Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Jagger stopped crying to stare up at his grandmother before deciding food was more important and let out another angry cry. I made my way over to them, but didn’t move to take him. Chloe was still processing what she was seeing.
Finally, she turned back to me. Although her eyes were slightly glazed over, I saw concern etched on her face.
“Genesis,” she said softly, “whose baby is that?”
I shifted my gaze to Jagger and stepped up to unbuckle him. “Chloe, meet Jagger Henley Levine. Your grandson,” I said.
It wasn’t like I could lie to her until Kye got here. He was going to tell her once she returned from her trip anyway.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “I knew it. He looks just like Kye. I just don’t understand.”
I picked Jagger up and quickly got the bottle in his mouth before he got any more worked up, then lifted my gaze to Chloe’s face. She was watching him drink. The clear awe on her face didn’t take away from the fact that she was clearly worried.
“Come on and sit down with us. I’ll explain, but know that Kye was going to tell you once you got home. This was a surprise, and at first, well, he wasn’t sure of his plans for Jagger yet. He didn’t want anyone to get attached to him.”
Chloe let out a short, startled laugh. “Attached? I’m currently trying to resist snatching him and running away before my son does something to break my heart.”
I smiled and glanced down at Jagger, who was watching me closely as I fed him. “You won’t need to do that. It seems he charmed his way into his daddy’s heart, and he isn’t going anywhere.”
“Oh, thank God,” Chloe said with a loud sigh, her hand placed over her heart. “Now that I know my son’s little replica isn’t being handed off to strangers, I need details. I also want to hold him very badly.”
I leaned toward her and held Jagger out so she could take him. The adoration glowing in her eyes as they began to fill with tears squeezed at my heart.
“You sweet baby boy,” she cooed. “You look exactly like your daddy at this age. It’s like holding my baby all over again.”
Jagger’s eyes locked on her face as he studied her. She sniffled and laughed as she wiped at her tears.
“Whew,” she said and glanced up at me. “Sorry I’m a bit emotional. I didn’t think Kye would ever give me a grandchild. It was clear he wasn’t going to love any woman but you, and, well, the relationship you two are determined to keep makes a grandbaby very unlikely.”
She dropped her attention back to Jagger. “Okay, now, tell me how this all happened. I would ask why you are the one here with him, but that would be a silly question. If he didn’t call me for help, then you’re the only other female he’d go to.” She paused, and a frown wrinkled her brow.
“How is Bowie doing with all this? I mean, from the looks of this living room and all the baby stuff lying around, I am assuming Kye and Jagger are living here too.”
I nodded. “Yes. Kye brought him to me the day he got him. As for Bowie, it didn’t go over well. We aren’t engaged anymore. He called it off.”
Chloe gasped and reached over to touch my arm. “Oh, honey, I am so sorry. That’s unfair to you.”
I shook my head. “No. It’s okay, really. It is for the best. I should have never said yes. It wasn’t right.”
Chloe didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure? Don’t you love him?”
I let out a small, amused laugh. “Yeah. I’ve loved both Kye and Bowie since I was a kid. But with Bowie, the love I had for him, I tried to make it into something more. The kind of love that would never be his.”
Chloe nodded as her eyes seemed to read right through me. “I see,” she said, then turned her gaze back to Jagger.
“Jagger was left at the back door of, um …” I hated to tell Kye’s mother all the details. I knew she was well aware of Kye’s activities, but it still felt wrong of me. “Well, a business. The woman who gave birth to him had worked there and left a note for Kye, knowing they’d be able to reach Kye, which they did. Kye had a paternity test done to prove Jagger was his, which he is. The birth certificate has been changed. Kye is the father on it, and Jagger is a Levine. Kye has also been given full custody.”
The corners of Chloe’s mouth turned down. “It was the strip club, wasn’t it? He got a stripper pregnant, and she just left my grandchild there without even making sure Kye got him.”