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Twenty Six
“This was a fuckinggreatidea.”Graham smirks, puffing his chest out proudly as we get Olive strapped against him in the baby carrier. Leaning his head down slightly, he tells Olive, “You know, Olive-you, this might be the best idea I’ve ever had. Who knows, we might leave here with a new aunt.”
I roll my eyes. I swear becoming a father has granted me an abundance of patience and that’s the only thing that saves Graham on the daily.
“I can’t believe you’re letting him wear her,” Asher mumbles, clearly annoyed that he didn't get to.
“Uh, he asked Maddison, not me. She forced me,” I grumble. Asshole knew exactly what he was doing and went straight to her mother. It didn’t help that Maddison looked at me with those gold-flecked eyes that steal my fucking breath, and she did it while still nestled in my arms after arguably the best sex of my entire life.
I got played.
“Can you blame a guy?” Graham reaches up and covers Olive’s ears. “Youfuckheadsare constantly hogging my girl, and sometimes, I gotta do what I gotta do.”
He removes his hands then pinches her cheeks lightly while she giggles.
“Tell me again how you finally convinced Maddison to move into your place?” Hudson asks.
I shrug. "Her lease was up and that place is a walking fucking disaster. Shit is always breaking, and her apartment maintenance guy always claims he’ll come by, but I’ve fixed more shit in the time I’ve been there then he probably has since she’s lived there.” I grunt. “Not to mention, we’ve got Pornstar Paul above her bedroom, and it’s gotten to the point where he’s keeping Olive up.”
Hudson’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Surprised you didn’t pay him a visit by now.”
“I’m trying to make better choices. You know, for Olive.”
He nods. “Noble.”
“Alright, you ready to go?” Graham asks, hands on his hips with Olive secured tightly to his chest. She giggles when he does a little jiggle, bouncing her up and down.
Next week, officially at least, Olive and Maddison are moving in, which means that the guys and I have less than seven days to turn my house from a bachelor pad into a baby-proof, livable house for a family. Honestly, I’ve spent more nights on Maddison’s couch the last few months than I have in my own bed, and I’m hoping that I can convince Maddison to sleep with me in an actual bed.
One that doesn’t have Pornstar Paul right above it, along with a moldy air vent.
“What’s the plan?”
We’re standing in front of the furniture store, so I can pick out a new set for Olive while Maddison is with Ty and Kyle for lunch. I haven’t exactly told her yet that I’m buying Olive new furniture, but I’m hoping she’ll be okay with it. We plan to meet up afterwards.
“We get in, and we get out. No one, especially Graham, touches anything.”
Graham rolls his eyes, but still nods.
Today’s the day Reed should be here, but he’s taking Evan on a guys’ trip to go fishing for the first time, so I’m left alone to deal with these guys.
The four of us stroll through the entrance of the furniture store, and quickly follow the signs to the nursery furniture. Surprisingly, it takes less than twenty minutes to pick out a set, pay for it and arrange for it to be delivered to the house.
“Wow, that was quick,” Hudson says. He’s been surprisingly quiet lately, and I make a mental note to see what’s up whenever we’re alone again.
“Way easier than I thought it would be,” I agree.
“That means we get to head to the rink so coach and the rest of the staff can meet Olive,” I say, pulling my phone out and shooting a quick text to Maddison, letting her know that we’ve finished up earlier than anticipated, and I’ll see her at the rink.
Making our way to my truck, we take Olive out of the carrier, then get her into her car seat and are on our way to the rink. Traffic is light, so we pull into the parking lot, just as Olive has fallen asleep in her car seat.
Look, I’m not saying I've gone soft, because Ihaven’t.I’m still manly, and in control of my emotions.
Seeing my best friends, my brothers by choice, love my daughter the same way that I do… it’s a feeling I’ve never known and when I glance back in the rearview, I see Olive’s fallen asleep with her tiny hand wrapped around Graham’s finger as he rests his hand on her car seat.
It’s fuckingcute.
Not that I’ll tell him that, but I can’t help but think it.
