Page 84 of Christmas of Love
Sympathy wove through her gaze. “But will I need more Schnapps for this?”
I laughed, letting out a deep breath. “Daisy, you might. I’m still in shock myself.”
She nodded. “I’ll wait to find out what it is before I have any more.”
"There's something I found out recently, something big, and it's going to change… everything." I shook my head, feeling her hand squeeze mine. “I can’t pretend it won’t, and I’ll understand if it’s just too much.”
Her brow furrowed in concern. "What is it? I have to be honest that you're freaking me out.”
I took another deep breath. "I have a son.”
I’d meant to soften it somehow, but all I could do was blurt it out.
“His name is Tate.” The words hung in the air between us, heavy and clouded.
Daisy didn’t pull her hand back. Instead, she put her other on top of ours. She cocked her head slightly before shaking it. Confusion darted through her gaze.
"A son?" Daisy’s voice was a mix of surprise and bewilderment. "How? When?" And then she laughed. “Wait. Scratch that. I know how. I don’t want details.”
She pretended to shiver, and I was completely shocked by her response. It was the same old Daisy, confronting news head-on and with a lightness that I craved.
“He’s adorable. He looks just like me,” I confessed.
Her lip turned up at the corner. “Well, you are adorable.”
I smiled, taking in the tenderness of this moment. I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but in this instant, Daisy didn’t run screaming from the coffee shop.
“How old is he?” she asked as Abby brought over my favorite drink, an iced coffee.
“He’s five months old.”
Daisy’s eyes widened. “Wait. He’s that old? She just now told you?”
I nodded, relieved that she felt as incensed as I did. “I think she thought or hoped it was Nick’s since she was obviously having relationships with both of us.”
Daisy whistled.
I laughed, shaking my head. “It’s crazy, actually. When you look at Tate, it’s like looking at my twin, and he really is the complete opposite of Nick.”
Daisy looked intrigued. “How so?”
“Nick has red hair, a fair complexion, very slender.” I smiled, thinking about my son. “And Tate is all bulk. He is a thick little guy, and he has blue eyes and my nose.”
She chuckled. “And he carries your rugged handsomeness? Sturdy jawline and chiseled features?”
I smiled, loving every second of sharing this information with Daisy. “Yeah, I guess you could see that underneath all the baby chub.”
She moved her hands from mine, and I instantly missed her touch. “I can’t wait to meet him, but I need more details.”
“Well, Nick and Brielle came to Madison on their private jet.”
“Wait? What?”
I nodded. “He’s a hedge fund guy. Brielle is extremely delighted. Anyway, she came to the bar and told me. And then let me see Tate at her hotel. They have nannies, plural. But Amy seems to be the nanny who travels with Tate the most.”
“Oh, wow.” Daisy looked impressed.
“And Nick, Brielle, Tate, and Amy all came over to my apartment. We’ve been loosely talking about how custody will work.”