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I swear our son should have been given a name that means guzzler of milk, instead of truth, as his name symbolizes.
Bailey’s infectious giggle floats across the room from where Sophie’s mum is holding her in her arms as my mum presses her fingertip to her nose and makes a beep sound over and over. The delight in all of their eyes makes my heart clench. Bailey, meaning officer of justice, is our little sweet girl who always has a smile for everyone. She’s so much like Sophie. Her hair started off dark when she was born, but it’s turning lighter. I think she’ll end up blonde like her mama.
My father, although it doesn’t feel right calling him that after everything, hasn’t asked after Bailey once. It makes the blood in my veins boil. If he’d wanted to be sent pictures and to see how she’s doing, then Sophie and I would have sent them. We were never planning to stop him from playing some kind of role in her life. But he ruined any chance of that a long time ago. Maddy is the only one who speaks to him on occasion now. He’s living in Morocco and working as a private security guard. He already has a new girlfriend.
As long as it stops him from interfering with our lives, I don’t care what the hell he does.
“First six months as a daddy,” Tanner comments as he passes me the two candles to put in the cake.
I survey the mound of light gray frosting on the elephant-shaped cake and opt for sticking one candle in the end of its trunk and one in its back.
“Sure is.” I can’t stop my grin.
“You know the party and the cake are for you and Sophie though, right? Because you survived.”
I glance up at his profile. The tired lines at the corners of his eyes deepen as he smiles over at Rachel, whose legs are being tugged on by their two boys as she talks to Dax and Logan. Rose is crouching with Halliday, both talking animatedly withRuby, whose dark hair is sticking up on the back of her head from where she was just napping on our sofa.
Her little hand reaches out to Halliday and she deposits what looks like a handful of cookie crumbs into her palm. Halliday beams at her like she’s been given a great gift. I’m glad she’s made it over for an extended visit. Sophie’s missed her since she decided to stay in New York permanently.
I guess you never know what destiny has planned.
“Ruby still not sleeping through the night?”
“She’s up at least twice every night.” Tanner yawns. “I slept in her bed last night and put her in with Rach. It’s the only way anyone gets any rest in our house. She’s the smallest, but she runs the place.”
I chuckle and Tanner narrows his eyes at me.
“Your two still sleeping through?”
“Ten hours in a row.”
I grin as he grumbles.
“It’s been a week. We just got lucky. But I intend to enjoy it while it lasts.”
“You do that.”
“Hey, one of us has to be getting a full night’s sleep in the office. Why not me?” I wink at him and clap a hand on his shoulder as Sophie walks over to join us.
“Look what Chelsea just sent me.” She holds out her phone and shows us both a video of a baby crawling. “She just started doing it. Isn’t that cute?”
“Does she sleep through the night too?” Tanner mumbles.
Sophie bites her lower lip, her eyes sparkling. “I know… we’re that couple that everyone hates with not one, but two babies that sleep. But until last week, I swear we were up every three hours, weren’t we?”
I wrap my arm around her waist and kiss her temple.
“We sure were.”
I look at Tanner with newly acquired empathy. I love every second with the babies, day or night. But fuck me, the tiredness can be brutal. And he’s been doing it a lot longer than me.
“I’m going to the bathroom and then we can do the cake, okay?” Sophie reaches up to kiss me on the lips.
My eyes fall to her perfect ass as she walks away. I chew on my lower lip for a minute as I scan the room. Everyone is occupied, busy in their own little pockets of conversations. I lower my voice and incline my head toward Tanner.
“I need to fetch a lighter. Back in a minute.”
“There’s one here.” He holds the plastic stick up in his hand.
