His head twists in my direction. “Shit, I’m sorry, Elodie. She woke up and I fed her, changed her, but now she won’t stop crying. I—I don’t know what the hell she wants.”
A tiny bit of pity builds in my chest, even though it shouldn’t after what he alluded to earlier this evening. But with a glance at the clock, I realize it’s actually early in the morning, which means this is a new day and everyone deserves a fresh start, even asshole men that think I’m here to hit on their friends.
Sighing, I close the space between us and reach for the baby. “Let me take her.”
He turns away from me, bouncing her further. “No, you go back to sleep. I can handle this.”
“I’m already awake, Henley. Will you just let me see if I can get her to at least calm down?”
Eyeing me wearily, it doesn’t take him long to relent as he hands Remy over to me. “What’s going on, baby bear?” I brush her hair back across her head, inhaling her sweet baby scent as I press my cheek against hers. “What’s got you so upset?” Her cries become quieter, but she’s still angry.
Henley groans as he pushes both of his hands through his hair, drawing the strands to stick straight up. I don’t have the energy to tellhim he looks like a mad scientist right now, especially when I can see the despair on his face. “I just don’t know what she wants.”
“Sometimes babies just need to cry, or it could be gas. Have you tried bicycle kicks with her?”
His blank stare shouldn’t be funny, but it is. “You act like I should know what that is.”
I take a seat on the couch, laying Remy down on the cushion in front of me. Her cries grow louder until I grab both of her legs and begin to move them up toward her stomach and back down, alternating them in the same motion as if she were riding a bike. “Moving her around like this can get the gas to move.” Henley studies what I’m doing with laser focus. “Wanna try?”
Nodding, he switches places with me and repeats the same motion I was just performing. Within a few seconds, Remy lets out a fart that startles us both. He peers up at me with shock, and then we both burst into laughter.
“Holy shit!” Henley says through a laugh. “I think most grown men couldn’t compete with that.”
Holding my stomach, I fight to contain my giggles. “See? She’s just gassy. Keep moving her legs around.” Henley repeats the motion until Remy lets out a few more farts that seem to have alleviated some of her discomfort. But when he lifts her from the couch, she burps and spits up all over him.
“Shit.”
“Aw, poor thing. Her stomach is clearly upset. Did you burp her after she ate?”
“I tried to,” he says as he carefully stands from the couch and heads to the laundry room, removing his soiled shirt. “But she didn’t let one out.”
And once again, this man is standing in front of me, shirtless.
Is this God’s way of testing the lines of temptation? What kind of karmic retribution am I suffering through right now?
He sniffs himself dramatically. “Shit. I need another shower. Do you mind…”
“Not at all. Go ahead, we’re good.”
Henley heads for his room and I take Remy into mine to change her outfit since she spit up on herself as well. Once she’s in a clean pajama outfit, I head back out to the living room, but she starts crying again.
“What’s wrong now?” Henley’s voice startles me as I move gently around the room, trying to soothe her by bouncing her softly.
“She’s just fussy, Henley. That doesn’t mean something is wrong with her.”
He sighs, brushing a hand through his wet hair. “I’m sorry you’re up too. I wish I knew how to calm her down.”
“You’ll learn.”
He scoffs, taking a seat on the couch. “Not sure that’s true. Having kids was never on my radar, and the past few days have only proven that maybe I was right in avoiding this responsibility. It’s not like I had amazing parents to look up to as an example.” As soon as the words leave his lips, I can see the recognition on his face that he said more than he wanted.
“Dilynne said you two didn’t have the best childhood,” I say cautiously. “What happened?”
His eyes dart to mine. “Nothing,” he says curtly in an attempt to shut down the conversation.
“Wow. Okay.”
“Okay, what?”
