[Southern Heart 01.0] Southern Pleasure

by Kaylee Ryan

  “She kind of surprised me,” I chuckle and point to Lexi. “But, yes, I had planned on a new truck before she arrived. Thank you for the clothes for her and the car seat.”

  “There’s a bag for you too.” She nods toward the chair across the room. I see Lexi’s manly diaper bag that Kinley picked out, as well as a bag for me.

  “Thank you for taking care of us.”

  “It was nothing. Now go shower and let me have my Lexi time.” She grins.

  Standing from the bed, I lean down and kiss Lexi on top of her tiny little head then do the same with Kinley. I hear her intake a breath and have to make myself stand and walk into the bathroom to freshen up.

  I rush through a shower. It does wonders to wake me up. I’m packing my dirty clothes back into the bag when I hear someone singing. Careful to not make a sound, I move toward the door and quietly turn the handle. McKinley is sitting in the chair singing to Lexi. I can’t tell if she’s got her rapt attention or if Lexi is sound asleep. Regardless, I’m captivated.

  I push open the door, alerting her that I’m done with my shower. I watch as a blush creeps over her cheeks. “Oops, looks like Daddy caught us.”

  Daddy. I’m a daddy.

  “What are you girls up to?” I ask like I didn’t just catch her.

  “Just having some girl time, right, Lexi?” she asks.

  “Uh-huh. Thanks again for the clothes. That shower felt so damn good.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m sure you smell better.” She finally looks up at me, and she’s grinning like a fool.

  “Har har.”

  This causes her to chuckle, a sound I’ve grown rather fond of over the last several months.

  “So what time does she get released?”

  “Soon. The doctor said babies usually stay until the mom is discharged, but due to our situation, Lexi is doing well, eating good, so we can go home. I have to make an appointment with her pediatrician in three to four days just to make sure she’s gaining weight and all is well,” I explain.

  “I bet you’ll be glad to have her home. Get settled into a routine?”

  “Yeah, it’s surreal really.” I don’t tell her I’m scared as hell. That being here with the nurses checking up on me gave me confidence. Who’s going to check up on me at home? Gran and Gramps are up there in age; neither one of them get around all that well. Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa won’t be able to make the trip from Alabama. It’s just me and Lexi.

  “I brought her a cute outfit for her hospital pictures and there’s a gift for you in the diaper bag.”

  “Kinley—” I start to protest.

  “Oh hush! Just say, ‘Thank you, Kinley,’ and open the bag,” she scolds me.

  “Thank you, Kinley,” I say, my voice sugary sweet. Although, I’m mocking her, I do as I’m told and dig into the diaper bag. Inside is a small black point and shoot camera. At least that’s what the box says.

  “I know you don’t have a camera, other than your cell phone. I didn’t want you to miss out on capturing a moment of this little one’s life.”

  It takes everything in me, all the willpower I possess, to not stalk across the room and crush my lips to hers. This girl . . . she’s nothing if not amazing. I’m so damn lucky to have her in my life, to have her in Lexi’s life. I hope that’s something that never changes.

  I’ve spent the morning at the hospital with Evan and Lexi. I taught him how to use his camera and he’s already taken a gazillion pictures. I know he’s worried. I can see it in his eyes, but he has nothing to be worried about. Less than twenty-four hours and he’s already the best daddy. You can see how much he loves her.

  “All right, baby girl. Let’s get you home,” Evan says, placing Lexi in her car seat. He went down and got it when the hospital told him he had to prove he knew how to work it. They also have to watch him putting her in the car before he can leave. Who knew?

  I insisted he take my Durango and I would drive his truck. He complained, but not as much as I would have thought. I think his only complaint is he was not okay with me driving his rust bucket either. I waved off his concern. It’s not that the truck is dangerous, it’s just . . . not reliable. I would feel much better knowing he wasn’t stranded on the road with her.

  “Really, Kinley, I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done,” he says as he straps Lexi into her seat.

  “It’s nothing. You can keep my car until you get a new one. I’ve got nothing going on the next few days, and even if I did, I could take your truck,” I tell him.

