Page 83 of Trials of a One Night Stand
Is that wrong?
She works too hard, stressing herself out, but this could be good for her. For us.
The elevator doors slide open, and I step inside, loosening my tie further. As I descend, I make a mental list of all the things I need to do. Find Jayne a new job? No, she needs time to rest. Buy a house? Definitely. Set up a nursery? It’s probably too soon, but I can’t help the grin spreading across my face at the thought.
By the time I reach the parking garage, I have it all figured out. I’ll take care of everything. That’s what I do, after all. I solve problems. I make things happen; I fix what people don’t even know is broken, and right now, nothing’s more important than taking care of Jayne and our baby.
I slide into my car, the leather seats cool against my back. As I pull out of the garage, I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement. This is it. This is our chance to start our life together, properly. No more late nights at the office for her, no more stress about cases and clients. Just us, building our future for our family.
I point the car toward Roddy and Mano’s house, my mind racing with plans. I’ll make this perfect for her. For us. After all, I know exactly what she needs.
Don’t I?
Of course, I do.
As I navigate the familiar streets, my mind whirs with possibilities. The fact that she’s living next door to Ashton is perfect for during the pregnancy, but Roddy and Mano will be back, and my house isn’t really set up for little ones. It’s why I go to Ashton’s place to see my nieces.
I pull up to the curb and park. Ashton and Chloe’s house works for them, but I want to find Jayne’s dream home. So close, yet so far from the life I want to give her. I can do better than this neighborhood even though it’s sought after. We deserve better. I’ll text a real estate agent I know later to find the perfect property for us.
With a wave to the bodyguard on duty and making a mental note to give him a bonus for keeping me informed of Jayne’s whereabouts, I stride to the front door, my mind furnishing a sprawling mansion with a nursery, a home office for Jayne (for when she’s ready to work again, of course), and maybe a room just for her shoes. Women love shoes, right? She doesn’t really talk about shoes much, but maybe she doesn’t want to be seen as a show horse.
I knock, straightening my tie. The door swings open, and there she is. Beautiful, radiant, and…frowning? Her eyes are puffy as if she’s been crying. Her meeting with Jason mustn’t have gone well.
“Nate? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?” The words rush out of her mouth.
I step inside, planting a kiss on her cheek. “I cleared my schedule. You’re more important than any meeting.”
Jayne raises an eyebrow. “Okay, but why do I feel like you’re up to something?”
I can’t help but grin. She knows me well even though it hasn’t been that long since we first met. “Can’t a man surprise the mother of his child without an ulterior motive?”
“Not when that man is you, Nathaniel Lowe,” she retorts, but I catch the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
I follow her into the living room. Roddy and Mano’s place is nice, but I want something homier and bigger for my family. “How did things go with Jason?”
“He fired me.”
Fuck, but that explains her red eyes. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
“Not going to lie, it hurts. But I also knew what I was doing was wrong.”
“What we were doing,” I correct. At least my timing will be perfect. “So I’ve been thinking…”
“Dangerous,” Jayne quips, curling up against me.
I laugh. “Very funny. But seriously, I’ve been thinking about our future. About what’s best for you and the baby.”
Her eyes narrow slightly. “Oh?”
“Yeah,” I continue, warming to my theme. “Losing your job must be a shock, but maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. A chance for us to start fresh, to build the life we want.”
“Nate,” Jayne says, but I’m on a roll now, so I wave her off.
“I know a real estate agent who’ll look for houses for us as soon as I give them the word. Big ones, with plenty of room for the baby, and space for you to set up a home office if you want. Or we could convert it into a massive closet for all your shoes.” I wink at her, expecting a laugh.
Instead, Jayne’s frown deepens. “A closet for shoes? That’s unnecessary.”
“Okay, I got carried away with the shoes, but we need something more. Something that reflects our family.”
