“Nah.You know I’m easy.”He pushes away from the counter and takes the bowl to the sink.
Tanner angles toward me and smiles, the two little nubs of his bottom teeth emerging.
I tap his belly.“You’re a charmer,” I whisper.“Just like your daddy.”
Easton turns from the sink.“I need to get dressed.I’ll leave you two alone for a little bit.”
I want to screamno, just stay here.I need a warm-up day when we’re battling this one together.But I don’t say anything.That’s unfair to him when he’s doing so much for me in this exchange.
I asked for this, so panicking isn’t an option.
“Sure.”My voice cracks, so I’m not sure I give off the air of confidence I was hoping for.
He goes to change, and thankfully Tanner is good with his puffs, so he doesn’t get upset.
When Easton emerges from his bedroom, grabbing his backpack, he walks over to the high chair.“Daddy has to go to work, and Miss Hadley is going to watch you.She’s taking you to a bookstore.”He talks to him the entire time he takes off the tray and unbuckles Tanner.
I have so much to learn, but I’ve fumbled my way through Naples, where motorbikes were buzzing by me, and I survived Burning Man.I can do this too.
He holds Tanner out to me, and I’m still so in my head about how I’m going to keep this kid safe that I don’t realize it right away.
“Sorry, part of the deal is you have to carry him.”
I stand and open my arms.“Yeah.Of course.”
I take Tanner from him, and the baby slips into my arms, his pudgy legs going around my hip as if it’s natural, even if it feels so foreign to me.To him, it’s not.
Easton smooths his hand over Tanner’s head.“There you go.She’s good people.”He kisses Tanner on the cheek, then gives me a kiss too.His lips are warm and familiar on my cheek, and some of the tension eases in my shoulders.“See you at dinner, honey.”He chuckles but sobers quickly, that famous cocky jokester dying.“Thanks again, Hadley.I put the front office number on a piece of paper on the counter if you can’t get a hold of me on my cell.I’m just at the stadium today if you need me.”
I nod, and he laughs.
“I get it.I was the same way after Callie and Penelope left me alone with him the first night.It gets easier.”
How can he be so trusting of me?No one has ever given me so much responsibility and expected me to succeed.
“See you at five or so.”He kisses Tanner one more time and picks up his backpack, giving me one more glance before walking out the door.
Tanner’s arms reach out when Easton is out of view, then his bottom lip quivers as tears well in his eyes.
Shit.I so do not have this.
ChapterEleven
Easton
Iarrive at the stadium, but instead of getting dressed, I find Jagger not only in the locker room, but at my locker.
This isn’t good.
All the shit I’ve been dealing with this past week, and now my agent is here to tell me I’ve been traded before the season has even started.
“It sucks that he’s not even getting The Pancake Man,” Decker says.“Hazel loves that place.”
Jagger appears relaxed in his expensive, perfectly tailored suit, bullshitting with my friends and teammates who are also his clients.
“Look who finally showed,” he says with his usual arrogant air.“You’re late.”
I glance at the clock on the wall.“Like, a minute.”
