Page 17 of Let Me Love You (Excess All Areas 5)

She forced herself to think of Asher and the way he loved his nieces and nephews. When they’d got back to the party, he’d played with them for hours, twirling them around in the air, pushing them on swings, and reading to them. He’d be an amazing father.

But when she thought of him holding their child, the only thing wrong with the image was it was Asher and not Ben.

“How’s Nan doing?” she asked.

Luke stood and hugged her. “You can’t just read the chart, Doc?”

“I could. But that would be a gross violation of Nan’s privacy and Pat’s rights as her next of kin.”

Pat smiled up at her. “You know I don’t mind you seeing them, love. The more eyes look at what is going on with Mum, the better.”

“It’s nothing but time, at this point,” Chaya said. “Waiting. Talking to her.”

Willow stood. “I think we should get this little guy home so I can feed him before my boobs explode.”

Pat smiled. “I remember those days. Used to have to stuff cabbage leaves in my bra to calm them down.”

Ben scrunched up his nose. “That’s a thing?”

Chaya smiled. “Putting cold cabbage leaves on your boobs helps relieve engorgement when they get so full it’s painful. But you have to be careful because they can also decrease your milk supply.”

“Jesus Christ. I’m never eating cabbage ever again,” Ben said.

Chaya grinned at him. “Unless you’re breastfeeding a secret baby, I’m pretty sure you’re fine to eat it.”

“I’d rather not risk it.”

“You want me to find you a room, here? I think there are some breastfeeding spaces,” Chaya said.

Willow placed a palm over the rise of her breast and pressed gently. “No, I think I’m good. Unless he cries, and then you’re all in firing range.”

“This is way more than I intended to hear tonight.” Ben handed Zale to Chaya. “You were edging closer. I’m guessing this little guy is who you were after.”

One time, she would have made some teasing joke about it being Ben all along. For now, she just smiled. “Yes,” she said softly, taking Zale from him. Their hands touched, his fingers grazing hers. But his eyes never left hers. The same tension was back from the hospital corridor two days earlier. It was heady, and more intense than it had ever been.

The scent of a baby’s head was one of the most wonderful things in the world. So was the feeling when their chubby little arms and fists hugged you back. When she finally had Zale comfortable, she looked up at Ben and found him watching her, not the baby. Glancing back at Zale, she stroked his cheek softly. “You are way too cute to be causing your mum problems.”

“Meh,” Willow said, coming to stand by her. “They aren’t that bad.”

“Oh, they are,” Luke said. “I went near her boobs the other day, thinking they looked hot and all that. Next thing, Zale cries from his room, and I got an eyeful of breast milk. They dispense to the sound of him from fifty miles away.”

Willow shook her head. “They didn’t all need to know that.”

“You still love me, though, right, flower?” Luke asked.

“You helped me make him, so yes.” She took Zale from Chaya and handed him to Luke. “I’m just going to talk to Chaya a second while you get his jacket on. Come outside with me for a minute?”

“Sure.” Once in the hallway, Willow looked over her shoulder and Chaya assumed it was so they wouldn’t be overheard. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m worried about you because I know what it’s like to be living your life for someone else. I know what it’s like to feel you owe your family. I know what it feels like to consider breaking away from them. Because that all happened to me.”

It took Chaya a moment to realise what Willow meant. Willow’s father had managed Willow from being a child actor to a social media influencer, but had pushed her and stolen from her, forcing her to do what he wanted. “What? No. Willow. It isn’t like…”

Willow sighed. “Do you really love Asher? Is he the person you want to be with most in the world?”

“I do.” The wordsin my own wayalmost fell off her tongue.

“You’ve been there for me since the moment I arrived in the UK. You took me to the hospital when I thought I was losing Zale. And I keep thinking about our conversation that night. You told me you loved Ben.”

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