Page 24 of Talk Wicked to Me

“I had a little help from my family and Tobias, Madigan’s fiancé. I hope that’s okay. I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed when you came home. We didn’t open the three boxes that were marked personal. I put those in your bedroom.”

She didn’t know how she felt. While she was relieved to have such a big chore off her plate, she was also a little uncomfortable about strangers going through her things. But mostly she was stunned again, and glad they hadn’t opened the boxes marked personal. Those boxes hadn’t been opened since Gwen’s mother had packed up Emerson’s parents’ belongings right after they’d died.

“I’m sure we put things in the wrong places, but I figured that was better than trying to live out of boxes with a new baby. I can move anything you’d like me to. We put the changing table out here because Tank and Maverick said if you were anything like Leah and Chloe, you’d spend most of your time in the living area with the baby.”

“They’re probably right. Where did you get that desk and the bookshelf?” She’d sold her desk, and the rest of her furniture, when she’d moved, wanting a real fresh start.

“I had them lying around.”

“You had a gorgeous desk and shelves just lying around?” She shook her head, asking herself again, Who is this guy? “You didn’t have to do any of this, much less lend me furniture.” She registered a smell she couldn’t place. It wasn’t a bad smell, just different. “Do you smell something?”

“It’s paint from the nursery, but it should dissipate by the end of the day. We painted Friday night and the windows have been open and the fans have been running ever since.”

“You painted?” She beat him to the nursery door and pushed it open, her heart tripping up at the sight of her baby’s nursery. Two big oscillating fans were blowing air out the windows, but it was the pale green walls and white trim, the assembled crib, and the mobile hanging above it with little clouds, stars, and sheep dangling from strings that brought tears to her eyes. She thought about the blanket Ginger had given her for Brennan, and her chest felt full. There was a stuffed sheep tucked into one corner of the crib. “A stuffie,” she said more to herself than to him.

“I thought Brennan needed a friend.”

She melted inside.

The baby monitor and the lamp with the tiny sheep on the shade she’d bought were on the dresser. He’d even hung the yellow curtains she’d gotten to match the lamp. This was why he’d been gone so long when he’d gotten her bag. He hadn’t even let on that he’d noticed her boxes, much less did any of this.

“I put the Pack ’n Play in your room.” With a hand on her back, he led her out of the nursery, closing the door behind them, and walked into her bedroom.

The unopened boxes were lined up against the far wall. The Pack ’n Play was next to the bed, the bassinet section ready for Brennan, and beside it was the rocking chair with one of the throw pillows from her couch on it, with a blanket draped over the back. There was an organizer on her nightstand containing the same things that were on the changing table, along with several folded baby outfits. In her closet, more baby outfits hung on tiny hangers beside a hanging diaper holder, which was filled to the top.

He’d thought of everything.

She turned to say as much and saw an unfamiliar wooden frame on her dresser with red wooden letters that spelled MY LOVE across the top, and in the frame was the picture he’d taken of her and Brennan right after she’d given birth. She looked tired and harried, but so elated, it radiated across the room.

“I thought you’d want that picture in a special frame, so I made it. But I can get you a different one if you don’t like it.”

Once again she was stunned speechless, and tears spilled from her eyes.

Baz uttered a curse. “Madigan warned me that I might have overstepped. I’m sorry, Emerson. I—”

“It’s okay,” she said shakily. “You absolutely did overstep. Three days ago, I didn’t know you from Adam, and it’s uncomfortable knowing strangers went through my things, but I’m not mad.” She swiped at her tears. “Stupid hormones are messing with me. I just…”

She looked at him, with his tight jaw and concerned gaze, holding the carrier with her sleeping baby boy in it. Watching her. Waiting for her to say more. She didn’t want to admit that since she’d lost her parents, other than Gwen, nobody had ever done anything like this for her, and for some reason, that made her miss her parents even more.

Struggling to shove that dull ache, and the truth behind it, down deep, she wiped her eyes, silently gathering strength and courage like a cloak. “You just took me by surprise. I appreciate everything you’ve done, and I am going to find a way to pay you and your family back for all of your hard work.”

“Take care of this little guy, and give yourself a chance to recharge and heal. That’s payment enough. Why don’t you lie down and rest. I’ll stay with Brennan in the living room and bring him to you when he wakes up.”

She shook her head. “Baz, you’ve done more than enough, and I’ve already taken up way too much of your time. You should go.”

“Emerson, it’s your first day out of the hospital, I’ve got nothing on my plate today.”

“And I planned on doing this alone, remember? I’m good, Baz, and you and your family have set me up for success. You’ve saved me weeks of unpacking. But now I need to do this on my own.” She wrapped her hand around the baby carrier handle, but he didn’t let go.

“Doctor’s orders, remember? Nothing heavier than the baby. Tell me where you want it, and I’ll put it there.”

He was so diligent. “In the dining room by the desk, please.”

He lowered his chin, brow furrowing. “You’re not really going to try to work, are you?”

“Why not? He’s sleeping, and I have an editing job to finish.”

“Because you’re running on adrenaline. Your body needs to heal, and healing only happens when your body is at rest.”