Page 49 of Wasted On You

“Hey.” His sister smiled, though it quickly faded when she must have seen the surprise on his face. “I knew you’d forget, Jesus, Mike Paul.”

“What? No. I didn’t forget.”

He wracked his brain for something to break loose, because why in hell was his sister standing in front of him with a baby bag and a little bundle of pink wrapped up in a car carrier?

She set down the bag and smiled, her relief obvious. “Okay, everything you need is in here. I’ve pumped a massive amount of milk.” Cobi chuckled and stared down at her chest. “Who knew these things could produce copious amounts of that stuff?”

“Okay,” Mike Paul sputtered. “Your boobs are not something I want to think about.”

“She’s taken to the bottle like a champ, and I won’t be longer than a couple hours. I’ll meet you later.”

“I’m taking the baby.”

Cobi glanced up, accusation all over her face. “You forgot.”

There was no point in denying it, so he said nothing.

“We had a conversation last night?”

Damn. Right. The favor. “Hey, but I’ve got this thing,” he said, as if that was explanation enough.

“I know. I have that same thing to attend. Did you not listen to anything I said?”

Apparently not. “I might be light on the details,” he admitted sheepishly.

“Before Friend Christmas at the Sundowner, I have the other thing that I desperately need, and this is the only time I could get in before the holidays. Brandy is doing me a favor. I mean, look at my ends.” She yanked on her hair.

Her hair looked fine to Mike Paul.

“And my nails.” She shoved her hands in his face. “And every other part of me. I just want to feel normal again.”

“You’re only a few weeks out from having a baby. I think you need to give it some time.” Personally, he thought his sister looked great.

“It’s a Christmas party. I need to look good.”

He got it. Sort of. “And you didn’t ask Mom because…”

Cobi made a face. “We got into it about the sperm bank thing. She was asking too many questions, wanting to see the paperwork and all the details. I don’t want her to know how Belinda was conceived. God, I’d never hear the end of it.” Mike Paul was the only soul on the planet who knew Cobi had gone on a business trip to Austin, and had come home pregnant.

“Those one-night stands will bite you in the butt every time,” he quipped.

She glared at him. “You want to debate men and sex and responsibilities with me right now?”

“No. But I don’t think you’re giving mom enough credit.” He’d never understood the tension between his sister and their mother because, unlike his own easy relationship, theirs was a tangled mess most of the time.

Cobi waved her hands in the air. “She’s too judgemental.” She winked. “Besides, my baby girl loves her uncle, and it will only be for a few hours. I just fed her, and she probably won’t wake up anyway. I’ll be at the Sundowner by eight.” Cobi bent low and pressed a kiss to her newborn. “I owe you big time.”

“You do and I aim to collect.”

“See you in a couple of hours.” She cranked her neck and looked past him. “Who’s that?”

Mike Paul turned and caught sight of Jacob, who stood at the bottom of the stairs. The teenager gave a small wave and shoved his hands back into his front pockets. “I’m Jacob.”

“Oh, nice to meet you.” She gave Mike Paul a curious glance, but it was loaded. He knew she’d have questions. “I’ll see you at the Sundowner.”

Then, like a storm that swirled in a mad circle and left in seconds, Cobi Darlington disappeared into the night, leaving Mike Paul a bit dazed.

Jacob shuffled over. The jeans he’d given the kid were a bit long and too big in the waist, but they held up okay with an old belt. And the sweatshirt, while oversized on his thin frame, was on point with what the kids wore these days. His hair was on the long side and curled around his neck, while his jaw was shadowed with peach fuzz.

---