Page 85 of Chilled

Elise grinned and met Brenna’s gaze.

“What don’t I know?” Nick straightened and moved to stand beside Brenna, one arm draped around her waist. “What are you two cooking up?”

Elise snorted. “It’s not what we’re cooking up, it’s what you and Brenna have warming in the oven.” She winked at her sister.

Nick looked from Brenna to Elise and back to Brenna. “I’m not following.”

Elise gave Brenna a pointed look. “Are you going to tell him, or am I?”

“Tell me what?” By now, Nick was frowning.

Brenna cocked an eyebrow. “Cooking…warming…in the oven...”

Nick shook his head. “Still not following. You don’t cook.”

Elise rolled her eyes. “Oh, for the love of?—”

“You’re right. I don’t cook.” Brenna grabbed Nick’s hand and laid it across her belly. “But would the wordsbun in the ovenmean anything to you?”

His brow scrunched together even tighter and then finally exploded in a wide, astonished stare. “Pregnant? You’re pregnant?” He waited for her to respond.

She shook her head. “No.We’repregnant. We’re going to be parents.”

“Holy hell, Brenna. Are you kidding?”

She laughed. “Ask me that in seven months.”

“I’m going to be a father,” he whispered. Then louder, he shouted, “I’m going to be a daddy.” He wrapped his arms around Brenna and swung her off her feet. When he set her back on the ground, he kissed her hard and loud. “I’m going to be a father.”

He turned to Elise and hugged her, too, kissing her on the cheek. “I’m going to be a father.”

She laughed. “Yes, you are.”

Nick stopped and stood stock-still between the two women, his smile sliding from his face along with all the blood. “I’m going to be a father,” he whispered and sank to the ground.

Brenna knelt beside him. “It’s going to be okay.”

“I know,” he said. “It’s going to be better than okay. I just can’t believe it.”

Brenna ran her fingers through his hair. “Breathe, Nick.”

“I’ve never been a father before,” he said.

“You’ve had great practice with Brandon and Luke. You’re going to be so good with a child of your own,” Elise said.

Nick pushed to his feet and pulled Brenna into his arms. “I almost lost you two years ago. You’ve given me your love and now... a child.” He held her close, his strong arms around her. “I’m the luckiest man alive.”

Tears swelled in Brenna’s eyes. “You’ve given me even more. Acceptance, confidence and more love than I could’ve imagined.” She smiled up into his face as tears spilled down her cheeks. “I love you, Nick. And I’ll love our child because it will be a part of both of us.”

Elise sighed. “I know this is your moment, but I really want to be in on this hug.”

Brenna laughed and brushed away her tears. She took a step backward.

Nick held out an arm, and Elise, who’d been through so much, fell into their hug.

Moments later, Brandon and Luke, seeing the hugging happening, scrambled out of the backseat of the SUV and joined them.

Brenna’s heart was so full she didn’t know how it didn’t explode in her chest.