3. Sara #3
Gavin’s eyes go wide, and this time I can’t hold in the giggle bubbling up inside me.
Clearly, he didn’t expect to be put in the hot seat.
He cocks a brow at Beckett, then shrugs and tugs on the sleeves of his suit jacket.
He leaves us all holding our breath in anticipation for another long moment before he lets out a heavy sigh.
“He was stuck at the farm, Liv.” Behind the bar, he uncorks a bottle of Jackson pinot noir and snags a wineglass, no doubt to give him something other than Liv to focus on while he straight-up makes up stories.
Beckett nods. “Yes, the farm.” The words are tentative. Like the rest of us, he probably doesn’t know where Gavin is going with this.
“What farm?” Liv demands.
“The one on Blackstone.” A smirk teases Gavin’s lips, like he’s really settling into his story. He holds out the glass of wine and raises his brows at me, so I shuffle closer and accept it.
It’s at this point that I realize he means the shelter.
The team did a photo shoot with puppies at that particular one last season.
They raised quite a bit of money for new equipment and supplies for the shelter, and they brought a lot of attention to the place.
Within days, almost every dog had been adopted.
We have another event planned next week.
“Anyway, Beckett was all ‘the dog is not staying at the ducking farm.’ He was shouting and yelling and making a scene. The volunteers there were confused about the ducks. They didn’t understand that your husband has just lost his mind and doesn’t curse anymore.
” Gavin takes a deep breath. “So they handed him the dog.”
This guy is good. Even I’m starting to believe this all really went down, when I know firsthand that Gavin was just as shocked to see the puppy as Liv.
Liv shakes her head and turns to me. “He bought a dog,” she mouths, her eyes wide and her face ashen.
I hold my glass of wine out to her. She needs this more than me. Although she might need something stronger.
She bites her lip and spins back to her husband. “Beckett, there are too many of us already. We can’t add a dog to the mix. Five kids and a dog?” She closes her eyes again. This time she tips her head back and counts out loud. “Breathe, one, two, three.”
Dylan has now taken up residence next to her, rubbing her shoulders and murmuring soothing words.
Beckett shakes his head. “Livy, we’ve got plenty of room. And we only have three kids.”
Liv’s eyes snap open, and she zeros in on him. Instantly, the modicum of calm she found is gone. Her chest rises and falls, and her nostrils flare. “No, Beckett. Five.”
He holds up a hand and counts the kids off on his fingers. “Bear, Huckleberry Finn, and Little One. Three.” Those three fingers are still in the air, like he’s using the prop to emphasize his point.
Liv smiles. “Five.”
He spins and frowns at Cortney. “What did you do? If you upset Dylan again, I’ll kill you.”
Dylan steps in front of him and pats him on the arm, giving him the most serene smile I think I’ve ever seen. “She’s not talking about my kids.”
It hits me then, why Liv asked Dylan and Cortney to come over, and my heart flips in my chest.
Beckett still hasn’t put the pieces together. “Medusa and the shining twins are not moving in here! We just got our own space. I’ll talk to Enzo. They’ll work through it. Surely she’s figured out how to apologize by now.”
I’m lost now, but I think Medusa’s his nickname for another one of his wife’s friends.
Liv silences him by cupping a hand over his mouth. Then she grasps his wrist and presses his palm to her stomach. “Not our friends’ kids, Beckett.” She says each word slowly, her brows raised like she’s urging him to pick up on the meaning behind them. “ Our kids .”
Beckett blinks half a dozen times, then drops his focus from Liv’s face to where she’s holding his hand against her stomach.
Brooks nudges me, distracting me from the scene. His green eyes swim with warmth and happiness as it hits him too. He’s going to be an uncle again.
“Our kids?” Beckett rasps.
Liv nods. “We’re having twins, Bossman.”
While Beckett stands there dumbstruck, the house erupts.
Gavin lets out an ear-piercing whistle in celebration.
Beside me, Brooks claps, and Addie joins in, grinning up at him.
Aiden throws his arms around Liv and lifts her off the ground.
Winnie and Finn are both hopping up and down, asking a million questions.
There’s joy in every corner of the room.
After Beckett has finally come out of his shock, and he’s stolen a quiet moment with his wife to perhaps celebrate, I wander over to congratulate her, and she pulls me in for a hug.
“Why are you all here, anyway?” She glances at Brooks, then focuses on me again.
“Oh, Beckett wanted support when he brought the dog in, so he texted the guys.”
“And you just so happened to be with Brooks when that text came through?” The smile she’s wearing is full of teasing, like maybe she’s under the impression we’re more than just friends.
“Liv…”
She ducks in close and squeezes my arm. “Your secret is safe with me.”
I clasp her wrists, searching for the words to explain that there’s no secret, but then it dawns on me that there is, in fact, a secret.
It’s just not what she thinks it is. If she’s under the impression that I’m dating Brooks, and she’s okay with it, then it shouldn’t bother her if it turns out that I’m actually dating another person within the organization. Say, the coach…
If I wasn’t so mad at Seb right now, I’d probably text him.
But since I am, I settle at the table and ask Liv a thousand questions. Then I listen to her chat with Dylan about the joys of pregnancy and children and families. Though they make it clear not every aspect is picture perfect, she wears a soft smile all night.
And don’t even get me started on Beckett. The man’s chest is puffed out, and he’s beaming.
When my phone lights up on the table in front of me, I immediately put my hand over it—a habit I’ve acquired since my secret relationship began.Subtly, I ease it into my lap and unlock the screen.
SL: Come over.
I roll my eyes. This guy has got to be kidding me.
Me: Not home.
SL: Where are you?
Of its own volition, my mouth turns up. My heart picks up its pace too, because I’m about to piss him off, and I’m enjoying the prospect of it far too much.
Me: Hanging with Brooks.
With that, I silence my phone and slide it into my back pocket.
I refuse to let him ruin anything else for me today.
When I look up, Brooks is watching me from the bar.
Around him, his brothers are chatting and laughing.
He winks and holds up his glass, the universal sign for Do you want another drink?
I smile and excuse myself from the ladies. Tonight has been a good night, and I’m going to enjoy it with my best friend.