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“Alex,” he whispered again. “Seriously, you—”
“You don’t have to whisper. It’s good for you to talk in your normal voice. She needs to get used to it. And yes, you should definitely be holding her. The little terror has been crying for the last forty-five freaking minutes. I need a break.”
“But, Alex—”
“You’re fine, Joe. Just keep holding her like that. If you move her into a different position, her head is still wobbly, so make sure you support it. I’m going to run upstairs real quick and change.”
Alex disappeared before he could protest.
Glancing down at the little, chunky bundle in his arms, he let out a nervous breath. He could do this. Right?
“Hey there, sweet girl,” he cooed. She let out a giant yawn, and he couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. Okay, nowthatwas the cutest fucking thing ever. “Aren’t you just the most perfect little angel?”
Annie gazed up at him with her mama’s big brown eyes, and her cute, pouty mouth transformed into a toothless grin. Just like that, in the span of one heartbeat, he fell in love with his perfect little niece.
Sure, technically, they weren’t related. But Annie didn’t share DNA with his best friend, either. Blood didn’t make family. Quinn was—and would always be—her dad in every way that mattered. Annie was one lucky girl. Especially since she would never have to know her sperm donor, who was now rotting in hell.
Alex’s ex-husband, Preston Woodsworth III, was Annie’s biological father. Joe had met the crooked piece of shit while working undercover to investigate the bastard’s white-collar crimes. That was how Joe and Alex had met, how he’d learned about the abuse she’d been suffering. He’d ended up saving Alex’s life and sending her to Hudson Island for a fresh start. Clearly, she’d made the most of the opportunity.
“She likes you,” Alex said, walking back into the kitchen.
He shook his head. Awe and amazement filled every inch of him. “I can’t believe this perfect little girl... came from you.”
“Uh, excuse me, buster, but what are you saying?” Alex asked, her tone playful. “That I couldn’t produce such a perfect child because I’m somehow deficient?”
His eyes widened as he replayed his words in his head. Holy shit, he was an idiot. Looked like saying the wrong thing wasn’t limited to his interactions with Roxie. “Sorry, that came out wrong.”
Alex chuckled at his blunder, and the worry in him eased. He took a moment to memorize Annie’s sleepy face.
“She’s perfect, Alex,” he said reverently, glancing over at his friend. “Truly. And you and Quinn areparents. I can’t find the words, but... it’s perfect. You, Quinn, and Annie. It’s so damn right, you know?”
His chest clenched when Alex’s eyes filled with tears.
“Sorry,” she sniffed. Taking a seat at the kitchen table, she wiped away a tear. “Hormones. But you know the great thing, Joe? Itfeelsright, too. It really does.”
“You happy?”
Her eyes welled again, but the grin that lit up her face was radiant. “More than I thought possible. Now, what brings you over?”
“Can’t I come and say hi to my two favorite girls?”
“Sure.” Alex pursed her lips, and a different kind of worry bloomed in his gut. “But Annie’s five weeks old. Do you know what that means?”
By the look in her eyes, it meant nothing good. For him, anyway. Knowing it was the wisest option, he kept his trap shut and waited.
“It means I’m awake all the freaking time. Which also means I saw Roxie storm out of your place this morning, more pissed off than I’ve ever seen her. And I’ve seen her pissed a lot. So, what did you do, Joe?”
“Why does it have to be my fault?” Dumb question, but he still had to try.
Alex’s brows arched. He wasn’t fooling her.
Looking down at Annie, he continued to sway. After his blow-up with Roxie, he’d needed to see a friendly face. He’d hoped to find a sympathetic ear, too, but from the way Alex was glaring at him, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Rox and I got into an argument this morning. I simply asked her where the hell she’d gone so early.” He shrugged. “Honestly, Alex, I’m not quite sure how the conversation went to hell so quickly.”
Her jaw dropped, and she looked at him like he was a complete idiot. “Really? I’d say asking ‘where the hell she’d gone’ was when the descent to hell began. Then, when you called herstupid—”
His eyes narrowed. How did she know about that?
