Baby for Brother’s Best Friend: Brother’s Best Friend Book 1

by Summers, Sofia T

  “Off?” I asked dumbly.

  “Well, yeah,” Steven replied. “Like, the other night when she came over. I know this is weird for me to say, but what the fuck was she wearing?”

  I didn’t reply.

  “Like, is she already going crazy with some new guy?” Steven’s question had a hard, protective edge that made me grit my teeth.

  Not some new guy, I thought.

  Me.

  “I don’t know,” I lied. “I didn’t really think too much about it.”

  “Well, yeah, I didn’t either – at the time,” Steven said. “But our mom won’t stop talking about it. You know she actually brought up the idea of having a private investigator trailing her around?”

  “What? Why?”

  Steven gave me a deadpan look. “Because she’s afraid the same thing is going to happen that happened before.”

  “Lyssa isn’t a kid anymore,” I shot back. “She’s an adult – and she’s capable of making her own decisions.”

  “Our mom thinks that she’s like, emotionally stunted or something. Because of that fucking ex of hers,” Steven said. He was getting heated, and while I couldn’t blame him I felt more put on the spot than ever before.

  If Lyssa’s mother hired a PI to trail her around, our secret wouldn’t be a secret for much longer.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I mean, we don’t really talk.”

  That, at least, was true.

  “I just worry about her,” Steven said. “I don’t want some other guy swooping in and taking advantage of her. Not now. Not when she’s worked so hard.”

  “I think she’s smarter than that,” I said slowly.

  Steven opened his mouth to reply, but then his frown switched to an obviously-forced grin.

  “Hey, you,” he said, getting to his feet and putting an arm around Meredith, who had just appeared beside us. “What’s up?”

  “Not on the face,” Meredith said, twisting away from Steven as he leaned in for a kiss. When she saw me, a big fake smile spread over her face. “Hi Danny,” she said. “Are you the reason my man here has been ignoring his texts?”

  “Hon, I told you where I’d be,” Dan said.

  “Well, whatever,” Meredith said. She took off her fur-trimmed coat and put it, along with her purse and several shopping bags over the two empty bar stools to Steven’s left. Then, she turned to me.

  “Danny, switch with me,” she said as she pointed to another bar stool. “I need to sit next to my honey.”

  I didn’t feel like getting into it with her – or like sticking around and watching Steven deal with her. On a better day, maybe, but Steven’s words about Lyssa had left me troubled, in more ways than one.

  Did everyone think that she was no better than a child?

  Or was I the asshole? Was I taking advantage of her?

  I drained the rest of my beer and got to my feet.

  “No worries,” I said drily. “I was just leaving.

  “Man, we just got here,” Steven said. He threw me a pained look, but Meredith looked pleased.

  “It’s fine, baby,” she cooed to Steven. “Besides, the two of you are going to see a lot less of each other once we get married. Isn’t that right, baby?”

  I took out my wallet and peeled a ten-dollar bill out. Setting it down on the counter, I shrugged on my coat and turned to Steven.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I told him. “We’ll catch up later.”

  Steven opened his mouth to protest but Meredith planted a big kiss on him and I slipped out of the bar, feeling troubled.

  My life, which had been so perfectly controlled, was beginning to feel like it was slipping out of my grasp. I had worked so hard to get where I was – even coming from a background of privilege, my parents hadn’t exactly been supportive of my becoming a fertility specialist, and I’d put myself through med school while working two part-time jobs.

  My parents hadn’t actually ever been supportive of much that I did. That was part of the reason why when growing up, I’d spent so much time across the street, at Steven’s.

  My feelings for Lyssa were coming back with a roaring vengeance, especially after having that amazing sex with her. I wanted more. I wanted her – I wanted her all the time, and for more than just sex.

  The secrets between us couldn’t stay buried for long, though. Steven was clearly concerned about his sister’s well-being, as was their mother. And as much as the two of them liked me, I had a feeling that would be the end of it if I were discovered. Clearly, they didn’t think Lyssa was in a good place to date.

