Page 77 of Pursued By My Grumpy Fiancé
“Hi,it’ssogreatto see you! I brought some hash brown casserole. Mom’s old recipe.”
Penny grins as I hand her the casserole.
We step through the threshold of their home, entering their world. The living room that once held pristine furniture and decor is now baby proofed, with the television stand anchored to the wall, and cords hidden behind plastic keepers.
Johnny, their now eight-month-old son, is crawling around, picking up and putting down various toys spread throughout. Once he spots us, his eyes go wide, staring at us in curiosity.
“Sorry about the mess. Keeping Baby J entertained is a full-time job for both a maid and a nanny, and we, for some reason, have neither.” She laughs as we step in completely.
“Please, sit down while I put this in the kitchen. Thank you so much for the casserole. It feels almost impossible for us to actually get some dinner cooking these days, and I’m pretty tired of ordering in.”
“I figured as much. It’s also baby friendly, so Johnny can try some also.” I sit down on the couch, Johnny’s attention drawn to me when he hears his name.
His eyebrows draw down, fixing me with a look of skepticism unique to a baby.
Penny scoops him up into her arms and tickles his belly. His baby giggles fill the room, touching my heart. She sits down in the armchair across from us, and he seems content in her lap, relaxing back into her.
“So how have you two been? I haven’t seen you since, oh gosh, the wedding. How long ago was that now?” She starts counting out on her fingers.
“Two and a half months,” Landon breaks in.
“It has been awhile. We’ve been good. You know I’ve been very busy with Gould Holdings, especially with the tech division.”
He throws his arm around me and squeezes.
“Yes, and my firm is doing well. It turns out that there are a lot of families who need help with medical bills. There’s a good amount of work for me to do. I do take a lot of cases pro bono, though. I just can’t bring myself to charge some people, I guess.”
I shrug, remembering the Iowa family that begged me to help them. I didn’t charge a cent, and helped them not only square away their past due bills, but also get into the experimental treatment program at the same hospital my mom is at. Gould Holdings kindly donated the funds for their treatment. Actually, Gould Holdings has been making a lot of charitable donations lately. Not even because of me, either. Landon has taken the reins of his company's charity sector, spearheading donations and campaigns for various efforts. Sensationalist speculation runs through the magazines and newspapers about whether the company’s newfound charitable efforts are simply for tax breaks.
“We’ve also been volunteering quite a bit,” Landon says, causing Penny to blink in surprise.
“Really? Where at?” she asks.
Johnny is getting impatient, already bored of sitting in her lap. He squirms until she puts him down. He immediately crawls over to us, fiddling with my shoelaces. My laughing seems to startle him, and he moves away to stare some more.
“The hospital. We aim for twice a week, but do more if we can.” He smiles at me.
I love this man. His heart is good in every way.
“I think Hailey would have been a nurse in another life, she’s so good at it.”
Actually, I had considered being a nurse for a while. In the end, I decided that I wanted to make an impact in a different way. Being a nurse is a wonderful thing, but my career was the right choice for me.
“So, how are things with you? Are you still designing at the moment? I can’t imagine how hard it is with this guy running amok.” I smile and wrinkle my nose at Johnny.
He giggles at the silly face, and scoots closer to me. I pick him up and hold him close. He reaches for a strand of my hair and I smile at him as he tugs on it gently.
“Actually, it’s not so bad. Mom watches him a couple days a week, and when Parker gets home, he takes over so I can spend some time designing. I know that once he gets a little older it will be easier to find time, but in all honesty, I’m dreading it. I really just want him to stay a baby forever.”
Johnny coos as a foul scent wafts up to my nose.
“Uh oh, is someone stinky?” I giggle and wrinkle my nose at him.
He blows raspberries in response.
“Oh, I’ll change him!” Penny sits up.
“Actually, I’ve got it, no worries. You just take a break,” I tell her.
