One Perfect Touch (Very Irresistible Bachelors Book 3)

by Layla Hagen

  “Skye... you worked while studying, then practically had two full-time jobs. You read scientific studies in your spare time just because. You can pull off anything.”

  “This is different.” It was a human being, someone tiny and lovable who would need me at all times, and I already envisioned myself running around searching for merchandise or packing boxes with a baby strapped to my chest.

  “We’ll make it work,” she assured me. “Don’t worry about the business right now.”

  I couldn’t help it though. We’d worked for so long for this dream, planning every step of the way. I was a planner. I always calculated risks, weighed pros and cons, tried to think four steps ahead for any major decision. When Tess and I had decided to quit our jobs, I made three contingency plans. And now? I was honestly too overwhelmed to even come up with one plan.

  “Want to call the rest of the gang and tell them?” Tess asked.

  “No, I want to tell Rob first. I should go home. I’m super tired.”

  “You’re sure you’ll be okay on your own?” Tess asked. “I can come and sleep on your couch.”

  “I’ll be fine, but thanks.”

  I wanted some time by myself to just think. Now that the initial shock was over, I was ready to go home and just process everything.

  Leaving the store, I walked at a leisurely pace, taking the long route to the train. I could think better while on the move. Usually. Now, I was in a weird state where I had so many thoughts that I couldn’t focus on just one of them.

  The train was far emptier than usual. The suburban commuters were home long by now, and I found a seat right away. As usual, I pulled up my phone to read, but I couldn’t focus. Was that because I had so much on my mind or because I was pregnant?

  What other things would change?

  My thoughts drifted to Rob again, and then my heart somersaulted. I pressed a palm to my chest, just breathing in deeply. His face popped in my mind, and I tried to visualize how he’d take the news.

  On the short way from the station to my house, two cravings took hold of me: frozen yogurt and blueberry pancakes. It took all my willpower not to run to the nearest shop. Why could I not crave just yogurt and blueberries? So much for Tess’s theory that I’d finally develop healthy eating habits. Ah, I had some interesting months ahead of me.

  Usually, my home was my safe space where I could relax and unwind. Tonight, it had the opposite effect. The second I stepped inside, I became jittery, and breathing was a chore. The walls of the house were closing in on me.

  I could do my Pilates—no, wait, was that safe for the baby? I googled it, but far from putting my mind at ease, the list of things forbidden during pregnancy just made my stomach roll. I ate soft cheese two days ago, and that was a big no-no. And I’d had wine during our girls’ evening. Okay... breathe in, breathe out. It couldn’t be that hard, right? Except it kind of was, and the constant effort was making me dizzy.

  Clearly, I’d been wrong, and I wasn’t ready to be on my own. I didn’t want to call Tess though. She’d come right away, and she was also exhausted.

  I needed to get out of the house. I changed into comfortable clothes and smiled at the

  sleepy street. It was quiet except for the occasional TV sounds filtering out through open windows. The usual outdoor chatter and laughter of kids was nonexistent.

  I liked the neighborhood like this and started to understand why Rob liked to run at night. It was peaceful.

  The end of August air was hot and humid but refreshing at the same time. The smell of London plane trees was thick around me.

  I stepped onto a playground, grinning. Ah, I had the swing all to myself. The stones crunched under my feet. I sat on the swing, leaning forward at once. It was plush and comfy, and I loved it. Nothing like the wooden ones I remembered from back when I was a kid. I mean, they did the job just fine, but my adult ass appreciated whatever padding this one had.

  Almost instinctively, I touched my belly. Would I be a good parent?

  My most burning desire was to make sure my kid never, ever felt unwanted. That had left scars for a long time. The saddest part was that my siblings and I had been wanted at some point. My parents had been married for a long time before my dad left. My throat closed up as I remembered those nights I’d spent wondering how he could suddenly stop wanting to be our dad.

