Page 116 of Backup Plan

“It’s hard doing this alone,” I admit. “There are, like, no breaks. I’m forever indebted to Dolores, though. She spent last night here, and I have more energy today than I’ve had in a week.”

“I’m sorry, Liam. Have you seen Madden much?”

“He’s come by a few times to visit, but he knows about as much about kids as I knew a week ago.”

She laughs. “Accurate. And Ivy’s still here in Vegas, so she’s no help.”

“I’ve called Dex with questions, but I think it’s a different story when you have two people there to split the weight, you know?”

“Sure. Of course. What can I do?”

“Relinquish your hold on Ivy so she’ll get her ass here and help me out.”

She laughs. “I don’t have a hold on her. She hasn’t made a firm decision yet, but she’s twenty-one, bro. I don’t blame her for wanting to live in Sin City for a while before she decides where she wants to settle in.”

I guess I can’t really blame her for that, either. “Whatever,” I grunt petulantly.

“Listen, I’m calling for a very important reason.”

“What?” I snap.

“I’m flying in a few days early for the trial so I can spend time with you and my niece. Mav is staying here, but I wanted to ask you if I could stay with you so I can help out with night feedings and all the things.”

“Yes, of course, Ev. I would absolutely love that,” I say.

Having my sister here might remind me of her best friend…or maybe I can talk it out with Ev and try to find a way to win Penny back.

And best-case scenario, maybe I can get another night of seven glorious hours of uninterrupted sleep.

I hear Liora start to cry.

So it won’t be tonight, and as I scramble making a bottle and bolting upstairs quickly to tend to my girl, I can’t help but think that’s okay.

Sleeping two hours at a time isn’t for the weak, and I’m grateful when the front desk calls up to let me know my sister is on her way up the next day.

I’m already holding Liora anyway, bouncing gently with her as I walk around my condo and tell her stories about the boys when they lived here.

“And for one week, we all had to stay right here in this condo because we all got the flu! It was right after they moved in, and boy, do I miss having them here,” I say softly as I hear the gentle knock at my door.

I smile as I make my way over to let my sister in, and she gasps from the doorway as her eyes fall onto her niece, who’s awake, clean, and freshly fed.

“Oh my goodness, is this her?” she asks, and she rushes through the door to get a look at her. “Let me hold her!”

“After you wash your hands,” I say, something the nurse told me several times was essential, especially after being out in public.

She follows my instructions, stepping into the small bathroom off the entry, and she’s staring at me with a tilted head as she exits. “My little brother, already the protective daddy. I wouldn’t have believed it unless I was here to see it with my own two eyes, but it’s about the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I chuckle as I gently hand Liora over. “Liora, this is your Auntie Ev. Ev, meet your niece.”

“Oh,” she gasps, the sound a bit of a garbled sob. “I love her already.”

“Isn’t she perfect?” I ask as we both stare down at her.

“The most perfect newborn I’ve ever seen.”

I mean…she isn’t wrong. She sits in the new reclining rocking chair Dolores said I had to have, and in truth, it’s my favorite chair in this entire condo, so I ordered the same one for my new house in San Diego.

We make small talk as Everleigh stares down at the baby and rocks her until she’s sleeping, and then I have her set the baby into her family room bassinet rather than taking her all the way upstairs.