Baby Makes Three Read online

  “… Okay,” Jack said.

  “And you’re single,” Lane said. “Get it?”

  Jack got it, but he also knew he didn’t want it.

  “If he’s only going to be here for one day, what’s the point?” Jack asked.

  “Well, either you can have a little no-strings fun, or you can make him want to come back,” Lane said. “I thought it’d be perfect. You’ve been in such a funk since breaking things off with Hunter.”

  “So you arranged to have Roman bring his single friend by?” Jack asked dryly.

  “Well…” Lane pouted. “I thought you might benefit. He was going to do it anyway, but…”

  Jack looked across the property at Roman and Eric. Eric looked to be about Roman’s age — somewhere in his early to mid-thirties. He had dark hair, a strong jaw, and the kind of eyes that told Jack he’d be trouble.

  Trouble wasn’t something Jack was looking for.

  At least, not that kind.

  He tucked his phone into his pocket and tried not to think about how problematic it was that he was turning down a perfectly good hookup with a stunning guy for a straight man who lived all the way across the country and who was getting married in a few weeks.

  I really am a lost cause, aren’t I?

  Roman headed up the porch steps and Lane was quick to greet him. As Roman and Lane kissed, maybe a little too passionately to be appropriate, Eric sidestepped around them and approached where Jack sat.

  “Hey,” Eric said. “Name’s Eric. You one of Roman’s friends?”

  “Yeah,” Jack said. He glanced toward the couple. “Originally Lane’s friend, but all of us get along.”

  Eric held out his hand. He wore fingerless gloves. “Nice to meet you.”

  Jack shook it. “Nice to meet you, too.”

  There was no spark. Eric was attractive, but Jack just wasn’t feeling him. Judging by the unimpressed look on Eric’s face, Eric felt the same way.

  What a relief.

  Jack checked his phone for messages. There were none. California was three hours behind North Carolina, but the time difference had never stopped Craig from texting before. Jack wondered if something was wrong.

  “Hey, Jack,” Roman said once he was done with Lane. Jack looked up. Lane’s cheeks were pink and his eyes were glossy in the lovey-dovey way they got whenever he was close to Roman. Jack was beginning to feel very out of place. “How are things going with you?”

  “Fine,” Jack lied. “Kind of boring day, to be honest.”

  “You want to go out and do something with Eric, Lane, and me?” Roman asked. “We were thinking about riding in the mountains.”

  “Oh. No. But thank you.” Jack rose. The wicker creaked as he did. “You guys have fun, okay? I’m going to go home and take care of some laundry.”

  Lane wasn’t so far gone that he missed what Jack was doing. His eyes narrowed and he fixed Jack with an accusatory stare. Jack shrugged a single shoulder and parted ways from the trio. Lane could try to hook him up all he wanted, but he wasn’t ready. A rebound wasn’t what he needed.

  Shaking Craig was going to take some time. No one was going to force him to move on before he was ready.

  “I can’t believe that you ditched us like that,” Lane lamented. He slouched over Jack’s kitchen table, deflated. “He was hot, Jack.”

  “I didn’t feel a connection,” Jack said simply. He set a glass of wine before Lane, then set the rest of the bottle on the table. Since Lane had married Roman, it wasn’t often that he came over for late night wine anymore. It was the first time he’d ever come over to vent about something that Jack himself had done.

  “Who cares about connections?” Lane asked.

  “Uh.” Jack shot him a look. “You? You were head over heels for Roman since day one.”

  “That’s… that’s not the same,” Lane mumbled. He sipped his wine, then sighed. “I guess I just want to see you happy, you know? Everyone else is matched up now. Brad and Dylan, me and Roman… what’s so bad about Eric?”

  “Nothing’s bad about him. I’m sure he’s a nice guy. He just wasn’t the guy for me.”

  Jack did feel like the odd man out, but there was no way he could tell Lane about what he felt for Craig. Lane would cock a brow, lean forward with his knowing little smirk, and lay into Jack like it was his business to police who Jack fell for.

  All of them knew Craig was straight. Jack knew it.

