Baby Daddies - Tara Brown Page 0,87

in her belly!” I gasp at the end.

He nods but the troubled look in his eyes suggests he doesn’t agree. “What if she soaks you? Takes the money or sells shit?”

Brady gasps. “You will not besmirch Red in that way, ever again. That is the coolest girl we have ever met.” He points at the living room too.

“What he said.” I shrug. “And honestly, if she takes her half and burns it in the yard or ruins me, I get the challenge of rebuilding my wealth again. I did it once. I’ll do it again. But I’m taking my chances with her. She’s a safe bet.”

“I’ll admit, I’ve never seen a girl need her own independence like that before,” Matt agrees.

“She’s a fucking gem, Matty, and we’re not discussing this anymore.” Brady nods at me. “You sealed the deal with a unicorn, my dude. You do whatever it takes to keep that girl yours, and happy.” He gets a genuinely worried look on his face. “I don’t need the temptation of her single in my life.”

Matt and I laugh.

“Fuck, I missed you guys.” I lift my beer to them. “To the season, boys.”

We clink cans and grin like idiots.

And for the first time in weeks, I feel like all our bad luck might be past us.

Maybe.

33

Girl’s night

Thursday, October 5

Jenny

“This is bananas!” Claire takes a turn around the master bedroom with the girls.

“I know, right?” Sukii says as she links her arm in mine. She doesn’t normally hang with me and Claire and our friends, but I knew she needed a night out.

“So with the plans for the renovation, you’ll have three bedrooms in this wing instead of this stupid bedroom and his and hers bathrooms and all those closets?” Yvonne says with a laugh as she points down the long corridor of closet doors.

“Right. And then the guest room will still be in the other wing by the gym.” I roll my eyes. “He’s so intense about the gym.”

“He’s adorable.” Sukii whacks my arm. “And he adores you.”

“Yeah.” I blush. “Anyway, this is it.”

“It’s like a castle,” Rachel, one of my smugly married friends who is disgustingly happy, remarks. I used to be jealous of her marriage. But the end of Ben seemed to kill off those feelings.

“It’s gorgeous,” Claire mutters as she spins. “And where is he?”

“A game. They’re playing Colorado. I think they’re losing.” I wince. “The early season is the worst. Trying to find your footing again as a team.”

“Okay.” Sukii smiles. “Whatever you say.”

“So who wants the best panini you’ve ever eaten?” I walk out of the bedroom toward the kitchen where Millie has left me a stack of them for my girls’ night. “You’ve never had anything like this.”

“You cook now?” Claire eyes me up.

“No, Millie, a friend of Lori’s makes them. She’s this sweet lady who takes care of Simon when Lori’s not home.”

“She’s the housekeeper, you liar,” Sukii outs me. “Wow. You’re as bad as him now.”

“Shut up.” I nudge her and glance at Claire. “She’s the housekeeper.”

“You have a housekeeper? And Stan’s letting you work from home in the mornings? What is happening right now?”

“Reversal of fortune,” I say bitterly. “I was due for some good luck. Plus Stan didn’t want me at the office, puking my guts out every single morning.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Sukii agrees with a hint of Floridian drawl.

“So you guys are going to stay here?” Claire asks as I start up the restaurant-sized panini press.

“Yeah, for now. In the off season maybe not. But while he has games every night, it’s easier to be here.” I put the paninis down and close the lid.

“Will you have a nanny?” Rachel asks. “Because I love ours.”

“Not in the plans yet.” A smile creeps across my lips. “I think we’re going to try to make it work for the first year. I have six months maternity leave and then six months of working from home.”

“But it’s twins, Jenny.” Yvonne wrinkles her nose. “You’ll need help.”

“Well, we haven’t made up our minds on anything yet,” I change the subject again. “So what’s new with you guys?”

Rachel starts and we forget about this insane apartment. Girls’ night begins and we eat and cheer each other on as everyone updates on their news and lives. Obviously, none of them are having twins with a hockey star who happens to be a billionaire but the updates sound nice. Our lives have changed so much in the last few years.

The hours pass and before I