Page 62 of That First Night

“Eat quickly, buddy. You have to get ready for school.”

“He doesn’t have school today, Thomas,” Peyton cuts in.

Fuck. I completely forgot. I literally just had this conversation with her last night about him not having school today. Sex with Peyton has thrown my life completely upside down. I don’t even know what day of the week it is.

“Shit,” I mutter.

“That’s a bad word, Daddy,” James says as he scolds me, pointing his finger at me like I’m in trouble.

“You’re right, JJ,” I laugh. “I seem to have forgotten what day of the week it is.”

“It’s Monday,” Peyton says. “Remember, I’m going to take James with me to see Gigi.”

“That’s right,” I say as I run my hands through my hair. “I feel all out of place this morning.”

“I bet you do, Mr. Ford.” She playfully smiles at me as she starts cleaning up the dishes.

“I’ll do the dishes,” I tell her with a smirk on my face. “You go get ready for your day.”

“Aren’t you going to be late for work?”

“I don’t have any meetings today. I’m going to work from the home office today and work on some emails.”

“Well then,” she says as she wipes her hands on the dish towel. “I’m going to take a shower and get ready to head out. James, we're going to visit my Gigi today. Is that okay with you?”

“What’s your Gigi?” he asks.

“She’s my grandma,” she explains. “She’s pretty sick and she could use some laughs and cheering up. I think you would be the perfect man for the job. Are you up for it?”

“Yes!” he shrieks, throwing his fist in the air. “I’m sorry your Gigi is sick, Peyton. I will bring my doctor kit with me. I can fix her right up for you.”

My eyes move to Peyton as she looks the sweet innocent little boy in the eyes. I can tell by the look on her face that she’s holding back tears right now. She says nothing but gives him a tight nod. I don’t know what type of cancer her grandmother has, but I know that deep down, right this second, she wishes that a toy doctor kit would be the thing that could fix her. Her gaze moves to me, and I see the sadness in her eyes as she gives me a brief nod before leaving the kitchen to get a shower.

James finishes his breakfast and I finish the dishes.

“Watch some cartoons in your room for a bit while Peyton gets ready. Okay, bud?”

“Okay, Daddy,” he says as he skips up the stairs.

I finish the dishes and then find myself walking down the hallway towards her room to make sure she’s alright. With a light knock on the door, I hear her say, “Come in.” She’s not in her room but as I close the door behind me, I hear her from the bathroom, “I’m in here.”

I swallow the lump in my throat as I head into her bathroom that’s connected to her room. She’s in here, alright. My eyes widen as I take in the sight in front of me. She did not in fact take a shower, she’s in the bathtub. The same spot I found her the first night she moved into the penthouse. “Peyton,” I say through a strangled breath.

You know what she does? She fucking giggles.

“I am not laughing, Peyton.”

“I’m just taking a quick bath,” she says with a smile. “I’m feeling sore today from the intense hit my body took last night.” She winks. “Plus, I’m obsessed with this view.”

“Oh, are you?” I raise an eyebrow as I slowly walk over to her. “I wanted to check in on you to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m okay, Thomas,” she says with a sigh. “James doesn’t understand adult stuff like cancer. And I love him for that.”

I nod at her statement. Pausing to take in the sight of her in the giant bathtub with the city behind her. It’s the most stunning and breathtaking view in the penthouse. And I am not talking about the city behind her. A smile forms on my face without even trying. “How are you feeling now after your bath?”

She pauses for a moment. “Eh, I think I’m feeling better. But you interrupted me.”

I raise a questioning brow at her.