“Is this a fucking joke?”Mikey spits out as he rises from the couch, throwing a hand in the air.“You don’t see this chick for two years and you’re just going to believe some baby she had is yours?”
I slide my phone out of my back pocket and open a photo of Larkin I took earlier today, turning it so he can see the screen.
“Think I can deny this?”I arch a brow.
His eyes pop wide, his hand fisting a clump of his hair.“Holy fuck.”
“Yeah.”I concur with a dip of my chin.“She looks exactly like me.”
“Let me see.”Dean extends his arm toward my phone, so I give it to him.After a second, he shakes his head.“Well, damn, brother.Should we get some cigars?”He hands the phone back to me.
“Think it’s kind of late for that.”I mutter, shoving my cell back in my pocket.
“So, what does this mean for you and the band?”Hayden, ever the practical one, finally chimes in.
I shrug as I take a load off in a chair, kicking my bare feet up on the table.“Trying to figure that out, but wanted to fill you in first.”
“Have you told Mom or Dad yet?”Mikey takes a swig out of the tequila bottle he’s holding after he asks me the question.
“Nope.”I scrape my fingers through my hair, still wet from the shower I took after our show.“Wanted to share it with guys first.”
“They’re going to fucking flip over this.”A wicked grin spreads across his face.“I wanna be in the room for that call.”
“Fuck off, Mikey.”Dean comes to my defense before I have a chance to respond to my asshat of a brother.“Think he needs that additional stress right now?”
I swing a glance in Dean’s direction and shoot him a silent thanks, and then address my brother.“They’ll be fine.Probably will be over the moon that one of us is actually giving them a grandchild.”
“Won’t fucking be me, that’s for sure.”He scoffs, pacing, bottle still dangling from his fingers.He’s going to need a liver transplant by the time he’s thirty-five at the rate he’s going.
“And thank that same God for that blessing.”I punch back.“One of you in this world is enough.”
“You’re such an asshole, Luc.Always thinking you’re so fucking special.”He stops to face me, pointing the bottle in my direction.“Believe it was you who ran our last damn tour into the ground.And oh yeah, what a fucking surprise, over this same chick!”
I jump to my feet and surge toward him, Dean somehow between us before I can throw a fist in the fucker’s face.
“Whoa!”Dean yells out.“Enough of this shit!”He pushes me with more force than I expect and I stumble back, pinwheeling my arms to catch my balance.“We’re not doing this with you two again.”
He jams a finger in Mikey’s chest.“Shut your big mouth and go sit over there.”He points to a chair that’s far enough away from where I was sitting that we can’t reach each other.
As I turn to sit, I almost run into Hayden.Always quiet, but always there.Our strong and steady.“You good?”He inquires quietly.
I nod.“I’m chill.”
My heart is thundering in my chest, but I go back to where I was sitting and force myself to settle back in.Dean and Hayden do the same.
“Now let’s see if we can behave, act like the adults we are, and have a civil conversation about this.”Dean directs a hard look in Mikey’s direction.“You feel me?”
“Whatever.”He grumbles, taking another large swig from the bottle.
“I’d like to ask her to come on tour with us.”I toss out, everyone’s gaze landing on me, shock evident on each face.I give them a second to process what I just suggested.
“I want to get to know my own child.I don’t want to have to put it off another two months.”I blow out a heavy sigh, trying to slow the bouncing of my heart.“I’ve already missed her first year.”
“You want to take a baby on tour?”Mikey’s expression doesn’t hide his disdain.“With us?Are you fucking serious?”
“As a heart attack.”I state.“I know it means we’ll have to make some changes.”My jaw clenches as I dart my gaze to each one of the guys.“This is something I really need to happen.”
“I’m not riding with some baby on a bus for hours.Thing probably cries all the time.”Mikey, ever the agreeable one chimes in.
