Author: Olivia Cunning

“Shut up.” He hadn’t seen Brian in over a day. He had a lot to tell him. And he missed him. A lot. Just because Trey had given up on Brian loving him didn’t mean that he’d fallen out of love with the man. Trey didn’t know if he’d ever stop loving Brian. Not completely.

By the time Trey made it to the foyer, Brian and crew were already inside the house. Brian had a diaper bag slung over one shoulder, a baby carrier in his free hand, and was trying to coax Myrna into a nearby chair.

“I’m fine, sweetheart,” she said, “really.”

“Since when did they start letting women out of the hospital after one day of rest? It’s insane,” Brian insisted. “Please, baby, sit. I don’t think you should be out of bed yet.”

“Brian, I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

“Did you call Jessica?”

“Yes, I called her. She said she’d meet me here and stay with me at the house until you get back from tour. And when she’s unavailable, Aggie said she’d help out too.” So Myrna had agreed to let the lady Sinners—Sed and Jace’s respective fiancées—help her out. Trey was actually surprised that she would admit to needing help.

Brian breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad they both agreed to stay with you. I can’t imagine leaving you alone right now.” Trey decided she’d done so only to give Brian some peace of mind.

Malcolm grunted in his carrier, and Brian set it on a decorative table, oblivious to the expensive vase he pushed aside. He had the baby out of his seat and cradled against his shoulder in record time. When Brian sniffed Malcolm’s tiny baby butt, Trey burst out laughing.

“Hey, Trey,” Myrna said. “Enjoy your day off?”

“You might say that,” Trey said and came further into the room.

“Is it time for him to eat?” Brian asked Myrna.

“It’s only been an hour,” she said with a weary smile.

“He made a noise,” Brian told her.

“They do that sometimes, sweetheart. You’re spoiling him.”

“Ah, God, I miss him already.” Brian cradled Malcolm in the crook of his arm and hummed some lullaby version of the Sinners song “Good-bye Is Not Forever” while gently bouncing him up and down.

“He’s going to puke on you if you aren’t careful,” Trey warned.

Brian pointed to a white spot on his shirt and grinned as if it were some treasure to behold. “He already did.”

The doorbell rang again. Dare had just taken a step into the room but stopped in his tracks and went to the door.

“Is the baby here?” Trey heard Jessica squeal from the front door.

“Uh, yeah, I think he came with his parents,” Dare answered.

Jessica breezed into the room, looking absolutely stunning as usual—a strawberry-blonde bombshell who looked like she belonged in a Playboy centerfold instead of in a courtroom. Trey was pretty sure some of her clients were repeat offenders just so they could see her again. Jessica gave Myrna a quick hug. “I’m so glad you called me,” she said. Jessica noticed Trey and gave his arm a squeeze as she zeroed in on Malcolm. “Oh,” she said, clutching her hands in front of her chest. “He’s adorable. Let me hold him.”

Brian in no way looked prepared to hand over his son until he had no choice, but the pride in Jessica’s excitement at seeing his child was apparently a good motivator. He handed over the kid but stayed beside her with his hand inches from Malcolm’s back as if he expected Jessica to drop him on the polished marble floor at any moment.

“Oh,” Jessica said again and cuddled the baby against her chest as if he were as fragile as wet paper. “Did you send a picture to Sed? He’ll die when he sees him.”

“Yeah, we sent the guys pictures,” Brian said, still hovering over Jessica. “They bitched about missing out on the fun.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call it fun,” Myrna said flatly. “Amazing, unbelievable, breathtaking, and wonderful, but not fun.”

Once Brian seemed sure that Jessica was trustworthy, he moved to stand beside his wife. He stroked her auburn hair with one hand. “Are you thirsty? Hungry? Can I get you something?”

“A glass of water would be nice,” she admitted.

“I’ll get it,” Dare said. “Harold!”

Trey watched Brian fuss over his wife, and though he was a little sad to watch Brian slip even farther away from him, Trey was glad that Brian was so happy. Absolute joy radiated off the guy. It was almost blinding.

“Who’s a handsome boy? Who’s a handsome boy? Who’s a handsome boy?” Jessica asked Malcolm who was gnawing on his fist and gazing at her with unfocused eyes. “That’s right. Malcolm’s a handsome boy. Malcolm’s a handsome boy.”

“He’s not a dog, Jess. Why are you talking to him like that?” Trey asked.

“He likes it,” she said. “Don’t you like it? Yes you do. Yes you do.”

“Well then, he’s the only one,” Trey muttered.

Myrna chuckled.

“I want to hold him again,” Brian said, following Jessica around the room as she continued to repeat herself incessantly. “You can hold him as much as you want after I’m gone.”

“Oh God, I want one,” Jessica said, hugging the baby before handing him back to his father.

“Are you sure you mean that?” Trey said.

“Yes, I mean it,” Jess said. “Look at him. He’s perfect.”

“I’m telling Sed you said that. He’ll have you knocked up in an hour. Even though he’s over twelve hundred miles away.”

“That’s some serious potency,” Myrna said.

