Page 68 of Moonlighter
“I want to go home and choose colors for the baby’s room. Girly colors.”
“Were you really going to wait and be surprised?”
“Yep. I didn’t want to get attached. Not until I’d dealt with Jared and whether or not he’d sign away his rights. I felt like I didn’t deserve her until I knew I could keep her safe.”
“Hey.” I lift my head. “Safe is a done deal, Alex. We’ll get this done.” After the words come out, I realize I put myself into that sentence. “Max knows a lot of tricks,” I hedge.
“I know. But I want this baby.Thisbaby. I’m done beating myself up for past mistakes. I’m ready for her now.”
“That’s right. You’ve got this.”
She’s quiet for a moment. “You’re a good friend, Eric.”
“I know.”
She chuckles. “But not a modest one.”
“Nope. You want modest, you need another friend.” I smile into the dark, because it’s all true.
“You can go back to the hotel, you know. You don’t have to stay here and wait in that chair.”
The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. “We’re friends, right? Friends don’t leave friends alone in strange hospitals.” I get up out of the chair, walk over, lean down and kiss her cheek. “Try to sleep. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No. But if they clear me to leave in the morning, you can call Rolf and get him to pack up our hotel room. I just want to get on the plane and go.”
“Okay. Sure.”
“In fact, if you want to warn the security team and Rolf, that would be helpful. Rolf can put the plane on standby for eight a.m.”
“Good idea. Is there anyone else I can call for you? Your dad?”
She shakes her head. “Nah. Let the man sleep. There isn’t any news, anyway.”
“Right. Okay. I’ll make sure we can go home when you’re ready.” I stroke a hand over her hair, then take my weary self out into the tropical night to find a place where I’m allowed to make some calls.
And just like that our strange little tropical fling is ending early. I’d never wanted to come to Hawaii. And now I feel sick about leaving early.
It doesn’t make a lick of sense. But some things never do.
17
Alex
“Alex. Time to wake up.”A hand pats my upper arm.
Someone is trying to wake me, but I’m not having it. I screw my eyes more tightly closed and press my face into the pillow.
“Alex, we’ve landed.”
“No.” Whatever the man is saying, I really don’t care. My bed is comfortable, and my body is heavy with exhaustion.
“The car is on the tarmac.”
Tell someone who cares.
“Alex.” Soft lips meet my cheek. And then a big, solid body fills in all the empty spaces around me. His knees tuck against mine, his arm reaches around to hug me. “Come on, honey. It’s time to move. And I know you don’t like it when I pick you up and carry you.”
Sometimes I do, my subconscious prods.I like it a lot. Especially against the door…
