Page 48 of First Comes Forever

Alex sucks in his lips and nods. “Well, that feels good. Just how every dad wants to be greeted.”

Adam laughs. “At least you know your son was well taken care of.”

“We did have fun,” I grunt out as I strain to unlatch Carson’s arms from around my neck. “Don’t you want to give Daddy a hug?” I ask him.

“No, no, no,” he whines and refastens his arms around my neck. Even tighter this time.

I shrug. “Sorry, this is my baby now. He made his choice,” I tease.

Alex scoffs. “Watch this. Carson, want to go get donuts?”

Carson releases me so fast that he falls backward onto the mattress. He scrambles furiously, looking like a beetle stuck on its back before he rolls off the mattress and leaps into Alex’s arms, planting kisses all over his face.

Adam’s laughing hard now. “I should’ve warned you. Carson is very easily bought with donuts.”

“Apparently,” I reply.

“But actually, maybe hold off on the donuts,” Adam says to Alex. “I was going to take Amani to Lucky’s for brunch. Do you guys want to come?”

“Wish I could,” Alex says, rising with Carson in his arms. “But I have to meet Tara’s parents to put down the deposit on this little guy’s over-the-top birthday party.”

“How’s that going?” Adam asks.

“Oh fantastic,” he says, full of sarcasm. “There’s nothing ridiculous about dropping over fifty thousand dollars for a toddler’s birthday party at Disneyland. He’s not even going to remember this party.”

“I said I’d pitch in,” Adam says. “Let me cover everyone’s park tickets. My gift to Carson.”

Alex shakes his head. “It has to be from me. This whole thing isn’t really for Carson… It’s for Tara.”

Adam turns his attention to me as I rise to my feet, my back aching in protest from sleeping all night on an unsturdy mattress. “Tara is Carson’s mom.”

“I remember,” I say. “You guys mentioned her yesterday. Pretty name.”

“Well, for context, Alex is hopelessly in love with the mother of his child, who refuses to be with him, and he thinks treating her entire extended family to a Disneyland vacation is the best way to show her how he feels and win her over.” Adam smirks. “But his grand gesture is getting a little expensive.”

Alex rolls his eyes. “That is not why—”

“Ow,” I yelp, interrupting Alex. In an attempt to ease the ache on my back, I stretched my arms overhead, causing the underwire of my bra to dig into my surgical scar on my troublesome side. The pain was sharp; now it’s throbbing.

Both Alex and Adam look alarmed.

“Are you okay?” Alex asks.

A lightbulb goes off in my head when I remember Alex’s profession. “Actually, may I ask you a medical question?”

He nods. “Sure.”

“I had a breast augmentation a long time ago and the incision scar is just now starting to hurt. Is that a bad sign? Do I need to be worried?” The last thing I need is another major medical expense. My insurance is dicey at best.

Alex’s brows furrow in concern. “Have you had any fevers? Body aches?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Just one side?”

“Yeah,” I say, tapping the top of my left breast. “This one is fine.”

“Are you prone to keloid scarring?”

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