Triplet Babies for the Billionaire (Happy Ever Alpha Daddies)

8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Noah

I wake up in the early light of the morning, my body still tangled in the sheets, and for a moment, everything feels strangely still.

But then the thoughts come rushing in, thoughts of Blossom.

Of her lips on mine, of the softness of her skin, the way she fits against me, the way her body feels under my touch.

I get out of bed, trying to shake the lingering images of the past few nights, trying to clear my head. A shower might help, I think, stepping into the bathroom and turning on the hot water.

The steam rises around me as I close my eyes, letting the water run over my skin. But even as I try to focus on the sensation of the water, my mind keeps drifting back to her, the way she looks at me, the way she makes me feel like I’m alive again, like I’m finally living .

I feel a tightening in my chest, an unsettling pull, but I try to ignore it. This is nothing. It’s just physical attraction, nothing more. I’ve been with women casually like this before, it’s nothing new.

But still...there’s something about Blossom. Something different. Every time I think about her, my mind starts to race, my heart quickens, and I wonder if I’m making the biggest mistake of my life by letting this continue.

I finish my shower quickly, trying to ground myself, but as I step out, the thoughts linger—those soft kisses, the feel of her in my arms. I shake my head, trying to fight the memories off.

As I get dressed, pulling on a clean shirt and buttoning it slowly, Whittney’s face drifts through my mind. The memory of her, always there, always looming, has been hard to escape.

She was everything to me.

My wife.

My partner.

My best friend.

We built this life together.

And now I’m here, with someone else.

Someone new.

Someone who makes me feel things I haven’t felt in years.

I feel a pang of guilt, sharp and sudden, like a stab to the chest.

How can I move on from her? How can I even think about someone else when Whittney’s memory is so present ?

She should be here. We should be sharing this life together.

And yet, here I am, tangled up in something with Blossom that feels like it could go somewhere I’m not ready for.

I remember the last time Whittney and I spoke about this, she told me, gently, with that smile of hers, that I needed to move on.

"You deserve happiness, Noah," she’d said, her hand weak in mine as she lay in the hospital bed. "Don’t wait for me. I’ll always be with you, but you need to live your life."

She had wanted me to be happy. She had wanted me to find someone else. But even knowing that, I still feel guilty.

Is it wrong to feel something for Blossom?

Am I betraying Whittney by even thinking about it?

I arrive at the hotel, the weight of the morning still pressing on me as I stroll through the bar. The air smells faintly of stale drinks and freshly polished wood. The staff is busy, but something feels off today.

As I approach the counter, I spot Courtney, who is standing behind it, visibly upset. Her hands are shaking, and she’s speaking loudly, causing a scene that’s starting to draw attention from the guests.

“What the hell is going on?” I mutter under my breath, moving toward her.

When she notices me, she looks up, her face flushed with anger. “Noah, this is bullshit!” she exclaims, her voice rising. “We’re not stupid! We know what’s going on!”

I feel my pulse quicken. What the hell is she talking about? The last thing I need today is drama in the bar. I step closer, trying to keep my voice even. “Courtney, calm down.”

Her eyes flash with irritation. “No. I’m not going to stand here and pretend that everything’s fine when we all know what’s happening between you and her .” She points at Blossom, who’s trying to keep her head down, clearly uncomfortable.

I don’t have time for this.

Grabbing Courtney’s arm, I pull her toward the back, away from the customers. “Come with me.”

I push open the door to the back room, dragging Courtney with me. I don’t care who sees. I need to nip this in the bud.

“Listen,” I start, my voice low but firm. “If you can’t control yourself out there, then you need to leave for the day. We don’t have time for this drama.”

Her face twists into a sneer. “You think you can just...ignore it, don’t you? Just act like no one’s going to say anything?” she snaps, her voice dripping with disdain.

I take a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I’m not ignoring anything, Courtney. I just don’t have time for your bullshit. Now, if you can’t handle things like a professional, go home.”

Her jaw tightens, and she looks ready to say something else, but instead, she picks up her apron and throws it on the floor. “Fine. You know Whittney wouldn’t approve of you going after the staff, right? She’d be disappointed in you.”

I freeze.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

My jaw clenches as I force myself to speak. “You’re out of your mind,” I say through gritted teeth. “Don’t ever bring her into a discussion like that again.”

She turns on her heel, throwing one last glance over her shoulder before storming out.

I stand there for a moment, the weight of her words settling over me.

She’s right, and I hate that she is.

But I can’t let her get to me.

I won’t.

I just need to focus on what matters.

But the sting of her words lingers in the back of my mind.

I get in the elevator and go up to the penthouse floor. I walk back and forth in my room, trying to unwind, but all I can think about is Courtney’s words. Whittney wouldn’t approve. The phrase keeps echoing in my head, and I can’t seem to shake the feeling that Courtney knows more than she’s letting on.

I’ve been careful. We’ve both been careful, or at least I thought we had.

How could she know?

Did someone see us?

Did the staff figure it out?

The thought of the whole hotel gossiping about my secret relationship with Blossom makes my stomach twist with anxiety.

Does everyone know?

