Page 29 of Stick to the Deal
Though I’ll never admit it to Colin or the girls, I like the Irishman who earned my best friend’s heart. When he first showed up, I’d been suspicious, but he’s proven himself since then.
Not waiting for a reply—I have a reputation to maintain after all—I sweep down the hall to the living room. On the sofa, Bree sits in a pair of yoga pants and tank top, her wavy, chestnut hair loosely secured in a bun on her head. In her lap rests an open Tupperware container, and she’s shoveling forkfuls of pasta into her mouth and moaning between bites.
After depositing the other gifts on the floor, I turn to my friend. “Christ, Bree, careful of the white couch!” I lean down, kiss her cheek, and squeeze her shoulder.
Waving a fork at my words, Bree answers around another mouthful. “Kid’s already puked on it twice. Not to mention the blowout diapers.” She shudders, then returns to her food. “White couches and babies don’t mix.”
I flop onto the cushion next to her, leaning in to steal a hunk of sausage, only to have my hand stabbed. Laughing, I retreat. “How’s it going?”
“Good.” She chews and looks thoughtful. Like her husband, Bree sports dark circles under her eyes, but where Colin looked stressed, she radiates serenity. “She nurses every two hours like clockwork, so I spend most of my day right here.”
“So if you’re here, and Colin got the door, where’s the baby?”
“Anna’s changing her diaper so I can eat. While Riley supervises, of course.”
I glance around, only now realizing that Bree’s typical shadow, her Yorkie-mix dog, Riley, is absent. “How’s Riley taking the change? I know you were nervous since he’s so attached.”
She chuckles as she finishes another bite. “I think he’s more loyal to her than me at this point. He watches her sleep, even tried to climb into the bassinet with her!” Bree huffs and spears another sausage.
“All clean.” Anna emerges from the hallway, a wriggling pink blanket clutched to her chest. Bree moves to put her food down but Anna walks right past her to the recliner. “You, eat. I’ll cuddle baby Nora for a bit and give you a rest.”
I walk over for a better view. Nestled in the soft blush fabric rests a head haloed in rusty curls. Giant eyes, still a newborn blue, gaze up at Anna—who is making the most ridiculous faces. Nora’s little face scrunches up and her lips spread open, showing a gummy smile and a single divot on her chubby cheek.
“Look, she’s smiling!” Anna says between silly expressions.
“Pretty sure that’s just gas. Don’t you have a million little brothers? Why don’t you know that?” At my voice, the baby rolls her head and gives me a wide-eyed, open mouth stare. Sooty lashes blink slowly. Oh, this girl is going to be a heartbreaker.
Watching Irish lose his shit is going to be fantastic.
As if my thoughts summon him, Colin moves to stand behind his wife, resting a hand on her shoulder.
“Nice work, Irish.”
“Don’t look at me, it was all Bree.”
“Oh, I know. I meant good job not fucking it up.”
Bree squeezes her husband’s hand and looks up at him adoringly. “I think she’s our best product launch yet.”
As the Chief Product Officer and Chief Technology Officer for a top research and development firm, they’d know all about launches. They met when she was a project manager and he was an engineer exec working to launch a groundbreaking new device. Now they practically run the entire innovation branch of the company.
“Tell that to the gray hair coming in.” He shudders. “What can I get you,a ghrá?”
“I’m good. Go get some rest.” She holds her hand up as he opens his mouth. “The girls are here if I need anything. I’m taking a well-earned break between feedings. You should take one too.”
“Well, if you’re sure. I could go for a shower and a nap. Love you.” He drops a kiss to his wife’s head.
“Love you, too,” Anna and I say in unison as Colin heads towards the master bedroom shaking his head.
I flop back onto the couch next to Bree and grip her leg affectionately. “You did it. Look at you, mom. How are you doing, honestly?”
She takes a deep breath, sinking further into the cushions. “It’s the hardest, most exhausting thing I’ve ever done, but I just love her so much.” Her large cobalt eyes shimmer with tears. With a sniff and hard blink, Bree visibly pushes back the emotion. “So, what’s new with the two of you? How were your trips?”
“Oh my gracious,” Anna says, she slowly rocks in the recliner with Nora tucked against her chest, “baby cuddles are so addictive. Wait until you smell her head, Nic.” She buries her nose in the soft russet curls.
“You look like a crack addict, Anna.”
“You know what, if they could bottle this scent, we could solve the drug crisis.”
