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austin

Me: You should come up to your brother's place. He’s at practice and I’m here with my dog…

Nova: You brought your DOG?! OMG I love dogs, be right there.

I ’m hunkered down in his living room, the massive windows offering me a view of the entire city as I lay wrapped in a faux fur blanket, little Gio burrowed near my feet.

So warm.

So cozy.

Moments later, Nova bursts into the penthouse, her excitement practically bouncing off the walls as she slips out of her sneakers by the door.

“Where is he? Where’s the dog?!” she demands, eyes scanning the room with the determination of someone on a mission.

I lift the edge of the blanket I’m wrapped in, revealing Gio, nestled comfortably by my feet. His big ears twitch at the sound of her voice, and his nearly hairless head peeks out from under the throw .

Nova gasps like she’s just seen the most precious creature on the planet. “Oh my God, look at him! He’s so weird —but so perfect ! Come here, little guy! Come to Auntie Nova.”

Auntie Nova…

Her words hang in the air, a casual comment on the surface, but to me, they land with a heavy reminder: she’s going to be a real aunt soon.

To an actual, living, breathing baby .

For a second, the thought clouds the moment, pulling me out of the warm, cozy cocoon I’d created in her brother’s living room. I shift slightly, adjusting the blanket around me.

Nova doesn’t seem to notice my lapse, too busy letting Gio climb into her lap and paw at her sweater like he’s decided she’s his new favorite human. She laughs, scratching his neck.

“You’ve got the best taste in pets.” She loudly kisses his snout.

Gio narrows his eyes in that suspicious way he does with strangers, but seems to decide she’s acceptable.

“Are you playing hard to get?” she whispers as he sniffs her hand before nuzzling it. “Are you?” Without hesitation, she cradles him gently. “Oh, I love you. I’m taking you home.”

“Good luck with that,” I say, smirking. “He’s picky. He barely even likes me .”

I move, making room for her to stretch out beside me.

“Having a lazy day?” she says.

“Yeah—I am so run down that I decided to leave school early and not do office hours.” My yawn punctuates the sentence. “It feels so good to camp out here.”

So quiet.

Serene.

The cleaning ladies came in briefly, emptying trash cans and making Gio’s bed, going through the fridge for expired food.

Surreal, this life he has…

“I don’t blame you. If I had this setup, I’d never want to leave either. ”

Gio snuggles against her, his tiny body fitting perfectly into the crook of her arm. He closes his eyes, fully trusting her already.

“It’s a little weird, though,” I confess, my voice soft. “Cleaning ladies who know his routine better than I do. A fridge that somehow always restocks itself. It’s like he’s living on autopilot.”

Nova raises an eyebrow, her fingers absentmindedly stroking Gio’s nearly hairless back.

“Sounds convenient, not weird.”

“Yeah, but it’s not real, you know? It’s like a curated version of life. He’s barely here to enjoy it, and when he is, everything’s already done for him. It’s more like he’s staying in a fancy hotel than living in a home.”

She’s quiet for a moment, her gaze drifting to the floor-to-ceiling windows and the breathtaking city view beyond them. The skyline sparkles against the afternoon sun, a constant reminder of the privilege and distance that comes with this kind of lifestyle.

“I get it,” she says finally. “It doesn’t feel personal sometimes. Probably why he’s always down at my place.”

“Exactly.” I lean back, pulling the blanket tighter around me. “It’s kind of lonely, honestly.”

Nova turns her head to look at me, her expression softening.

“Well, he’s not alone right now,” she says simply, her voice warm.

I smile, grateful for her presence. “No, I guess he’s not.”

“You have each other.”

That warms me on the inside and I debate if I should tell her about…well. You know. Being pregnant. How she’ll react.

Too soon.

She just got here.

“I had an interesting conversation with your brother last night,” I say. “He was at my place and we started talking ‘bout you—as usual—and dating came up. ”

Nova rolls her eyes. “I’m sure it did.”

“Interestingly enough, I got him to give me a name.”

This perks her up. “What do you mean, a name? A name for who?”

“Someone on the team he’d be cool with you dating.”

Nova narrows her eyes, shifting slightly so she’s facing me fully. “Wait—hold on. You’re telling me my brother, Mister Overprotective, actually gave you a name? Like—willingly?”

I grin, leaning back against the cushions and enjoying her skepticism. “I was just as surprised as you are. I figured he’d shut it down completely, but nope. He thought about it for a good, solid minute.”

I’m exaggerating of course, finding pleasure in her shocked expression.

“Who is it?” she presses, her tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

I raise an eyebrow, dragging out the moment.

“You really want to know?”

“Obviously!”

