Page 70 of A Major Puck Up

I pull her close again, rubbing her back, and finally, her cries level out. As she hiccups against me, rubbing at her eyes and her flushed cheeks, I see red.

What the hell kind of person leaves a baby with a death trap of a hat on her head?

“Whose baby is that?” Beckett grinds out again.

I readjust my daughter and rub at her dark hair. “Mine.”

Liv coughs out a laugh. “Excuse me?”

“No fucking way,” Beckett hisses.

“Thousand dollars, Bossman!” Finn hollers far too loudly in this small space.

Liv breathes in deep, lets it out again, and points down the hall. “Go watch TV in the other room. We’re having an adult conversation.”

“But he cursed, Mommy.” Finn plants his hands on his denim-covered hips. “He needs to pay up.”

Beckett sighs. “I’ll put it in your college fund. Go watch TV.” Then he heads to the living room. “Let’s talk in here. I have a feeling this is going to be a very adult conversation.”

I follow my brother and settle in one of the chairs while he and Liv take a seat on the couch, each with a twin in their arms.

“Does Ford know?” Beckett asks.

Beside him, Liv gasps, and her eyes go wide.

“What? Why would Ford know?”

“It’s safe to assume Millie’s the mom, right?”

“Wait, you slept with Millie Hall?” Liv asks, leaning forward. Then she whips her head to the side and glares at her husband. “And you knew and didn’t tell me?”

Beckett shrugs. “The fewer people who knew, the better.”

Liv smiles. “Proud of you, Bossman. Normally you can’t keep anything to yourself.”

“You know that’s not true. I kept this house a surprise for months. As well as my plans to make all your friends fall in love. Let’s not forget how I kept my feelings for you to myself for twelve years.”

She snorts. “Actually, when you put it that way?—”

“Can we focus?” I grind out. “This is not Millie’s kid.”

“Whose is it, then?” Beckett asks.

I clench my jaw and push back on the anger bubbling up in me. “I don’t know.”

“Where did she come from?” Liv tilts her head, frowning.

“She was left at my front door.”

“What?” Beckett shouts, going ramrod straight.

That sets Vivi off again. The kid is definitely not big on loud noises. Bouncing her in my lap, I press my cheek to her head. “Shh. Can you stop making my kid cry?”

“Hang on.” Liv hops up and disappears. When she returns a moment later, she’s holding a binky like the ones the twins take. This one has a cow clipped to the end of it. “It’s brand new,” she says, holding it out to me. “I just washed a bunch. See if she likes it.”

Blowing out a breath, I take it. I’ll try anything. The second I hold it in front of her, Vivi reaches for it and pulls it to her mouth, quieting almost immediately.

My shoulders sag in relief, and so does my heart.

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