Page 101 of Accidental Theirs

“We should have met at home.”

He waves his hand to dismiss my worries. “It’s fine. I’m starving, anyway. Doe this place serve burgers?”

I snort out a laugh. “Real funny. Dinner’s on me.”

“Absolutely not.”

I sigh.

We’ll fight over the check like we always do.

Once we’re seated and each have a drink in front of us and a shrimp appetizer, Brendan looks at me curiously.

“What’s going on with you?”

“A lot.” I take a gulp of my drink for courage.

He’s going to be shocked by what I have to say.

But truth is I really need this off my chest. “Do you remember Olivia Carter?”

He blinks. “Richard’s little girl?”

I wince. “Yeah, her.”

“Sure. What about her?”

“She’s pregnant.” I pop a shrimp into my mouth as he just stares at me blankly.

“Okay? Should I call and congratulate her?”

I shake my head. “Not just yet. The thing is, it might be mine.”

His eyes, so much like mine, widen, and he leans forward across the table.

“You’re not serious. You’re fucking with me.”

“I’m not.” I look at him seriously, letting him know this isn’t all some prank.

“What do you mean,mightbe?”

I sigh. “It’s a long story. But I told her that I’d be here for her, for the baby.”

“Of course, you will.” He sits back in his seat, still looking shellshocked. “You have to.”

“Part of me wants to run.” I run a hand through my hair.

“That’s normal, Bash. When Vicky told me she was pregnant with Imogen, I thought I’d move to the Maldives.”

I laugh. “Really? I always thought you guys planned Imogen.”

He snorts. “Absolutely not. We’d only been married three months. I had planned to enjoy my wife and my marriage for a while before having kids.”

“How did you come to accept it?”

He shrugs. “Hell if I know. Just time, I guess. And of course, I’m crazy about Vicky.” He pauses. “How do you feel about Olivia?”

That’s a really good question.