Baby Daddies: Puck Buddies Series

by Tara Brown

  “A five-year age gap isn’t long enough for you guys to catch up to me,” I say with a laugh as she whacks me playfully. “Because you haven’t had the advantages I have. I grew up a privileged rich kid. My dad’s friends helped me play the stock market. I snuck into my grandpa’s computers and found out how he was making money and gave my dad’s friends tips so they could invest for us all. Helping people get richer made me friends in the right places.”

  “Jesus, how old were you?”

  “Eleven.”

  “What did your parents think?” She gasps.

  I lean in and brush a kiss against her soft lips. “I don’t know, I don’t pay much attention to their opinions. I love them, they’re my family. That’s it.”

  “Okay.” She narrows her gaze and changes the subject, obviously sensing my discomfort speaking about my family and the way I like to play them off as great and everything is fine. “Should I emotionally prepare for how big this house is? Is it some crazy mansion with staff calling you Mr. Eckelston?”

  “Uhhh—maybe.” I pause and pull up my old purchase agreement for it.

  “Witchwood Manor,” she reads with doubt in her tone. “This twenty-one-thousand square-foot waterfront mansion comes complete with a sixty-foot yacht. The Witchwood experience delivers comfort in every aspect of the home. The staff—two cooks, a bartender, two housekeepers, a butler, and a captain—are willing to stay on with the purchase so your every need is taken care of while you work on your tan. Does that say sixty-three million dollars?” Her eyes lift to mine. “Is that what you paid?”

  “I told you, I didn’t get it from a widow for a song.”

  “The main house comes with eleven bedrooms and fourteen bathrooms. There’s also a guesthouse with five bedrooms and six bathrooms, all of which is on five acres of waterfront property?” She turns to me again. “Why do all your houses have more bathrooms than bedrooms. What’s happening in your life that requires this?”

  Bev snorts but pretends to sleep.

  “So you own a hotel?”

  “No, it’s—” I pause. “It would be more like an inn.” I offer Jenny that grin, the one I’ve realized she wants to punch off my face.

  “This is crazy. Your life is crazy. No wonder you cried when you saw my apartment.”

  “I didn’t cry,” I defend myself and turn to Cap who’s lifted his eyebrows. “I didn’t cry.”

  “Yeah, you did.” She sits back and hands me my phone.

  “Do you own crazy expensive houses too?” Bev asks Cap.

  His cheeks flush and his gaze lowers as he pretends to laugh at the question. “No!”

  We don’t mention what he lost in the divorce.

  “Your life is so weird.” Jenny closes her eyes and leans on me, her cherry scent flooding my every breath.

  It’s a quiet and heavenly flight of her lying on me, though it’s strange she keeps sleeping so much.

  When we land, she wakes with a start and her hand slips to her stomach. She holds it like she’s not feeling well.

  “You okay?” I ask.

  She sits up and lowers her hand and we’re back to the awkward distance. “Yeah, good. We here?”

  “We are.” I stand and help her up. Her hand in mine feels nice. I slide an arm around her waist, pinning her against me. “You ready?”

  “Yes, I do like an inn. Does the cook make blueberry waffles? I could go for those.”

  “You can have whatever you want.” I lower my face and kiss her.

  “All right, lovebirds. Let’s go,” Bev barks as she deplanes, making me smile. I’ve never been called a lovebird before.

  Jenny slips her fingers into mine and holds my hand as we walk off the plane. The air is cool and fresh, much nicer than the city. I take deep inhales and love that she’s still part of the air I’m breathing.

  The car’s waiting for us.

  “Mr. Eckelston, welcome!” Leslie, my driver on Martha’s, waves and hurries forward to get our bags.

  Jenny’s lips curl into a grin.

  “Leslie, this is Cap, Sukii, Bev, and my girlfriend, Jenny. Guys, this is Leslie, the best guide on the island.”

  Leslie blushes as we climb into the limo.

  “The breeze is so cool here.” Sukii snuggles into Cap with a shiver.

  “Cape Cod’s worse.” Cap kisses the side of her head. “You have to have a sweater or light jacket handy all the time.”