  It wasn’t just the Lyssa issue that was bothering me. Meredith had made it clear that she wanted to be the number-one priority in Steven’s life. As much as I cared about my best friend, he could be a pushover.

  Meredith had obviously sensed that. Once they got married, I’d likely lose my best friend forever. She was already trying to put some serious distance between us.

  If I lost both Lyssa and Steven, what the fuck was I going to do?

  15

  Lyssa – Tuesday

  I knocked on Anna’s door and seconds later, it swung open. Trina stood on the other side, wearing a Frozen shirt and matching leggings.

  “Aunt Lyssa!” She practically screamed before hurtling forward and clinging to my legs.

  “Hi, sweetie,” I said as I reached down and ruffled her hair. “Is Mommy around?”

  Trina giggled. Her little arms were still wrapped around my legs and I made a show of trying to walk with her clinging to me.

  “Nooooo,” Trina whined. “We should go out!”

  “Oh, yeah?” I gave her an amused look. “And where, exactly? To the moon?”

  Trina stuck her tongue out at me and pouted. “We can’t go to the moon, silly,” she said. “The zoo,” she said comfortably. “Or the movies.”

  I hadn’t been expecting her to make me a serious answer, and it really made me realize just how fast she was growing up. When I had met Anna, Trina had only been two – and a far sillier little girl.

  Now she was so sincere that talking to her was almost like talking to a little person instead of a child.

  “I think the moon would be more fun,” I teased.

  “Auntie Lyssa,” Trina said sincerely as she looked up at me. Her arms were still clinging to my leg and I half-walked, half-dragged her back into the apartment and shut the door behind us.

  “Where’s Mommy?”

  “Bathroom,” Trina said. As soon as we were inside, she released her death-grip on me and walked across the living room floor before plopping down on the carpet, where several stuffed animals were arranged in a large circle.

  “Tea party?”

  Trina nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Except for Mr. Rhino,” she said, leaning close and stage-whispering to me. “He can’t have caffeine. It’s bad for his heart.”

  I couldn’t help it – I burst out laughing.

  Trina frowned and I smiled guiltily at her before squatting down.

  “It’s good that Mr. Rhino is listening to his doctor,” I said.

  Trina nodded.

  Just then, Anna emerged from the hallway. When she saw me, she grinned.

  “There you are,” she said. “I thought Trina had found a new imaginary friend.”

  “Nope. Just me,” I said. “And I brought snacks.”

  I got to my feet and grabbed the paper bag of groceries that I’d brought over – cheese and crackers with two bottles of wine and some chocolate cupcakes.

  “What’s the occasion?” Anna asked.

  I met her gaze over Trina’s head and mouthed “adult stuff”.

  “Ah,” Anna said. “Well, Miss Trina, I think it’s about time for your nap.”

  “No,” Trina whined. “I’m not sleepy.”

  “You might not be sleepy now, but if you don’t get a nap, you’re not going to be feeling very well later,” Anna said. “And if you’re a good girl and take a nap now, we can go to the movies tomorrow.”


  Trina got to her feet, clearly weighing the options. I loved watching her expressive little face, loved watching her mull things over and weigh them in her mind. She was growing into such an intelligent girl. I knew she’d be a joy to be around when she got older.

  And maybe, when she gets older, she can babysit for me, I thought.

  The idea was both dangerous and exhilarating to contemplate. I’d been having all kinds of thoughts like that lately – thoughts that I should have been pushing straight out of my mind. I didn’t want to start thinking that way because I knew I’d be heartbroken and disappointed every time that I got my period.

  Something in me was different, though. I could feel it. It might not have been a baby growing inside of me, but I could feel that something had changed.

  “Okay, Mama,” Trina said finally. “Will Aunt Lyssa still be here when I get up?”

  “I’m sure she will,” Anna replied.

