Page 112 of The Fake Out

We had hired Lily to do our books at the shop, and she was so awesome at it that Blaise hired her to be his personal accountant. We had become close friends over the past several months. I still felt like her marriage crumbling was my fault, but she always reminded me that Seth had done both of us dirty. She was a sweet girl, and I might have been trying to matchmake her with one of Blaise’s teammates. She deserved someone who would treat her right. I had my happily ever after, and I wanted her to get hers too.

She sighed. “Do you know what it’s like having to move back in with your passive-aggressive mother after getting pregnant, married, and now in the middle of a nasty divorce?”

I cringed as I bounced Rosie in my arms.

Lily sighed again. “Sorry, didn’t mean to unload on you. I got into another fight with my mom on the way over here.”

“Lil, you know—”

She held up her hand. “V, I’m so grateful for how much you and Blaise help me, but I’m not moving in with you.”

I frowned.

Blaise and I had talked about that a lot. I felt awful about Lily’s situation, and Blaise was such a big brother, he couldn’t stand to see Lily and Rosie struggle. We had three empty bedrooms, but Lily’s pride got in the way.

“The offer still stands, you know.”

She gave me a sad smile. “I know, but I’m fine. Right, Rosie? We’ll figure it out.”

The baby cooed at me and yanked on my hair again.

“Rosie!” Lily scolded and took her baby back.

I didn’t mind, though; I loved Rosie. Between her and Logan’s nephew Liam, my biological clock screamed at me, ‘make a baby, already!’ I hadn’t expressed that to Blaise yet because I just moved into his house last week. We talked about wanting kids, but I didn’t think we were ready yet.

“How was the move?” Lily asked.

“Good. It’s nice when your boyfriend’s one of six because you can rope in big strong hockey players into helping you move all your stuff.”

Lily laughed. “Remind me to enlist your boyfriend whenever I have to move again.”

I beamed. “I can arrange that.”

“Where’s Blaise?”

“Outside on the deck tending the barbecue,” I explained.

Blaise planned this get-together as a housewarming party since he never had one when he moved in, but he said it was official now that I was moved in, too. Plus, training camp started soon, and then it would be pre-season, and then I’d lose that hunk of a man for days at a time when the new season kicked off. It was one last hurrah before it all got underway.

“Come on,” I told her and walked outside onto the rooftop deck, only to stop in my tracks at seeing my hot boyfriend holding Liam.

“What’s wrong?” Lily asked.

I grimaced. “I have really bad baby fever.”

She tipped back her head and laughed. “Oh, you can keep mine tonight if you want so you can get zero sleep.”

I watched Blaise as he listened intently to whatever Liam was saying to him. Logan smiled, grateful for a slight break. Blaise ruffled Liam’s shock of red hair and set him down when he saw me coming outside. He strode over to us, and Rosie grabbed for him.

He smiled as he took the baby, holding her against his chest.

Ow, my heart. I couldn’t wait to see him hold our baby like that. The very nonexistent one.

“Hey, thanks for coming, Lil,” Blaise said to her and then bounced the baby in his arms. “And for bringing this little stinker. Who’s Uncle Blaise’s favorite?”

I had to put a hand over my chest at the sight of this big broody hockey player baby-talking and holding the tiny girl in his arms. God, if that was our future, I could not wait.

Blaise bent down to kiss my cheek. “Hey, sweets.”