Page 57 of Better Daddy

But when we first separated, I just assumed Sully would keep Cal and Brian, and I’d get Lo. It was better that way. The last thing I wanted was to put our friends in the middle of our issues. When the rest of them were forced to move to Jersey, and Lo was forcedto work in a small office with my husband, I thought I’d lose her too.

I’m relieved that I haven’t lost any of them.

“You seeing anyone?” I ask, cupping the mug of tea Sully made for me.

Brian chuckles. “You been talking to Sully and Cal?”

I eye Lo and shake my head. “No, why?”

He waves me off. “They have it in their heads that I need to meet someone.”

“My Sully is telling you that you need a woman?” I can’t hide the shock in my voice. I can’t even picture Sully entertaining that type of conversation, let alone engaging in it.

“Your Sully?” Lo teases.

With a roll of my eyes, I sip my tea and study Brian. “So have you?”

Lo scoffs as she pads to the kitchen. “He’d have to actually talk to women in order to meet one, right?”

I hum in agreement, inhaling the earthy scent of the steam rising from my mug.

“I don’t have time,” Brian grouses. “Besides, how the hell would I explain this living situation to a date?”

Eyes widening, I gasp. “Oh, Brian is a naughty boy. I was just talking about going out to dinner, not—” I put my tea on the coffee table, then make a circle with one hand and poke my index finger through the middle of it. “Fucking,” I mouth.

Brian covers his eyes. “I forgot how crass you can be.”

From the kitchen, Lo calls, “This is my favorite version of her.”

I grin. “So?”

Cal’s ginormous cat wanders into the room and rubs his head against Brian’s knee.

“Oh,” he says. “Looks like the cat needs a walk.”

I laugh. “Oh, now you call him the cat and not Dammit?”

“He’s a damn good cat.” With a wink, he stands and heads for the door.

“Might want to change before you go outside,” I call.

He stumbles, then whips around, covering his ass with both hands, and backs out of the room so we can’t see his flap.

I burst into laughter. The pajamas are ridiculous. Lo joins in from where she’s wiping down the kitchen counter, and the two of us lose it completely. We’re just coming down from it when he reappears in jeans and a jacket, the cat following him out the door.

Catching my breath, I lean back against the couch and survey the enormous Christmas tree. It took ten strands of multicolored lights to illuminate it properly. It’s ridiculous. And kind of perfect.

As Lo returns to the living room, Sully and Cal reappear, still wearing their matching pajamas.

Lo lights up as she takes Cal in, stretching her arms dramatically. “Well, I’m super tired. I think I’ll go to bed.”

Cal mimics her. “I’m knackered.” He yawns loudly, tapping his hand against his mouth.

I roll my eyes. “We know you guys just want to get freaky. You don’t have to lie on our account.”

Beaming back at me, Lo strides toward the hallway. “Okay, see you in the morning.”

As she passes Cal, he sweeps her off her feet and throws her over his shoulder, making her squeal.