Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Easton
“How do you know her?” I ask Callie, jogging down the steps and knocking on Decker’s door.
Ellis is asleep in Foster’s arms, her arms tight around him, her face tucked into his neck.
For the first time ever, it looks appealing, like something I might want.
Where the hell? Where did that come from?
A kid. A family. I’m far from ready for all that domestication.
“She works at this adorable bookstore. Monroe and Hazel loved her.” Callie stands at my back as if she’s going to follow me in.
I glance over my shoulder, but she doesn’t notice me questioning why she’s still here and not continuing up to their condo.
Decker opens the door. “Good. Tanner’s ready for you.” He hands me the carrier.
“Oh, stop it.” Penelope steps up behind him, holding Tanner.
He’s asleep, and I shoot her a grateful look.
“Are you hooking up with Miss Hadley?” Callie hits me in the arm, squeezing by me and walking into the Davis condo uninvited.
“Cal, I thought we were going upstairs.” Foster jerks his chin toward the stairs with a look in his eyes like I thought I was getting laid tonight. “She’s asleep.”
“This will only be a minute.” She continues on her way, she and Penelope already talking as they move farther into the condo.
Foster blows out a breath. “What do you think the odds are we get out of here sooner if I don’t go in?”
“Doubtful, buddy.” I clap him on the shoulder and walk into the condo.
Decker blows out a breath like his twin just did. “I don’t remember sending out party invitations.” He shuts the door after Foster and me. “By all means, come in.”
“You’re not being a gracious host,” I say.
“Not at all,” Foster adds.
“The season is starting. Hazel is in bed, so if you’d kindly get your kid”—he eyes me—“and you get your fiancée”—he eyes Foster—“so I can squeeze in some quality bedroom time, I’d appreciate it.”
“Well, you were the one who decided to stay here while you’re renovating the house,” I remind Decker, but from his narrowed eyes, I’d say I should’ve kept my mouth shut.
“I’m happy to get Callie because I have a sleeping child in my arms, and if I don’t transport her into her crib in about five minutes, she’s going to wake up and I won’t be able to sleep with my wife,” Foster says through clenched teeth.
“I love how you watch your language around Ellis.” I laugh.
The two Davis brothers give me scathing looks.
“At least we won’t be using our hands to get off tonight like you,” Decker says, and I’m taken aback by his attitude.
He’s usually the more welcoming one. Guess I’ve officially overstayed my welcome.
“So, Easton, details,” Callie says, and I turn to find her all comfy on the chair while Penelope stands, rocking Tanner.
“Details on what?” I cross the room and sit on the couch.
“Why Miss Hadley was here. Was she reading you a bedtime story?” Callie laughs.
Foster shushes her, and she rolls her eyes.
Decker reluctantly joins us, sitting on the ottoman. “Is she Tanner’s mom?”
“Not likely. Not with that body,” Callie says.
Penelope nods. “I told Decker the same thing. That is not the body of a woman who had a baby not that long ago.”
“Tell me about it. I’ve been at the gym every damn day. I think I have to accept that my abs will never be back to where they used to be. At least not anytime soon.” Callie glances down at her stomach as if she’s grieving.
“If we leave here, I can prove to you how hot you are,” Foster says, sitting on the edge of the chair, his hand placed along Ellis’s back.
“So I’m guessing you didn’t get laid again since the baby scared Hadley away?” Decker asks.
Callie’s head tilts. “Wait, you already knew Miss Hadley?”
“Can we stop calling her Miss Hadley? It’s just Hadley. And yes, we’re… friends.”
“Friends who…” Callie waggles her eyebrows.
“Totally,” Penelope agrees with Callie’s line of thinking. “Turns out our perpetual playboy has a regular.”
“A regular? I just hook up with her on occasion.”
But Callie and Penelope clearly don’t buy it because they’re still exchanging looks while Foster and Decker share a get this the fuck over with expression.
“Foster had regulars too.” Callie places her hand on Foster’s thigh.
“Can we not bring me into this?” he sighs.
Callie pins me with her stare. “Is it going to be weird when I go see Miss Hadley for story time? Did you ruin The Story Jar for me?” She slips off her shoes and crosses her legs on the couch.
Foster groans.
I’m surprised he doesn’t bend down and put them back on her. If he didn’t have Ellis, he’d probably pick Callie up fireman-style and carry her up to their condo.
“Fun fact, guys, you have all slept together. Is it weird?” I twirl my finger around all of them.
Yes, I’m not too proud to take the attention off me if it means putting them all in a bad situation.
“Give him the baby back, Pen. He’s playing dirty.” Decker throws me his fuck off look.
“Oh, come on. You’re all happily living in coupledom.”
“Damn right we are,” Foster and Decker say at the exact same time.
Penelope and Callie smile at one another as if they love this little twin moment between brothers who were not even really talking to one another until a couple years ago.
“Stop stalling and give us the tea,” Callie says.
“And to think once upon a time I wanted to sleep with you.”
“Kodiak, if you don’t tell her what she wants to know in the next minute, I’m handing Ellis to Decker and taking you outside.” Foster eyes me with the same expression as his brother.
I tip my head back. “Fine, but I’m not looking for opinions, okay? I made my decision, and I don’t need advice from any of you.”
I release a breath, gathering the courage to tell them when I know they’re going to be skeptical.
“Hold on!” Callie pulls out her phone and presses a few buttons. Soon Leighton’s voice comes through the speaker.