“Alright,” I say, drawing out the word. “He said, and I quote, ‘If I had to pick someone on the team, I guess I wouldn’t hate it if Nova went out with?—’”

“Stop stalling!” she screeches. “Spit it out!”

“—Luca.”

“As in, Babineaux?” Nova seems to rear back. “Seriously?”

I nod. “What’s wrong with him—he’s so cute.”

“Yeah he’s cute but he’s so…” Her hand waves aimlessly in the air as she searches for an adjective to describe the nice, low-key forward on the Baddies. “Boring?”

I smirk. “Ah, so what I’m hearing is you’d rather date someone your brother wouldn’t approve of?”

“No. I’m saying I need someone who’s more fun.”

“Poor bastard,” I laugh, shaking my head with mock sympathy. “The guy doesn’t know we’re over here dismantling his entire personality. ”

Nova grins, already reaching for her phone. “Let’s see how boring he really is.”

“Wait, you’re seriously gonna stalk him right now?” I ask, laughing.

“Of course,” she says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Her fingers fly over the screen as she types his name into the search bar. “If I’m gonna reject him in my head, I might as well have receipts to back up my claims.”

I lean over, peering at her screen as she pulls up Luca Babineaux’s profile. His profile picture is exactly what I expect—him in his Baddies jersey, smiling at the camera like he’s uncomfortable even being photographed.

“Classic,” I comment. “The humble athlete pose.”

“Let’s dig deeper,” Nova says, clicking on his tagged photos. The first few are standard fare—team pictures, action shots on the court, and group photos at what looks like team dinners.

But then she scrolls past a photo of Luca holding a black lab retriever puppy that was posted four days ago, his smile wide and genuine.

“Oh, come on,” I groan. “He has a puppy ? That’s an automatic ten points. You can’t hate on him for that.”

Nova narrows her eyes. “He’s too perfect. Of course he has a puppy.” She scoffs. “I bet he volunteers at an animal shelter on the weekends.”

“Would that really be so bad?” I tease. “You could be the one to turn him into a bad boy—like not returning library books on time.”

She snorts, scrolling further. “Fine. Maybe he’s not that terrible , but look at this.” She pauses on a photo of Luca at what looks like a team charity event.

He’s wearing a Santa hat and holding a plate of cookies while surrounded by kids.

“Aww. Santa Luca,” I say, stifling a laugh. “Too nice, too wholesome. He’d probably text you good morning and good night. What a jerk. ”

“Nope.” Nova groans dramatically, tossing her phone onto the couch. “Can’t do it. I’d suffocate under all the kindness.”

“ Or ,” I counter. “You’d finally meet someone who doesn’t ghost you after three dates.”

Her lips twitch, but she doesn’t say anything, blue gaze drifting to the large windows.

“You know,” I say softly. “Your brother makes a valid point. A guy like Luca, who is less exciting than your last dating app match, may not be the worst thing.”

Nova doesn’t respond right away, and for a moment, the room is quiet except for the faint hum of the city outside. Then she sighs, picking up her phone again.

“I dunno.” She taps on the puppy photo again. “I’ll give him this—the dog is cute. But I’m not sold on the whole package.”

I laugh, nudging her with my elbow. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“And proud of it,” she replies, her grin returning as she sets her phone down. “Maybe a boyfriend and kids aren’t in the cards for me.”

I roll my eyes. She is twenty-six years old.

“You make it sound like you’re seventy years old.”

“I feel seventy—like I’ve been at this for years.” Gio’s sister heaves out a massive sigh. “My ovaries are drying up.”

This is it.

The perfect window of opportunity.

I suck in a breath.

“You know whose ovaries aren’t drying up?” I quip. “Mine.”

She laughs like I’m kidding, petting the dog.

“Yeah, okay. Like you’re over here bursting with fertility or something. What are you even talking about?”

I hesitate, my fingers fidgeting with the edge of the faux fur blanket. The joke had been a test —a way to gauge how she might react. But now that the moment’s here, my throat tightens, and the words feel impossible to say .

“Well…” I trail off, forcing a casual tone. “I was being serious.”

Nova’s hand freezes mid-pet. She glances up at me, her brows knitting together in confusion.

“Wait. What? ”

“I’m serious,” I say, my voice quieter now. “I’m… pregnant.”

For a moment, she just stares at me, her mouth slightly open. Then, as if to break the tension, Gio lets out a laborious yawn, and she blinks, sitting up straighter.

“Wait, wait, wait,” she says, holding up a hand. “You’re telling me—like, right now, this second—you’re preg nant?”

