Текст книги "Inflame"
Автор книги: Tessa Teevan
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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 24 страниц)
Chapter 24
Kale
AFTER TAKING Lucy home, I spent the night worshipping her body just like she wanted, appreciating every single new bump and curve. It was only a week, but what can I say? I’m hooked on her, and even just one night apart is one too many. I knew she’d been waiting for me to ask her to move in, but I took my time, making her sweat just like she’d done to me, but after spending Christmas apart, I couldn’t handle it anymore. The twenty-week appointment is sneaking up on us, marking the halfway point in the pregnancy, and I want her settled in with me so that it’s one less stressor on her plate.
“Do you want a boy or a girl? You always call Sprout a he, but what if he’s a she?” Lucy asks, yawning. We’ve just woken up, and I’m not sure where the question’s coming from.
I mull it over in my brain. “I guess I always do say he, but that’s just my natural reaction. If it’s a girl, I’ll be happy. If it’s a boy, that’s great, too. Honestly, I’d probably have an easier time with a girl thanks to the twins and Lily.”
Turning on her side, she grins at me. “Yeah, until she’s old enough to date. Then you’ll be singing a different tune.”
I groan and slide my arm over my eyes. “I don’t even want to think about that. If she looks anything like her momma, I’ll have to lock her away.”
“I could say the same if we have a boy. His daddy is pretty handsome,” she says in a teasing tone.
“Pretty handsome?” I ask, grabbing her waist, pulling her into me, and running the tips of my fingers over her bare skin. She shivers and starts to squirm.
“Devastatingly good-looking? Sexy as sin? The most alluring, attractive, beautiful man in the world who’s captivated my heart?” Her soft giggles fill the room, and I shake my head.
Moving down the bed, I press my lips against her belly. “Hear that, kid? Your momma thinks I’m sexy and she can’t keep her hands off me. That’s how you got stuck in there,” I whisper, and before I know it, Lucy’s hitting me in the head with a pillow.
“Don’t tell him that! Might I remind you, Kale Montgomery, that it was you who implanted the seed that brought upon our little Sprout, so don’t go blaming me,” she retorts giving me a playful glare.
After crawling back up to her, I capture her lips in a gentle kiss. “It might’ve been my seed, baby, but it was the fertile soil of your garden that let it take root.”
She pushes me off her and gets up from the bed, laughing as she shakes her head at me. “I seriously cannot believe you just said that. Well, actually I can. Ginger had no idea what she was doing when she named you. She’s set me up for a lifetime of seed and love garden jokes.”
“Come on. You’ve got to admit that was a good one!” I shout after her as she heads into the bathroom and turns on the shower.
I can still hear her laughing, and I decide to join her. She’s already in the shower, and I step in behind her.
Leaning against the back of the shower, I watch as she lathers up her skin, giving me the perfect view of her ass as she bends over. She catches me staring at her when she stands back up, and she moves under the spray to rinse off.
“You know, it’s probably a good thing I’m moving in. In a couple of months, you might have to do this for me, if not sooner. It’s like someone injected me with Miracle-Gro over the last week,” she informs me, and I know she’s teasing. Her eyes slide down my naked skin, widening when she takes in my erection. She bites her lip then looks up at me, desire flashing in her eyes. “And it looks like someone’s done the same to you.”
“That someone would be you, baby. Now come here and let me inject you,” I request, wiggling my eyebrows up at her, causing her to giggle.
“I think you just ruined the moment with that cheesy comment. You really need to work on your comedic timing.”
Ignoring her, I close the distance between us and turn her away from me. My hand slides between her legs, where she’s already wet. Her laughing stops, and she allows me to bend her over. Gripping her hips, I waste no time sliding into her warm center. I do as she requested and work on my timing, slowly moving in and out, lazily rubbing against her clit then stopping when I feel her tightening around me. It isn’t until she’s begging me to let her finally go over the edge that I hasten my movements, and she screams out her release just as I’m spilling my own into her. Pulling out, I move to wash myself off her even though she’s still coming down from her high.
