Page 76 of Baby By my Best Friend's Daddy

I knew Landon would take care of me. He had more than enough money, and everything about my life with him was swaddled in a blanket of security. Not just because he owned Paragon Security Solutions but because financially, I would never have to worry again.

The intercom went off, announcing a guest.

I frowned. Who could be here? Landon was at work, and not a lot of people knew I was staying here. My parents were yet to meet Landon—although that was arranged for next week—and they didn’t know about anything that was going on in my life.

The buzzer went off again, and I got up and walked to the large screens in the security room so I could see who it was at the gate.

Brad sat in his car, looking at the camera.

“I come in peace, Beck,” he said. “I just want to talk.”

I hesitated. I was still mad at him for what he’d said to me, making me feel like I wasn’t good enough for Landon. He was my best friend, though. We’d been through so much, and this whole thing was crazy. Dating his dad, and now being pregnant…

I pressed the button to open the gate.

When I walked to the front door, my stomach twisted and turned with nerves.

“Hi,” Brad said when I opened it. He had a box of chocolates in his hands. He held it up, looking sheepish. “I come bearing gifts.”

I looked down at the chocolates—dark chocolate with hazelnuts in them. My favorite.

“It’s a good start,” I said dryly and took them from him.

Brad grinned, knowing I would hear him out now that I’d taken his peace offering. I gestured for him to come inside and shut the door behind him.

“Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Whiskey?”

He laughed. “I could do with a whiskey, but it’s the middle of the day.”

“It’s past five,” I joked, telling him what he always told me when he picked me up from the hospital to drink after a night shift.

Brad chuckled and nodded. “Okay, yeah.”

We walked to the bar together, and I looked around for a tumbler. I didn’t know my way around yet.

“Here, let me,” Brad said, and he stepped behind the bar, taking out a glass and a bottle of whiskey.

“I’m supposed to be the hostess,” I said.

“We’ll work on the hierarchy,” Brad said. “Are you having something?”

I shook my head. I couldn’t drink while I was pregnant, but he didn’t know about the baby yet.

Brad didn’t argue. He sipped his whiskey and studied the amber liquid as if he could find the right words in his glass.

“Look, I was a jackass,” Brad said. He looked up at me. “I shouldn’t have said the things I said.”

“About me being not good enough?”

Brad nodded. “About all of it. If you and my dad are happy together, the only thing I should be is happy for him and happy for you. He’s serious about you, and I didn’t think…” He took a deep breath. “I was jealous.”

I widened my eyes. “Of what?”

“I don’t know… all of it. The fact you had someone else to lean on now. The fact you’ve found love when I still haven’t. The fact it’s mydad. Fuck, I’m supposed to be the only kid, you know, the one he dotes on and spoils.”

I giggled. “He doesn’t treat me like his daughter if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I didn’t need to know that.” Brad laughed. “Seriously.”

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