I walk over to the minibar, pouring myself a drink, trying to clear my head, but it’s like the weight of the day keeps pressing on me. My thoughts keep spiraling, running in circles. How could Courtney know?

Just as I’m about to go crazy, there’s a knock at the door.

I freeze for a moment, then glance toward the door. I know who it is before I even open it.

Nicole.

I open the door, and Nicole rolls in with that knowing look on her face, her eyes scanning the room.

"Nice to see you’re not brooding in the corner," she teases, her voice light and easy, but I can tell she’s already got something on her mind.

I gesture for her to come in. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, you know,” she says casually, rolling her eyes. “I just overheard that you sent Courtney home. Apparently, that’s the hot topic among the staff today.”

I lean against the doorframe, letting out a sigh. “Great. As long as that’s the only thing they’re talking about.”

Nicole raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. “You sure? Because I’m pretty sure there’s something more interesting happening behind the scenes, don’t you think?”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing as she takes a step closer. “Come on, Noah. You really think I haven’t noticed the way you’ve been acting? I’m your sister. I can tell when something’s off. What’s going on with you and...who is it? Blossom?”

I stare at her, caught off guard. I didn’t think it was that obvious. But with Nicole, nothing stays a secret for long.

“Yeah,” I admit, the words slipping out before I can stop myself. “I’ve been...seeing her.”

Nicole laughs, shaking her head. “A dog, Noah,” she says, teasing. “You’re a dog. Sleeping with your newest employee? Classic.”

I wince at her bluntness. “Don’t make it sound like that.”

She shrugs, clearly amused. “Hey, I’m not judging. But you’re on your own with this one. Just don’t do anything stupid.” She pauses before adding with a grin, “Well, what am I saying? You already have.”

“It’s not a mess…I don’t think,” I argue, rubbing at my aching eyes.

She tilts her head to the side and looks at me for a moment. “Do you have feelings for her?” she asks me.

I blink at her for a moment. Do I? I’ve been warring with myself so hard lately that I don’t actually know the answer to that question.

“I might,” I temporize, not sure how to answer her.

She nods sagely. “Well, maybe you should examine that aspect of things and figure out how you feel. It’s not really fair to put Blossom in this position if you don’t care about her, you know?”

I nod. She’s right. I hate that she’s right, but she usually is.

“Sorry to be the bearer of bossy tidings,” she quips, and I smile at her in spite of the turmoil tumbling in my chest.

I shake my head. “My little sister, always being wiser than me.”

Nicole laughs as she exits, leaving me alone to stew over the mess I’ve made.

A few hours later, I walk downstairs to find Nicole chatting with Amy, Blossom’s best friend and fellow bartender. Amy has that spark about her, the kind of flirtatious energy that’s impossible to ignore.

Nicole’s laughing, leaning in a little too close to Amy as they share some joke.

Amy smiles back, her blue eyes glinting with something that looks a little too much like reciprocation.

I stop in my tracks, watching them. It’s strange seeing Nicole so...playful. She's always had a sharp, calculating edge, so seeing her in this light is a surprise. But what’s even stranger is the way Amy’s reacting to her. I can see the flirtation, the way Amy's leaning in slightly, smiling in a way that says she likes the attention.

It throws me off, more than I want to admit. It’s not like I care what happens between Nicole and Amy. Hell, they’re both adults, right?

But still, seeing them interact like this in the middle of the hotel, it bothers me.

So many things in my life are changing. I’m grappling with the fact that I’m changing, and here is yet more proof that change is in the air all around me, all the time.

For the past few years, I’ve built up a cocoon around myself, the cottony walls protecting me from seeing that the world moves on, even if we stubbornly refuse to come along with it.

Faced with the chance to join the progression of the world toward new seasons, I feel reluctant, scared, defeated. I’m not sure I’m ready for Nicole to fall in love, or for Blossom and I to become something serious.

I grudgingly admit to myself that I might not be ready to make the most of my life ever again. Whittney’s words float through my mind again. She had known me. She had known I would wallow in my grief. She had wanted me to do better than that.

Yet, here I am, struggling to let go, struggling to evolve, struggling to allow the people I care about to be a part of a happier future with me in it.

Amy finally steps away from Nicole, heading back toward the bar with a playful wave. Nicole watches her go, a satisfied smirk on her lips.

I raise an eyebrow, taking a step closer. “Amy’s a bartender. She works for us, you know.”

Nicole shrugs nonchalantly. “I know. She’s good at her job. And I can tell she’s got a good sense of humor.”

I glance over at Nicole, confused by her nonchalant attitude. “You really like her, don’t you?”

Nicole chuckles softly, not looking at me as she reaches for her coat. “Who knows? She’s fun.” She turns to face me. “If you can do it, why can’t I do it?” She tosses me a wink.

“Yeah,” I say quietly, my eyes meeting hers. “I guess that’s only fair.”

We both share a soft smile, though the moment feels a little too loaded. Before I can say anything more, Nicole turns to leave.

“Just be careful, Noah,” she says over her shoulder, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her lips. “This is getting interesting, don’t you think?”

And with that, she’s gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

The weight of the situation is heavier than I’m willing to admit. I don’t know that I want to pick up the load and carry it, and the thought is strangely depressing.