Page 41 of The Grumpy Billionaire Baby Daddy

“Okay. But I’m not.”

“Should we watch something? What’s your favorite show?”

“Mmm, I don’t think you’ll like it.”

“Try me,” he says with a smirk.

“You.”

His nose wrinkles.

“Me?”

I burst out laughing at his genuine confusion.

“I’m flattered, but I’m not a show.”

“I meanYou. The name of my favorite show isYou. That’s the title. Y-O-U.”

It takes him a while, but eventually, his face lights up.

“Oh! You meanYouis the title of the show?”

He bursts into laughter.

“Right. Okay, let’s watch it. What’s it about?”

“It’s about a guy named Joe and all his…uhmm…adventures.”

A gentle chuckle escapes from him as he reaches for the remote control, his movements are fluid and graceful. I plop down onto the sofa next to him, still in a state of disbelief that this surreal moment is actually happening. A part of me wonders if this is all just a pleasant dream, an illusion conjured up by my subconscious mind. Nevertheless, I allow myself to revel in the moment, content to let reality take a backseat for just a little while longer.

Chapter 14

Jason

I’mcoveredinsweatas I jerk from sleep, panting. Rolling over to the nightstand beside my bed, I turn the bedside lamp on and sit up. I glance at the AC above my bedroom window. Its soft hums continue even though the room is suddenly hot. The nightmares are back, and this time they’re worse. I’ve had two nightmares this week, and it’s just Wednesday. My mind races as I try to remember the details of the nightmare. It’s a bit fuzzy, but I remember I saw Dad. He came to my office, insisting that I stole his position as CEO. I tried to explain that he had left me in charge, but he didn’t listen. Before I could blink, he began to strangle me, and as I choked, I woke up coughing. I hold my neck, grimacing. Is this ever going to stop?

Every nightmare I've had revolves around a trusted person harming or abandoning me. Years ago, I dreamt I married a woman who stabbed me with a knife. It’s a reflection of my fears concerning marriage. You’re literally at the mercy of someone who might turn their back on you when you least expect it.

I should get something to drink to help me go back to sleep. A glass of milk should do. I move out of bed, feeling around for my slip-on. But what if I go to sleep and have another nightmare? I turn the doorknob, making my way to the kitchen downstairs.

The entire house is dark and quiet, except for the hums from the electronics around the house. A dim light glows from the kitchen, and as I step in, my heart skips. Fiona is standing with her back turned to me as she faces the refrigerator. Her brown hair is in a bun, and her shorts reveal her thighs with creamy skin. My heart stirs. I clear my throat, and she turns, a glass of water in her hands. She grins as I walk toward her.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“You realize I’m pregnant, right?”

I scratch my head. What’s she talking about?

“I deal with insomnia on some nights. Woke up an hour ago to throw up, and couldn’t go back to sleep because no matter how much I turned, everything was so uncomfortable.”

I didn’t know that. I should respect her more; she’s dealing with so much. She searches my face before sipping from her glass.

“And you’ve been dealing with this constantly?”

“Yeah.” She shrugs. “I walk around, or go to the terrace to watch the moon. It gets lonely, but I handle it well enough.”

I rarely experience guilt, but as she speaks, I realize all the ways I was unfair to her. I can’t believe the woman carrying my baby has been unable to sleep most nights, and I had no idea.Dammit, asshole.

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