Page 28 of Triplet Babies for Pucking Christmas

I frown, hearing the panic in his voice. “Hey, man. What’s going on? I’m seeing, what—seven missed calls?”

“Jared, I need you to come to my house. Right now.”

“What?” I stop dead in my tracks. “Slow down. What’s happening?”

Troy takes a deep breath, like he’s about to deliver some life-altering news. “Jared…I just got home and…there’s a baby. Some woman dropped it off with my cook.”

I blink, wondering if I heard him right. “A baby? Whose baby?”

He pauses, and I can practically hear him rubbing his temples. “I think…it’s mine and Jamie’s.”

“What the fuck, Troy?”

“I know, I know, but Jared—you gotta get here now. I don’t know what to do. I’m freaking out. Jamie’s out because he was supposed to pick up the new puppy we’re adopting tonight, and it’s just me, my cook, and…the baby. He’s…he’s really small, man.”

I sigh, already heading for my car. I say the only thing I can think of, “All right, shit. I’ll be there in fifteen. Don’t let him eat anything sharp.”

“Thanks, man.” He sounds shaky, like he’s hanging on by a thread. “Hurry, please.”

I hang up, climb into my car, and peel out of the lot. My mind’s spinning the whole way. Troy? With a kid? We just talked two days ago.

The guy was about to break down over a puppy the other day, worried about how much responsibility a pet was…and now he’s got an actual, live baby to worry about. This can’t be real.

I park and rush to his door, still trying to process this. The door swings open before I even knock, and there she is.

Savannah. Of all people, Savannah’s standing there in tiny shorts and a tank top, cradling a baby in her arms.

“Jared?” Her eyes widen. “What are you doing here?”

I feel the heat rush to my face, caught off guard by…well, everything. “What am I doing here? What the hell areyoudoing here?”

Troy appears behind her, looking about as panicked as I’ve ever seen him. “Wait—hold on. You two know each other?”

I don’t even know what to say. Savannah, here, with a baby in her arms? I thought I’d put her out of my mind for good, but here she is, looking…well, I’d forgotten how gorgeous she is. Now’s not the time, Jared.

I clear my throat. “It’s a long story,” I mutter, not taking my eyes off Savannah. “We’ll get to it later. Now…Troy, can you please explain what the hell is going on? Start from the top.”

He rubs his face, looking more wrecked by the second. “All right. I got home and…my cook tells me a baby was dropped off on my doorstep.”

“Savannah is your cook?”

“Yeah. She’ll be here for a few months maybe. Can you focus, Jared?”

I run a hand through my hair. “Sorry. Continue. So, does the baby have a name?”

“Noah. Noah Breaker…” Savannah replies. “There was a note in his belongings.”

“Breaker? As in the team’s name?” I ask.

Troy nods. “She just left him and then took off. Didn’t even leave her name. No explanation. Nothing.”

I shake my head. “And you think it’s yours?”

“I…I don’t know, man.” He looks at the baby, his face a mixture of fear and confusion. “But he looks…like Jamie. I mean, same dark hair, same little nose…”

Savannah steps forward, the baby still cradled in her arms. She gives me a quick, wary glance before focusing back on Troy. “He’s adorable. But I get it; this is…a lot.”

Troy nods, looking helpless. “Yeah. A lot.”

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