Like the traitor my body was, I went to sleep then, not waking until my alarm went off at eight. Huey was awake, swaddled in his cot, and he smiled up at me. I chewed on my lip as I smiled back at my baby.

“We’re going to see your uncles today. Do you miss them?” I asked, as I undressed him and changed his diaper. “I miss them, so fucking much. But this is for the best, kiddo. And you deserve the best, not having to be that kid that has three dads and whose mom is considered the Whore of Ann Arbor.”

Someone knocked on the door, and I turned to see Clint standing there with Huey’s bottle. “Heard you moving around up here and thought Slugger might need his breakfast.” Lifting Huey into my arms, I took the bottle from Clint, testing it on my wrist.

“Thanks,” I said with a smile that felt too forced to be real. “I’m going to check out an apartment today at eleven.”

Clint didn’t sigh, but I could almost feel his exasperation. “You’re welcome here forever if you want, Nova. The kids love you. Julieta appreciates the company. You don’t need to rush into anything irreversible.” I made a noncommittal noise, and this time, he did sigh. “All right, but I’m coming with you to make sure some sleazy real estate dude-bro doesn’t rip you off. It’ll give me an excuse not to go to church with Julieta and her family. Her great-aunt thinks I don’t know she still calls me ‘The White Philanderer’ after all these years. Julieta thinks it's hilarious.”

I snorted a laugh. “I’d like that. Thank you.”

I helped Julieta get the kids ready for church, braiding their youngest daughter's hair while Julieta chased the boys around yelling, “Where are your good shoes?” and swearing underneath her breath in Spanish.

Finally, Julieta cursed Clint once more under her breath, climbing into her SUV, and Clint hopped into the passenger seat of mine. We drove Huey over to the guys’ place, and with every mile closer we got, the more my heart pounded in my chest until I was a total mess.

I could tell Clint wanted to say something, but he kept his mouth resolutely closed. I pressed the gate opener still attached to my dash, then pulled into the driveway. I looked over at Clint, hoping I looked more together than I felt right now.

Climbing out, I grabbed Huey out of the car seat. Devan appeared in the doorway, his face an impenetrable mask of neutrality. Walking toward him was like walking to the gallows, and I couldn’t even look him in the eye.

Handing him Huey, I stared at his chest. “I’ll be back around four to pick him up.”