Unfortunately I can do nothing but nod my head. “I just found out. I have no idea how far along I am or anything…”

“Holy. Shit.” She shakes her head, a slow smile spreading across her face. “I mean… wow. Okay. This is huge. Are you okay? How do you feel? Wait—does my brother know?”

“Not yet,” I say quickly. “Dolly was there when I took the test and now I’m telling you.” I nibble at my thumbnail. “I honestly have no idea how I’m going to tell him.”

Or when.

“Wow,” she finally says, her tone softer now. “Okay. First of all, I’m honored you told me. Second…” She lets out a long breath, leaning back against the couch. “We need a plan. You can’t just wing something like this with him. He’ll probably short-circuit.”

Not probably. He is.

I groan, sinking further into the blanket. “You think I don’t know that? That’s why I haven’t said anything yet. I mean, how do I start a conversation like this?”

“Something casual like, ‘Hey, remember that one night we banged? Turns out we made a person.’” Nova shifts, pulling her legs up onto the couch and cradling Gio in her lap like the tiny, spoiled prince that he is. “Seriously, though, you’ve got to tell him soon. He deserves to know. Plus, the longer you wait, the more lonely and isolated you’re going to feel. ”

True.

I hadn’t thought of my feelings at all.

Only his reaction to it.

“I know,” I admit, running a hand through my hair. “I don’t want to freak him out. Or make things more complicated than they already are.”

“Complicated how?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

I hesitate, my stomach twisting. “We’re not together, together,” I say slowly. “We’re dating. I don’t even know what his favorite ice cream flavor is.”

“Vanilla.” She yawns. “He’s dull—but that’s not the point. The point is: you don’t have to know his favorite ice cream flavor to know how he’ll handle this. If he’s worth anything, he’ll step up. And if he doesn’t…” She shrugs, her tone light but her expression serious. “Then you know exactly what kind of person he is.”

I sigh, leaning back into the couch. “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I am,” she replies, grinning. “Don’t worry, though. You’ll be fine. You’re stronger than you think, and this kid’s gonna have the coolest mom ever.”

“Thanks.” A relieved smile tugs at my lips.

“And the coolest aunt,” she adds, winking. “Obviously.”

“Obviously,” I say, rolling my eyes.

I’m glad she doesn’t hate me. And I’m glad she doesn’t think I trapped her brother into a lifelong commitment before he’s ready.

Nova leans back, stroking Gio absentmindedly. “So, how are you actually going to tell him? Can I help?”

“I hadn’t thought about it. I’ve only worried about it,” I tell her honestly with a laugh.

She gets animated. “Oooh! I have an idea! How about this: you get a onesie printed that says, ‘Daddy’s Little Teammate,’ and hand it to him.”

I pause, chewing on my lip. “I don’t know. Maybe I should sit him down and tell him—the old fashioned way. No frills, no gimmicks. Just honesty.”

Nova pulls a face, not loving that idea. “Or—hear me out—you get a puck and write, ‘You’re gonna be a dad’ on it, take him to the arena. Get him in the box and chuck it at him. Very on-brand, right?”

I groan. “Nova, I’m not trying to give the poor guy a heart attack.”

“Lame,” she pouts. “What about balloons? Everyone loves balloons. You could fill one with confetti and pop it, and the confetti spells out the news. Super dramatic.”

“Super messy,” I point out, shaking my head. “Besides, I don’t think he’s the kind of guy who needs theatrics.”

“Pfft. My brother loves drama, what are you talking about? If you hadn’t noticed, one of the reasons he’s so into you is because you’re willing to make an ass of yourself in public.”

I take offense to that. “When do I make an ass of myself?!”

“Uh—at every home game? The signs? The tauntin—" She stops speaking and looks at me. “That’s it. That’s the idea!”

“What is?”

“A sign! At the game!” Nova’s eyes light up as she scoots closer, clearly excited by her latest brainwave. “Think about it! You’re already his number one fan—literally. You could hold up a sign during the game that says something like, ‘You’re Gonna Be a Dad!’”

He would die.

I gape at her, absolutely horrified. “Nova, no. Absolutely not. Do you know how mortifying that would be? For both of us?”

She cackles, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “Oh, come on . It’s perfect! Public, dramatic, and completely on-brand for you two. Less of a heckle, more of an announcement. So Khloe Kardash of you.”

I groan, throwing a pillow at her. “First of all, I am nothing like Khloe Kardashian. Second of all, no. Absolutely not. I’m not announcing this like it’s a gender reveal party on steroids. ”

Nova catches the pillow, her grin widening. “You are no fun. Admit it, it’d be unforgettable! For everyone! The fans would eat that shit up!”

They seriously would.

The announcement would likely go viral and plastered on every major news network across the country.

