Page 54 of His Surrender

“I’ve never seen this many women ignore us at the same time,” Sawyer quips.

“They’re not ignoring us.” Colton gestures toward the living room. “They’ve forgotten we exist.”

I laugh. “Probably.”

Sawyer claps his hands together. “Okay.”

Everyone looks at him.

“I’ve heard the story.” He points toward me. “They haven’t.”

Every conversation stops.

Ten pairs of eyes turn toward me.

I suddenly wish I had another week before this conversation.

Roman notices my hesitation. “Dean?”

I let out a slow breath. “It’s … a long story.”

Walker settles onto the couch. “We’ve got nowhere else to be.”

Jessie gently rocks Liana as she smiles at me. “Start wherever you’re comfortable.”

I look around the room.

At the people who’ve become my family over the last decade. People who’ve celebrated promotions and milestones with me. Now they are meeting the most important person in my life.

I glance at Liana. She yawns dramatically before nestling deeper into Jessie’s shoulder.

A smile tugs at my lips. “I found out I was a father exactly four weeks ago.”

The room falls completely silent.

Then, for the next twenty minutes, I tell them everything.

By the time the story has been told and the last question answered, it’s nearly ten. The apartment looks like a family actually lives here.

Empty glasses sit scattered across the coffee table. Half-eaten desserts occupy every available inch of the kitchen island. Someone—I’m fairly certain Colton—left a bottle cap on my floor.

I don’t even care.

An hour ago, Kylie quietly whisked Liana away for her bedtime bottle after I showed her where everything was. Twenty minutes after taking her, Kylie returns alone with the baby monitor in her hand.

“She’s out,” she announces proudly.

Jessie laughs. “I knew you couldn’t resist getting those bedtime snuggles.”

Kylie shrugs unapologetically. “I miss this stage.”

Now everyone is spread throughout the living room, talking over one another, as if this has always been my life.

Walker and Lincoln are arguing about football.

Melissa and Eva are laughing at something Kayla said.

Sawyer is unsuccessfully trying to convince Roman that changing one diaper officially qualifies him as an experienced uncle.