  What if Rob felt pressured into... I didn’t know, being happy now, and then later on he’d realize he wasn’t actually happy? I stopped swinging, just leaning my head on the metal railing, trying to banish this ugly train of thought from my mind. It was not anchored in reality, and I refused to allow myself to be swept into this vortex of negativity.

  My throat had other plans. It kept closing up. My eyes were burning.

  No, I will not cry for no reason at all.

  Damn, I needed a hug. But I still couldn’t call Tess. My brothers were great huggers, but I still couldn’t make them come all the way here. I could go to Mom’s place and crash there, but I couldn’t fess up about my depressing thoughts without upsetting her too, and I refused to do that.

  Leaping down from the swing, I shook my head, deciding to get myself the next best thing besides a hug: a treat.

  Thankfully, the convenience store was too far away, so my best option was the shawarma truck at the station. That counted as semi-healthy, right? It had chicken, veggies, and cilantro... and delicious mayo and fries, but all in all, a balanced treat, right?

  Squaring my shoulders, I marched toward the station, already feeling better just at the thought of the shawarma. The mind was an amazing thing, and I was determined to steer it toward happiness territory. My kid would know it was wanted. Also, I was 100 percent certain it would inherit the Winchester unhealthy eating habits.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Rob

  The trip to LA was a success. Despite Alyssa’s initial reluctance, I convinced her to take charge. I needed someone I could trust to handle things here, and someone new just didn’t cut it. Why was it that competent people doubted themselves while incompetent ones thought they were the shit?

  I returned to New York earlier than anticipated. I landed in the evening, and I hadn’t told Skye yet, because she hadn’t answered my calls yesterday and the evening before. True, it had been late, but she usually didn’t go to bed that early. She texted the next morning saying she’d fallen asleep and to call her whenever I had time. The scenario repeated the following evening.

  We kept missing each other, but I was determined to get ahold of her this evening. Initially, I’d planned to surprise her by showing up directly on her doorstep, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I called her as soon as I landed.

  After two rings, she picked up.

  “Hey, finally,” I said.

  “Good evening, oh all-important business guy.”

  It was so relieving just to hear her voice, making me realize how much I missed her. This woman had become a part of me.

  “Hey, you’re the one who went to bed before ten two nights in a row.”

  “I know, I know. I’m a sleepyhead these days.”

  “Are you sick?” I hadn’t considered that.

  “Oh, no. Don’t worry. How’s LA?” she asked.

  “Shit. I can’t wait to be back.” I decided on the spot to keep to my original plan and surprise her.

  “Oh, New York charmed you, huh?”

  “Not just New York.”

  “Hmm... what else could it be? Your gorgeous house?” She paused, then said, “I know. It’s the food.”

  I laughed. Damn, I missed her. “How’s your day?” I asked.

  “Long. I started a little late because the wait at the doctor was ridiculous—"

  “Wait, why did you go to the doctor? You just said you’re not sick.”

  She said nothing.

  “Skye?” I prodded. My hands felt icy. Was she keeping something from me? “Why did you go to the doctor?”

  “Just blood work.”

 
Thank fuck. “Routine?” I double-checked.

  “Not exactly. I... I’m pregnant. Oh, shit. I didn’t mean to tell you over the phone. It just slipped. I wanted to tell you face-to-face.”

  I stopped walking toward the baggage area, clutching the phone. “Pregnant. You’re pregnant?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why did you let me go on about New York? When did you find out?”

  “Three days ago, but I didn’t want to tell you over the phone. I’d planned to wait until you were back.”

  “Tell me everything.”

  “Well, I was feeling queasy and my taste changed. Someone made a passing comment about changing tastes while pregnant—”

  I chuckled. Only Skye could discover she was pregnant because her taste in food changed.

  “Anyway, I did two pregnancy tests, and today I went to the doctor. They actually didn’t need the blood work, just a urine test.”

  “So it’s confirmed?”

  “Yes.”

