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Knowing exactly what I wanted to do about it, I grinned big. My heart started to thump hard, maybe in anxiety, maybe in fear, or maybe in giddy anticipation, but I figured it was that same terrifying yet exhilarating rush a person got whenever they strapped on a bungee cord before jumping off a bridge.
Today, I was going to jump.
I hurried through purchasing my cart full of things and getting them gift wrapped, then I rushed outside to my car.
A ding from my phone had me checking the Bluetooth screen on the dash as soon as I slid behind the wheel and started the engine, where a little red notification dot appeared, letting me know I had a new message.
After calling out to my phone’s voice assistant, I said, “Play my messages,” and a computerized voice with an Australian accent told me I had one new text from my warthog.
Warmth spread through me as I listened to my car speakers report, “Warthog says, ‘Where are you? You’re already missing some serious entertainment.’ Would you like to reply?”
“Yes,” I nearly shouted, more than ready to tell Fox how I felt. And I almost added, “I love you,” to the end of my reply when I told him I was on my way; I’d just had to get some gifts before heading over. But I held back because I didn’t want to tip him off to my plans. I wanted to see the absolute shock on his face when I did exactly what I was planning to do.
“Well, hurry,” Siri told me his answer was. “There’s an epic grandpa smackdown in progress. And by the way, I will never understand how you can always wait until the last minute to buy gifts yet still pick out the perfect presents. It’s some kind of superpower.”
A grandpa smackdown?
Must be between Beau and Lucy’s father, Noel, and Teagan’s dad, Ten. I swear, Uncle Noel and Uncle Ten nearly came to blows every time they got together. They argued and bickered about everything; sometimes it was hard to believe they’d been best friends for over thirty years. But one thing always remained true: they were completely entertaining to watch together. I was definitely going to have to get a play-by-play account from Fox when I got there.
“Five blocks away,” I let him know, biting my lip from the nerves that rose. I was probably going to up-show all the new parents-to-be with my shocking move, but I couldn’t seem to care. I was done hiding from my own feelings.
After finally finding a parking spot nearly two blocks past Uncle Pick and Aunt Eva’s house, I lugged my four loaded sacks of presents to the front door, breaking the carrying handle on one because the contents were so heavy in the process.
My twin met me at the door, rushing over to relieve me of the bags, and whispering, “Thank you for including me. I was just going to give each mother money.”
“Don’t worry; I got you,” I told him, only to snicker as I watched him struggle to take on half the bags. “Your name’s already on all the cards. So just get me the money whenever.”
“Sweet. You’re a lifesaver. I owe you one.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I told him with a warning lift of my brows before we parted ways to put our respective gift bags on different tables according to whatever baby-parents’ names were hanging from a decorated sign above them.
Very organized. Aunt Julianna must’ve had a hand in planning this event, which made total sense since she owned a party-planning business.
As soon as I dropped off my last gift to its assigned place, I rubbed my hands together and turned to survey the room. Mom was over by Aunt Eva, hovering around the four sets of new parents, where they seemed to be seated in some kind of seats of honor, keeping them pampered and cared-for before the main event started. Dad was over chatting with Uncle Brandt and Uncle Colton. Riley, Haven, and Chloe were grouped together, talking avidly about something. And Gracen was dusting off his own hands by another table, looking satisfied and happy with himself for successfully delivering all the presents he had no hand in picking out. I could have gone toward any of those directions and inserted myself in their different conversations and been perfectly content and welcomed.
But when my gaze latched on to Fox, and I found him watching me with an amused expression on his face, I started toward him. What I wanted most right now was to hug my boyfriend and feel his arms around me, maybe even kiss him hello. So that’s what I went to do.
As if reading the intent on my face, Fox blinked, and his entertained smirk dropped into an expression of acute shock and hope.
Are you? he asked with his eyes.
Yes, I answered, my smile growing.
This was bound to get some kind of reaction out of everyone in the room, but I didn’t care. I was ready to claim my Fox.
Chapter Nineteen
Fox
TEN MINUTES EARLIER
Baby showers probably weren’t supposed to be so damn amusing, but nothing ever ended up being as it was typically supposed to be at any of my family’s events. So I actually didn’t have a problem attending what was probably “supposed to be” a female-dominated party. I knew I was going to go away vastly entertained.
I wasn’t even talking to anyone in particular at the moment. I mean, I’d made the expected greetings to my parents and sister and other assorted non-cousins and unrelated family. But I was currently just leaning against a little section of wall, out of the way, and sipping on a small plastic cup of extra-sweet blue punch, taking it all in.
It was a mystery to me if the mothers had even thought things through when they’d decided to put all four pregnant ladies in the spotlight together, but poor Lucy Olivia looked like she’d rather be anywhere else on earth than seated up front with the other three couples. She didn’t even have a baby bump yet while Nia, Skylar, and Rory looked as if they might be carrying triplets each.
It was so obvious that she was the only one without a baby daddy present too. Her mother was currently grabbing her brother’s arm and hissing, “Why don’t you go sit up there by your sister? She looks lonely.”
