Page 79 of Captivating Mr. Second Chance

Sam responded,I can’t tell what I’m looking at. I need a diagram.

Laney laughed, and her brother said, “What could you possibly be looking at that’s so fascinating?”

“Porn,” Ethan guessed, and Laney momentarily paused her typing to shoot her boyfriend a glare. He gave her one of his lazy grins in return.

Is this clear enough for you?Gem texted, followed by another photo. This one with a circle around what looked to be nothing.

Sam sent back a side-eye emoji.No, it’s not any clearer. You could tell me I’m looking at an elephant baby, and I’d believe you.

Laney cackled, and seconds later, a FaceTime alert came through. Gem flattened her mouth to a faux annoyed slant as the four all appeared on-screen. “I’m gestating a human not an elephant, Samantha.”

Sam lifted one hand. “It looks like blobs to me. What’s the point of the tech circling anything?”

“It’s the gender,” Gem said, and Bronte was the first to shout out.

“It’s a girl!”

“Three against one,” Laney crowed.

Sam pumped her fist up and down. “You finally have your army.”

The soon-to-be mother of two girls laughed, nodding along happily. “That’s right.”

“Who’re you talking to?” Dean asked, lifting the remote to turn the volume of the television up. “It’s like surround sound.”

Laney curled her lip, snarling at him. “My best friend is having a baby. So sorry our happiness is bothering you.”

Ethan gestured Laney over to him, saying, “He’s in a bad mood. He’s got some new coworker riding his ass to be top gun.”

“Who’s that?” Sam asked from her phone.

Gem swiftly followed up. “The high school heartbreaker?”

Dean grumbled as Laney sat on the couch between him and Ethan, spinning her cell phone so the girls could see her boyfriend. Bronte, Sam, and Gem all waved and talked over one another.

Ethan grinned. “Nice to meet you, ladies. Laney’s told me a lot about you.”

“That’s funny. Because she’s told us almost nothing about you,” Gem teased, and Laney lifted her middle finger to her screen. “I’m kidding.” Gem fluttered her hand in the air like she was swatting at a fly. “I was the one visiting her in San Francisco when she found out about the Australian’s assholery.”

“Oh.” Ethan nodded. “You were the one who puked on him.”

She dipped her head in a magnanimous bow. “The one and only.”

“You know, I feel like we need to rework our murder scheme,” Sam said, and that got Dean’s attention. With his arms crossed, he raised one brow at his sister.

“Not real,” Laney said. “Not yet, anyway.”

Dean shook his head. “I don’t want to know.”

“It’s all theoretical,” Bronte said cheerfully, and Laney turned her phone so her brother could see her friends.

“I don’t know if we’ve ever met.” Bronte waved. “I’m Bronte.”

“The nice one,” Laney said.

“Sam.” The woman in question pointed to herself.

Laney nodded. “The brainy one.”

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