  It was only his heart that didn’t.

  “You’re seeing someone secretly,” Lane accused.

  Jack sat up a little straighter. “No.”

  “You’re uncomfortable!” Lane’s eyes widened, then narrowed with suspicion. “Who is it? It’s not Hunter again, is it? You know he’s bad news, Jack.”

  “No, it’s not Hunter. It’s no one. I just don’t feel like being with someone right now.” Jack lifted his glass of wine by the stem and give himself a few seconds to pull his thoughts together. Lane smelled blood and he wasn’t going to stop until he knew where it was coming from. Jack had to throw him off the trail. “Last I heard, Hunter was seeing some teacher…”

  “Oh my god.” Lane clamped a hand over his mouth. “Is he seeing my ex?”

  “I don’t know.” Jack shrugged. He had no clue at all what Hunter was doing with his life, but a little lie was worth it if it meant Lane would quit bugging him about being single for a while. “Maybe. I try to stay out of it.”

  “I can’t believe it.” Lane seethed. “It’s just… ugh. Gross.”

  Jack snickered. “You’re married.”

  “Doesn’t mean that I don’t want the best for the men who weren’t the right fit for me,” Lane said. He drained his wineglass and set it on the table with a clink. “I can’t believe that’s going on. Ick. Brett deserves so much better.”

  “Ouch?” Jack laughed uncomfortably. “I dated Hunter on and off for years.”

  “And every time you broke up I was always quick to tell you that you deserved better, too.” Lane pointed an accusatory finger in Jack’s direction. “Don’t tell me that I didn’t.”

  Jack frowned. “All right. Maybe you did.”

  “Mmhm. So don’t even try to tell me I’m not looking out for you, or whatever it is you think.” Lane reached for the bottle of wine and helped himself to another glass. “Maybe I should text him.”

  “Text who?”

  “Brett.” Lane set the bottle down. It hit the table with a thunk and Lane winced. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to set it down like that. Guess I’m getting a little too worked up.”

  It was time to start backpedaling before Lane took things too far. Jack sipped his wine, trying to act casual. “I don’t know for sure if that’s what’s even happening. I try not to follow what Hunter’s up to.”

  “Good,” Lane said. “I guess I’ll have to go home and do some Facebook stalking. If Brett’s getting involved with him, it’s my duty to let him know what he’s getting into.”

  “I won’t be offended if you want to leave now,” Jack said. If he could get Lane to go, Lane would forget all about how Jack had turned down his attempt at matchmaking and life would go on as normal.

  “What, and skip out on this wine?” Lane winked. “Not on your life.”

  There wasn’t much Jack could do about it. Lane was his landlord, but Lane was also his friend. It ate at Jack that he couldn’t share his problems, but he knew exactly what Lane would say.

  You’re getting yourself worked up over a straight boy? A straight boy who’s getting married? Really?

  Jack didn’t need more dissent in his life. He already knew he’d erred by falling for Craig, but it wasn’t like he’d done it on purpose.

  “Hey, hey now,” Lane said. He reached across the table and grabbed Jack’s wrist. “Don’t look sad. I won’t drink all the wine.”

  Jack blinked and did his best to reel his emotions back in. Most of the time he was the stoic one in the group, the cool, sometimes snarky voice of reason that pulled everyone back
together. It was Jack’s poker face that had conned Lane into meeting up with Roman so Roman could make things right between them, and it was Jack’s poker face that was going to get him out of this situation.

  “I know.” Jack smirked and stole Lane’s wineglass from him. He lifted it to his lips and downed half of it in one go as Lane cried out in protest. “See?”

  “Not cool,” Lane grumbled.

  Jack shrugged. “My wine, my wineglass, my rented half of the duplex.”

  “You’re renting it from me,” Lane argued.

  “Details.”

  As long as he kept a straight face, no one would need to know that he was hurting for a man he couldn’t have. Jack would rather suffer in silence than get ribbed for his rebellious heart.

  The rest of the night was spent enjoying too much wine and reassuring Lane that Brett wasn’t in harm’s way. Hunter, Jack guessed, wouldn’t go after a teacher anyway.

