Page 36 of Twin Babies for the Pucking Billionaires

“Yeah, I remember. Small world, huh?”

“Definitely.”

We put on our helmets and get back on the bike. As we ride away, I can’t help but feel a strange sense of connection with Declan and his daughter. Life has a funny way of bringing people together and today was no exception. I wonder if we will see them again. I hope so.

We pull up to the shelter and retrieve Peanut. He’s bouncing with energy, happy to see us. We load him into a doggy backpack that I shrug over my shoulders before getting back on Chase’s bike. As we ride home, I feel a warmth spreading through me.

Today was unexpected, but it was perfect in its own way.

Chapter Eleven

Declan

I had known there was a problem when Claire did not answer my call, but when Finn came home to check, he had not exaggerated when he said the house had been trashed. The audacity of Claire to have her friends over for a rager when my child was in the same house. It’s despicable. Finn returns with another bag of trash.

“So you were saying Coach was mad?” he says.

I nod and tell him, “I’ll smooth things over. We just put Lily to bed. She was so excited playing with the puppies that it took a long time for me to get her down.”

“I think that’s all of it,” Finn says. He sighs and looks around.

“What a mess. I’ll take the trash out,” I say.

“Cool,” Finn replies. He washes his hands and then walks to the fridge to get a beer.

“Want to help me carry the trash down?” I ask.

“I already did my part,” he replies.

I scoff, carrying the bags out and down the stairs. Outside, I run into Millie again. She’s in shorts and a crop top, her tiny dog on a leash.

“Twice in one night,” she smiles at me.

I smile back as I toss the bags into the garbage can. “So, Peanut?” I say, pointing to her small dog.

She smiles and says, “Yeah. Peanut, meet Declan.”

I feel a shift inside of me hearing my name roll off her tongue. “What are you doing out right now?”

“Walking Peanut so that hopefully he will let me sleep tonight,” she says.

I look around, not seeing the man she is normally with.

“Why do you have so much trash to throw out?” she asks.

“The babysitter I hired had a party when I was out at practice,” I explain.

“Yikes,” she says.

“The real yikes, is that I don’t have a babysitter now and I have practice in the morning. Plus, Coach is annoyed that I missed out on all interviews today,” I add.

She surprises me by saying, “I can stay with Lily.”

“What?” I ask.

“I can help. Chase is out at the clinic tonight and I will be around tomorrow, so I can hang with her. She loves Peanut anyway,” she says.

I can’t believe my luck. “Are you sure? This is a huge favor you’re doing me.”

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