Page 63 of The Bartender's Baby

“Yeah?” I pushed myself up from my reclining position.

“I just came down for a drink. I should be finished up in about an hour or so.”

“Guess that means we’ll have to make a decision on the furniture.”

“Speaking of…” He took a breath. “I got a text from Summer.”

“As in, your dad’s wife?”

He nodded. “They want to buy us something.”

“That’s nice.”

He didn’t reply, and I didn’t ever want to discount his feelings, because everyone had their own shit to work through. Nate had every right to be hurt and angry, but he was always so suspicious. And not to say anyone’s trauma was better or worse than anyone else’s, but it seemed like he didn’t want to accept or believe anything positive about his father.

I’d never met his dad, yet I didn’t think hemeantto hurt Nate. In my very uneducated opinion, it appeared as if there was simply a major lack of communication.

Funny, I knew, coming from me, the girl completely inept at verbalizing any kind of emotion.

“I’m sure it was all Summer’s idea,” Nate said eventually, and I shrugged.

“Maybe. But it’s still really nice of them.”

Again, he stayed quiet. Only bent to kiss my forehead. “I’ll let you know when I’m finished.” Then he stood, drifting his fingertips over my shoulder. “Need anything from the kitchen?”

I shook my head, but he took my water bottle anyway, returning a few minutes later with it full and a cheese stick. I murmured my thanks as he made his way upstairs, his back to me, arm up as he chugged down water, the muscles of his back on display, marks from my fingernails still there. I bit into mybottom lip, remembering yesterday morning, how he’d edged me so hard I completely lost it when he finally let me come.

The bastard deserved those marks.

But he loved them. Joked about getting them tattooed on.

Smiling to myself, I attempted to focus on my schoolwork, but I barely lasted twenty minutes before I set my textbook aside. My mind kept wandering to what Nate had said about his dad and Summer wanting to buy something for the baby.

I picked up my phone and texted Genevieve.

Nate told me your dad and stepmom want to buy something for the baby. Not sure how I feel about it since Nate is so weird. What do you think we should do?

A few minutes later, she replied.

Gen

Of course he’s weird about it, and of course they want to get something. Or at least, Summer does.

That’s what Nate said. That it was probably her idea.

Gen

Oh, it definitely was. Summer is really sweet and keeps my dad from being a complete robot.

Gen

Just because Nate feels weird about it, you shouldn’t. The very least our father can do is buy something. And they have the money to get you something nice, so I think you should let them buy you the biggest item on your list.

Gen

Look at this.

I clicked on the link she sent me for an expensive luxury stroller, all-terrain and fully loaded with features. Definitely not something I would have picked out or could afford, but Gen had a point. Their dad had the means, and if they were offering, there was no reason we shouldn’t accept a gift from them. It would be their grandchild, after all.

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