Page 105 of Second Chance for the Single Mom

“Plus I know both of them,” Lucas added. “If it were two random guys I had never met, I’d probably feel differently. But as it is, I don’t feel jealous.”

“I kind of like it!” Jordan said. “I don’t feel a lot of pressure to be there for you all the time. I know Lucas and Shay are taking good care of you. And yes, I’m talking about both sexandemotional support.”

“Let the record show that Jordan likes this because it means he only has to be one-third of a boyfriend,” Shay said, like he was talking to a court stenographer.

Jordan only smiled at me. “Haley knows what I mean.”

I grinned back at him. “I do.”

“Found it,” Lucas said, holding up an iPhone. “Hales, is this yours?”

I took the phone, feeling a moment of concern that maybe something was wrong with Bran. That was a mother’s first instinct: to immediately assume something was wrong with their child.

It was a text from Harper, but it had nothing to do with Bran.

“What’s wrong?” Jordan asked. “Your face just went white.”

“It’s Sara,” I said, showing him the text. “She just went into labor!”

52

Haley

Lucas was the most sober one of us, so we all piled into his car and rushed straight to the hospital. The place was a maze, but Jordan led us through the twisting hallways with confidence.

“It’s my hospital,” Jordan said over his shoulder. “I know this place better than I know my apartment.”

“You live in a tiny studio,” I told him.

“Exactly! That tells you how well I know this place. This way.”

Eventually, we passed through some doors and emerged into a waiting room with chairs and stacks of magazines. Harper and Bran were there—my son immediately came running up to hug me.

“Aunt Sara is having her babies!” he said. “I’m going to have little cousins!”

“Thank you for waiting with him,” I told Harper. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. He’s been great,” Harper said. “They took her back a minute ago.”

Jordan immediately walked up to the nurse sitting behind the check-in desk and began speaking quietly. “Send her to one of the doubles,” I heard Jordan insist. “We have the room. I looked at the patient list on my way in.”

“Dad’s here!” Bran suddenly exclaimed.

“Sure am, little man,” Lucas replied. “This is a big moment.”

“Do you want nieces or nephews?” Bran asked. “That means they’re a girl, or a boy. I think I want one of each. One boy cousin, and one girl cousin.”

“I’ll be happy as long as they’re healthy,” he replied.

“Oh. Yeah,” Bran agreed. He blinked up at Shay. “You’re the man from the Academy!”

“My name is Shay.” He bent down to fist-bump Bran. “Good to see you again. I’m going to sit in the corner and play with that puzzle, if you want to help me. It looks hard.”

“He’s really nice,” Bran told Lucas when Shay walked away.

“I know. He’s one of my best friends.”

“Really? Neat!” Then Bran went running over to join Shay. “Here. Let me help. I’mreallygood at puzzles.”

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