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“You’re not nursing?”
Rylee looked at me as if I’d grown a horn to match the one on the top of Hayley’s unicorn onesie. Freaking adorable. “I pumped like a champ ahead of time just so I could drink today. Macy promised there would be alcoholic beverages.”
Macy rolled her eyes. “And so there are. Now hush.”
Rylee sat down on the other side of me and kicked out her legs while Macy bent to pick up Latte’s bright green toy squeaky bone and flung it wide. Latte went running, skidding on the hardwood floors, his tiny nails scrabbling for purchase.
We all laughed, except for Hayley, who was already wiggling for her mother.
Rylee tipped back her cider, took a long pull, then put it aside to take back her daughter.
“She’s probably the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen.” I adjusted Hayley’s little rainbow onesie as Rylee preened.
“She totally looks more like Gage, but I’m going to take it as a win anyway because she has my nose. See? Tiny button.” She flicked the body part in question and Hayley giggled.
“She’s cute for a human baby,” Macy said grudgingly. “Just don’t think I’m giving you any more baby showers if you have more.”
“Girl, shush. This body is solo occupancy for a few years at least.”
“You hear that? Before it was, oh, this will probably be our only baby. Now the kid’s a few months old, and it’s oh, not for a few years.” Macy shook her head. “Baby fever is everywhere in this town.”
“C’mon, we make stupendously cute children. We can’t deny the world our progeny. It would be cruel.” Rylee grinned and adjusted her hold on her daughter so she could reach for her cider. “Just gonna fuck like bunnies until if and when. Once the doctor clears me anyway. I was stitched up like a damn Velveteen rabbit.”
I winced. There was an image.
“Speaking of baby fever.” Macy reached for the paper bag beside her purse. “I got you something.”
“We got you something,” Rylee corrected. “Who saw it first and mentioned Vee?”
“She’s such a glory hound. Here.” Macy pushed the bag into my lap.
Already my stomach was knotting with dread. Anything baby related probably wouldn’t go over well with me right now. I was so happy for Rylee and the rest of my friends with babies—even Sage, who had become a good friend over the last few months—but I was just a little tender today.
Every day lately.
I set aside my untouched cider and pulled out a tiny gray dinosaur onesie with little spikes on top of its head. And had to swallow a sob.
Later, I promised myself. I’d have a good cry in private. And I wouldn’t burden Murphy with it either.
“Oh, how cute is this.”
“Gender neutral.” Macy poked one of the spikes. “Any kickass Dixon-Masterson kid would love this, right?”
“Absolutely. Thank you so much. It’s perfect.” I didn’t even sniffle as I gave her a one-armed hug, then did the same with Rylee.
“No bun in the oven yet?” Rylee tipped back her bottle again. “Not for lack of trying, I bet, what with how Murphy looks at you.”
It made me smile despite the tears that were hovering. “Lots of practice. No results yet.”
Macy shocked me by rubbing my back and not making a smart crack. “It’ll happen.”
“Until then, we have Latte.” I smiled at the puppy currently curled up protectively over his bone. He’d fallen asleep mid-chew, as he often did.
“And you have Baby Daddy Wanted. Look at that, already in business together. Mace said you practically live here too. Bet this won’t be far behind.” Rylee tapped her own ginormous ring and yet again, tears hovered.
Jesus, Dixon, get it together. You’ve only been dating for a few months. Next, you’ll want a pony too.
The crazy thing was, if I said I wanted a pony, Murphy would’ve probably built on a paddock and bought me one. He did anything to make me happy. Which was a big part of the reason I was scared I couldn’t fulfill my end of our happy family bargain.
