Page 61 of Triplet Babies for Pucking Christmas

“Same here,” Jared says, his tone more serious now. “This is new for me too. We’ll figure it out together.”

My thumb brushes over Savannah’s knuckles, and she looks at me again, her lips curving into that heart-stopping smile.

She then exhales slowly, nodding. “Once Noah’s asleep, maybe we can...start?”

Jamie grins, leaning back in his seat. “Sounds like a plan.”

Jared smirks, his hand brushing Savannah’s thigh under the table. “You won’t regret it.”

She lets out a soft laugh, her cheeks turning pink again. “You guys are really something else.”

“You’ve got no idea,” Jamie mutters, grabbing the check and standing. “Let’s get out of here before Jared starts giving a legal lecture.”

I stand too, offering Savannah my hand to help her up. Her fingers are warm against mine, and when she looks at me, there’s something softer in her eyes. Maybe trust. I hope it’s trust.

As we head out, Jared takes Noah from the carrier to hug him to his chest, the kid instantly settling against him like he belongs there. And maybe he does.

Jamie nudges me with his elbow as we walk to the car. “You good?”

I nod, but my chest feels tight, my heart racing faster than it did during the game. “Yeah,” I say, though the words feel hollow.

Because the truth is, seeing Savannah in my jersey, holding Noah, laughing with the guys—it’s doing something to me. Something I don’t know how to name yet.

And it scares the hell out of me, but not as much as it turns me thefuckon.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jared

The house is quiet except for the soft hum of the heater kicking on. Savannah disappeared upstairs with Noah a little while ago, and Jamie’s in the kitchen pouring drinks, looking far too relaxed for the tension building in my chest.

Troy’s leaning against the counter, his arms crossed, watching me like he’s waiting for something. Probably waiting for me to crack. I feel it too—the tightness, the weight of the night—but I’m holding it together. Barely.

“You good?” Troy finally asks, stepping closer, his voice low enough not to carry.

“Yeah,” I say, but it’s too quick, too sharp.

He raises an eyebrow. “You sure? You’ve been staring at the ceiling like it’s got answers.”

I huff out a laugh, but it’s forced. “It’s just...different. All of it. I don’t know how you guys do this shit.”

Troy smirks. “Practice.”

I glare at him, but he shrugs like it’s no big deal. “You’ll get used to it,” he says. “But only if you want to. Don’t force yourself into something you’re not ready for.”

I rub the back of my neck. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I’m just…”

“Overthinking?”

“Yeah.”

Troy claps me on the shoulder. “Relax. This isn’t about us, man. It’s about her. Focus on her, and everything else will fall into place.”

I nod, but before I can say anything else, Savannah’s soft footsteps echo on the stairs.

She appears in the doorway, still in the jersey and that tiny skirt, her hair a little messy now, like she’s been running her hands through it. She hesitates, her eyes darting around the room, and then she says, “He’s asleep now.”

Jamie grins, lifting a glass toward her. “You want a drink?”

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