Page 96 of Triplet Babies for Pucking Christmas

I take another deep breath. I don’t know if I can do that, but for her, I’ll try. “Thanks, Finn. For everything.”

“No problem, man. Just...don’t fuck this up. You’ve got a good one.”

His words hit me hard, and I can feel the weight of them, the reminder of what I’ve got and what I can’t afford to lose.

“I won’t,” I say, my voice steady now. “I swear.”

We hang up, and I sit there in silence, the whiskey gone but the taste still lingering. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but Finn’s right. I can’t keep running from this.

I need to step up—for Savannah, for the babies, for all of us.

It’s time to show her how much she really means to me.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Jared

I’m pacing in my living room, my head pounding harder than it ever has before. I can barely see straight at this point. It’s like everything’s spinning—my career, the team, Savannah, and the whole damn mess I’m tangled in.

I haven’t been sleeping. It’s not even the late nights with the guys or the pressure from the game. No. It’s the weight of all the shit I’ve been keeping bottled up inside. The secrets. The decisions I’ve been avoiding.

The knock on the door startles me. I don’t even move for a second. Then I realize I can’t ignore it.

I open it and find my sister, Jade, standing there, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

“What’s going on, Jared?” she asks, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. “I just got off the phone with Millie. What the hell is going on?”

I rub my temples, already feeling the tension spike again. “Just...too much, Jade. Too much. You wouldn’t get it.”

She scoffs. “I get more than you think. You’re always being the one who achieves things, but you need to take care of yourself too, you know. You’re not invincible.”

I snort. “That’s rich coming from you.” I glance at her. “What do you want me to do, Jade? Everything’s falling apart.”

She steps closer, reaching up to grip my shoulder like she’s trying to ground me. “You need to have a sit-down with Jamie and Troy. You all need to figure your shit out. This isn’t just about you anymore, Jared.”

I let out a breath, heavy, a little defeated. “I know. I know, but…”

“But nothing,” she interrupts, shaking her head. “You’ve got three guys who care about you, and they care about Savannah too. You’re all in this together. Stop being stubborn.”

I grimace. She’s right. I know she is. But damn it, I don’t want to add to anyone’s burden right now.

“Thanks, Jade.” I sigh, rubbing my neck, feeling the weight of my headache only intensify. “I’ll call them. I’ll get them over here.”

She gives me a pointed look before stepping back. “Good. And take care of yourself. You’re no good to anyone if you’re running on empty.”

I nod, though I’m not convinced I’m capable of taking care of myself right now. “Can I pick your brain about something?”

“Of course,” she says.

“It’s about Noah.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Noah?”

I lean forward, trying to get my head straight. “Look, it’s complicated. Troy and Jamie, we’re all in this together. Savannah’s agreed to help raise Noah with us. But the judge...they want a DNA test before they’ll give anyone joint custody.”

She nods slowly. “And that’s got you all twisted up inside.”

“Yeah. Because both Jamie and Troy feel like they’re Noah’s father, but it’s not like we can just ignore it. The judge wants to know who the biological father is before they make a decision. It’s all tied up in a legal mess now.”

---