Page 77 of Mr. Almost

“Better,” I say without hesitation. “She’s a little bit older and wiser, for sure. Her walls are higher, but I think that’s to be expected. I think I want her now more than I did then.”

“Is that because she’s the mother of your child?” Eli asks bluntly.

I smile as I shake my head. “No, now don’t get me wrong, knowing she and I made a human together is hot as hell, but it goes beyond that. I don’t know how to explain it, and even if I did, I don’t think you guys would understand until you meet the one.”

Brantley’s head whips toward me. “She’s the one?”

I nod. “One hundred and ten percent, without a doubt in my mind.”

Brantley whistles. “So you’ve fallen.”

“I have.”

“But has she?” Eli asks as we stop once again for Ari to do her thing.

I put my hands in my pockets. “After my mother and Victoria left the other day, Livvy came charging into my office, spitting mad.” I smile, thinking back on it. “She told me she wasn’t going to share Ari or me with another woman.”

Eli chuckles. “She laid her claim.”

I smirk. “She did, and I fucking loved it.”

“That doesn’t answer my question, though,” Eli points out.

“I think she’s as far gone for me as I am for her, but it’s different for her. She never hurt me the way I hurt her.” I raise my hand before either of them can say anything. “And yes, I know I didn’t actually hurt her myself, but still. The hurt is there. She’s scared, and until I can prove to her that I’m not going anywhere, I think she will be standing on the edge of the cliff, waiting to fall. Only if she does, I’ll be the one right there ready to catch her. I’m not going anywhere.”

Brantley shakes his head. “Better you than me, man. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with one woman.”

“I like the idea, I just haven’t met someone who makes me want to,” Eli confesses.

“It will happen when you least expect it,” I tell them confidently.

And it will. There’s a woman somewhere out there that will make Eli change his workaholic ways, and there’s one somewhere just waiting to reform Brantley’s playboy ways, and when it happens, I’ll be there for them like they are for me now.

“She’s pretty cool for a kid,” Brantley says, changing the subject.

Eli scoffs. “Like you know much about kids.”

Brantley raises a brow. “And you do?”

Eli shrugs. “I think I could take care of one better than you.”

“Bet.” Brantley turns toward me. “This weekend we have a homegame. How about I take Little Bit for a few hours and you can take her mother out?”

“You want to babysit?” I ask, full of disbelief.

He shrugs. “Why not?”

“I’m sorry, but no. You are my best friends and I trust you with my life, but Olivia doesn’t know you yet. Besides, neither of you have ever been around children. Do you even know how to take care of a four-year-old? What if she throws up on herself? Or gets cranky?”

“We can handle it, Mase.” Eli places his hand on my arm.

“We might not have experience, but we wouldn’t let anything happen to her,” Brantley adds.

I consider it for a moment.

“I want to say yes. I’d love to finally get Olivia on a real date with me, but I’m not sure she would agree. She doesn’t know you guys like I do. She was hesitant to let me have Arianna for the longest time. I don’t think she would go for it,” I admit.

“What about the friend? Chloe?” Eli asks.

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