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Mr. Prater shook his head. “I’m all right with the name change. I don’t think it’s in the child’s best interest to be using a serial killer’s name, anyway.”
The judge nodded. “All right then. Pending DNA tests, we’ll reconvene in a week’s time. The name change has been granted. As for now, you two will co-exist in that NICU. Mom takes the morning. Dad takes the evening. There will be no fighting in between,” she raised an eyebrow at Eerie, looking at her pointedly. “Please think of your child for now, Ms. Foster. It will only help your cause later.”
With that, she slammed the gavel down and walked out of the room.
“That went better than could be expected,” Swayze admitted. “I think that you did well, keeping your calm.”
She looked at Nathan as she admitted that. “You could’ve done a lot of harm like Eerie did, yet you kept your cool. Good job.”
“So what now?” he asked, looking briefly at me before returning his attention to his lawyer.
“Now we get your DNA test. We wait for the results, and then we hope that the judge sees Eerie for the jerk that she is,” she said, uncaring that Eerie and her lawyer could likely hear every single word.
There was a loud snort and then an, “I’m going to the NICU to see Stanley. I have an hour before it’s considered ‘afternoon.’”
Swayze cleared her throat and said, “Not Stanley. Darren. Or Dare if you’d like. I’ll make sure that the hospital is aware of the name change, too. And, ma’am, technically the morning and the afternoon are separated at the twelve p.m. hour. As of right now, it’s my client’s turn.”
Eerie did not look happy.
Me, on the other hand? Yeah, I was fucking jovial as we walked out of the courthouse hand in hand.
“That look on your face makes me want to kiss you,” Nathan said as he led me to his bike.
I grinned and took the helmet that he’d procured for me at an estate sale—helmet prices were ridiculous. And I’d seen this one driving down the road with him on the way home from visiting the baby one day.
“Then what are you waiting for?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he kissed me.
Later that night, after I’d gotten into bed and Nathan had crawled in beside me, he’d startled me by saying, “I want this to be real.”
I’d lain there in shock for a few long seconds as I’d processed his words.
“You want what to be real?” I asked carefully.
“I want you and me to be real.” I heard his head move on the pillow, but since it was so dark, I couldn’t see his face. “I want this to be a real marriage. I want you to fall in love with me.”
Too late.
Way, too late.
“I know it’s early yet,” he continued. “I know that this is something that is likely not going to happen overnight. But I want this marriage.”
He was saying all the right words, and he had no fucking clue that he was doing it, did he?
“I…” I paused. “I’d do just about anything for you, Nathan. Even marry you, have a baby that wasn’t mine, and deal with you having the scariest job on the planet.”
I didn’t say that I already loved him, though.
I had to make sure that what he said was true.
I knew that he wanted them to be true. I knew that he had great intentions. But I had to guard my heart or he’d break it.
“So you’re willing to give this,” he said, placing my hand on his heart, “a try?”
“Am I willing to try to fall in love with you?” I asked curiously.
He hummed in agreement. “Yes.”
I felt tears welling in my eyes at his words. “Then yes. I’d be willing to give anything a try.”
I’d be willing to give you the heart right out of my gaping chest if that was what you asked for.Chapter 21
I know life is unfair, but this is fucking absurd.
-T-shirt
Reggie
“I’m sorry, but what?” I asked, thinking that I hadn’t heard it correctly.
“Your drug dealer friend was let out on bail, and they gave him the kid,” Nathan repeated. “Can you believe that?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. “That’s… irrational. What the absolute hell were they thinking?”
“I have no clue,” Nathan admitted, sounding much more tired than when he’d left this morning. “Are you headed to the NICU?”
Since Nathan was working tonight, I had the day to spend with my little guy all on my own.
The only problem was I’d have to pass Eerie all by myself on the way in and her way out.
It was going to be grand, I just knew it.
I also knew that she wouldn’t leave until I got there. She ‘didn’t want to leave him alone.’
More likely, she just wanted to make things difficult for us.
