Heartthrob (The Bennett Brothers 3)

He’ll come to my apartment, so I go to a place he can’t find me. A condo my parents rarely use. It’s safe, it’s quiet, and he has no idea where it is.

The halls of the pediatric oncology wing are buzzing with excitement as families pile in waiting. I go to the nurses’ lounge knowing Bizzy will be there. When I walk in, she’s not alone. Almost the whole staff, on-shift and off, are in the room, crowded around. Shaw stands close to Bizzy, holding their six-month-old daughter, Brinley, who is decked out in teal and orange head-to-toe. She looks more precious than ever, and I immediately swoop in and steal her from him.

She lets out a giggle and covers my nose with a slobbery kiss, then head-plants into my neck.

“I know, sweet girl, I missed you, too.”

“You were at my house yesterday,” Shaw mumbles grumpily.

“She knows her Aunt Claire is her favorite person in the world.”

Shaw narrows his eyes, reaching for Brinley, but I sidestep to Bizzy. They exchange a look that puts me on edge because it’s been happening a lot lately. At first, I thought it was because Shaw is so possessive he wants his daughter and his wife at his side at all times, but lately, it’s more.

Not once do I consider Mathis has called him because it’s not his style.

“Calm down, caveman, you can have her back, but I’m stealing your wife.” I place the baby back in his waiting hands and link my arm through Bizzy’s, dragging her into the women’s room.

She reaches into her oversized mom bag and hands me the jersey Nicky ordered. I slide it over my head and dance in a circle, pumping my arms in the air. “This is PHAT! Do you know how much money I’ll get for this on eBay?”

“Claire!”

“Joking! I’d never sell my one-of-a-kind, Super Bowl Champions, Nick Bennett jersey.” I laugh in her face.

“I wouldn’t put it past you.” She giggles, pinning a gold childhood cancer ribbon on the right side of my chest.

“When are Six and Prego getting here?”

Sexy Six is Nick’s nickname. It was thrown around in college and has stuck throughout his NFL career. His wife, Grace, is newly pregnant. They announced their news to the family last week after the Super Bowl win, and the celebration was probably greater than the actual win.

“I don’t think she likes the nickname.”

“She loves it. She told me she loves it, and she was glowing.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Bizzy sighs dreamily, and I tense.

“Holy shit, you’re not pregnant again, are you?”

She stumbles back, her face full of shock. “Hell no! We have a toddler potty training, a practically newborn baby, and our house is a circus. No way!”

Shaw and Bizzy have shared custody of Shaw’s son, B

rayden, who you’d never know isn’t Bizzy’s own flesh and blood. He was a surprise but is so much a part of all of us, we simply ignore the fact his mother is a raging bitch.

I stare at her long enough to know she’s telling the truth and then narrow my eyes. “Don’t hide it from me again, Biz. You only get one pass at keeping your pregnancy from your best friend.”

I’m referring to the fact that she and Shaw hid her pregnancy for almost thirteen weeks with Brinley because of her fear of complications from her childhood cancer. When it was announced, I was the only one of our crew who was surprised. It was a rough time, since Nick and Grace had broken up and Bizzy was trying to keep things quiet, but in the end, it hurt that she didn’t share.

I understood her reasoning, but after all we’d been through, she only got one time.

“Who knows, maybe we can be pregnant together.”

It’s my turn to be shocked. “I’m not having a baby any time soon.”

“But you and Mathis are finally together. It’s moving forward, isn’t it?”

“Mathis and I are fun. We mesh well together. We’re in each other’s lives because of the environment. But, after last night, I think we’re over.”

“WHAT?!?” she screeches so loud, signaling that this is no longer a rational conversation.