Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 100188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“To Neckie’s?” I checked my phone and saw it was half past ten. “Want me to text her first and ask?”
“Would you mind?”
I shook my head and punched in the text since Neckie and I had already texted back and forth over details of my schedule at Twist. Within seconds she responded she was still up and would love a visit from MJ.
“Go get ’em, tiger,” I said, pulling her close in a squeeze. I felt the slight tremble of her nerves but knew she was one of the bravest of us. She’d tackled law school despite a pretty debilitating case of dyslexia and had created a name for herself in Dallas legal circles. She was kick-ass.
As we stood up from the swing, West and Nico joined us on the porch.
“Sorry, Em,” West said again. “If I’d known you still had feelings for her, I would have talked to you first.”
“It’s okay. I promise.”
“It’s my sperm,” Nico blurted. “I mean…” He looked up at his husband in desperation. Poor Nico hated seeing anyone upset.
MJ laughed and put her hand on his shoulder. “It’s fine. The woman of my dreams is still having my brother’s baby. No big deal.”
West looked crushed. “Em…”
I felt a familiar tightening in my chest. Whenever anyone in my family disagreed, I always wanted to put a stop to it any way I could. Often it was making a fool out of myself to change the focus. But it always made me feel out of control and rudderless when there was strife.
MJ let out a breath. “I’ll get over it, West. It just really took me by surprise. Finding out she was pregnant was one thing, but finding out you guys are the ones who get a little piece of her isn’t easy.”
“It’s not her egg,” West said. “Katie donated it for us, so there was Salerno and Wilde genetics together. Sassy’s too young to make such a big decision. Winnie was going to do it, but then we realized she’d never be able to keep it from Hallie. And if Hallie knew…”
“Everyone would know,” we all said together.
The tension was broken when we all chuckled at the truth.
“That was nice of Katie,” I said. Our cousin had always been generous and kind. It didn’t surprise me at all she’d been willing to help West and Nico out like that.
“Why didn’t you ask me?” MJ asked. “I would have donated an egg for you guys.”
West’s face softened. “We started the process at the same time you announced landing the Bascourt case. There was no doubt that was an incredible opportunity that would require tons of extra hours and energy, Em.”
She nodded, but I could feel the gears turning in her head. “I won,” she muttered under her breath. “Fat lot of good that did. Those motherfuckers still haven’t offered me the position I deserve at the firm.”
West stepped forward and pulled her into a big hug. “We love you no matter what. Who cares if you’re just vacuuming and emptying trash over there? You’re still aces in our book—aiyeee!”
She’d reached up and pinched his nipple the same way she used to do when we were kids. Nico’s jaw dropped in surprise, and he yanked West out of our sister’s menacing reach.
“Don’t fuck with his nips, you horrible woman! I rely on those sonsabitches for entertainment,” Nico exclaimed, murmuring soothing sounds to West as he reached up to rub the injured spot.
“Whatever,” she snapped. “Next time don’t impregnate my woman, assholes. I’m out of here.”
She stormed back into the house, presumably to grab her keys before heading to Neckie’s place.
Nico looked back at me over West’s shoulder. “Think she’ll still set out some snacks for us before she goes?”
Chapter 15
Augie
My grandfather was in an odd mood that night and only stayed for about an hour before leaving to head back to the city. I worried about his strange behavior now that he was getting older. He seemed more worried in general and a bit further removed from my mother. The two of them always seemed thick as thieves, but lately they didn’t seem to spend much time together. For as traditional and intimidating as the man was, I’d always caught glimpses of another side to him. When his sister was still alive, she had the ability to tease him about being such a curmudgeon, and she even had the ability to jolly him into laughter. When the two of them would set each other off with corny jokes, my mother would roll her eyes and mutter the same phrase every time: Melody has a magic way with him.
And she did. She was the key to his heart. Even though she’d been older than Grandfather, Melody had been the darling of the family. It was almost like he treated her the way I sometimes treated Rory—as the baby who deserved every bit of pampering and happiness. What Melody wanted, Grandfather provided. It wasn’t until my adulthood that I realized my mother would have never approved of my summers in Hobie. It had to have been Melody requesting my presence and Grandfather’s complete inability to deny her anything that resulted in the most wonderful memories of my teen years.