Page 74 of Billionaire and the Barista

GABRIELLA

“Where’s Daddy?” Robbie asked as he jumped on my bed first thing in the morning.

I had slept like a baby for the first time in what felt like weeks. I ground my hands into my sleep-laden eyes. The skin was no longer tender to the touch.

“I guess he’s asleep in his bed at home,” I said groggily.

“But isn’t this home? Annie says her mommy and daddy sleep in the same room, like a sleepover every night. Why didn’t he sleep here?”

I pulled Robbie into a hug. “Annie has a different family than we do. Doesn’t she?” I started.

Robbie nodded.

“You like her family, don’t you?”

He nodded again.

“You just met your daddy. And, well, me and him aren’t married. We are still Mommy and Daddy, but the rest of it is just different.”

“I won’t get a big brother?” He looked so sad.

I kissed his little forehead. “No, but someday you’ll get to be the big brother.”

I thought about telling him someday soon, but I wasn’t ready for that yet. He would find out soon enough. It broke my heart that he had been missing a family all this time. But Nathan was back, and things hadn’t gone horribly wrong when he met Robbie.

I still needed to tell him about the baby, but that seemed like it would be easy after last night.

“It’s a school day, time to get ready.” I hustled him off my bed.

“Will Daddy come over later?”

“I think he will,” I said.

Robbie gave me a huge grin and ran back to his room to get ready for his half-day at pre-school.

I walked through my morning on a different happy cloud than Robbie. He was thrilled to now have a father and was making all kinds of plans. I was happy to have Nathan back. Even though I still felt a little unsure.

I got Robbie to school, and then I started my day at the café. The customer line wasn’t terribly insane, but with my help, everything would go smoother. I wasn’t scheduled to start baking until later after Robbie came home from school. Lacey had classes this afternoon, so this was one of the days where we set Robbie up with his own table and he colored.

My phone buzzed and I looked at it.

“What time does Robbie get out of school? When can I come over?” Nathan had texted.

I smiled because Nathan wanted to spend time with his son and because he could look after Robbie for the afternoon.

I sent him a quick text letting him know the schedule for the day.

“I’ll be there by lunch.”

The hours until he arrived dragged out. I wanted to see Nathan again, I wanted to be certain this was real, and that last night hadn’t been a dream.

A large stuffed bear walked in the door of the café holding a bouquet of roses. I didn’t see Nathan until he was almost to the counter. At which point he had given up, and found a chair to prop the oversized stuffed animal in.

“What is all of this?” I asked, laughing.

“These”— he handed out the flowers— “are for you, and this is for Robbie. Is he back from school yet?” I knew that expression well, only I was used to it on a much smaller face. Robbie looked like that when he was beside himself with joy. I had never seen Nathan so happy.

“They’re beautiful,” I put my face into the flowers and smelled their heady fragrance. “I need to see if I have a vase. Can I leave them on the counter so everyone can see how beautiful they are?”

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