Page 111 of Just Like That

MJ’s fists were still clenched, but the fire in her eyes had dimmed to a smolder.

“You said your piece then.” Bug stepped beside MJ, placing a supportive hand between her shoulder blades. “You’ve disrupted our evening enough. Good night.”

Logan looked around, noticing the sea of wide eyeballs staring at him. His grin widened.

He raised his hand, his huge palm spread wide. “Hi.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Bye.”

A few of us waved back, stunned into a stupor.

Before he walked out the front door of the bookstore, Logan stopped and looked back at MJ. “Maybe I’ll see you around, Thunder.”

MJ rolled her eyes with a huff and turned her back to him, walking straight toward us. “I need a drink.”

We were absolutelysalivating.

Lark was the first brave soul to speak up. “That was ...” She blinked twice. “Interesting.”

MJ’s typically sweet face twisted into a scowl. “That man is certifiable. He followed me all the way from Haven Pines.”

“You went to work like that?” Lark gestured at MJ’s slinky dress. It was a far cry from her usual navy scrubs.

MJ pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s a long story. Can we please talk about something else?”

Kate saidsureat the same time as Emily’snoand we folded on ourselves with pent-up laughter.

My fears, the stress I had been carrying, all of it seemed to evaporate as the Bluebird Book Club lifted my spirits.

For so long it had only been Olive and me, and after a while my travels meant I’d flown solo for a really long time.Too long.

Maybe Emily was right.

Looking around at my new friends, who felt more like family every day, I couldn’t help but feel like maybe the paternity test didn’t really matter as much as I’d made it seem after all.

I had no idea that the very next day I would find out how much it really did matter.

THIRTY-SEVEN

JP

I had been staringat the envelope for eleven minutes.

Its crisp white edges and the Remington County DNA Diagnostic Center stamp stared back at me.

Whatever was inside that envelope would change everything.

Or maybe it changed nothing?

Fuck, I don’t know.

My hand scraped against my jaw as my stomach bunched. My palms were sweaty and my neck was hot.

“They’re here!” Teddy’s elated shouts rang through the house as he dashed toward the front door.

Hazel’s hands had been shaking when she had gotten the mail and showed me the letter. Quietly, we’d both agreed that opening it in front of Teddy was a bad idea. She’d called Sloane, explained the situation, and asked if the twins would be up for an ice-cream cone. Thankfully, Sloane was more than happy to entertain Teddy for a little while so we could open the letter and read the results.

Teddy was still in his school clothes—a gingham shirt with a navy bow tie and jeans. In the mirror by the door, he straightened his tie and gave himself an approving nod.

My chest squeezed.