Taking Chances (Taking Chances #1)(107)
She took his hand and shook it lightly saying, “Well you sure know how to make an entrance Liam Taylor.”
When she turned to leave, Liam looked at her and said, “You’re really going to leave after something brought us together like that?”
Instead of leaving with her girlfriends that night, she decided to take a chance on a stranger and had another coffee with him. They talked until the shop closed and were married six months later. That first sentence she spoke to him became a joke in their relationship as well as their family once the boys were born. And now, our little Liam was carrying it on for her.
***
“Sweetheart,” Brandon groaned, his voice was thick with sleep, “is it your turn or mine? What time is it?”
I turned my head toward where the clock sat on my nightstand, but couldn’t open my eyes just yet. “I don’t know. It’s probably my turn though.” Finally forcing my eyes open I blinked at the bright green numbers. It was a little after four in the morning, I smiled that at least he’d slept a little longer this time. Grabbing the comforter, I flung it off myself and onto Brandon. Before I could fall out of the bed though, he grabbed my forearm and held me down.
“If you think it’s your turn, then it’s most likely mine.”
“I have to feed him anyway Brandon, he’s been asleep for three hours. I’ll go.” I threw my legs off the bed and sat up. Brandon grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back down, crawling over until his head was hovering over mine.
“Then let me get him and bring him here for you.” He kissed me softly, then pressed his lips to my throat. “Get comfortable, I’ll be right back.”
I sighed happily and propped the pillows up against the headboard and sat against them. Liam was a little over six weeks old, and while some nights we had to wake him up to feed him, tonight wasn’t one of them. Brandon had been more than helpful with him, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have him love and help me. I thought since I was the woman, I would be the one waking up every time to be with Liam, or be the one to change him. I was breastfeeding so of course I was the one doing all the feeding, but like now, Brandon would sometimes get him and bring him to me so I could stay in our bed. And we were always taking turns with everything else. Brandon was an amazing father. He loved Liam and was always so excited to see him, and the same went for our son. Whenever Brandon would talk to him, Liam went silent and just stared at him. If Brandon rained little kisses on him, or offered up his fingers to be gripped by his son, Liam smiled wide at his dad and my heart would melt watching them. They both made my days better, spending time with the two of them was what made me jump out of bed in the mornings, and although I wanted Brandon there as much as possible, I cherished my time alone with Liam whenever he went to his classes.
Brandon walked in holding him against his chest, and of course Liam was completely silent. “Someone’s hungry, he kept trying to go for my chest.”
“Did you tell him the restaurant is closed?” I snickered as he handed our son to me. I smiled widely back at the toothless smile facing me and kissed his forehead before setting him up to eat. Didn’t matter that we were exhausted, I loved seeing my little man.
“I told him that restaurant had never even opened.” Brandon laughed heartily and kissed both of us before climbing into bed next to me. He flipped on the TV and turned on the news, the only interesting thing on in the early mornings.
“How was your nap little Liam?” I played with his hand as he greedily ate, like he wouldn’t ever get another meal.
Brandon placed a hand on my thigh and leaned over to be closer to us, “How was your nap Harper? You’ve been getting less sleep than I have.”
“I know,” I sighed and lay my head on his, “I can’t help it though. Ever since he went to the nursery I feel like if I go to sleep, something will happen to him.”
“He’s fine, and he’ll continue to be fine. But you need to sleep. Maybe –”
“No Brandon, I don’t want to bother them.”
“Harper.” He moved his head out from under mine and tilted my chin so I was looking into his brown eyes. “You know you wouldn’t be bothering them. They’re here almost every day and they ask every time if they can babysit, so don’t act like we can’t call my mom or yours. Tell me what’s really stopping you from asking them.”
I looked down to my precious son before glancing back up to my amazing fiancé. Tears began rapidly filling my eyes.
“Sweetheart, you’re crying? Why?”
“I can’t Brandon…I can’t.” I choked on a sob and put my fist to my mouth to muffle it, Liam had started dozing off again.
“Harper what is wrong? Please tell me.”
I was trying, I just couldn’t speak yet so I held up a finger, silently asking him to give me a second to calm down a little, “I can’t leave him. I’m terrified of what might happen if I do. Chase and your dad were gone just like that. I don’t want to lose him and I don’t want him to lose one or both of us. We know what it’s like to be without a parent, I can’t do that to him.”
“Aw hell, sweetheart that won’t happen. I know why you’re scared, but we can’t live like that. We can’t let what’s happened in our pasts, rule our lives now and in the future. That’s not fair to us, and it’s not fair to Liam. Nothing is going to happen, you need to allow yourself to enjoy our lives, as well as his. I don’t want to be away from him either, but I will admit, I want alone time with you. We need to have time where it’s just us. Even if it’s just a couple hours, once a week.”