Penelope

"Wait," I say. "Cassian fainted?"

Gemma presses a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. "He's in the ICU."

My stomach drops. "Is he okay? Did he hit his head? Oh my God. I need to find him."

Jake snorts. "He's fine. Instead of falling backwards, he fell forwards. I caught him and prevented him from hitting his head. They're monitoring his vitals until he wakes just for precaution. I got a picture. Want to see?"

"Jake!" I smack his shoulder.

"Ah, come on, Penelope. He would've done the same to me."

I can't prevent a smile from blossoming on my lips. Cassian would've done the same. He and Jake are always participating in a friendly war. They'll jab at each other and play games, driving the other up the wall. In the end, though, they love each other. Although they're not related by blood, they're brothers. Family.

"Let's see the picture," I sigh. Jake wants to brag, I know that much. If there's a way to tease Cassian, especially one that lacks his presence, Jake'll pounce on the opportunity. This way, Cassian can't deflect. It makes Jake's ego inflate. And the same could be said for Cassian if the roles were switched. 

Grinning like an idiot, Jake removes his phone from the pocket of his suit jacket. He fiddles with the phone, tapping away at it for several seconds. Then he hands it to me.

I choke on a combination of a laugh and a snort. The photo is comical. Not because my boyfriend is unconscious, but because Jake is beneath him. Jake's sitting upright, one hand supporting his weight behind him, but Cassian is flat on his stomach and unconscious, with his face pressing into Jake's, um... lower extremity area. If people were unaware of the context behind this photo, they'd define this photo as scandalous.

My eyebrows furrow while I bite back a laugh. "I thought you caught him? And who took the photo?"

Jake gives me a half shrug. "I stopped Cassian from hitting his head, but the oaf caught me off guard. Then a nurse walked in and I asked her to take a photo." Jake grimaces. "Jerk owes me since my ass is bruised."

In the background, I hear Gemma snort. 

I roll my eyes. That is such a Jake thing. Asking a nurse to take a photo. 

"She tried to refuse at first," he continues. "But I convinced her."

My gaze flicks to Jake. "With your typical Jake charm, I'm assuming?" I look at the photo one more time before handing him his phone. "It looks like Cassian is sucking your dick, and I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"Right," he winks. He slips his phone back into his suit jacket pocket. "Because that's your job, right?"

I wink right back. "I don't kiss and tell, Jakey."

Our conversation trickles into a chorus of laughter. This is why I love working with Elemental Coffee and spending time with Jake and Gemma. They make you feel like family. Closer than family, if that's possible.

When the laughter is over, I sigh and look at Gemma. "Do I want to know why Cassian fainted?"

Gemma glances down at the small bundle of joy in her arms. She's trying to hide a tired smile. As much as she wants everyone to meet Callan, she's exhausted and needs a nap. Which she won't get until everyone's met him, unfortunately. "Probably not. Though I'm not sure why he freaked out about it. I'm sure he's seen plenty of vagina in his life."

Her last comment is directed at me, and it makes my cheeks burn. I have to look away and regain control of myself. She's referring to the boardroom incident. 

Jake snorts, resting a hand on my shoulder. "She's kidding. Don't worry, Penelope. Cassian's blood sugar was low. Aside from a few bites, he hadn't eaten enough. Poor guy. I'm sure Gemma pushed him over the edge, though." He pauses, glancing at his hand. "Poor me, too. I think Gemma broke my hand. Her grip is like iron."

I suppress a snort. Poor Cassian. He won't hear the end of this. From Jake, at least.

Gemma flips him off. "Fuck off, Jake. You don't have a right to complain about your hand. Not after I pushed a baby out."

He leans down, pressing a kiss to Gemma's temple, chuckling. "As per usual, you are correct, Gem."

"Anyway," Gemma drawls, fighting a smile. She's practically glowing beneath the lighting, save for the dark half-moons beneath her eyes and a sheen coating of sweat. "Now that we've gotten Cassian out of the spotlight, want to hold the baby?"

My attention snaps to the baby. Although I want to be there when Cassian wakes up, I want to meet Callan more. Nodding, I step closer to the bed. Gemma adjusts her positioning and slides the baby into my arms. I make sure the crook of my elbow is providing enough support before I cradle him against my chest.

"Penelope, meet Callan William Swift," Jake says.

All I can do is stare at Callan. He's adorable. There's a soft tuft of brown hair atop his head and his little lashes are brushing against his delicate cheekbones. Because he's sleeping, every time he breathes out, his upper lip moves and he makes a soft snoring noise.

My heart melts.

"He's adorable," I say. "How did it go?"

Gemma shrugs. "Painful as hell. But it was one-hundred per cent natural and there was no tearing, thank the universe."

I raise my eyebrows, loosening a low whistle. "That's always good. I've heard horrible stories about tearing. I can't imagine having stitches down there." A shudder reverberates down my spine. 

Jake coughs, clearing his throat. "Can we not?"

Gemma pins him with a stare. "If you want another kid, you better smarten up. This is not a gross conversation. It's a natural one. You know that."

Jake raises his hands. "You're right. I'm sorry." He runs a hand through his hair. "I'll do better."

Keeping her chin high, Gemma nods in approval, then returns her attention to me. "Like I said, everything was good. I'm healthy. Callan's healthy. Exhausted, but healthy."

I flash her a smile, tracing Callan's cheek with my thumb. His skin is soft and flushed a warm pink. "He's perfect."