“What’s that?” Tanner tilted his head in question.
“Just, you guys are so in sync with each other. You don’t even have to speak to get the job done and look after her.” A pang of jealousy threatened to bloom in my chest, but I pushed it aside. Instead, I grasped on to the other emotion that had risen: pride.
I saw the concern in Tanner’s eyes as he looked at me. Needing to eliminate that reaction, I smiled, pushing as much warmth and reassurance as possible into it as I could. “It’s impressive, that’s all.”
When my gaze flicked to Davis, I realized he’d watched the whole exchange. I kept my smile in place. While it was genuine, his focus sent a pulse of nerves through me. “So,” I continued, once again with no real clue as to what to say, but my hate of awkward silence spurred me on, “are you looking for a baby-mama for Libby?”
Immediately I wanted to smack myself upside the head and then race out of the room to run and hide. What on earth was I doing, saying?Baby-mama?I wanted to gag a little that such words had come out of my mouth. I blamed a couple of the nurses from work who watched crap TV. I must’ve walked into a dodgy conversation and that horrendous description quite possibly cemented itself in my brain unbidden.
My eyes grew wide in horror. I risked a glance at Tanner, hoping he wasn’t annoyed at me, and desperately praying he’d be there to help yank my foot out of my mouth.
Well, he wasn’t mad.
He seemed concerned for my mental health if the confusion painted on his face was anything to go by, but he was also holding back laughter. His lips twitched, and his eyes were bright with amusement. I cast my gaze at Davis. Both horror and relief swirled; his expression and reaction were similar to Tanner’s. But I was mortified.Way to make an impression!
“I, er, please don’t answer that.” I seriously had nothing. There was no comeback to the nonsense I’d spouted. I looked at the door, seeing a possible escape route. “Another drink?” I all but leaped out of my seat. Davis’s eyes grew even wider. I hesitated for a moment, knowing I had to wait for a response, but desperate to get out of the room and throw myself in the freezer to cool my flaming cheeks.
An amused grin spread across Davis’s face. Laughing, he said, “It’s all good. Seriously. Sit your ass down. I’m all right.” He shoveled another spoonful of food into Libby’s mouth and then returned his attention to me.
I hovered, unsure what to do.
“Carter.”
I met Tanner’s gaze.
“Come and sit.” He patted the space next to him.
I released a heavy sigh, trying my hardest to swallow my embarrassment and act unaffected. “Okay.” I nodded, and threw him a strained smile. When my butt hit the cushion next to him, Tanner wrapped his arm around me, and he hugged me closer to his side.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, sure.” I glanced at Tanner, who quirked his lips. “You know how my mouth gets the better of me sometimes.” Admittedly it didn’t do that often, but I was grasping at straws. “Sorry,” I said on an exhale. “That was really inappropriate.” I looked at Davis as I spoke. He just grinned back, still amused.
I knew the bare bones of Davis’s history. That he grew up with Tanner, and they were as close as brothers. I also knew that Libby was the product of a one-night stand and that her mom had split. It was still bizarre to me that the split was willing, with Davis taking on full custody. But heck, men skipped out on women all the time I supposed, so why should it be any different for a woman?
“Seriously, it’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with the question.” Davis paused. “Okay, baby-mama may have thrown me a little.” He laughed, which in turn made Libby giggle too. Davis dropped a kiss to her head before he spooned more food into her mouth and said, “And to answer your question, no. Libby and I are pretty cool as we are. I have no idea how I’d even fit in a relationship on top of work and Libby.
“Maybe one day I’ll meet the right person, but I’m in no rush.” Libby made a strange noise, and I watched her start to shake her head. Davis moved her a little, placing the bowl and spoon on the floor, which Rex immediately attacked, ignoring Tanner’s grumbles and much to Libby’s delight. Davis then picked up the water bottle and handed it to Libby, who latched on to it with both hands. Then he looked at me with a wide smile. “And who said it would have to be a mama anyway?” He waggled his eyebrows up and down.
Tanner snorted beside me and I felt movement. He was chuckling and shaking his head.
“Oh.” I nodded, admittedly thrown. I’d assumed Davis was straight since he was a dad, especially since I knew the brief history of Libby’s conception. “Well.” I shrugged like a doofus, tilted my head, and laughed. “At least that way you have more options.”
Chapter Fifteen
TANNER
“He’s good for you.”
“That’s one heck of a greeting.” I raised my brows at Davis, kissed Libby on the cheek and then handed her to him. It was the first chance I’d had to see Davis since he’d been by Carter’s a few days earlier. I’d picked Libby up from childcare and spent a couple of hours looking after her.
“Hey, baby girl.” Davis covered his daughter’s face with kisses, making her giggle. “Beer?” He looked at me before turning and heading to the kitchen.
“Yeah, thanks.” I closed the door and followed him in, placing Libby’s diaper bag on the floor at the bottom of the staircase.
When I entered the kitchen, Davis was strapping Libby into her high chair. After ensuring she was secure, he headed to the refrigerator and pulled out a couple of beers. He handed me one. “She all good?”
“Yep. They’ve written in her daily form a few notes for you. I had a quick glance, but I don’t think there’s anything life changing on there.” It was hard to believe how both our lives had changed. God, a year ago, I would never have thought for one fucking second I’d have a conversation, with Davis of all people, about childcare notes, let alone know what I was talking about when it came to teething, colic, or diaper rash.
