Revealing Annie - Freya Barker Page 0,50
her. “Also, good thing my husband shares.”
Oh yeah, I fucked up.
“Sorry, man,” Tony mumbles, as she brushes past me inside. He sets down the baby seat and lifts up a six-pack of specialty beer he has in his other hand. “Fridge?”
“Please, I’ll take the baby. Safer if I walk in with protection.”
The asshole chuckles as he walks into the living room, where Blue introduces him to my parents. She’s met them a few times before.
I unclip Esme’s harness and lift her from her seat, a wave of longing hitting me when she snuggles her little body against my chest. It’s quickly replaced with a burst of rage at Chanel, for denying me the experience with my own child.
“Oh my God,” Mom titters, rushing up with her hands already outstretched. “Gimme the baby.”
“Wait your turn,” I tell her with a wink. “Let me get my snuggles in first.”
She contents herself by cooing at Esme, stroking gentle fingers over the baby’s soft hair.
“She’s so precious.”
Another reason to be angry with Chanel.
Annie looks wide-eyed when I make it to the living room and I give her what I hope is a reassuring smile. Dad is already in the kitchen performing host duties, and Bryce, who must’ve just surfaced from the basement, is shaking hands with Tony.
“Meet Esme, Annie,” Blue says, giving me the stink-eye, but it softens the moment her gaze lands on her baby. “Don’t mind Sumo, he’s a bit territorial with her.”
“I can share,” I protest, which goes to deaf ears.
“She’s beautiful,” Annie mumbles, her smile is as soft for the baby as it is for me. “But why don’t you give her to your mom? I have to check the meringue.”
Mom doesn’t need to be told twice and is already plucking her from my arms. I barely have a chance to kiss her little head.
That leaves Blue and I, facing off.
“I know I messed up. Things have been crazy,” I start.
“So I gather.”
She still looks pissed, but then she suddenly snickers, shoving my shoulder.
“Ohhh, this is so much fun,” she taunts. “I was gonna call you and tear you a new one yesterday, but Tony suggested I save it and mess with you a little instead. He was right. This was so much more satisfying.”
I glance over her shoulder to see Tony watching from the kitchen, a big grin splitting his face as he mouths, “Payback.”
I haven’t even had a chance to take Bryce to meet my crew at the station, which was on the schedule for sometime these coming days since we never made it in the past week. I can’t imagine the razzing I’ll get there when they discover I not only have a son, but a woman in my life as well.
“You’ve got me,” I grumble, but give her shoulder a squeeze as I move past her to the kitchen.
My dad is holding court at the kitchen island, his hand loosely on Bryce’s shoulder as he talks to Tony. I catch my son’s eye and give him a wink before catching Annie around her waist, just as she closes the oven door.
“Sorry for the invasion,” I mumble in her neck. “You okay?”
She turns in my arms and pats my chest.
“I am.” I wait for her to add ‘fine’ but it never materializes. “But what were your plans for dinner?” she whispers.
“I’ll take care of that. Will there be enough dessert?”
She chuckles and presses her face in my chest.
“Enough for dessert, yes, but there won’t be enough left for you to have for breakfast at the crack of dawn.”
She’s referring to the leftovers of last night’s chocolate mousse she caught me wolfing down at five this morning. I’d forgotten she’s used to getting up early herself. The chocolate mousse led to another kind of breakfast with me on my knees, and Annie hoisted up on the edge of the kitchen counter, her legs over my shoulders.
“Hmmm,” I growl softly, tightening my arms around her. “I think I may have discovered a taste I crave more, as of this morning.”
Her blush is cute as her eyes dart over my shoulder.
“Not with your parents here,” she hisses.
“I don’t think your mother’s gonna give me back my baby,” Blue says, walking into the kitchen.
It’s the same as it was growing up, didn’t matter who’d be over visiting, we all inevitably would end up in the kitchen.
In the end it’s Dad and me together who get dinner going. Mom is too preoccupied with both the baby and her newfound grandson, who she