Page 38 of For the Plot (The Stone Siblings #1)

Come to Me – Goo Goo Dolls

“Hey, that was mine!” Robyn snipped at Alex, attempting to take the drink out of his hand, but he knocked back the glass of champagne before she could.

“You had one in each hand. I assumed one of them was for me.” Alex shrugged, motioning to the drink in her other hand.

Robyn snorted. “Why would I grab you a drink, dumbass? You're perfectly capable of getting your own. Plus, it’s an open bar. Of course I’m gonna double-fist it.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, shaking my head. But I couldn’t stop the grin spreading on my face.

“Guess that means I'm just helping the youths.” Alex shrugged.

“How is you stealing my drink 'helping the youths'?”

“The more I drink the less alcohol there is for the children?"

Robyn rolled her eyes. "Dude, you just stole that from Phoebe Buffay." Alex winked before sauntering away, Robyn trailing after him, needling him with more insults.

My heart was full as I looked around this room filled with all the people I loved. Well, everyone besides Collins, who said he'd have a surprise for us when he got here later.

Someone came up behind me, snaking an arm around my waist and planting a kiss on the top of my head. I turned in James's arms, wrapping my hands around the back of his neck.

I tilted my face up, and he leaned down to plant a sweet kiss on my lips. “And how are you feeling on your big day?”

I grinned up at him. “Well, now that the singing is over and that beast of a book is finally out in the world and no longer trying to kill me? I’m feeling great.” I dropped my arms to turn back around and look out at the room, sighing as I rested my head back against his chest.

His arms wrapped around my middle, pulling me against him.

I wrapped my arms over his, and he began gently swaying me back and forth.

Tonight was the launch party for my third book, and I couldn’t be more relieved that I was here.

After the way I had finished the first draft finally, I thought Lucy was going to come back and tell me how terrible it was and that they’d hated it.

But they’d said how much they loved it, how much it made them feel, and that it was a fantastic start. And to be honest, once it had gone through thorough editing, I finally felt like it was a book I could be proud of, maybe even some of my best writing yet.

And now, here we were nine months later, and it was out in the world.

I caught Noah making her way towards me with a regretful smile. She held out her arms, pulling me into a hug. “I’m so sorry! The hospital called, and they need me to come in. But I am so, so proud of you, Nikki!”

“It’s ok, go be a superhero and save children or whatever.” I waved dismissively at her.

“Thank you, I love you.” She planted a kiss on my cheek, and I did the same to hers. My parents came next, saying they were too old to stay out this late, which was Mom’s way of saying she and Dad were peopled out.

I hugged them goodbye, then turned back to the party of all our friends—and in the case of Will, a co-worker.

To the shock of all of us, he had brought his work rival Allison, with whom he'd had a love-hate thing that had finally turned to love.

She was across the room chatting with Robyn, while Will brought shots over to me and James for the three of us to knock back together.

The front door opened in front of us, a tall silhouette blocked by the sun filled the doorway.

“Collins!”

“You’ll never believe who you just missed.”

“Where’s the present you said you were bringing?”

We all spoke at once, while Collins slowly stepped in the door, angled to the side, hiding something behind himself.

“I said surprise , not present,” he told us.

“Ok, whatever you want to call it,” I said, waving dismissively. “Just show us what it is!”

Collins took a deep breath and stepped inside, swinging something large around in front of himself. My eyes went wide at the baby car seat.

“Is there… is there a human child in there?” I stuttered. Collins gave me a what the fuck? look, and I shrugged in defense. “Hey, you can’t blame me for asking.”

“You—” Collins had his finger pointing at me but then he stopped, thinking about it. “OK, yeah, fair.”

I was fully prepared for him for him to be pranking us somehow, when he revealed an actual human child. I pointed down at them in shock, “Whose child is this?”

Collins shifted on his feet. “She was left at the station as a safe surrender.”

“Ohhhh, OK, phew” I said in relief. “I thought you were gonna say she’s your daughter.”

Collins hesitated, and my eyes grew wide. “Holy shit, Collins, is this your daughter?”

“Nikki, James, Will, meet my daughter, Rose."

We looked at each other, then at Collins, with matching questions of disbelief.

He explained in a rush, "When she was dropped off at the station, there was a letter attached to her car seat. Her mother dropped her off there because she knew I worked at the station. She said I’m the father.

It’s that one-night stand I had thought would be something more that I had about ten months ago, remember?

” He turned to James, who looked confused for a second before realization seemed to dawn on his face.

I gasped again, covering my mouth with my hands. "Holy shit, Collins, you're actually a father!"