Page 131 of The Trouble with Flings

“You never said anything about spoiling its mama.” As I pull her into a kiss, a collective “Aw” rises from the girls, and one of the guys shouts, “Way to suck up, bro!”

Everyone cracks up, and then time moves in a blur as the girls tug Jennifer into their fold, chattering about the gender reveal, and the guys hang with me.

Wells slings an arm around my neck. “Congratulations, Fitz. You had to beat me at something, didn’t you?”

I can’t stop grinning. The outpouring of love feels surreal.

“You’re going to be a great dad, bro,” Grant says.

“Thanks.”

Archer slams a hand against my back hard enough to dislodge a lung. “Another Silver baby. Guess I’d better get started on my family. Can’t let you boys show me up.”

“Congratulations, Fitz,” Jamison says. “Yours is a far more significant win than mine.”

“Yours?” I ask.

He holds up the gold key.

“What? You got the key?” Wells shouts, getting everyone’s attention. “Bastard!”

As the rest of us cheer for him, Bellamy shouts, “No! That trip will be wasted on you! You’ll analyze your destination instead of enjoying it!”

Jamison cocks a brow. “You clearly don’t know me very well.”

She gives him a deadpan look. “Ever heard of an open book? You’ve been the same person since you were a kid. You’re more interested in stars than in life, and I don’t mean celebrities.”

Jamison just chuckles and pockets the key.

My father stands at the edge of the group, waiting for the excitement to settle. Once everyone’s said their piece, he finally heads over wearing a big-ass smile.

“A baby, huh?” he says.

“Yeah. Sorry for the way we announced it. We were going to tell the family in private over brunch, but I guess Jen got a little too comfortable with Mom and the others.”

He chuckles. “That’s a good thing. I’m thrilled that you’re having a baby. I mean, you kids are our greatest accomplishment.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“There is no greater joy than watching your kids grow up. No greater heartache, either, when they’re in a bad way. You’ll feel it, right here.” He pats his hand over his heart.

“I already do,” I admit. “I think about Jennifer and the baby twenty-four-seven.”

“That’s good, son.” He slides a hand into his pocket. “How about Jennifer? Does her family know? Are they on board, or…?”

“We told them, and they were shocked, but they’re on board. They’re good people, Dad.”

“I know. Maddox wouldn’t have tied his company to Jace if they weren’t.”

“Right. Sorry.”

He studies me for a moment. “Do you love her, son?”

“Yes. So damn much, it’s painful.”

He grins. “That’s how you know it’s real. So, what now? Are you going to marry her?”

I look across the grass at Jennifer, surrounded by my sisters and the other girls, the mothers, and Lenore, and my heart beats a little faster. “If I’m lucky.”