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“You need some help cleaning up the kitchen?” he asked me as he approached.
“Yeah…thanks.”
Was I thanking him for sticking up for me or for offering to help clean? Both, I decided, and more. If Wes hadn’t walked in just now, I would’ve been left alone to deal with Ben’s parents, the kids and the work I somehow had to get done in the next hour and a half.
“You guys planning on changing Benny or should I do it?” Wes asked.
“I’ll do it,” Susan said, getting her grandson from his high chair and taking him upstairs without another word.
Wes grabbed a towel from the island and started wiping down cabinets.
“Hey, where’s my lunch?” he asked.
I turned to him, ready to tell him where he could stick his lunch, and saw him smirking. Both of us burst out laughing.
“I’ll make lunch,” he said. “And I can finish cleaning up if you’ve got stuff you need to do.”
“No, I’ll finish. But if you’ll make lunch, that would be great. I also told Annalise we’d find one of Lauren’s cookie recipes and make them this afternoon.”
“I’ll help with that.”
“Thank you.”
He moved closer, and I couldn’t name the emotion in his eyes as he looked down at me. “You want to talk about last night?”
The kiss. My body warmed at just the mention of it. I shook my head, because I knew if I tried to say anything about that kiss, I’d embarrass myself and say something stupid like “it was awesome” or “you’re super hot”.” I’d die before I let that happen.
No, I was going to keep both my dignity and my cool by not saying a word about that kiss. There was no chance of it happening again as long as Patrick and Susan were here, but after that…
I didn’t know whether Wes would want to kiss me again, or if maybe he’d want more, but I knew I wanted it. I’ve never been Team Wes, but my body had decided to join his fan club in a very big way.
Wes looked from newborn Annalise’s peaceful, sleeping face to mine, his eyes wide with wonder.
“She’s so little.”
“Isn’t she perfect, though?” I smiled down at the soft bundle in my arms, whispering because Lauren and Ben were finally asleep.
It had been a long thirty-six hours, Lauren’s labor progressing slowly. Ben only left her side once, because he had to pee, and I felt for him during the three minutes I spent holding Lauren’s hand while he was gone.
It was hard to see someone you loved in that much pain. Even with help from an epidural, Lauren was having a hard labor and she was exhausted.
But you wouldn’t have known it once her daughter made her entrance into the world. My best friend was smitten with her little girl, crying tears of joy as she held her for the first time, her smile more radiant than ever.
She’d fallen asleep sitting up in her hospital bed, and Ben was snoring from a recliner in the corner. All four of Annalise’s grandparents were in the waiting room, anxious to see and hold her, but Wes and I were taking our turn first.
He had been here for the whole delivery, not coming all the way in the room but occasionally sticking his head in the doorway and asking how it was going. He’d asked Lauren in the middle of a rough contraction how she was feeling and she’d just screamed, sending him fleeing.
“She looks like Ben,” Wes whispered.
“She looks like a squished raisin,” I countered, laughing softly. “There’s no way to tell who she looks like yet.”
“Nah, she looks just like her dad.” He grinned. “Can I hold her?”
I frowned. “She’s delicate, Wes. You have to be really careful.”
“I’m not a complete dumbass. I know some things.”
“Have you ever held a baby before?”
He shrugged. “Not this young, but I’ll be fine.”
“Hmm. Thought you might have at least one baby mama by now.”
“Don’t be petty, Hadley. I want to hold my goddaughter.”
“Okay, okay. Hold your arms out,” I whispered.
He cradled his arms and I passed the warm, sleeping baby from my arms to his.
“Make sure you support her head,” I cautioned.
Annalise wiggled and wrinkled her face up as Wes took her, and he gave me a look of alarm.
“Shit, she’s gonna cry,” he said. “Take her back.”
“Just hold her close and rock her a little. You’ll be fine.”
He wrapped his arms closer around her, his hands as big as her little head. When he looked up at me, his eyes looked a little watery.
“I’m an uncle,” he whispered, grinning.
It was hard to dislike him in that moment. Wes was taken with little Annalise, and I’d never admit it out loud, but he looked sexy as hell holding her.
“You are,” I said, smiling back.
“Will you grab my phone from my pocket and take a picture?” He turned one hip toward me. “Phone’s in my left pocket, and don’t try to cop a feel while you’re in there.”
