Page 242 of Twins for Three Bad Boys

Lorna buys three things she absolutely does not need and then leans in close enough that only I can hear when she says, “You look happy, June.”

The simple truth of it almost floors me. “I am.”

She pats my hand once, obviously satisfied, and moves on.

By noon, I’ve sold half the toys I made.

By one, my lower back is killing me, my ankles have swollen, and the twins are kicking my ribs like it’s a competitive sport.

Millie catches me making a face and points toward the folding chair behind the table. “Sit.”

“I’m okay.”

“That wasn’t a suggestion.”

I laugh and lower myself into the chair with all the grace of an overpacked suitcase.

The second I sit, one of the twins shifts low and hard enough to make me suck in a breath.

Millie freezes. “Was that normal?”

I press a hand to my stomach, waiting.

The movement eases.

“Yeah,” I say. “I think so. They’re just…” I exhale slowly. “Very committed to making this a group project.”

She narrows her eyes. “You’re alarmingly calm about carrying two whole people.”

“I’m not calm. I’ve just run out of productive ways to panic.”

“That tracks.”

I lean back, smiling despite myself.

A shadow falls across the front of the stall, and when I look up, it’s Wayne with a tray of coffees and a paper bag that almost certainly contains pastries.

His mouth shifts, almost a smile, and he sets the tray down carefully beside the till. “Thought you might need reinforcements.”

Millie clutches her chest. “He brings snacks. June, honestly, the standards around here are becoming unattainable for the rest of us.”

Wayne ignores her and hands me a cup first, then crouches briefly beside my chair to look at me properly. “You doing all right?”

I nod, taking the coffee with a soft little sound of gratitude I don’t even try to hide. “Yeah. Just heavy.”

His gaze drops to my stomach, then back to my face. His hand slides briefly over my knee. “You tell me if that changes.”

“I will.”

He stands, passing Millie her drink.

“Rex and Fletcher?” I ask.

“At the other end of the market. Fletcher’s pretending he’s not buying nursery furniture from the Alder family booth, and Rex is flirting with a woman selling goat’s milk soap.”

Millie snorts. “That checks out.”

Wayne’s mouth twitches.