“How was that for timing, baby?” I ask, giving her as a slap before she stands up straight.
Turning around, she stands on her tiptoes. I think she’s going in for a kiss, but she stops right before her lips make contact with mine.
“I’d say that was pretty damn perfect.”
OVER THE next few days, we spent our time at Lucy’s apartment packing up all her stuff, and when the weekend hit, I enlisted Jace, Knox, and Xavier to help me. Lucy insisted on helping, but like I told her in the supply closet, I don’t want her lifting boxes, no matter how big or small. She told me that I was being an overprotective ass, and maybe that’s true. Fortunately, I was able to get Charlie and Lexi to keep her occupied as they took her out to look for furniture for the baby’s room.
“Man, I still can’t believe you’re going to be a dad,” Xavier tells me as we enter my house, finally finished with moving Lucy’s stuff in. “You two seem pretty damn happy.”
When I head to the kitchen, I grab a couple of beers and hand him one. “I know. It’s kind of surreal at times. When I came home after Christmas and saw Lucy’s belly, it was like reality set in. Every time I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m having a kid, something else happens and it becomes so much more real.”
Taking a swig of his beer, he eyes me. “Have you talked about it?”
I let a long breath escape my lips as I lean my elbows on the counter. “Not yet. And before you say anything, I know. I know I need to tell her, but things are so good right now. Even though we’ve been dancing around our feelings for so long, our being together officially is so new. And now that she’s moving in, the last thing I want to do is talk about my past.” He gives me a knowing look, but I try to ignore it. “Look, that night after the bar, I went home and got wasted off my ass. I know it probably sounds stupid, but when I was drunk as hell, I was actually able to deal with things, to see clarity in the situation. I spent that night working through my shit, and since then, I haven’t looked back.”
“That’s good to hear, but still. It’s been a long damn time for you to keep that shit buried. One night isn’t going to make it go away.”
“I know. You’re right. It’s not. But at the same time, every day that passes that I have Lucy? It’s making all that pent-up anger and pain fade away. She’s the remedy I never knew existed, and I’ll be damned if I do anything to push her away.”
He shakes his head and looks at me, a strange gleam in his eye. “Just make sure that you’re not doing that by shutting her out, Kale.”
I’m about to respond when the front door opens and Jace and Knox come in. Handing them both beers, I lead the four of us to the back deck to relax after a long day’s hard work.
“Hey, Wellington? How were things over the holidays with the family?” I ask, trying to deflect Xavier’s attention.
He lets out a low chuckle as he shakes his head. “It was a holiday, that’s for sure. My first with the family, and well, it was actually pretty uneventful. Mom, naturally, fawned over Charlie, who took it all in stride. She won both Cohen and Dad over early one, so that was easy. Branson was there, but he just kind of hung out in the background. Charlie, God freaking love her, tried to pull him in, but he seemed content to just sit on the sidelines and watch.”
“What’s his deal anyway?” I ask, curious as hell to his family dynamic.
“Ya know, I’m not sure I have any fucking clue. Ever since he got rid of the parasite otherwise known as Megan Caldwell, he’s been withdrawn. He used to be a cocky asshole, and even I’m kind of missing that side of him. Instead, he just sits there, watching everything with an impassive look on his face. I don’t know. It’s just weird.”
“Women fuck even the best of us up,” Xavier offers, and Knox tips his beer to him.
“Amen to that, brother,” he offers. “But it’s water under the bridge now. It’s just nice as hell being a part of the family again.”
I raise an eyebrow up at him. “Seriously, dude? He fucked your girl. Hell, he fucking married your girl. That’s not exactly easily forgivable shit right there.”
