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The five-minute breather from the boys did me good. The ritual of working behind the bar calmed me a little, and I felt more in control. There’d be more publicity around the poker tournament now. So what? It didn’t change the commitment I’d made when I shook Birdie’s hand, which was to work hard and keep my eye on the prize, and I could do that. I wouldn’t worry about who was watching me or what they were saying. That shit wasn’t important.
I cast a quick look across the room at Luca and Seb as I picked up the tray of drinks, then put it down almost immediately as Seb squirmed and made a little crying noise. Before I was able to clear the bar, Luca had managed to shift him a little, giving him more room to stretch out and turn his face into his chest. I paused a moment longer to be sure Seb was okay, but the little guy stayed quiet, and Luca resumed his measured pacing.
Back at the booth, I handed out the drinks and took my seat. Josh shook his head and wrapped both hands around his glass. “I can’t believe you’ve got a kid.”
Logan lifted his water to his mouth and grinned at me over the top of it. “I can’t believe one’s all you’ve got.”
“Fuck off, dickhead.”
Logan snickered, and I shifted uncomfortably. I wasn’t about to admit I’d had the same thought.
“But seriously.” Isaac frowned at the ginger ale in his glass. “How the hell are you going to run The Stop and manage Birdie’s event with a baby to look after?”
Luca approached us with a sleeping Seb in the crook of one elbow and a chair in the other. He set it down at the end of the booth and took a seat, shifting a little to make sure Seb stayed asleep. We sat in silence, and the longer I gazed at Seb, the tighter my chest became, and I realised failure wasn’t an option.
I took a long swallow of water and returned the glass to the table with a smack. “First, I have to get the loft sorted. I’ve got flat-packed furniture to build—”
Logan, a qualified carpenter, raised his hand. “I can help with that.”
I gave him an appreciative nod. “Thanks, mate. And there’s a bedroom I need to clean out.”
Isaac, Josh, and Luca exchanged nods. “Consider it done,” Josh said.
A little of the tension between my shoulders eased. With the boys’ help, Seb might have a room and a bed to sleep in that night. “I appreciate it. For now, let’s move everything into the small function room over the bar. It’s not booked for any events over the next month or so, and I’ll worry about sorting through everything when things settle down—”
“In about eighteen years?”
I gave Logan a flat stare. “Has anyone ever told you you’re fucking annoying?”
Logan grinned. “Daily.”
“And then what?” Luca looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms. It was a weird picture, the five of us sitting around like we always did, only now a baby had been dropped into the middle of us. “These next few weeks are going to be busy, Kidd. We’ll all pitch in as much as we can, but…”
“You’ve got your own jobs to worry about.” I leaned back in the seat and rubbed my palms over the tops of my thighs. “I know, and I get it. Having you here today is already enough. Don’t worry. I’ll work something out.”
“You’ve told your mother?” Josh asked, and when I nodded, he added, “Bet she’ll be happy to take the little guy off your hands once in a while.”
“Uh, yeah. I suppose she could.”
“And the girls can help, too,” Luca added. “I’m sure Tash would love it—as soon as the exhaustion and morning sickness passes.”
“I appreciate that,” I mumbled. “Thanks.”
Talking about Seb like he was an inconvenience made me uncomfortable. He wasn’t a community project or a problem that needed a solution. He wasn’t anyone’s responsibility but mine, and I didn’t want him to ever feel otherwise. I had to make sure my mates knew how determined I was to make space for this little person in my life. We were a family now.
“Abbie moved in with me,” I announced, as stunned as everyone else when the words came out of my mouth.
That was not what I’d meant to say.
Isaac blinked a few times. “She… Huh?”
Josh frowned. “Are you… together? Like, for real?”
“How many times do I have to tell you idiots that Abbie and I are just friends?”
Josh rolled his eyes and took a long draw of his beer. “Yeah. Right.”
I scowled at Josh, who kept smirking like he knew better. “She’s notmoving inexactly,” I explained. “There was a problem with a water pipe at her place. Flooded her studio and her apartment underneath, and she needs a place to crash while she sorts out the insurance and repairs.” Josh and Logan exchanged smug glances, and I elbowed Logan in the ribs. Hard. “It’s just for a few days.”
