Page 103 of Rivals Next Door

I gasped loudly. “Oh. My. God. So you really do work for the government?”

“No. Once in a while, Uncle Sam asks me for a favor and I grant it.” That mischievous Alex smirk lifted his lips. “And then Uncle Sam owes me favors. I’ve racked up a long list of favors…”

“You really do run the city from behind a computer, you evil genius,” I whispered.

He laughed. “What?”

“Elena and I have speculated, and we were right the whole time.”

He rolled his eyes. “You know you can’t tell Elena about this, right?”

It was disappointing, but I understood. “Your secrets will forever be safe with me, Alex.”

He grinned. “I know.”

“I’m dating Batman,” I squealed.

“Jeezus, Liv,” he groaned.

“No, you’re better than Batman. You’re the White Knight. I’m so proud of you. You’re my hero.”

He gave me a pointed look. “Stop it.”

I grinned from ear to ear. “One day, our little girl will know that her daddy is a hero.”

His expression… no, his entire being softened at the mention of our daughter who was just a month away from joining us. He placed his hand on my swollen belly as he leaned closer to press his lips to mine.

EPILOGUE

ALEX

“You’re like a minute away from being a father. That’s crazy.”

I glanced at Lincoln and chuckled. He wasn’t exaggerating. Olivia was nine months along and our baby girl could decide to make her appearance any day now.

“What’s so crazy about it?”

Lincoln took a sip of his beer and shook his head, a grin spreading across his face. “Man, I remember when you were this reckless guy with a chip on your shoulder. I mean, you were running around and making trouble not too long ago and now you’re settling down and about to become responsible for a tiny human. You did a total 180.”

I roared. “I wasn’t making trouble, you asshole.”

“I mean, your kind of trouble,” he emphasized. “Trouble involving women, Mr. Reformed Playboy.”

“The blogs are going to be dry around here with me gone from the social scene,” I joked.

Lincoln shook his head and lifted his beer. When I lifted my water bottle, he snorted. “Look at you, you don’t even drink anymore.”

“Just until Liv’s allowed to enjoy a little wine. She’s been bummed about not getting to ‘luxuriate with a nice bottle of red.’ I’m standing in solidarity and giving up alcohol until we can both party.”

Lincoln chuckled. “Awe, you’re such a sweet baby daddy.”

I shrugged. “Besides, when Liv goes into labor, which can be any minute now, I need to have a clear head and carry out the routine. Grab the hospital bag, grab Liv, and get to the hospital,” I recited as if I had to say it to remember it.

After a beat of silence, Lincoln smirked. “You’re going to freak out when it happens, aren’t you?”

“Fuck, yes,” I breathed. “I’m going to freak out so badly. Liv is going to be the one to hold us both together, I just know it. Hell, I think she’s going to have to drive me to the hospital.”

As Lincoln bellowed, I took the time to work through the panic that sometimes rose when I was reminded that I was going to be a father. Jeezus. Still, I couldn’t be happier about the expansion of my family. My mother had been on cloud nine ever since I told her that not only were Liv and I back together, but that she was going to be a grandmother.

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