A corner of his mouth lifts. “I’ve handled tougher. Right, Bellamy?” he asks his daughter, and everyone laughs.
“I was a perfect angel, thank you very much,” Bellamy jokes.
I huff out a laugh. “She hasn’t spent much time around men. In fact, those in this room are it. She might get scared.”
“Then I’ll comfort her,” Will counters.
“And we’ll help,” Foster chimes in. “I need the practice,” he says, smiling at his wife.
“I mean, she seems to like the old man,” Reid jokes.
“Old Dad’s still got it. Don’t you worry.” Will chuckles.
“Coach Daddy,” Landry says. “I dig it.”
“He’s always been a coach and a dad.” Bellamy laughs.
“Yeah, but you’re all grown up, and look at him with Mia. She loves him, and he’s a natural. She brings out those daddy vibes in him. You have Reid for that now.”
“Okay, that’s too far.” Will chokes on his laughter, which makes Mia toss her head back and laugh, too.
She really seems to be enamored with him.
Despite myself, I step closer. Close enough to adjust Mia’s little sandal strap that doesn’t need adjusting. Close enough to catch the faint scent of his cologne. Close enough that if I lean an inch forward, I’d feel the heat of him.
“She likes her blanket for naps,” I murmur.
“You can show me which one before you leave,” he replies quietly. “But it’s the pink one, right? With the little daisies on it?”
I blink. “How did you?—”
“In the diaper bag. Left pocket.” He nods toward the diaper bag that sits at my feet. It was easier to leave it downstairs for the essentials than it was to keep running back up to our room.
My heart does something ridiculous and inconvenient. It races for him. Too often, I forget he’s my best friend’s dad. To me, more often than not these days, he’s just Will, a man who’s kind, compassionate, and kisses me as if I’m the air he needs to breathe.
Sloane claps her hands. “Okay, ladies, our men have spoken. Let’s do this.”
Bellamy laughs. “She’s right. Grab your bags, ladies. We all know they’re capable. Besides, we won’t go far, and we can be back here in a flash if they need us.”
“I’ll be the designated driver.” Eden holds up her hand. “I’m drinking with you ladies in spirit.”
“You’re sure?” I ask, making eye contact with each of the guys, before finally landing on Will.
“Yes,” they chorus, and I chuckle.
“Thank you. You always include me, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me, that Mia and I have all of you in our corner.”
Leaning over, I press a kiss to Mia’s cheek. She barely notices, too busy babbling at Will and patting his jaw like she’s already claimed him.
“Be good,” I tell her.
“She’ll be fine, Momma. Tell Momma bye, Mia,” Will prompts her. He lifts her hand to wave to me, and she waves, laughing, thinking it’s a game.
The truth is, she’s going to be doted on, and all of her friends are here, so she probably won’t even notice that I’m gone. Will reaches over and gives my shoulder a soft squeeze. For a second, the world narrows. The chatter fades. The laughter, the chaos of kids, and my friends gathering their things to leave—it all disappears.
It’s just us, and the secret hanging between us like a fragile thread. If anyone looks too closely, they’ll see it. The way he looks at me. The way I look at him.
I give Mia one more hug and one last quick glance at Will before the girls herd me outside toward Baker and Sloane’s SUV, with Eden behind the wheel.