Page 56 of Press Your Luck

“And they listened?”

“With boundaries and love, yes.”

His eyes searched mine, as if he was trying to find something. Was it about Porter and dealing with him, or me? God, how I wanted it to be me. Except, no. There was too much against us. And now, with Porter, how was he going to react to the news of another child? I looked away, feeling more lost than ever.

"Naomi.” Pierce’s voice was hesitant. "I could use some help with Porter."

I looked at him again, surprised by the vulnerability I saw in his blue eyes.

“What do you need help with?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just... I don't know how to connect with him. Sometimes, I feel like I make headway, and then I realize I haven’t. He's so angry all the time, and I can't seem to break through. You seem to have a way with kids.”

"Porter needs someone who believes in him," I explained. "Someone who's willing to be patient and support him while also setting boundaries. You're his father, Pierce. You have the power to make a difference in his life."

Pierce's gaze held mine, the intensity of it stealing my breath. "I feel like I’m trying that, but without luck."

“It takes time. And you have to trust yourself, too. You have it in you. Everyone knows how you helped Bo... or at least kept him alive."

His lips quirked up, and the memory of his kisses flashed in my mind. God, I was a mess. Here the guy was asking for help with his son, and I was thinking of all the ways I wanted to devour his body.

"Thank you. I suppose Bo was a handful. I appreciate your faith in me.”

As he spoke, my resolve began to crumble. How could I continue keeping this secret from him? The man standing before me was desperate to be a good father, and yet I was denying him the chance to be that for our child. My heart screamed at me to tell him about the baby.

But I didn’t.

25

Pierce

Inever expected to see Naomi at Bo's and Ruby's party. Bo and Reed had told me that Ruby and Analyn had befriended her, so maybe I should have considered she’d be there.

My heart skipped a beat when I caught sight of her across the room. She looked stunning in a simple dress that accentuated her athletic figure. A figure I hadn’t spent nearly enough time exploring, and yet, I knew I never would again. I should have taken more time last time. But she had a way of making everything but need and desire disappear.

“How long do we have to be here?” Porter whined.

“Just a little bit.”

“We have cake,” Bo said as he came to greet us. “We have a gaming system set up in the other room if you want, Porter.”

He shrugged. “I guess I could do that.” He ran off, and I hoped he’d be nice to Laina this time. When I heard Laina say, “You can’t smash the cake, Porter,” I knew I’d need to make this visit short.

I scanned the room, finding Naomi again. What would she think about the fact that I had a son from a one-night stand twelve years ago? The way she wanted nothing to do with me now made me believe that she wouldn’t care. Besides, considering the two hookups I'd had with her, she probably wouldn’t be surprised.

It was clear to me that she was ignoring me, and except for a brief hello, I let her. I might be a fool for continuing to yearn for her, but I wasn’t stupid. I wasn’t going to push for something she clearly didn’t want. So I turned my focus on my friends, with an eye on Porter to make sure he was behaving.

When Porter accidentally knocked over Naomi's drink, spilling it, I watched with admiration as she flawlessly had him clean it up. Porter wasn't happy about it, but he obeyed with minimal fuss.

As I watched her interact with my son, I felt a pang of jealousy. Why could she connect with him, but I couldn’t? It appeared she understood him, whereas I was clueless. What was her secret? How did she know how to handle kids so well? I had to know. I’d told myself I’d leave her alone, but I couldn’t now. Not if she could give me tips or insight on raising Porter.

When I asked her about it, she said similar things that my friends had, but I clearly didn’t know how to conceptualize it or turn it into action. I needed a tutor. A mentor.

“It takes time. And you have to trust yourself, too. You have it in you. Everyone knows how you helped Bo... or at least kept him alive."

I was surprised at how much her words touched me. She wasn’t wrong. There was a time that I think I was the only one who tried to look out for Bo and guide him away from his reckless lifestyle. In the end, Ruby was the one who settled him down and made him happy. But I suppose I did keep him alive. I drove him to the hospital enough times. And somehow, Naomi knew that.

"Thank you. I suppose Bo was a handful. I appreciate your faith in me.”

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