Page 46 of You First
Jamie’s touch didn’t make her breath stutter. It made her cringe.
Gray was her boss, and she had no business crushing on him, but if she let Jamie in, Meredith knew she’d wouldn’t be able look Gray in the eyes the next day.
But how to avoid it and not cause a scene?
“Jamie, leave me be. I don’t feel right.” Her words were true. She didn’t feel what she was supposed to feel for the father of her child. But that was not what he would hear.
His fingers on her belly stilled. “You bleedin’?”
Meredith weighed her options. “Yes,” she lied. She didn’t feel good about it, but it was probably the only way to avoid a fight.
His hand moved until he clasped hers. “Help get me off?”
SHE WAS UPand in the shower before either boy in her bed awoke. The funk of petrochemicals, fried food, and sweat clung to her skin, and she needed to scrub herself clean. As she stood under the spray, Meredith promised herself she’d stay up studying late that night, and not set foot into their bedroom unless Jamie was snoring. And if she fell asleep on the couch with a book in her lap, so be it.
After her shower, she dressed in the bathroom and left her hair to air dry. She returned to the bedroom to find Oscar awake, whining. Jamie faced away from him, eyes closed and scowling.
“Thank God. Take him so I can go back to sleep,” he grumbled. Oscar scrambled toward her, near tears, and she scooped him up, frowning.
“I’ll get him his breakfast and dress him, but I have to go to work today.”
Jamie scratched his head but didn’t open his eyes. His sandy hair was a greasy mess in the growing daylight, and Meredith wondered how she could have ever found it sexy.
“Mom’ll watch him,” he mumbled.
Meredith considered throwing a shoe at him, but Oscar was upset. He had a wet diaper, and he was ready for his milk. Swallowing her anger, she turned with him and headed back to the bathroom.
With a fresh diaper, Oscar took off for the kitchen.
“Meemaw!” he squealed.
Meredith watched Leona pick up her baby and plant a kiss on his cheek before looking at her.
“Is that my boy in there?” She nodded toward their bedroom with a smile.
“Yep,” Meredith replied. “That’s yourboy.”
Leona narrowed her eyes at Meredith’s tone, but she ignored the woman’s glare and got down Oscar’s sippy cup.
“He’s got to be tired,” Leona said.
Meredith had no civil reply to this, so she found the milk in the fridge instead.
“You workin’ today?” Leona asked after a moment of silence.
“Yes. All day.”
“Don’t forget Big Jim and I are going to Coushatta with the Leonards.”
Shit.
The casino. Meredith had forgotten. Jamie’s parents would be gone most of the day. She’d have to take Oscar to the grocery store while she shopped for Gray.
“I have to run some errands this morning. Oscar can come,” she said. “Jamie can watch him later.”
Meredith glanced back to find Leona eyeing her over the rim of her coffee cup. She’d bet money the woman was laughing at her. Jamie had his moments when he was playing with Oscar, but he was never eager to take care of their son single-handedly.
Well, he’ll have to man up and do it today.
