“How’s that?”
“They’re gonna need all the help they can get to fix that house up, so I figured I’d start by volunteering our handyman services.”
“Our?”
“Yep.” Brantley shot him a winning grin. “You’re my partner, remember?”
“Oh, brother,” Reese grumbled.
Because he liked to keep JJ on her toes, Brantley didn’t bother to call to announce they were coming over. He figured the more surprises, the better.
“Are you expectin’ someone?” he heard Baz say from inside the apartment.
“Have I ever invited anyone over here?” she retorted as Baz opened the door.
“Hey,” Baz greeted, his eyebrows dipping low. “Somethin’ wrong?”
“Why’s anything hafta be wrong?” he said with a grin. “Can’t a guy just come over to hang out?”
“He can, but he doesn’t,” Baz answered, stepping back and opening the door. “Come in. We were just about to figure out what to get for lunch. Y’all hungry?”
“I never say no to food,” Brantley told him. “As long as it’s not lettuce or fruit, I’m game.” He peered over at JJ, who was standing at the kitchen island, her laptop open in front of her. “You workin’?”
“Nope. I’m researchin’ real estate.”
“Yeah?” He pretended to be surprised. “You movin’?”
Her eyes lifted to meet his, and he saw something he hadn’t seen in a long time. True happiness.
“Well, I was gonna let it be a surprise, but since you’re a know-it-all,” she said, turning her computer around so that Brantley could see the screen.
Expecting to see an image of the house, he was surprised to see a note. “You’re gonna be an uncle,” he read.
When he peered back at her, he saw she was giving him that look that said she had plenty of patience to wait for it to sink in.
He frowned, glanced at Baz, then back to her. “I’m already an uncle.”
Reese laughed, then turned to Baz. “Are you serious?”
Baz nodded, his eyes shining bright.
“Congratulations,” Reese offered, clasping Baz’s hand and pulling him in for a hug.
“Congratulations? For what? What the fuck?” Brantley asked, glancing between them. He knew whatever the riddle was had to be simple, but he wasn’t getting it.
“I’m pregnant, you goober,” JJ said with a grin.
Brantley went stone still, stared at her.
“It’s a good thing, B,” she whispered, as though knowing his head was filling with a million questions. “A really good thing.”
Brantley’s confusion faded, elation taking over. He reached for JJ, pulled her in for a hug. Then did the same to Baz.
“I have to say, her news certainly trumps ours,” Reese said when the love wasn’t flowing anymore.
JJ squealed, eyes wide as they slammed into Reese. “You didn’t!”
Reese smiled. “I did.”