“Yeah, he did. And as fucked up as it was, he did me a fuckin’ favor. Ten years ago, I might’ve thought differently, but look at us now. I’m shacked up with the woman of my dreams, and he’s in the middle of a divorce. Holdin’ on to that grudge would be like kicking a dog when he’s down. If Charlie’s taught me anything, it’s that I just need to let the past go, and with her, she makes it easy.”
Jace, Xavier, and I look at each other with amused glances at Knox’s admission. “And you call me a fuckin’ romantic pussy,” Jace jokes, causing Knox to send him a scowl.
“McAllister, you’ve had your balls twisted by the same damn girl since I’ve known you and it took you ten fuckin’ years to claim her. Me? I just have the love of a good woman waitin’ on me at the end of the day and I’m smart enough to remember that.”
I can’t help the snort that lets loose, and my nose burns when beer shoots out. “Yeah, ‘cause if you don’t, she’ll kick your ass.”
“Whatever, man.” Knox gestures towards Xavier. “What about you, Cruz? You’re hangin’ around a bunch of taken men. Does that make you feel all twitchy, or are you all good as a single man?”
Xavier lifts his beer to his lips, taking a long drink before answering. “Already got one little woman in my life, Wellington, and I can only imagine she’s going to be more of a handful as the years go by. Don’t need anyone else coming in to complicate things.”
I watch as Jace and Knox exchange looks, ones I’ve seen before. Stepping in, I decide to save Xavier from the McAllister-Wellington guarantee. “All right, Cruz. You get a pass. My goddaughter means more than you getting laid.” I pause, pointing a finger at him. “You remember that.”
He shakes his head at me. “Dude, you think Lily’s going to let me date just any woman? No freakin’ way. My girl is so damn particular. It’ll take someone special, one hell of a chick, to win over both me and Lil.”
Jace leans forward and looks at Xavier. “If I’ve learned one thing in my life, it’s that patience is key. She’ll come along one of these days, and in the end, the wait will have been more than worth it.”
“All right. Before we start getting all emotional and touchy-feely with Love Guru Jace McAllister, can we go inside and order the fuckin’ fight? I need to see dudes punching each other after this love fest. Look, I love my girl more than I can explain, but that’s just it. I’m not fuckin’ explaining it. I need some testosterone if I’m going to hang out with you guys tonight.” When Knox ends his tirade, the rest of us just stare at him.
Finally, Jace busts out laughing and stands up. “Whatever, dude. I’ll throw in the cash for the pay-per-view since Knox isn’t as in touch with his romantic side as I am. It’s clearly an insecurity for him, and I hope one day Charlie doesn’t suffer from it once she realizes she’s settled down with a Neanderthal.”
“You don’t know my woman. That’s what won her over to my side to begin with,” Knox offers, causing the rest of us to laugh.
Leaving the deck, we make our way inside to catch the fight, and although I’m missing Lucy, I realize I’m in pretty damn good company.
Chapter 25
Lucy
MY ALARM starts buzzing and I jump out of bed, more than excited to get this day started. Kale stirs and pulls a pillow over his head. I round the bed and shake him.
“Wake up, babe!” I insist, and he groans as he peeks his head out from under the pillow.
“Baby, it’s too early. Come back to bed,” he requests, patting the sheets beside him. I pull the pillow off his head and hold it up, threatening to hit him with it. He sits up and rubs his eyes, glancing at the clock. “Seriously, the sun’s not even up yet.”
Not wanting to wait any longer, I jump on him, my legs straddling his thighs as I bounce on the bed. “Get up, get up, get up! Today’s the day and I want it to start right now.”
He grins up at me. “I think I liked your pregnancy better when you were tired all the time. This high-energy crap is freaking me out.”
Leaning down, I bring my lips to his. “If you get out of bed right now, I’ll let you break out the wheel. And you know what that means. The restraints, too.”
