Page 181 of Sebastian's Baby

“Yeah, it sucks a bit,” Lita replies. “I love my new apartment in Seattle, but it’s more important that we’re somewhere comfortable, and I really want to know the doctor who might have to perform the surgery.”

Her expression falls, and she takes a deep breath. I can tell she’s thinking about everything that’s happening with Mirabella, so I lean across to give her a hug, and I feel her body relax as I do. She smiles at me and turns back to the table to start eating some of the food on her plate.

“That makes sense. I’d want to know my doctor too,” Ariana tells her.

“It’s not the same thing, but my sister, Vanessa, had to have my niece early because her blood pressure was too high. It was really stressful, but she’s doing fine now,” Hayden says.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Lita says with a smile at him. “Anyway, it’s Sebastian’s birthday; we should be celebrating.”

“Oh, you should see the birthday present that Lita made for me.” I grin as I remember it. “It’s totally epic.”

“What is it?” Harrison asks.

“You’ll see,” I tell him with a smirk on my face.

“Basically, ‘I know something you don’t know,’ Sebastian?” Harrison raises an eyebrow at me. “It’s good to have you back.”

“I’m glad you can acknowledge how important my presence in the city of Chicago is to you,” I tell him, and everyone laughs.

“It’s vitally important. You practically keep the entire city running,” Harrison smiles.

After we finish eating, I lead everyone into my office and switch on my computer. My friends crowd around the screen, and Lita starts the video game up, then moves aside so I can show them the game.

“Lita, this is amazing,” Heather says, sounding awed as I run through the tutorial.

I’m so proud of Lita, and I smile at her. I love showing her work, and the best birthday present I’ve ever received, off to my friends.

Lita says, “Thank you.”

“It really is,” Gabriel agrees. “I can’t believe you made this.”

“It’s basically what I do,” she tells him.

By the time I finish the game, everyone cheers, then Gabriel takes a turn. He chooses different options to me, and that makes the game slightly different.

When Gabriel finishes, Lita asks, “Do you want a turn, Hayden?”

“Sure,” he grins and sits down in front of the computer.

I’m filled with pride at how into this my friends are, and I love Lita so much that I can’t help but smile at her.

When Hayden reaches the point in the game where my mini-me visits his apartment, I tease him, “When you’ve finished this game, we should go play pool so that I can kick your ass in real life as well.”

“Sounds like fun, Seb.” Hayden turns to grin at me as he says it.

“Oh, Hayden. Did you know that you can look out the window?”

I wasn’t aware of this, and I’m amazed at how much detail she’s managed to put into this game.

“Really?” Hayden asks, and he directs the mini-me on the screen over to the window.

The game asks whether or not he wants to look at the view, and he says he does. The screen zooms in to a first-person view, and it’s pretty damn cool. Hayden angles the camera around to look at my home city, with Lake Michigan in the background.

“Very cool, Lita,” Harrison says.

“Thanks.” She smiles at him as Hayden begins the pool game.

The little mini-me takes the first turn, and instead of breaking the triangle of balls, the white ball flies off the pool table and rolls to the side of the room.

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