Page 67 of Bad Boy for Hire
“Yes, exactly. Except for the goo part.” Lou wrinkled her nose.
But May wasn’t through having a revelation. “Receiving that wedding invitation shook me to my core.”
“That would have shaken anyone,” Lou said. “We’re not supposed to keep running into our exes after we leave them. At the prospect of attending an event with their ex’s entire family, who wouldn’t have been shaken?”
May nodded, a lump in her throat forming. “I didn’t expect to have a baby and also be alone.”
“You’re not alone.” Lou’s voice was firm. “I’m not going anywhere. Ant would take a bullet for you. Elliott, Brady, Lisa. Xavier asked Ant to build him a crib. That doesn’t sound like he’s running scared.”
“If he was serious.”
“If,” Lou repeated.
Xavier watched a group of guys race around the stage to set up for Knight Time. One was testing the guitars, the other setting up the drums. Yet another was running back and forth, looking as if he had no clue what to do next. It had been confirmed that the band would take the stage next, Asher Knight included. The Cove could breathe easier now. They were in for a good show.
Ant approached and handed Xavier a plastic cup filled with beer. “I was wondering something.”
“What’s that?”
“Were you serious about the crib?”
Xavier took a long drink before he answered.
“I have a tight schedule this fall. Friends are priority. You’re my friend. If you were serious, you’re priority.”
“Thanks for spelling that out for me.”
Ant watched him, stone-faced.
“Yes.” Xavier clapped a palm on Ant’s shoulder. “I was serious about the crib.”
“What are you going to do with it?”
“I plan on putting a baby in it.”
Ant chuckled before taking a drink of his own beer. They stood in silence and watched the roadies finish setting up. After about five minutes had passed, he spoke again.
“What I meant was where are you planning on putting the crib? Are you going to have a nursery at your house? Or is this a gift for May? Or are you two planning on cohabitating at some point?”
“Jesus. Third degree.”
“Let me guess, you haven’t thought that far ahead?”
“I have thought that far ahead.” With his ex, things had crumbled without warning. May mentioning she was pregnant had also come without warning, but at least they had plenty of time to keep things together between now and when the baby was born. Which made him feel as if he had some control in this situation.
“I have a big house,” Xavier said. “Plenty of space. It would make sense to have the crib at my place. And it would make sense if May was living there with me.”
They’d spent the most nights at his place anyway. Her moving in made sense. The other night, when she’d been asleep next to him in his bed, he’d decided that she might as well live there. They’d see each other more often, and it would save her from having to pack a bag every time she came over.
“Did you tell May she’s moving in?”
“It’s something we’ll talk about eventually.”
“Like after the crib’s built?” Ant’s forehead wrinkled.
“I don’t want her to worry about the details. She has enough going on what with growing a human being in her belly. I’m handling it. We have time.”
Only lately, he was starting to feel as if he was running out of time. The clock was ticking on several things in his life. The app launch had a lot of moving parts, and the staffing issue at Salty Dog wasn’t going to resolve itself. Plus, the baby was coming whether he and May were ready or not.
