Lincoln had packed up some things and was staying in the guest room of my house. I loved hearing her and Blayze every morning in the kitchen. It took me a while to get around the house, but I knew the more I walked around, the better it would be for my ribs. It killed my leg, though, and Lincoln insisted I use a cane. It helped, even though I refused to admit it did.
After managing to get up and dressed on my own this morning, I called my mom; then I headed toward the sound of Lincoln’s and Blayze’s voices.
“What if I want it in the shape of a cow?”
I walked around the corner and saw Blayze sitting on the large island, far enough away from the stovetop where Lincoln was cooking pancakes but close enough to be involved.
“A cow? Ugh. Why couldn’t you say a heart?”
Blayze snarled his lip. “Gwoss.”
“Why is a heart gross?”
He shrugged. “Dunno.”
“Well, I think my pancake that I made for your daddy is going to be a heart, because he owns mine.”
A lump formed in my throat.
With a chuckle, Blayze asked, “How can Daddy own your heart, Lincoln?”
He hadn’t called her Miss Lincoln. That was interesting.
“Well, it really just means that my heart belongs to your daddy. I love him and only him.”
“You don’t wove me?”
Lincoln stopped what she was doing and moved closer to Blayze. “Yes! Wrong words to use. Blayze, I love you so very much. You own a piece of my heart too.”
“I do?” he asked, his voice filled with hope.
She nodded. “And I want you to know something. No matter what happens and who comes into our little world that the three of us are building right now, you will always have such a special place in my heart.”
“Like a mommy would have for her baby boy?”
“Yes. I might not be the mommy who grew you in her tummy, Blayze.” Her head shook a little as she gazed down at him with nothing but love. “But I would be so honored to get to be the mommy to help your daddy raise you into a fine young man, like he is.”
My eyes filled with tears at Lincoln’s answer.
He wrapped his arms around her, and they held each other for the longest time as I let go of a bit more of the guilt I had been holding on to.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
LINCOLN
“Hey, good morning, you two.”
I jumped at the sound of his voice. Blayze turned and smiled when he saw his father walking into the kitchen. Stella and I had both explained to him where Brock was hurt and that hugs were off limits for now. So, Blayze stuck his arms out in the air and pretended to hug him before Brock leaned down and kissed him.
“Morning, buddy. What’s going on here?”
He moved over to me and turned me toward him. He placed his finger on my chin, and my whole body instantly warmed. He slowly bent and kissed me. He certainly wasn’t afraid of showing his emotions for me in front of Blayze. It was Brock who had explained to him that I would be staying for a while to help him get better, but that I would be in the guest room.
“Lincoln was making pancakes for us. I asked her to make a cow, but she didn’t know hows to.”
Brock smiled and then peeked in to see me lifting out a heart-shaped silicone mold so I could flip the pancake. “You’re cheating, using that!”
With a laugh, I replied, “Hey! I might be an interior designer, but I never claimed to be a good cook!”
“Speaking of, is Karen okay with the amount of work you’ve missed?”
“Yep, I took care of some work while you were in the hospital. When I couldn’t sleep and my mind needed to focus on something else. Right now, I’m finishing up Julia’s makeover. I swear, if I see another fish or whale or dolphin, I might get sick.”
“Like you did this mornin’?” Blayze asked.
I froze.
“You were sick?” Brock asked.
I quickly took the pancake out and placed it on a plate for Blayze. “That food last night must not have agreed with me. I had a bit of an upset stomach.”
Brock placed his hand over my stomach, and I stilled. Then, it hit me. My out-of-whack emotions the last few weeks . . . at least now I knew why I had been so emotional lately.
“How’s it feel now?” he asked as I looked up into his eyes. When he saw the tears building, he frowned.
“It feels amazing.”
He smiled. He thought I meant his touch, which . . . yes, that did feel amazing, and I instantly wanted more of it.
“I see,” he purred, kissing me once more.
“Gwoss . . . all this kissin’. Can I eats my pancake in the living room?” Blayze asked.