  Hunter was all about money. Jack only wished he’d seen it sooner.

  “Well,” Lane said once the bottle of wine was drained. “Guess I should start heading home before Roman sends out a search party.”

  “He wouldn’t have to search far,” Jack jabbed. “I’m pretty sure if you ever went missing, all of us would start to search for you in the other duplex units. Besides my place, Dylan’s place, and your studio, I don’t think there are very many other places you go.”

  “I hate how right you are.” Lane stretched and stood. Jack walked him from the kitchen and to the door. “Do you want me to text you about what I find out about Brett and Hunter? If our exes hook up, through the intrinsic property, it’s like we’re together, too.” Lane made a face. “Gross.”

  “You can text me, but before you get too grossed out, I’m pretty sure the intrinsic property doesn’t work that way.”

  “Eh. It works that way close enough.” Lane opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. “Night, Jack. Hope you feel better soon.”

  “I…” Jack squared his shoulders. It looked like his poker face wasn’t good enough. “Thanks. I’ll see you a little later. Take care.”

  Lane waved, then closed the door. Jack locked it behind him, then sighed and retreated to his bedroom. Craig hadn’t sent him a single text since yesterday. Jack had wanted to move on after Craig got married, but by the looks of it, Craig was going to get a head start by ghosting on him.

  It was probably for the best.

  As Jack stripped and climbed into bed, his phone buzzed with a message. Heart racing, he plucked it from the bedside table where it charged only to discover that it was an update from Lane.

  Brett and Hunter aren’t dating!! 85% sure.

  Jack left the message unanswered. He set his phone down again.

  How miserable was he, waiting for a text from a man who’d never think of him in the same way?

  Pretty miserable.

  Jack closed his eyes and went to sleep, but it was restless. He was in way too deep.

  5

  Craig

  The envelope in Craig’s hand was crisp and rigid. He held it gingerly, like the slightest bit of pressure might cause it to wrinkle. He didn’t want that. What it contained was far too precious to be defaced.

  He closed the condo door and made his way down the hall. The living room it led to stretched the entire length of his property, the entire back wall made of tinted windows that overlooked Los Angeles from above. Even without his grandfather’s inheritance, Craig was well off. He’d made a name for himself early and he’d used the resources available to him in order to see the profits he made swell.

  In the living room, laid out across his couch, was Cecilia. He spotted a lock of her long hair over the arm of the couch.

  “Craig?” she asked. She didn’t sit up.

  “It’s me,” Craig said. “I just got back from the lab.”

  “And?” The lock of hair pulled up as Cecilia sat. “What does it say?”

  Craig stepped around the couch so he was facing her. She wore a black, sleeveless turtleneck and dark wash skinny jeans. Even when she dressed casually, she was stunning. They made a handsome couple in photographs, but the last few days had been a special kind of emotional hell that Craig wasn’t equipped to deal with.

  “Isaac is my biological son.” He held the envelope out to her. “The results are 99.9 percent accurate.”

  Cecilia looked at the envelope with disgust. She stood, and as she did, her gaze turned to Craig. It didn’t sweeten. “So what? You’re going to pay Synthia child support and give her full custody, right? Throw some money at her sister to get her to keep him. We have a wedding coming up in a few weeks.”

  “Isaac is my son,” Craig repeated, emphasizing the words so they sank in. “I’m going to take care of him.”

  “We have a no-children-allowed policy at the wedding,” Cecilia argued. “That means him, too.”

  Craig looked at her — really looked at her. Cecilia was pretty and slight, and her face was sweet and innocent, but there was an ogre lurking behind her eyes that Craig hadn’t seen before.

  “I didn’t do this on purpose, you know,” Craig said. He couldn’t stop his voice from sounding strained. Why did Cecilia feel it was her place to punish him like this? Isaac didn’t have anything to do with her. “It wasn’t like I planned this to hurt you. Isaac was an accident and now I’ve got to step up and take responsibility. If anything, you should be proud of me.”

