Page 107 of Promise Me Not

I grin, allowing him to take my son in his arms, and I stand, grabbing what I need to get him bathed and laying out an outfit for him to wear today.

“I’m working from home the next couple of days. You can always leave him here with me, you know.”

I nod, frowning at my own wardrobe options—or lack thereof. Literally the only thing that fits that’s not part of mymaternity donation pile are sweats and two pairs of leggings that are pretty much stretched thin at this point.

I sigh, digging a pair of fake jeans from the maternity pile and picking from the load of old T-shirts Mason gave me when nothing else would fit over my stomach. My stomach that’s now three months postpartum and still looks as swollen as it did the day Deaton was born. Well, give or take a few inches.

“I know, but the day care center is a perk of the internship.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to use it.”

“Yeah, but it makes me feel like I’m…I don’t know, doing things on my own, you know?”

Parker nods, making ridiculous faces at his nephew, who tries his best to reach out and grab him but hasn’t quite figured out his hand and eye coordination yet.

My phone buzzes on my nightstand, and I don’t have to look to know who it is.

It’s always the same person, every single morning at nearly the same exact time.

I ignore it for a moment, but Parker clears his throat.

“I take it you know Mason is calling?”

I nod, tossing a pair of socks beside my jeans and top, then reach over to grab my phone. “I do.”

“You gonna answer it?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Parker lifts a brow. “’Cause you haven’t yet, and your cheeks turned pink when I mentioned whose name was on the screen.”

A chuckle escapes me, and I raise two brows right back, pressing the Answer and Speaker button all in one.

“Someone was about to get in some serious trouble here, Pretty Little.”

“Don’t you have class or something?” My brother scowls at the black screen.

Mason chuckles, and I quirk my lips to one side. “Don’t you have work or something, old man?”

Parker scoffs, crossing his arms.

“Course I have class,” Mason says. “I’m on my way. This is my pep talk time.”

“She doesn’t need a pep talk.”

“Who said she did? I’m the one about to take a fifty-question exam. Feel bad for me, Parker, ‘cause your sister won’t.”

Parker rolls his eyes, but a smile pulls at his lips as he passes Deaton back to me and walks out.

I drop my phone into the baby shower caddy, heading into the bathroom.

“He’s gone.”

“Good. Let’s start over.” Mason pauses. “Good morning, Pretty Little.”

I shake my head with a smile, turning on the water. “Good morning, Superstar. Test today, huh?”

“Yep. It’s going to be a rough one, and then Coach asked to see me, which is weird since it’s February, and we only really see each other during weight training.”

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