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“He’s been incredible. Just sleeping in between staring at me. Amy had me feed him, and he drank it all up, did a big burp, followed by a dopey smile, which meant something I didn’t understand until Amy cued me in.”
Brielle laughed. “Don’t ever tell Nick this, but Tate’s never been that content in his arms.”
I looked at my ex and realized she did have the ability to be kind after all, and I appreciated it more than she knew at this particular moment.
“I’ll never tell.” I looked back down at my son.
There were so many questions churning through my mind. Brielle and I weren’t together. I lived in Wisconsin. She lived in Chicago when she wasn’t busy traipsing around the world with her hedge fund fiancé, so how would I get to see my son? Who would decide on the day-to-day tasks? His schooling?
My heart raced with the unknown as Tate stirred in my arms, his little mouth puckering as his blue eyes opened to see mine.
“I’m so relieved.” She sighed, stretching her legs.
“Really?”
She nodded. “You’re a natural.”
“I am in awe, Brielle. We did good.”
Her eyes connected with mine, and she nodded. “It’s the one good thing that came out of… us.”
I chuckled, nodding. “When we go out, we go out with a bang.”
She smiled, watching Tate, and brought her eyes back to mine.
“I don’t know how else to say this, but I want to be a part of my son’s life.A big part.”
“Absolutely.” She nodded.
“I already missed so much of my little man’s life that the thought of missing any more firsts is crippling.” And it was true. I didn’t understand how, in the span of seconds, I suddenly didn’t care about the world spinning around me as the love I felt for my son swelled up inside me.
“Nick and I discussed options, and we have no problem sending Amy up with Tate whenever you’d like to visit him.”
Visits with him? I wanted more than that.
“Brielle, I don’t just want to visit Tate. I want to help raise him. I don’t know what that means or how that looks, but that’s what I want.”
She was eerily quiet for a few minutes as my pulse pounded. I certainly had done well for myself, but I was no match financially for someone like Nick. If they wanted to drag this through the courts, it would be financially debilitating.
Brielle stood and walked over to the window, looking down at the city. “Nick said this might happen.”
“It did.”
She turned slowly, bringing her gaze to mine. “It’s why I took so long to decide how and when to tell you. Once I found out my son wasn’t his, I knew I would tell you. I just needed time to acclimate to all the what-ifs.”
I nodded. “I understand.”
“And I don’t want people to think I’m a terrible mom.”
I frowned. “No one would.”
She shrugged. “My family already disapproves of me having nannies.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. I knew who in particular would in her family. “So, your mom is willing to watch Tate round the clock?”
Brielle laughed. “So, what are you thinking, Hunter?”
“Shared custody.”
