A Convenient Arrangement(67)
Leo lowered himself into his chair. So very pregnant. Wow. He hadn’t seen Aubrey since the launch party and she looked like an orca then. What was she now? A blue whale? A small smile curved over his lips. What would Gwen look like that big? How would she—
Stop.
Leo sighed. Where did these thoughts come from? And why? Unbidden thoughts popping into his mind of Gwen as a wife, a mother, undressed…
“Okay. What’s the challenge?”
Justin pursed his lips. “You know we want you to be the baby’s godfather.” Leo nodded. They’d discussed that months ago. Justin paused. What could be so bad that he didn’t want to tell Leo? “Well, Aubrey wants Gwen to be the baby’s godmother.”
Leo swallowed. His throat tightened.
So he and Gwen would be parents. Together. In a way.
“Is that supposed to be a hint? Aubrey knows that I don’t want children, right?”
Justin aimed a sardonic look at him. “My wife is well aware, considering that one of her best friends broke up with you for just that very reason—”
“I think broke up with me is a bit inaccurate.” Leo picked up a pen and tapped it against his desk. “The end of our relationship was a mutual decision. Gwen didn’t dump me, we just knew—”
“That you didn’t want to have kids and there was no compromise.”
“Correct.”
“So she said she couldn’t be with you.” Justin crossed his arms over his chest.
“Also correct.”
“Which is her breaking up with you.”
“Not correct.”
“Oh, so you didn’t want to continue seeing Gwen?”
“No, of course I wanted to continue seeing her. But she realized that I wouldn’t change my mind and that it would be unfair to ask me to and she—”
“Broke off the relationship.”
“Semantics.” He threw his brother an angry glance. “You’re telling me that Gwen and I are meant to take care of this child should something horrible and tragic happen to you and Aubrey?”
“Not quite. We’ll probably appoint Anthony and Shelly as the baby’s guardians since they’re already—”
Leo’s eyes widened. “Shelly’s pregnant?”
“Fuck. Not my news to tell. Don’t breathe a word, are we clear?”
“Why’d he tell you first?”
“Because I’m a father. I want to be a father. He wants to be a father. Even Devon wants to be a father.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“Oh yes, he does. Ask him.”
“So I’m the only asshole?”
“Your words, not mine. But it does seem you’re the only Travati who doesn’t want offspring. So listen, you and Gwen, godparents together…you can do this, right?”
Leo nodded. “In my sleep.”
“Excellent.” Justin clapped his hands together and turned toward the office door.
Leo gazed out the window across the New York skyline. All of them wanted to be fathers except for him? Hmmm. A year ago, he wouldn’t have ever guessed his brothers would give up the carefree single lifestyle so willingly. But they were, and for good reasons, actually. Aubrey was a great wife for Justin and Shelly had been Anthony’s first love, so of course it made sense. And Devon? Well, it seemed Devon wanted to follow his brothers into marital bliss someday, once his legal woes were in the past.
Leo could understand marriage now, he really could. Since Gwen, he got why people paired up and loved each other for a lifetime. “You know, nobody thinks so, but I actually enjoy children.”
Justin, nearly out the door, turned back with a pained look on his face, obviously regretting he hadn’t made his escape faster. “I’m aware. You’re a big promoter of our Teddy Bear Luncheon.”
“Exactly. It’s not like I’m a complete child-hater.”
“I don’t think any one of us would use that name to describe you.”
“I’m good with Max.”
Justin inhaled and nodded. “A wonderful uncle to him.”
“Exactly.” Leo put a hand to his chin. “So what the hell is my problem?”
“Perhaps a therapist could better answer—”
“No, I’m asking you. Seriously—what is my problem? I think it was Dad.”
“Dad?” Justin stopped eyeing the exit and focused on his younger brother. He walked back into Leo’s office. “What does Dad have to do with you not wanting kids?”
“We wore him out. He hated it.”
Justin tilted his head, incredulity on his face. “You’re kidding, right? Dad loved being with us. Spent all his free time with us—”