Saibo-creator/bookcorpus_deduplicated · Datasets at Hugging Face

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`` and what a pity that would be if our paths had n't crossed . ''
he sucked in a breath at the directness of her statement .
could she really be interested in him ?
sure , it was common knowledge that aidan and others wanted them to get together , but he had imagined that she had not known their intentions .
and while originally he had been turned off by aidan 's suggestion of fixing them up , he could n't help but be intrigued now .
there was something so refreshingly different about megan , despite her physical similarities to jade .
`` mommy ! ''
a small voice cried .
pesh glanced over megan 's shoulder where a fair-haired toddler came bounding over .
he wrapped his arms around megan 's thigh .
she gave him an apologetic look before bending over .
`` what 's the matter , sweetie ? ''
he grinned up at her .
`` miss you . ''
with a smile , she bent over and picked him up .
when he sat on her hip , she turned her attention back to pesh .
`` this is my son , mason . ''
pesh could n't help noticing how megan searched his face to see if there was any judgment or even disgust at her having a son .
he felt neither of those emotions .
he had to admit he was a little surprised .
aidan had failed to mention that fact as well .
not to mention , she seemed young to be a mother , considering she was just finishing her clinicals .
`` it 's nice to meet you , mason . ''
`` can you tell pesh hi ? ''
megan urged .
`` hi , esh , '' mason said , with a grin .
pesh could n't help laughing , and he was thankful that megan giggled as well .
`` how old are you ? ''
mason held up two fingers to which megan shook her head .
`` he 's seventeen months . ''
pesh smiled .
`` you must be very proud of him . ''
`` i am . ''
she snuggled mason against her chest .
`` he 's the sweetest and best boy i could ever hope for . ''
`` you 're very blessed . ''
`` thank you . ''
they were interrupted by aidan 's sister , angie , who pesh had met earlier .
`` looks like it 's time to start .
come on mason .
mommy has to go be noah 's godmother now . ''
mason reluctantly went to his grandmother .
`` be good for grammy , '' megan instructed .
after angie walked off with mason , the other family members began filing out of the room .
pesh turned to megan and gave her a sheepish smile .
`` i must admit that even though i attended a class with emma , i 'm a little unsure of what i 'm supposed to do . ''
`` it 's okay .
just follow my lead , and you 'll be fine . ''
once it was only the two of them and aidan and emma in the room , aidan motioned for them .
a priest in decorated golden robes appeared at the door with a gleaming crucifix in his hands .
pesh tried not to feel intimidated as the odd man out in the situation .
music struck up on the organ , and the priest motioned for them to follow .
before they went out the door , emma glanced down at noah .
`` please , please , do not scream in there and act like a demon baby .
be the angel i know you can be . ''
he acknowledged her request by sticking his tongue out and flailing his fists .
aidan chuckled at emma 's plea .
`` relax , babe .
if he feels you getting all tense , he 's going to get fussy . ''
emma sighed .
`` he 's already fussy .
he was fine until i put him in the gown . ''
`` i guess he feels that wearing a dress is insulting to his manhood , '' aidan reasoned with a smile .
when emma shot aidan a death glare , megan and pesh could n't help laughing at the two of them .
aidan winked at emma before starting out the door .
at megan 's side , pesh walked up the aisle .
when they reached the baptismal font , the music ended , and the priest began speaking .
he informed the crowd of what was about to take place and the significance of all the religious rites noah was about to receive .
aidan and emma made the sign of the cross on noah 's forehead before megan leaned in to do the same .
when megan elbowed him , pesh reached over to clumsily follow their lead .
after he finished , he glanced at megan .
she smiled and mouthed , `` good job . ''
he returned her smile .
he followed through the rest of the proceedings as aidan and emma pledged to raise noah in the faith .
then it came time for him and megan to agree to stand by noah as godparents .
the priest took a fussing noah from emma 's arms .
when the first trickles of water hit the base of noah 's head , he cooed and kicked his arms and legs .
emma appeared relieved at how noah was n't behaving like a possessed baby as she had feared .
`` thank god he loves his baths , '' aidan muttered beside pesh .
once the baptism part was finished , the priest made a final talk , and then it was over .
just as pesh sighed with relief and was looking forward to making a quick exit , aidan grabbed his arm .
`` do n't go anywhere .
we have to do pictures . ''
inwardly , he groaned .
he wanted , no he needed , a moment alone to process his thoughts .
everything had been so overwhelming-being outside his usual world , meeting all of aidan 's family , and then having the prospect of megan thrown in as well .
awkwardly , he stood around as a photographer came forward and proceeded to take several pictures of aidan , emma , and noah .
then it was just aidan and noah or emma and noah .
`` okay , i need the godparents now . ''
pesh smoothed down his tie and allowed the photographer to pose him in the group shot .
after they finished with the four of them , noah was handed to megan for pictures with just the godparents .
as the photographer pushed megan closer against pesh 's chest , he glanced down at her .
her reassuring smile caused his heartbeat to accelerate .
for the first time , he noticed the sweet aroma of her hair as the long , blonde strands brushed against him .
he could also make out the alluring scent of her perfume .
he liked the feel of her against him a little too much .
it made him want to draw her into his embrace ... maybe do other things that he should n't be thinking when he was in a church .
glancing over her shoulder at him , she joked , `` jeez , you 're like a giant standing next to me . ''
`` am i ? ''
he had n't noticed the differences in their heights-he 'd been focusing on her too much .