Suddenly I’m up in Kale’s arms as he climbs out of bed. He doesn’t put me down until we’re in the bathroom and he deposits me on the sink before we quickly shower. We’re not a kinky couple by any means, but we like to play sometimes. We haven’t pulled out the box of toys since I found out I was pregnant, but now that I’m feeling all kinds of energy, I want to play. As I remember the first time I introduced Kale to the wheel, a slow smirk spreads across my face. I don’t think he had planned to be the restrained one, but the way he squirmed and writhed as the tiny pinpricks spread over his body was one of the hottest things I’d ever seen. Of course, he repaid the favor with the skill of an expert, so I know this is going to be as much of a treat for me as it is for him.
Over the past few weeks since we’ve been living together, I’ve gotten used to starting my mornings off with an intimacy I didn’t know I was missing before. It’s not always sexual. In fact, most of the time, it isn’t. It’s just become a comfortable, familiar routine of getting ready for our days in the same space. I’ve been living on my own for so long that I thought it would take some getting used to, but now that I’m here, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
As I finish drying my hair, Kale comes into the room and hands me a rectangular box that’s wrapped in half pink and half blue wrapping paper. Clicking off the dyer, I look up at him suspiciously.
“What’s this?” I ask, and he pulls me up off the floor and leads me out to the dining room.
My stomach growls as I see that he has the table set and breakfast prepared. The smell of bacon fills my nose, and I sit down, ready to dive in, almost forgetting about the gift in my hand. He grins as he pours grape juice in my glass then sits across from me.
“Open it,” he says, gesturing to the box. His excitement is contagious, and I go for the tape, trying not to rip the paper. “Jesus, Lucy, the gift is inside. You don’t need to keep the paper. Rip it off already.”
“Okay, okay. Calm down,” I tell him and quickly tear into the paper.
When I open the box, I can’t help the wide smile that forms on my face, and I have to look up at the ceiling to keep the tears that have now formed in my eyes from falling onto my face. Blinking them back, I pull the book out of the box and start flipping through the pages, scanning some of the names. I set it on the table and place my hand on Kale’s.
“Thank you. It’s very thoughtful, and I can’t wait to start going through it.”
“Well, we haven’t talked names, and I thought today was an appropriate day to start thinking about it. After all, we’re about to find out if we’re having a little me or a little you. As much as I love the name Sprout, I’m kind of excited to decide on a name.”
Suddenly, the thought of settling on a name other than Sprout seems daunting. “Kale, how are we going to do this? We have the hardest time just deciding what we’re going to do for dinner on any given day. There’s no way we’re going to settle on a name together.”
He squeezes my hand and then gestures to the book. “Hey, we’ll figure it out.” He picks up a piece of bacon and points it at me and then at himself. “You and I have a date with that book tonight, and we’ll just start picking out some we like. Gotta start somewhere. Now eat, baby, or we’re going to be late.”
I let his reassurance wash over me, and I dive into breakfast. I feel like I’ve been waiting for this appointment forever, and it can’t come soon enough.
I’M PRACTICALLY giddy with delight as Kale and I leave the doctor’s office. According to Dr. Foster, the baby’s growing and developing right on schedule, my fluid levels are perfect, and she confirmed the gender. Kale was quiet as he stared at the screen, and I didn’t blame him. It was surreal seeing how much Sprout’s grown in eight weeks, and the thought that we’re halfway through this is somewhat overwhelming. My life has changed so much in the last twenty weeks, and I’ve loved every second of it.
“Are you happy?” I ask as we pull out of the parking lot. I couldn’t read his expression when he found out, and even though he said that he had no preference, I’m wondering what he’s thinking.
He looks over at me seriously, and then a huge smiles crosses his gorgeous face. “I’m thrilled, baby. I promise, I was indifferent, but now that I know, I have all these plans rolling around in my head. Starting today. What do you say we finally start getting the nursery ready?”
“I love the sound of that. The room feels so bare, even with the furniture. I’m ready to add some color to it.”
