Page 68 of A Major Puck Up

TWENTY-FOUR

GAVIN

“Is that a baby?” Aiden peers into the hall.

I can’t speak. I can’t look away from the little girl in my arms.

Brooks squeezes my shoulder. “Yeah, man,” he says to Aiden. “It’s a baby.”

“Her name is Viviane,” Sara adds. “She’s…she’s Gavin’s daughter.”

“She’s what?” he shouts.

Vivi startles in my arms. Then her face scrunches up and turns red. For the span of two heartbeats, she doesn’t move, doesn’t breathe. And then she screams. The sound is ear-piercing and heartbreaking all at once.

Shit. Shit. “What do I do?” I look at Sara. “How do we make it stop?”

She shrugs and cringes a little. “Um, try a soothing voice. It’s okay, baby girl,” she coos, rubbing the baby’s arm.

I bounce her, bending at the knees. “Daddy’s got you. It’s okay.” I pull her to my chest, rocking her like I’ve seen Beckett do with the twins. “I’ve got you. Don’t worry, I’ll rip your uncle’s vocal cords out. I’ve been planning on it since he started singing Ariana Grande songs.” I continue talking to her even after her cries turn to little whimpers and fade off completely. “That’s my girl.”

Without stopping the motion, I eye Brooks. “Text Beckett. Tell him I’m on my way.”

“What do you want me to do about all the guys?” Aiden hitches a thumb over his shoulder. “Am I in charge?”

Already more overwhelmed than I was the day I took over as head coach, I snap, though I keep my tone low. “I have a kid, Aiden. An actual living child who belongs to me. You are no longer the kid in my life. So I’m going to need you to grow up and handle this. Can you do that for me?”

Aiden’s lips turn down in a frown. “I just asked if I was in charge.”

I sigh, and Brooks adds, “I told Beckett you’re on the way. Didn’t tell him what was up. Figured I’d let you handle that.”

“Like I have a ducking clue what the heck to tell him. I have a kid, guys. A kid.”

Sara steps up close and rubs Vivi’s back. “You want us to come with you?”

“No, just get everyone out of my apartment so when I come home, they don’t make her cry again.”

Aiden whines. “It was one time. It was a shock. You gotta give me that.”

“You’re shocked?” I deadpan.

Aiden scratches his head. “I’m gonna head back to the dining room and take care of the guys.”

“You do that.” I stare down at the car seat and the note that her mother left when she abandoned her here. I can’t believe she did this. Just left her. Who does that?

“What do I do with this thing?” I ask Sara, tapping the seat with my toe.

She shakes her head. “Having a vagina does not automatically mean I know how that works.”

Brooks nudges her. “Crazy girl, no saying vagina in front of my brothers.”

Sara sighs and slumps dramatically. “No anal, no vagina. You take away all my fun.”

I snort, though the humor that usually comes so easy is absent. “You two are strange.”

“Hey, neither of us had a random baby dropped off at our door,” Sara defends.

Brooks nudges her again and shakes his head. “Too soon.”

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