“She’s being really loud,” he muttered. It bothered him that he was still attracted to her, that he couldn’t stop thinking about how he hadn’t minded when she’d been really loud in his bed last night, even when she was currently grating on his nerves.

Jake liked calm, quiet women. Soothing women. Women who didn’t constantly need to be the center of attention. Women who smiled in understanding when he was too blunt or rude, women who were accepting of a few rough edges. Women who, in other words, weren’t anything like Sharon.

“And yet somehow hurting no one,” Olivia said gently but firmly. “Let it go, Jake.”

Right. Not terrible advice.

If only he could let his attraction go that easily.

2

“Oh my goodness, she’s gorgeous,” Ellie crooned as Adam and Angel’s new baby girl yawned in her daddy’s arms. The sentiment was echoed by every single person who was standing in a wide semi-circle around Adam, trying not to crowd him while simultaneously trying to get a look at the tiny new addition to their group.

They’d all cheered and gone out to lunch after Leigh came out with the news that Angel had delivered a baby girl - but that they wouldn’t be able to see them until later. After eating, they’d all returned to the hospital in hopes of an introduction, and Adam had brought the snugly wrapped Miss Melody Ginevra Rawn out to meet them. Angel was asleep, as she should be after such a long night. Her parents had stayed in the room with her in case she woke up and needed anything, allowing Adam to show off the baby.

“Isn’t she?” Adam asked, staring down at his daughter with an expression of mingled awe and trepidation. He was utterly enraptured by her, and seeing the normally stoic man turned all soft and melty was freaking adorable.

Still, Sharon couldn’t help but lean into Kate, tilting her head so her bestie would know she wanted to say something privately. Her much taller friend bent slightly to hear whatever it was.

“Did Angel seriously manage to work in both a Doctor Who and a Harry Potter reference into her daughter’s name without Adam noticing?” she murmured.

Kate snorted, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as her blue eyes went wide. Fortunately, everyone was too busy cooing at the baby to take notice of what she and Kate were doing. Well, almost everyone. Sharon saw Jake’s eyes slant her way, narrowing slightly. Deciding to be mature, she didn’t stick her tongue out at him. It wasn’t any of his business what she said to Kate.

“Oh my God, she totally did,” Kate whispered back. “When do you think he’ll figure it out?”

“At least a week... he’s pretty shell-shocked right now,” Sharon guessed.