“We didn’t have that many,” I giggled as I remembered those first days.

“We spoke on the phone every night. You talked my ear off going on about books and TV shows.” He laughed. “But it was all worth it when I heard your sweet little snores as you fell asleep.”

“I don’t snore.”

“I’m afraid you do.”

“No one has ever told me I snored,” I protested.

“How many men have you slept with?” His tone changed, and I could hear the jealousy. I felt all warm inside as he spoke and I knew that I was just as dysfunctional as him.

“I’m not answering the question.”

“I know the answer already,” he laughed.

“You’re a creep.”

“I didn’t stop you from dating anyone.”

“I know,” I sighed. “Do you ever think about the days before we broke up? The days before I moved in? The first days?”

“All the time.”

“They were good, weren’t they?”

“The very best.”

“Thank you for taking Harry,” I whispered.

“I love you, Katie.” His voice was stronger this time. “And I love Harry more than life itself.”

“You’re a good dad.”

“I got one thing right.” He sighed. “Stay the night tomorrow.”

“No.”

“Think about it.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.”

“Sweet dreams, Katie.”

“Sweet dreams, Brandon.” I waited for him to hang up before I put down the phone. “You’re still there,” I whispered, and he laughed.

“I’m hoping I get to hear the snores of an angel again.”

“You want me to fall asleep on the phone?”

“I want you to fall asleep in my arms, but the phone will have to do tonight.”

“Night, Brandon.” I closed my eyes and snuggled into my pillow, the phone pressed against me ear. I lay there listening to the sound of his breathing and it comforted me. Before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep sleep and I had dreams filled with Brandon, me, and babies.

***

“Don’t worry, Katie. It’ll be fine.” Brandon squeezed my hand as we walked up to the front door of his dad’s house. “Just remember, don’t tell him you’re his mom, please. I don’t want to shock him.”

“I won’t tell him.” I nodded. I felt hurt that Brandon didn’t want Harry to know right away, but I understood slightly. “Who does he think Maria is to him?” I frowned as we waited at the door.

“He’s only known Maria for the last year or so. She moved in fairly recently.” Brandon sighed. “He thinks she is his babysitter.”

“Oh.” I bit my lower lip to stop from saying anything else.

“Hello,” a sweet older lady said when she answered the door. She had platinum blond hair and a big red smile. “Brandon, you’re here early.” She gave him a hug and then looked at me.

“This is my friend, Katie, Verna.” He introduced us, and the lady known as Verna looked me over with knowing eyes.

“Katie, this is my father’s girlfriend, Verna.”

“Nice to meet you.” I reached over to shake her hand, but she gave me a hug instead.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, my girl.” She smiled at me happily. “You have such pretty brown eyes.”

I smiled back at her, appreciating her warmth to me, and was about to speak when I saw a little boy darting to the door.

“Daddy!” He ran into Brandon’s arms, grinning. “I’m having pancakes.”

“I can see that,” Brandon replied with a smile, and we all laughed as Harry’s face was covered in syrup.

“Do you want some pancakes, Dad?” Harry grinned and then looked at me. “Hello, I’m Harry.”

“Hi, Harry. I’m Katie.” I choked up slightly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Do you like to play video games?” He studied my face for a few moments.

“I’m not terribly good, but I do enjoy some.”

“Then come and play Mario Kart with me. It’s fine ‘cause Grandad said I could play,” he quickly added as he looked at his dad, and I laughed. I tried not to stare at him like a crazy woman, but I couldn’t stop myself from studying him.

He was a gorgeous little boy and looked like a mini-Brandon but with my big brown eyes. His hair was dirty blond and he had a round little face that looked very dirty at the moment. Though I had a feeling that his face was always slightly dirty. His cheeks were rosy and red and he was a little plump, with his round little belly—probably from playing too many video games.

“Or we could play basketball or soccer.” I smiled at him, thinking that it was time to introduce some sports into his life. I laughed inside at my maternal instincts and I saw Brandon giving me a side stare.

“I want to play basketball!” He jumped up and down. “I wanna be just like Kobe Bryant when I grow up.”

“Oh?” I nodded at him and smiled. “He’s a good player, all right.” I knew the name, but I had no idea what basketball team he played for, and I was praying that Harry wouldn’t ask me.

“Or Lebron James.” He grinned. “I could be Lebron James as well.”

“Well, right now you’re going to be the little boy who goes and cleans his face.” Brandon interrupted us and we all walked into the house. “Go and get cleaned up, Harry. Katie and I are taking you out.”

“YES!” He pumped his fist. “McDonalds time.”

“No, Harry.” He shook his head and laughed. “I thought we could all go to a museum or something.”

“Boring.” Harry made a face. “I don’t wanna go to a museum.”

“Don’t be rude.” Brandon gave him a small stare and I turned my face away to stop from laughing. Brandon was a wonderful father, but it was a bit weird watching him in that role.

“I’m being honest.” Harry shrugged and smiled at me. “You know that, right, Katie?”

“Yes, I do think you’re being honest.”

“See.” He grinned at his dad.

“What would you like to do, Harry?” I asked him softly, and he turned to look at me with big adoring eyes. I thought my heart melted right then and there.

“I wanna go McDonalds and to a movie and maybe to a toy store to get some new Legos or a new game for my Wii. And then I wanna go and get some candy.” He paused for a second. “But not Reese’s Pieces. I don’t like Reese’s.

“Neither do I,” I laughed happily, and Brandon gently smiled at me.

“He favors his mother in a lot of ways,” He whispered in my ear. “Brown eyes, doesn’t like Reese’s, likes to have his own way too much.” I gave him a quick look and he grinned at me before turning back to our son. “Harry, go and get cleaned up and come back downstairs please.”

