Page 58 of Bonus Daddy
“I may leave my husband for you, Lo,” Sloane joked.
“We already live together.” Lo shrugged, her expression wicked. “It’d be convenient.”
I envied their easy friendship and how genuinely happy they were after all the changes they’d navigated over the past year. I’d only gotten bits and pieces, but so far, I’d learned that a year ago, Sloane and Sully had been separated and planning to divorce. Yet now their marriage was stronger than ever, and they’d just added baby Tia to the family.
What I did know about their backstories fascinated me. Though I hadn’t yet figured out how three successful, wealthy men had ended up living together in what could kindly be called a fixer-upper in Jersey City.
“You can join us, Jess,” Lo teased. “We can make room.”
“Tempting.” I laughed. “Especially with all the built-in help. I’m already taking advantage more than I should, though.”
Sloane waved me off. “Not true. Kit and Greta have made my life so much easier. Kit scares T.J. into doing his homework and has got him reading chapter books. And Greta and Murphy are best Lego buds. Having them around saves me so much work. It frees me up to nurse and take photos of my gorgeous baby.”
Lo raised a glass. “To Kit and Greta.”
Chest expanding and cheeks heating, I lifted my wine in response. My girls were incredible. I’d never deny it.
“I know it seems weird,” Sloane admitted. “But I honestly think the move to Jersey is what brought Sully and me back together. He moved in without us at first, and the distance was hard on him. When I did finally move in, I was forced to take a step back and look at our situation with a fresh perspective. Being forced together changed everything.”
“Oh, yes,” Lo added, topping off her wine. “We all grew in unexpected ways. And once we fell into a routine, taking turns, collaborating and working together both in the home and at the office, our friendships grew and strengthened.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what forced you all to live together?”
The women looked at one another, as if debating who would explain it to me.
“Terry,” Lo sighed.
“Cal and Sully’s father,” Sloane explained. “Brilliant lawyer and one of those people who just kicked life’s ass every day.”
Lo snorted into her wine.
“He was so proud of his sons, and he’d always counted Brian among them. But he was a bit of a wildcard.”
“So he set up a trust with stipulations,” Lo said. “When he passed away, it was discovered that in order for the guys to maintain ownership of the firm in New York, the three of them had to relocate here, to where the firm was founded. They’re required to work and live together for one year.” She rolled her eyes. “The trust also stipulated that they could only bring one paid member of support staff. Brian, of course, talked me into coming with them.”
“I knew Terry for close to two decades,” Sloane said, her voice soft and her eyes going a little misty. “His methods were unconventional, yes, and we still don’t understand what the hell he was thinking, but he started his career in that building. And as much as we all hated it at first,” she said, “especially this one”—she elbowed Lo—“getting out of the Manhattan rat race actually provided good perspective.”
“The building we work out of now is a far cry from the Murphy and Machon office in the city,” Lo mused. “My old office is twice the size of the postage-stamp space I work out of now. With top-of-the-line copiers. Here, we’ve got twenty-year-old shit boxes filled with maggots.” She shuddered. “It’s hard to believe it, but the place was actually so much grosser ten months ago.”
“Says the woman who chose to move in.” Sloane bumped her shoulder against Lo’s. “I, on the other hand, was legally obligated to.”
“Thank God for Terry,” Lo quipped. “Before you and Tia, I was surrounded by testosterone. The entire building needs way more feminine energy.”
I’d missed this. Girlfriends. Hanging out without feeling pressure to perform or impress anyone. Sloane and Lo accepted me and made me feel like part of their little family.
Kenneth’s friends ignored me and their wives looked down on me. The other moms at the elite prep school the girls had attended were in constant cutthroat competition with one another. I’d never found my people. Yes, I had Lana, and she was my ride-or-die bestie,and I had my siblings, but for years, there’d been a void in my chest that suddenly felt full.
“Thank you,” I said awkwardly. “For hanging out with me.”
Lo tossed a piece of cheese into her mouth. “You’re awesome. Thankyoufor hanging out withus.”
Head dropped back, I laughed. “It’s been a while since I had girl time. I’m usually working or momming, so I don’t have much time to socialize.”
“You’re kind of stuck with us now.” Sloane grinned. “Once our strange little family pulls you in, we keep you.”
Warmth blossomed in my chest, but I tamped down the instinct to burst into happy tears.
She shook her head, her smile turning rueful. “I just can’t believe it’s really you.”