  “It’s nice. You can have fires at night on the beach without dying from the heat,” Jenny says what I’m thinking.

  “Nothing worse than sweating so hard the bugs are sticking to your skin,” Bev adds and we all stop and stare at her. “What?”

  “How hard is life in the South?” Cap asks.

  “She’s right. Clearly, y’all never spent much time in Florida either,” Sukii agrees.

  “Gross.” Jenny wrinkles her nose as the car starts moving and her eyes dart to the windows.

  “This feels familiar,” Sukii says, nudging Jenny with her sandaled foot.

  “What?” Jenny glances at her.

  “Riding in a mystery limo to an unknown destination for a wedding we know nothing about, except that we’ll be among a bunch of rich assholes.” Sukii grins.

  “And Bev.” Jenny laughs.

  “Don’t lump me in with them. Lawd.” She glances my way and winks.

  “Me either.” Cap scoffs. “I think I’m the poorest guy in the crowd. Divorce isn’t cheap.”

  “Really?” Jenny cocks an eyebrow at him.

  “Anyway,” I cut in, “when we get to the house, you guys are all in the guesthouse. Bev, you and Geoff are in one room. Cap, you and Sukii are in one. Carson and Rich in another. Andy and Lacey in another. The fifth bedroom is Mike and Liz. I figured putting people who would want to have fun together in such a space might work out best.”

  “Who all is staying at the house?” Sukii asks.

  “Just the wedding party and immediate family.”

  “Thank God,” Bev groans. “Are we eating when we get there or does Sami have some schedule we have to wait for? I’m starving.”

  “I’ve asked Roman to put out a spread about half an hour after we arrive, a late lunch.” I sound like my mother.

  “Okay.” Bev scowls. “Are you running the itinerary for this one?” she mocks me.

  “No.”

  “He knows how I get if I’m not sure when my next meal will be.” Cap saves me from myself which is hardly necessary since it’s only about ten minutes from the airport to my place and we’re here.

  “Oh my God!” Sukii whispers and lowers the window to reveal the stunning view of South Beach. “It’s beautiful.” Her words get lost in the sound of the Atlantic and the breeze coming in the window.

  “Is that your house?” Jenny lowers her window to the other side of the road and stares at the white manor home done in the typical Cape Cod style with whitewashed boards, peaked rooves, huge chimneys, and massive windows overlooking the sea.

  “Welcome to Witchwood Manor.” I smile seeing it again. The smell of the salty air and sandy view relaxes me. It’s one of the reasons I bought the place. It was an investment but of all the places I’ve been along the East Coast, I’ve never felt more at home than I do here.

  Leslie pulls into the long driveway and around to the back side of the house which is actually the front. When the car stops under the covered parking area, we get our own doors, stepping out into the large courtyard.

  “Hot damn, Lori. This is nice.” Bev walks to the front door as Sorel, my butler, gets the door for her. “Thank you, sir.”

  “Hey, Sorel!” I offer a quick wave as the valet comes rushing out to get the bags.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Eckelston. Hope the trip was satisfactory.” Sorel’s thick Northern England accent always brings a smile to my lips.

  “It was great, thanks. How are things here? We ready for the onslaught?”

  “Excellent, sir. We’ve got the rooms made up and assigned to your
specific needs. I believe Ms. Ford and Ms. Banks will be pleased.”

  “Fantastic. Thanks.” I offer him a light touch on the arm and walk into the house. It feels and smells how I remember it.

  “Wow!” Sukii gasps as she spins in a circle in the foyer.

  “Madam, your room is this way,” Mary, a housekeeper, offers.

  “Come on,” Cap says and leads Sukii in the direction Mary is motioning.

  “What the hell?” Bev walks across the grand foyer to the small parlor where the entrance to the veranda is. The view of the sea from here is my second favorite. She walks out the double doors with Jenny right behind her. The wind catches Jenny’s red hair and lifts it. She turns, struggling to contain her hair and shakes her head at me, forcing a smile.

  A sigh slips from my lips, seeing her in my house. I don’t know if I’ve loved this house more than in this moment.

  “Wanna see our room?” I hold a hand out.

