Page 46 of Mr. Kelly

“Does your wife know about the baby?” my mom asks, tentatively.

Teddy shrugs. “Ex-wife. The divorce is final. I don’t know what she knows, and I honestly don’t care. It would have been impossible for River or me to know about the baby when she went back to Georgia. My ex exhausted me with her constant lying and manipulation tactics. River and I are taking it as slow as we can with a baby on the way to get to know each other more so, if nothing else, we can effectively co-parent.”

My parents have similar expressions with their arms folded. Now that I’ll be a mother soon, I kind of understand how all of this sounds. Luckily, Teddy understands as well.

“I know this sounds like a lot on a video call. If you’d prefer, I can fly you out to spend time with River and get to know me. The house has plenty of room.”

“I hate flying,” my dad grumbles.

“It’s a very different experience on a private jet,” Teddy points out. “What do you say?”

They look at each other, but I know how my dad rolls. “We’ll think about it. Until then, you better take care of my baby.”

“Of course,” Teddy assures him with a smile. “The only thing she has to do is study for the next level of her certification and relax. Also, I can fly to you if you’re uncomfortable flying.”

My mom shoots him a look that indicates a threat will follow. “You’re not going to force her to choose between you and her career, right? I don’t want to have to shoot you.”

Teddy laughs. “River hates the idea of me taking care of everything. I won’t step on that spirit or her desire to work. She’ll learn a lot about wine from my family and me.”

My body warms with love because he’s right. I don’t like the idea of being so pampered that I’m incapable of making my own money. Teddy recognized that about me and understood. That level of attention to detail is sexy.

“It’s true, I can’t wait to test my skills. If anything, Teddy would want to be the one being a stay-at-home parent.”

His laughter rumbles against my back. “I can’t lie, I’m very excited to meet him. I don’t know how I'll focus once he’s here.’

“First child?”

Teddy looks at my dad with a sad but excited expression and answers his question.

“Yes. finally."

My parents don’t linger much longer, and I feel the air leave my lungs when they hang up.

“That was a trainwreck,” I sigh.

“It wasn’t,” he disagrees as he wraps into a hug and drops kisses on my neck. “I can tell they’re good parents. They didn’t accept me at face value or excuse how we started because I’m rich. It could be worse. Can you imagine Andrea?”

I giggle about the terror those guys will feel if he dares to have a daughter. At this rate, she’d be forced to marry our son, knowing these two.

“Oh, that’s a nightmare.”

Teddy laughs. “Yeah, it will be. They care about what’s best for you and it shows. You’re beautiful. hardworking, grounded, and filled with sweetness. It’s a rarity they want to preserve.’

He moves his arms to give me room to turn and face him. My butt is between his legs and my legs are bent over his left leg. The kind words have my heart beating like crazy, I’m so enamored with him and to hear him compliment me so sweetly almost makes me cry.

“Really?”

His smile is soft as he traces my bottom lip with his thumb. “Don’t ever think that you’re anything less than amazing, River.” His eyebrows knit, and his lip pops out in the cutest man-pout. “Honestly, I worry that some of my darkness will dim your light.”

I smooth my finger over his forehead to rub the worry away.

“Before you noticed me as anything more than an employee, I had the ability to observe you just being yourself. Yes, you’re rough around the edges, but you care for the wellbeing of your employees and that goes beyond business. Even though we hardly spoke about anything but work, you were the first person that popped in my mind when I was in danger. Instinctively, I knew you’d protect me.” I cup his cheek, and his beard tickles my palm when he rubs against it. “And you did.”

His almost shy smile from the compliment is sexy and a little sad. It doesn’t feel like he’s used to being complimented, which sucks since he was married for so long. It sparks my desire to give him a great birthday celebration.

“Your darkness is necessary sometimes, but you don’t live in it. Actually, the light in you makes mine brighter, Teddy.”

He kisses me sweetly, giving me a hit that doesn’t satisfy my craving for him. I don’t push to make it linger. I want him to know I’m serious. I’m offended by his shirt. He put it on for my parents, and now that they’re gone, it needs to go. He chuckles when I tug at the fabric.

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