Page 107 of Love Expert

“He was directing thethreecars that drove by,” Billy chuckles. “The mom—her name was Virika—was so damn brave. Even when she was terrified. Even with blood on her hands, and sirens wailing in the air. She gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl, and just a few minutes after that, I handed them both over to the paramedics. Alive,” he adds, reverence flowing through the word. “They were both alive and healthy and okay.”

“He had her blood all over his shirt,” Ramone inserts proudly. “All the way up to his elbows. But that sweet baby girl came out hollering and angry, and after the EMTs took them away, ya man just kinda sat there in the middle of the road. In the cold. With his elbows on his knees and his head hung between his shoulders. He sat there long enough that I had to direct afourthcar, thank you very much.”

Billy nods, like agreeing to that part of his story is important.

“And then he got up and went on a rampage. Where’s Magnolia?” Ramone bounds off his stool and stomps across the diner. “He was all Godzilla-like. Where’s my woman?!”

“I didn’t saywhere’s my woman.”

“He’d just delivered a freakin’ baby, so now he’s invincible.Where’s Magnolia!? Her car wasn’t in the driveway when I left the house.” Stomp.Stomp. Odd dinosaur impersonation. “Where is she, Ramone! So then I told him about the diner.” He straightens his back and flashes a boyish grin.

“And you didn’t think to text us in advance?” Brienne growls. “We could’ve prepared her or something.”

“Prepared?” I look from one person to the next. Dizzy. Confused. Was I the one who had a car accident today? “H-he texts you?”

“All the freakin’ time!” Devina huffs. Slapping her phone onto the counter, she scrolls… and scrolls… and scrolls… Dozens and dozens of texts flash across the screen, too fast for me to read. “He’ssoneedy.”

“You text Devina?” I bring itching eyes back to Billy. “A lot?”

“Devina. Me.” Brienne firms her lips. “Luciana. Cassidy.”

“Me,” Ramone adds happily. “Oh, and Alana, Fox, Rose, and Eliza are in the chat, too.”

“And for a minute, there was a grumpy medical examiner too,” Brienne adds with a shrug. “Not sure where she came from. But she seems even grumpier than Billy.”

“There—” I gulp. “There’s a group chat?”

“There’s no way in hell I’m texting twelve different people individually.” Billy strides forward and stops only when the counter makes it impossible to come closer. “If you want a dozen babies, I’ll give you a dozen babies.”

My eyes water and spill over. “Billy?—”

“But for each of those babies, I need you to be patient with me. I’m gonna worry, and fuckkk,” he groans, “I’m probably gonna say dumb shit every now and then. If you’ve already sold your house, then that’s okay, you can move into mine.”

“She didn’t sell her house,” Brienne inserts. “Catch up, Detective.”

“If you wanna work in a diner, work in a diner. If you wanna walk dogs, you can do that too. If you want me to take care of you the way Molly’s dad takes care of Molly’s mom, then I’ll make it happen. If you wanna keep building the Magnolia Sava Agency, if that’s what makes you happiest, then that’s what would make me happiest, too.”

My breath comes out on a choked sob. “Billy…”

“If you insist on packing up and leaving town, then give me a chance to pack my shit up too so we can follow.” He cups my jaw across the counter, squeezing just tight enough that I feel the pressure on bone. “You left me when we were in second grade. You didn’t say goodbye. And then I lost Aria too…” He shakes his head. “We never got to say goodbye. I let you leave the hospital that day Jeremy got hurt,” his voice shakes, “and I didn’t say goodbye. We didn’t have a choice in the first two situations. It was beyond my control. The third, I chose wrong. And dammit, Magnolia, I don’t think I’ve slept more than an hour since. If you’re leaving Plainview, give me a chance to swing by the school and grab my son. We’re following you. Weneedyou.” He licks his lips, his eyes dropping to mine. “You just have to stay still long enough to give us a chance to plead our case.”

“I didn’t sell my house.” I swallow the thick nerves nestled deep in my throat. “I wasn’t having a yard sale because I was leaving town.”

His eyes, bright green and gleaming, search mine. “You’re not?”

“I’ve spent the last two months going through my grandmother’s things, deciding what to sell and what to keep. I don’t need five dozen teapots, no matter how special they were to her.”

He tracks his thumb over my chin, stroking the underside of my bottom lip. “You weren’t selling to move?”

“No. I was selling to declutter, then all the money I made went straight to my mortgage, because I made a promise to the little boy next door that I wouldn’t leave him.” Pulling back, my heart aches and shudders. “Jeremy thought I was leaving town? Even after I promised I wouldn’t?”

“Well… He’s eight and apt to spiral when he’s emotional.” Billy’s lips curl into a wide grin. “It’s not even his fault. He got that from me.”

Ramone helps himself to my side of the counter, sidling up on my left and bumping his shoulder against mine. “If you have a dozen kids with him, they’ll probably suffer bad moods and emotional dysregulation, too. Maybe you should have girls. Aim for golden eyes and pockets full of sass, instead of…” He gestures toward Billy. “That.”

“See how much I’ve healed?” Billy inserts. “The old me would’ve punched him in his damn face for interrupting our moment when I’m trying really hard to tell you I wanna keep you forever. But the new, partially healed me knows Ramone’s just a showoff who can’t stand not being the center of attention.”

“Excuse you!” Ramone gasps. “Sticks and stones, Detective.”