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Ryder stood next to Sebastian with his hands on his hips. “Seriously? We just talked about this. When you didn’t call one of us for a ride to the appointment, I assumed you were having Mallory bring you.”
“I’m not going to call one of you every time I need to go somewhere. You’re all busy and you don’t need to stop to be my driver. I’ve been taking the bus around Austin my entire life. I don’t have to change that now.” I huffed and wagged my finger at Jake when he walked up. “I know. Bus bad, Fiona naughty. I got it. I don’t want to talk about that, though. I want to talk about how sweet it is that y’all remembered the appointment date and showed up. I’ve always just gone to these things alone.”
“Do you know how to drive?” Jake pulled me into his chest and hugged me. “I’ll get you a car. Something small and cute with a perfect safety rating.”
“She can’t park anything new on her street.” Ryder grunted. “I don’t think Dice is going to guard a car the same way he would Fiona.”
“What the fuck is wrong with her street? Who the hell is Dice?” Sebastian growled. “Why does she need guarding?”
I pulled away from Jake and looked at his watch. “Can we chat about this later? I don’t want to be late.”
With minor grumbling, they all agreed and followed me inside. The waiting room was full and there weren’t enough seats for all of us so I sat while they hovered. I filled out paperwork and tried to ignore the stares we were getting. If the guys noticed, they didn’t act like it. They were lost in their own hushed conversation. Judging from some of the words I could make out, I knew they were talking about my apartment.
Maybe if I would’ve had a normal pregnancy with Avery, their overstepping would’ve bothered me. I hadn’t had an ounce of support from Avery’s father, though, so them all showing up and caring didn’t bother me. It felt like concern and care and I wanted it so desperately. I was already feeling slightly sad that after we got the paternity test results back two of them would disappear. I wasn’t a greedy person typically but there was something about each of them that I felt drawn to. I didn’t want to give them up.
I didn’t even realize I was crying until Sebastian knelt in front of me and rested his hands on my knees. “What’s wrong, angel?”
I wiped my cheeks and rolled my eyes at myself. “Nothing. I’m a crier during pregnancy, it seems. I was like this with Avery, too.”
“That’s fine, Fiona. What are you crying about this time, though?”
I frowned. I didn’t want to say it. One look at his face told me that he wouldn’t give up until he understood why I was crying, though. “After today, only one of you stays.”
Realization dawned on his face and he licked his lips while staring just over my shoulder. “Whatever happens, I’m not going anywhere.”
His statement shocked me but my name was called before I could ask him to clarify if he meant what I thought he meant. Would he want to be with me, even if the baby wasn’t his?
In the back, I made the guys turn around while I was weighed. The nurse was amused and seemed to be struggling to contain her questions while she led us to the largest exam room they had. Once we were tucked into the room with me on the exam table, I expected to have time to talk to them but Dr. Ruth came right in.
“Fiona Carter! When I saw your name on my patient list today, I couldn’t believe it. Your son must be five years old by now.” Dr. Ruth was a round woman with soft features and a feathered haircut that just worked. She had the kindest eyes I’d ever seen and a bedside manner that melted me.
“He’s six, actually. His name is Avery.” I smiled when she took my hand and squeezed it.
“Is he as smart and beautiful as his mother?”
I nodded with more tears in my eyes. “He’s the best.”
She finally looked up and her mouth popped open in a surprised ‘o’. “Well, who do we have here?”
A different nurse walked in to attend the appointment with Dr. Ruth and she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the guys. “Whoa.”
I felt like my face was on fire but I’d practiced what I was going to say to explain the paternity test a hundred times. I just hadn’t imagined the guys being in the room as I said it. “Well…”
Jake laughed and when I looked at him, his smirk was gone and a wide, genuinely happy smile was in its place. “We’re the reason for the paternity test. I think the little egg is mine, but these two think it’s theirs.”
Dr. Ruth squeezed my hand tighter and leaned in so she could whisper to me. “You’re living the dream this time around, I see.”
Her nurse let out a sound that was part squeak and part deflation. “You’re Jake Moreno and you’re Ryder Steele! And you’re…equally freaking hot.”
Sebastian met my eyes. “If I wasn’t so confident in myself, being associated with these two would hurt.”
“Sorry that we’re just cooler than you.” Ryder patted Sebastian’s chest. “Cooler. Faster. All the things that matter.”
“How about we just take a look at this little egg, as Mr. Moreno so gracefully put it.” She saw the surprise on my face and nodded. “Yeah, I’m a fan of rock music. Especially rock music that’s local to Austin.”
After having my stomach exposed and being slathered in cold jelly, I stared nervously at the monitor, hoping to see something that told me the baby was healthy. I realized in that moment just how desperately I needed it to be healthy. I hadn’t been ready for another kid and I hadn’t thought I wanted another one anytime soon, but the longing I felt for the baby to be good in that moment was huge.
Dr. Ruth made a sound of surprise and sat back. “Well.”
