“I bet you guys can’t figure one out.” I throw out one more challenge for my brother to grab onto. It’s just too much fun.
Hayes is biting his lip and thinking.
Leighton slaps his stomach. “We’re not doing that.”
“They have to match. We can’t have Lake, Lincoln, Monroe, and Phil.” He looks at her imploringly.
“First of all, I’m not naming our baby Phil.”
The two of them continue to go at it, and Lake looks at me. I like having her as my little accomplice.
The Davis brothers blow out their candles, and we have cake. I can’t help but wonder what they each wished for. I’m sure whatever it was, they were the opposite of one another.
As the night dwindles down, Monroe falls asleep, draped across Hayes as he and Decker are still trying to come up with names for a baby that hasn’t even been conceived yet.
All while… my hand falls to my stomach, but I push the thought out of my head.
It’s time. I’ve delayed this long enough.
Easton and Lake are in a competition to see who can get the highest score in pinball. Foster is watching the Falcons game with Lincoln, explaining hockey to him. I’ll give it to Foster, Lincoln actually looks interested.
I pull out my phone and send a text to Leighton to meet me out front.
“I’ll be back,” I say, sliding my phone in my back pocket and leaving the back room. Maybe I could’ve told Leighton to meet me in the bathroom, but I don’t want to chance anyone overhearing our conversation.
Thankfully, the Falcons are away, so the bar is less crowded than when they’re playing at home. It’s just the two of us when Leighton joins me in front of the building.
“What’s this about?” Leighton asks, walking over to me and looking at herself in the reflection of the glass. “I’m looking old. I think the stress of motherhood is showing.”
“You’re beautiful. Listen.”
She pulls her skin up around her eyes and frowns when she lets go.
“Leighton!”
Her head rocks back. “What?” Turning away from the glass, she looks at me with concern.
Okay, now’s the moment. You can do this.
“I’m pregnant.”
Her mouth drops open, and she stares at me for a beat before she recovers. “What? When? By whom?”
Only Leighton can come up with one question after the other, even when she’s surprised.
“I took a test this morning.”
“Oh my god. Callie, who is the dad?”
I bite my lip because I really want to tell her. I want to give her the entire story, but he deserves to know first. So, I tell her as much as I can, as complicated as the situation is, without saying exactly who. “It’s one of the men in there.”
She frowns. “One of the old guys at the bar?”
I stare at her, and she laughs.
“Right.” She laughs again. “My excuse is that I’m going on, like, two hours of sleep.” She shakes her head. “Just to clarify, you mean the baby’s father”—she points at my stomach—“is either Decker, Foster, or Easton?”
I nod.
