Page 35 of The Secret Clause
I turn to her, seeing the hopeful glint in her eyes, and I smile. “Nope,” I say, with a playful smile, popping thep. Her lips turn down slightly, and she averts her eyes, but I continue. “I did want to talk to you about something, though.”
“Oh?”
“After our conversation last week, I’ve been thinking…”
She finds my gaze, keeping her expression blank, but I see the flicker at the corner of her mouth. “Yes?”
“Well, you did say you still had my room in the flat…”
“Did I?” She shrugs, supressing her smile. “Must have been a slip of the tongue.”
“Oh, okay.” I sigh and turn to lay out the duvet in my hand. “I guess I need to tell my boss we don’t need to have a chat when I get back in the new year.”
“Don’t you fucking dare!” Bailey squeals. “For real, though … you’re coming back home?”
“I think so,” I tell her. “I obviously have to work out some logistics, like work and speaking to my landlord about breaking my rental agreement, but yeah. I miss home, and I guess I’ve done the spreading my wings thing. I think I’m ready to give that whole settling down thing a go.”
“This is the best birthday slash Christmas gift you could ever give me.”
“So I can return the presents I bought, then?” I chuckle, and she scowls, sending me a playful glare. “I guess not.”
I smile proudly at our handiwork as Grace runs into the room with a loud squeal. She dives onto the makeshift bed on the floor, giggling as she cuddles the large Santa Squishmallow I made Chase head into town and get, then snuggles under the blankets.
“Looks like her morning trip into town tired her out. It seems grandad duties aren’t needed anymore today,” Martin says with a laugh, leaning against the door frame with his arms folded over his chest.
Out of the Brooks siblings, Chase is the one who most resembles their dad. It kind of makes me excited to see him in a few years with grey streaks peppering his hairline, ’cause there’s no point denying Martin is attractive, with his dark hair and dark eyes. But where Chase is all hard lines, his dad is soft and squishy in the best way.
“I think it might be time for them kids of mine to give me more grandchildren, don’t you think?”
Water spills from my mouth as I choke, and I snap my gaze to his. “What?”
“You okay, Ryan?” Martin laughs, shaking his head.
“Yeah, just went down the wrong pipe,” I croak.
“I see.” He hums, turning back to Grace, who is now napping on the floor. “Susan and I are getting older now, and as retirement comes up, we’re going to need something to fill our time.”
I snort. “Yeah, well, you may be waiting a while. Just mention babies to Bailey and she comes out in hives.”
“And Chase? You talk to him almost as much as you do Bailey. What are his thoughts on children?” Martin asks, and my heart thunders.What is it with this family today?
“I don’t know. He’s never mentioned it,” I tell him, trying to derail my mind as it drifts to images of Chase holding a dark-haired baby, rocking them side to side as he whispers in their ear, his tattooed hands cradling them as if they were the most precious thing in the world. I’ve never really thought much about having children, considering my own example of a mother is hardly one to aspire to, but now it’s all I can think about—having a baby with Chase.
I give my head a wobble, nodding along to Martin as he keeps talking, despite the fact I can’t hear a thing he’s saying over the blood rushing my ears.
It’s been just over two weeks since we broached the topic of figuring us out, and now I’m thinking of babies. Christ on a fucking cracker. I need to get a grip. We’ve been on one date. One wonderful date, but still, we’re not even remotely ready to think about the future.
“Lunch is ready,” Susan shouts through the bustle of the cottage.
“I guess that’s our cue,” Martin says, linking my arm through his and tugging me out of the room. I glance back at Grace, snoring softly against the pillows with the Squishmallow hugged tight to her chest, and smile.
The dining room smells incredible when we walk through the door, and I practically salivate at the roast dinner laid out on the table. Susan hugs me as I pass, whispering a hello before I take my seat.
It’s not long before the table fills up. Chase sits at my side, his hand wrapped around my thigh, hidden from view.
“What were you and Dad talking about in the living room?” he asks quietly, rubbing his thumb over my leggings. “Looked rather serious.”
“Nothing much. He was just saying how he wants more grandbabies, and that maybeyoucould be the one to give them to him.”