Page 45 of His to Love
Chapter Twenty-One
Patton
“The doctor is coming over tomorrow,” I told my younger brother, Warner, over the phone. “Alexa is thirty-six weeks now. Only four more to go.”
“Seems like the end is near. How long are you guys planning on keeping up this marriage charade after the baby comes?” he asked me, making a knot form in my stomach with the thought of ending things with Alexa.
“We’re not talking about anything like that right now. She can’t have any stress. And I’m not worried about that anyway.” I didn’t want to get into things with him. I hadn’t told anyone about my true feelings for Alexa—not even the woman herself. But I had told them how I felt about the baby. “It’s not like I’m going to be in some kind of hurry to move my son out of my home.”
“But he’s not reallyyourson,” Warner reminded me.
Gritting my teeth, I hated the way everyone thought they had to point that out to me all the damn time. “I’ll be the only father he will ever know, so heismy son.” I had a feeling that my brothers were going to need a lecture on this subject.
“Whatever you say, bro.” he chuckled as if it was a joke. “Anyway, I’ve got a courier going to your place. He’s bringing over some papers you need to sign. If you can just sign them then send them back with him, I would be very thankful. Managing both the resort and spa side of this business is quite the handful.”
I’d started doing a lot of work from home. But Warner, being the middle brother of the five of us, liked to act like he was being put out every time he possibly could. “And I thank you for your help. I’ll be there for you when you need to take time off, too. I promise you.”
“Just remember to take care of yourself too, Patton. You’re bending over backwards for her and that baby. You’ve got to put yourself first some of the time.”
“Not right now, I don’t.” He could never understand. He’d never been in love before. Not real love. Not the kind of love where you put the other person before everything else. “And I don’t feel as if I’m bending at all. I feel like I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing.”
“So, youwantto be waiting on her hand and foot?” He chuckled as if I couldn’t possibly want that.
“I don’t consider it waiting on her hand and foot. I want to help her. I actually love doing it.” I’d had no idea I would ever love taking almost complete care of someone, but I did. “Probably because she neverexpectsme to do a thing for her, and she’s always happy and grateful for everything I do. It helps when someone says thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, sounding like he didn’t believe a word I was saying. “Joe just texted me that he’s at your gate. Go deal with that and I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay.” I was glad to get off the phone anyway.
It bothered me to no end that my brothers didn’t understand what I was doing where Alexa and the baby were concerned. Perhaps if I’d been honest about being in love with her, it would make more sense to them. But when one has four brothers who haven’t always known how to keep their mouths shut, and when one has a friend who can’t find out the truth, one doesn’t tell the brothers the biggest secret he’s ever had.
The doorbell rang as I was on my way to it. Alexa lay on the sofa, her Kindle resting on her belly as she entertained herself by reading an e-book. She looked up at me as I headed to the door. “Are you expecting anyone?”
“Yeah. Warner sent over some papers for me to sign. Don’t sit up. I won’t bring Joe inside, so you can stay put.” I knew she would try to make herself more presentable, instead of sprawling out on the sofa if she knew someone was going to see her that way. She often referred to herself as looking like a beached whale. If she was a beached whale, she was the cutest one I’d ever seen.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught her smiling. “You’re the best, Patton.”
“I try to be.” Opening the door, I stepped outside to deal with what Warner had sent over.
It only took me a few minutes to read the papers and sign them, and then I went back into the house only to find Alexa was not on the sofa anymore. Not thinking much about it, I went to the kitchen to see how dinner was coming along.
Following the doctor’s orders, Alexa only got up to go to the bathroom, so I knew that was where she was. And I needed to get dinner finished. I’d made roasted chicken with pears and pearl onions. The internet had become my best source for recipes, and surprising Alexa with new dishes was one of my favorite things to do.
I knew my life had to sound boring to the average man; it was anything but that to me. And Alexa seemed happy, too. She never complained or even looked irritated about having to lie around all the time. But I knew it must’ve been taking a toll on her.
“Patton?” I heard her call out to me.
Turning off the oven, I went to see what she wanted. “Yes?”
“I just wanted to let you know I’m going to take a shower.” She stood in the doorway of the kitchen, her hand on her back. “My back’s killing me from lying around so much. So I’m just going to let the hot water work its magic on my sore muscles. How long until dinner’s ready?”
“It’ll be ready for you whenever you get out of the shower. No need to rush. I’ll lay out something comfortable for you to sleep in, and I’ll bring dinner to bed.” I moved along with her, seeing her to the bedroom. “Other than the back pain, is everything else alright?”
“I guess so.” She rubbed her back, wincing with pain. “I’m just feeling worn out. Who would’ve thought that lying around for a couple of months could wear me out?”
I knew it was hard on her. She tried to make it seem as if it didn’t bother her at all. But I knew it did. “It’s not easy to be so completely immobile.” I hated seeing pain on her face. “Just get into the shower and let those jets get to work.” I kissed the top of her head. “I’m glad I found that shower chair with the back on it, so you’re more comfortable in there.”
“Me too.” Even in pain, she managed a smile. “I’ll feel better soon. Thank you, mi amor.”
