Page 110 of Backup Plan

“And you said you didn’t know anything about babies,” I tease.

He chuckles.

“Truth be told, the nurses have been amazing here, and it’s probably because she’s the cutest baby in the nursery and none of them want to stop holding her.”

“How are you really holding up, man?” he asks.

My eyes slide over to the pizza box. “Hungry.”

He takes the hint and opens the box, dishing two pieces out onto paper plates he brought. The familiar sights and smells of a single slice of steaming pizza bring me back to my childhood—the thick, buttery crust, the gooey cheese, the sausage, the sauce. It’s all perfection.

I usually dig into this with a fork, but I’m hungry and don’t see one, so I pick it up and take a huge bite. After I swallow it down, I glance up to see my brother studying me.

“I’m okay,” I say quietly. “The truth of it is that I haven’t had to do much yet. I’m learning. It’ll be an entirely different story once I’m home on my own with her.”

“And are you equipped for that?”

“I asked Dolores to help me. I have faith she’ll get me what I need.” I shrug. “I texted Ivy that Izzy was in labor, but she was in Vegas visiting Ainsley. I sort of thought she was going to be my solution, but she’s not even here. So…I’m not really sure what I’m doing. Relying on Dolores for now and hoping I can work something out when I get back to San Diego.”

He wrinkles his nose and bites his lip, and I get the distinct feeling he wants to say something but isn’t sure how to say it.

“Out with it,” I demand.

He sighs. “I’m not sure Ivy’s coming to San Diego. I guess Everleigh got to her and told her how much she needs an assistant, and now she’s thinking about moving to Vegas instead.”

“What?” I breathe. “Why the fuck wouldn’t she tell me that? I just put a goddamn offer on a goddamn house that’s goddamn big enough for both of us, and now she’s not even going to be there?”

He winces. “It appears not. And listen, she’s backing out of my offer, too. So that leaves VanBrad in the lurch, too,” he says.

“Fuck,” I mutter.

“Have you talked to the team?”

I shake my head.

“Miller Banks has a baby. Tanner’s wife has two kids. Spencer Nash has one. All sorts of guys on the team have kids.”

“Yeah, but they also have wives or girlfriends,” I point out. “I’m a single dad.”

“I’m sure if you talk to someone in player ops, they can help you find someone.”

I nod. I honestly hadn’t thought of that.

“Does this TV have Archer’s game?” Madden asks.

I shrug, and he stands to find the remote. He flips around, and we can’t find it, but he pulls it up on his phone. We watch our brother’s game while we finish the entire pizza, and I’ve just washed my hands when the nurse comes in with a baby and a bottle.

“Look who’s awake and hungry,” she croons with a smile.

Liora is clearly hungry and not happy, and she cries her little newborn baby cries.

I move to the couch, and the nurse brings her over to me. She gently lays her in my arms, and I’m careful to support her head the way she showed me earlier. I’m sure this will get easier, but it’s still early days. I’m still learning.

It feels like it’ll be a lifetime of learning.

She hands me the bottle, and I set it between the baby’s lips. Once she quiets down and starts to suck, the nurse leaves, and I glance at my big brother before I look back down at my little girl.

“Uncle Madden is here to meet you,” I say softly.