Page 73 of Callahan

With a frown, I got out of bed and looked around the nightstands and dresser for a note from Adam but found nothing. Maybe he left one on the counter or table in the kitchen.

I slipped on the jean shorts and chartreuse-colored t-shirt I’d worn that morning at breakfast and headed to the bathroom. I planned on quickly brushing my teeth, then waking Conor to nurse him. He needed to get back on his schedule. He’d been an hour late for his early morning feeding, and now he was almost an hour late for his mid-morning one.

After lunch, I’d fish around in the closets for the breast pump. I was apprehensive how the bottle feeding was going to go. I’d read enough online forums to know it could be a piece of cake or a total nightmare. My fingers were crossed that my happy-go-lucky guy would be the former.

I walked into the nursery and found Conor’s crib empty. A sense of panic overtook my entire being, and my stomach felt like it was filled with lead.

Rushing into my bedroom, I grabbed my phone off the charger on the nightstand—poised to call 911, then raced toward the living room. I came to a halt when I found Adam and Conor laying on a blanket on the floor next to the couch.

My little guy was squealing and kicking his feet as he responded to Adam’s deep voice and smiling face.

Adam’s eyes lit up when he noticed me standing there watching them.

“Hey! You’re awake.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up when he woke up?”

“I would have if he’d been crying, but he seemed content after a diaper change, so I thought I’d let you sleep a little longer.” He offered me a wink. “I kept you up pretty late last night.”

“You should have gotten me up. I need to keep him on schedule.”

“I’m sorry. I was planning on it when he acted hungry. But like I said, he seemed pretty happy to hang out with me.”

I knew the feeling.

“It’s fine. I just don’t want him to be hungry tomorrow during the morning rush.”

His smile fell. “I’m an asshole. I’m sorry. You said that earlier. I guess I didn’t realize how tight the feeding schedule is.”

“It’s not your fault. Besides, I know as he grows, it’s going to change.”

“All the more reason to try out the bottle.”

“I’m going to have you give it to him. You seem to be the baby whisperer.”

Adam tickled Conor’s belly with his entire hand as he said, “I think little man and I bonded over vomit and poop our first night together.”

“That, uh, would be a bonding experience.”

“Then we confirmed it last night—no vomit or poop, though.”

“Like I said, you’re the baby whisperer.”

“Only with Conor. Although, in my defense, I haven’t really been around any other babies. So, who knows, maybe I am.”

“I’m sure your future wife will appreciate your baby abilities.”

He gave me a pointed look that made my face feel flushed.

“I hope so. I want at least one more.”

“More? You already have one?”

He cocked his head at me but didn’t add anything else.

Oh.

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