  “No, that’s not—”

  “Evan, I’m not taking no for an answer,” I interrupt him.

  “Fine, I’ll rectify the situation as soon as possible. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Do you need anything?” I ask him.

  “No, I don’t think so. The hospital gave me a ton of formula and thanks to you, her room is ready for her.”

  “Okay, well, call me if you need anything. Aaron said he would stop by later tonight.”

  “Sounds good. Thanks again,” he says.

  I nod, pick up his bag of clothes, and follow him out of the room. The nurse follows us down to the parking lot and watches as Evan straps Lexi into the seat.

  “Take care, Mr. Chamberlin,” she says after he passes the test.

  “She’s so tiny,” he says, looking at Lexi snuggled in her seat. “She’s riding back there all alone.”

  I was thinking the same thing but didn’t want to say anything. “I can ride back with you and have Mom bring me back to get your truck,” I offer.

  “I can’t ask you—”

  “You didn’t.” I squeeze past him and slide into the backseat beside Lexi. “Hey, sweet girl, you want some company?” I ask her. I don’t look at Evan, even though I know he’s watching me. Instead, I focus on Lexi. Eventually, he closes the door and slides in behind the wheel.

  He adjusts the seat and the mirrors. “You girls ready to go home?” he asks. His eyes find mine in the rearview.

  “Yes, she’s ready to see her new room.”

  “Oh, she is, is she?” Evan chuckles.

  “Yep. Girl talk, buddy, get used to it,” I tease him.

  “Got it,” he says through his laughter.

  The drive to his place doesn’t take long. Of course, that could be because I spent the entire ride watching a slumbering Lexi on her first car ride. I even pulled out the camera and snapped a few pictures for Evan.

  “Do you mind going to see Gran and Gramps with me? I know they’re dying to see her.”

  “Sure.”

  He parks in front of the old farm house and hops out of the driver’s seat. Instead of opening the door on his side of the Durango, he walks around and opens mine. I climb out, pulling the diaper bag with me, as he leans in and releases Lexi’s seat.

  I lead the way up the steps. “Just knock and go on in,” Evan says from behind me. I do as he says and hold the door open for him.

  Evan heads down the hall and turns left into a room that I assume is the living room. “Surprise!” he says.

  His gran clutches her chest. I’m thinking that was not the best way to announce our arrival.

  “Sorry, Gran,” Evan says sheepishly. “Would you like to meet your great-granddaughter?” he asks them.

  “What kind of question is that, boy?” his grandfather’s hoarse voice says. “Bring that girl here so we can get a better look.” They’re both sitting on the couch.

  Evan sets Lexi’s seat down, carefully removes the straps, and cradles her in his arms. “Gram, Gramps, I would like to introduce you to Lexington Rae Chamberlin,” he says proudly, handing her over to his grandmother.

  I watch as tears well in her eyes as she takes in baby Lexi. I catch Gramps swiping at the corner of his eye. I feel like I’m intruding on a precious family moment. Stepping back, I plan to escape to the Durango to give them some time when Evan turns to me. “Kinley, would you mind taking a few pictures for us?”

  “Absolutely,�
�� I say, happy to have a reason to be here. I reach into the diaper bag and pull out the camera. I snap a few shots; well, maybe more than a few. You can never have enough pictures.

  “All right, I need to get this little one home. It’s almost time for her to eat.” Evan takes her from his gramps and kisses the top of her little head before placing her back in her seat.

  We say our goodbyes and load back up to drive just a few hundred feet to Evan’s place. I text Mom on the short trip, asking her to come pick me up. I’m sure Evan doesn’t want me hanging around his first day home with his daughter.

  “Mom’s on her way,” I tell him once we have carried everything inside.

  “I can’t thank you enough, Kinley.”

  “You’re welcome, and I wanted to.”

  The sound of tires crunching gravel gets both of our attention. “I hope you’re ready to give her up, at least for a few minutes. Mom’s going to want to love on her.”

  Evan smiles. “Yeah, I figured she would.” He looks down at the little pink bundle in his arms. “You ready for some Grandma Mills loving?” he asks her.

