“You’re even more well-off than I’d thought,” Shelby admitted.

Taryn laughed. “Like I said. I’ve done well. I want to pay it forward. Or whatever that phrase is.” She smiled, then rose. “Think about it.”

“I will. I promise.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“YOU’RE GOING TO let him run the meeting?” Destiny asked, her voice teasing.

As the question wasn’t directed at him, Aidan didn’t bother answering. He wasn’t concerned with what Destiny thought about him. Instead he found himself oddly relieved that she seemed so much better.

“Aidan is a very capable party planner,” Shelby murmured in a low singsong voice. “Isn’t he, my beautiful girl? Yes, he is. Yes, he is.”

Had she been anyone else, he would have totally freaked at her obvious affection for Destiny’s baby. Even from across the living room, he could hear the tick-tick of her biological clock. But it wasn’t his problem, he told himself. He and Shelby weren’t together that way. She wasn’t going to look to him to be her baby daddy.

A good thing. He wanted to improve his character. Not settle down. At least that was what he’d always told himself.

Destiny sipped what looked like a disgusting green smoothie and eyed him. “A party planner, huh? How many parties have you planned?”

“My entire business is about getting people from point A to point B and back safely, on skis or bikes or while parasailing. I can handle a birthday party for a sixteen-year-old.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Aren’t we confident?”

“Aren’t we feeling better than we were last time?”

Destiny laughed. “Okay. Point taken. I’m giving you sass because I’m feeling pretty good. I’m sorry about the meltdown the other day.”

“You’re a new mother. You have a lot going on.” Shelby touched the gurgling baby’s face. “Your mommy is a famous singer. Yes, she is.”

“I’m not famous.”

“Not yet. You will be.”

“Maybe. I’m not sure I want that,” Destiny admitted. “I saw what too much fame did to my parents. But some kind of success would be nice.” She sipped her drink and looked at Aidan. “Let’s talk about the party.”

She was completely different from the last time he’d seen her. The dark circles were gone and she seemed more relaxed. He knew that in addition to letting them take care of Starr’s party, Destiny had started sharing the responsibility of Tonya a little more. She’d also told her manager to back off for the next month while she continued to recover from childbirth. An impressive turnaround.

He supposed the lesson was that everyone was capable of changing, when motivated. Look at him. He’d come a long way.

Tonya began fussing. Shelby rocked her. Destiny took one more sip of her green drink, then stood.

“Sorry, guys. She’s hungry. I was hoping she’d eat before you got here, but we’re having another schedule shift. Give me ten or fifteen minutes and I’ll be back.”

She collected the baby and walked out of the room. Shelby watched her go.

“She has to be so happy,” she said wistfully.

“Feeling the need?”

“A little. I always knew I wanted kids, but I was scared. If that makes sense.”

“Sure. You wouldn’t want anyone to go through what you went through. Why wouldn’t you be cautious?”

“You’re becoming so insightful.”

He gave any exaggerated sigh. “I know. Perfection looms. Soon I’ll be a demigod.”

She laughed. “If only that were true. I could say I knew you when. Do you want kids?”