Ten minutes later, Jocelyn stood and nodded her head, the two of them leaving the room and shutting the door, just leaving it open a crack. There was a nightlight plugged in because she imagined no young child wanted to sit in the dark in a strange place.
“How long do you think that is going to last?” he asked when they climbed back in bed.
“Who knows? We should try to get some sleep if we can.”
She’d noticed that it was eleven when they were walking around. Maybe they had put Maverick to bed too late, but he hadn’t wanted to go down.
His nap was two hours long and he got up at four. Then she’d played with him while Chance put the new bed together.
Dinner wasn’t until close to six, then Maverick was busy exploring everything in the apartment, playing with new toys, and seemed to have a good time.
They’d bathed him and put his clean new pajamas on, gave him his pacifier, but the boy wanted no part of it, rather wanted to run around the house.
Neither of them wanted to be too forceful, but they’d have to figure those things out.
Or Chance would.
It was like flying by the seat of their pants.
“Do you think I should call Nettie tomorrow and ask more questions?” he asked in the dark. She’d thought he was trying to sleep since a few minutes had gone by.
“That’s up to you,” she said.
“I don’t want to. I should, but I just feel as if there was no routine at all. If there was, don’t you think she would have volunteered it?”
“I agree with you.”
It was something she was grappling with. That this woman was so easily ready to hand the kid off and not even give them a quick rundown of what he liked to eat, what time he went to bed, any stories or shows, nothing.
It broke her heart some to think Maverick might have been ignored more than interacted with.
“I know you like kids, but it’s not as if you’ve got a lot of experience with this either, right?”
“Right. I’m sure your grandmother could be more helpful. My mother too if you want to let her.”
“I’m willing to let everyone do what they can. And I don’t let many in.”
She turned and put her head on his chest. “You let me in.”
“I did,” he said, sighing. “I’d be lost right now if you weren’t here and taking control of everything. And trust me, you have no idea how hard it is for me to say that.”
She kissed his chest, her hand moving around his abs. “I know. I’m good like that.”
He let out a forced laugh. “Not cocky in the least.”
“Just stating a fact. It’s going to be rough, you know that.”
“I do. It’s not the first or the last difficult thing that will cross my path.”
“Not even close.”
He yawned. “I’m used to not getting much sleep, but the last few days have been draining.”
“Emotions can wear on you more than physical fatigue. Where is the lavender you told me about? Maybe we should try it.”
“Really?”
“Yep. You’re tense and need to relax. I know another way to do it, but I think you need comfort differently. I could be wrong.”
