I gently took him from her, holding him with one arm under his butt, my other hand on his back, holding him to my bare chest. He instantly quieted and stuck his thumb in his mouth as his eyes began to shut. Hayley stared at me in amazement.
“How did you . . .” She trailed off.
I shrugged. “Quinn just recently found out he has a kid, and he’s pretty much taking care of her full time. When she’s really fussy, he does skin-to-skin contact, usually around where his heart is so she’s soothed by the sound of his heartbeat,” I informed her.
“I could have used that information a long time ago,” Hayley tiredly admitted.
I ran my eyes over her face, taking in exactly how much weight she had lost since I had last seen her two years ago. Her face was pale, her eyes still bloodshot, and dark circles were under her eyes. “Did you sleep last night?” I asked her, already knowing she didn’t without her having to answer.
She shrugged. I sighed. “Go crash in my room,” I told her. “I’ve got him while you get some rest.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but I shot her a dark look, making her sigh as she closed her mouth. With one last worried look towards her little boy, she disappeared into my room.
I looked up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh.
Damien, if you can somehow read my fucking mind, give me the strength to do the fucking right thing by you.
I had always had a thing for Hayley, but I kept it hidden knowing she was Damien’s. They had always only had eyes for each other.
But Damien was no longer here, and she had come back.
She had come back to me.
And fuck, I needed to do the right thing. I couldn’t make any moves on her. I just needed to help her get back on her feet—maybe be a good uncle for her little boy.
I looked down at Damien’s son sleeping in my arms, his thumb still in his mouth. I swallowed hard.
I was so fucked.