Page 53 of The Rebound
“Not so baddoesn’t meangood, Kinley.” Walker sighs, but I can see a trace of a smile lurking. He reaches out to brush what little hair Caleb has with his fingertips and whispers good-bye for now.
Watching my big brother fall so naturally into the role of sweet, attentive uncle fills my heart with a profound sense of pride. But I know Caleb’s presence here is going to make my brother even more protective of me. Of us.
When the door closes behind Walker, it’s Saint’s turn to dote on Caleb. He walks over to where the baby is resting and reaches out to touch his belly with an adoring smile on his face.
“You made this,” he says to me, then stares at Caleb’s tiny sleeping face. The tone of his voice is boyish and filled with wonder.
I cozy up next to Saint, and he wraps his arm around my shoulders. I lean against his side, happy to have him here.
“Couldn’t have done it without you,” I say, nudging him.
Saint doesn’t spare it a second thought. “Psh, you absolutely could have. I was just there to mop the sweat off your forehead.”
“A vital part of the process.”
“If you say so,” he says, leaning in to drop a casual kiss on the crown of my head.
We both freeze, and I know—I justknow—that we’re wondering the same thing.
Are we really just friends? After everything?
I almost consider broaching the subject until a giant yawn interrupts me. Saint squeezes my shoulder comfortingly, and I lean into the touch.
“You must be exhausted. How about you take a nap?”
“But Caleb—”
“I’ll babysit.”
“I don’t know ...”
“You’ve got nothing to worry about. The kid is fast asleep. You should take a page from his book. Really leads by example, doesn’t he?”
I chuckle, the idea of snuggling into my bed for a quick snooze sounding more and more appealing by the second. “A quick nap. If I’m not up in twenty minutes, come get me, okay?”
Saint pretends to contemplate this before ultimately shrugging. “Nah. I’m not gonna do that.”
“Saint,” I whine. “Please? I don’t want to miss anything.”
He steers me toward the hallway, giving me the gentlest of pushes toward my room. “And you won’t. You deserve to rest, Kinley.”
I give Caleb one last longing look before accepting defeat. Saint and my exhaustion win this time around. Next time, it won’t be so easy.
“Fine,” I grumble, a little annoyed by his insistence, but mostly grateful for it.
The walk down the hall is a blur. I don’t remember turning off the lights or crawling under my duvet. I don’t even remember what I dream about.
• • •
When I wake up, I feel like a brand-new person. A brand-new person with really swollen boobs. And based on the sound of Caleb crying from the other side of the condo, it’s time to feed him.
“Is the pizza here yet?” I ask as I shuffle into the living room, my voice a little froggy from my nap.
Saint is cradling the tiny shape of my son in his arms, whispering words of comfort with that deep, velvety voice of his. When he lifts his gaze to mine, I don’t think he’s ever been more gorgeous than he is right now, holding my child so gently in his burly arms.
“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Saint says, that signature smirk giving me goose bumps. “Pizza arrived about three hours ago.”
My jaw just about drops to the floor. I whirl around to look at the clock and find he’s right. It’s been three hours since I lay down. I must havereallyneeded that rest.
