She furrows her brow. “Or... you can just hand him to me.”
“Uh, no. Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re very clumsy.”
“What? Since when?”
“Since always,” he argues. “You remember that jack-o’-lantern when you were seven?”
Haley looks at me, her hands upturned. “Really?” she asks. “You’re allowing this?”
“Sorry, babe,” I say. “I just squeezed a human out of my cooch. Not getting involved in Tyler family spats today. You might as well park it.”
Haley sighs. “Fine.” She sits down in the chair and opens her arms. “Gimme.”
Lance gently places the quiet bundle in her hands. “Support his back,” he teaches. “Put your other hand under his head, like this.”
I sit back and watch. Haley was fully grown when I met her, but I’ve witnessed plenty of moments like this one. Father and daughter, teaching each other and figuring life out as it went along.
I blink away the tears building behind my lashes.
Haley sits back and swoons. “Aw, he’s so cute!” she says.
Lance smiles at me, a man victorious.
I shrug, accepting it.
“So, did you choose a name yet?” Haley asks.
I nod at Lance. “Go ahead and tell her,” I say.
Lance kneels next to her chair. “Haley,” he says, “meet your brother, Henry Argento Tyler.”
She smiles even wider. “Hello, Henry,” she says. “I’m your big sister, Haley.”
Henry fidgets in her hands and lets out a loud cry.
“Uh-oh,” Haley says, looking nervous. “What did I do? Was it something I said?”
“No, he’s just being a baby,” Lance says as he swoops in. “Give him here. I’ll walk him around.”
Haley gladly passes him off. I smile as Lance paces and sways, easily lulling Henry back to sleep within a minute.
“Wow, that’s hot,” I say, staring at him.
Haley glowers. “Guess that’s something to get used to from now on. Babies cry a lot.”
I look at Lance. He makes eye contact with me and I can tell we’re both thinking the same thing. “Now?” I ask aloud.
Lance walks over to stand beside me by the bed. “Yeah, now,” he answers.
“Now, what?” Haley asks.
I smile. “Haley, we have something we want to talk to you about.”
Haley sits up in the chair. “Is everything okay?” she asks.
“Everything is fine,” I answer. “It’s nothing bad. We have a surprise for you.”
Her face brightens. “A surprise?”
“It’s no secret that the house has been feeling a little cramped lately since I moved in,” I say.
“What?” She shakes her head. “No, it hasn’t.”
“Yes, it has,” Lance says.
“It will only get worse now that Henry is here,” I say. “And we don’t think that’s very fair to you. You’re a full-time student. You deserve to have your own space, somewhere peaceful and quiet to sleep and study, and you will not get that in a house with a newborn baby.”
Haley nods. “Okay...”
“So, we’ve decided that we will give you that place,” I say, smiling. “Your own place, actually.”
She freezes. “Excuse me, what?”
“I still technically own my apartment. It’s in a nice neighborhood, far but not too far away from campus—”
“You’re giving me your apartment?!”
“For sleeping and studying only,” Lance says, punching every word.
Haley pushes out of the chair, nearly falling over. “Are you serious?” she asks. “Tell me you’re serious.”
I grin. “We’re serious, honey.”
Lance stands taller. “It’s a responsibility, Hal, not a party zone,” he says. “I still expect good grades and—”
She bounces up and down. “Oh, my god. Oh, my god.”
“If I find one beer can, it’s all over.”
I roll my eyes.
Haley rushes to the bed and hugs me. “Thank you!” she says. “Thank you, Trix. Thank you!”
“You’re welcome, kid,” I say, laughing.
“One beer can, Haley,” Lance repeats.
“I have to go tell Lisa!” she says as she races out of the room with her phone in hand.
Lance sighs. “Please tell me I won’t regret this.”
“Oh, no, you’ll regret it,” I tease. “Definitely.”
“Fantastic.”
He lays Henry down on the bassinet beside the bed before sitting down next to me. I shift to the side, giving him some space, and he wraps a strong arm around me.
“Thank you,” he whispers in my ear. “I know I say that a lot when it comes to her, but I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate you.”
I look at him and his expression shifts.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I answer. “Why?”
“You’re crying.”
“Oh.” I touch my cheek, feeling tears. “No, I’m fine, just...” I take a deep breath. “Is it weird that I wish my father was here?” I ask.
Lance shakes his head once. “No. Not weird at all.”
“I see you and Haley together and it’s hard not to think about him. You know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
“His grandchild was just born. Henry will be two years old by the time he gets to meet him.”
“He’ll be two days old, actually.”
I turn, noticing the smirk on Lance’s face. “What?” I ask.
“I pulled a few strings,” he says. “Starting tomorrow, Angelo will receive a four-day furlough so he can meet his grandchild.”
“Furlough?” I repeat, my eyes running over again. “You got him furlough?”
“He’s not my favorite person in the world, obviously,” he says, “but I knew how important this was to you. He’s your father, for better or worse, and he’s Henry’s grandfather. I can be the bigger man here. Also…” He takes my left hand and admires the ring on my finger. “I think we should get married. You wanted him there for that, so let’s do it while he’s out. Something quick at the courthouse to make it official and then plan something bigger for when he gets out. Whatever you want. I’m on board.”
I stare at him, shocked and so utterly in love. “Lance,” I say, speechless.
Lance kisses my knuckles. “Surprise,” he whispers.
I throw my arms around him. “I love you so much,” I say.
Lance pushes my hair aside and kisses my forehead, making me feel warm and loved and cared for and everything in-between. “I love you, too,” he says. “You should get some rest. It’s been a big day.”
I take another peek at the
