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“Yep, and I don’t even care if you make me watch a chick flick after this dinner. It’s delicious, Lys, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She hits Play, and the three of us settle in for the action film.
The only thing that would make this night any better is if the rest of my family were here.
CHAPTERFOUR
Alyssa
“Brooks is already freaking out,” Palmer tells us.
We’re sitting at the food court at the mall having lunch. We’ve been shopping since early this morning and have been finding some good deals.
“About what?” Ramsey asks.
“Next week I’ll be six weeks from delivery, and he’s convinced we should stay home.”
“We’re not going to be far from a hospital,” Kennedy tells us. We all must be giving her weird looks because she grins and says, “Declan looked.”
“Of course he did.” Ramsey laughs. “If anyone should be freaking out, it’s me. We’re going the week before my wedding,” she reminds us.
“How are you not freaking out?” Jade asks her.
Ramsey shrugs. “Stressing won’t change anything. As long as at the end of the day, Deacon is my husband, and all of my favorite people are there, I can’t ask for more.”
“I can’t believe you’re going to be my sister.” Palmer wipes at her eyes. “Don’t mind me. Pregnancy hormones.”
“What she said,” Kennedy adds, also wiping at her cheeks.
“It’s real,” Jade chimes in. She bats her eyelashes, which are beading with tears. “I freaked Orrin out the other night. He came into the bedroom, and I was sitting on the bed with the remote in my hand, crying. I was watching a stupid commercial for coffee. You know, the ones where the soldier comes home surprising his family by waking them up with a fresh pot of coffee. Tears, lots and lots of tears.”
“I wanted kids. I want kids—” she places her hand on her belly, “but damn these hormones are no joke,” Piper mutters.
“Right? This isn’t a glowing review, ladies,” I tell them.
“For all of the hormones and trips to the bathroom, it’s still worth it.” Palmer smiles, placing her hands over her baby bump. “When I get to feel her move, it’s life-altering.”
“Stop.” Ramsey blows out a breath. She takes a minute to gather her emotions before speaking again. “I can’t wait until that’s me. Deacon and I want to start a family right away. We want our kids to be raised with all of yours.”
“Heath and I have been talking about marriage,” Piper confesses. “We did things backwards,” she shrugs. “He wants to do it now, but I don’t want to get married just because we’re pregnant.”
“You know that’s not why,” Palmer speaks up. “He loves you.”
“We can all see it,” Jade tells her.
“I know.” Piper blows out a breath. “Damn hormones. I’m surprised Heath isn’t running for the hills.” We all laugh at that.
“Don’t worry about anyone but the two of you. Do what feels right,” Ramsey tells her.
Piper nods. “We’re not going to find out the gender,” she announces.
“Really?” Palmer asks. “Mom is going to flip.”
Piper grins. “We want to be surprised. Life has so little good surprises these days.”
“Heath is good with that?” Kennedy asks.
“He is.”
