I chuckled. “Sure, I’ll bring it in there.”
Blayze jumped off the island and bolted out of the kitchen. I quickly cut his pancake into sections and poured a small amount of syrup into a bowl. Blayze liked to dip his pancake into the syrup rather than have it poured over it. Brock poured more batter into the pan.
“Let me take this to him,” I said, taking the plate and bowl and heading into the living room. “Here ya go, buddy. One heart-shaped pancake cut up like little pizzas for my favorite little boy!”
Blayze beamed as he looked up at me. “Thank you, Lincoln!”
I ruffled his hair as I said, “You are so welcome, buddy. Remember what we talked about: eat over your bowl so the syrup doesn’t get everywhere.”
He nodded and got to work eating his pancake while he watched a cartoon.
When I walked back into the kitchen, my breath caught at the sight of Brock standing over the stove. Even broken and bruised, this man was a sight to be seen. My heartbeat quickened, and I tried to swallow the lump in my throat.
“How do you feel?” I asked.
“Better. It’s always good to get up and walk.”
I shot him a warning look. “Take it easy.”
“I will.” He popped a strawberry in his mouth. “Mom’s on her way over to get Blayze.”
“Why?” I asked, slipping a perfect heart-shaped pancake out of the pan and onto the plate. I buttered it and poured a bit of syrup on it before following Brock to the table.
“I asked her to. I wanted to talk to you. It’s time I told you everything about me and Kaci.”
“Brock, what’s in the past is in the past. I don’t need to know.”
He chuckled and then held on to his side. “If you’ve spent more than five minutes with Julia, I’m sure you and I need to talk. According to her, it was a heartbreaking love triangle between me, Dirk, and Kaci. In a way, I guess it was. But I need you to understand why I was distant for so many years and then attempted—but failed—to keep you away.”
“We can talk, but I need you to know that I’m not pushing you into anything. I would never do that. So, no matter what happens here the next few weeks, I’m going to go at your pace, Brock. No more spooking you away.” I chewed anxiously on my lip. “At least, I hope not.”
“That’s not going to happen. I promise you.”
I gave him a forced smile. Oh Lord. If sex with no condom spooked him, a baby is going to freak him the heck out.
Pacing the kitchen, I wrung my hands while Brock ate. Maybe I needed to wait to tell Brock. This was moving so fast.
A baby.
We were having a baby.
My hand covered my stomach as I tried to keep the bile down.
The doorbell rang, and I let out a small scream.
“Jesus, Lincoln, what’s wrong?” Brock asked. “You’re pacing a hole in the floor.”
“Sorry. I’ll go let your mom in.”
I rushed out of the kitchen and barely beat Blayze to the door.
I opened it to see Stella standing there. “Good morning! I’m here to see if a certain little boy wants to go to the park with me and Papa? Maybe fly some kites?”
Blayze’s eyes lit up as he said, “Yes! I want to go!”
“How fun is that going to be!” I said with a chuckle as Blayze ran out of the room and quickly came back with his on-the-go toys that he always had at the ready.
“You excited, buddy?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Yep,” he said as he flew past Stella and rushed to his grandparents’ truck.
“Well, I’d say he was a bit more than excited. Bye, Blayze!” I called out.
He merely lifted his hand and climbed up into the truck. Ty Senior buckled him in.
“He just ate a pancake for breakfast.”
Stella smiled. “Sounds good.”
“Hi, Ty!” I called out as I waved my hand.
He replied with a smile and a good morning. Then I felt Brock next to me.
“Hi, Mama. How’s it going, Dad?” he called out.
“Good. How are you feeling?” Ty Senior asked as he shut the truck door.
“Better now that I’m home.”
Stella reached up and kissed her son on the cheek. Then she turned to me and did the same. She moved her mouth to my ear and whispered, “Don’t be worried. He’s going to be over the moon.”
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped.
She knows about the baby?
“Ty can’t keep a secret for his life,” she whispered.
After a quick hug, she waved her fingers in the air and officially declared it grandparents’ day.
I was still in shock as I watched her climb into the truck and drive away.
“You okay? What did she say to you?” Brock’s voice snapped me out of my moment of daze.