We spend the rest of the day shopping—and probably going a little overboard. Charlie texts me nonstop wanting to know the gender, but Kale keeps me from telling her, and I’m glad because I want to tell her in person. I know she’ll be just as thrilled as I am. I wasn’t lying when I said I just wanted a healthy baby, but when Dr. Foster gave us the news, hot tears formed in my eyes, and I was elated.
Once the car is practically loaded with baby gear, we decide to head home in hopes that we can get together with all of our friends later on so we can share the good news. I’m surprised when we pull up to Kale’s gym, and I turn to him.
“What are we doing here?” I ask, and he gives me a sly smile.
“Just trust me, okay? Let’s just say we’re probably not going to be the only ones celebrating today.”
I can feel my eyebrows furrow, and I wonder what he means. Looking around the parking lot, I spot Evelyn, Knox’s car that I’ve heard way too much about. My heart starts racing and ideas start forming in my mind. Turning back to look at Kale with wide eyes, I’m practically bouncing with glee.
“Get out!” I shout, and he just laughs.
“Hey, I didn’t say anything, but if you don’t want to miss the show, we’d better get in there.”
Before he can finish his sentence, I’m out of the car, already pulling out my phone to get the camcorder ready. If what I think it about to happen is happening, I have got to get this on video. For someone who claims to hate public displays of affection, Knox certainly doesn’t shy away from being the center of attention where Charlie’s concerned. The conversation from the day she picked me up at the airport replays in my mind and I smile, happy that my best friend isn’t going to have to wait another six months.
Kale takes my hand and leads me inside the gym. “Now, act cool and be discreet. Knox told Jace and me about this yesterday, but he didn’t say anything about telling you. The way I see it, you’re her best friend, and if he wants to do this in public, it’s your right to be here. Just…no squealing, baby.”
I give him a cross look but nod my head dutifully.
Looking around the room, we spot Charlie and Knox entering a ring, Wade and Jace sparring in the one next to them. Knox leans in for a kiss then moves to the end of the ring to start the clock. They dance around each other before moving in, each landing a jab here, a kick there. To be honest, I don’t know much about kickboxing and I still don’t see the fun in sparring with your boyfriend. But Charlie loves it, and as I watch them, I decide I might have her show me a few moves. I wouldn’t mind Kale getting me flat on my back.
The first round ends in a boring fashion and I sigh impatiently. As they start the second round, I tap my foot, waiting for some action to happy. Nervous butterflies attack my stomach as the clock starts ticking closer to zero, and I bring my hand to my belly, rubbing slightly. All the sudden I feel pressure against my hand, and the butterflies increase tenfold.
“Oh!” I practically shout, loud enough for Charlie to hear me. It’s exactly the distraction Knox needs to take Charlie down.
“Discreet, baby?” Kales teases, and I grab his hand and place it on my belly.
“I couldn’t help it. The baby kicked!” I tell him, almost squealing even though I promised not to.
His eyes widen and he moves to stand behind me as he places both hands on my belly, waiting for it to happen again. “That’s exciting, Lucy, but hold that thought,” he whispers in my ear.
I look back at the ring and realize that it’s about to happen.
Charlie’s flat on her back on the mat, breathing heavily. She’s glaring up at Knox, who’s straddling her waist and grinning down at her.
“That was cheap, Wellington. Lucy’s big mouth distracted me and you know it.”
Shaking his head, he looks up. Wade and Jace have left their ring and are standing next to the one Charlie and Knox are in. Knox nods to Jace, who pulls a small box out of his pocket. He throws it to Knox, who then looks back down at Charlie.
“You may never be able to take me in the ring, sweetheart, but I would be the luckiest asshole in the world if you’d take mine.” He opens the box and pulls out a ring, holding it between his thumb and forefinger for Charlie to see.
She’s staring up at him, then at the ring, then back at him. For the first time in her life, Charlie Davenport is speechless.