  “Boy or girl?”

  She chuckled. “It’s way too early to know that, Rob.”

  “Oh, yeah.” My mind was spinning continuously. “Okay, so we can start shopping for the room. Wait, where will the room be? Hell, we’ll figure it out. We’ll just move in wherever is better.” My mind was moving too fast for my words to catch up. I was already making lists of all the things that would have to be discarded or adapted.

  Holy shit, I was going to be a father.

  A father.

  Right up until this moment, I’d never realized how much I wanted to be one. We were going to have a kid. A person who would be part Skye, part me—a unique mashup. Would he or she be a brainiac like Skye or a kitchen addict like me?

  “Rob, we have a lot of time until the baby is here, so there is no need to hurry. Also, I don’t want you to feel like we have to rush into anything.”

  I frowned. “Rush? What do you mean?”

  “Well, these months have been amazing and fun, but we’ve never talked about our future.”

  “I know we haven’t spoken about it....” I’d definitely thought about it, envisioned it.

  “So I don’t want us to think that we have to change everything.”

  “Skye, everything’s changing.”

  “Of course, I mean, we’ll have a baby, so we’ll be parents. I just don’t want you to think that I’m expecting for our relationship to change too.”

  I couldn’t figure out if she really meant to not put pressure on me or if she didn’t envision us together in the future. Was this why she’d wanted to wait to talk to me face-to-face?

  “You’re right. We should talk about this in person.”

  “Oh, okay.” She sounded surprised.

  “I’ve just landed.”

  “In New York?”

  “No, on the moon,” I said in an exasperated tone. “Of course in New York. Sorry, I’m all over the place. Okay, so ummm... see you at the house tonight?”

  “Sure.”

  After talking to Skye, I decided I couldn’t wait even that long. I called my sister on the way to Soho.

  “Wow, I wasn’t expecting you to come back so quickly. If anything, I was expecting you to say you need to prolong it.”

  “Things are looking better in LA.”

  “Where exactly are you now?”

  “Soho. I need to talk to Skye.”

  “Awww, baby bro. Missing your girl, huh?”

  “Yes. A lot.” After a beat, I added, “She’s pregnant.”

  Anne squealed so loudly that my eardrum went numb. I held the phone away from my ear until the sound lessened in intensity.

  “OhGodohGodohGod. How far along is she? Will you move in with her? When? Can I help? Do you need advice?”

  “Anne, breathe.”

  “Hey, I’m breathing and talking. Always been a great multitasker.”

  “I just found out.”

  “Okay. Wow. Is Skye feeling okay? I’ll call and ask her myself, actually. What’s the plan?”

  “Talking to her first.”

  “Okay. You didn’t mention any baby plans, so I’m guessing it’s a surprise.”

  “Yes... she said that we don’t have to rush to change anything in our relationship.”

  “What is it that you’re not saying, Rob?” Anne’s voice was gentle.

  “What if she’s the one who doesn’t want things to change?”

  The driver gave me a pitying look in the rearview mirror. Fantastic. He probably thought I was a wimp.

  “Rob....” Anne’s tone was even gentler than before. “Your relationship is very new. During the girls’ evening we had, Skye was even wondering if inviting you to her brother’s wedding in December would be too much. This is an emotional time for both of you. Just take it easy and don’t jump to conclusions.”

  “Any other advice?”

  No answer. I was putting two and two together though. Especially since I had an inkling that Skye’s fears also had something to do with their dad taking off when she was a kid. And I planned to erase those fears. Every single one of them. She was mine, and I loved her.

  “I don’t have advice, sorry. I’m just picking up the pieces after the divorce, so if anything, I’m the one who needs advice. Let’s focus on something positive. Are you excited?”

  “Hell yes.”

  “What do you want? Boy or girl?”

  “I don’t know. I think I’d know how to handle a boy better.”

  “You’re good with Lindsay.”