`` and what a pity that would be if our paths had n't crossed . ''

he sucked in a breath at the directness of her statement .

could she really be interested in him ?

sure , it was common knowledge that aidan and others wanted them to get together , but he had imagined that she had not known their intentions .

and while originally he had been turned off by aidan 's suggestion of fixing them up , he could n't help but be intrigued now .

there was something so refreshingly different about megan , despite her physical similarities to jade .

`` mommy ! ''

a small voice cried .

pesh glanced over megan 's shoulder where a fair-haired toddler came bounding over .

he wrapped his arms around megan 's thigh .

she gave him an apologetic look before bending over .

`` what 's the matter , sweetie ? ''

he grinned up at her .

`` miss you . ''

with a smile , she bent over and picked him up .

when he sat on her hip , she turned her attention back to pesh .

`` this is my son , mason . ''

pesh could n't help noticing how megan searched his face to see if there was any judgment or even disgust at her having a son .

he felt neither of those emotions .

he had to admit he was a little surprised .

aidan had failed to mention that fact as well .

not to mention , she seemed young to be a mother , considering she was just finishing her clinicals .

`` it 's nice to meet you , mason . ''

`` can you tell pesh hi ? ''

megan urged .

`` hi , esh , '' mason said , with a grin .

pesh could n't help laughing , and he was thankful that megan giggled as well .

`` how old are you ? ''

mason held up two fingers to which megan shook her head .

`` he 's seventeen months . ''

pesh smiled .

`` you must be very proud of him . ''

`` i am . ''

she snuggled mason against her chest .

`` he 's the sweetest and best boy i could ever hope for . ''

`` you 're very blessed . ''

`` thank you . ''

they were interrupted by aidan 's sister , angie , who pesh had met earlier .

`` looks like it 's time to start .

come on mason .

mommy has to go be noah 's godmother now . ''

mason reluctantly went to his grandmother .

`` be good for grammy , '' megan instructed .

after angie walked off with mason , the other family members began filing out of the room .

pesh turned to megan and gave her a sheepish smile .

`` i must admit that even though i attended a class with emma , i 'm a little unsure of what i 'm supposed to do . ''

`` it 's okay .

just follow my lead , and you 'll be fine . ''

once it was only the two of them and aidan and emma in the room , aidan motioned for them .

a priest in decorated golden robes appeared at the door with a gleaming crucifix in his hands .

pesh tried not to feel intimidated as the odd man out in the situation .

music struck up on the organ , and the priest motioned for them to follow .

before they went out the door , emma glanced down at noah .

`` please , please , do not scream in there and act like a demon baby .

be the angel i know you can be . ''

he acknowledged her request by sticking his tongue out and flailing his fists .

aidan chuckled at emma 's plea .

`` relax , babe .

if he feels you getting all tense , he 's going to get fussy . ''

emma sighed .

`` he 's already fussy .

he was fine until i put him in the gown . ''

`` i guess he feels that wearing a dress is insulting to his manhood , '' aidan reasoned with a smile .

when emma shot aidan a death glare , megan and pesh could n't help laughing at the two of them .

aidan winked at emma before starting out the door .

at megan 's side , pesh walked up the aisle .

when they reached the baptismal font , the music ended , and the priest began speaking .

he informed the crowd of what was about to take place and the significance of all the religious rites noah was about to receive .

aidan and emma made the sign of the cross on noah 's forehead before megan leaned in to do the same .

when megan elbowed him , pesh reached over to clumsily follow their lead .

after he finished , he glanced at megan .

she smiled and mouthed , `` good job . ''

he returned her smile .

he followed through the rest of the proceedings as aidan and emma pledged to raise noah in the faith .

then it came time for him and megan to agree to stand by noah as godparents .

the priest took a fussing noah from emma 's arms .

when the first trickles of water hit the base of noah 's head , he cooed and kicked his arms and legs .

emma appeared relieved at how noah was n't behaving like a possessed baby as she had feared .

`` thank god he loves his baths , '' aidan muttered beside pesh .

once the baptism part was finished , the priest made a final talk , and then it was over .

just as pesh sighed with relief and was looking forward to making a quick exit , aidan grabbed his arm .

`` do n't go anywhere .

we have to do pictures . ''

inwardly , he groaned .

he wanted , no he needed , a moment alone to process his thoughts .

everything had been so overwhelming-being outside his usual world , meeting all of aidan 's family , and then having the prospect of megan thrown in as well .

awkwardly , he stood around as a photographer came forward and proceeded to take several pictures of aidan , emma , and noah .

then it was just aidan and noah or emma and noah .

`` okay , i need the godparents now . ''

pesh smoothed down his tie and allowed the photographer to pose him in the group shot .

after they finished with the four of them , noah was handed to megan for pictures with just the godparents .

as the photographer pushed megan closer against pesh 's chest , he glanced down at her .

her reassuring smile caused his heartbeat to accelerate .

for the first time , he noticed the sweet aroma of her hair as the long , blonde strands brushed against him .

he could also make out the alluring scent of her perfume .

he liked the feel of her against him a little too much .

it made him want to draw her into his embrace ... maybe do other things that he should n't be thinking when he was in a church .

glancing over her shoulder at him , she joked , `` jeez , you 're like a giant standing next to me . ''

`` am i ? ''

he had n't noticed the differences in their heights-he 'd been focusing on her too much .