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The afternoon with Seb was easy and kind of fun. The nerves I’d struggled with to start had slowly given way to a sense of… not competence exactly, but at least a level of confidence that had shifted the energy between us, and Seb had begun to warm to me. I even got him to giggle. I considered wrangling both the baby and the pram down the flight of stairs so we could take a walk before deciding that the first time Seb was paraded through Valentine Bay, Will should be there. Still, I putsunshine,sand, andsaltwateron my list of things Seb needed to experience as soon as possible.
I used my phone to take about a hundred pictures and videos of him over the space of a few hours, wanting to capture as much as I could in case he did something cute or important that Will shouldn’t miss. When Seb took his afternoon nap, I scrolled through my camera roll and sent the best snaps and clips to Will,but the baby was only asleep for forty-five minutes before he was ready to get up again. After a little time on the mat and a small dinner of pureed pumpkin, I bathed him, gave him a bottle, and read to him. He was in bed just before seven, snoring quietly, and as I stepped out of his room into the darkening loft, I was more than a little impressed with myself.
As I’d done the last few nights, I took the opportunity while Seb was asleep and I waited for food, to set up my yoga mat. Tonight, I also lit the candles I’d packed into my yoga kit before turning the music on low. I moved through the asanas slowly, focussing on the breath and meditative actions more than the pull and push on my muscles. Bridge. Downward-facing dog. Cat and cow.
I had settled into wide-legged child’s pose, knees as wide as the mat, hips on my heels, arms extended and forehead on the floor, and was taking my last deep breath when someone cleared their throat behind me.
18
Abbie
“Holy crap!” I startledand flipped around. Will stood in the doorway, a bag of food in one hand, glass bottles wedged between his fingers in the other, and a flirty, dimpled smile on his face.
“Fuck, that’s sexy.”
I freakingblushed, for Christ’s sake, but he’d caught me mid-practice—the only time in my life when my defences came down. I wasn’t prepared for the banter right then.Shit. Twisting away so he wouldn’t notice the roses in my cheeks, I rolled up my mat and reached for my phone to turn off the music.
“What are you doing here?” I asked with my back to him, still kneeling on the floor.
I listened as he moved into the kitchen and started pulling out takeaway boxes, plastic forks, and paper napkins.
“Logan and Jess came in for a drink, and when he saw how beat I was, he insisted on covering the bar for me. I tried to say no, but then he got Noa involved, and that guy’s too big to fight.Noa’s going to close up for me so I can get a good night’s sleep.” Will snorted. “Should have told him about the sofa.”
The heat in my skin cooled enough that I turned to face him, feeling a little guilty about how my extended stay was impacting his rest. The couch didn’t look very comfortable, and I’m sure Will hadn’t slept on it for more than a night or two before.
“Is it that bad?”
Will cracked the lid on a bottle of pink liquid and offered it to me. “Half-strength pink margarita?”
My mouth twitched as I accepted the drink. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Would it buy me a ticket to the bed upstairs?”
Yes.
No!Bloody hell, Ellison. What happened to your self-control? Keep it in your freaking pants.
I gave him a sarcastic smile, though it took effort. “What do you think, babe?”
“I think you should drink your cocktail,babe.”
I took a sip and hummed with pleasure. Will made the best cocktails, even weak like this one. He handed me the box of chicken salad he’d brought home for my dinner and pointed at the sofa. “You get started. I’m just going to check on Seb.”
“Yum. Thank you.” I craned my neck to see what else was waiting in the kitchen. “Did you bring any—”
“Samosas?” He picked up another box and handed it to me. “I was afraid not to.”
I plonked myself on one end of the sofa and set my food to the side as I watched the monitor as Will crept into Seb’s room and leaned over his cot to get a closer look. It was kind of phenomenal how quickly Will had slipped into his role as a father. Despite all his doubts—or maybe because of them—he was good at this.
I dragged the coffee table back into place and set the monitor on it as Will collected his meal from the kitchen and joined me on the couch. The room was quiet, and the candles flickered while we ate. When Will finally set his meal aside, he stretched out his long legs and dropped his head back onto the sofa with a groan.
“Long day,” I commented, setting my empty cartons on the table and picking up my drink.
“Long week.” Will dragged his open hands over his upturned face. “Fuck, Abs. I’ve got no idea how to use my time anymore. I’d sleep for a year if I could, but all the stuff with the bar and the warehouse has me itching in my skin even when I go to bed. There’s too much to do and not enough time. I can’t stop thinking about Seb—if I can be a good father and what it means for him not to have his mother around anymore. And I know I chose most of this, but it feels like everything has spiralled out of control. Nothing’s going according to plan and…”
He motioned for me to swing my legs up onto the cushions and stretch out, so I did, setting my feet in his lap. “And… what?”
“Nothing.” Will wrapped his hands around my ankles and brushed his thumbs lightly over my skin as he shook his head. “It’s not important.”