  “Okay.” She turns to Bev. “You going to the guesthouse?”

  “Nope. I don’t need a room. I’m sleeping out here under the stars.” She leans against the heavy wood railing and stares.

  Jenny walks across the parlor to me and puts her hand in mine. “This place is gorgeous.”

  “I know.”

  “I can’t believe you rent it out.”

  “Rent might be a strong word. I let friends use it and Sorel ensures no one goes in my room.” I lift an eyebrow at her.

  “Oh, so it’s not a real inn.” She laughs and I realize she thought I was running an actual inn.

  “No.” I chuckle and lead her to the master bedroom.

  “Oh man,” she says as she walks through the double doors. “How do you live like this?” she asks as she goes from room to room, inspecting the his and hers bathrooms and closets and massive deck overlooking the beach and ocean which stretches as far as the eye can see. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes and I can hear her decompressing. I step behind her and slip my hands around her, placing them on her stomach. She tenses again and turns, no longer finding her zen in the view.

  “Sorry,” she says. “I’m just stressed.”

  “Yeah, I’ve noticed something’s up. Unload on me.”

  “Thanks.”

  “No, Jenny, I’m being serious. Give me your list. Hit me with it all! What is bothering you? Get it off your chest. I’m good at problem-solving.”

  “Okay.” She takes a deep breath. “So, obviously you know I had to pack my apartment again. This time it’s going into storage because I’m not ready to have my own place.” She laughs but it’s tense. “If I take the job in BC, I’m moving to my brother’s apartment, which I hate the idea of.” She pauses and bites her lip.

  “You mean you hate using someone else’s stuff or you hate your brother’s apartment?”

  “Someone else’s stuff. I just always wanted to make my own way. It’s important to me.”

  “Okay.” I hate and love that almost equally because of what Josh said in the limo. Judith has literally made Jenny like this by being mean to her.

  “If I don’t take the job in Van, it’ll be a real challenge to stay in the city. Even though I’ll be near you and my friends.” She pauses, still keeping something back and I can’t figure what it is. “But then on top of all that, earlier this week Lady Tremaine—aka Judith—”

  “What?”

  “It’s from Cinderella. The wicked stepmother.” She shakes her head like it’s not important. “Anyway, she called and asked me to book a venue for my dad’s birthday and wants me to basically do all the organizing and pay for the venue and make invitations. Which I don’t mind—”

  “But you’re jobless and broke.” A light comes on and I understand the tension. “That’s why you’re moving again. Your savings will cover the cost of the birthday, and if you take the job in Vancouver, you’ll be able to bounce back, no problem.”

  “Yes,” she groans. “They’re retired and on a fixed income and she needs us to cover the cost, and I want to. Truly, I would have set aside money to pay for my dad’s birthday, but she didn’t give us any notice. Which, is fine for Josh. He’s rich.” She covers her eyes. “But it’s killing me that I’m not doing better. I’m almost thirty for God’s sake. I should be in a better position to help out.”

  “Okay, first of all, that’s stupid. You’ve had an unbelievable couple of months. How could you predict the Ben fiasco or Liam? Secondly, you’re twenty-eight. And you just turned twenty-eight. Stop rushing your age. I turn twenty-three in less than a month, and you don’t hear me jumping it up. And stop assuming life has checkboxes. Jesus.”

  “Sorry, I’m—”

  “And stop saying sorry. I know, we’re Canadian, it’s our thing. But I asked for the stress. I said bring it on. You’re bringing it.” I laugh. “But these are not the mountains you’re making them. They’re molehills. Your plate is just so full that adding something small like coming to this wedding tips you over the edge. You don’t have room for a crumb.”

  I pause and let my words sink in the way Bev does. It takes a second for Jenny to nod. “You’re right.” She’s kinda hyperventilating and it’s off-putting to see such a control freak losing it over a birthday party.

  “This is what we’re going to do, and yes, I said ‘we’re.’ You and I are a we. And I want to help.” I lift her chin and kiss her to stop her from talking. “I’ll talk to an event coordinator I know who will handle this birthday party. Not because you’re incapable of doing it. And not because you need my help—”

  “Lori—”

  “But because I want to do this. For you. I want to help you. Let me.” I stare her down and something in the sentence hits her and the response is in her eyes. They widen for a second and she pauses there, scared of it but processing.

