Page 84 of What About Us

“Just like I’m your favorite,” Xander says to me, that charming smile firmly in place and his green eyes full of mischief. “Right?”

“I mean, you’re fine.”

Darby snorts.

“Come on, wildcat, you’re killing me here.”

“Wildcat,” Harper says to Ava, and now I can’t help but laugh.

“Ew,” Ava says. “I don’t want to know that Ivy’s a wildcat in the sheets.”

“And on her desk, and in the kitchen, and—” Xander says, but they all start to yell and shake their heads.

“Stop! No!” Darby cries.

“My ears! They’re bleeding,” Harper adds.

“I think I’m dying,” Ava says, and now I’m laughing so hard, and Belle joins me because we’re all being so goofy.

“You’re the sweetest thing,” I say to the baby, and Xander passes her over to me, and for a second, I freeze. “Uh, I’ve never held a baby.”

“Never?” Harper asks. “It’s time to start. You won’t break her.”

“Oh geez, I didn’t even think of that,” I mutter as I settle the tiny girl against my chest. “How old is she?”

“Almost four months old,” Ava says with a soft smile.

Belle’s watching me with wide blue eyes, and then she smiles up at me, completely toothless, and my heart melts into goo.

“She’s mine now,” I say and rock her back and forth. “You can stay with me. We’ll be besties. Deal?”

Belle just keeps smiling, so I assume it’s good with her.

“It’s too bad no one around here likes her,” Harper says between sips of her drink. “Poor thing.”

I laugh and look up at Xander, who’s watching me with the funniest look on his face.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine.”

I narrow my eyes on him. “Are you sure?”

He nods, and the doorbell rings. “Saved by the bell,” he mutters as he walks off to greet them.

“What did I miss?” I ask as I turn back to the others.

“You know how it made your panties explode to see your man with a baby?” Darby asks.

“Sure.”

“I think seeing you with Belle might have punched my brother in the balls,” Ava replies with a smug smile. “It’s kind of awesome. So, you and X, huh? I can totally see it.”

“It’s new,” I say softly and brush my lips over Belle’s head. “Like, really new. And moving fast because I’m living here now, thanks to my mom destroying my house.”

“Whoa,” Harper says with a frown. “This is news.”

“Also, moving fast isn’t bad,” Darby adds. “I’ve only been with Tucker for like six months, give or take, and we’re engaged. Sometimes, you just click with someone and it works.”