Page 37

Shawna has a calming effect on me, and I finally feel more stable by the time I head home to talk to my mom, because Shawna convinced me that she is far more knowledgeable about all things babies than my bestie is.

Besides the fact that my mom is going to be over the moon. She’s been bugging me about grandbabies since I turned eighteen. Literally.

I wish I could give them to her with better circumstances though. Like not living in her house. Having a husband and traditional home. A typical relationship.

I repeat the mantra Shawna gave me: Normal is not for everyone. As long as I’m happy, other people’s opinions don’t matter.

It’s an updated version from the one when we were teens and I wasn’t confident in my body and what others told me it should look like.

I take a deep breath.

Okay. Time to talk to Mom.

It might not be fair to the men to talk to my mom first, but as Shawna reminded me, my mom has a level head about these things. And she’ll help me figure out what to do here.

When I make it home, I’ve rescheduled my clinics, eaten something small and settling, and it’s almost evening. Mom is waiting for me on the porch.

Did Shawna text or call her while I drove home?

Mom meets me at the step to the porch, her hands sweeping across my shoulders and down my arms. “We need to have a little talk before we go inside.”

I slump a little even though I intend to talk to her. I was just hoping to pull her into my room for a private chat where I can curl up on my bed and cry a little without my dad or brother seeing. “Mom, I’m exhausted. Can this wait?”

“No. I don’t think so. Come sit, baby.” She’s got her I’ll-win-this-fight-if-you-push-it look on her face.

I sigh and plant my ass on the front porch swing, and Mom sits beside me. It’s a little cool as the sun hangs low in the sky.

Her rough hand grabs mine, and she holds on tight. “I know I told you to go get a man to make me grandbabies, but I did not know you would take me so seriously.”

“What?”

Her mom smile—you know, the all-knowing one—swings my way, and her face is a bit whimsical. “Well, we’ve gotten some visitors today. I just didn’t want you to walk into an ambush, baby.”

This time when she squeezes my hand, I squeeze back.

“Although, I have to admit, if anyone was pretty enough and smart enough to nab three high-profile, good-looking men, it would be my baby. They’re all a bit older than I expected though.”

Panic settles in my chest. My heart starts pumping hard.

I need more time. I don’t know how to tell them. How to address this. And they’ve met my parents already? Is my brother home to witness the mess I’ve let my life devolve into?

Oh God. Oh God, oh God, oh God…

“Breathe, baby.”

I suck in a long breath and let it out slowly, counting to four like Waylen taught me. “They’re here?”

“Inside with your father. They seem like good men. My only question for you is, are you happy?”

“Yes. They make me very happy. Is Dad losing his shit?” He must be. As stoic as he can be, I’ve accidentally witnessed him threatening my prom date by referencing how he keeps a shotgun by the bedside table and won’t mind going back to jail one bit.

My dad’s never been to jail, but the double threat worked its magic. I was home at midnight on the dot, and I got the barest kiss before Joel fled.

“No. I won’t let him lose his shit. He will understand. You know him. Man of few words. Only worries about your happiness.”

“You give them the third degree?”

Her grin is telling. “Of course. It’s my prerogative. Had to make sure of their intentions.”

“Oh God.” I try not to spiral again, rubbing my forehead against the oncoming headache.

Mom laughs. “Come on. Go put them out of their misery.”

I bite my lip and nod, taking the lead inside to see Waylen, Matteo, and Nick sitting in my living room. On the couch beside my dad’s chair. Seeing them there is insane. I’m reminded of how much closer they are to his age than to mine.

Fuck, I’m insane.

I flash back to what we did on that couch only a few weeks ago. Heat spreads across my skin.

They all stand at once, and so does my dad—maybe a little slower but not by much—and he’s the first to come hug me.

“I warned them that I keep my shotgun upstairs. Do I need to get it?”

I sink into his embrace and laugh against his shoulder. How did I know? “No, Dad. But thank you.”

“Anytime, honey.” He rubs my back and squeezes me hard. Man, I love him.

“Enjoy your show. We’ll go out back.” I turn to Mom. “No snooping.”

She holds her hands up, not even feigning innocence. She was totally going to snoop. I know her too well.

I meet each of my men’s gazes and wave them all to the back porch. I’m still a little queasy and trying not to worry so much.

I mean. They’re here. They were sitting with my parents for who knows how long. What did they talk about? Why are they here like this?

The moment we’re outside, I take a big breath to explain, to tell them what’s happened, but Nick pulls me into his arms, and the words get stuck.

He plants a kiss on my forehead before Matteo steps in to wrap me up too.

Kisses feather across my temple as he rocks me a little.

Then Waylen has me, a hand in my hair, rubbing the back of my head.

Somehow, the stress headache starts to wane, and I sink into him a little.

“We know,” Waylen says into the top of my head, and his arms tighten when I stiffen in his embrace.

“Someone spread it around the center right after you left.” Nick’s voice sounds harder than I’ve ever heard it before.

I keep my face hidden in Waylen’s shoulder. I had my results on the center’s database. How easy I made it for someone to find that information.

I sigh and pull back a little, wrapping my arms around myself and feeling stupid. “I?—”

Matteo unravels my grip on myself, and I see the fire in his brown eyes. He’s seriously pissed. Another first. As upset as I’ve seen him before, I wouldn’t be surprised if he murdered someone. “I fired them. Completely beyond unprofessional. It should have happened a long time ago.”

Ah. I’m guessing he’s referring to the trio. I’m not at all surprised. They’ve been trying to tear me down since I arrived.

I press my lips together and nod. “And you guys? How do you feel about this?”

Nick laughs, and the weight on my chest lifts a little. Those dark blue eyes reflect joy back at me. “Having a kid has been the best thing in my life.”

Matteo squeezes my hand. “Agreed.”

Waylen smiles too, brushing his thumb over my cheek. “Agreed.”

“So, you guys aren’t upset?”

Waylen tucks my hair back behind my ear. “No.”

Matteo gathers my face in his hands and plants a kiss on me. It’s soft and sweet and everything. “Not at all.”

Nick swoops in behind me, kissing the side of my head, my ear, my neck. “You’re going to make one hell of a great mom. The kind I want my kid to have.”

Finally, the tears falling this time are happy ones.