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I groan, the throbbing in my neck a dull ache, my muscles screaming in protest, every joint stiff and sore as I crack open an eye.
“Fuck.” I sit up and grunt, my back cracking when I stretch. I’ve endured fights that haven’t left me half as tender as this goddamned sofa.
"You looked ridiculous curled up on that tiny couch," Tyley's voice comes from the attached kitchen, a hint of amusement in her tone. "Like a tree frog squished into a shoebox."
I offer her a sheepish grin as I make my way to the table, where a fresh cup of coffee is waiting for me. "Yeah, well, call it part of my penance."
"You didn't have to stay the night, you know? You could have gone back home after we talked."
"Nah, I wasn't about to leave my baby mama all alone in this tiny apartment," I kid, trying to cut through some of the tension still lingering between us with a bit of humor, but Tyley doesn't smile back at me.
"Don't call me that."
"Sorry, sorry," I hold my hands up in defeat, not wanting to start another war, not so soon anyway. "All I meant to say is that I wanted to be close by, just in case."
"Well, you can't very well take permanent residence on my sofa until the baby is born, so..."
"No, I can't, but you can move back home with me."
Tyley almost chokes on her coffee, giving me a startled look. “What? You can’t be serious.”
“Only until we find you a good place of your own, a larger apartment with everything the baby will need. Everything you’ll need.”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to afford that any time soon. This apartment fits within my budget.”
“Tyley, after what I've put you through, you deserve a payday."
"That's not why I'm doing this," she shakes her head, removing her hand from mine and wrapping an arm around her waist.
"I know it isn't," I whisper, standing back up and stepping toward her. I stretch out my arm tentatively, coming to rest my hand on her belly this time. It's only then that I feel the subtlest of bumps. "Let me be there for both of you, please, Ty."
There's a moment of hesitation, and I let my thumb roll over her stomach. The realization that soon I'll become a father feels more and more real with each passing moment.
"Fine," she says at last, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
I nod, feeling myself smile.
"Now, let me take you out for breakfast. You're eating for two, right?"
She lets out a soft chuckle, and though things aren't all the way right yet, I feel I'm now on the right path. "That's not how it works, but yeah, I'm starving."
I watch as Tyley pours even more syrup onto her pancakes, and I'm damn well not foolish enough to comment that the whole 'eating for two' cliché might be true after all. Ty could eat a second and third serving for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and she'd still be as stunning as the day we met.
“Did the press conference go well?” she asks after taking a sip of coffee, and I wonder if she really cares or if she’s just making conversation.
“Well enough. Some journalists were shocked, and others seemed to expect it. I answered about a hundred questions that seemed basically the same. Where do I take it from here? What’s next for me? Am I going to spend the rest of my days in some beach retreat enjoying the sun, or will they hear about me again?”
She lets out a soft chuckle and shrugs. “Most of those guys just need some filler content for their blogs and online newspapers.”
“Yeah, I suppose they do.”
“So, what are your plans? I mean, if you’re not fighting, you’re going to have an awful lot of free time on your hands.”
“I’m opening a store. Tate was the one who suggested it, actually, though he kept begging me to put the retirement off for a couple more years. He's going to help me promote my new brand and says he wants to turn me into some kind of fitness guru in the long run. I told him to do his thing; he’s good at what he does. “I hesitate for a moment, wondering if it’s the right time to bring up the baby, but if not now, then when? "So, how far along are you?"
"A bit over three months. Well, according to all the books and the doctor, I should be thinking in weeks, so thirteen weeks. To be honest, it's still sinking in for me; it feels so surreal.”
I nod, and once again, that powerful whirlwind of emotions stirs within me. Only this time, pride is nowhere to be found, thank goodness.
