Page 212 of Triplet Babies for my Ex's Best Friend

“No, but yours has committed to branding.”

A watery laugh escapes me.

She squeezes my hand. “First, you’re alive. Second, the doctor said you’re stable. Third, you’re not making any major life decisions while wearing a hospital bracelet.”

“That seems reasonable.”

“Fourth, if Ethan Strong acts like an emotionally constipated statue, I’ll handle him.”

Despite everything, I smile. “Please don’t threaten the billionaire while I’m medically fragile.”

“I make no promises.”

“He looked terrified,” I whisper.

Luci’s expression gentles. “Of course he did.”

“Not normal terrified. Like… haunted terrified.” I stare at the blanket. “Like I was suddenly part of something that already hurt him.”

Luci says nothing. “His wife died in a crash, Addy.”

“I know.”

“And you fainted in front of him.”

“I know.”

“And now there’s a baby.”

The word baby lands in the room.

My hand drifts to my stomach again.

A baby.

There’s a baby inside me.

A tiny, impossible passenger that apparently boarded without permission and is now significantly altering the flight plan.

“I don’t know how to do this,” I say.

“No one knows how to do this.”

“People absolutely know how to do this. There are books and classes. Women who eat leafy greens on purpose.”

For a while, we sit without speaking. Luci fusses with my blanket, drinks half her coffee, then remembers I might smell it and hides it behind the chair like caffeine is a crime scene. A nurse comes in to check my blood pressure and tells me the OB team should be ready soon.

My stomach flips. This time, not nausea. Fear.

Luci sees it. “Hey.”

“What if something’s wrong?”

“Then we deal with it.”

I swallow hard. “What if everything is fine?”

“Then we deal with that too.”