Page 9 of Mad Love

I was trying to be quiet and not blow up his phone anymore.

Penn

Need some coffee?

Henley

You’ll tell us if you’re a dad, right? We’re not breathing a word of this to anyone. I know that goes without saying, but…in case it needed to be said.

Rhodes

I love that new baby smell.

Bowie

And again, we’re blowing up his phone.

I swipe my hand down my face and try not to laugh out loud. Figures it would be these guys who could pull me out of the dark cloud I’m in, even if for just a second.

Morning. Thanks for not saying a word to anyone. I still haven’t told my parents. The team’s legal team has been with me all night. He’s mine. He’s incredible. He’s perfect. I wouldn’t say no to two coffees, but we’re not having visitors just yet. I’ll explain more later.

Within thirty seconds, the texts start rolling in.

Rhodes

What the fuck?! Who’s the mom? Do you remember her? Why the hell is she just showing up now with this news?

Bowie

That’s incredible, West. You’re making it weird, Rhodes.

Rhodes

I’m saying what we’re all thinking.

Penn

I’m shook.

Henley

Shut up, motherfuckers. Are you okay, Weston?

I honestly don’t know. I’ll explain everything later.

I stand up when Caleb starts fretting. I’m still hesitant to just pick him up anytime, so I leave him in the crib, but I know he likes his pacifier, so I put it in his mouth. He sucks it so hard it bobs up and down, but he quiets down. I stare at him and grin. My friends’ excitement was contagious. Maybe Iwillbe able to handle this.

Caleb will be released later this morning and Sadie and I have a lot to work out before then.

It’s as if she can hear me thinking about her because she stretches and then jolts, sitting straight up, her face panicked.

I can see it the second she remembers everything. She flinches, and a cloud covers her face, her eyes filling before she straightens and rushes to Caleb’s crib. By the time she’s composed herself and looks at me, I’ve seen a thousand expressions cross her face, all of them devastating.

“Sadie,” I say softly. “Can we talk?”

She nods.

“One of my friends is bringing coffee over. I asked him to bring one for you too. Are you a coffee drinker?”

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