Over the last few days, it felt like our relationship had changed. It wasn’t just physical anymore. Chase and I had shared a lot about our lives and the things that made us who we were, and now I was already about to meet some of his family. Things moving this fast would normally scare the crap out of me. Yet I found I was more anxious and excited than nervous.
***
Anna was the spitting image of Chase—only somehow his rough edges were smoothed out, and his masculinity had been replaced with feminine beauty. I smiled at the way his sister lit up when she saw him.
“You’re here?”
He pecked her cheek. “I couldn’t listen to you complain about missing it for the next fifty years. Of course I’m here.”
Evan slapped Chase on the back. “Come on, walk with me to the nursery. They should be finished cleaning him up by now.”
Chase did a quick introduction for Anna and me before leaving the room with his brother-in-law.#p#分页标题#e#
“I had a feeling I’d meet you eventually,” she said.
I was surprised she knew anything about me—even that I existed.
“Congratulations. I’m sorry if I’m intruding. I wanted to keep Chase company while he waited. I can wait outside and give you some privacy.”
“I just had half the hospital staring up my gown. Getting to shut my legs feels like privacy at this point.” Her smile was genuine.
I laughed. “Did you pick out a name for your son yet?”
“Sawyer. We’re naming him after my Dad. Sawyer Evan.”
“That’s beautiful.”
“Thank you. I’m glad Chase brought you. He talks about you at our weekly dinners. I’ll admit, I was curious.”
“Curious? Why?”
“He doesn’t usually talk about women, doesn’t bring them to any family events, and definitely doesn’t leave them alone around me.”
I smiled. “He’s afraid you’ll tell all his secrets?”
“Yep. And I better hurry and do it because the nursery is only down the hall.”
I thought she was kidding, but then her face turned serious.
“My brother is a great guy—ask him, he’ll tell you,” she joked. “But the thing is…underneath all that cocky arrogance, I think he’s afraid of a relationship.”
“Because of Peyton, you mean?”
Anna looked surprised. “You know the whole story?”
“I think so. Can’t say I blame him for being nervous about getting close to anyone after what happened. People are afraid for much less than that.” Like me, for example.
She nodded like we were on the same page. “Just don’t let him fool you. He walks around like he’s wearing a coat of armor, but the truth is, there’re some chinks in that protective shield.”
“Maybe that’s why we get along so well. My armor has some pretty big bullet holes. But thank you. I’ll try to remember mine are just more noticeable than his.”
Chase walked in behind Evan, who was wheeling a plastic baby carrier. In the center of the translucent tray lay a tiny bundle swaddled in blue hospital blankets.
“Didn’t even have to look at him to know which one was yours,” Chase teased his sister. “He was screaming so loud. Kid’s got your lungs already.”
Her husband gently lifted the baby and placed him in Anna’s arms. She cooed to him and then lifted him up so we could see his sweet little face.
“This is your Uncle Chase. I hope you got your brains from him, but your looks from me.”
Chase leaned closer. “Considering you look just like me, that’s a smart wish.”
Anna rocked the baby in her arms when he started to fuss. “Have you talked to Mom and Dad yet? I told Evan not to call since it was so late.”
“I haven’t. But they wouldn’t have been able to get a flight up from Florida until this morning anyway.”
We stayed with Anna and Evan another half hour until Anna yawned. She must have been exhausted after being in labor all night. Hell, I was exhausted just from napping in the waiting room.
Traffic was light in the city as we pulled out of the lot around the corner from the hospital. “Your place or mine?”
“That’s presumptuous of you,” I teased.
“You make me keep my distance at the office during the week. It’s Saturday. I figure the weekend is mine.”
I thought back to what had transpired yesterday, what we were almost caught doing. “You didn’t seem to be keeping your distance yesterday when you had me pinned down face-first on your desk.”#p#分页标题#e#
He groaned and adjusted himself in his seat. “Your place. It’s closer. And now that you just reminded me of how spectacular your ass looked raised in the air, that’s the way I’m going to take you the first time when we get home.”