“Is it bad Daddy is happy we aren’t going to the hospital?” he whispered to Mad.
“Daddy.” Mad slapped Jake on the side of his head.
Laughing, he spotted Maz’s bag and bent to grab the handle. “Yeah, that’s right. Daddy.”
Maddox giggled and burrowed his face into Jake’s neck.
Walking wasn’t the only thing Mad was behind on. After Jake had gotten Mad back last year, he’d hit a lot of baby milestones in line with the experts’ suggestions but walking and talking weren’t on the list.
Jake had been worried the drugs Renee had constantly given Mad over the three weeks she’d had him had affected his development but when the pediatrician pointed out he needed to let his son make a noise without jumping to fill in the words and he’d have to actually put the boy down on the ground so he could learn to walk, Jake had admitted the only person affecting Maddox’s development was him.
He hadn’t been a helicopter parent before Renee had taken Maddox and it pissed him off to think he’d let her destroy one more thing.
From that point on, he had encouraged Mad to talk and explore, whether on his hands and knees, or his unsteady feet. Surprisingly, it had only taken a couple of weeks for his boy to find his feet and he was doing well toddling about now. He was catching up fast.
The talking was coming along too, and Jake had vowed to relax about Mad’s development. He’d spoken to Maz, who’d put him in touch with a friend of hers from LA who specialized in pediatrics. He had felt a lot better when the woman had told him it was fine for Mad not to string more than a few intelligible words together at his age.
Jake frowned when he remembered her also telling him there would come a point where he wished his soncouldn’ttalk. He wouldneverwant that. Not after knowing what it was like to live in a silent house.
“I thought you were putting that in the car?” Ry interrupted his thoughts as he came up behind him.
“Where’s Maz?” He glanced over Ry’s shoulder but didn’t see her.
“Changing. And not just her shoes. I swear, if she makes me deliver our boy in the front seat of the car on the side of the road I will not be happy,” Ry grumbled as he stepped from the house into the garage and hit the button for the roller door. He held his hand out for the bag Jake still held. “Here. I may as well take that now.”
“Ah.” Jake let him have the bag as he looked in the direction Ry had come from. “Shouldn’t you be helping her?”
“Not if I want to keep my balls attached to my body.”
“Huh?” He turned back to Ry.
“It’s why I’m trying to rush the woman out of the house.”
“Ah…Huh?” Jake had no idea what Ry meant.
“I’ve read the books, watched the videos.” His friend shuddered. “She’s at the ‘call the baby’s father every name under the sun and threaten bodily harm’ stage of labor.”
“Oh.” Jake nodded like he understood what Ry was talking about except he didn’t. He was clueless. He hadn’t been there when Maddox was born.
One more thing Renee had fucked up for him.
Cuddling Mad closer, he banished thoughts of his ex and asked, “Do you need me to do anything?”
“Nah. We’ll be good once we’re on our way. Do whatever you want for dinner.” Ry grinned. “We won’t be home to eat tonight.”
“No. I guess not.”
Ry clapped him on the shoulder. “Make yourself at home and don’t wait up. Even if Maz has the baby tonight, I’ll stay with them until tomorrow. And if all goes to plan, we should all be home tomorrow night.”
“All of you? Seriously?” That couldn’t be right.
“Yep. Barring any complications, they’ll be home within twenty-four hours.”
“Wow.” Jake shook his head. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sure will. Oh, and Maz doesn’t want anyone coming to the hospital to visit even if she’s there longer than a day, so just do whatever until we come home.”
“Do you need me to go shopping or…get something ready for the baby?” Jake had no idea what to do with a newborn. He hadn’t known he had a son until social services turned up on his doorstep with a six-month-old.
