“Are you smilin’ at me, little man?” I wiggle the finger he’s holding, getting a little burn behind the eyes as I stare down at his perfect little face. “Your momma says it’s gas.” I scoff. “But I think she’s just jealous that you smiled at me first.”

He squirms in my arms and lets out a little grunt.

“Nope…no fussin’.” I pop his binky into his mouth, shushing him. “She’s gonna come snatch you up if she hears you.”

The past twenty-four hours have been some of the hardest of my life.

Trent trying to stake a claim to Judd came so far out of left field. After seeing his reaction at the church to Sammi’s pregnancy, and never saying a word during it, him popping up out of the woodwork is just something we never considered.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t care one way or another how the test turns out. The truth is I care so fucking deeply it’s making me crazy.

It’s all I’ve been able to think about. Not because it’ll change the way I feel for my son, but because the thought of sharing him with that man makes my skin crawl.

“Hey,” Sammi says, plopping down beside me on the couch that’s damn near molded to my ass with how much time I’ve spent sitting in this spot since this baby’s arrival. “It’s time for me to feed him.”

“Nuh-uhn,” I tease, twisting my body so he’s just out of reach to mess with her.

“I’ll give him right back.” The sound of her laughter feels like music in this house that’s been mostly silent since yesterday. We’re both doing our best to pretend there isn’t this huge cloud looming over us. “Look at how hard he’s sucking on that thing.”

“Ah…” I cut a hand through the air. “He just likes it.”

Her brow quirks. “I heard him start to fuss from the kitchen.” I swear she has super-sonic hearing now. I’m beginning to understand how my mom knew we were up to stuff when we were little. It always seemed like witchcraft.

“Fine.” I hand my little best bud over and watch as he immediately latches onto my wife’s breast. “Such a little piggie.”

“He sure likes to eat.” Sammi smiles down at him, sinking into the couch to get more comfortable.

I prop a pillow under her arm and lean in to kiss her salty lips, a tell that despite her mostly dry eyes since the initial shock, she’s still crying in private.

“Hey, little man,” I say, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. “You better enjoy it now, cuz those titties are just on loan.”