  At first, I’m surprised he referred to my mom as grandma, but I shouldn’t be. Evan has practically grown up at our house and has always referred to my parents as his “second set.”

  I make my way to the door and pull it open before she even has time to knock. “Is she sleeping?” Mom asks as she passes me to walk into the house. I can hear Evan chuckle in the other room. He obviously heard her.

  I point toward the living room and Mom doesn’t waste any time as she heads that way. “Oh, Evan.” Her voice cracks. “Can I hold her?”

  When I join them, Mom is sitting on the couch, Lexi in her arms as she unwraps her from her swaddle. “Ten fingers and ten toes, you’re such a cutie. Your daddy’s going to have his hands full with the boys when it comes to you,” she tells the baby.

  Evan groans. “She’s not allowed to date.”

  Mom laughs. “Oh, Evan, she’s going to date and you’re going to have to learn to deal with it. All you can do is give her the values and make sure she respects herself enough to make good decisions.”

  “Or,” Evan says with a grin, “she can not date until she’s at least thirty.”

  Mom focuses her attention back on Lexi. She offers the baby her finger and Lexi latches on. “You’re just going to have to wrap Daddy and Uncle Aaron around your finger. Don’t worry, Kinley and I will be there to guide you.” She laughs.

  “Hey now.” Evan grins.

  We spend the next half hour talking while Mom loves on Lexi. It’s me who finally suggests we head home. “Mom, you about ready to go?” I ask. She insisted she feed Lexi to give Evan a “break.”

  “Oh, I guess we should let these two settle in.” She stands and hands Lexi back to Evan. “You call if you need anything,” she tells him with a pat to his cheek.

  “Yes, ma’am. Kinley, I can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done for us.”

  “I’m happy to help. Call me if you need anything. Oh, and I bought an adorable outfit for her newborn pictures. Mine will be way better than the hospital’s. Maybe I can stop by tomorrow sometime?” I ask.

  “We’ll be here,” he says with a smile.

  Mom and I say our goodbyes then leave father and daughter alone for the first time.

  “It’s just you and me, kid,” I say to my daughter, who’s sleeping soundly in my arms. She doesn’t have a care in the world. If I get my way, she never will. I want to give her the world. Instead of putting her in her room, I place her in what Kinley calls a pack-n-play. She said I would need it if I take Lexi places with me, so she has a safe place to sleep. She also mentioned I would probably want her close when I first brought her home. Once again, she nailed it. I owe her so much.

  Once I have Lexi settled, I unpack the bag Kinley brought to the hospital for me and start a load of laundry. I busy myself unpacking the formula samples the hospital gave me and then call my foreman, letting him know Lexi came a few weeks early and I’m going to need him to handle the crew and, well . . . everything for a few days. He and I had already talked about this, so the only surprise is that it’s a few weeks sooner than we discussed.

  I do a few more things around the house as quiet as I can and she’s still

  sleeping. I’m glad I read all those books or I would be freaked out that something was wrong. Babies sleep a lot. Deciding I should try to catch a quick catnap, I stretch out on the couch and close my eyes. Just as I’m about to drift off, I feel my pocket vibrate.

  Pulling out my phone, I see I have a text from Aaron.

  Aaron: I’m at the door.

  I pull my tired ass off the couch and go greet my best friend.

  “Hey,” Aaron whispers when I open the door. “I didn’t wake her, did I? Kinley said she was probably sleeping.”

  “Nah, she’s sleeping, but it’s all good. Come on in.” I step back to let him pass.

  “I bet you’re glad to be home.”

  “You have no idea,” I say, following him into the living room.

  Aaron stops by the pack-n-play to peek in on my daughter. My daughter . . . it’s surreal she’s here.

  “She’s a cutie, man. We’re going to have our hands full.” He softly chuckles.

  That’s my best friend. Always there no matter what the situation. He automatically includes himself in the future of warding off horny boys from my baby girl. “I don’t even want to think about that yet.”

  This causes Aaron to laugh and the sound startles Lexi. “Shit, man, I’m sorry,” he says before placing his hand over his mouth.

  “Don’t be. I read that you need to not keep everything quiet so they will learn to sleep through everyday household noises. It didn’t wake her, so we’re all good.”

