CHAPTER 1
BECKETT
“Welcome home, Charlotte,”I whispered to my newborn daughter as I stepped into the penthouse. She felt so right in my arms. In that moment, I vowed to keep her safe, always.
Fucking hell. I had a newborn daughter.
I’d only found out about her existence three days ago, and I still couldn’t wrap my head around everything.
I shifted her to my left arm. She was just a little peanut and easy to hold, especially because she was sleeping peacefully right now. But I’d already learned that it wouldn’t last long. She’d been very fussy on the flight from New York to New Orleans.
Grabbing my carry-on with my free hand, I wheeled it in behind me, then closed the door quietly and locked it. Leaving the bag at the door for now, I headed down the hall, pulling up the email Hillary, my assistant, sent me earlier today. I’d instructed her to buy all the necessities needed for a baby, and she’d miraculously come through. She made a list of everything she bought, where she’d placed them, and what their purpose was.
I entered the guest room, which was now the nursery. Hillaryhad furnished it with a crib and changing table. I pulled open the first drawer, keeping Charlotte secure against my chest with my free hand. It was full of onesies, diapers, and creams.
My daughter sighed against my chest, and I kissed the top of her little head. How could I love this tiny human being so much already? I carefully placed her in the crib, fully expecting her to wake up, but she didn’t. Clearly she was still tired from the plane ride.
I debated going to the living room and checking out the bottle-making machine, but I didn’t want to leave her alone. So instead, I sat down on the double bed and looked at my baby girl.
I had a daughter. I was a single dad. I was in awe.
My phone vibrated in my pocket for what felt like the millionth time. It was my brother Anthony again. He was the only one in the family I’d told about Charlotte, but I didn’t give him any details. He was probably in shock. I hadn’t had time to talk to him at all until now.
“Fucking finally, man,” he exclaimed when I answered. “What’s going on? Where are you?”
“Back in New Orleans, with my daughter.”
He blew out a heavy breath. “Jesus. You weren’t joking. I thought you were pulling a prank or something.”
“I wouldn’t joke with something like this.” I kept my voice low even though Charlotte didn’t seem to notice.
“You’ve got to give me more details. What happened? Were you seeing someone and didn’t tell me?”
I laughed without humor. “No, Anthony. When have I everseensomeone? I just…” I didn’t say it out loud, but I was the man-whore in the family. Up until recently, so was Anthony, but he was now engaged. “So, about nine months ago, I had a one-night stand,” I said, ripping off the Band-Aid, “with a woman named Ella.”
“Okay. And you didn’t tell anyone she was pregnant why?”
“Because I didn’t know,” I replied bitterly. “She didn’t tellme. In fact, she planned to give my daughter up for adoption without even telling me about her.”
“For fuck’s sake!” Anthony exclaimed.
“I only found out because her best friend figured I had the right to know.”
“Are you for real? People actually do that?”
“Yeah, they do.”
“When did she tell you?” he asked.
“Three days ago. That’s why I missed Grandpa’s birthday. I went straight to New York to figure things out.”
“Damn, brother! Do you need anything?”
That was my family to a T. Anthony, my other four brothers, my parents, and my grandparents wouldn’t even hesitate to help.
“Not right now.”
“You’re still in shock,” Anthony stated. He didn’t have to ask.
