Page 76 of Breaking News

Olivia smiled at him, her eyes twinkling like he’d just said all the right words. “The baby also requires extra guac.”

I silently watched this exchange between them, the way Richie anticipated Olivia’s needs without her having to say a word, and her affectionate gaze. It was the first time I saw them as two people who were going to raise a baby together, and not just a couple of clueless kids themselves.

He was watching videos.

She was reading books.

They still had so much to learn, but maybe they were off to a good start.

“Should I feel insulted about my cooking?” I joked before taking a drink.

Richie looked down at his plate. “No man, these meatballs are straight fire. I’m going to steal Olivia’s if she doesn’t touch them.”

I chuckled. When Olivia first said Richie was joining us for our Thursday night dinner, I internally groaned.

But this was actually okay.

We cleaned up the table after we ate, and Olivia hugged me goodbye before leaving with Richie. Caleb and I played a few rounds of Mario Party before Andrea picked him up. She and I talked outside the car for a few minutes.

“How are you handling all of this?” she asked, leaning against her car with folded arms.

“Just trying to keep my sanity intact.” I slipped my hands into my pockets. “Trying not to panic over the logistics, the money, and who’s going to care for this baby while its parents are attending high school.”

Andrea shook her head at me. “I didn’t think we’d be raising another baby together, did you?”

“No,” I said with a long sigh. “But here we are.” I opened my mouth to say more, but my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulledit out and glanced at it long enough to see Jill’s name on the screen. I didn’t answer—I couldn’t. Not now.

“Is that Jillian Taylor?”

“Yeah. Probably a work thing,” I said, clearing my throat. “There’s a lot going on this week.”

“You have her in your phone asJill?” Andrea wrinkled her nose with an amused smile.

“Everyone calls her that,” I said with a nervous chuckle.

“Olivia says you and her are pretty close.”

“She’s my employee and she’s mentoring my daughter, so yeah, we’re reasonably close.” I tried to keep my expression neutral, but damn it, my mouth betrayed me. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips no matter how hard I attempted to suppress it.

Andrea raised one eyebrow and smirked. “All business, huh? That’s why she’s calling you at eight o’clock at night?”

“The news never stops, Andrea,” I said, but the smile wouldn’t go away.

“It’s funny,” she said, her hand hovering over the doorknob. “Pete and I were just saying that you haven’t brought a new woman around the kids in a long time. It would be great to see you with someone who makes you happy.”

“Caleb and Olivia make me happy enough.”

“Caleb and Olivia aren’t the ones making you smile like that, are they?” She smirked again, and all I could do was shake my head down at the ground. “Goodnight, Graham.”

“Night. Be safe.” I leaned over to wave at Caleb, but he was looking down at his Nintendo Switch.

As Andrea drove off, I stood there for a few seconds, staring down the empty street. Her words replayed in my mind.It would be great to see you with someone who makes you happy.

With a deep breath, I pulled my phone out of my pocket again, staring at Jill’s name. My employee. My daughter’s mentor. The ray of light in my otherwise chaotic life.

I never wanted it to end. But how could it continue?

When she knocked on my door all those nights ago, I never expected I’d end up caring this much. I didn’t know I’d lie awake at night, missing the curve of her body against mine when she wasn’t with me. That I’d lose my cool in the studio in her defense, risking my reputation. I didn’t know I’d end up caring this much.

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