Page 63 of Double Daddies (Dirty Daddies Anthologies #8)
“What happens?” She looks up and meets my eyes first. Hers are red-rimmed and watery, and the sight of the angst on her face twists my heart.
“What do you mean? It’s going to be amazing. You’re going to be a great mom?—”
She shakes her head and stops me mid-sentence. “No… not that. I mean…” She takes a deep breath and seems to be arguing with herself about coming clean.
“Come on, Cami. You can trust us with anything, you know that,” I say.
“We’re here for you. No matter what,” Ben adds.
“But that’s exactly what I mean!” she bursts out, looking back and forth between us in turn. “When this baby is born… he or she will be…”
Ben looks over at me, his brow furrowed, but I think I’m beginning to understand.
My chest feels tight but I force myself to ignore any concern I have for myself and to focus solely on our girl. “You’re worried about what happens when we know who the father is.”
Cami nods, biting down on her bottom lip.
I see the moment recognition registers on Ben’s face.
“What… what happens? To… to us ?” she asks.
It’s a big question, and I have no idea how to answer it. I’m not the only one in the equation, after all.
“Who do you want the father to be?”
Ben’s question catches me off guard, and I feel my shoulders tighten. As surprised as I am by the question, I’m no more prepared to hear the answer.
Cami looks at him, as surprised as I am. Then she buries her face in her hands. “Ben…” His name comes out muffled.
I’ve been watching the two of them for months now. Normally, no one is more attuned to Cami, or as eager to accommodate. But not this time. I can see he’s not going to let her off the hook, but I have no idea where he’s going with this.
“No. You’re not getting out of answering the question, Cami. Look at me and tell me who you want the father to be.”
She reluctantly removes her fingers, and I tense as she looks at him.
But I try to be a source of comfort—solid, and there for her, whatever that looks like.
“You want it to be mine, right?” he asks.
“Ben…” His name is a moan on her lips, a plea for mercy. “Of course I do. We talked about this. About marriage, and kids one day.”
My heart stills in my chest. I don’t know why—they’re not saying anything I don’t already know.
“And Ryle… you want it to be Ryle’s, don’t you?”
Even though her gaze seems to be trapped in Ben’s, she brushes her hand over mine, and that touch feels like a jump-start to my heart. It begins pounding in my chest as I wait.
“Come on, Cami, our relationship is built on honesty.”
Funny, the way he says our almost sounds like he means the three of us.
“I know you love him. I know you haven’t said the words, but I see the way he looks at you, the way you look at him. The way he takes care of you.”
She nods and the shadow of a smile crosses her lips. “Yes. I want it to be Ryle’s, too.”
“Well then.” He sits back as though this answers everything, but I still feel lost.
“I didn’t mean it to happen,” she says softly. “I didn’t think it was possible to love two men at the same time. I had a French bulldog as a kid. I’ve been obsessed with getting another one, because my whole life, I’ve loved French bulldogs.”
I look to see if this metaphor is making sense to Ben, but he looks as mystified as I feel.
“And it’s like, one day I come across a golden retriever in the park, and I fell in love. I never knew I could be interested in another dog. It, uh, it doesn’t stop the way I feel about French bulldogs, but… now my mind is open to other possibilities.”
“So…” He clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair. “That’s how you’re gonna play this? You’re comparing me to a dog?”
“Ummm…”
“To be honest, Cami, I don’t see Ryle as a retriever.” He laughs, and finally looks at me.
I smile weakly back.
“He’s a Doberman, maybe.” He taps his finger on his chin thoughtfully, and Cami giggles. “A mastiff? No, that’s not it. What are the dogs that look really good, but you wouldn’t expect them to protect you if someone broke into the house?”
“Ben!” She laughs and goes to smack his chest, but he catches her hand before it lands.
“Listen, Cami, what happens next isn’t up to any one person. We’re in this together.” He lifts his chin in my direction. “All of us. And I don’t know about the two of you, but I thought that was the plan from here on out, no matter what.”
I don’t have to even think about it. The truth is, I don’t care if the baby comes out looking like me, or Ben. All I want is the family we’ve built together, as crazy as it might seem to people on the outside.
“Really?” Her voice is soft with awe. “You… you’d do that?” Her eyes swing to look at me this time, assessing my reaction.
“For you? Anything,” I vow, and I’ve never meant anything more in my life.
“So… this is what we’ve decided?” She looks back and forth between us, and I can sense the excitement bubbling beneath the surface. “The three of us?”
“The three of us,” I echo.
“No matter what,” Ben adds.
“Oh!” Cami bolts up on the couch, and the look on her face is one of being completely awestruck.
“What?” Ben asks.
“Cami? Are you okay?”
When she turns to face me, her face is glowing. Her eyes are bright and shimmering. “The baby… the baby kicked . I felt him.”
“Him?” Ben’s voice is soft and reverent. “You think it’s a boy?”
Cami laughs, and it’s a sound of pure delight. “I don’t know. I have no idea. Come on, feel.” She grabs one of Ben’s hands and guides it to her belly. Then she reaches for mine, but I grasp her fingers and don’t let her let go.
As Ben rubs her belly, I squeeze her hand. I silently tell her the things I haven’t yet—I’m here, I love her more than anything, and I’m not going anywhere.
She smiles, her lips softly curving, and I can tell she knows.
“Come on, Ryle, get in on this baby-kicking action. Don’t let me be the favorite already,” Ben teases.
This time I let Cami put my hand on her belly.
She keeps her hand on top of mine, and Ben’s fingers touch mine.
I look down at all of our hands, and I can’t help but feel my throat close up.
It’s a life I never dreamt of, a life filled with love and family and laughter.
And I know none of us would change a thing.