Page 127 of Crazy Imperfect Hearts

“I’m just… so happy to be here holding him.”

Lucas seems content just sitting by my side for hours.

Christa, Mitchell’s first nurse from yesterday, comes over. “Mom and Dad, why don’t you take a break. I need to weigh him and do some other nurse things. Go get breakfast. It’s not the best food in the world, but the pancakes in the cafeteria are edible.”

“No need,” Lucas says.

I glance at him as Christa takes Mitchell. “But I’m starving.”

“Got it covered.”

I narrow my eyes. “Lucas Montana, what did you do now?”

“You’ll see.”

I kiss the baby, and we go back to my room where Maddie and Ava are waiting with several steaming Criss Coffee Corner cups along with bags of pastries from my favorite bakery and a gigantic basket of fresh fruit.

I turn to look at Lucas, positive he’s responsible for all of it.

He just shrugs. “I’m going to go home for a shower and a change of clothes. I’ll be back in an hour.”

He kisses the side of my head, spins, and leaves.

“Oh. My. God.”

My eyes snap to Ava. “What?”

“You’re totally in love with him.”

I pull the door shut. “Lucas? What… no.”

“It’s written all over you. You love your baby daddy. Admit it.”

Maddie’s eyes widen like dinner plates. “You are, aren’t you?” She sighs. “Regan Lucas, you went and did it, didn’t you?”

I close my eyes and crumple onto the bed. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. It just sort of did.”

Two pairs of arms come around me. I sit up and hug them back.

“It’s the hormones,” Maddie says.

“That’s what I’ve been telling myself for months.”

“Wait.” Maddie pulls back. “Months? You’ve been feeling this way for months? I thought it was just because of the birth and you bonding over the scary stuff.”

“Go ahead and say it.” I sit back and wait for her ‘I told you so.’

She perches on the bed next to me. “I’m not going to say it, Regan. I’m not sure I need to. Because it looks like… Well, it kind of looks like he might feel the same way.”

My gaze darts to hers. She looks to Ava for confirmation. “I saw it too. And the way he sounded on the phone, wanting me to bring just the right things. That man wants to make you happy.”

“I just gave him a son. Of course he’s taking care of me.”

“It’s more than that,” Ava says.

“It’s not,” I assure them. “The man isn’t capable of more. We all know it.”

“I don’t know,” Maddie says. “There’s something about kids that can change a man’s whole perspective on life.”

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