Knox leans down and places a soft kiss on her lips before pulling back mere inches from her face. “Say something, sweetheart.”
And that’s all the prompting she needs. Tears start pouring down her face as she holds out her hand so Knox can put it on. As he slides the ring down her finger, he leans down to kiss away her tears.
“Marry me, Charlie.”
“Okay,” is all she says, and that’s all Knox needs. He’s up on his feet, pulling Charlie up with him. She throws her arms around him, jumping up to wrap her legs around her waist. “We’re getting married!”
I watch as Wade climbs into the ring and gives Knox a pat on the back. Charlie climbs down from his embrace and her dad pulls her in for a big hug.
“I’m so happy for you, Charlie Rose,” he tells her, and tears spring to my eyes.
Looking back at Kale, I see him watching the happy couple, and I wonder what he’s thinking. The whole ‘you’re next’ bet comes to mind, and I smile to myself, knowing that even though we might not be engaged, we’re starting a family, and for me, that’s enough. For now.
Moving out of Kale’s hold, I run to Charlie. She bends down over the ropes to let me get a close look at the ring. It’s a gorgeous square-cut radiant solitaire diamond that’s set in white gold with tiny round diamonds along the side. It’s the perfect ring for Charlie, and I give Knox a thumbs up.
“Six months, huh?” I tease, and she gives me a watery smile.
“It’s Knox. He’s completely unpredictable. I can’t believe you’re here and you were able to keep it a secret! Was your distracting me all a part of the plan?”
Laughing, I bring my hand to my belly. “I wish I could take credit for it, but I had no idea. Kale made me come here and wouldn’t tell me why. As for the distraction”—I pause, giving her an apologetic smile—“apparently, this little one’s going to be taking after Kale. It must’ve felt left out and decided to make its first kick here. Kind of appropriate, right?”
“Oh my gosh! I completely forgot. Stop saying ‘it,’ you asshole, and tell me already. Am I getting a niece or a nephew?”
I’m about to answer when Knox approaches with Jace and Wade. Kale comes up behind me and gives Charlie high-five.
“Way to steal my baby thunder, Wellington,” Kale jokes. “Now we’re going to have to wait for another day to do the gender reveal. Thanks a lot, man.”
I know he’s only joking, but Charlie scowls at him. “Come on. Just tell me. The suspense is killing me!” Charlie whines, but Kale just shakes his head. “I’m going to kick your ass, Montgomery.”
Knox reels her in, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s get home and get cleaned up. Then we can celebrate.” He winks at her then gives a sheepish grin when Wade clears his throat.
“And that’s my cue to leave.” Wade gives Charlie a hug then shakes Knox’s hand. “Congratulations, you two.”
Once Wade’s out of earshot, Kale starts speaking. “If you two are up for celebrating later with your clothes on, why doesn’t everyone come over to our place tonight and we’ll give Charlie the big reveal and celebrate Knox being a kept man.”
Knox shakes his head but grins down at Charlie, who shrugs. “We’re in,” she says to us, and Jace nods in agreement.
I continue to fawn over Charlie’s ring as the guys make arrangements, and before I know it, Kale’s whisking me back to the car and taking me home.
Kale
ONCE HOME, we get to work setting up the nursery. It already had a crib, a dresser, and a changing table, but with the additions from the store, it finally feels like a real nursery as we add wall art, bedding, and a mound of stuffed animals. Lucy finishes unpacking a box of books then stands up and moves to the middle of the room. Doing a quick spin, she has a satisfied look on her face as she hugs her belly.
“Everything about today has been so perfect, Kale. From the baby name book, to the appointment, to the shopping, and then with the proposal. We have so much to celebrate tonight. Speaking of, we should probably get ready for that since you up and offered our place.”
