Page 26 of Tinsel in Telluride

Holt crosses the path and bumps my shoulder with his fist as he makes his way to one of the free chairs by the fire. “Yeah, what happened to bros before hoes?”

“Watch your fucking mouth,” I snap. Leigh might be the sniper holding the rifle zeroed in on my life, but she’s still possibly the mother of my child.

“No, but seriously.” Bash takes a long pull from the bottle. “Does this mean I can bring home the sweet little German girl from the slopes? Or do I have to have a baby with her for that privilege?”

His sarcasm lifts a slight weight from my chest. Bash’s joking means we’ll be okay. Not that he’s going to let me off easily, but it tells me he’ll at least hear me out. Holt will follow suit.

My brother offers a wicked I-told-you-so grin. “On that note, I’ll grab another bottle of tequila.”

Cheeky bastard.

CHAPTER SEVEN

LEIGH

The pre-dawn light filters through the tiny guest house and bounces off the too cheery Christmas decorations I’m assuming Luca added around the guesthouse.

If he wasn’t such an asshole, it might be sweet.

I peer into the spare bedroom where Zach is still sleeping soundly, squeezing his stuffed horse.

My heart flutters in the way it can only do now that I’m a mother. It’s a blessing and a curse, really. With it comes the realization that he’s growing into an amazing kid, but also that each day is one closer to him being grown up. I never understood what my mother meant when she used to tell me I’d always be her baby.

Now I do.

He’ll always be the little boy who made me a mom.

But now I might have to share him.

With Luca, of all people.

My brow furrows and anxiety replaces the flutter in my chest as I replay his reaction to finding out Zach might not be his last night.

The whole night could’ve gone better.

It also could’ve gone worse.

So much worse.

I’d be lying if I said Luca’s anger didn’t catch me off guard. I thought he’d be happy to find out there’s a possibility he could keep his bachelor lifestyle. He’s the face of Donati Brothers Investments and Monarchs baseball. Every day is a game or grand opening of a new property or club. None of which is conducive to being a family man.

My thoughts drift to Willow’s dad. He lived for the Renegades, and his daughter paid the price. Not that she didn’t love going to the field, but it wasn’t exactly the family dynamic she dreamed of.

It’s not what I had growing up. A home filled with two loving parents who would do anything and everything to make me smile. I was the center of their world, just like Zach is mine.

The ache that returns every time I think of my parents slithers through me. Tears prick the corner of my eyes, and I swallow hard past the lump of emotion in my throat.

I really freaking miss them.

They would know what to do here.

My mom would tell me family is the most important thing, and my dad would remind me to listen to my mom.

They would have loved Zach.

And probably still hate Luca for everything he did to me.

But they would put Zach first.

---