She’s shy, like Sophie, but she smiles proudly. “Lily. After my favorite flower!”
“Oh my gosh…” My eyes widen. “I love that!”
“We do too,” Sophie says, rubbing her belly. “Hopefully, they grow up and are as close as the three of us are.”
Lennon comes over and hugs Sophie, then grabs my hand. “They will be.”
“All of our kids will be as long as the three of us are together,” I say, squeezing her hand.
Sophie smiles. “Always.”
Hours later, it’s finally quiet when it’s just Tobias and me. I told Liam to take Tyler home so he can sleep in his own bed and to come back in the morning.
“Should we FaceTime your uncle Tyler?” I ask him quietly. “I think he’d really like to meet you.”
I hit the button on my phone and beam when I see his face. “Hi,” I whisper. “There’s someone new here.”
Tyler smiles. “Really? Let me see!”
I turn the camera around so he can see him. He’s sleeping peacefully on my chest.
“He’s beautiful, Mads.”
I turn the camera back. “Thank you. I wish you were still here.” I pout, sticking out my lower lip.
Tyler chuckles, then we’re interrupted by a feminine voice in the background. “Hey, Ty—” The dark-haired beauty behind him stops in her tracks. “Oh, sorry, didn’t realize you were on the phone.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be off in a minute,” he tells her.
Once she leaves, Tyler turns toward me.
I raise both my brows. “Excuse me, who is that?”
He rolls his eyes. “It’s not what you think. Her dad is my new boss.”
I lower my voice. “Gemma?”
Tyler nods once.
“Oh. Em. Gee,” I whisper. I managed to pry some info out of him over the years but just the basics. Gemma was his sister Everleigh’s best friend growing up, and now he’s working for her dad. He had a secret crush on her, but he’s “too old,” and after he joined the Army and moved away, he tried to forget about how he felt but has never been able to—well, that’s what I got out of his not-so-easy to read between the lines. But I’m pretty good at putting things together. Now I’m guessing he’ll play that ‘I’m not good enough for her card’ because of his past and record. I’ll be changing his mindset if I can help it. “The plot thickens.”
He groans, brushing a hand through his hair. “There’s no plot. We’re…friends.”
I snort and nod. “Yeah, I remember when Liam said that for years, too. Good luck with that.” I smirk.
“For someone who just gave birth, you’re awfully energized.”
“Don’t change the subject,” I tease. “So when are you gonna ask her out?”
“Jesus.” He blows out a breath. “I gotta go, Mads.”
“You liar! You’re just trying to get rid of me.”
Tyler smirks. “I’d never.”
“I want details, you hear me? Text me all the juiciness.”
He scrunches his nose. “I think you’ve confused me for one of your gossipy girlfriends again.”
I narrow my eyes, trying to persuade him anyway. “Liam and I won’t be able to have sex for six weeks. I need your dating life to hold me over.”
“Maddie, I didn’t enjoy hearing you guys in the next room for three weeks, so I most definitely don’t enjoy hearing you talk about it.”
“Geez, you’re so dramatic.”
“If you want a girl to gossip with, I’ll give you my sister’s number.”
“Really?” I perk up. “Good. She’ll tell me all the details of your love life.”
“Shit. I really shot myself in the foot by saying that. Never mind. My sister doesn’t have a phone.”
“I gave birth today, but I wasn’t born today. So nice try.”
“Quit hassling the man,” Liam’s voice comes from the door, and I nearly jump in shock.
“What are you doing here? Where’s Tyler?” I panic, but Liam comes over and presses a kiss to my forehead.
“Relax. My dad is sleeping over. I didn’t want you two to be alone.”
“Aww…” Tyler singsongs. “You two are disgustingly adorable.”
“Dude.” Liam looks at the phone. “How are things down in the South?”
“Fuckin’ hot, that’s what.” He groans. “Especially in the garage.”
“Hey, no bad language around the baby!” The moment the words come out of my mouth, I laugh to myself. There were so many times Lennon scolded me for the same thing when I’d slip around Alison and Aaron.
“How are the new jobs going?” Liam asks. Tyler put his car knowledge to good use and is a mechanic in his old hometown. He also works part-time at a gym, doing what he does best and trains people how to box.
“Not bad. Keeps my mind occupied, which I like, and off other things.”
“Like Gemma…” I whisper with a grin.
“No, like the mafia princess who put me in prison,” he retorts sternly.
“Tyler, you better not be thinking what I think you are,” Liam states firmly.
He just shrugs. “I really do have to go, though.”
“We love you!” I tell him. “Please call me soon. You know I’ll be bored on maternity leave!”