Big looked surprised. "What? I didn't know that."
"I love playing Velma Kelly, I do, but after 15 months of it, I'm ready for something new. I'm just weighing my options right now. But this isn't about me. All I'm saying, Jake, is if you want music, go after it."
(Has he mentioned that his girl is awesome?)
"Thanks, baby. I don't know that I do. I do love my job with FDNY and Fire Extinguishers is a pretty kick ass band," he grinned roguishly. "But it's nice to know you've got my back if I want to do something else."
"I'll support you with anything you want to do," she said with a warm smile. "Well, unless you decide to do drugs or any other illegal activities."
He rolled his eyes and laughed at his pragmatic girl. Cupping her chin, he pulled her mouth to his and kissed her deep. "Thanks," he murmured against her lips.
Alisha's phone beeped with a text message and she leaned forward to grab it off her end table. "It's from Maggie," she said, feeling the nerves bundle in her stomach again. She quickly hit the button to read the message.
Big Daddy knows. We're both excited about our baby. BABY…holy shit!
She smiled and showed Jake the message.
"Big Daddy?" he snorted.
Alisha giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. "I called him that earlier before I was leaving Maggie's and she liked it."
"I can't believe they're having a kid. Fucking James Keller with a kid. That's nuts."
She smiled brightly. "I think they'll be great."
Big shrugged again. Maggie maybe, but he had his doubts about James. Dude pulled some epically stupid shit in his time. He hoped that the baby inherited more of Maggie's genes. "So, Shorty, how 'bout we go in your room and I make you call me daddy?"
Chapter 23
The city was quieter than normal, thanks to a heavy blanket of snow that had fallen overnight. But Alisha was more than happy to brave the weather (she'd always loved snow) to meet her best friends for brunch before her shows. Russell had just returned from his sunny vacation in Mexico with Adam and she definitely didn't want to miss his reaction when Maggie told him the news about the baby.
So she trudged along the snowy sidewalk on Amsterdam Avenue, pulling her hat down further over her ears when the wind picked up and whipped her hair around wildly. It was bitterly cold out and while she adored snow, the frigid temperature left a lot to be desired. Her teeth were starting to chatter when she blissfully spotted the familiar navy-blue awning outside Sarabeth's. This was, without a doubt, their favorite brunch spot in the city and they met there a couple times a month.
Walking through the door, Alisha breathed deeply as the warmth enveloped her body and the heavenly smells of pancakes and omelets hit her nose. The restaurant, normally always crowded, was surprisingly sparse today and she easily spotted Maggie's familiar blonde head at a table in the back reading something on her phone.
"Hey, mama," Alisha greeted when she reached the table, dropping her bags down into a vacant chair.
Maggie glanced up and a smile broke out across her pretty face. "Hi, doll," she replied warmly as Alisha slid into the booth beside her.
"How're you feeling?"
The blonde scrunched up her nose. "So far okay, but just reading the words coddled eggs on the menu made my stomach roil. I think I'll pass on my usual omelet today."
"Probably a very good idea," Alisha agreed, shrugging out of her red coat. "I really can't wait for you to tell Russell. He may very well stroke out in the middle of his frittata." They traded amused looks and giggled loudly.
"I have brunch on the line that says he'll want to be called Aunt Russell," Maggie said laughingly, holding out her hand.
Alisha snickered and shook Maggie's hand. "You're on, because there's no way Adam would let that happen."
"Doesn't matter," she grinned wryly. "All he has to do is suggest it and I win." She picked up her orange juice and sipped.
"Fair enough," Alisha conceded with a laugh. She looked down at her menu and asked, "Do you know when James plans on telling Jake about the baby?"
"I'm not sure. Why?"
"I forgot to tell you when you called the other day. Well, that's not actually true. I didn't forget, but I couldn't tell you because Jake was in the room with me and—"
"Spit it out," Maggie snapped, making Alisha's eyebrows shoot up. "I'm sorry, Lisha," she sighed. "I've already become so moody and I'm barely eight weeks. This is going to be such a long pregnancy. I fucking cried over a commercial for fabric softener the other day. Fabric softener. Ridiculous."
"Aw, honey," Alisha cooed, smoothing a hand over the blonde's head. "It's perfectly normal. Besides, it's not like this is the first time I've been Louwered," she teased, referring to the term she and Russell came up with years ago for being on the receiving end of one of Maggie's bitchy moods.
Maggie shrugged lightly and laughed. "Good point. As you were saying," she motioned for her friend to continue her story.
"Okay, please don't get mad at me," Alisha began slowly, "but I had to tell Jake about the baby." She bit her lip and gave her friend a guilty look.
The blonde's lips twitched at her overly dramatic friend. "Well, obviously I hate you now," she said dryly. "He's going to find out soon enough anyway, but why did you have to tell him?"
"Okay…see, after I left your apartment Wednesday, I went shopping and because I was so excited, I ended up buying you, James and the baby some gifts—"
Maggie's eyes lit up. "Gifts?" She curved her hands down like paws and began panting like an excited puppy. Giggling, Alisha reached for a bag she'd brought with her and handed it to Maggie,
