Page 74 of Backup Plan

“Fine,” I mutter. I glance at Penny, who tilts her head at me. “There won’t be randoms or sex noises. I haven’t found a place to live yet, but I’ll be looking this week.” I suppose having my sister live with me would fuck up any plans I have to have Penny come visit me, but at the same time…I need the help, and if Penny can’t do it, Ivy would be a great choice.

I can get a hotel room for Penny and me. I’ll figure it out.

“Let me confirm this kid is even mine before we start making these plans,” I finally say. “I need to get something to eat.”

I walk away from Ivy and Penny and toward Madden, approaching yet another conversation I really don’t want to have.

“Are you heading out tonight?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Early tomorrow. You?”

“Kennedy is.”

I press my lips together. “You know I can’t go to Dad’s trial tomorrow. Don’t make me feel guilty when I was there for every other goddamn thing over the last year.”

He holds his hands up to placate me. “I’m not. And I realize I’m the eldest and there are certain responsibilities that should have fallen to me this entire time. My playing days are over, and he needs at least one of us there. But if you’re back in town, I’d gladly trade off because we’re working on some things in San Diego that I need to be present for.”

“I’ll do my best, man, but between starting with a new team and minicamp, I don’t know how much I’ll be around.”

He nods. “I know. And thanks for holding shit together here when I couldn’t.”

“Your turn,” I mutter, and he laughs.

Brunch feels interminable, mainly because I’m dreading what’s coming after brunch and also because the maid of honor is sitting beside the bride, and I’m not sitting beside the maid of honor.

Instead, I’m sitting between Madden, who’s turned in toward Kennedy the entire time, and Ivy, who’s talking to Ainsley the entire time on her other side.

I eat quickly, congratulate the bride and groom one more time for good measure, and bolt.

I debate heading down to the bar early to drink before the swab, but I force myself to pack instead.

We have Archer’s ballgame tonight, and Penny will need to pick up the boys. Sometime in there I’d love to give Penny a proper goodbye, but I’m not sure there will be time since after the ballgame, Archer asked us all to go to some bar in the suburbs.

I guess our embrace on the balcony this morning was it.

I head down to the bar right on time. The parking lot is virtually empty, so I head inside, where I find Izzy working.

I’m not sure how I didn’t notice before, but I can plainly see she’s pregnant now. I guess the last few times I’ve seen her, she’s been wearing an apron or baggy clothes. Today she’s in black yoga pants and a white Boulevard Tavern T-shirt, and she greets me at the door.

“Is the mobile unit here yet?” she asks.

“I, uh…don’t know. I wasn’t sure what to look for.”

She rolls her eyes, clearly unhappy with me, and then we head out to the parking lot together just as a white van pulls in. A man gets out and looks at us, and then he walks over. “Izzy?”

She nods. “That’s me. This is Liam.” She points her thumb in my direction.

“Hi.” What the fuck else am I supposed to say?

“I’ll need both of your IDs,” the man says. “Come take a seat in the van and we’ll get you processed.”

We follow him over, and to be perfectly honest, I don’t think it’s a great idea to get into a van with Izzy and some stranger, so I stand on the outside and listen as he gives us the rundown. It’s apparently all legit, and I’m on my way home ten minutes later with the promise that I’ll have my results within a week.

When I get back home, Penny is sitting on the couch in the playroom waiting for me. She lifts to a stand and rushes over toward me. “How’d it go?”

I lift a shoulder. “They rubbed a Q-tip in my mouth, and apparently that’s enough to tell if I’m this kid’s father.”

“How are you feeling?”