“Yes, Dad.” Harry ran off and Verna turned to us both.

“You make a lovely couple.” She smiled but walked off before I was able to deny he comment.

“She thinks we’re together,” I groaned and looked at Brandon.

“So?” He shrugged.

“But we’re not.”

“Yet.” He smiled slowly and pulled me toward him. He kissed me lightly on the nose and then on the lips. “I enjoyed falling asleep with you last night.”

“Uh huh.” I blinked up at him, my heart beating fast.

“Falling asleep with someone is so much more intimate than ha**g s*x with them,” he whispered in my ear.

“You think so?” I smiled up at him. “Then I guess you never want to sleep with me again?”

“Don’t be funny,” he laughed as his hands caressed my ass. “If we weren’t in my dad’s house right now, I’d be f**king you right here.”

“Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “And it’s only because we’re in your dad’s house? I thought you got off on public sex.”

“Argh.” He groaned and his hands massaged my shoulders. “Okay, I’d f**k you here in a minute if Harry weren’t here.”

“I knew it.”

“Does it make you feel better that you’re right?” he whispered against my lips, and I leaned in and kissed him hard; this time I was going to turn him on in an awkward place. I slipped my tongue into his mouth and nibbled on his lower lip before pressing my br**sts against his chest and reaching down and squeezing his hardening cock.

“Shit, Katie,” he groaned against me as I unzipped him, slipped my hand inside his pants, and ran my fingers lightly over his cock. He gasped at my touch and I smiled as I continued to kiss him. As soon as I heard footsteps coming, I withdrew my hand and walked over to look at some paintings on the wall.

“Ready!” Harry ran back to the entryway and I smiled at him widely as Brandon quickly zipped himself back up.

“Well, that was fast, son.” Brandon’s voice was tight, and he gave me a look filled with such lust and desire that my panties grew wet.

“Let’s go play.” Harry grabbed my hand. “Bye, Grandpa. Bye, Grandma Verna.”

“Where’s your dad?” I asked Brandon, surprised I hadn’t met him.

“I think he’s still in bed.” He laughed. “Verna spoils him and serves him breakfast in bed every morning.”

“Oh, wow.”

“Let’s go.” Harry pulled me towards the front door.

“Don’t squeeze Katie’s hand off, Harry,” Brandon chuckled as we walked through the front door.

“I’m not.” He laughed and smiled up at me. “I’m not hurting you, am I, Katie?”

“No, Harry.” I smiled down at him with love in my eyes. “You’re not hurting me at all.”

***

“Go up and have a bath, Harry. I’ll be up in fifteen minutes to read you a bedtime story.”

“Yes, Dad.” Harry yawned and looked over at me. “Will I see you tomorrow, Katie?”

“If you want to.” I smiled at him happily. We’d had a long day, taking him to a children’s museum and then to a late lunch and back home to watch a movie together. It had been such a great day. I was a little sad that it was over.

“Yeah, let’s go to McDonalds tomorrow.”

“I don’t know about McDonalds,” I laughed, “but I’m sure we can think of something to do.”

“Okay.” Harry ran up the stairs, and Brandon came and sat next to me on the couch.

“You’re good with him.” He stared into my eyes. “You make a good mother.”

“I don’t know about all that.” I made a face and looked around the living room. “I love your house. I didn’t know you had a brownstone.”

“I bought it after I got Harry.” He shrugged. “I still have the apartment though. It’s still intact from the days we lived together.”

“How did you get Harry?” I bit my lip, but I couldn’t stop myself from asking the question that had been on my mind for so long. “The adoption agency told me it was a closed adoption, but a couple in Connecticut were adopting him.”

“The lady in charge of the adoption agency is an advocate for fathers’ rights.” His voice was low. “I went in and told her that I was the father and they didn’t have my permission. We got a blood test done and I took him home.”

“They can do that?”

“When you have money, you can get a lot of things pushed through quickly.” He shrugged. “I wasn’t going to let my son be raised by strangers.”

“You think I’m horrible, don’t you?”

“No, you were just young.” He shook his head and sat back. “There are so many things I think we both would have done differently if we had it to do over.” He sighed. “I think that you never really realize what you’ve lost until it’s gone.” He stared at me sadly. “Sometimes, the biggest revenge is showing someone what they could have had.”

“I don’t know what to say.” I looked away from him, my heart breaking. “

“It was always you, Katie. It was only you. There’s never been anyone in my life that I’ve wanted before. Never.” He sighed and stood up. “I wish you hadn’t lied to me.” His eyes looked down at me and he walked away. “I’m going to go and read Harry a bedtime story now. Feel free to relax until I get back.”

I sat back and stared at the rug, feeling as if I were in Wonderland. My emotions were all over the place and I didn’t know which way was up and which way was down. I heard footsteps and looked up, expecting to see Brandon, but a tall, beautiful lady walked into the room instead.

“Hello,” I smiled at her politely.

“You’re a fool.” The lady’s eyes surveyed me with pity.

“Excuse me?” I sat up straight.

“I said you’re a fool, Katie Raymond.”

“And you are?” I asked slowly, though I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

“I’m Brandon’s fiancée, Maria.” She sat next to me. “I’m sure you’ve heard of me before.”

“You were engaged to him in college as well.” I nodded, letting her know I did know exactly who she was.

“College?” She laughed. “I’m not that Maria. I’m the new and better version. At least that’s what Brandon tells me. The girl in college was a mistake. Like you,” she cackled as she looked at me, flinging her long, dark hair behind her shoulders.