Page 18 of Out of Bounds
Every surface is covered with love and memories and even if it weren’t for the fact Annie is sleeping downstairs, that this is my buddy’s house, that there’s a constant smell of homey baking and oak in the air here, there’s so much warmth and homeliness that I feel as if I could’ve lived here in a past life. It’s a million times different to my bachelor house on the edge of San Antonio city.
I hear murmurings again and remember what I should be doing.
Nelson’s nursery looks like something out of a Disney movie. His crib sits in the middle of the room that’s been decorated with stencils of animals all over the walls and stars and a big moon on the ceiling. Cream rugs rest on the polished wood floor and the smallest wardrobe and drawers sit in the corner. What makes it even more magical is the canopy overhanging his crib. The chiffon drapes are most likely practical to keep the skeeters off him, but his place of sleep is the kind of bed every parent wants for their child. Safe, cozy, beautiful.
The room is decorated with affection. Not for the first time, I consider what an idyllic childhood Colton and Annie must have had growing up on this ranch. So different from my own experiences of being passed from pillar to post while my mom was forced to make ends meet on her own.
Nelson pulls himself up on his crib side and turns those doe-eyes like his mama’s on me. He has a wide smile to match them. He’s so damn sweet, I’m hit by an urge to give Annie and Nelson the life they deserve, even if it’s not my place to do so.
“I can be cool Uncle Tanner though, right, Nellie Bellie?” I ask the baby boy as he holds up his hands for me.
I’ve always thought of myself as a tough guy. I block defensive linemen all season long, yet Nelson Quinn can reduce me to goo in an instant.
I reach down and hoist him onto my waist. “Hey, kiddo. How was your nap?”
I’ll take the giggle and pulling of my facial hair as confirmation that it was a good one.
“Your mama’s having a snooze and I vote we should leave her to it, so why don’t we choose one of these interesting-looking books from your shelf here and sit in that rocking chair by the window until she wakes up?”
Book in hand, I hook him onto my lap as we gently rock in the window seat and Nelson unhelpfully prods the pages.
I decide to switch out the name of the dog in the story for Nelson’s. It’s the tiniest, stupidest thing but it makes him chuckle every time I say, “Nellie Bellie the dog is lost.” I swear something in my heart that I didn’t know needed it is sewn back together by the sound.
“Is he under the stairs?” I ask Nelson as he works his chubby little fingers under the book flap.
I honestly don’t know how long we’re reading the book – the same book, which I now know by memory – before Annie clears her throat, where she’s leaning on the door frame.
The smile she gives me makes me feel bigger than the universe. Just because, you know, sheshouldsmile, and it’s a lot for her to be happy with everything that’s happened andishappening with her mama and Auston the Focker.
“Hey, girly,” I say, not managing to sound casual at all when Ishouldbe casual because whywouldn’tI be casual?
“Nellie Bellie?” she asks, one eyebrow cocked.
Now I smirk. “You heard that, huh?”
“His name is Nelson, after my mama’s maiden name.NeverNellie.And nevereverNellie Bellie.”
“Understood, Annie Bannie.”
She scoffs and comes over to us. “Mama!” Nelson says, bouncing on my lap.
“Hey! He said it again! He’s refused to say it since the very first timedaysago. Haven’t you?” She picks him up and slips him onto her hip. “Thanks, Tanner. How long have you been here?”
I stand, not realizing how close we are to each other until I’m literally towering over the pair of them, so near that Nelson’s baby powder smell is blended perfectly with the sweetness of Annie’s perfume. I’ve been this close to a hell of a lot of women who smell of luxury and sex, but there’s something about Annie’s scent that makes my lungs hitch when I inhale.
“Not long,” I manage, like there’s a frog in my throat.
“You beat us!” Sas and Colton appear as if from nowhere and though I’m not doing anything wrong, I take a quick step back from Annie, not sure why I was so close to her in the first place. Or why I even care what this looks like.
She’s a friend. I was helping her with her kid.
“Where did you go?” I ask. “I thought you guys set off when I did?”
“I needed a drive thru, I was starving,” Sas says, still holding a takeout soda, eyes brightly shimmering and blonde hair knotted on top of her head. “Where’s my favorite boy?”
“I’m right here, baby,” Colton says, receiving a scowl across her shoulder as she makes a beeline for Nelson and whips him from Annie.
Almost immediately, there’s a sound like a very squelchy fart, then a stench like a rat died days ago fills the room.
