Page 91 of Adrift

I run a hand through my hair, finding my mom’s soft gaze pinned to me. “I know she’s young, Ma. I get that. But she’s a hell of a lot more mature than I was at her age. There’s nothing I can do about her being the age she is or the fact that she was related to Sonia. All I know is that I’m crazy about her.”

Mom bobs her head, still smiling. “And she’s crazy about you.”

I shrug. “I hope so. I think so.”

Mom rubs my back. “I know so, Darian jan.”

“You do?”

She nods, chuckling again. “I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that you two were the last ones to know you were crazy about each other. I think everyone around you has already suspected it.”

I hear a car door slam shut outside and watch my son freeze on his spot in the living room. He examines me, questioningly.

“It’s Masee,” I confirm and he lets out a squeal, rushing to the window to see if he can find his aunt. He’s missed her presence all weekend.

“Mas!” His sweet little baby voice squeezes my lungs. He spots her in the window and waves. “Mas! Hi Mas!”

Both Mom and I get up when we hear Rani’s key in the lock. The door opens and I set my eyes on the woman I’ve been thinking about incessantly for the past three days. Has it really only been three days?

She looks at my mom before hitting me with a beaming smile, practically knocking me off my feet. “Hi!”

Arman gets to her before either me or my mom, and she kneels to shower him with hugs and kisses, making him laugh and squeal. “I missed you, my little monster.”

“How’s your dad, Rani?” my mom asks, getting Rani’s attention.

“Recovering.” She sighs. “It’ll be another week until he’s moving around more, but he was in good spirits earlier this afternoon when I left.”

“Good.” My mom closes the distance between her and Rani before grasping her face between both hands and bringing it down to kiss her forehead. “You’re a treasure, my sweet girl, a rare gem. And whoever has you,” she looks back at me pointedly, “should know you’re not just precious, you’re priceless.”

Mom pats Rani’s cheek–with a confused Rani staring back at her–before picking up her purse from the table near the front door. “I’ll leave you two to it.” She turns as if remembering something. “I managed to make dinner for the two of you when Arman was napping. It’s sitting in the fridge.”

“Thanks, Ma.”

Mom laughs, opening the front door. “You can go back to calling me Mom, Darian. You already have my approval.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Darian

Her arms are wrapped around my neck and she’s gazing into my eyes. Or am I the one gazing into hers?

“Do you want to put Arman down for bed tonight? I know he missed you.” I trail the tip of my nose against the side of her neck as I mumble into her skin.

She shivers inside my arms. “I can do that. Though, I’m surprised you’re letting me, considering the evening routine with him is at the top of the list of things you love.”

I place soft kisses over her neck, feeling her writhe against me. I don’t have to see it to know she’s getting worked up. “That list has grown since you came into my life. Now I’m up to two.”

I can hear the smile in her voice. “Mmm. I think something else is growing, too.”

I press my erection against her. “Yeah? What should we do about that?”

She pinches my side, making me bite her neck. She’s positively squealing inside my arms. “Nothing, because we have a baby to put to bed.”

We have a baby . . ..

My mind locks on to that little part of her sentence. We have a baby . . ..

What if we had a baby?

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