Page 75 of Her Protector Daddies

“Two weeks was more than enough,” I replied. “Besides, I couldn’t stop worrying about the bill cost racking up.”

“I told you the department was taking care of that.”

“All I hear is that other taxpayers were paying my hospital bill,” I pointed out, slowly stepping into the apartment. “I can’t deal with that kind of guilt.”

Bailey rolled his eyes with a smile and kicked the door shut, then he escorted me slowly through to the lounge. The sweet scent of spices drifted down from the kitchen so I didn’t have to ask where Jay was, and as Bailey helped me lower down onto the nest of cushions that had been set up for me, Dae came charging through the doorway. Just before he reached me, he was scooped up in one arm by Bailey.

“Careful, champ. Selena’s still sick.”

“I’m fine,” I assured him with a wave of my hand, but secretly I enjoyed it. All of them were so attentive, and I was downright spoiled. After everything that happened, I was choosing to enjoy it, and that included not getting the entire weight of a nearly six-year-old in my lap too soon.

“But I missed you!” Dae squealed, reaching out with his hands and dissolving into giggles as Bailey began tickling him. His squeals of laughter warmed my chest and pulled at my heart, so I placed one hand over my growing belly. One day, my child would get that treatment and the sound of their laughter would be music to my ears.

“Just be careful, okay?” Bailey set Dae down and he launched himself onto the couch next to me, landing in the pillows and thrusting the toy dinosaur figure into my hands.

“Ooo, what’s this?”

“Martin.”

“You named your new dino… Martin?”

“Yup!” Dae smacked his lips together then held up his hands. “He’s going to be six soon, like me, so he needs a grown-up name.”

“Of course,” I chuckled, lightly ruffling his heart. “That’s a very good idea. Are you excited?”

“Yes!” Dae threw his hands up and grinned. “Dad said we can have a party.”

“That’s exciting! Lots of cake too, I bet.”

“Yes!” Dae exclaimed. “Chocolate please.”

“I thought you wanted Lemon?” Bailey said, seating himself next to me with a red binder in his hands. He slid it onto my lap, then leaned over to ruffle Dae’s hair. “Remember, you need to make a decision and stick to it, kiddo.”

“I want chocolate,” Dae pouted, then scrambled from the chair. “Gotta tell Dad!”

“Tell Dad what?” Jay appeared in the doorway with a ladle in his hand, then a soft oof escaped him as Dae ran into him. Leaning over the back of the sofa, he inched forward and I tilted my head up to accept his kiss. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you,” I smiled, running my hands over the cool surface of the binder.

“I want chocolate!” Dae squealed, attaching to Jay’s leg as he began shuffling back to the kitchen.

“To eat?”

“No, for my cake!”

Their discussion faded as Jay returned to the kitchen, so I focused on the binder and then on Bailey. “What is this?”

“Open in.”

Inside the binder were several booklets and brochures all tabbed with various different colors. “What are these?”

“We’re getting a new house!” yelled Dae as he sprinted back into the room, snatched up his dinosaur from where it had fallen when he tackled Jay, then beamed at me and sprinted away again.

“A new house?” Warmth flooded my cheeks as I slowly started to flick through the pages.

“Well, that’s basically the truth,” Bailey said with a laugh. “But, we all had a discussion and we’d all feel much more comfortable in a bigger place, especially with the baby on the way, and it’s about time you had somewhere amazing to call home with all of us.”

As he spoke, I smoothed my fingertips over the cool, glossy pages and flicked a few of the tabs in curiosity.

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