Laney sighs her peaceful resignation sigh.
She and Theohatedeach other until I accidentally set them up during my destination wedding week. Actually,hatemight not be strong enough of a word.
But they did, which means she knows better than anyone else what she’s getting with my brother.
And Jonas?
He actually cracks a grin. “I pay all of my taxes,” he assures Theo. “In every state. Few countries too, depending on the year and what I’ve been up to and where.”
My shoulders drop.
“He’s telling the truth,” Sabrina says.
“Already has a leg up on the last guy you were this seriously involved with,” Laney adds.
“We arenot—” I start, but then I hear Bash squeal on the swing, where Jack—yes,Jack, despite the triplets telling Jonas wrong names for themselves—is pushing my little boy too high.
Jonas and Iareinvolved.
We share a kid.
And itisa relief to know my baby won’t one day find out that his father had to go to prison for tax evasion.
Which is likely what would’ve happened to the kids I would’ve had with Chandler if I hadn’t jilted him at our wedding.
I eye Laney. “Theo keeps rubbing off on you.”
She laughs, then rubs her belly. “In so many ways.”
“Ew.”
“Emma’s an accountant,” Theo says. “She doesn’t fuck around with guys who don’t pay their taxes.”
“Good reason to dump a guy at the altar,” Jonas replies. “These ready to be flipped?”
Dad eyes me.
He sees it too. Much as I love him, he’s not a very observant man. So if he sees it too—dammit.
I’ll just have tonotlike Jonas back.
Easy answer.
Especially when I remind myself how he left in Fiji.
“Do you know what I hate?” I whisper to Sabrina and Laney.
“Not nearly as many things and people as you should?” Sabrina quips back.
Bah. Hating people and things takes too much energy that I’d rather put to good use raising my son. “I hate that I thinkI understandwhy he did what he did.”
“He still owes you,” Laney says.
“Somuch,” Sabrina agrees.
I nod. “So much. I didn’t say I forgive him. I didn’t say I like him. I didn’t say he gets to be part of my life any more than I decide is necessary for Bash’s sake. I just said Iunderstand.”
My two best friends eye me, then look back at Jonas.
