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“I love you too.”
She twitched, eyes darting down. I raised my eyebrows. “The baby kicked very hard.”
I rolled off her and stared at her exposed belly. Emma took my hand and put it down on the spot beneath her ribs. It took a couple of moments before I felt a gentle shift. Emma winced. She could obviously feel the movements more strongly than I did. Still I kept my palm there and felt another slight movement. I smiled. Most days, becoming a father seemed far away, but this made it more real. It also emphasized how important it was for me to get a grip on my fucking alcohol problem. I wouldn’t letit ruin everything. I had already done a good enough job of that with the crash.
Emma ran her fingers through my hair. “The past is the past. You have today and every day that follows to prove yourself.”
Fuck, and I would. I pressed my ear against Emma’s belly, wondering if I could hear anything. Except for the low rumble of Emma’s belly, there was nothing. I cocked an eyebrow at Emma. “Hungry?” I asked suggestively.
Emma gave me an embarrassed smile. “For food, yes. I’m sorry. I feel like I’m constantly starving, especially in the evening.”
I chuckled and got out of bed. “What are you in the mood for?” I asked as I put on pajama pants and a T-shirt.
Emma sat up with a mortified expression. “PB&J sandwich, warm milk, and pretzels.”
I shook my head with a deep laugh. “All right. I’ll raid the fridge and cabinets to see what we have.” I paused. “Do you want me to head out to a store if we’re out of anything?”
She quickly shook her head. “Just surprise me with a good substitute.”
“Your wish is my command.” I jogged down the stairs but had to slow down halfway because my head spun again. I was annoyed at my body for messing with me like that. I’d hoped I wouldn’t show any obvious withdrawal symptoms.
Upon hearing me, Dad emerged from the living room with a look of concern on his face. “Everything okay?”
“Emma is hungry. I need to search the kitchen for the things that strike her fancy.”
Dad chuckled and followed me into the kitchen. If it was to help me or to make sure I didn’t find any alcohol, I wasn’t sure. Usually, there was always a cooking wine on the counter and one in the fridge, but Mom had thrown them away.
I didn’t find peanut butter, only almond butter that Mom used for breakfast bowls, and a sugar-free chia jam. Neither would probably quench Emma’s cravings. The grain-free protein bread that Dad ate definitely wouldn’t get me any bonus points either, but I had to work with what I had.
“Do you want me to send one of the bodyguards out to the store?” Dad asked.
“I fear Emma will have starved by then.”
Dad nodded as if he could remember Mom being the same way.
I added maple syrup to the chia jam for sweetness, which resulted in a very soppy sandwich. I grabbed some cutlery in case Emma needed it. Then I heated some milk in the microwave. “Do you have pretzels?”
Dad shook his head. “I snacked on them too much.”
“Do you have any kind of savory treat?”
“I think your mom always keeps a stash of kale chips.”
I sent Dad an annoyed look. Emma wouldn’t be impressed at all with my selection. “Tell the maid to grab some unhealthy stuff in the morning, for God’s sake.”
Dad patted my back with a smile. “Good to see you being distracted like that.”
I grabbed the tray and headed back to the bedroom. Maybe it had been Emma’s intention. Though her stomach had definitely requested food. That hadn’t been a ploy to distract me.
When I entered the bedroom, Emma sat up immediately and held out her hands. I put the tray on her lap, and she scanned the food, then gave me a questioning look. I shrugged. “My parents are on a health kick. I did my best.”
She lifted one of the bread slices, revealing the jam and maple syrup disaster. It didn’t look appealing in the slightest.
Maybe I should just order some food. “I can—”
Emma grabbed the sandwich, dripping it all over the tray, and took a huge bite. She shrugged. “It doesn’t taste bad.” She finished the sandwich within a minute. Her chin and upper lip were smeared with jam. I shook my head and grabbed a towel from the bathroom. I’d forgotten napkins. By the time I returned, she was eating the kale chips.
I sank on the edge of the bed and regarded her as she downed half of the milk. Then she gave me a pleased smile. “This wasn’t so bad. I don’t suppose there’s a piece of chocolate somewhere in this house?”