The more she talks the less I hate the idea.

It would be Classic Austin.

“Oh my God, Nova. He would shit his pants.”

For so many reasons.

Nova hoots, clapping her hands together. “It’s perfect. Public enough to make it memorable, but not so over-the-top that it’s a complete shit-show.”

I shake my head with another laugh. “What if Gio gets distracted and they lose which could lose The Baddies, the championship, and then the Cup and suddenly I’m the reason they had a horrible season.”

Not to mention, being highlighted in all the Sports Fail reels.

“You are way o verthinking this.”

“Am I?” I ask. “I’m just making sure Gio lets a puck through his glove ‘cause he’s too busy reading my sign?”

She ignores my question and continues making arguments for the sign. “…Or are you bringing your entire relationship full-circle? It’s perfect.”

“I can’t argue with that, I guess,” I continue chewing my nail nervously. “Ugh, why is this so hard?”

“Because this baby is going to be life changing–in a good way!” Nova says optimistically. “You’re not dropping this massive bomb on his life and hoping he doesn’t explode.”

I sigh, staring up at the ceiling. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Dropping a bomb.

“Right. So why not make it funny?” Nova reaches over and grabs a throw pillow, hugging it to her chest. “For what it’s worth, I think he’s going to handle it better than you think. I think he’ll be excited. You may not have known him long but he’s already shown you he’s a decent guy.”

Decent guy.

“High praise,” I say dryly.

She laughs. “Hey, you’re the one who picked him.”

I roll my eyes, but the truth of her words settles in. She’s right—he is a decent dude and I did pick him— with her help .

Looking over, my eyes narrow playfully as I say, “You practically shoved us in each other’s way.”

Nova shrugs, a smirk playing on her lips. “You’re welcome, by the way. Don’t I have impeccable taste?”

I bite my lip, thinking it over.

Nova has a point . And the more I picture the idea, the more it makes sense. Maybe surprising him at one of his games is perfect. I can already see it—me, sitting front row with a sign that reads, Congrats, Daddy!

Yes.

I like this idea more and more.

“Impeccable taste? If by ‘impeccable taste’ you mean meddling to the point of no return,” I tease. “I mean—you meddled so hard that your brother is going to be a dad. So really, this is on you.”

“Meddling? How dareee you.” Nova clutches her chest in mock offense. “This is slander, which I prefer to think of as divine intervention.” She smirks but then leans in, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “ Seriously though—how are you feeling? Like, is anything happening yet? You’re super early, right?”

I nod, pulling the blanket tighter around me. “I’m two or three weeks along, tops. I barely feel anything. No nausea. Boobs are normal. Just tired. Like, I could nap anywhere, anytime.”

But that’s also nothing new.

I’m always down for a nap.

Ha!

Nova raises an eyebrow. “Tired already? That’s wild. Your body’s, like, ‘Hey, girl, we’re gonna make a human, so shut everything else down.’”

I laugh softly. “Pretty much. It’s weird—I feel fine one minute, and then the next, I’m totally wiped out.”

She tilts her head, studying me like I’m a science experiment. “No cravings or weird stuff yet?”

“Not really,” I say, shrugging. “I did devour a whole bag of salt-and-vinegar chips yesterday, but that’s just me being a snack monster.”

She shifts closer, her expression softening. “What about emotionally? Are you okay? Excited? All of the above?”

I exhale, my shoulders sinking into the couch. “Yeah. All of the above. It doesn’t feel real. Half the time, I’m like, ‘What if this is a mistake?’ and the other half, I’m scared. My mom doesn’t know I’m dating someone so I have to break that news, plus the news about a baby?”

Nova’s smile fades slightly, and she reaches over to squeeze my hand. “You’re literally weeks in—it’s okay to feel like this. We’ve got this.”

We.

Me + Dolly + Nova

What more do I need?

“Thanks, Nova,” I murmur, her words settling into me.

She brightens again. “So, I need to know—are we gonna find out what the gender is? Or are you going to wait until you give birth?”

I stare at her, deadpan. “Nova, I don’t even know how far along I am. Can I get through the part where I break the news to Gio?”

She laughs, throwing her head back. “Fine, fine. But when you’re ready, I’m here for the gender reveal brainstorming. Glitter bombs, confetti, maybe a pinata full of baby socks?—”

I cut her off with a laugh. “Stop. You’re too much.”

“And you love me for it,” she quips, grinning as she grabs the remote. “Now, do you want to keep overthinking, or should we put on something dumb and distracting?”

“Dumb and distracting, please.”

“Perfect,” she says, pulling up a reality dating show. “Let’s watch people mess up their own love lives so we can stop stressing about ours.”