  Trina squealed with delight and gave me another hug, then gathered up her stuffed animal friends and carried them back to her bedroom, toddling unsteadily on her feet.

  “God, she’s getting so big,” I said as soon as she was out of earshot.

  “I know,” Anna said. She wrinkled her nose at me. “And totally don’t judge me for pulling that stunt. I don’t know what happened – Trina used to be so good at taking naps. Now, getting her to lie down is like the hardest thing in the world.”

  I nodded, wishing that I had something useful to say. Most of what I knew about kids came from watching Anna with Trina. The truth was, I still envied Anna so much that it almost hurt. I didn’t care if Trina was going through a difficult phase – or if she was just a difficult child altogether. To me, she was perfect, and I doubted anything could ever change that.

  “I don’t judge you,” I told her. “It must be hard. She’s getting so independent. And she talks like a little adult!”

  Anna grinned. “I know,” she said. “It’s so cute. You should see how the ladies at day-care talk about her. They keep telling me that she’s a little genius and that I need to get her tested.”

  “Have you thought about it?”

  “I don’t know,” Anna said. She wrinkled her nose. “I remember going through that stuff in kindergarten, when I would have been a year or so older than Trina. It stressed me out. I don’t want to like, give her a complex.”

  I nodded. “She’s a very smart little kid, though.”

  Anna nodded. “Yeah. I just hope she’ll adjust okay when she has to start school next year.” She giggled. “You know what she told me after the first day of day-care this year?”

  I shook my head. “What?”

  Anna grinned guiltily. “As soon as we got home, she said that she was so glad that she’d never have to do that again.”

  I burst out laughing. “Oh my god, that’s too much. She’s so precious.”

  “I know,” Anna said. “I just feel like an ass for laughing at my own kid sometimes, that’s all.” She reached over and took the paper bag from my grip. “You spoil me,” she said as she glanced inside. Anna went into the kitchen and grabbed two wine glasses, a cutting board, and a knife. The two of us curled up on the couch and I opened the wine.

  “Cheers,” Anna said. She clinked her glass against mine. “What’s all this for, anyway?” She peered into the bag again and pulled out the cheeses I’d bought. “You got the good stuff, too!”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “Something happened,” I said.

  “Oh yeah?”

  I blushed hotly and took a long sip of my wine. Just thinking about Dan made my body tingle at the memory of his hands on me. The way he’d pleasured me, the way that we’d strained and gasped and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s bodies.

  “I had sex,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

  “Shut the front door,” Anna gasped. She sipped her own wine and blinked at me. “With who? Are you dating someone?”

  I held my breath for a second, then bit my lip. “It wasn’t like that,” I explained. “Um, it was with my fertility doctor.”

  “What?” Now it was Anna’s turn to blush. “You’re kidding!”

  I shook my head. “I told you. I’ve known him forever – he’s my brother’s best friend.”

  “Wow,” Anna said. “Um, how was it?”

  I looked into the bottom of my wine glass. “Amazing,” I said softly.

  Anna didn’t say anything for a moment.

  “He didn’t like ... try anything weird, did he?”

  I shook my head. “God, no,” I told her. “It was funny, actually. We were all at my parents’ house, and he came outside with me when I was leaving and said that he wanted to be the father of my baby.”

  “Oh my god, Lyssa,” Anna said. “Seriously?”

  I nodded. My friend didn’t look as happy, and I felt my smile begin to fade.

  “What?” I asked her.

  “It’s just ... um, I don’t know, exactly,” Anna said. “What happens if you get pregnant? Would he want to share custody? Or does he want to relinquish any rights that he’d have to the baby?”

  My stomach churned as I realized that I didn’t know. Dan’s offer had been too exciting, too intoxicating for me to even begin to consider the repercussions. Stupidly and selfishly, all I had been able to think about in the moment was how much I wanted him.

  “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I mean, he’s a good guy. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”

  “Lyss, pregnancy and babies bring out weird things in people,” Anna said slowly. “I realize you’ve known him for a long time, but what happens if you actually get pregnant? And how many times have you slept together?”

