Page 108 of Challenged by the Single Dad

Silas’s gaze moved to Chloe and an intense amount of shyness crept across his features, turning his cheeks an adorable ruddy color. “Dad?” He glanced back at Dom.

Dom securely wrapped the towel around his waist and reached for Silas. “Come here, buddy.” He pulled Silas over so they could sit on the edge of the bed. Silas’s gaze was wary as he glanced back at Chloe. Chloe was naked under the covers and had no idea where her pajamas were. It was probably best she stayed silent and waited until Dom took care of things. The last thing they needed was for her to traumatize the little boy further by crawling out of bed naked.

“So … Chloe and I have been spending some time together and we really like spending time together. We … um … Chloe is going to stay here for a bit with us.”

“I thought she was in the cabin,” Silas whispered.

“She was. But, uh … well …” He glanced back at Chloe, his eyes beseeching. He was as lost on how to handle this as she was. “Chloe and I are going to have a baby. So we decided that it might be best for her to move here that way I—we—can help her with the pregnancy and baby.”

Chloe swallowed, waiting for … some kind of a reaction from Silas. Was he going to be happy? Sad? Angry? She didn’t know the kid at all. Only from what others had told her.

The little boy swiveled around to look at her, then his eyes slid down to the bed around the area of her belly. “You’re having a baby with my dad?”

She nodded softly. “Is that okay?”

He was a ridiculously cute kid, with big hazel-blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and the same serious look as his father. His skin color was a little tanner than Dom’s, which was probably from his Latina mother. Nibbling on his bottom lip, Silas was quiet, still staring at her belly. “Is it a boy or a girl?”

Dom and Chloe exchanged hopeful looks.

“We won’t know for a little bit, bud,” Dom said. “It’s stillreallyearly. We’re telling you because you’re a part of this just as much as we are. You’re going to be a big brother. But, we’re not going to tell anybody else for a while yet. There’s a period of time when a person is pregnant that the baby might not survive, and so most people keep it a secret until that time has passed.”

“The baby might die?” Silas whispered.

“Well … hopefully not,” Dom said gently. “But it does happen. So it’s easier on everybody if we keep it a secret. We’ll tell the family shortly, but don’t tell anybody at school. Okay?”

He let go of Dom’s hand and leaned forward so his face was basically hovering over Chloe’s belly. “Don’t die, little baby. Okay?”

Chloe’s throat was impossibly tight and the backs of her eyes stung. She met Dom’s gaze again, and his eyes were wet as well.

“Are you like … my new mom or something?” Silas asked, studying her face.

“Oh, no, honey. I mean … you have a mom. And from what I’ve heard, she was wonderful. I would never try to replace her, or ask you to call me Mom. But … I am here for you for whatever you may need. I’m … I’m Chloe. Just call me Chloe.” This was uncharted territory for all of them, and as much as she thought they were sailing smoothly through it, who knew when a white squall would hit, or they might break their keel from a hidden rock just below the surf. They needed to remain alert, vigilant, and aware of their surroundings. There was no room for complacency.

“Chloe,” he said, almost under his breath.

“Mm-hmm?”

Silas lifted his gaze back from her belly to her. “Do I get to help pick out the baby’s name?”

“Not Spiderman,” Dom said.

Silas shot his dad a look. “I know. But Peter is a good name. And so is Mary Jane. Or Gwen. Or even May, after Aunt May. Or Parker?”

“Peter is also your grandfather’s name,” Dom said, his lips twitching as he tried to hide his smile of relief. “And your middle name.”

“Right.” Silas nodded. “Peter is a really good name. I’d be fine giving my middle name to the baby.” He slid a cheeky smile and side-eye toward Dom. “I could call him ‘Spidey’ as a nickname, right?”

Dom rolled his lips inward and ruffled his son’s wild bedhead.

“I like Peter,” Chloe said. She didn’t want to get to ahead of herself. The babies she named before they were born had all passed away in utero. She decided not to name Elliott before he was born, and he was the one that survived to term. So even though she typically wasn’t a superstitious person, she was when it came to pregnancy. With her whole heart. “But, let’s wait until we meet the baby. If it’s a boy, he might not look like a Peter. He might look like a—”

“Bruce?” Silas asked. “Like for Bruce Banner?”

She nodded. “He might look like a Bruce.”

“You’re okay with all of this?” Dom asked, bringing his son’s attention away from Chloe and her stomach and back to his father. “I know it’s a lot.”

Silas didn’t nod. He didn’t say anything.

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