Page 11 of Zac

“Gray, no yelling.” I notice how she holds her head and closes her eyes when she says this.

“Hey, bud.” I lower him to the ground and kneel down, getting eye level with him. “How about you go get everything set up and let me get these bags into the kitchen. Then I’ll come in there and you and me can play trucks.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Presley tells me, running her hand through her hair.

“I know I don’t have to, I want to.” She doesn’t seem convinced but I ignore the curious stare she is giving me. “Why don’t you go take a long shower, or soak in a bath. Hell, take a nap if you want. I’ll hang out with little man.”

“What are you doing?” she asks and I step past her carrying the bags.

“I’m putting this stuff away, then I’m playing trucks.”

“Zac.” I pause and look back over my shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“I told you.” Instead of standing there debating with her, I start putting everything away. And when I’m done, I join Gray in the living room and he and I play trucks until he starts to tiredly rub his eyes.

ChapterEight

Presley

I step out of the tub and wrap a towel around me. Picking up a second towel I start to dry my hair and step over closer to the door listening for the sounds of Grayson making crash sounds like he normally does when he plays trucks. Only I am met with silence.

Quickly I dry off completely before slipping into my pajamas and opening the bathroom door. Finding the living room empty I look in my room and then Grayson’s at the end of the hallway. My apartment is not big, in fact it’s tiny so there aren’t many places they could be.

I notice the covers move on Grayson’s bed and step inside his room to find him asleep in his bed. Standing at the side, I stare down at his sleepy face, so relaxed and calm.

It normally takes me three books and promises of an extra goodie for the next day to get him to agree to go to sleep.

I tuck the blankets up around him. Carefully I kiss his forehead and tiptoe out of the room, pulling to door closed behind me.

Making my way back to the living room, I hear dishes clanking in the kitchen and peek around the corner. Standing at the sink with his back to me, is Zac, doing my dishes.

“What are you doing?”

“Dishes,” he says as if it’s not the strangest thing to be cleaning my plates and cups.

“Stop that.” I hurry over and try to take the plate out of his hands, but he turns his body toward me, blocking me. “Zac, I’m serious.”

My phone starts ringing in the next room and he tells me I might want to get that. All while continuing to wash and place the now clean dishes in the drain board. I have no idea what in the hell is happening but I’m too exhausted to try to figure it out.

Picking up my phone I see Grant’s name lit up on the screen and instead of answering it, I toss it onto the cushion. It bounces once, then falls to the floor and ends up under the edge of the coffee table.

“Spam?”

I tense realizing Zac has now joined me.

“No worse.” Turning, I sit down on the couch. “I’m starting to think this little person growing inside of me is an energy sucking slug.” Laying my head back I close my eyes and yawn.

Zac’s chuckle fills the air around me just before I feel the cushions give at my side.

“Seriously.” I peek at him. “I don’t remember being this tired with Grayson.”

“I don’t know if I should be offended that you just referred to our kid as a slug.”

I smile, because I’m too tired to debate this. I also know he’s only teasing me as he smiles back.

“So what’s with the surprise visit, the groceries, and insisting I needed a nap or shower?” I once again settle my head against the soft cushions. “Should I be offended that you basically told me I looked dirty and exhausted?”

“Yeah if that is what I actually said then you should have been offended. But neither of those things came out of my mouth so.” He shrugs. “I don’t know what you’re feeling, but what I do know is that the least I can do is show up with some shit you like, play with Gray while you rest or take a relaxing shower, and rub your feet if you need them rubbed.”

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