The words should have brought him relief, but it was thehesitation that he could not let go of.
“What can I do to make you love it?” Love us, he silentlyamended.
And in that moment, as they looked at each other, Zane knewshe knew exactly what he meant, what he truly wanted to hear from her. Therealization in her eyes clicked into place.
Turning further into his chest until the soft roundness ofher stomach pressed lightly against the hard planes of his abs she cupped hisface. “Just give me time, please Zane,” she whispered, “give my doubts andpride more time to adjust to all of this.”
Letting his head loll back against the arm of the sofa, henodded with no real choice. She would learn to love them eventually—she had to.
Chapter 17
“You doing okay back there?” Reid called over the headset asthe plane accelerated into the air.
“Yes, quite fine thank you,” though he could not see her dueto the position of her seat behind his, Reid could easily pick up the clip inher tone. “I’m glad I was able to get a window to look out of this time.”
Reid looked over at the copilot seat next to him and caughtZane’s wary look. For the past few days, Everly was a ball of emotions, somewere her usual sweet self, occasionally quiet and despondent, or sometimesdownright snappish. Guides that listed what to expect during pregnancymentioned the increase in hormones that could lead to mood swings, but Reiddidn’t want to rely purely on that info. With each snappy little comment fromthe beautiful brunette, he was starting to think there was a deeper cause. Butdammit, she didn’t make it easy to figure out. Just that morning she was allsmiles and warmth as they showered together just the two of them. And now… nowshe was in a mystery mood.
“Are you excited about your illustrator convention?” Zaneasked as he flipped a switch on the flight control panel.
The quick trip to Toronto was actually for all three ofthem. He and Zane both had a meeting they needed to attend together, and Everlyhad an event of her own to attend thanks to Zane’s quick damage control. Overdinner earlier that week, Everly announced to them that she received a replyback on a job offer she submitted. Reid had to clap Zane’s back a few times ashe choked on his food in response, as usual, Zane’s dramatics allowed Reid tohold his own shock in check as she finished explaining the position wascompletely virtual. The mistake, however, had already been made, Everly hadseen the shock on Reid’s face despite his attempts to hide it and called outZane’s reaction for exactly what it was. Like two chastised puppies, they sathelpless as she accused them of wanting her to just be a stay-at-home mom andnot wanting her to work. Of course, she was absolutely right, but Reid wasn’tthat much of a fool to admit that was exactly what he hoped she would be.
For the rest of that week, they spent it assuring her theywanted whatever she wanted for her career. Zane even went so far as to researchand sign her up for a Digital Artists and Illustrator’s convention that wasbeing held during the same time as their meeting in Toronto. At times it feltlike the topic was completely put to bed, but sometimes Reid would catch heraccusing stare or found himself on the receiving end of a flippant remark andrealized they were back to square one. And to a degree he could completelyunderstand, she wanted to work and feel a semblance of independence, she wantedto know if they truly released their restraints on her so she could really feelthat she was free. And goddammit the answer was no. Not yet, not until theyknew if they opened up that gilded cage would she fly back into their arms.
“Yes,” she answered quietly.
Zane, not to be deterred, God bless him, persisted. “So, Iwas thinking, since we will be in the city and all, maybe this will be theperfect time to do some nursery shopping.”
Both men waited in tense silence, waiting to hear herfeedback over the headphones. Zane began to turn in his chair to look back justas she spoke.
Cautiously she asked. “What theme did you guys have inmind?”
Reid sighed in relief as he heard the smile in her tone.
“Okay so I was thinking of a few,” Zane launched into variousthemes that all revolved around a princess one way or another. “You could evendo the yellow floppy bunny theme you mentioned with little tiaras painted onthe bunny, but I’m telling you if we go with the name Zelda,” a name Zane hadbeen pushing practically day and night since he found out they were having agirl. “We’re going tohaveto do a Princess Zelda theme.”
“Why exactly do we have to have a princess theme, Zane?” Shequestioned.
“Wha…” Zane began to speak, but Reid cut him off.
“Yeah, I’ve been wondering the same thing. What about awarrior theme?” Reid chimed in. His daughter was going to be strong, Reidcouldn’t quite imagine her being a frilly princess type.
“A warrior?!” Zane threw him an appalled look. “What littlegirl’s room is warrior themed?”
“You know, like Wonder Woman or…” Reid began.
“Wonder Woman was also a princess, by the way,” Zaneretorted snidely.
“Or,” Reid yelled over the mic in emphasis, “as I was tryingto say, or like an Amazonian warrior.”
“Well I guess she could be a warrior princess,” Everly trieddiplomatically.
Both men snapped their heads up and looked each otherdirectly in the eye.
“Xena the Warrior Princess,” they yelled at once.
“Who?” Everly leaned forward in her seat sticking her headbetween their seats, looking at them both in confusion. “Who is that?”
“Oh, dear God,” Zane was practically giddy. “Reid, shedoesn’t know… Reid, we have to…”
