulls me into him, placing a kiss on my temple. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I didn’t think pictures would take that long, but even Charlie, the most down-to-earth bride I’ve ever met, went a little crazy with the photographer. And naturally, my brother had to indulge her.”
Even though he’s trying to sound annoyed, I hear the affection in his voice and know it wasn’t that much of a hardship. “It’s no big deal, babe. Andi kept me occupied with the long, extended version of her romance with Cohen. And let me tell you, she was detailed.”
