Page 141 of The Trouble with Flings

Across from the foot of the bed is a gorgeous cream crib with drawers beneath it and a stunning arched backboard with a family crest that has SS inside it and sprigs of ivy around it. Attached to the adjacent wall, in the same cream color with ivy accents, is a tall, narrow cabinet with shelves running down the lower half and a decorative cutout just above the side of the crib.

“I know it’s a mess right now,” Fitz says as his hand comes to rest on my back. “But when we’re done, you’ll have six new drawers under the bed, three on either side, and we had to go with a twenty-four-inch-wide crib, instead of twenty-eight, so you could walk between it and the bed, and there’s barely enough room for that. The SS is for Stone-Silver, but we can change it if you don’t want to go with that. And check this out.”

He walks over to the tall, narrow wall cabinet and pulls down the handle, revealing a changing table, complete with a tiny mattress, that lowers a few inches into the crib, so the crib spindles serve as rails. What I thought was a decorative cutout is actually a notch that locks into place over the side of the crib, holding the changing table steady.

“There’s a leather strap attached to each side of the changing table. You wrap them around the railing and hook them into the D rings to support the base.” Fitz takes one of the leather straps with a rounded hook at the end, wraps it around the railing, and hooks it to a D ring.

My heart climbs into my throat. “I can’t believe you did this,” I croak out, awestruck. I turn to Grant, standing near the doorway with the others. “You made these?”

“Yeah,” Grant says. “But Fitz played a big part in designing them.”

I look at Fitz with tears in my eyes, and I can’t even blame them on hormones. “They’re gorgeous, and perfect, and I don’t even know what to say.”

“Thank you would be a good start,” Jace whispers.

Laughter bubbles out, and I shake my head. “Thank you seems too small for what he’s done and what you all are doing for us.”

“I told you someone would be having sex in here,” Wells says.

“Let’s give them some privacy,” Jace says, and Grant drags Wells away from the bedroom.

The guys disappear into the living room, leaving me standing there in the middle of this impossible, thoughtful, beautiful surprise with a lump the size of Miami in my throat. I hook a finger into the waist of Fitz’s jeans and look up at the man who’s surprising me at every turn.

“I’ve spent so much of my life figuring out everything alone,” I say. “I don’t even know what to do with this.”

“You don’t have to do anything,” he says quietly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Except maybe get used to it.”

It’s just after eight, and the atmosphere at the grand opening of Rock Bottom is exhilarating. Clinking glasses, laughter, and the low murmur of conversations drift through the rooms in a symphony of success. The place is packed with food critics, influencers, investors, and socialites. Every table is full, the bar is three deep, and even the outdoor and upstairs decks are hopping. The few members of the press who were allowed inside are discreetly documenting the event.

Jared, Wells, and Seth move through the crowd like kings of their domain, their pride in the restaurant palpable. As it should be. The restaurant is built on a dock, with views of the river on three sides. It’s an eclectic mix of rustic elegance in the heart of the city, with Italian tile floors, accordion-style glass doors running the length of the building on both sides, and vaulted ceilings with rough-hewn beams. Ship’s-wheel chandeliers, a live-edge bar, and sea-glass tiling add a nautical flair.

I’m standing with Mia, Jayla, Keira, and Victory, a glass of sparkling water in hand, soaking it all in, while Bellamy works the room like she was born for it, somehow charming a luxury hotelier and a podcast host at the same time.

“My sister is collecting contacts like Pokémon cards,” Keira says.

“She’ll probably leave tonight with three sponsorship deals and a marriage proposal,” Victory agrees.

“Maybe I should take a lesson from her,” Mia says.

“Are you looking for a sponsorship deal?” Keira teases.

Mia smiles and waves it off. “I just love weddings.”

“Then come to ours,” Victory says. “It’s going to be at the Silver House, July twenty-fifth. The whole thing is going to be outdoors.” She goes on to explain that her parents are wildlife biologists and her mother is also a wildlife photographer, and she and her four brothers were raised in newly developing nations and remote jungles while traveling the world for their parents’ careers. “Wells wanted to honor my family by having our wedding in nature.”

“So he was sucking up?” Keira asks with a smirk.

“Who cares if he was?” Mia says. “I love outdoor weddings.”

“I’ll add you to the guest list with a plus-one, no pressure.” Victory turns to me and says, “We should make it a double wedding.”

I choke on my water but manage to catch it quickly. “Thanks, but we’re not there yet.”

“I’m just putting it out there,” Victory says, and sips her champagne.

Jayla bumps Mia’s shoulder and says, “She said yet. Did everyone catch that? She said yet.”

“I caught it,” Keira says.