Free Never Can Tell by C. M. Stunich Page A

If I didn't have a baby daddy like Ty, I doubt I'd even get the chance to shower, let alone have my hair done. I wonder what Danny 'The Douche' Delphino's done this time.
    “I'm just happy to see you,” she says, turning from me and focusing her attention on Noah. I realize that this is the first time she's ever seen him in person. More tears fall on poor Autumn's head. I haven't met her yet, but I already know what she looks like: copper colored hair starting to peek in, hazel eyes, pale skin and pink cheeks. I would've known that without even looking at the hordes of pictures Beth always sends. Except for poor Noah, the entire family is made up of copper haired clones, father's lineage aside. Only Ty's genes were strong enough to break the pattern. I find myself scoping his ass out and busy myself by getting out a cigarette.
    Beth reaches back and slaps it to the ground without even looking my way.
    “God,” she says, touching my son's cheeks, making kissy-faces at him. “He's even cuter in real life.” She pauses. “Except for the whole pirate thing.” Ty laughs again, but Beth ignores him. She lets him get away with murder. “Noah,” she coos. “Meet your cousin, Autumn. Want to say hi?” Beth lets Noah wrap his fingers around one of hers and makes a little waving motion.
    Ty looks at me over her head and tosses me a self-assured smile. I'm not sure what it's for, but it's sexy as hell. My mind wanders to the tractor in the backyard …
    “This is going to be great,” Beth says, watching as I move around to open the trunk on the car. “Having the kids grow up together. I always wanted the girls to feel what it was like having a big family.”
    “Enormous,” I say, but Beth isn't really listening.
    “Maybe if we can scrape up the money, we could do an extension or something, make things a little more comfortable, a little more permanent.” I give her a look, leaning around the trunk, so she can see how serious I am right now.
    “This is not permanent. This is in-between, Beth.”
    She opens her mouth to speak when a car sounds on the driveway behind us. I don't even need to turn around to know who it is. Noah Scott. I swallow hard and spin.
    Bitch-Never has her head sticking out the front window, tongue lolling. Angelica, who has yet to jump out of the back seat, perks up and starts barking, voice loud and gruff in the still air. Both babies start to cry.
    “Want me to take him inside?” Ty says, but I know what he's really asking. Do you need a moment alone with Noah? The fact that he's even willing to give me that means everything. Ty trusts me not to do anything stupid, and I appreciate that, I really do. I turn to look at him, holding our baby in his arms, ringed fingers wrapped around his midsection. They look so damn cute together. I nod, reaching out to lay my finger's on Autumn's chubby shoulder. Beth smiles.
    “He called and asked if he could come over.” She shrugs and starts to move away, following after Ty.
    “Beth?” I ask, and she pauses to look at me. “Did Zella and Noah ever … did anything ever happen between them?” If it did, Zella won't talk about it, and she answers all my questions about Noah with vague, broad-brush bullshit. Beth just shakes her head.
    “I don't know,” she answers honestly. “Why?”
    “No reason,” I tell her aloud, but inside, there is a reason. I feel responsible for Noah's broken heart, like I snapped it in two and gave one half to Ty. I want him to be happy and somehow, in some weird way, I feel like if he gets with Zella, he'll be a part of my family, and that's something I've always dreamed of in one way or another. I wonder if Ty suspects any of this.
    The sleek, black sedan pulls up next to me with a purr. I reach out a hand to pet Bitch-Never and she bites me, straight up. I slap her in the muzzle and step back with a sigh.
    “Fucking cunt,” I growl as I use my leg to keep Angelica from jumping all over Noah Scott's very pristine, very