Page 60 of Backup Plan

I giggle. “Anything for my bestie. I’ll call you tomorrow when I’m here, and I’ll send pictures, too.”

“You’re the best, best, bestest bestie ever.”

“I know.” Though I wonder if she’d still be saying that if she knew I was fucking her younger brother on the side.

We hang up, and I stop by McDonald’s for some Friday Happy Meals, and by the time we get back to Liam’s place, I’m ready to get the kids in the bathtub and then to bed.

I let us in, and both boys are still holding their vanilla shakes when I see a little movement over by the fort they built last night here in the living room.

A second later, Liam jumps out of the fort and yells, “Surprise,” scaring all three of us. I scream, and both boys yell and jump, but they both manage to hold onto their Happy Meal toys and their shakes. Shocking, really, since Benji seems to drop just about everything that he ever holds in his slippery fingers.

The yells turn to laughter as Liam crawls across the floor and rears up on his knees with his hands in the air, mimicking a dinosaur.

I laugh and look fondly down at the man on the floor who is such a natural with my kids in a way their own father never has been, and my heart swells just a little more.

It’s not good. It shouldn’t be swelling.

I’m deceiving my best friend, who trusts me so much with her younger brother that she actually laughed at the prospect of the two of us together. What would happen if I told her the truth?

I mean…seriously, what would happen?

Best-case scenario, she’d be happy. We’ve always been so close, and maybe someday we’d become actual sisters if this turned out to be something real and serious and not just for fun.

But worst-case, I’d lose her. Especially a week before her wedding. It’s her time to shine, and I refuse to steal any sort of thunder from what will be the happiest day of her life. She deserves this happy ending with Maverick. They both deserve it. He has a traumatic past, and she had a bad breakup with Billy, who I still occasionally see when I’m going to the office since he works on a different floor in the same building.

I’d wait until after the wedding, but even then…what would I say?

I’m sleeping with your brother.

And what would she say?

She’d point out all the obvious things. He’s too young for me. He’s moving to San Diego to continue his unstable career. I’m going through a divorce. There are kids in the picture.

Kids who love him already.

Maybe she’d be angry I didn’t tell her from the start, or maybe she’d feel betrayed by two people she loves and cares about.

No, it makes no sense to tell her now, especially not when there’s no definition here. We’ve slept together a few times. We’re having fun. That’s all it is.

But why am I saying it in my own head like I’m trying to convince myself that it’s true? That I’m not developing feelings for him at a concerningly rapid pace?

I watch as the kids laugh hysterically while he continues acting like a dinosaur, and the kids join in, too, setting their stuff down on the end table. Sammy chooses to be a T-rex, pulling his elbows inside his shirt so just his hands stick out the sleeves, while Benji’s preferred dinosaur is a pterodactyl, so he starts flapping his arms and screeching through the living room.

Liam roars loudly, and honestly, it’s reminiscent of when he’s on top of me and about to come, and an ache presses between my thighs.

Yes, from watching this fool act like a goddamn dinosaur. What is wrong with me?

Oh, right. I’m falling for my best friend’s little brother, and seeing how good he is with my kids is pushing me past the falling stage and into a territory I’m definitely not ready for.

CHAPTER 18: Liam Bradley

Kindergarten Promotion

I tackle Benji first, Sammy second.

“Nobody beats a T-rex!” Sammy shouts as I take him down.

“Nobody except a Spinosaurus!” I yell, and both boys are laughing like crazy as I pin both of them down, one arm each at the same time as I roar once more for good measure.