  “That’s why you always give me shit?”

  “No, I give you tips for improvement.”

  Laughing, I realized I could visualize my future with Skye in greater detail than ever before.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Skye

  I was jumpy the entire evening. Me and my big mouth. Why did I let it slip that I was pregnant? And then why did I go and make a mess of things? I’d meant it, I didn’t want him to feel pressured. But I couldn’t shake off the sensation that I’d hurt him. What if he didn’t want to move in together just because of the baby? We hadn’t even hinted at that before.

  I knew family was important to him. I’d seen how much anguish Anne and Lindsay’s situation caused him. The last thing I wanted was for him to jump into this out of a sense of duty only to be unhappy later. That was a recipe for disaster.

  “I see you’re not making any progress,” my sister teased. I’d declared that I wasn’t in the mood to face customers today, so I’d relegated myself to back-office tasks. We always had a million of those piling up, so I had enough to keep me occupied for the whole day.

  “I’m a bit slow today,” I admitted.

  Tess leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. “I think that what you need is to call it a night. We’ve just closed, anyway.”

  “You can’t boss me into going home,” I said.

  My sister smiled slyly. “True... but I know someone who can, and he’s right in the front of the store.”

  “Ooooh, Rob’s here?” I looked past Tess’s shoulder, as if I could somehow see through walls. My entire body reacted to the news.

  Straightening up, I ran a hand through my hair. I was sweaty and wearing old jeans and a washed-out boy-band T-shirt. It was my back-office attire. The air in here was stuffy, and the lack of natural light made me feel claustrophobic.

  “I don’t have anything to change into,” I whispered.

  “I don’t think Rob cares,” Tess whispered back.

  “I look terrible.”

  Smiling, Tess headed back toward the front.

  “She’s all yours. Somehow even more stubborn than usual. Good luck,” I heard her say. The corners of my mouth twitched.

  “Hey, you’re supposed to have my back,” I said loudly.

  “I do, sister. I do.”

  My pulse went into overdrive even before Rob stepped inside the room. Breathe in, breathe out... breathe in... breathe out.

  It was no use. As soon as Rob ap
peared before me, captivating me as usual with one single glance, I hyperventilated. My entire body was craving his nearness. I wanted to jump right into his arms and run a hand through his thick hair, plant a smooch right on his lips.

  He strode toward me, his face stern. I tugged at my T-shirt, as if that could make it less outdated.

  “Skye, I’m here. Let’s talk. Face-to-face, like you said.”

  Right, I’d said that. So why was I now completely tongue-twisted?

  “I don’t know where to begin.”

  Rob searched my face, silent for a few beats. “Let’s talk about moving in. Why did you say you don’t want us to rush?”

  “I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything.” I’d said that, right? Searching his expression, I didn’t detect surprise, so I must have.

  “I’m not.”

  “But we’ve never talked about taking that step,” I insisted.

  Rob came closer, raising one hand to cup my cheek.

  “And now we are. If there’s another reason, if you don’t want this—”

  I shook my head frantically. He cupped my other cheek too. “I just don’t want you to do anything you might regret later... change your mind about....”

  “Wanting you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Skye....”

  In a fraction of a second, he lowered one hand down my back, pressing me against him. Damn, this man had skills.

  “I love you, and I love our kid, and there is nothing that could ever make me not love you, not want you. Nothing.”

  It was a good thing he was holding me so tightly, because my legs were a little wobbly. So was my smile.

  “Rob—”

  “I mean it, every word of it. I want it all with you. Sharing a house, our lives, waking up next to you every morning. Bickering about the best time of the day to work out. Telling you that I’ve read some stuff online that supports my viewpoint... you shoving every study there is under my nose to prove your point. Hear our kids laugh at our conversations.”

  “Kids?”

  “Yeah, I was thinking more than one.”

  “Our first one’s not even here.”

  “Yeah, but I always thought it must be lonely... being an only child.”