Two Men and a Baby - Isla Olsen Page 0,13

Doug?”

“I’m thinking curves.”

“Curves? Really? I didn’t realize it was the 1970s already.”

“Well, as entertaining as this is,” I say dryly, “it’s really getting us nowhere.”

“How’s it coming along?” Esther says, approaching our table.

“Great!” Doug, Karen, and I all say in unison.

After Esther gives a nod of approval and wanders off, Karen turns to me. “What are you thinking, Connor?”

I let out a soft sigh, sinking back into my chair. “I think we’re focusing on the wrong thing. We should be worrying about the inside, not the outside.”

“But we only have a couple of weeks before Esther’s status meeting at CPG,” Doug points out. “She needs something impressive to show them.”

I nod. “I know that. But, frankly, in this particular case, it doesn’t matter what the fuck the building looks like on the outside because it’s what’s inside that’s going to draw people to it. We’re designing a non-casino hotel in fucking Atlantic City—it could be the most beautiful building in the world, but if it doesn’t offer guests everything they could possibly want in a hotel it’s going to fail.”

Doug and Karen both nod in agreement, and then the three of us get to work listing down everything we can possibly think of that would make a guest want to stay at this hotel.

On my way home from work, I decide to text Josh. Even though he still hasn’t agreed to go out with me, he hasn’t flat out turned me down either so until he tells me to stop texting, or blocks my number, or issues a restraining order or something, I’m going to keep trying.

Me: What made you want to work in a daycare?

Josh Donovan: I have a degree in Early Childhood Education so it seemed more logical than, say, joining the army

I can’t help chuckling at the lame joke.

Me: I don’t know, I bet you’d look hot in uniform *drool emoji*

Me: I think I meant to ask why did you get a degree in early childhood education? It seems kind of random

Josh Donovan: I originally planned to be a kindergarden teacher and then I took a couple early education classes and realized I liked that better *shrug emoji*

Me: So you actually LIKE changing diapers all day??

Josh Donovan: *laugh emoji* There’s a bit more to it than that. But honestly I’m pretty desensitized to all that now

Josh Donovan: Why’d you become an architect?

Me: Lol well I’m a big Indianna Jones fan so when I was a kid I was a little obsessed with archeology and then for my birthday one year Liam got me this book on architecture because he’s not great with details…anyway I read it and just kind of fell in love

Josh Donovan: *laugh emoji* Oh my god I actually think I remember that! Didn’t you used to walk around wearing a fedora??

Me: Totally pulled it off *wink emoji*

Me: Btw a guy from work told me about this awesome place that has cheeseburger dumplings. We should go there on our date

Josh Donovan: That sounds…interesting

Me: So when should we go???

Josh Donovan: You’re relentless *eye roll emoji*

Remember my little sister, Cait? Well, she kind of blew us all over when she announced she was pregnant last year; she wasn’t seeing anyone at the time, and, as it turns out, the father of her baby is a guy she met one night at a bar and never saw again. I know it’s taken our mom a while to get used to the idea Cait won’t be marrying the father of her child, but the rest of us couldn’t care less. We’re just all really excited to be getting a new addition to the Kelly family.

That addition is supposed to be arriving in two weeks, but apparently he has other plans. Which brings us all here—to the maternity ward at Brooklyn General, where we’re waiting for Cait to give birth.

“What if something goes wrong?” Heath asks, frowning in concern.

“Nothing’s going to go wrong, baby,” Declan says, rubbing a soothing hand over Heath’s thigh.

“But he’s early,” Heath says, clearly worried. “There can be problems when a baby’s early, right?”

“Two weeks isn’t that early,” Owen—an ED nurse—assures him. “It’s possible even that they got the due date wrong.”

“The twins came six weeks early and they’re both fine, aren’t they?” Bridie says in a reassuring tone.

“I don’t know if I’d call them ‘fine’,” Shay says wryly. “They’ve chosen to play football, haven’t they?”

Ah, the age-old rugby versus football debate…

Bridie rolls her eyes. “They want to play with their friends. I’m not going to