AllFreeNovel
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This one is expansive. A family place.
The kind of place Jen would love.
The kind of place a thoroughly good man would buy her, where they’d raise their beautiful babies in elegance and comfort.
That manis not me. I’ve spent my entire life feeling like a bottomless pit, devouring everything and anything in search of satiation. But the more I devour, the deeper that pit gets.
But goddamn. Right now, when it’s late and I’m too tired to think straight, I find myself wishing I could be the kind of gentle,normalman who’d make Jen happy.
Riley calls me bright and early the next morning.
I answer on the first ring. “Hey. I’ll be at the office in an hour.”
“We can’t talk about this shit there. I need to know what the plan is.”
“The plan?”
“Don’t play dumb. I didn’t want to talk about this at the office because I’m not sure who’s supposed to know what. But Lu and I are gonna be seeing a lot of Maren and Tuck and Joe once the baby arrives, and I want to make sure we have our story straight.”
I tug a hand through my hair. “I don’t feel great about this either, you know.”
“Because you’ve had a crush on Jen forever and you should actually marry her instead of pretending to?” I haven’t told Riley about my true feelings for Jen. I haven’t needed to. He’s a smart guy.
“I really wish you wouldn’t push your heteronormative bullshit on me.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you that shit will definitely hit the fan.”
“Noted. We’re going to tell Tuck and Maren we got married after the baby comes. Joe is going to tell him about the diagnosis.”
I can practically hear Riley’s grimace through the phone. “Okay. So I don’t say anything.”
“Not until I tell you to, no.”
“I almost think it’s better if I break the news. You should let your black eye heal before Tuck gives you another.”
I shake my head. “I’ll tell him. Me and Jen. That’s the plan. Please stick to it. Also, can you send me your diamond guy’s name?”
“I don’t even know what to say to that. Just to confirm—y’all aren’t really engaged, are you?”
“No.”
“Then why do you need a real diamond ring?”
“Just send me the guy’s info, all right?”
Riley sighs. “It’s not all right, but whatever. Sure. I’ll do my best to stick to your dumbass plan, but I make no promises. I’m gonna do what I can to keep this from turning into a circus. But if rumors start flying, I’m gonna have to tell Tuck.”
nine
. . .
Jen
Special Sauce
I’mdead asleep when my alarm goes off.
Reaching for my phone, I catch a whiff of detergent. Not the kind I use. It’s clean, lovely. The pillow and the mattress are deliciously comfy.
