“Now … we’re sort of … hooking up.”
“I see.”
“If it’s going to come between us, you know—”
Avery put her hands over Ella’s, stilling the nervous movement. “What you do with Tyler has nothing to do with me. It’s just that…” She paused and drew a deep breath. “My brother is a player. Not that he’s always with a woman, far from it,” she rushed to explain. “It’s just that from all I’ve seen over the years, he doesn’t do commitment. In fact, it’s a pattern of his. A date or two and he’s out.”
Ella ignored the pain in her heart caused by hearing what she already knew to be true. “I’m aware that whatever’s going on between us is temporary.” Get her sea legs back when it came to sex and move on. She could handle it. She had no choice.
“Okay, good. Because if he hurts you, I’ll have to kill him, and he’s my brother, you know?” Avery met her gaze with a serious expression on her face.
“I know. And I appreciate the support. But you don’t have to worry. I’m not stupid enough to think I can change him.” Although Ella knew many other women might think they were the one to change a bad boy’s ways, Ella knew better. She hadn’t been enough … for a lot of things in her short life.
She didn’t consider this kind of thinking doing what Tyler had accused her of earlier, selling herself short. No, she considered it realistic. Smart. More honing of her survival skills, she thought wryly. “You don’t need to worry about either on
e of us. We’re adults and we’ll behave like it before and after.”
“You’re sure?” Avery asked, chewing on her bottom lip.
Ella didn’t want her friend worrying. She leaned in and hugged Avery hard. “You worry too much. It’s all good.”
“Okay,” Avery said, but Ella wasn’t sure her friend believed her own words.
Before she could figure out what to do or say next, Scott stepped inside the waiting room, a big grin on his face. “It’s a boy,” he announced, pumping a fist in the air.
Ella grinned, happy for Meg and Scott, who’d gone through so much to be together.
If she thought the Dares were excitable normally, nothing topped a baby coming into the family. The noise and cheers, the crying and phone calls were overwhelming.
The family took turns going into the room, so as not to overwhelm the new parents. Emma and Michael went in first, then Olivia and Dylan, followed by Ian and Riley.
By the time they came out, Avery was bouncing on her feet in excitement that vibrated through the room. “You go in with Avery,” Ella said to Tyler. “I’ll be here when you get out.” She didn’t mind seeing the baby at their home, once they were settled in.
Tyler shook his head. “Avery, go on in. I’ll wait and go with Ella when you’re done,” Tyler said, taking Ella by surprise, but she appreciated the gesture, especially once they walked into the room and she caught sight of the gorgeous little boy swaddled in a blanket and snuggled in his mother’s arms.
“Oh, he’s darling,” Ella said.
“You did good,” Tyler said to Meg. He then turned to his sibling. “I’m happy for you, man.” He slapped his brother on the back.
Scott scooped the baby out of his wife’s arms. “Want to hold him?” he asked Tyler.
Tyler immediately settled into a chair, and Scott handed him the baby. “His name is Cole,” Scott said.
Tyler glanced down at the tiny baby in his arms, and Ella could swear her ovaries sang. Her heart definitely grew in size. Everything about him softened when he looked down at the tiny bundle and grinned.
“Hey, little man. Don’t you worry about drawing him as your father. Uncle Tyler’s going to teach you all you need to know about the important things in life.” He stroked his big hand down the baby’s soft cheek and hummed a little.
He looked so right with the baby, and if she let herself, she could see it. See Tyler and his own baby—their—
Before she could finish the thought, Tyler looked up. He met and held her gaze, a heavy thread of emotion and the baby between them.
Panicked suddenly, unwilling to want or even think about what she couldn’t have, Ella cleared her throat. “I’ll meet you outside,” she said to Tyler.
“Meg, Scott, congratulations. I wish you every happiness.” She treated them to a brief wave and rushed out the door, leaving her feelings, and her useless hopes and dreams, behind.
* * *
While holding his nephew, the smell of baby powder in his nose, Tyler had a flash. It only lasted for a second, but it was long enough for him to catch sight of Ella, watching him with the infant, her eyes soft and dewy. And in that instant, he thought, this could be us. And his heart nearly stopped beating.