Joke’s on You by Lani Lynn Vale Page 0,3

left without another word. The door that he tried to slam closed bounced back open, allowing me to see my brother standing with his hip leaning against the wall right outside the door.

Dillan breathed a sigh of relief and set down her bag.

“You, too,” I said. “I have a day and a half. I want it.”

Dillan’s eyes narrowed.

God, she was cute when she was pissed. Even when it was at me.

“I’m not leaving,” Dillan said fiercely.

I looked at Bourne, who was still outside as if he’d known he was going to be needed, and he understood in an instant.

It was as if we weren’t separated for the last eight months. He could read me better than I could read myself at times.

That was the benefit of being twins.

I mean, sure.

My brothers and sisters could read me as well.

But they just weren’t on the same page that Bourne and I were.

“You didn’t need to kick her out,” Delanie said, looking pissed now.

I looked at her, not thinking it was anywhere near as cute as I did when her sister was in the same state.

“Maybe,” I said softly. “But I have a day and a half. That’s thirty-six hours. I want to use it. I don’t want to share him with anybody but you.” I paused. “And we need to talk about the next couple of months. How we’re going to do this.”

God, I wanted to keep him in my arms forever.

It physically ached something fierce to know that I wouldn’t be able to hold him for the next six months.

To know that he was going to grow, and the only way that I’d be able to see him do that was by photograph and the occasional FaceTime… if Delanie was willing to do that with me.

Which, by the look of her anger, she wasn’t.

She glared at me, arms crossed tightly over her chest, and I felt her anger like a whip against my soul.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

She looked away.

“I don’t know how to do this by myself,” she said softly. “Hell, I’m still so surprised, even after nine months of getting used to it, that I’m a mom.”

My shoulders relaxed a bit as I nodded. “I’m still a bit in shock.”

She blew out a breath. “Do you remember that night at all?”

The tension in my shoulders that had relaxed was right back, and even tighter than last time.

“No,” I admitted. “I…” I paused as I looked down at the baby in my arms.

He looked so much like me.

He had black hair, a cute little nose, and bowtie lips.

He looked nothing like Delanie.

Delanie was tall, thin, and blonde. The typical Icelandic features.

Every once in a while, I looked at her and thought of Elsa from the Disney movie. If a character could come to life, Delanie would be her replica.

Even though Dillan didn’t look anything like Anna off of Frozen, she had the same bubbly personality. She may look identical to Delanie, but she sure the fuck didn’t act like it.

It was what had drawn me to her in the first place.

“I don’t remember either.” She swallowed hard. “I thought you were Bourne.” Her quiet whisper had me looking up from my son to stare into her face. “You thought I was Dillan.”

I nodded once. “I did.”

She blew out a breath. “I remember the party. I remember drinking, but not excessively. I don’t… I don’t know how it happened, Booth. I just know that I would’ve never chosen you had I been sober. Thinking straight.”

Her words didn’t hurt me, because I’d thought them quite a few times on my own.

I sat down into the chair.

“I agree,” I told her honestly. “I feel like there are pieces of time that I’m missing.”

She blew out a breath and sat on the bed, all of a sudden looking exhausted.

“My dad wants me to move back in with him,” she said softly.

My brows rose.

“What?” I asked, surprised that she was even moved out.

She grimaced. “When he found out I was pregnant, he lost his mind. Kicked me out. Didn’t let me explain. I told him who the father was, and he just… flipped. Today he gave me an offer right before you came in. He wants me to move back in with him but not tell anyone who the father is.”

I leaned back in my chair.

“What does your dad have against us?” I asked curiously.

Her eyes flicked up to mine. “I don’t know. I just know that any time I mention your family’s name, he gets