Chapter Fourteen

Sam

Della is the most beautiful mother in the world. I’ve never seen her happier than she looks with her new baby in her arms. The little bundle is wrapped in a blue-and-pink striped blanket, and happiness radiates off everyone in the room. Connor stands beside her, beaming at their new daughter, and something unrecognizable twists inside my gut.

Envy.

Jesus. I never thought I’d feel that, not about kids. I’m not supposed to feel it. I’ve never been anxious to get married or settle down, and I’m sure as hell not ready for kids. But something about seeing Della hold that baby makes some primal part of me respond.

“Hello,” I say to announce my presence. Everyone’s so entranced by the baby that I could probably stand here for hours before they noticed.

Connor looks up first. “Sam! Thanks for coming!”

I cross the room and shake my brother-in-law’s hand. “Congratulations. She’s beautiful.”

“Her name is Avery,” Della says. “After Grandma.”

Connor hands the baby to me, and I cradle her in my arms. The baby blinks and then seems to lock her eyes on mine. I don’t know if she can make out my face or not, but it feels like she can. Like she sees me and recognizes me.

“You’re a natural.”

I turn and shake my head at my mom, who apparently entered the room while I was caught under Avery’s spell. “A natural uncle,” I say. “I get to spoil her rotten and send her home.”

Mom looks to Della. “When is he going to find himself a wife and give me more grandbabies?”

“Hey, greedy, how many grandchildren do you need?” I ask.

“I bet Liz Thompson would make grandbabies with him,” Ryann singsongs as she joins us. “I caught them in quite the compromising position this morning.”

“Lizzy Thompson?” Mom says, her face splitting into a grin. “Really?”

I squeeze my eyes shut and feel Della’s scowl burning into me. Apparently she’s already forgotten her request in favor of hating all things connected to Liz. Next to me, Connor shifts awkwardly.

“Lizzy Thompson?” Della says, parroting Mom, minus the happiness. “Really?”

“What?” Leave it to Ryann to pick up on Della’s tone. “What’s wrong with Liz? I think they’re freaking adorable together.”

Della doesn’t reply. She won’t. She swore me to secrecy the day she told me she was pregnant with Connor’s baby and was going to marry him despite what had happened with Liz. Della, Connor, and I are the only people in this room who know the truth. Anyone else would think Liz would be a great match for me.

“Della doesn’t think anyone is good enough for her big brother,” Mom says as she steals Avery from my arms. “But Lizzy is a sweet girl.”

“She’s a slut,” Della says under her breath. Her serene, motherly glow is fading fast.

“Watch it,” I say. “Bitch is not your color, sis.”

Connor winces and flashes me an apologetic smile before turning back to his wife. “Del . . .” He squeezes her hand and then sinks into the chair next to her bed, and whispers something in her ear. Della’s stiff posture relaxes, and she sinks back, but not before flashing me a look that communicates just what she thinks of the woman I spent my night with.

“She has been dating around a lot,” Ryann says, giving me a pointed look. “According to the Tattler, she’s looking for a husband.”

“Oh, I saw that.” Mom beams.

I turn up my palms. “Seriously, Mom? You’re reading the New Hope Tattler now?”

“People link to it on Facebook all the time.” She shrugs, all innocence and poise. “I can’t help it if the previews put part of the article in my newsfeed.”

Ryann looks green. “You read the Tattler?”

A few weeks ago, the Tattler named a bunch of high school girls seen at a college party. Ryann and her best friend, Drew Fisher, were on the list. Ryann already got a piece of my mind about that. I may despise the Tattler, but if knowing her whereabouts might be seen by our mother is going to keep my little sister out of trouble, then I could get behind the trashy website.

Mom cuts her eyes to Ryann. “I see enough.”

“Well, it’s just a bunch of gossip,” Ryann says. “Half of it is lies, anyway.”

Mom smirks. “Mmm-hmm.”

Thankfully, the topic shifts to Della’s labor and delivery as the baby is passed around the room, and before I know it, it’s five in the evening and the nurses are shooing us out the door so the new mother and baby can both rest.

I say my goodbyes and Connor follows me out.

“Can we talk for a minute?” he asks when we’re alone in the hall.

I stop walking and shove my hands into my pockets. Connor used to be one of my best friends. We met in college, and for a couple of years I shared a house with him and William Bailey and a couple of other guys. My friendship with Connor changed when he started dating my sister. It ended when he broke my sister’s heart. Now he’s no longer my friend. He’s my brother-in-law, and I accept that—Della’s life, Della’s choices—but that doesn’t mean I have to like the guy. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Was Ryann telling the truth? You spent last night with . . . Liz?” He doesn’t look angry, but the way he says her name sounds a little pained.

“That’s not really your business, Connor.”