“He didn’t argue with you about driving us?”
“No, why?”
“Because he specifically told me last night that Kevin was bringing me home.”
Interesting.
“Well, I’m bringing you guys home—end of story. I told your dad we’d bring dessert—probably no wine though, huh?”
“No wine at the Bradbury house; although my father does enjoy Bud Light, but that’s his dirty little secret that he wouldn’t want anyone to know about.”
“Then we’ll just bring the pie.”
“We?”
“Yeah—you and me are a ‘we’ now. Or we’re going to be.”
“Did you say ‘we’ when you talked to my dad?”
“Probably.”
I could see her wheels turning as she slowly nodded her head.
“Why? Is that bad?”
“Honestly? I have no idea.”
“Hey, guys!” Lainey walked in the office, holding Conor. “Look who’s here!”
“Oh!” Jess held her finger out for Conor to grip. “Is this your son?”
Lainey beamed. “This is my little guy!”
The baby gave Jessica a toothless grin, causing her to gush, “You are so handsome.”
“He’s a little flirt,” Lainey corrected. “You should see how shameless he’s been with Adam and Alan’s parents.”
I heard my mother’s voice say, “He’s just being charming,” before my parents appeared in the office doorway. At the sight of Ruthie in my arms, both broke out into huge smiles.
****
Jessica
“You must be Jessica!” Alan’s mom exclaimed before pulling me into an awkward hug. “We’ve heard so much about you!”
“You have?”
I looked Lainey’s way, hoping for an explanation. She just shrugged.
Alan spoke up. “I told them I was going to ask you out, so naturally they were curious.”
“You’re even more beautiful than he told us,” Mrs. Callahan gushed as she pulled away, then gripped both my hands in hers.
I tried to hide my smile as I glanced down at our entwined fingers.
“Thank you. I still have twenty-five pounds of baby weight to lose.”
“You don’t need to change a fucking thing,” Alan interjected.
