Page 72 of Billionaire and the Barista

She stood and I followed her up.

“I would love to meet my son.”

She slid her hand into mine, and it felt like hope. I followed her as she climbed the stairs to the little apartment that had been hers the first time, we were together. She knocked. The door flew open seconds later. I was face to face with the same little boy as before. This time instead of crashing into me he decided to retreat and hide behind Gabriella’s hip.

“Lacey, this is Nathan,” Gabriella introduced us.

“I’ve seen you around,” Lacey said as she shook my hand.

“I hope to be around a lot more,” I said.

She gave Gabriella a pointed look. “Let me know if you need anything,” Lacey emphasized the last word.

Gabriella had so many people who did anything for her. She gave of herself so freely, and that love was returned to her in so many ways. My chest felt tight. I had a lot to live up to, but Gabriella was worth it.

She lifted Robbie into her arms, and I followed her back downstairs.

“Robbie, I want you to meet your father. This is Nathan.”

Robbie attempted to bury his head against his mother. I held my hand out to him, just as I had with Lacey. Robbie gave me a fast shake before retreating into the space next to his mother.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” I said. “Is that your art on the refrigerator? Do you like to draw?”

He squirmed out of Gabriella’s hold and ran into the other room. I was concerned that I had scared him. Gabriella shook her head and made a stay here gesture with her hand.

A moment later Robbie returned with a stack of coloring books and a shoebox that turned out to be full of crayons. He climbed up on a chair at the kitchen table and opened a coloring book full of cars. He held up a red and blue-colored image.

“This is my favorite one,” he said.

“Robbie likes fast cars the best, don’t you?” Gabriella said. “Why don’t you sit so Robbie can show you some of his other pictures?”

She didn’t need to tell me twice.

“I like fast cars too,” I said.

Robbie showed me picture after picture. Gabriella sat with us, and for a while, she even colored in one of the coloring books.

“Can Daddy stay for dinner and spend the night?” Robbie asked out of the blue.

“Oh, wow, I got so carried away with coloring I forgot to make dinner. Let’s see what we have.” Gabriella jumped from her chair and began looking in the refrigerator. She made hissing sounds as she looked. “I can make some hot dogs.”

I got up behind her and rubbed her arms as she started to look in the cabinets.

“It’s my fault for showing up unannounced. Let me get takeout.”

“I want chicken nuggets,” Robbie announced. All vestiges of shyness gone.

“There’s a drive-thru not too far from here. I’ll grab us some burgers, and chicken nuggets. Be right back.” I leaned forward and kissed Gabriella on the cheek. I ruffled Robbie’s hair and strode out the door.

My pulse was racing. I had a son. And Gabriella was giving me an opportunity I didn’t know if I deserved or not. I was not going to waste this. I had her back; I was going to keep her.

I made a quick detour on my way to buying dinner. When I returned, I walked in the door with bags of fast food and more.

“What is that?” Gabriella asked when she saw the extra shopping bag I was carrying.

I put the food down on the kitchen table that had been cleaned off in my absence.

I reached into the bag and pulled out a selection of coloring books, and a stuffed race car.

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