Page 109 of Challenged by the Single Dad

Uh-oh.

“You don’t have to be okay with anything right now,” Chloe said. “It’s a lot of information to take in. Your dad and I are still processing things too. We only found out about the baby last night.”

Silas glanced at her over his shoulder. “I’m okay.” His gaze flitted down to her belly once more. “I won’t let Carnation hurt you, little baby,” he said quietly. “Aya’s teaching me how to bite.”

Dom groaned and shoved his fingers into his hair. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” He exhaled dramatically. “Did you have breakfast at Uncle Wyatt’s?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to shower?”

Silas shrugged. “I could.” He touched his face. “My face is a little sticky from the whipped cream on our pancakes.”

“Then go have a shower.”

Silas stood up, unease creasing his youthful, round face as he bounced his eyes between Chloe and Dom. Then, without saying another word, he spun around and headed to his bedroom.

“And we don’t bite people,” Dom called after his son, who was already gone. He buried his face in his hands. “Fuck. That was not—”

“I know. But … even though I don’t know him well, it seems like he took it okay?”

He collapsed onto the bed so his face rested against her belly. She ran her hand through his silky tresses. “Yeah, he took it better than I thought. Not that I really had any idea how he’d take it. But then again, the kid is quiet about things. He takes a while to process. So, we need to just give him time.”

Nodding, Chloe continued to play with his hair. It was relaxing for both of them. Who needed a little desktop Zen garden with sand and a finger-sized rake when she had Dom’s hair to play with?

“I don’t want to name the baby until it’s here,” she said again. “I named all the rest, but not Elliott. So … call me silly or superstitious, but I’d rather we just hang tight.”

Pressing a kiss to the duvet cover over her stomach, he turned his head to face her. “I’m okay with that. We didn’t name Silas until he was born either. We had his name on our list, but we waited until we met him. Do you want to find out the sex though?”

She nodded. “I think so. It might make the transition for Silas easier. The more he knows, the more he can prepare.”

His small, warm smile eased the tension surrounding her scarred and bruised heart. “I love how much you’re already looking out for him.”

“I’ll admit, when I first met him, it was weird. He reminded me a lot of Elliott, and still does in some ways. Elliott was shy too. But he’s not Elliott, and I will overcome any weirdness I feel, and I’m sure I’ll fall in love with him.” She laced the fingers of her free hand through his.

“What about his dad?”

One eyebrow lifted on her face. “Whatabouthis dad?”

“Do you think you’ll fall in love with him?”

Her heart did a heavythump-thumpagainst her ribs and she exhaled. “I think I already have.”

The glimmer of relief and hope in his eyes winded her. “Good. Because his dad has definitely fallen in love with you.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Despitethefactthathe and Chloe reconciled, she moved in, and Silas seemed to be okay with everythingfor now, Dom was still processing the fact that he was going to be a father—again.

A baby.

Chloe was pregnant.

With his child.

He wasn’t sure where to turn or what to do, so he shot off a text message to the group chat with all of his brothers demanding an emergency meeting at the brewery.

They were all down there within thirty minutes. Silas went over to Bennett’s with Griffon and Jake. Talia was there too. Apparently, Justine and Brooke were going to take all the kids to Sunday morning kids’ yoga at the yoga yurt. Vica had a work call, so she wasn’t able to join them.

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