Page 18 of Doctor Billionaire's Surprise Baby

“I think I fucked up,” I announced in a whisper to Logan and Austin as soon as I walked into the dive bar they loved. The floor was sticky and the air smelled of year-old beer, but there was something homey and familiar about the place. It was a place we haunted during medical school – wooed by the cheap beer. An old Bruins game blared on the small TV, and a few old-timers were huddled against the scarred wood of the bar.

“Oh boy. Okay, I guess we need two pitchers tonight, boys,” Logan said, turning back to the bar and signaling for the bartender. I grasped the pint glass Austin passed toward me with relief.

“Is Dom coming?” I asked Austin, relief flowing through me when he shook his head. I didn’t need Dom’s honesty tonight. I knew I was an idiot.

Logan returned with the second pitcher, and we marched silently to a table in the corner.

“I slept with Simone.” I washed the confession down with a large gulp of Narragansett and winced at the taste of the cheap beer.

Austin stared at me, glass poised halfway to his lips as Logan threw his head back and scrubbed a hand across his face.

“Shit, Hugo. What the hell?” I nodded in Logan’s direction. His reaction was completely reasonable.

“Seth is going to kill you. You know that, right?”

“I’m well aware. But thanks for the reminder, Austin.”

“What happened, man?” Logan asked, staring at me. “We just told you to introduce the thought to her, the fake marriage. We didn't tell you to fuck her! Why, why, why? And you haven’t even fake married her yet! Damn dude, you’re going to mess this all up.”

All I could do was nod.

“We've talked about her having a crush on you a million times, too.” Austin said, twirling his glass as the golden liquid caught the light. “Have we not been clear about that?”

I couldn’t help the grimace. I’d always known she had a crush on me – although that sounded so juvenile – but having it tossed in my face stung a little.

But the truth was…complicated. Because, if I was honest, I had more than a little crush on Simone. I had just always told myself she was off-limits. Some floodgates seemed to open with the looming arrangement and all of my feelings came rushing through my body – some inconvenient parts of my body.

“I know. I know. It’s bad. That’s why I’m telling you guys.”

Logan nodded solemnly.

“What does this mean? Do you have feelings for her?”

I hesitated, and Austin barked out a mirthless laugh.

“Hugo doesn’t get feelings, Logan. He cares about work and only work. Oh, and sticking it to his parents. Women are dispensable. Am I wrong?”

I almost physically recoiled from Austin’s venomous stare.

“I wouldn’t say dispensable exactly,” I muttered, staring into my glass. But he was right. Thatwashow I treated women because Ididonly care about work and the practice. “I do care about her. A lot. She’s Simone.”

Silence fell over the table; it stretched between us, awkward and unfamiliar.

“She’s coming to Italy with me, so we can tell my parents about the engagement. And her grandmother.”

“That sounds serious and not at all fake.”

“It’s just for appearances,” I assured Austin.

“Whatever you say,” Logan mumbled, before taking a swig of beer.

“Okay, well, I confessed my sins. Let’s change the subject.”

“Yeah, you’re not getting off the hook that easily, man. We’ll change the subject for now, but expect a follow up.”

I knew Logan would never let this go.

The rest of the evening was a little strained. These guys treated Simone like a sister and I had decidedly not-sibling feelings for her. The conversation buzzed around me, but I couldn’t make myself pay attention as I thought about the other night with Simone. I couldn’t lie and say I didn’t feel a change; a shift in the universe when I stepped into her condo. It was like things fell into place.

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