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“That’s a terrible idea!” I blurt. “What happened to letting her know he’s still thinking about her?”
“That’s what the flowers do without any pressure,” Rob explains like he’s teaching a toddler how to toilet train. He focuses his attention on Mike again. “Chocolate is a good way to vary it up, but I wouldn’t send jewelry right now. That’s too much for where you’re at.”
“Too much pressure?” I roll my eyes.
“Yeah,” Rob says. “It is. You can’t force a woman to love you. You can only remind her that you’ll wait patiently for if or when she’s ready.”
That is something Rob has experience with. Mike damn well knows it because he’s the one who explained it to me in terms even a two-year-old could understand.
He blows out a breath. “Okay, so bottom line—no pressure, but I’m still here. Ready and waiting. Right?”
Rob nods and smiles sadly.
“Here.” I hand him a clean shirt. “You forgot this.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t need it. Time to play back up.”
Mike and I exchange a nervous glance as Rob leaves the bathroom on his own horsepower.
We watch shoulder to shoulder from the doorway as Rob reclaims his baby then unwraps the blanket burrito. He handles a pink newborn the same way he handles a football. Carefully. With unmatched skill. With reverence. I’ve never seen him cradle a football against his chest or nuzzle it with his face though.
“I love you,” he breathes into his son’s thick brown hair. “Your mom does, too. She’ll be back soon. Until then, I’m here, little man. Daddy’s here.”
I’ve known this guy since we were the ones wearing diapers. Accused him too many times of being too sensitive, of showing too much emotion when it wasn’t the time or place for it.
Watching him now, tears spring into my eyes and my throat swells. That’s his son, and he’s not a back-up at all. He’s the starter in the most important game he’ll ever play.
“We should find a shady spot to hunker down and wait,” I choke out. “Give the new family some time alone before things get chaotic.”
“What if Evie comes out of surgery?” Mike protests. “What if they need us? She asked us to be here.”
“We are here.” I grip his shoulder to steer him out of the bathroom. “We’ll be here if they need us again. This isn’t game over, it’s just a time-out.”
