Guarding Sophie by Julie Brannagh Page A

people she’d met here. She liked her boss and her coworkers. A bigger apartment might be nice at some point so she could get a larger kitchen, but she was pretty happy with what she had right now.
    She heard Jessie J singing again as Kyle’s phone rang. He’d left it on the kitchen counter. “Kyle?” she called out. “Want me to answer it?”
    â€œYeah,” he shouted back.
    She hit Talk and the speaker function. “Hello, Kyle’s phone.”
    She heard male laughter at the other end of the phone and two voices asking her questions.
    â€œHello there. This is Drew McCoy. Is Carlson around?”
    A deeper, rumbling voice chimed in: “Looks like someone has a date, McCoy.”
    â€œAw, hell. Maybe we shouldn’t tell her all his bad habits right away, huh?”
    â€œHe’s in the next room. Just one moment, please,” Sophie said.
    â€œJust a second,” the guy with the deep voice said. “What’s your name?”
    If these guys had Kyle’s personal phone number, they were most likely friends. In other words, they were okay to talk with. “I’m Sophie,” she said. “I went to high school with him.”
    â€œAhhh,” the guy she now knew as “McCoy” said. “High school sweethearts.”
    â€œI’m gettin’ all choked up here,” the guy with the deep voice said. “Sophie, I’m betting you know stuff about him we’re dying to know. Tell us all about it. You can trust us.”
    â€œThat’s right. We’re completely trustworthy,” McCoy said.
    Sophie heard feminine laughter and a woman’s voice in the background. “Sophie, I’m Derrick’s wife, Holly. They’re not trustworthy at all. Don’t believe them.”
    Kyle rounded the corner from the living room and grinned at her. “Welcome to my life,” he said. He held out his hand for his phone. “What the hell are you guys up to today? And hey, Holly. How are you doing?”
    â€œJust fine, Kyle. Thank you for asking. I’ll let Derrick tell you why we’re bugging you on vacation.”
    â€œYou’re not bugging me. Call anytime. Hell, you know there’s always room here for you if you decide you’ve had enough of that guy,” Kyle said.
    The guy with the deep voice must be Derrick , Sophie thought.
    â€œMy beautiful wife is staying right here, Carlson. With me. Find your own damn wife. Speaking of a ‘wife,’ who’s Sophie?”
    â€œYeah. Does she know about you yet? I’ll bet Morrison would be more than happy to be introduced.”
    â€œMorrison isn’t old enough to shave yet,” Kyle said.
    â€œI’m sure he could get the job done,” McCoy chimed in. “In the meantime, we have a job for you. What are you up to in the next couple of weeks?”
    â€œAs little as possible. Why?” Kyle said.
    â€œI promised Michael that Holly and I would chaperone his senior prom.”
    â€œAnd you’re running off to Hawaii or something instead.”
    â€œOh, hell no. We’ll be back in Noel for the team stuff, but not that day. We’re having an ultrasound in Seattle, and it’s not possible to reschedule,” Derrick said.
    â€œIs something wrong? Holly’s not sick, is she?” Kyle’s brows puckered in concern.
    â€œShe’s pregnant. And no, we’re not naming it after you.”
    Sophie saw a huge grin spread over Kyle’s face. “Congratulations, man. That’s incredible.”
    â€œIt is,” Derrick said. “I’m a lucky man. The mamas and my grandma are so happy too. Holly’s not feeling the best right now, but the doc says she’ll be much better in a month or so.”
    â€œI’ve been giving Collins some pregnancy advice,” McCoy chimed in.
    â€œThe hell you have. Do you know what he told me? ‘Tell her she’s beautiful and don’t be