Hate Dates and Baby Gates by Alina Jacobs

Author:Alina Jacobs [Jacobs, Alina]
Language: eng
Format: epub

4

GREG

Six months later …

“You don’t even look like you’re pregnant,” Emma complained to Belle.

She looked down. “Being tall is such a racket. I just look like I overdid it at the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. I can’t even take nice maternity photos.”

The baby shower was in full swing.

“You didn’t want a son?” my half brother Wes called to me when he saw the vomit of pink all over the ballroom in the historic hotel.

Could we have hosted the shower at my penthouse? Of course not, because my entire family had been invited.

And they’d all brought gifts.

“I told you all,” I barked at Parker and Mace, who were dragging in an oversized stuffed dog, “don’t buy anything. Take that back to the store.”

Hunter signaled to Remy, who beamed then dumped an entire playhouse on the floor of the ballroom. “Surprise! Happy upcycle-baby-gear day. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and the earth thanks you for it.”

I made a disgusted noise. None of my family members could follow simple directions.

“Remy!” Several of the Seattle Svenssons jumped all over him, tussling his hair then immediately turning their attention to the latest addition to this ever-growing disaster of a family.

“I hope Greg’s not being too much of a prick,” my half brother Fitz said to Belle, who was very politely thanking another of my brothers for his gift of an entire library’s worth of baby board books.

“We have a deal worked out,” she explained, “where he gets all snarly and makes demands and I nod and agree then ignore them behind his back.”

Holly ran over to Belle.

“Where’s my niece?” Belle asked Owen’s wife.

Holly threw up her hands. “Who knows! Owen barely lets me hold my own daughter. I need your baby to get here ASAP so I can have someone to take to all those Mommy-and-me classes. You’d think a man who was CEO at his own company wouldn’t have time for that, but every time I turn around, they’re at the library or swim class or baby pottery. I bet all the women there think he’s a single father.”

“Can you blame him?” I said to her.

“Um, yes, I can.” She shrugged. “But I haven’t had to change a single diaper, so that’s something.”

Belle’s brother Owen came over to me.

“Well-timed,” he said to me as his little girl babbled and held out her arms to Belle. “Now the cousins can grow up together. Greg, I think I might even forgive you for getting my sister pregnant before marrying her.”

My face darkened.

Belle kicked her little brother in the shin.

“Ow,” he complained, hopping on one foot.

“Behave,” Belle scolded.

“I thought the pregnancy was going to make you less prone to violence against family members,” Owen grumbled.

Belle smirked. “Not if they deserve it.”

“There he is,” Salinger said in a voice that boomed through the crowded room. He kissed Belle on the cheek then slapped me on the back.

“Nice baby shower,” he said, shoving an enormous pink bag at me.

I handed it to Carl, who was cataloging the gifts. Not that I was sending a thank-you letter to my brothers, of all people.

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