Page 52 of Before You Go

“I’m pregnant,” I admit, adding, “with his baby,” for clarity, so they don’t get it wrong and think I’m having some other man’s child, figuring I might as well get it out in the open now. There is no point in keeping it a secret, when it’s just a matter of time before they all find out.

“Oh my God,” Miranda breathes, followed by Emma’s, “Holy shit.”

Not surprisingly, Willow doesn’t react at all.

“The news was a surprise to me and an even bigger surprise to him, but we’re working it out.”

“How far along are you?” Miranda asks.

“About twelve weeks. We just had our first ultrasound.”

“He went with you?” Emma asks, and I nod, watching her eyes begin to fill with tears. “Sorry.” She steps away and walks into the kitchen to grab a paper towel that she uses to wipe beneath her eyes.

“Is she okay?” I whisper.

“Yeah, we’re all pretty close with Dayton,” Willow tells me, then smiles softly. “We all know how awesome he is, and we’ve all talked more than once about how we wish he’d find someone and settle down. I just don’t think any of us ever saw that happening. He’s always been pretty adamant that he wasn’t looking for that kind of thing.”

“He’s told me the same.” I don’t add that he told me about having a vasectomy in order to avoid having kids since I don’t know if that’s something he wants everyone to know. “And that’s not what this is. I… We’re really just friends, and I’m okay with that.” The lie tastes sour on my tongue, but hopefully, if I say it enough, I can convince myself that it’s the truth.

Thankfully, after that, they don’t ask any more about Dayton’s and my relationship and change to asking me about myself and my job as they get stuff together for dinner. Every once in a while, the kids or the guys will come in and join us for a few minutes to grab food from the island, where there are bowls of chips and dips and other snack-type foods, then disappear again.

As I’m sitting there with Jenny still asleep in my arms, Dayton comes in, and his gaze finds mine before dropping to the bundle tucked against my chest. I don’t know what to think about the look in his eyes, but I do know that it makes me feel warm when they find mine again.

“You okay?” he asks quietly.

“Yeah.” My pulse skips a beat when he walks up and slides my hair off my shoulder, his fingers skimming my neck.

“Tucker asked me to come get his girl.”

“Oh.” My heart seems to stop. Actually, my entire world seems to stop when he carefully takes Jenny from my arms and rests her tiny body against his big, wide chest.

“Have you eaten anything?”

“Umm…” I try to find the words, but it’s like my brain has shut down, seeing him with a bundle of soft pink in his ultra-masculine arms.

“We’ll make sure she eats now,” Willow tells him, then asks, “Will you tell Clay he can come get the burger patties when the grill’s hot?”

“Sure.” He smiles at her, then looks down at me and touches his fingers to my jaw before walking away.

“Are you okay?” Miranda asks, and I look over at where she’s standing in the kitchen, cutting up tomatoes. Emma is next to her, trying and failing to hide her smile, and Willow is doing the same.

“Yep, great. Totally great.”

“It’s good that you’re totally great.” Emma laughs, and I drag my teeth over my bottom lip to keep from laughing along with her.

Stuffed full and completely exhausted, despite my nap earlier today, I try to avoid leaning into Dayton as the elevator takes us down to his floor a few hours later.

It was a good night, with great food and even better company, and even though I just met everyone, I never once felt out of place or awkward. If there was a conversation going on around me, I was always included, and when the couples all got back together when it was time to eat, Dayton sat close to me, so I didn’t feel like the odd man out, which was sweet.

“I really like your family,” I tell him with a yawn as the doors open, and we step off the elevator.

“They like you too.” He lets us into his place, and PJ runs over and jumps up on the couch to lie down. He might be more tired than I am after playing with the kids, Skye, and Dolly, all evening—plus running free in their backyard, which might be as cool as the playroom and bar that Clay and Willow have inside their place.

“Can I ask you something?” I kick off my sandals and follow him to the couch.

“Sure.”

“I know you mentioned that you grew up in foster care...”

---