Page 107 of The Arrangement

I watch his back muscles move beneath his shirt as he walks away.

“How’s marriage life treating you?” Ripley asks, rinsing his plate before putting it in the dishwasher.

“Better than I expected.”

“Did you not expect to be happy you married my brother?” He laughs.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m a very happy woman.”

“Glad to hear it.” He takes a seat on the counter. “He’s been different this past week. Less moody. More pliable. Not saying he’s been friendly or anything …”

I laugh.

“But he seems really happy.” Ripley’s blue eyes sparkle. “That’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah, well, he’s pretty cool.”

Jason returns, pulling a polo shirt over his head. “Blakely’s in labor.”

“Renn’s wife?” I ask.

“Yes. Renn just called me in a complete panic.” Jason grins. “Grey was working security for them and is driving them both to the hospital. I bet Grey’s ready to throttle Renn.”

Ripley laughs, hopping off the countertop. “Labor can take hours—especially for first-time mothers. I’m going to run home and grab a shower before heading to the hospital.”

“I’m heading there now before Blakely divorces our brother,” Jason says. “Are you coming or staying home?”

What do I want to do?I take his hand. “I want to go with you, of course.”

“Lock up behind you, will ya?” Jason asks Ripley.

Ripley yawns. “Sure will. I’ll ensure Tate and Mimi return, and we’ll get her situated before we leave.”

My heart swells at the kindness of these men. Not only have they embraced me, but they’ve also extended their warmth to my Mimi. They’ve changed our lives, and I don’t think they even know it.

“Let’s go,” Jason says, walking beside me to the garage. “We’re about to have another little Brewer.”

We exchange a look that doesn’t need words—which is good. I’m not capable of them right now, anyway.

“Oh, my gosh, Renn,” I whisper, pulling back the blue blankets to see the newborn’s little face. “He’s beautiful.”

Renn can’t take his eyes off his son. “I just can’t believe I’m a dad. I mean, look at him. He has hands for rugby and Blakely’s lips. It’s so wild.”

Jason clasps his brother on the shoulder, admiring his nephew, too.

“How’s your wife?” I ask.

The agony of the past twelve hours is written all over Renn’s face.

I stayed at the hospital with them for the first few hours—until it was clear the birth was going to take some time. Jason drove home long enough to drop me off, grab his computer, and then returned to stay with his brother.

Jason kept me updated through the night, and as things grew more complicated, the rest of the family began to arrive. Tate and Ripley were next, followed shortly by Gannon. Bianca and Rory flew in around two this morning and sat with Blakely’s brother, Brock, and his fiancée, Ella.

I arrived back just as the doctor urged Renn to sign off on a C-Section. Arlo Renn Brewer was born just before nine o’clock this morning.

“Blakely’s resting,” he says, nodding toward the other room of the maternity suite. “This little guy really took it out of her.” Tears well up in Renn’s eyes. “Thank you for staying by my side last night, Jason. I was scared shitless.”

“You know I have you,” Jason says, keeping his hand on Renn’s shoulder. “Just like you have this little guy.”