“We are,” Dylan said. Everyone went quiet. Cyndi looked a bit embarrassed. Truth be told, the guys and Laura were, too. It was one thing to have money—their daily life made it clear that they did, because they had the freedom to spend their time as they pleased, a luxury more valuable than coin—but it was quite another to talk openly about it.
Which they didn’t. Not generally.
Then again, the news channels had covered Mike and Dylan’s inheritance after Jill died, so it was public knowledge.
Knowledge her Uncle Frank now had.
What on earth had happened to the pioneering lunch Laura had planned with Darla? The exchange of thoughts and feelings and ideas no one else experienced? Wasn’t she supposed to be dealing with the emotional aftermath of that right now—and not of Frank?
Life changed on a dime, didn’t it?
“I’m going to put her to sleep,” Laura said in dulcet tones, as Mike huddled with Cyndi, sounds of reassurance telling Laura he was making sure the amazing nanny understood all was well. Dylan followed her into the bedroom, where she settled Jillian on the enormous California king bed that Mike, Dylan, and Laura shared.
He cocked an eyebrow.
“I know we’re not co-sleeping with her anymore, but for tonight, I just want her there. I don’t know why I’m so worried suddenly. It doesn’t make sense, I know, but I don’t care. I want to have her near me.”
He pulled her into a warm embrace with arms like steel. “I understand, honey,” he murmured against her cheek. “And besides, trying to squeeze into her crib isn’t practical.”
“You’d know,” she said with a chuckle. “Remember that time it was the only way to get her to sleep? You took one for the team climbing in there with her.”
“And Mike has the pictures to prove it,” Dylan said with a pseudo-sour tone.
“You rang?” Mike appeared in the doorway. “My ears are burning. You guys talking about me?” His eyes lit on Jillian, a tiny cherub curled up in the center of the enormous bed, and he smiled.
“I see I’m going to get kicked in the kidneys all night,” he said.
“And not from me this time,” Dylan joked. Kind of. Dylan was the bed hog now that Laura wasn’t pregnant.
Mike joined the embrace, covering the side of Laura that Dylan wasn’t on. He kissed the top of her head and declared, “It’ll all be fine. I’m sure this whole Frank business will turn out to be nothing.”
Oh, how Laura wished he were right.
Oh, how wrong he turned out to be.