Page 9 of Paradise Ties

“See, total sweetheart.”

“So, our kids will be close in age,” Skye said from the tub’s edge.

Lucy saw the dreamy look on her face and understanding dawned. “Really?” Lucy asked, her eyes filling with happy tears for her friend.

Skye nodded in excitement as Lauren stepped out of the tub to hug her tightly. “When are you due?”

“December twenty-second.”

“So, you’re already…” Lauren frowned as she did the mental math, “…twenty weeks or so? How the hell are you hiding that?”

“Well, I’m starting to show but this wrap hides most of it,” Skye said, moving it aside to show her small baby bump.

Lizzie looked hurt. “I can’t believe you kept it from us.”

Lucy knew her sister was still feeling the effects of her kidnapping at the hands of that evil bitch, Rhea Winslow. As a result, Lizzie was always emotional, and Lucy knew she never felt sure of her place.

“Lizzie,” Skye said, going to her friend and sitting beside her on the edge of the hot tub, “we just wanted to keep it to ourselves for a while and decided to wait until after the second scan to tell people. Then we decided to wait until after the wedding. I just couldn’t hold it in any longer. I’ve wanted to tell you guys so badly.”

“I guessed. Well, not guessed but I knew.” Celeste ducked her head in embarrassment. She had visions, and apparently one had predicted this.

“And you never told me!” Roz said.

“It wasn’t my place to tell you.”

Roz huffed, and crossed her arms. “You suck.”

“Whatever, sulky draws,” Celeste said, flipping her hand at Roz.

Lucy smiled. Not many people had the balls to ‘whatever’ Roz, but then not many were dating Roz’s baby brother either.

Ava laughed and pointed at Skye. “I guess that explains you wanting to jump Jace.” The others stared at her in shock, and Lucy felt her lips twitch. “What? Everyone knows the second trimester makes you horny.”

With that, Lucy threw back her head and laughed with the others. She was relaxed, happy and excited to get married. Life couldn’t be better.

Chapter 5

The sun was hot as Dane rubbed more sunscreen onto his squirming children. He figured going with more rather than less was a safe option. The last thing he wanted was for them to burn. Now they looked like sand monsters as the little hellions had immediately rolled, laughing, in the sand after he’d coated them in cream.

They’d picked a spot near some palms which offered a small amount of shade from the strong sun. Zack had erected a small canopy tent which now housed Zoey and Ella, both naked apart from their nappies and cute sun hats on their heads. They slept soundly in the blow-up boat Daniel had lined with soft blankets. Zack was down at the water with Riley, Noah, and Mateo along with Daniel and Paige. They were knee-deep in the clear water throwing a blow-up ball about. Dane had been happy to stay and watch the babies and his kids so Zack and Daniel could spend some time with their older children.

Nate sat on the sand drying off after a long swim and was now building sandcastles with Aaron and Leah who were flicking more sand at him than in the bucket.

“So, when are you gonna tell everyone?’” Dane asked Nate.

Nate turned to him; his head cocked in question. “Sorry?”

“About the baby?”

He’d noticed Skye wasn’t drinking on the plane and again last night. While it wasn’t that unusual, the way Nate wouldn’t let her lift anything heavier than her sunglasses and the slight glow to her skin added up to her expecting.

“I wondered who would guess first,” Nate said, smiling.

“How come the secret?” Dane wasn’t upset with them keeping the news to themselves, but he was curious.

“Well, you know we thought it wouldn’t happen and then when it did, we just wanted to keep it to ourselves until we knew it was safe. Then we decided to wait a bit longer as we didn’t want to upstage the wedding. It can’t be much longer though because her bump is starting to show. She says she’s carrying differently this time, more into her back if that makes any sense to you?”

“Not a whit.”