I set the last of the clothes we splurged on in the drawer and move to circle her waist as I rest my head on her shoulder, taking in the newly transformed room. “And just think, in less than five months, we’ll have even more to celebrate.” Pushing her out of the room, I lead her down the hallway and into our bedroom, where she gives me a confused look that I ignore. Leaning down, I place a kiss on her forehead. “Rest up, baby. I’ll go get everything ready for tonight.”
“I’m too excited to sleep. Plus, I want to help you. I already figured I’d toy with Charlie tonight and not tell her right away.” She gets off the bed and we head to the kitchen to prepare. After rustling through the pantry, she pulls out a bottle of food coloring and grins at me. “This is exactly what I need.”
Later on, when everyone shows up, the women spend their time gushing over the ring as Charlie relays the story of the proposal to Lexi. I hand each of the guys a beer then toss one to Charlie. Lexi turns me down as she looks nervously at Jace, who clears his throat. She gets up from her spot on the couch and goes to where he’s standing.
“Well, since everyone’s sharing all sorts of good news today, we have something we want to announce,” Jace says as Lexi beams up at him. “It looks like the Montgomery baby is going to have a new playmate a little sooner than we expected.”
Lucy gasps then squeals as she runs up to hug Lexi, and Charlie joins them, equally as ecstatic.
“You’re pregnant?!” Lucy asks, practically jumping up and down.
Lexi laughs as she nods. “We’re almost eleven weeks along. A total honeymoon baby. To call it a shock is an understatement, but we’re thrilled.”
“You know, someone once told me these things happen in threes,” I say, looking at Knox and Charlie.
She waves at me with her middle finger before holding up her hand for me to see her ring. “Don’t even try to jinx me like that, Kale Montgomery. With my luck, whenever Knox and I have kids, we’ll end up with triplets. I am so not ready for that. Plus, I’ll have your kids to spoil. We don’t need our own yet. Speaking of, will you please finally spill the beans? I am dying from anticipation to know what you’re having.”
Lucy gives me a sly smile and nods. Turning to Jace and Knox, she smiles sweetly at them. “You two have any money riding on this one, too?” she asks, and Jace chokes on his beer. “Yeah, we know all about your little bet. I’m expecting one hell of a baby shower gift, Jace.”
Jace grins sheepishly. “Consider it done. We knew he was a goner long before he did. I just had a little more faith in your abilities to get Kale to fall into your web than Knox did.”
“Whatever, dude. She was just as hooked on me as I was on her,” I tell him.
“Yeah, but you were too much of a pussy to tell her,” Knox chimes in, causing Charlie to elbow him.
“Right. What should I have done? Gone to the nearest bar and professed my love with a song?” I tease, and it’s Lucy turn to give her man the elbow, causing me to wince as she connects with my side.
Knox scowls, but Charlie just laughs. “It doesn’t matter. We’re all here now, happy, in love, and about to find out if they’re having a girl or a boy. Now tell me already.”
Lucy leaves the living room and reenters with a tray of cupcakes. Setting them down on the coffee table, she gestures to Charlie. “I know it’s not the most original way to reveal it, but it’s all I had time for. Go ahead, Charlie. You wanted to know so badly. You do the honors.”
Charlie leaps up from her chair and grabs one of the cupcakes. As she slowly unwraps it, her eyes widen and she looks back and forth between the two of us and then at the rest of the group waiting impatiently for her to reveal the gender.
“Well, what is it?” Lexi asks.
“They’re having a boy!”
Congratulations come from all around, and I watch Lucy’s beaming smile light up the room. I honestly didn’t care what we were having, but when Dr. Foster pointed out the tiny—sorry, little guy—forming male parts on Sprout, my heart swelled at the thought of having a little mini-me running around. It was surreal and I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. I was almost in a daze for the rest of the day, and Lucy picked out everything she could find in blue and brown, adding in some green because, after all, he’s our little Sprout.
Jace and Knox both give me slaps on the shoulder while Lucy drags the girls down to the nursery to show off the goods from today.