  “Proud of you?” Cecilia clenched her fists. Her hands were so tiny that they didn’t look very intimidating. The diamond on her left ring finger sparkled. “Proud of you for what? For being reckless? For throwing away the rest of your future for some… some tramp?”

  “Synthia is not a tramp.” Craig said each word slowly to make sure the message sunk in. “She was my girlfriend for two years. She wasn’t some random hookup or a drunken mistake.”

  “I feel like I don’t even know who you are anymore,” Cecilia accused. Her fists trembled. “I feel like you’re this totally different person than the man who asked me to marry him.”

  “Why?” Craig set the envelope containing the paternity test results on the table. Cecilia had a wild look in her eyes, and if she was going to rush him he didn’t want it harmed. Anything that had to do with Isaac was precious to him now. “Because of a past relationship you knew about? Because all of a sudden I come with a kid?”

  “No. I—” She scowled. “Actually, you know what? It’s not worth it to have this conversation with you. I feel like I’ve been talking and talking while you’ve held your ears closed. I’m done.”

  “You’re done?” Craig asked, distrustful of her meaning.

  “Done.” Cecilia took a step forward. She brought her hands up, and for a second Craig was sure she was about to hit him, but instead she wrested the ring from her finger and tossed it at him. He flinched and caught it out of reflex. “As in I’m not marrying you and all the baggage you come with. You’re a trainwreck, Craig. You and your family and your stupid baby are a trainwreck.”

  Craig didn’t know what to say.

  “So I’m done. I’m going to pack my things and go live with my parents until I find a place to stay, and after that I’ll be having movers come in to take what belongs to me from this stupid condo.” Cecilia took a broad step backward and almost toppled onto the couch. She corrected herself with a wild swing of her arms, then glared at him like it was his fault she’d tripped.

  At this point, Craig wouldn’t have been surprised if she genuinely believed it.

  “I hope your welfare baby is worth it.” Cecilia rounded the couch and headed for their shared bedroom. “You lost a damn fine woman because of it.”

  The bedroom door slammed. Craig stared at it for a few moments.

  He found he was relieved.

  Cecilia breaking up with him like that was a huge weight off his shoulders. Deep down he’d been dreading the marriage, and imagining life next to a woman who had become so twisted inside felt like a prison sen
tence. Now he didn’t have to worry. Cecilia was gone and he was free.

  Craig looked down at the ring, shrugged, and pocketed it. In his opinion, Isaac was worth it. It had been hardly more than twenty-four hours since he’d found out that he was a father, but Craig was already eager to see what being a dad was all about. Much more eager than he was to say, “I do.”

  Once Cecilia was gone and he had the locks changed, he could move Isaac in. Until everything got settled with Cecilia’s abrupt departure it was going to be a little crazy, but Craig was prepared to deal with it. For a while it would just be him and his little man, learning about each other and bonding like they’d never had a chance to before. Craig approached the windows and looked down over downtown Los Angeles. Up here it was quiet and calm. There was proper security. He could raise a baby all on his own in a place like this.

  Isaac was going to grow up to be a fantastic man.

  Brimming with hope, Craig slid his hands into his back pockets and surveyed the world below. Rushing cars. Backed up traffic. Thousands of lives passing his by without even realizing it. And in all the world, and all the billions of lives in it, only one of them mattered. Isaac. Craig would protect him until the end.

  Cecilia left without breaking any doors or screaming at him. Craig considered that a win. He saw her out the door, closed it and locked it behind her, then returned to the living room to think things through. Isaac was staying with Nadine until he had a stable place for him to live. Nadine would be able to keep him for a few days max, but she wasn’t properly equipped to care for a baby. Not in the way Craig could be.

  So what was the first step?

  Babyproofing the condo?

  Craig knew nothing about kids, and he knew even less about being a father. His own childhood had been spent doted on by nannies and ferried across the city to attend private lessons or to meet up with the playdates his parents thought best suited his station in life.

  That wasn’t how Craig wanted it to be for Isaac. No one was going to raise his son but himself, Synthia, and whatever partners came into their lives.