He was going to be walking Yaya down the aisle today with Niko. Out of all the cousins who were in town, he and his brother were the chosen ones. She’d made no secret that his mom was her favorite daughter-in-law because she was the only one to give her a granddaughter, and she hadn’t moved her son or grandchildren out of state, but she did have other grandsons. Eight, to be exact. Still, she had deemed them her favorites as well and had no issues broadcasting that ranking.
AJ hated having any attention on himself. He was already anxious. He hadn’t slept the night before. Since Poppy left, he’d been replaying their exchange. He knew he’d fucked up, he just wasn’t surehowhe’d fucked up.
The past week had been the unhappiest of his life. He didn’t know how to fix it. All he knew was he had to make things rightwith Poppy, whatever that took. He patted his pocket, knowing he was ready to do something drastic.
A knock sounded before the front door opened. His heart slammed into his chest. Was she back? Was Poppy there? Was she as miserable as he was and wanted to talk things out before the wedding too?
He walked down the hall and came around the corner expecting to see his brunette angel, instead he saw his mirror image, down to the identical suit each wore. He was carrying four large duffle bags and two oversized rolling suitcases. Instead of staying through the new year, it looked as though Niko planned to stay permanently.
“Hey,” Niko greeted AJ as he grabbed his keys.
“We have to go.” AJ was running late, something thatneveroccurred.
This morning he’d been off-balance. His entire world felt totally off-kilter.
“Holy shit!” Niko’s eyes widened. “Who is she?”
AJ ignored his brother’s inquiry, stepping over the bags he’d dropped. He waited for his brother to follow him out, then closed the door.
“I have never seen you—no scratch that—anyonelook so disappointed to seemebefore,” Niko bragged as AJ locked the deadbolt and walked to the driveway, where his SUV was blocked by Niko’s rental. “Youthought I was a woman. Who is it? Is it the neighbor? Liam’s baby sister? The one who had a panic attack about her house?”
“Poppy,” AJ refreshed his brother’s memory.
“It is her.” A slow smile spread across Niko’s face before he shook his head. “Damn, bro. How bad did you fuck up?”
AJ wished he could answer that, but he had no idea. “You blocked me in. You have to drive.”
Niko hit the fob and they both climbed into the blacked-out Lincoln Navigator. His brother started the ignition and backed out. “I was just fucking around, you know that. Whatever it is, we can fix it. You can fix it.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do,” Niko stated as if it was the gospel truth.
“No, you don’t.”
“You are thebestman I know. You wouldneverdo anything to hurt someone intentionally. Whatever she’s upset about, I’m sure once you explain yourse?—”
“She’s pregnant.”
Niko turned to him, his jaw hanging open, but no sound was coming out.
When he turned his attention back to the road, he asked, “And it’s yours?”
“Yes,” AJ confirmed.
“What are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?” AJ didn’t understand the question.
“I mean, is she keeping it? Are you going to be involved?”
“Yes, and I want to be.”
“What does that mean?”
“No one knows I’m the father.”
Niko turned to him with confusion swimming in his expression. “You don’t want her to tell people you’re the baby daddy? That’s fucked up.”
