West remained quiet.
And the wheels kept turning in Duval’s head.
He swallowed and felt his unsettled emotions chase his words up and out of his throat.
“I don’t like how she reacted.”
Duval breathed in and out.
“I don’t like that I did that to her.” He licked at his lips, suddenly dry. “I don’t like the pain I caused.”
He heard the grandfather clock at the end of the room tick tick tick.
Watched West’s baby breathe in and out.
“I want… I want to fix it.”
West blew out a breath and the baby’s hair was stirred by it, the curled ends of air wavering in the warm light from the lamp.
Then, West turned his head and looked in his direction.
“How?”
Duval felt his tongue stick to the top of his mouth. It took a lot of effort to peel it off.
“The f-“ He saw West’s brows raise, but he’d already cut himself off. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Baby.” As if his apology needed explaining.
“I don’t know,” he clarified, “I have not a d- Not a single clue how to fix it.”
The baby mumbled and lifted her head, rumbling her face into her father’s chest.
West rubbed her back, letting out a breath.
Duval sat there.
Waiting.
The clock ticking away.
And the longer he waited, his patience ticked away.
“Well?”
A door down the hall opened and Duval heard soft footsteps coming down the hardwood floor.
Before he saw Tracy he leaned forward and tried to urge West to talk.
“Well?”
“Well what?” West didn’t smile. He didn’t do much more than breathe.
“Weston?” Tracy crossed to the recliner. “I’ll take her and get her settled. You talk to Duval.”
Duval thought he saw hesitation, but West lowered the footrest and shifted the baby into Tracy’s arms.
West turned his head up and Tracy rolled her eyes before giving him a kiss.
“I’ll be in to bed in just a few minutes, babe.”