  “Do you need anything?” he asks.

  “Nah, I’m good.”

  “Kinley told me she refused to let you bring her home in your truck. She said you were going to be getting a new one. Any ideas of what you might get?”

  “Honestly, man, I don’t know. I haven’t thought much about it. I know I need something more reliable. I might check out Dodge. I really like Kinley’s Durango.”

  “Yeah, it’s sweet. I looked at Dodge before I bought mine, but decided I needed to stay a Ford man.”

  “Yeah, I need to get that taken care of soon. I can’t keep Kinley’s Durango forever.”

  “She’s in no rush. She works at home most of the time and I already told her if something comes up she can take my truck. I spend most of my days in the stables anyway.”

  “Yeah, but it’s something I’ve been planning on. It would have been easier to do it without taking a newborn with me, but it is what it is.”

  “Yeah. Have you heard from her? From Misty?”

  “No. I don’t really think I will. It’s all on me, and I don’t regret it. I love that little girl, I can’t even express what it felt like to hear her cry for the first time.”

  “That’s heavy stuff, bro. I’m happy as hell for you. I know nothing about babies or how to raise them, but I’m in your corner. Anything you need, I’m there.”

  “Thanks, man. I’m not sure how truck shopping is going to go with a newborn, but I’m about to find out.”

  “I’m sure Mom or Kinley would be happy to keep her.”

  My chest tightens are the thought of being away from her. I just got her after months of worrying about Misty taking care of herself and praying my baby girl arrived healthy. Can I leave her?

  “What’s that face?” Aaron chuckles. Fucker, he knows damn well what I’m thinking.

  “Maybe I could convince Kinley to come with me,” I say. She could help me with Lexi and I wouldn’t have to leave her yet, although I know I’m going to need to eventually. Speaking of that, I need to arrange childcare too. I thought I had a few more weeks to get that all squared away. Yeah, I’m the boss, but I work the horses and cattle with the rest of the crew, so not helping isn’t an option. I
need to be out there with them, keeping my finger on the pulse of the operation.

  Aaron laughs. “You know she will. All she and Mom talked about when Dad and I got in today was baby Lexi.”

  “Yeah, they were both here for a while. Your mom fed her. She’s going to be after you to settle down, man,” I laugh.

  “Not opposed to it, just need to find her.”

  Aaron has always said he’s holding out for the one. He doesn’t do relationships. If he’s not feeling it within a few hours of meeting her, he’s one and done. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard Kinley preach to him about not being able to really get to know someone if he doesn’t give them a chance. His theory is it should be instant. Not sure I agree with him, not after all the time I spent with Kinley. My feelings toward her have changed; so much, I fight them anytime I’m near her.

  “What do you have going on the rest of the night?” I change the subject. No way do I need to be thinking about Kinley with Aaron sitting here.

  “Nothing, man. I thought about going into town to get something to eat. Mom and Dad went out and Kinley is editing, so she will be glued to her computer for hours. You hungry? How about I go pick us up a pizza or something?”

  “Starving! Now that I think about it, I haven’t eaten all day.” I was too nervous about bringing my daughter home to worry about food. My stomach is finally protesting.

  “I’m all over it. I’ll be back in a bit,” Aaron says, standing from the couch. “Do you need anything for this one?” He points to where Lexi is sleeping peacefully.

  “No, your sister is a lifesaver. She made sure I was all set.” He studies me for a few long seconds and my palms start to sweat. Can he see it? Can he tell she’s more than just his little sister to me? That she’s more than just the friend who has helped me over the past few months?

  Finally, he looks away and heads toward the front door. “Be back in a few,” he says over his shoulder and then he’s gone.

  The sun blaring through my bedroom window causes me to groan in frustration. It’s was after one this morning before I finally let sleep claim me. I lost track of time while editing, but at least I’m all caught up. Today, I don’t have anything scheduled in the studio, so I plan to take my camera and the outfit I bought to Evan’s and get some, hopefully, adorable newborn pictures of Lexi. However, I first need a shower and food, since I skipped dinner last night.