“Have you noticed how she’s starting to get excited when she sees the bottle coming toward her mouth?” I ask Pepper.
She grins. “Yeah. Her little arms start waving wildly. I half expect her to snatch it out of my hands.”
“Yeah,” I agree softly and we go back to just watching her.
Finally, I look across at Pepper. “I don’t know what to do. I’m terrified to leave her and it’s not fair to Lucy to be in this situation, wondering if Lida will show up again. We have a home game tomorrow and I’m seriously thinking of not going, which is going to get me in some hot water.”
Pepper nibbles on her lower lip as she listens to me. When I finish, she says, “You can’t stop your life, Legend. I know your instinct is to protect Charlie at all costs, but you need to figure a way to do that without interfering with your job.”
“I know,” I say with a sigh.
Fuck…I know that.
“I’ll stay over here tomorrow with Lucy when you’re gone to the game, and if it makes you feel even better, we’ll go to my parents’ house. You can come pick us up over there after the game. Lida won’t even be a factor for you to worry about.”
I give a shake of my head, a small smile forming on my lips. “Why me?” I ask her.
Pepper tilts her head and her eyebrows draw inward. “Why you what?”
“Why would you ever attach yourself to me? I’ve been an ass to you repeatedly and I’m so busy with work and a new baby, I can’t really take you out on dates, and now all this drama with the baby mama. Why me?”
Pepper shrugs and gives me an impish grin. “You give good orgasms.”
I cock an eyebrow at her, indicating that is not a sufficient answer.
She shrugs again, this time her eyes turning serious. “I told you I liked you.”
Yes, she had said that in Winnipeg. Hearing her say it again causes palpable relief which tells me that I was seriously doubting why someone as amazing as Pepper would get involved with someone who seems to be in constant turmoil.
I smile at her. “I like you too.”
“Well, good. That’s all settled.” She shifts her position and brings her knees up, wrapping her arms around her shins. Her face is pensive. “Are you going to tell your parents about what’s going on?”
“Shit,” I say as I slap my palm to my forehead. I totally forgot my parents were flying in day after tomorrow and would be here to visit with Charlie. I shake my head. “I don’t think I’ll tell them. I’ve never been one to lay my problems on my parents’ doorstep. One of the benefits of my dad’s military style upbringing, I was taught to deal with my shit.”
“Nothing wrong with getting support from people,” she tells me.
“I know,” I agree as I look down to Charlie. “And I will let them support me being a single dad in the ways that they can. But no sense in adding worry to them right now until we figure out what’s going on.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Pepper agrees with me.
“Besides, I apparently have you to share my worries with.”
“Yes, you do,” she says with a sound nod.
“I don’t want that to be all there is between us,” I tell her, suddenly fearful that I’ve gone from wanting a casual relationship to worrying about her thinking I’m a bad bet given these circumstances.
“I think,” she drawls slowly and with an empathetic warmth to her eyes, “that you should give me the benefit of the doubt to know what’s going on between us.”
“You are smart like that,” I tease her and she laughs.
“We’re good, Legend,” she assures me. “This stuff with Lida will shake out. Be cautious sure, but move forward with your life. Don’t let this take away your focus for your job or your happiness.”
I regard her a moment, knowing what I’m about to say is serious but I also want to keep it light. “I thought you were just some kooky neighbor destined to be a pain in my ass, but turns out you’re kind of smart and wise.”
“And sexy,” she prompts.
“Super sexy,” I agree. “Want to make out until Charlie wakes up?”
“Thought you’d never ask,” she replies with a laugh and crooks her finger at me to come her way.
I oblige.Chapter 18Legend“You nervous?” Pepper asks as we watch my parents park in my driveway. I offered to go get them at the airport but they insisted on a rental. My parents don’t like to be a bother just as I don’t like to be a bother to them.
“Not in the slightest,” I tell her and that’s the truth. Despite the fact my dad might try to lecture me at some point, I realize I’m actually more excited for them to meet their granddaughter than anything.