Part 19 (2/2)
”Good morning.” I smiled.
”Hey,” he said groggily.
Just like that, my body awakened with an intense need. He was the very definition of scruffy. His hair was disheveled, and in the daylight, it became apparent that he'd been growing out his stubble. A gray fitted t-s.h.i.+rt looked like it had been painted onto his muscles. Don't get me started on how good his a.s.s looked in those gym pants.
”How is she?” he asked. My body reacted even more as he stepped closer to peek in on Bea.
”She's asleep.”
”That figures. The sun is s.h.i.+ning. I should've known.” He searched my eyes. ”How are you?”
”I'm feeling good. You were amazing last night.”
”That's what they always say.” He winked.
Rolling my eyes, I said, ”Thank you again.”
”Stop thanking me.” His face turned serious. ”You know...all those times I'd asked how you were doing, you told me you were okay. You didn't look f.u.c.king okay to me last night. You were lying.”
”Justin, this whole thing is my responsibility. What is anyone else gonna really do for me?”
”Has your mother even come to visit?”
”She came to the hospital when Bea was born, but she didn't offer to stay to help. She's more concerned with things like traveling to Cancun with her boyfriend and hawking those multi-colored leggings all over the Internet, apparently. You know, priorities.”
”Unf.u.c.kingbelievable.” He looked around the house then said, ”Nana would have helped.”
”Yes, she would have.” I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking of my grandmother before my thoughts s.h.i.+fted to my mother again. ”As for Patricia, I don't want her with me anyway. Having to deal with her would be like taking care of two babies. ”
”She should still have the decency to offer help, even if you refused.”
”I agree.”
He scratched his head. ”I forgot to bring my coffee with me. Do you have any lying around?”
”Actually, I stopped drinking coffee fusion when I found out I was pregnant. The withdrawal was killer. I do have some half-caf in the cupboard.”
”I guess that'll have to do for now.” He glanced over at Bea. ”You don't think all that fusion did anything to her, do you?”
”You mean why her sleeping is erratic?”
”I feel guilty getting you hooked on that s.h.i.+t. Neither of us knew what was going on.”
”Don't even. It wasn't your fault. Look at her. She's fine.”
He rubbed his chin and grinned. ”Yeah. She seems alright.”
”I'm gonna try to put her upstairs in the crib. Then, I'll come down and make some coffee.”
”I've got it,” Justin said.
”You sure?”
”Yep.”
After I put Bea down, Justin was preparing two mugs when I returned to the kitchen.
”Still take cream and sugar?” he asked.
”Yeah. Thanks.”
”How is she?”
”Sleeping like a baby.”
”Good.” He slid my mug toward me.
I took a sip and asked the question I'd been dying to. ”Why didn't Jade come with you?”
”She's got a regular role in a new musical called The Alley Cats. She can't leave the city.”
”She's not coming at all?”
”I'm not sure.”
”How long are you staying?”
He stirred his coffee and shook his head. ”I don't know.”
Dread filled me. Justin had only been here one day, and I was already sad for the day he'd be leaving me alone again.
”Well, I'm glad you're here.”
We drank coffee in silence until I noticed Justin staring down at my b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
Coughing, he asked, ”Did you spill coffee on yourself?”
I looked down and sure enough, breast milk was leaking from my nipples, forming two giant wet spots. ”s.h.i.+t. No. I'm leaking milk. I'd go change, but it's just gonna happen again until she wakes up.”
”Jesus. I'm so glad I'm not a woman.”
G.o.d. I'm glad you're not a woman, too.
”Welcome to my life.” When he continued to look down, I joked, ”You don't have to look. My eyes are up here.”
”Your t.i.ts are ma.s.sive. You have to know that.”
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