Part 17 (1/2)
”Why did you drop the case? You had everything to win. I know you said it was in Brayden's best interests, but...”
Sighing, Gates lowered his eyes momentarily from her gaze, ”It was in his best interests. A wise person reminded me to put Brayden's feelings above my own. Taking him from you would've been the worst mistake I could've made. It would have been like what my father did to my mother. Being here with him today, I know he would've ended up resenting me the same way I resent Victor. I had to break the cycle.”
”But-”
”Brayden's happy right here...with you,” he said, placing his hand on hers, which were in their usual nervous state and he smiled, trying to rea.s.sure her. ”It wasn't fair of me to try and take him from his home. You were right. I did turn into Victor and I hate it worse than anything. I didn't know how to stop it. I put other things ahead of you that I thought were important, but they weren't. I understand that now more than ever sitting here and looking at the stuff I missed with you and Brayden. It's my own fault and I have to live with it, but it doesn't mean he has to suffer because of my choices.”
They sat in silence for a moment as she took in his explanation. She hated the fact he was being so hard on himself. Sloane knew Gates' heart and knew he was a good person at his core. He'd proved that by spending time with his son and wanting to be a part of his life.
”Were you really going to ruin my friends' reputations to win?”
Gates pushed himself up from the sofa and walked back to the mantel. She watched him scrub his face with his hands and then jam them into his pockets before his shoulders slumped and he turned. ”I didn't know about Jax's visit to you. I didn't tell him to do it. I hope you know that. When I found out, I fired him and I realized I needed to back off.”
”I have to admit, I was considering giving up when Jax showed up in my office. I was sure I had no chance at all and...that you hated me.”
”Sloane, I could never hate you. I'm sorry about Jax. But I would never do anything to...well, I didn't want to see you hurt again because of me.”
”Oh.” His gaze softened and she could barely breathe as his eyes never left her face. She felt her heart rate increase with each pa.s.sing second.
”I never meant for any of that to happen. I'm glad Liyah mentioned it to me or I probably would have never known.”
”Liyah? When did she talk to you?” Surprised by his admission, Sloane gasped. She wondered if she'd heard him right.
”She came to New York. I'm guessing only a few days after Jax visited you. Made sure I understood how important it was for you to keep Brayden and how I should try to work things out with you.”
”I had no idea.” She was struck dumb thinking of how wonderful her friends were. She had no idea Liyah had gone to such lengths.
”You've got some great friends. People who care about you and our son and I'm grateful for that. I'm also glad I got the chance to come and visit.” She smiled at his last comment as he came back to take a seat beside her. She was glad he'd come to visit as well. She'd been uncertain about it and wondered if it would be awkward, but things were unexpectedly comfortable.
”Me too. It seems he's already pretty attached to you.”
”I'm pretty attached to him too.” Gates' near proximity made her a little lightheaded. She could feel the electricity and heat emanating from where their legs touched. Both sat staring at one another and she swallowed hard and bit her lower lip.
”Uh, it's getting late.” Breaking the tension, she finally looked away from his intense glare.
”Yeah, I guess so. Sloane, I do want to help out with Brayden.”
”All right.” Obviously, he could tell she wasn't sure what he was referring to and he continued.
”I know you said he's in daycare, and I'm sure it's great. But you're so good with him and I want you to know that if you want, I'm willing to support him...and you. So you wouldn't have to work or worry about anything.”
Sloane hadn't been prepared for his offer and she could feel her bottom lip grow slack as she tried to get a grip on what he was saying. Finally finding her voice again, she shook her head slowly. ”Gates, you don't have to do that. We're fine. I-”
”Before you say no, hear me out. I'm not trying to control you or run your life or anything like that. I only want to give you the opportunity to spend even more time with him. You mentioned that before and I have the means to do it. And I want to do something to help and to support him as much as possible.”
”Well, that's generous. It really is, but-”
”You don't have to say yes or no right now. Just do me a favor and consider it okay?” Gates looked at her with hopeful eyes and she knew he wanted to make sure he did everything he could to make up for the time lost with Brayden. ”My mother would have killed for my father to give her the opportunity to spend time at home with me and Bailey. I simply want you to have the chance if you want it.”
Nodding her head, Sloane smiled. ”I promise I will think about it.”
”Good.”
”We probably should get some sleep if we're going to do all of the things we planned tomorrow.” Before the intensity between them could return, Sloane cleared her throat and stood to stretch. Eyeing the clock, she was shocked to see they had been talking for hours.
