He snorted.
“Mom is being awesome. Dad looks confused, and worried, because he knows I haven’t lived in Lyntacky for a long time, and he’s sure I won’t cope away from here with a baby. My brothers are assholes, so there’s that. Birdie is Birdie, flitting in and out with little gems of information she thinks I need. And there is a lot of hugging on her part.”
“I’m glad you have support.”
“What about you? Do you have support?”
He nodded. “I have the Dukes, and once everyone in town knows, which is possibly already a done deal, then I’ll get some more.”
“I don’t know where to go from here, Jay,” Blue said honestly.
“I guess the old saying really fits at a time like this,” he said softly as he ran his thumb over the top of her hand. Smooth, he thought.
“What saying?”
“Small steps. We deal with this one day at a time. I know I’ve already said this to you, Blue, but I want in from the start.”
“It’s been brought to my attention that I need to let you go,” Dan said, walking into the room again. His eyes went to their joined hands, but he didn’t comment.
Blue tugged hers free.
“By whom?” Jay asked, helping Blue off the bed.
“I can get off a bed, Jay,” she protested.
“Just being gentlemanly. No need to get bent out of shape. Manners are important,” Jay added before she could speak. “If we’re going to co-parent a child, then I guess that’s something we’ll have to teach it.”
“I should probably warn you right off, Blue, seeing as I know him better than most people,” Dan said, nodding to Jay. “Besides his annoying intellect, there is the need to be right and have an answer for any situation. I find the best response is silence. He hates that. If that doesn’t work, a good elbow to the ribs.”
“Fuck you, Duke,” Jay snapped.
“Now, now, Jay, you shouldn’t swear. All those things you’ve read surely told you the baby can hear everything you’re saying.”
“That’s not until about twenty-three weeks, shithead,” Jay said.
“And my point is made,” Dan said with a wide grin.
“You’ll get yours, Double D,” Jay muttered, stepping out of the cell behind Blue.
“So what now, kids?” Dan was suddenly serious. “I’m here in any capacity that either of you needs me.”
“Have you seen Dr. Hannah yet?” Jay asked, looking at Blue.
She shook her head. Blue knew she needed to but couldn’t face it yet.
“Right then, let’s go there now,” Jay decided.
“People think he’s the chill guy, but the truth is, he’s far from it,” Dan said from behind them. “Just make sure you say no to him occasionally, Blue. It’s healthy!”
“I’m not just walking into the doctor’s, Jay,” Blue said, tugging her hand free when they were outside. “I’ll make an appointment.”
“Okay, sorry. I just like to get things done.”
“Right now I need to find those three people who came into the police station before they actually locate my house and meet my parents,” Blue said. “And you need to go home and ice that face, Jay.”
“Do you think they are from the place you worked in New York?”
“I know they are,” Blue said.
