Page 91 of Silver Fox's Secret Baby

He has his hand pressed to his heart. “I did it.”

I put my arm around his shoulder and shake him. “Fuck yeah, you did. Youevisceratedthem.”

“Oh god, was I mean?” Kent asks with puppyish eyes. “I don’t know half of what I said, I just said it.”

I smile at my friend. “Come on. Let me buy you a drink.”

Kent and I take a drive to one of our old haunts back in the day, a cash-only Irish pub with heady beer and sticky floors. We manage to avoid talking about the elephant in the room until we’re both half a Guinness deep. That’s when Kent sighs; I know that sigh. The sigh of “We have something we have to talk about”.

“You ready?” I ask with a nervous smile.

“As I’ll ever be,” Kent says. “I mean…” He looks down into the foam of his beer. “Look, three weeks down and I’m already afraid of what I’ll miss out on by keeping you at arm’s length.”

“You still see Harley…”

“Sure, but it’s not the same. I guess it won’t ever be. But I know it will feel better not trying to talk around the fact that she loves you. That she’s chosen you.” Kent lifts his brown eyes to meet mine. “Man, this is weird.”

I nod. “I know. It’s not a situation I ever imagined we’d be in, believe me.”

“That’s good to know,” Kent laughs awkwardly. “I can tell she’s really happy. The pregnancy was really draining her before you came into the picture and…I know that she’s strong enough to do it alone and she would do it that way if she wanted. But it’s clear you’re good for her.”

“You have no idea how happy that makes me, Kent.”

Kent smiles. “And, as weird as it is, I’m happy for you. You’re in love, you’re going to be a dad. I’m happy to see you finally settling down with someone…even if it is my daughter.”

“Me too. I never imagined it’d be possible.”

“Me either.”

We both laugh. “Harley’s special. I know you don’t needmeto tell you that. But I feel so lucky that she’s chosen me.”

Kent takes a swig of beer. “You are a lucky bastard, Grant. I could’ve cold-cocked you again and you would have deserved it.”

“Not going to argue with that.”

“Still weird, but as long as you promise me to always do right by my daughter, I think I can get past it.”

I consider my old friend. Thirty years of friendship is nothing to sniff at. We’ve been through a lot together. More than a lot. We’re practically brothers. “You have my word, Kent.”

Kent nods and then holds up his beer. “To Harley.”

“To Harley,” I reply.

We clink our glasses together. And I know as long as I live, I’ll make good on my promise. In just a few short months, Harley has become my whole world.

Today might have been about fighting for Infinium. But from this day on, my mission has completely shifted. Making a beautiful life with Harley and our child will be my life’s greatest work.

No one can stop me.

* * *

The first thingI notice when I get home is the overwhelming aroma of garlic and onions, aka delicious.

“Harley?” I call out. I peek into the kitchen. It’s an absolute mess in there, like a tornado went through it. But no Harley to be seen. I frown and stroll into the dining room. “Harley, where are you?”

In the distance, I can hear music. Sounds almost like it’s…outside.

I walk through the house and onto the terrace, which takes longer than you’d expect, and find Harley standing at a table set for two. She’s wearing a darling little dress covered with an apron that is covered in red splotches, more like a butcher than a chef. However, given that the meal is spaghetti, I’ll have to chalk up the stains to tomato sauce.

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