Page 214 of Nanny and the Beast

He pulls me in for a one-arm hug. And because he’s unable to contain his excitement, he then slaps my thigh three times.

“I know,” I say.

Something light and bubbly forms in my heart at the thought of this child. I didn’t think that it was in the cards for me, but fate had other plans.

“And yes, I wouldloveto be the godfather,” Alaric says delightedly, slapping my thigh two more times. “You just made my day. My aura is restored to its former glory.”

It’s hard to remain in a bad mood when I’m around Alaric. His joy is contagious.

“So did you two patch things up?” Alaric asks.

“She wants nothing to do with me,” I say.

“Because?” he prods.

“She didn’t like it when I asked if the baby was mine,” I say.

Alaric gasps. “Please tell me you didn’t actually say that.”

“She worked at Elysium,” I say. “I’m not a stranger to what goes on at that club.”

“Dude, what even possessed you to say something like that?” he asks. “Youknowshe wasn’t with anyone else. I evengave you the receipts.”

I look over at him. He looks appalled and incredulous at the same time.

“I fucked up, didn’t I?” I ask.

“Youthink?”

“I don’t know why I always say the wrong things.”

“Maybe it’s because deep down, you still hold the belief that you’re not good enough for her.So before she can reject you, you self-sabotage. Sound familiar?”

“Everyone’s a psychologist these days,” I mutter.

“Am I wrong, though?” he says.

Self-sabotage.It’s not a concept that’s completely unfamiliar to me. Alaric has pointed it out before. Multiple times.

But I really don’t think that’s the problem here.

“I think I’m just bad with words sometimes,” I say. “I’m not charming like you.”

“Write her a letter then,” he says. “Tell her how you really feel. Because I saw the way you were with her when she was unconscious. You’re crazy about her, dude. She deserves to know that. Because right now, all she remembers is the man who asked for a paternity test instead of giving her a forehead kiss.”

“A love letter?” I ask.

“Yeah, the old-fashioned way,” he says. “Girls love that.”

“I’ll consider it,” I say.

“Or a nice gesture would do as well,” he says. “Flowers or jewelry or even chocolates. You want the girl back, don’t you?”

It would mean swallowing my ego. It would mean apologizing to her and telling her everything that’s in my heart. It would mean laying myself bare.

I’ve never done anything like this before, but I’lldo it for her.

She’s too important to lose.

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