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What is it with these men?
I couldn’t be mad at their protectiveness no matter how hard I tried. I may not let them get away with it all the time, but it was sweet. It wasn’t just Landon, it was all the guys in our group. It was how they were wired.
To protect their women, their family, and their friends.
I slapped his hand away and his eyes went wide with shock. Resting one foot on the runner, I hopped down to the ground and turned toward Kace.
“I am not so big I can’t get down from a truck,” I teased, letting him know I wasn’t mad.
He smiled and a deep chuckle broke free from his mouth. Landon was the only man I had ever been attracted to and that remains to this day, but I could say without a doubt that one day some lady was going to be damn lucky to have Kace in her life. I just hoped when the time came, he would let it happen.
“So is that a no to carrying you inside,” he joked with a smirk on his face.
Laughing, I replied, “Pick me up and I will punch you.” Then we both started walking into the house together.
He mentioned on the way in, that the guys were meeting here to go over some work stuff and play with the kids while us girls were gone. I was surprised to hear that they were talking about hiring more people forNo Surrender,since they were such a tight-knit group, but business was building so they needed the help. That was good news for them.
Following the voices that came from the kitchen, we headed in that direction and found everyone hanging out in there. When I walked in, all heads turned toward us, but everyone's eyes seemed to be focused on me. I knew they were worried about how I was feeling physically and emotionally, but Lord have mercy.
“I am fine, jeez. Resume what you all were doing before I walked in,” I told them.
As they all seemed to relax, Embry raced up and hugged me around my legs. I stumbled back a little, but Kace had come in behind me and he put his hand out to stop me.
“Sorry, Auntie Alley,” she said in a meek tone I hated to hear in her voice. “I didn’t mean to almost make you fall.” Her looking up at me with sweet, worried eyes had me rushing to assure her I was fine.
“Honey, it’s okay, I am fine.” Squatting down, I grabbed onto my niece and wrapped my arms around her, soaking in all her warmth. That perked her up and in the next second, she was back to her bubbly self.
“Can I feel the baby in your belly?” she asked excitedly, pulling back a little to look at me. “I did it all the time when mommy was pregnant, and it was so cool.”
I hated to burst her bubble, but it was hard to feel still yet for someone else. I had felt a little fluttering and some movement, but Landon had not been able to feel it quite yet. It was something I knew he was chomping at the bits to do.
“You can’t really feel her yet, but maybe in a few weeks you will be able to,” I was telling her as I heard multiple gasps around the room and looked up to see what happened.
My eyes had landed on my brother first and a look of wonder etched across his face.What the hell is going on?
“I’m going to have a niece?” he questioned in a soft voice, a look of shock etched across his face.
That was when I realized I’d let the cat out of the bag. I had planned on telling him before we left for lunch and then the girls, but it just slipped out so naturally. Another piece of that wall of protection around my heart came tumbling down.
“Yes, you are,” I replied.
“Yay!” Embry cheered. “I want to dress her up and babysit.”
“Okay, sweet girl,” I told her as I released her and stood.
Then, tears of joy filled my eyes and I glanced around the room to find my best friends looked identical to me at that moment. Even Gemma was there since she was going to lunch with us, and moisture had gathered in her eyes as well.
It was a surreal feeling sharing this all with those closest to me this time. At that moment, I wished I would have shared Hannah with them too. From the time I got pregnant to even the pain of losing her, because that was what family was for. The good times and the bad. I was learning that better the second time around.
In the next second, multiple pairs of arms were wrapped around me, squeezing me like a vise. It was a moment that Landon should have been here for, but I think he would understand I slipped and accidentally told them. Besides, he was a very forgiving man.
He had proved that to me in spades.
Soaking in the happy hugs, I looked over Jurnee’s shoulder, at my brother. He had Hudson in his arms and a big grin on his face. I couldn’t believe how big my nephew was getting. The kids seemed to grow like weeds. Hudson looked so much like his daddy already but had his mama's big brown eyes. He was like a baby model and so damn cute.
“Brax, can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked him.
A look of concern crossed his features, and everyone let go of me, their faces looking worried as well.Well shit.I didn’t mean to kill the cheerful mood.
