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“Still calling it eavesdropping?”
“If the shoe fits.”
Chuckling, he whirled away with my daughter in his arms, calling back to me. “Eat, Catherine. We’ll be waiting for you.”
It seemed like I should have been panicked that he’d taken Joey out of my sight. I searched within myself but couldn’t find more than the shred of worry that was my constant companion these days. In this, I trusted Elliot. He was the last person I would have thought of volunteering for baby duty, but Joey had that way about her. She was irresistible.
I tried to make fast work of my breakfast despite Elliot urging me to take my time. He wouldn’t understand that five or ten minutes of alone time was a luxury at this point in my life.
That came to a tragic end when the sounds of Joey’s cry hit me in the gut. They were soft, but she was revving up.
Shit. I’d taken too long sipping my coffee and scrolling through social media. She really only cried when she was hungry, so she must have run out of patience.
“I’m coming,” I called.
I placed my plate in the sink, rushing now as her cries got louder. My breasts started tingling like they did when she was upset. I mentally flipped through my morning to recall whether I’d put pads inside my tank this morning.
Elliot rounded the corner with a red-faced Joey. “I tried. I’m sorry,” he said over her cries. “Did you eat?”
“I did, it’s fine.”
I reached for her, and his gaze drifted down to my chest as he was handing her over. I didn’t want to look because I already knew what was happening from previous experience.
His wide eyes returned to mine after seeing two big, wet circles on the front of my gray tank. “You’re—”
“Leaking. Yes, her cries turn the tap on. It’s nuts how my body responds automatically.” I swayed with Joey and patted her bottom, pissing her off even further. She wanted one thing and one thing only. Girlfriend would not be satisfied until she was fed. “I’m going to nurse her now.”
Averting his gaze, he nodded. “I should go. I’ll be home late, but text if you need anything.”
Elliot made a hasty exit without a backward glance. Poor guy had obviously never seen a leaky boob. Then again, neither had I before Joey. Bodies were weird yet incredibly beautiful.
I had to giggle at how quickly he’d gotten out of here, though. Elliot Levy, who intimidated some of the most powerful men in the world, squicked out by a little breast milk.
I grinned down at Joey as she latched on to me.
“I guess we know Elliot’s kryptonite, Joey-Girl.”
The next few days were quiet in a good way.
I rarely saw Elliot after our first morning in his house, but he left me notes every morning along with a prepared breakfast.
To be honest, I was somewhat relieved he wasn’t around much. I had no idea how to react to the little ways he was taking care of me because, to him, that was probably what they were—small, insignificant. But to a girl like me, who’d been kicked out of her house and family when I was barely more than an adult, it was massive.
The note he left me this morning said my reprieve was coming to an end.
Catherine,
Coffee’s in the refrigerator. I left the last pear for you. Eat it. It’s the perfect ripeness.
Do you like Thai food? Text me when you’re up to let me know. If yes, I’ll bring it home tonight. It’s time we talked about what’s going on with your house.
Can we also talk about when you’re coming back to the office? Daniel has been at peak vibration all week. I’m not certain either of us can sustain much more of this.
Yours,
Elliot
P.S. Tell Josephine good morning for me.
