Page 12 of Jaime
I stared.
“Wow,” I breathed. “That—that’s a lot, Jaime. It would be for anyone.”
He took a shuddering breath.
“Not for you,” he argued.
I shook my head.
“No, Jaime. I would find that to be a big adjustment too.”
“Really?” he asked, and he looked so small suddenly, so vulnerable, that I wanted to hold him.
The desire to cross the table and pull the young man into my arms hit me hard.
If not for Evie still in my arms, I would have found it hard to resist.
“Do you have anyone to help?” I asked.
He shook his head.
“Well then... Good thing I’m here,” I found myself saying.
It was so wrong on so many levels. I shouldn’t be stepping in. I wasn’t doing it for the right reasons. Admittedly, part of me was sitting here because of those big brown eyes. The way he looked at me seemed to go straight through me, and I hadn’t felt anything like that in a long time. But he was young. And so vulnerable. He needed someone badly. I just worried about that someone beingme.
I didn’t have the best history with newborns. Seeing them ate away at me, especially little girls like Evie, with the pink onesies and baby blond wisps of hair.
But when Jaime shook his head and started to argue, I found myself arguing right back.
“Please,” I said. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night without at least making sure you’re both okay. Now that I’m here, I can’t just walk away.”
I meant that too.
It felt like I was glued to the seat and it would be nearly impossible to pass Evie back to Jaime if I didn’t know I could come back to check on them.
Jaime bit his lip, looking at me through those thick, dark lashes, before nodding.
I smiled as my stomach twisted with nerves.
I didn’t remember the last time I had felt so conflicted.
CHAPTER5
JAIME
It felt like a whirlwind,the way Ethan seemed to be flying into my life. I hadn’t expected anything from him oranyone, yet here he was, insisting. When he set down his coffee and rose to his feet, I followed, allowing him to explore my apartment as I trailed after him.
“There’s no bath,” he said. “How do you wash her?”
“In the sink,” I said, flushing. “The way my mom used to do it.”
He nodded like that wasn’t the wrong thing to do, and some of my shame eased.
“That’s fine,” he said. “Might be a bit easier on you if you don’t have to hold her though. Until she can sit up at least.”
Evie was awake again, her chin perched on Ethan’s shoulder while he made notes on his phone.
“Hello Evie,” I crooned, brushing my fingers against her arm for comfort really—which was odd, I supposed since she was an infant, but I felt out of my depth and scared and she was the only person here that I knew.