Jessica hesitated. “My caseload at the practice is too heavy right now. I don’t have time for a baby.” She leaned against Brian and stared down at the tiny bundle in his arms. “Okay, fuck the job. I want a baby.”

Myrna laughed. “Shouldn’t you wait until after your wedding? You’ve been planning it for months.”

“Maybe Sed and I should do what you and Brian did. Just elope. I thought I wanted a big wedding, and Sed’s family wants us to have a big wedding, but even with an event planner helping us out, it is so stressful.”

“Do you want a big wedding, Jessica?” Myrna asked.

“Kinda,” Jessica admitted.

“Then have your big wedding or you’ll always regret it.”

Brian perked up. “Do you regret not having a big wedding?”

Myrna smiled. “Not at all. I didn’t want a big wedding. I just wanted you.”

Oh God, not the Brian/Myrna mushy mushy love stuff. Trey wasn’t sure if he could handle it today.

“Maybe I should just get pregnant now,” Jessica said. “I won’t be showing too much in three months. I should still be able to fit into my dress. Or I could get it altered.” She looked down and rubbed both hands over her flat belly.

Oh God, shoot me now, Trey thought. Babies, weddings, and pregnancies. What will they be talking about next? Their periods?

Dare finally managed to make it into the room to greet his guests. “How are you doing, Myrna?” he asked, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “You look gorgeous as usual. Are you sure you just had a baby?”

She beamed. “Oh, I’m sure,” she said.

“Harold’s bringing your glass of water and some other refreshments. I told him to hurry.”

“Thanks, Dare.”

“No problem. I hear you named that poor kid Malcolm Trey.” Dare nodded his head in the direction of Brian and Jessica who were competing for Malcolm’s complete lack of attention.

“It’s better than Malcolm Terrance, isn’t it?” Myrna asked. Terrance was Trey’s real first name, but even Myrna knew how much he hated it.

“Uh, sure,” Dare said. He turned toward the two kissy faces, who were undoubtedly driving little Malcolm bonkers. “Well, let’s have a look at this kid. Apparently he’s the biggest star in the house.”

Dare slipped the baby from Brian’s hold into the crook of one arm. The guy was a natural at everything. Even holding babies.

“Will you look at that? He already has his father’s rock star hairstyle.”

“He’s adorable,” Jessica crooned. “Yes he is. Yes he is. Adorable.”

Trey was beginning to feel sticky from all the sap in the room.

“When do we have to leave?” Brian asked, coaxing Malcolm out of Dare’s arms and back into his.

“As soon as Reagan gets back,” Trey said.

“Reagan?” Brian, Jessica, and Myrna questioned in unison.

“Trey’s new girlfriend,” Dare said.

“Trey has a girlfriend?” Brian said in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Dare said.

“Trey does? That Trey.” Brian pointed at Trey.

“Yes, I have a girlfriend. Is that so hard to believe?”

Brian nodded his head. “Yes, it’s very hard to believe. You’ve never had a girlfriend in your adult life.”

“Never?” Jessica questioned, trying to get Malcolm to grip her finger in his fist.

“Depending on how you define girlfriend, I have dozens of them. Had,” he rectified.

“The series of women you string along in every town aren’t girlfriends; they’re conquests,” Brian said.

“Well, Reagan is my girlfriend. And she’s going on tour with us.”

“How long have you known this chick?” Brian asked.

“We met yesterday.”

“And did you decide she was going on tour with us before or after you fucked her?”

“Brian, don’t be crude,” Myrna said. “You asked me to marry you the day after we met.”

Brian scratched his head. “You’re right,” he said. “As usual.”

“Reagan touring with Sinners was my idea,” Dare said. “She’s our new rhythm guitarist, and I figured it would do her good to spend a couple of weeks out on tour before she’s subjected to the insanity that surrounds Exodus End. She’s talented but not very experienced.”

“You hired a female guitarist?” Jessica asked.

“Uh, yeah,” Dare said. “She fuckin’ rocked our faces off.”

“That is so awesome,” Jessica said. “I can’t wait to meet her. I bet she’s cool. Is she cool?”

“She must be pretty terrific if she’s got Trey thinking commitment.” Brian grinned at him and punched him in the chest.

“She is,” Trey said. The thought of her made him smile. “Terrific. And cool.”

When the doorbell rang about twenty minutes later, Trey went to answer it himself. He found Reagan on the doorstep breathless and lugging two huge suitcases.

“I didn’t know what I’d need, so I brought everything.”

“I told you all you needed was a box of condoms.”

She thrust a paper bag at him. “I bought six dozen. Is that enough?”

Trey laughed and kissed her tenderly. He enjoyed the sensation of her lips against his so much that instead of pulling away he deepened the kiss. Her rolling suitcase tipped over as she released its handle to draw him closer.

“I missed you,” he murmured against her lips.

“You did?”

“Mmm hmm.” He kissed her again to prove it.

“You’d better go grab a guitar, Reagan,” Dare said from behind Trey. “The jet is waiting for you guys.”

Trey reluctantly released Reagan and grabbed the handle of her suitcase.

“Is this seriously my life?” she said, shaking her head and following Dare in the direction of the practice room. “I don’t recall rubbing a magic lantern and making three wishes.”