Page 29 of Wicked Little Secret

Olivia smiled without opening her eyes. She loved that Hope didn’t take any of Evan’s shit. He’d bulldoze anyone who let him, and she most-definitely did not let that happen.

“I’m awake,” Olivia said as she slowly opened her eyes. Sawyer was still nestled against her chest.

“Oh, Liv,” Evan gushed as put his finger in the baby’s grip and softly shook it. “He’s perfect.”

“Do you want to hold him?”

“Yes!” Hope responded immediately as she stepped forward.

Evan body-blocked his girlfriend, then slowly turned his head to look at her over his shoulder. “I’mthe uncle and godfather. I get to be the first person outside of his mom and hospital staff to hold him.”

“Technically, we’re hospital staff,” Hope reminded him.

“Not in the maternity ward. Here we’re just visitors.”

Olivia chimed in. “I hate to burst your bubble, but Nick already beat you to it.”

“Who’s Nick?”

“The kid who drove me to the hospital and held my hand when my birth coach,” she made a point of looking directly at Evan, “was snowed in—even thought I told him not to go to the Cape—and didn’t make it to the hospital in time. Oh, and, um, his dad also held him.”

“His dad?”

How was she going to explainthatto her brother?

Olivia realized she was too damn tired to worry about it. She’d tell him later.

“It’s a long story, and I need to rest.”

“Then give me my nephew and take a nap.” Her brother gently pulled the sleeping baby from her and cradled him in his arms. As he stared down at Sawyer with a goofy grin, he added, “We only came to see him, anyway.”

“Oh my god, Evan. You’re such an asshole,” Hope exclaimed.

“Language,” Olivia reprimanded as she closed her eyes. She was a mom now. It was her job to make sure people didn’t swear in front of her kid.

“You’re already getting this mom thing down,” a deep voice said from the other side of the bed, then she felt lips brush her forehead.

Why was someone kissing her forehead?

“Who are you?” her brother’s voice demanded.

“Pete Mitchell. My friends call me Maverick. I’m Sawyer’s dad.”

She knew Evan was going to lose his shit over the bomb Pete just dropped, but she was too tired to care at the moment. She’d deal with it when she woke up. She was also going to have a chat with Pete about the art of timing.

She remembered the night at the bar when she’d gone back to try to find him, and how there’d been confusion if they were talking about the same person because they were calling him two different names. Now she understood why. Although she didn’t understand how he got Maverick from Pete.

Then it hit her. He’d flown jets for the Navy. Maverick—Pete Mitchell—Top Gun.

“Maverick,” she giggled with her eyes closed. “I get it now.” Had she known his last name before today, it might have all made sense sooner.

“Sawyer’sdad? Liv—what the hell is he talking about?” her brother groused.

“Language,” she reminded again. “And, yes, he’s Sawyer’s dad. I’m too tired to explain, E. I just pushed an eight-pound human from my body, and I’m exhausted.”

The covers were pulled up to her shoulders and another kiss to her forehead. She recognized the masculine smell—the same one from nine months ago, and for some reason it made her feel content.

“Go to sleep, darlin’,” Pete’s voice murmured in her ear. “I’ll deal with your brother and stay with Sawyer until you wake up.”

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