Page 6 of Daddy's Mail Order Mate

My lips twitch towards a smile. Getting to go right back to taking care of my son was so important to me. It always helps soothe the fact that I had to even leave him in the first place. We start heading back in together, falling into step easily.

“How’s he been?”

“Since you asked yesterday?”

She chuckles teasingly, and I huff in reply before she goes on.

“He’s doing well! A sweetheart as always. He was rolling around happy as could be yesterday.”

“Good.”

“He’s been missing you a lot though, I can tell.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. Keeps crawling around like he’s looking for something and pays so much attention when someone comes in the door. Liam says he’s just an attentive little guy but I think he misses his dada.”

I feel myself walk a bit taller and my eyes curve a bit at that.

The way to the nursery has gotten burned into my bones. Its bright yellow walls used to just give me the warmth of visiting little Lily, but now my happiness here is two-fold.

I make my way to the crib which once housed my niece to find my son sat up there, lumbered forward on the soft rolls of his hands. He was making his milestones; six months old and able to keep himself sat up by himself.

Couldn’t be prouder of him.

His big green eyes blink at me, and his lips part into a glossy grin.

I stride on over and take my boy up in my arms. He’s quick to grab at me, laughing merrily and babbling out happy nonsense.

“Told you,” Paige lilts out beside me.

All I do is hum in reply, completely consumed in being reunited with my son. Every day away from him feels like an eternity, and it always hurts to have to go.

The next hour or two pass pleasantly, Paige and I getting our respective kids fed and even getting a quick meal for ourselves lined up afterwards once they’re cleaned up and set up to play in the next room over. We sit at the dining table, a plate of toast, bacon and eggs with a mug of something to drink set out for each of us. Her cup has some sort of fruity herbal blend in it that stains the water in it a berry-bright purple, and mine is my usual: black coffee. Every few months she teases me or gets on my case about my preference for the stuff, but it’s a classic for a reason.

I sigh, thumb tapping on the mug handle as I stare through the open doorway to where the two children are merrily chirping away among their toys. My thoughts lumber heedlessly through the dozens of tasks and considerations ahead of me now that I’m back. I do all I can to make as much time in my life as I can for my son, but it’s a constant balancing act that always pushes me to my limits.

“You look tired, Thorn.”

I grunt and sip silently at my coffee, eyes casting down at nothing now.

Without looking, I can tell she’s making a face. Mustering the effort to speak, I trudge into a reply.

“Doing fine.”

“Oh please don’t give me that. I’m a parent too, thank you very much, and it’s been the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done. And I get to be a stay at home mom with a loving husband to help. You’re juggling being a single dad and running around all over the place for the council doing… All sorts of dangerousdiplomatic stuff.” She spins her fork around in the air in a vague gesture before pointing it emphatically at me. “You’re running yourself into the ground.”

And that gets me glaring over at her and straightening in my seat. My answer has a low gravel to it by reflex, marked with warning.

“I’mfine.”

“Bullcaca,” Paige retorts. She’s been very insistent about keeping language clean around the kids, and it’s led to her routinely slinging around some adorable substitutes. But even that isn’t enough to slacken the surly churn in my gut, knowing we’re about to get into another argument. “And even if you’re fine right now… How long can you keep this up? And how much is Rowan going to have to deal with you trying to make this work?”

That’s a low blow. A wordless grumble is my initial response, punctuated by a sip of coffee I barely taste.

“I always keep going. And Rowan will be fine.”

“You know, it could be easier. You’re closer now that you mostly live at that place near Quinn, but coordinating back and forth for when you have to go away for big trips… Needing to get a babysitter for those urgent on-call days…”

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