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Loren nudges me. But I honestly can’t stop grinning. I know I was just angry beyond belief and that I’m supposed to feel embarrassed or even uncomfortable in this moment. Loren’s dad and brother are without a doubt contemplating my murder as we speak.
Yet, every time I get to claim Loren and our babies, I feel proud. Elated?
Have I ever feltelatedbefore? I don’t think so. The closest I’ve come to a feeling like that was hearing the results of Ethan’s custody hearing, getting asked to be a godfather, or maybe taking part in JD’s wedding. There was also the part after the wedding that I spent with Loren that made me feel pretty elated, but I can’t go there right now.
“She’s trying to tell you that she’s having my baby,” I clarify smugly for Landry as I pull Loren in closer to my side. “Actually, two babies.”
He narrows his eyes as he glances back and forth between us, then he breaks out into a loud guffaw. “You really had me going for a second,” he says, wiping his eyes. Then he comes over and pats me on the shoulder while everyone else looks on uncomfortably. “Okay, how long were you planning on keeping this up?”
“Keeping what up?” Loren asks, glaring at him. “Landry, this isn’t a joke.” Then she reaches down with her free hand and flattens her dress over her small bump. At this point, it could easily be mistaken for a food baby, but excitement still flutters in my stomach at the sight of it. “I’m pregnant with twins.”
He chuckles again. “Yeah, and so am I.”
Loren turns to me for backup. “Would anyone like to see the ultrasound?” I call out, and Lilley replies with an, “Ooh, me!” right away. I pull up the video from my favorites album, and I think I see Loren smirking when she notices.
Lilley glances at me with a knowing smile as she watches, probably because she can hear my voice in the background.
“We made two babies, Lo … now do you believe me when I say that you’re amazing?”
She squeezes my arm after she hands my phone back, then she turns to Loren. “My baby sister is going to be a mama? And you’re havingtwins? Where the hell are you going to put two babies, Lo-Lo?” Lilley cries out incredulously, and Loren’s smile grows wider when Lilley wraps her up in a hug.
Landry clicks his tongue. “How do you even know that’s really her ultrasound?”
“Because they always put the mother’s name and the date on the top of the screen, Dr. Dipshit,” Lilley retorts as she pulls away.
Landry blinks a few times, then his mouth opens and closes without a sound, sort of like a fish. “Dad, don’t you have anything to say about this?” he mutters after a while.
I turn to my old coach, awaiting his reaction. He shakes his head. “Your sister is grown enough to make her own decisions, even if they aren’t the smartest ones. And I’m sure Blake will do right by her.”
I clear my throat. “Absolutely.”
“For the record, that does not include a shotgun wedding,” Loren adds. I shoot her asay lesslook, but she continues. “Although we’ve already decided to come to a friendly arrangement if things don’t work out between us. Because the last thing we want is a custody battle, right?”
I force a smile. Of course, she’s mortified. She’s just admitted to her family that she’s not only dating a guy like me, but that she was naive enough to let me get her pregnant. I imagine Landry’s comments are starting to wear her down, and she feels like fool for trying to convince them that we’re in a committed relationship.
In other words, she’s less ashamed of what she’s done and more embarrassed to admit she’s done it withme. It’s another harsh reminder that I’m not good enough for her, and I never will be. But this isn’t the time for me to dwell on feeling sorry for myself, not when her family is still gaping at her and her cheeks are still flushed.
Dammit. Why does she have to look so cute when she’shonte?
And if my thoughts are all over the place right now, I can’t imagine what it must be like inside her head. Her eyes meet mine again, and I can tell she’s spiraling too. So, I do what I do best—I antagonize her.
“We have a back-up plan if things don’t go as intended,” I begin again. “But it’s not going to be necessary, because we’re already so happy together that I can’t imagine us ever breaking up. Right, pumpkin?”
Her nostrils flare, and I shoot her a cocky smirk. “Right … babe,” she answers dryly.
“And you never know, sugar britches,” I continue, noting the way her neck is turning red. “I could surprise you with a proposal when you least expect it and make an honest woman outta you.”
“You could,” she says through her teeth. “But we’ve already agreed that there’s plenty of time for that, darling.”
“That’s true. You know how much I adore you. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon … lover,” I say, puckering my lips and going in for an exaggeratedly awkward kiss. She groans but plays along, and I sigh inwardly because I still enjoy every time our lips make contact.
“Good grief, you’re disgusting,” Landry grumbles, crossing his arms and grimacing. “You’re going to make me lose my appetite.”
Then I see a flash of gratitude in Loren’s eyes and a sense of smug satisfaction when the corners of her mouth turn up, and I can’t help but grin back at her. She spins around in my arms and leans back against me, and my breathy exhale is audible this time.
“Oh, somehow I doubt that,” Lilley mutters. “By the way, where’s my birthday cake? What are we waiting for?”
“We haven’t even had lunch yet,” Landry objects, still pouting.