  I bit the inside of my cheek.

  “Just once,” I admitted.

  Anna was silent for a moment and I began to feel strangely uncomfortable around my best friend. This wasn’t like her—normally she was the loud, boisterous one who would always find the silver lining and try to make me laugh.

  Knowing that she didn’t approve of what I was doing made me feel like curling up in bed and pulling the covers over my face. I wondered if I shouldn’t have said anything, if I should have kept it to myself.

  Too late for that, I thought. Not like I can take it back, now.

  “I’m not judging you,” Anna said. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “Why would I get hurt?”

  She looked away and I felt another pang of anxiety.

  “I know you’re an adult,” Anna said. “But can I say something?”

  The urge to ignore her was strong, but I forced myself to look at her and nod.

  “Of course,” I told her. “Anything.”

  “I get why he would be appealing to you,” Anna said gently. “You’ve known him for years and he’s a good guy.”

  “He is,” I said. “That was one of the reasons why I said yes. I don’t want to just have a baby with a stranger. I want to know my baby’s father, and I want my baby to inherit good things.”

  Anna hesitated for a moment. “It’s not that,” she said. “Although I totally understand why. It’s just like, when you’ve known someone as a friend for years and then you get romantically involved with them, it’s different. You start seeing a different side of that and sometimes, it’s not always for the best.”

  “I wouldn’t say that we’re romantically involved,” I said slowly.

  Anna raised an eyebrow at me, and I flushed. As I was about to defend myself, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

  Looking down, I saw that it was Dan’s office calling.

  “Hi,” I answered. “This is Lyssa.”

  “Hey,” Dan said. “Lyssa, I really need to talk to you.”

  I looked up to meet Anna’s gaze just as my heart sank. Immediately, I could feel the spiral of panic beginning.

  Why does he need to talk to me, I thought. Am I infertile, after all?

  Or does he want to say that he made a huge mistake in sleeping with me?
>
  Was Anna right?

  “Um, okay,” I said nervously. “Why?”

  “I’d rather just talk in person,” Dan said. He paused. “You have an appointment on Friday, yes?”

  “Yeah,” I said numbly.

  The rest of Dan’s words were a blur – my heart was racing and my mind was spinning out of control. By the time we hung up, I was close to tears.

  “Lyssa, what happened?” Anna asked.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “He just said that he wants to talk to me. That’s never good, is it?”

  “Well, usually not,” Anna admitted. “But he’s your doctor, right? So maybe it like, has to do with your body.”

  I didn’t say anything for a long time. When I did speak, my voice was quiet and sad.

  “You were right,” I admitted to her. “I never should’ve gotten involved with him. Too much potential for things to go wrong.”

  “Oh, Lyssa,” Anna said. She set her wine glass down and pulled me into a hug.

  I had no idea how I was going to make it through the next three days without totally freaking out. Clearly, Dan regretted doing what we had done. I wished that he’d just told me over the phone, ripped the band-aid off, instead of making me wait and prolonging the agony.

  Why did I have to be so stupid, I thought as I closed my eyes and rested my head on Anna’s shoulder.

  Now, my heart is going to be broken and I’m the only one to blame.

  And worse, how am I supposed to get pregnant now?

  16

  Dan – Friday

  “Good morning, Dr. Andrews,” Alice chirped as I walked into my office that morning.

  I blinked. The waiting room was filled with several young men and women, all in their twenties, and clad in scrubs.

  “Did something happen?” I asked.

  Alice laughed awkwardly. “Um, no,” she said. She motioned for me to step closer to her desk and I obliged.

  “What is this?” I asked.

  “Did you forget?”

  I stared at her.

  “The med students from Manhattan Regional are here today for observation,” Alice said, her voice barely above a whisper. “You signed up for that program about two months ago, remember? The clinic is going to be profiled in another magazine and this was a part of it. Someone’s coming this afternoon to take photographs of them shadowing you.”