Broken Course (Wrecked and Ruined #3)(71)

"Yeah. They have," he responds quietly, but he doesn’t elaborate. He goes back to silently staring out the window.

Another hour later, Leo’s phone chirps in his lap. He picks it up and lets out a loud relieved laugh. He turns the phone to me, revealing a picture of Erica smiling while holding a tiny baby with thick, brown hair. You can’t really see the baby, but God bless Slate for knowing exactly which face Leo really needed to see.

As we continue our trip, Leo glances down at the picture several times. His mood significantly lightens as well. Holding my hand tight against his thigh, he even leans over to give me a few kisses. About ten minutes from the hospital, he asks me a question of his own.

"Do you want kids?"

My head snaps to his. "Um, I don’t know. I mean, I always planned to have a family. It’s just things haven’t exactly worked out that way. Plus, I’m getting older, so I’m just not sure it’s in the cards for me anymore."

"Sarah, you’re thirty-five. You’re not too old to have kids."

"Well, ‘I don’t know’ is still my answer. What about you?"

"I just don’t see how I could ever have anything to offer a kid. I just freaked the f*ck out over Erica giving birth. Can you imagine what a whack job I would be as a dad?"

"I think you’d be a great dad. That’s kind of how I think you treat Erica already. It’s weird in some ways but really freaking sweet in others. My dad was this big, tall, quiet guy. He loved me and Emma more than anything in life, but he was never that over-the-top, don’t-touch-my-daughter-or-I-kill-you type of dad. However, I can see you being that way. Cleaning guns in the living room when her fifth-grade boyfriend comes over to play." I laugh, but Leo just turns to stare back out the window. "I’m okay with no kids, Leo. In case you were worried about that."

He nods and squeezes my hand but doesn’t say anything else.



"YOU WANT to hold him?" Erica asks.

"No, babe. I’m good," Leo declines while staring down at Adam Slate Andrews wrapped up in a blanket sleeping in his bassinet.

"Can I?" I ask when I’m not able to resist any longer.

"Of course," Erica answers warmly.

Stepping around Leo, I lift all eight pounds of baby Adam into my arms and cradle him tight against my chest. "He’s gorgeous," I say, lifting his tiny hand from under the blanket.

As shameful as it may be, jealously immediately creeps into my heart. I was supposed to have this. I’m thirty-five years old. I shouldn’t be starting over from scratch. I should have a baby with my blue eyes…or maybe even chocolate-brown. I glance up to find Leo watching me intently. I try to give him a forced smile, but it only makes the tears spill from my eyes.

Leo walks behind me, wraps his arms around my waist, and drops his chin to my shoulder. "You okay?"

"He’s just really cute," I half lie, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"I love you," he whispers into my ear, making the world right again.

The fact is that, if I had a school of kids running around my feet right now, I wouldn’t have Leo. No matter how f*cked up it may be, in this moment, I’m thankful for the broken course that led me to here. All of the wrongs somehow feel right. And if Leo James is all I ever get, I can honestly still say that this life would be an absolute win.

"I love you, too." I turn my head and find his lips for a brief but no less meaningful kiss.

"He looks like you," Leo tells Slate.

"He does. Poor kid." Slate settles on the tiny hospital bed next to Erica.

"All right, Mr. Andrews. I’ve told you twelve times. That bed has a weight limit," a nurse says, walking in the room.

"I’ll buy you a new one," Slate responds, not budging an inch.

"Okay, everyone. I need to check on our new mom now, so I’ll need you all to step out into the hall for just a minute. Out you go."

"I’m not going anywhere," Slate growls.

"Oh lord, I don’t mean you, Dad." She tosses him a sugary-sweet grin only to roll her eyes when she turns to face us.

"We’ll be outside." Leo reaches, forward squeezing Erica’s foot, while Slate takes Adam from my arms.

"So, gift shop?" I ask as soon as we exit the room.

But Leo’s hands are suddenly in my hair. His mouth slams over mine as he pushes me up against the wall, stroking his tongue against mine. Screw the fact that we are standing in public—I meet his every thrust.

"Cásate conmigo," he says against my lips. "No quiero ninguna parte de esta vida sin ti. Fuistes, mi ángel. Despues mi cielo y ahora necesito que seas mi todo."

"Are you talking dirty?" I whisper, laughing.

"It might just be the dirtiest thing I’ve ever said." He leans away and tosses me an insecure smile. "Thank you for coming with me, ángel."

"You’re welcome. I’m glad to be here." I give him a tight hug.

We stand in the middle of the hospital hallway holding each other. It’s nothing overly sexy like it was a few minutes ago. It’s just comfortable. It’s Leo.

When the door swings open, Slate comes walking out with the nurse.

"I’m going to get some coffee. Can you sit with her for a minute?" he asks Leo.