“Will do,” I said quietly as those green eyes set in the most alpha male, sexy as fuck face I’d ever seen turned to survey me.
He was still holding Holt, who was no longer crying, out at arm’s length.
As if I had no control of my hand, I picked my arm up and waved at the big, hulking man.
A little of the old me peeked out from behind the huge, giant wall that was my loathing of motherhood.
“Uh, hi.” I smiled nervously, though it didn’t reach my eye. “I’m Baker.”
His eyes took me in from head to toe then he said, “You give birth in a hospital in mid-Dallas where your ex decided to bring a date a few months ago?”
I blinked, then wilted inside when I remembered how utterly stupid I was for taking Joey back. “Yes.”
“You should’ve kicked him to the curb then,” he said plainly, not judging, but stating the obvious. “His stupidity for letting you go a second time, but life’s a bitch like that. You won’t be going back to him, though.”
The way he said that had my heart pounding in my throat.
I didn’t contradict him, however.
I wouldn’t be going back.
“After leaving today,” I said quietly, “I realized that our relationship ended months ago. Before I even had Holt. The last time we were intimate was the day that Holt was conceived. And I was all right with that.” I scrunched up my nose in disgust. “Let’s just say, I know I’m better off without him. He was just a roommate. A shitty one at that.”
Copper nodded, then turned back to my kid.
Who was still just hanging out.
His big, blue eyes that reminded me of my ex took the large man in.
Same, kid.
Same.
“He was crying so I picked him up. When I brought him in closer he started to cry again, so now I’m just holding him like this. Do you want him?” he asked, extending him just a bit farther in my direction.
I took a step back.
And tears, of course, welled in my eyes.
Guilt swamped me, and I wondered if this was how it would be for the rest of my life.
“I know that it makes me a shitty person,” I said as I looked at my son, who I had zero connection to. God, I was such an asshole. “But if I have to hear him cry in my arms, I might very well lose my shit.”
Copper nodded, then brought him into his arms, but tried to keep him as upright as possible, which was kind of hard since Holt still had no control of his upper body yet.
He looked so pale pressed up against the black leather cut covering Copper’s chest.
Holt started to cry, and I winced.
Copper’s big hand came down to thump lightly against Holt’s back.
Holt leaned his forehead forward and rested it against Copper’s chest, right over the club patch that let me know to call him ‘Bird.’
“Do you go by Bird or Copper?” I asked curiously.
Curiosity had always gotten the better of me.
“I go by either,” he answered. “But your father’s always called me Copper, if that helps.”