  “Okay.” She doesn’t sound certain, not at all, but she nods. “Okay.” She’s doubting her answer. “But you let me pay for it.”

  “In sexual favors, my favorite currency? What a great idea.” I tilt my head and grin. “I was wondering how I could possibly make you indebted to me in bed for all eternity. This works. I like it. First order of business is you leaning over that bed—”

  “You’re an idiot.” She smiles and it’s real.

  “Okay, I’ll lean over the bed and you stand behind me with one of those—”

  “Shut up, Lori,” she says as she stands on her tiptoes and kisses me. “Thank you.”

  It’s the first time since she pulled away that things might be all right. She let me help and the problem isn’t even a big deal. I’ll have it fixed in ten minutes and look like a superhero.

  13

  Bad news, part deux

  Jenny

  “This place is bananas,” Sukii whispers as we roam the grounds toward the garden that has a maze at one end like The Shining. “There’s a games room. A music room. Who has a music room? Or two living rooms and a rec room. There’s a full bar with a dude working behind it and two cooks in the kitchen and a server. Two pools. Who has two pools?”

  “Yeah, and did you see the six-car garage? Like who needs a six-car garage on an island?” I ask, hoping no one hears us. I don’t mean to judge Lori but this is extreme.

  “And the yacht, I looked it up on my phone when I was in the bathroom. It’s enormous and also has a full staff.” She sounds as shocked as I am seeing the house. “And did you see the bricked-in pizza oven in the kitchen? It’s a full wood-fired Forno oven.”

  “No! That’s kinda awesome. I bet Nat loves that. She seems like she might be a junk food queen. Every time I see her, she’s eating nachos or pizza and talking about jerk chicken and panini sandwiches.”

  “Cap says she hasn’t been feeling well all week. I hope she’s not sick for her wedding. What a disappointment that would be.”

  “No kidding.”

  “Speaking of not feeling well, how are you?” Sukii lowers her voice again.

  “Fine, no morning sickness yet. But the website my do
ctor told me to read said it would start closer to five weeks, if it did at all. They said the second month and third are typically the worst. I’ve just been tired.”

  “When will you tell him?”

  “Sunday, as soon as the wedding’s over.” The thought of it gives me a case of the whole body shivers, but Matt’s right about one thing—Lori deserves to know. He should be able to choose for himself if he wants to be part of it. And if he still wants to be with me.

  “What will you do if he wants to stay together and have this kid?”

  “I don’t know.” I scoff at the absurdity of it.

  “This pregnancy hasn’t sunk in yet, has it?” Sukii offers up a skeptical expression.

  “It’s hard, okay? I don’t feel different. If it wasn’t for my doctor doing a test before every birth control appointment, we wouldn’t even know.”

  “What you need is a list. You always feel better with a list.” She pulls out the phone and goes to her Notes app. “So, pros for staying with Lori in New York.”

  “He’s hot—” I start but the answers begin pouring out. “And funny and cool and sexy and kind, which I never imagined he would be. He’s loyal and hardworking, another surprise. He’s generous and loving. And he’s so easygoing. I mean honestly, if it wasn’t for all the drama I brought to the table, he’d have none in his life.” I blush. “Don’t add that. Just put down that I like him. Put a lot.”

  “Jesus, you’re broken,” she mumbles as she taps it in. “I’m putting down he’s successful. It’s all-encompassing for his richness and no money worries.”

  “Fine.”

  “Your kid would have two parents who are present.”

  “Right.” I hadn’t given that any thought at all which I think speaks to how not ready I am for this moment. Anyone cocky enough to think they can single parent easily is delusional.

  “And if you stay, you get to see me and your friends.”

  “Plus, finding a job in the city isn’t that hard. I’m sure Stan’s trying to blackball me but someone would hire me. Eventually.”

  “He’s not. He thinks you’ll come crawling back and begging for your job.” She presses her lips together fighting a smirk.