The next few days, things were quieter than usual around the penthouse. JJ and Jonas were engaged in last-minute wedding plans so they were out of the house most of the time.

Rafe and Diana were still traveling, visiting her family, and the rest of the Blake Security guys were busy wrapping up jobs so we could all be free for the wedding. It was a scheduling nightmare trying to close so many active cases at once, but we’d made it our top priority.

Two of our own were getting hitched and none of us planned to miss it. Plus it was Jonas and JJ. As crazy as those two were, there was the possibility of anything happening at this wedding. Oskar in particular was all hyped up about the wedding and the reception.

“I’m telling you, man. Crazy chicks usually have crazy friends. You know what that means?” he asked with a knowing smirk on his face.

I didn’t know what that meant and wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to know. “Not really but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

“Horny bridesmaids. Lonely wedding guests.” He rolled his eyes in ecstasy. “I’m going to dive in head first.” He was still chuckling to himself as he walked out.

A few minutes later, Lucia came bustling in with Isabella on her hip and a wild look in her eye.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

After the bachelorette party fiasco, Lucia had been avoiding me. It hurt more than I cared to admit. There was a time long ago, okay not that long ago, when I secretly hoped she might one day see me as more than a friend. But that was before I saw the way she looked at Noah. The two had always had a contentious relationship, bickering more like siblings than lovers.

But then one day I’d seen it, the look on her face when she hadn’t known anyone was watching, and I knew. Noah was the one. I was happy for them both. If I had to lose a woman I cared about to another man, Noah wasn’t a bad rival to have. He was like a big brother to me and someone I’d looked up to forever. I knew the hell he’d been through, and no one deserved happiness more.

It still stung sometimes to look at Lucia and think of what might have been.

“Everything is going wrong today!” Lucia screeched. Isabella whined at her mother’s outburst before snatching greedily for the sippy cup of juice in her mother’s hands.

“What’s up? Is Isabella okay?”

Watching the two of them, I was overwhelmed by a rush of affection. Babies had never been my thing. Not that I didn’t like them, they just hadn’t been on my radar. I was an only child, and after the way I grew up, I was grateful for that. I wouldn’t want anyone else to be forced to deal with the shit I’d seen.

But there was just something about Isabella. Maybe because she was Noah and Lucia’s kid, I felt a connection there I wasn’t expecting. Truthfully, I think all the guys felt that way. She was adorable and had an entire houseful of badass guys wrapped around her little finger. I pitied the fool that tried to take her on a date in a decade or so.

“JJ needs me for a last minute fitting for my maid of honor dress. Noah had to leave. Nonna is sick so she can’t watch the baby. And Izzy has her class today!”

My shoulders sagged in relief. “That’s all? I can take her to class. Don’t worry about it.”

Lucia whirled around to face me, her face lit up with joy. “Would you? Matthias, you’re the best!” She flung herself into my arms, and then before I could process what was happening, she was transferring Izzy to me.

“Wait, you mean right this minute? Oh okay.”

“Yes, unfortunately. I have to go. I’m already late. Her baby bag is already packed in the nursery, and I’ll text you the address of her class. Bye!”

For the next minute, I stood there in shock. Izzy grinned up at me, her two tiny teeth stained slightly with juice.

“Well, okay then, little angel. Let’s get you to class. Whatever that is.”

I probably should have asked Lucia what type of class Izzy was in, but either way, it didn’t really matter. How many different classes could there be for babies? It was probably arts and crafts with marshmallows or finger painting or something. More than likely I could just drop her off, wait patiently in the back of the room while she did her baby Mozart thing, and then bring her back home.

All of that flew out the window when we arrived at the address Lucia had sent me.

“Mommy-and-me yoga?” My mouth fell open at the sign in the window. “Are you fu–“

Izzy squealed at the sight of the building.

“Fudging kidding me?” I continued. We were all working on retraining our potty mouths around the baby. “Guess this is the right place then.”

According to the sign, the class was on the third floor. I could only hope I wasn't expected to do anything since I had no clue about yoga. How the hell did a baby do yoga anyway? My thoughts were cut off when the elevator opened and twenty women all turned to stare at the same time.

Christ.

“Hello! You must be Isabella’s father!” A perky redhead jumped up from her place at the front of the class and walked toward us.

“No, I’m not her father. I’m just… a family friend. Lucia had a conflict today so she asked me to bring Izzy to class.”

I hadn’t thought it possible but her smile got even wider. “Oh, is that so? Well, that’s some family friend.” Her voice was so loud that it carried throughout the room.

Since I couldn’t think of anything to say to that, I went over to the benches where I saw a bunch of strollers and baby stuff and started unbuckling Izzy from the baby carrier holding her to my chest. Finally she was free, and she threw her arms up in the air as I lifted her. The other women were seated on yoga mats with their babies and toddlers on the floor. The instructor led me to an empty space with two mats. I placed Izzy down carefully and then sat cross-legged behind her.

The woman next to me leaned over. “That’s so nice that you volunteered to take Isabella to class. My boyfriend would never do that.”

Emboldened, the woman behind her piped up. “Definitely. Your girlfriend is soooo lucky.”

There was a moment of silence. Finally I realized they were both staring at me waiting for a response. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I looked between them.

“Um, thanks?”

There was a soft round of giggling, but I didn’t bother turning around to see who it was.

All my energy was spent on wishing for time to speed up so this class could be over.

Isabella’s laugh drew my attention. She was gnawing on her rattle, a line of drool dangling from her cheek. When she saw me looking she blew me a wet kiss. The sight made me smile. Like mother like daughter. I couldn’t resist either of them.

The instructor asked us to all get into child’s pose, whatever that meant, and I scrambled to do the same thing the others were doing.

“Like this,” the instructor’s voice startled me, it was so close to my ear.

Then her hand landed on my lower back. Then lower.

I sat up straight abruptly.

She smiled innocently. “Just helping you into position.”

I gritted my teeth. Lucia owed me for this one.

Big time.