“We’re busy!” Hayes shouts from the background.
“We have Easton here, who has news,” Callie says.
Leighton is giggling.
I’m pretty sure every one of my teammates is getting laid tonight, while Decker’s right, my fist will be my partner in bed.
“That Tanner is his? We know. Bye,” Hayes says.
“He’s joking.” Leighton continues to laugh.
“You do know it’s the last night before the season, right?” Hayes asks.
“We do,” Foster and Davis say in unison.
Again, Penelope and Callie share a look like they’re falling in love with their partners all over again.
“Here.” Callie positions the phone so they can see me on FaceTime.
“Is this really necessary?” I ask, not loving the audience for probably the first time in my life.
“Yes! Just because we don’t live there anymore doesn’t mean we want to be excluded,” Leighton says.
Hayes gets into the camera, shirtless. Fucking hell. “Actually, we’re cool with being excluded. Catch me up tomorrow.” His finger goes toward the screen, but Leighton slaps it back.
“Let’s go, Kodiak,” Foster says in a low growl.
Honestly, I find Foster intimidating at times. He has zero tolerance for bullshit—unless it’s Callie’s.
“Fine. Hadley—”
Callie puts her face into view of the camera. “Miss Hadley! From The Story Jar!”
“Remember we have a kid sleeping,” Decker reminds her due to the volume of her voice.
“And your daughter is right here, also sleeping,” Foster says.
“And my kid too.” I smile at Penelope, who is still holding Tanner.
I give her and Decker one month before she’s knocked up.
“No way. We just saw her. She had the perfect voices for the train engines,” Leighton says.
She and Callie talk about Hadley being so great at story time, and a small part of me is proud of her. Maybe it’s my way of knowing that I’m doing something good for her.
“Let’s stay on task, ladies.” Decker turns his pointed gaze my way.
Then all eyes are on me. Hayes and Leighton have squeezed into the same frame.
Might as well just come out with it. “I’m marrying Hadley, and she’s going to move in with me and be Tanner’s nanny.”
None of them say anything at first.
That’s awesome. I’ll take their silence. I should grab Tanner and get out of here before their reactions change.
“Why are you marrying her?” Penelope asks.
It’s always the quiet ones who process faster. I should’ve expected that.
“Her grandma died.”
“So?” Decker gives me a look as though I’m an idiot.
I blow out a breath.
Callie raises her hand. “Oh wait, can I guess?”
“Babe, he told us. Now, let’s go.” Foster stands with Ellis stirring slightly in his arms. A look of terror crosses his features, but she settles again, sighing into her dad.
Who would’ve thought a guy with such sharp edges is such a comfort for his daughter? Gives me hope I can rock this dad thing just like my buddies.
Callie ignores Foster completely. “My guess is that she has to get married in order to get the store.”
“How could you possibly guess that?” I blink in surprise.
“She’s a romance reader, remember?” Leighton says.
We all kind of nod and agree. I vaguely remember hearing about some romance-only bookstore around here.
“Do I get a prize?” she asks.
“Your prize is upstairs.” Foster nods at the door once more.
Callie lifts her finger. “One second. So, you’re just going to marry her?”
“And she’s going to move in?” Penelope asks.
“And be your nanny?” Leighton finishes.
“Sounds like a plan. Good luck, Kodiak.” Decker stands as though he’s going to see me out. “Pen, the baby.”
She sighs and walks over to me, passing Tanner over. “He’s so cute.” She stares at him lovingly.
The one good thing about this going down while I live here is that all these women will love on my son as though he were their own.
“Yeah, cool, East, talk to you tomorrow,” Hayes says through the screen.
“No. No. No,” Callie says. “You know this is a horrible idea, right?”
Leighton nods in agreement. “The worst.”
“I think it’s kind of nice. They’re swapping favors,” Penelope says.
“Thank you, Penelope.” I nod in appreciation. “Finally, a woman in this group who sees the positive side.”
Callie raises her hand. “I’ve got twenty on it lasting a month.”
“I give them three,” Decker says.
“Hell, a week,” Hayes says.
I scowl at him. “I’ll put forty on a year.”
They all stop making wagers and stare at me.
“You have to be married to her for an entire year?” Leighton’s mouth drops open.
“Yes, it’s a stipulation in her grandmother’s will. She has to stay in Chicago and be married for a year. Oh, and I think this goes without saying, but this all stays here.”
“Of course,” Hayes says. “A year, though?”
“A year.” They’re all quiet again, and I use it as my opportunity to get out of here, picking up Tanner’s carrier. “Now that the breaking news story is out, feel free to go fuck one another.”
I leave the condo without waiting for a response because I don’t want to hear any negativity that will only solidify the doubts I already have about my arrangement.
No one follows me, which means they’re probably down there talking about me, but I don’t really care.
I do. Just not enough to turn back.
As soon as I get into my condo and place Tanner in his crib with the hopes he sleeps for the majority of the night, I pull my phone from my pocket to do some mindless scrolling before I can hopefully fall asleep.
I realize that my phone is now fully charged.
Thanks, Penelope.
I scroll through the missed calls and check my email, seeing something from the paternity test place.
My stomach drops hard and my thumb shakes as I press the link with the results.
It doesn’t take long before my eyes land on the one line.
“The alleged father cannot be excluded as the biological father of the child. (99.9%)”
And there you have it.
He’s mine.
Holy shit, I’m someone’s father.