”I guess you're right.” He stood and followed her through the hallway to the guest room. ”I'll see you in the morning.” Both stood staring awkwardly at one another, desperately trying to think of what they should say.
”Yeah, goodnight.”
”Goodnight.” He stood silently watching her walk to her room before turning to close the door.
The next morning, Sloane awoke to the sun streaming through her window. Slowly she opened one eye and then the other. She felt so relaxed and it felt good to lie in bed with no cares in the world. As she rolled over to look at the clock, she shot straight up in bed when she realized what time it was. 9 a.m.
”Oh no!” Jumping from the bed, she ran down the hallway and threw the door to the nursery open. ”I'm sorry baby, mommy overslept and I know you're so...Brayden?” Finding his crib empty, she turned on her heel exiting the room and was. .h.i.t with the glorious smell of food floating on the air.
Walking into the kitchen slowly, she felt her stomach rumble. She came around the corner and stood with her mouth open as she saw Brayden sitting in his high chair with a piece of banana squished between his fingers, part of it on his face. He was busy trying to get the rest of it in his mouth and Sloane could barely contain herself watching him. ”Gates?”
”Oh, good, you're up. You hungry?” She looked to see Gates holding a spatula in one hand and turning the heat up on the stove. He winked at her and turned back to what he was doing.
”Uh, yes, I guess. I'm sorry my alarm didn't go off.” Jumping up so quickly to check on Brayden, she'd forgotten about Gates being there and she cursed inwardly for wearing her old college t-s.h.i.+rt and a pair of athletic shorts to bed. She glanced at Gates' back turned to her and tried to smooth out the wrinkles in her s.h.i.+rt before sitting down beside Brayden. She noticed Gates was dressed in a pair of black track pants and the grey t-s.h.i.+rt he wore fit him like it was tailor made. She thought about the women he must be used to waking up to and that no doubt, Allie Gentry would never be caught dead in an outfit like she was wearing. She chewed on the inside of her lip and sighed, resigning herself to the fact she'd never be as glamorous as any of the women he was probably used to by now.
”Oh yeah, I turned it off this morning when I got up.”
”You did?” He nodded and she sat with her mouth agape, feeling her insides turn to jelly. He had the d.a.m.nedest way of making her bones turn to mush with a glance. She cringed thinking how horrible she probably looked when he came into her room to turn off the alarm.
”I got up early and went for a run. When I got back, Brayden was playing in his crib. So I turned your alarm off and made breakfast. You looked like you could use the extra hour, so...”
”Wow, thanks.” So this is what it is like to have a two-parent family. She giggled continuing to watch Brayden make a mess. ”It looks and smells like you still have a few tricks up your sleeve.” She was pretty impressed with Gates. His entire life people jumped whenever he said to or whenever his father wanted something for him. But somehow he'd still managed to impress her with doing things that seemed extraordinarily normal, like cooking her breakfast.
”A few. Now here, eat and I'll take care of getting this little guy cleaned up.” He placed the most delectable omelet she'd ever seen or smelled and fresh fruit in front of her. Then he picked up Brayden, who was reaching for him.
”Yes, sir.” Brayden was clearly enamored with his father and it was evident Gates was equally devoted to him. As she started to eat, she could hear Gates talking to Brayden and the faint giggles of the little boy as he carried him to his room.
”So, how'd the weekend go?” Gates glanced up to see Evan waltzing into his office on Monday morning.
”It went well.” Gates thought of the time he'd spent with Brayden. It was almost like he'd never been away from the little boy and they grew close in a matter of days. He was such a proud father and it made him even more proud witnessing Brayden's first steps.
After they spent the day taking him to the aquarium, on a tour of a battles.h.i.+p and to the beach, Brayden fell asleep on the way home. Once his nap was over though, he'd been like a runaway locomotive for the rest of the evening. During an impromptu game of Gates being 'the monster', Brayden managed to pull himself up standing near the sofa. When Gates surprised him, Brayden ran into his mother's arms only a few feet away. It shocked both Sloane and Gates. For the rest of the evening they sat only a few feet away from each other, on the floor, coaching Brayden to walk back and forth between them.
”He's walking now.”
”What? When did that happen?” Evan took a seat in one of the chairs across from Gates and smiled at the happiness in his best friend's face.
”Sat.u.r.day. He stood up and took off. He literally ran before he walked, but he's walking. He's still a little wobbly, but he's getting the hang of it.”
”Well, congratulations Dad.”