“You okay with how everything went, gorgeous?” She gives me that smile that lights up her face and my world.
“Yep, and if any of them decides to be an ass, I’m gonna keep my tweezers on me. Those things will bring any of those fuckers down, I tell ya.” Chuckling at her seriousness with those things, I realize I need this moment with her to make sure she gets it.
“You know I was serious, right? You’re it for me, gorgeous. You’re stuck with me for the duration.” She bites her lips and looks into my soul.
“That’s a good thing, ’cause you’re stuck with me, and this one too.” She puts my hand on her stomach and I can’t do anything else in this moment but kiss her. There aren’t any more words to convey what I feel.
Ma
Watching out the window over the kitchen sink, I watch the moment between my girl and her forever. It brings a tear to my eyes, to see my girl so happy. He’s a good one. I can feel when Jonah comes up behind me and puts his arms around me.
“My love, are those tears buildin’ in your eyes? You tearin’ up watching our girl?”
“Just a little. Who’d ever thought on that day we went to the hospital to watch her be born that we’d end up here with a home full of our own kids, who are settling down and starting to give us grandkids?” He squeezes me.
“The gods have a way of giving us blessings even when we were too afraid to wish for them. Look at our girl. He sees all of her heart and mind. That’s the one you want to fall in love with your kids. The one who sees everything and still looks at them with that amount of love in their eyes. The boys have that with Jane, and our girl has it with Shane.” I smile, thinking of all our kids.
“I think Ry might have it with Nicky. You and I both know who Mads looks at like that. Just our wanderer, Max, who’s not settled. I think he’s gonna find his one when he’s not looking.” Before he can respond, Grant walks into the kitchen, smiling at us.
“Told ya I’d be related to ya someday, Linnea. Just had to wait a few decades.” The front door opens and I can tell who it is by the look on Grant’s face. He goes off to greet the new arrival.
I whisper to Jonah what I’ve suspected for quite a few years now. “You know that look we were just talkin’ about, Pa? I think Grant’s just walked in.” Pa grabs the salad bowl and leans in for a quick kiss.
“My love, I think you couldn’t be more perceptive if you tried. Maybe someday, they’ll realize it too. You’re never too old to find your heart and soul.”
CHAPTER 7
Shane
The rest of the night is uneventful and full of laughter. This time. I take Kierstie back to my place for the night. I show her the room I was thinking of for the nursery and another that was kind of a home office. I told her I thought a library might fit better. Her excitement for that led to a very enthusiastic blow job for me. I’m a fucking lucky man.
Today we’re taking a long lunch. Kierstie has a doctor’s appointment and from what I’ve read, we should be able to find out what we’re having. I don’t really feel one way or another. I just want a healthy baby and mama.
The gossip train has moved fast overnight. I woke up to no less than twenty texts from various brothers, all asking the same question in different ways. They all wanna know how long I’ve been with Kierstie and how I escaped death or dismemberment at the hands of the Js and Rory. I responded to all of them, to mind their own fucking business and that we’re happy, together, and gonna be parents soon. Samson and Saxon both said they’re coming over tonight—nosey bastards. I told them about the appointment and agreed to meet for dinner tonight since she’s got a girls’ night planned.
I finish up the car on my lift just as I hear the door from the office open up.
“You about ready to go? Our appointment is in twenty-five minutes.”
I nod at my woman. “Yep, I just need to wash up and I’ll be ready.”
Juan saunters over to my bay while I wash up at the sink.
“Going to the doctor? Anything wrong or just a checkup?” Kierstie sighs. I can tell she thinks he’s fishing and, I mean, she ain’t wrong. I’d put ten on the thought that he spread our news as much as anyone else. He’s a gossipy biddy that one.
“Just a checkup. If we’re lucky, we might get to find out if it’s a boy or a girl,” Kierstie tells him. I dry my hands and grab the keys to my truck, having been the one to drive us to work today.
Juan gets a shit-eaten’ grin on his face that tells me he’s about to say something to irritate his sister.
“Remember, Juan is the best name for a boy. Juanita if you have a girl.” I see Kierstie and half the guys in the shop roll their eyes at him.
“Brother, your woman is having a baby, too. You name it whatever you want. Ours won’t be Juan or Juanita. Sorry to disappoint ya,” Kierstie informs him. He pouts like a goober.
“It’s fine. I’ll just settle for the favorite uncle.” I hear Ror in the background, arguing that the title is going to be his.
“Let’s get out of here while the gettin’s good, gorgeous.” We head out and within ten minutes, we’re walking into the doctor’s office. For some reason, I’ve got a gut full of nerves. Not sure if it’s ’cause this is the first appointment I’ve been to, or I’m just worried till I hear the doctor say the baby and mama are both doing fine. We sit and wait for her name to be called. I look at the waiting room and see women in varying stages of pregnancy. It hits me just how much I can’t wait for my woman to start showing. I’m sure there’s some Freudian reason for that, but I’m just gonna roll with it.
Kierstie finishes filling out the paperwork and comes back to sit next to me and wait. She puts her hand in mine and my gut calms slightly.
