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“You want to berate your husband some day?”
That was a strange question. “Not on a daily basis, I hope.”
He chuckled. “I meant in the delivery room. I was asking you if you wanted to have kids some day?”
“Oh.” I laughed. “I totally missed that.”
“Kinda figured that from your answer.”
I thought for a minute before responding. “I never really thought I’d get married, much less have kids. I guess my parents didn’t give us the best example. Even before everything happened with Owen, all they did was fight all the time. I remember playing house with my friend Allison when we were in elementary school. She’d pretend to be the mom and be baking a cake in the fake oven, and I’d be the dad and come home and pick a fight. Her mom overheard us play-arguing one day and thought we’d gotten into a real fight. When we told her we were playing house, she asked why we were yelling, and I said because the daddy came home. I remember her just staring at me, not knowing what to say.”
Chase squeezed me.
“I started to see things a little clearer as I grew older, realizing not all families were as dysfunctional as mine. But by then, I was already checking under the bed two and three times when I walked in the door. I guess I just couldn’t imagine having a family of my own when I was afraid of imaginary things that lurked in my apartment.”
“Sounds like what you really need is someone to make you feel safe. The rest will just fall into place.”
I pulled my head out from its comfy place in the crook of his shoulder and looked up at him. “You might be right.”
If only it were that easy.
***
It was after five in the morning when a booming voice woke us. Evan looked exhausted, stunned, and out-of-his-mind happy when he announced he had a son. He and Chase exchanged hugs and talked for a few minutes before Evan said he’d better go check on his wife.
“Room 210. I have to get back before she convinces the doctor to give me a vasectomy without anesthesia. But they said she’ll probably be in her room within the hour.”
Chase headed to the lobby to get us some coffees while I went to the bathroom to wash up. I had some dried drool on my cheek, and my hair looked like a giant rat’s nest, even though I’d slept sitting up in one position. Splashing some water on my face, I realized I was about to meet Chase’s sister for the first time.
Over the last few days, it felt like our relationship had changed. It wasn’t just physical anymore. Chase and I had shared a lot about our lives and the things that made us who we were, and now I was already about to meet some of his family. Things moving this fast would normally scare the crap out of me. Yet I found I was more anxious and excited than nervous.
***
Anna was the spitting image of Chase—only somehow his rough edges were smoothed out, and his masculinity had been replaced with feminine beauty. I smiled at the way his sister lit up when she saw him.
“You’re here?”
He pecked her cheek. “I couldn’t listen to you complain about missing it for the next fifty years. Of course I’m here.”
Evan slapped Chase on the back. “Come on, walk with me to the nursery. They should be finished cleaning him up by now.”
Chase did a quick introduction for Anna and me before leaving the room with his brother-in-law.
“I had a feeling I’d meet you eventually,” she said.
I was surprised she knew anything about me—even that I existed.
“Congratulations. I’m sorry if I’m intruding. I wanted to keep Chase company while he waited. I can wait outside and give you some privacy.”
“I just had half the hospital staring up my gown. Getting to shut my legs feels like privacy at this point.” Her smile was genuine.
I laughed. “Did you pick out a name for your son yet?”
“Sawyer. We’re naming him after my Dad. Sawyer Evan.”
“That’s beautiful.”
“Thank you. I’m glad Chase brought you. He talks about you at our weekly dinners. I’ll admit, I was curious.”
“Curious? Why?”
“He doesn’t usually talk about women, doesn’t bring them to any family events, and definitely doesn’t leave them alone around me.”
I smiled. “He’s afraid you’ll tell all his secrets?”
“Yep. And I better hurry and do it because the nursery is only down the hall.”
I thought she was kidding, but then her face turned serious.
“My brother is a great guy—ask him, he’ll tell you,” she joked. “But the thing is…underneath all that cocky arrogance, I think he’s afraid of a relationship.”
“Because of Peyton, you mean?”
Anna looked surprised. “You know the whole story?”
“I think so. Can’t say I blame him for being nervous about getting close to anyone after what happened. People are afraid for much less than that.” Like me, for example.
