“I called last week about a gender reveal cake. We just had our appointment, I want to drop the results here and go ahead and pay for the cake.” Tatum tells her, leaving me to inspect the glass display full of treats including fudge, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and cupcakes.
“And add on whatever she wants as well, please.” He tacks on with a wink.
“We have some seasonal items towards the end of the case.” The young woman tells me andobviously,now I am headed towards that end of the counter eyeing my options. She and Tatum chat for a few more minutes quietly and I decide on a hunk of peanut butter fudge and Tatum chooses a salted caramel cookie.
“Thanks again, Julia. We’ll see you in the morning, have a good rest of your day.”
Chapter16
Morning Daddy
Tatum || 19 weeks pregnant, October
Six in the morning, the bakery doesn’t open for another hour yet and I don’t know what to do with myself. Darcy was still sleeping soundlessly when I peeked my head into her room and I intend to let her rest until she wakes up on her own. I throw on jeans and a white shirt, throw a black hat on backward because I don’t want to deal with my hair and head down to the Porsche.
Once I’m headed towards the local store so I can gather the ingredients to make breakfast I dial Maverick hoping he’s up and done with the morning skate.
“Sup man?” Mav says by way of greeting.
“Just going to pick up the gender cake and some flowers. Stuff to make breakfast too. I’m antsy, dude. I was up too early and I didn’t want to wake Darcy, so here I am trying to keep myself busy.”
“And you decided to call me because?”
“Because you’re my best friend and I wanted to talk to you,” I sigh.
“You’re freaking out.”
“I’m freaking out.” It should be obvious that since I’m about to find out the gender of my unborn child, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.
“It’ll be fine, man. Though, if you have a little girl good luck, because you’ll never be able to tell her no. Fuck, even if you have a boy, you probably won’t tell him no either.”
“You’re probably right. We made out the night before our appointment and I finally asked her on a date.”
“No shit, Sherlock. I knew there was more to this than just learning the gender. She said yes?”
“Of course she did. I think I’m already falling for her.”
“That's not a bad thing, Tate. Maybe this is life telling you to settle down. With a pretty, strong, and capable woman at that.”Is this life telling me to settle down? Is this my sign that this is what my life is supposed to look like? That I’m supposed to have a family?
“You’re right. Thanks, man.”
“No problem. I have to take over Bella duty so I’ll talk later. Can’t wait to learn about the gender.” He hangs up the phone, with perfect timing as I arrive at the grocery store to buy some breakfast ingredients.
* * *
Even after stopping for ingredients,flowers, and a Coke Icee, I arrived atJules and Julia Co.with twenty-five minutes to spare. When Jules sees me waiting in my car, she beckons me in and gives me the cake and envelope before sending me on my way with her congratulations. Returning to the apartment I handle most of the remaining prep work for the grand reveal.
I’m deep in my cooking zone, making some banana pancakes when I hear light footsteps coming down the hallway. Turning, I find Darcy in a messy bun and my t-shirt, sleep lines on her skin where her pillow probably rested.
“Morning, Mama,” I say as she approaches the counter beside the oven, leaning back against it as I continue cooking.
“Morning, Daddy.” Teasing is evident in her tone but her words shoot straight to my cock. Did we just unlock a new kink? I swiftly turn the oven off and box her into the counter, placing an arm on both sides of her hips.
“Don’t call me that unless you mean it,” I growl, playfully leaning into her ear and nipping at the lobe. Her chest expands in an unsteady inhale before I continue speaking, “Went and got the cake this morning. Couldn’t sleep. Too anxious. You ready to find out what kinda kid we are going to be raising?”
“Yes, but I’m starving and smell bacon. Food first?” She says, wrapping her arms around me and looking up at me with a shy smile.
“Go get dressed, I assume you’ll be recording this for the girls which means Mav will see this and nobody gets to see you with no pants on except me.” I place a quick kiss on her lips.
