Alibi (Brantley Walker Off the Books #5) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,60

the screen lighting up with Molly’s name.

“You should answer it,” she said, reaching for her own phone as though that might give him enough privacy to have the conversation.

Baz sighed. “If I don’t, she’ll just keep callin’.”

Oh, JJ was well aware of that. The woman called a few dozen times a day. And if he didn’t answer, it was usually once every twenty minutes or so. The only reason she didn’t show up was because Molly didn’t know where he lived or worked. A wise choice on Baz’s part.

“Hello,” Baz answered, head down, eyes on the table. “Yep. I know you called.”

JJ pretended to be skimming her text messages, but there was nothing new aside from some great buys on bedroom furniture at Wayfair.

“And I told you I’d call you later.” He sighed. “I doubt it, Molly. I’ve been workin’ all day and I just want to go home and sleep.”

JJ couldn’t make out what was being said, but she could hear Molly’s voice. Not for the first time, she wondered what the woman looked like. What type was Baz drawn to normally?

“No, I’m out right now.” His head lifted, eyes meeting hers. “Yes. I’m with … a friend.”

She met his stare, held it, hating herself for wondering what he was thinking. Did it make her a bad person to be grateful he didn’t seem to be infatuated with this woman? Hell, he didn’t seem to like her much at all.

The petty side of her wanted to grab the phone from Baz’s hand and tell Molly to leave him alone. That side didn’t care that the woman was pregnant with Baz’s baby, she just wanted to banish her from Baz’s life.

But the rational side said this was how things were going to be. The most she would ever have with Baz was friendship, and she had to be happy with that. Sometimes JJ wished she could be a bigger person, that she could consider having a relationship with a man with a child. Perhaps she could if the man already had children when they met. But Baz … no, she knew her heart would never be capable of sharing him with Molly and her baby.

“I’ll call you later,” he said firmly, then disconnected.

“If you need to go see her, I can call an Uber.”

Baz’s teal-blue eyes darkened. “I’ve told you, it’s not like that with her.”

Yes, he’d explained a couple of times that the only reason he was talking to Molly at all was for the baby.

And yes, it did probably make her a bad person that every time she thought of Baz having a baby with another woman, her insides churned. It was a nervous anxiety, one she wasn’t fond of.

“Any updates on the baby?” she asked, hoping to lighten his mood even though the question left a bad taste in her mouth.

“Seven weeks along,” he said, his tone bland.

“When does she get to find out the sex?”

“I have no idea. She’s not very forthcomin’ with the details.”

No, she didn’t seem to be. From what she’d heard, Molly wouldn’t provide a positive pregnancy test, and she had declined his requests to go to the doctor with her. Which honestly JJ found a bit odd considering how obsessed Molly was with Baz. You would think she’d want him to be a part of it. If for no other reason than it might bring them closer.

Before she could ask another question, Baz spoke up. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer we don’t talk about her.”

Yeah. JJ preferred that, too.

More than she was ever willing to admit.

Chapter Seventeen

Gage had just convinced Kate to take a bath when Travis came home with Maddox.

No sooner was he in the door than Gage realized something was wrong. Or rather, something was really wrong since everything between them was wrong these days.

“When they go to bed, we’re gonna talk,” Travis said under his breath, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He didn’t even get a chance to reply when Travis pivoted and stormed out of the room.

Gage sighed. Looked like just another Saturday night.

Two hours later, after they’d sat with the kids until they’d all but fallen asleep, Gage was about to come out of his skin. For weeks now, he’d been the one to instigate any and all conversation with Travis, and now that Travis had shown even a modicum of effort, he wanted to know what was on the man’s mind.

After putting Avery to bed and checking on Kade, Gage went