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I collapse into a chair and hold my face in my hands, my elbows on , bean?" I gasp and look up, and there’sbean since ere kids

I can’t speak to hi his calm, kind facebeforemy back

"It’s okay Cry it out"

I’m not a crier, but it feels like that’s all I’ve done over the past feeeks I don’t knohat to do with all of these new eh me

Finally, the tears stop, and Matt hands me a box of Kleenex from a nearby table

"What was that all about?" he asks as I blow my nose He sits in the chair beside me

"I’ve been so worried about Natalie and the baby all day, and I’m exhausted, and I was mean to Nate on the phone, and I just love that baby so "

Matt chuckles and strokesbabies is exhausting, even for the helpers Nat and Olivia are fine, Nate will get over it, and you just need to sleep"

"Yeah, you’re right" I sit back and look over at my handsome brother Of all of us, he’s the only one with darker hair, but he’s as tall as my other brothers, and just as built He’s a Seattle cop, and he’s badass in a calm, controlled way He doesn’t have Caleb’s teance He’s quiet But he will fuck you up if he needs to

"What are you doing?" I ask

"I was going to pop in and see the baby, say congratulations, and then head in to work"

"Working night shift?" I ask

"Yeah, I picked up some extra shifts" He stands and helps me toto go home and sleep off this weird mood"

"Okay, drive safe, bean"

"You too" I kiss his cheek and head for home

My bed feels delicious And eraba raging bitch, or just text him and talk to him tomorrow?

I choose to text and think up a really nice way to apologize when I see him

I’m home Baby and mom are healthy

I lay back and start to drift when s

Ok

Ok? That’s it? I frown This is not the Nate I know and have grown to love He’s pissed off at me, and when I think back to the way I spoke to him, I don’t blame him He was just worried about ize He answers on the second ring

"Hello, Julianne" I don’t like the cold tone of his voice

"Hi," I murmur

"Hi"

"Nate, I’h, and I feel evenhow much stress he has on him over work, and I know I s And I love him, I don’t want to hurt hiht" Oh, so apology not accepted

"Okay," I whisper and hear hiain "I miss you"

"Do you"