I parked in front of Harbinger’s house, noting that everyone else—including Peter—had already arrived. I brought a pie into the house and set it on the kitchen counter.

“Hi, sweetie,” Caroline said. She hugged me with her free arm, cradling Maddie in the other.

“Wow. She’s bigger already,” I said.

Caroline grinned. “That’s why you enjoy every second.”

“Do you want me to do anything?” I asked.

Caroline looked around. “Everything’s almost done. I just have to finish up a few things. If you’d just take Maddie,” she said, carefully transitioning her into my arms.

“Oh,” I said, feeling my arms become stiff and awkward again. “Hi,” I said, looking down at her rosy cherubic cheeks. I wasn’t sure why I was suddenly so terrified of her wiggling out of my arms, she was asleep.

“Now that’s a sight I thought I’d never see,” Peter said, leaning against the doorway, his hands in his suit pockets.

“You wore a suit to a BBQ?” I asked.

He stood upright, walking toward me. “Came straight from work. Had several meetings today with some higher ups.”

“How did it go?” I asked.

He winked at me. “As planned. I always get my way.”

I glared at him. “That’s not attractive, you know. It stinks of spoiled rich kid.”

Peter touched his chest. “Me? Nah.”

He took a step toward me.

“Stop right there.”

“Naomi,” he said, disappointed. “I’ll never try to kiss you again … unless you want me to.”

“I won’t.”

I wasn’t sure if I should sit, stand, or go to the backyard with Maddie, so I just stood in place, trying to bounce her with my suddenly cumbersome body.

Peter smiled at her. “She’s so beautiful. May I hold her?”

“Sure,” I said, handing her over as I passed him to walk outside.

Peter walked out behind me, and I watched him as I sat at the picnic table with the others. He was so natural with a baby in his arms, unafraid of how small she was or how limp. Her arm was hanging down, her lips pursed with spittle bubbling in the center. She was like a little drunk baby doll, and to everyone else it seemed completely normal.

Kids had never been my thing.

Trex smiled. “You’ve got her again?”

“Sorry,” Peter said. “I like babies.”

“She won’t be small for long,” Trex said. “It seems like she grows every day.”

“Where’s Darby?” I asked.

“Still at the hotel,” he said. “She’ll be here later.”

Harbinger was at the grill flipping burgers and hotdogs, Henry and Miles were squealing and making shooting noises as they played war, Kitsch was having a beer with the rest of the boys, and Peter and Maddie were in a lawn chair, having a quiet, one-sided conversation.

“Don’t get too attached,” I said. “Trex is pretty dead set on keeping her.”