Page 18 of Summer Nights (The Kingston Brothers #3)

Chapter Fourteen

Cooper

I shook off the excess shaving cream from my razor against the sink, excited to tell my family about the baby but nervous about their reaction. I hadn't mentioned that to Ivy because she was stressed enough for the both of us.

I knew my parents would support me, but what if they asked about our relationship? We weren't together, but I was bringing her to dinner. It was an unconventional situation, and we were doing our best to navigate it with mutual respect.

Would my parents' exuberance over the pregnancy freak Ivy out? Would she run? I knew she wasn't used to the workings of a normal family dynamic. But would she think less of herself and her family as a result?

I only wanted to support her. All I could do was be there for her the best way I knew how.

The news should take the pressure off Dalton. But I was worried it would be too much for Ivy.

I dried my face, grabbing my swim trunks and a towel, before heading toward Ivy's house. I'd insisted on driving her so that she couldn't leave without me. I didn't want her running away without talking to me about what was going on in her head.

When I got to her condo complex, she was waiting for me on the sidewalk in a long green dress. You couldn't tell she was pregnant, at least not in that outfit.

I pulled up to the curb instead of parking like I'd planned. She opened the door before I could get it for her.

When she was seated and pulling on her seatbelt, I said as calmly as I could, "I would have gotten that for you."

Her brow furrowed. "I can open my own door."

I let out a breath. "It's not about ability. I want to be the man who opens doors for you."

Ivy's eyes widened at that admission, but she remained silent.

Hopefully, she understood that I wanted to do things for her. "My mom taught all of us manners."

She nodded finally. "I'll wait next time."

"And one more thing… Can you wait inside in the air conditioning? I don't want you to get sick waiting in the sun. I read that pregnant women are more prone to heat-related illnesses, and we live in Florida." I looked over at her, and her expression softened.

"I can do that."

I pulled away from the curb, pleased she hadn't fought me on that. "Have you thought about moving since you're on the third floor and there's no elevator for the complex?"

Ivy sighed. "I don't want to spend money on a house right now either. I don't want to tie up my cash in case I need it for something. Daycare isn't cheap."

I glanced over at her, gaging her mood. "You can always move in with me."

Her nose pinched. "That's not a good idea."

"You could sell your condo and save money for a few months."

Ivy was quiet for so long I didn't think she was going to answer. Finally, she said, "That actually makes sense."

"It would allow me to help you for those late-night feedings or whatever you might need for the end of your pregnancy."

"I promise I'll think about it."

I was shocked she was even considering the idea. Maybe the security of money was more important to her than her desire to be seen as independent.

"If you want to leave, squeeze my hand or something."

Her lips twitched. "Maybe we can have a code word. Maybe something like banana. "

I chuckled. "Yeah, no one will think it's weird if you say banana out of the blue, and then we say our goodbyes."

She grinned wider. "Not suspicious at all."

When we had exchanges like this, I felt closer to her. We shared this secret that no one else knew about. And we were the only ones who could navigate it.

I pulled up to my parents' house, where there were already a few Kingston Construction trucks parked.

Ivy wiped her hands on her dress. "I don't know why I'm so nervous."

I wanted to alleviate her concern. "No one will think less of you because you're pregnant. They're going to be happy for us. You'll see."

She blew out a breath. "Let's get this over with."

She reached for the door handle but then looked back at me to ask, "Were you planning on getting the door?"

"Yes, thank you."

Ivy's laugh followed me as I got out and rounded the hood of the truck. I opened the door and lent her my hand to assist her to the ground. "I should probably buy another vehicle for the baby. This one is tall and doesn't have a second row."

"I can take him in my SUV."

She'd taken to calling the baby him; I wondered if she instinctively knew he was a boy, or it was just easier than saying him or her . "I should have a family friendly car too."

"It's up to you."

We both needed to make changes in our lives for the baby. She was the one carrying the baby but both of our lives would be different.

On the porch, I didn't bother to knock, just turned the knob and opened the door.

Ivy's eyes were wide, and I interlaced her fingers with mine, tugging her inside. I followed the boisterous laughter to the kitchen where everyone was gathered except for my sister, Luna, who was spending the summer in Colorado.

The conversation died down as they saw us in the doorway.

Mom's gaze dropped to our joined hands, and I figured it was the time to make the announcement before everyone got the wrong idea about me and Ivy.

She was already tugging her hand free of mine.

"We have an announcement to make," I said.

"Don't tell me you're engaged," Shep said as he grabbed a tortilla chip and dipped it into the fresh salsa.

I chuckled easily, used to my family's banter. "Not engaged. But we're pregnant."

The only sound was Shep chomping on a chip.

Hudson and Elena were the first ones to step forward, probably because this wasn't news to them. "Congratulations, man." He thumped me on the back and then pulled Ivy into a hug.

She looked bewildered as he let her go.

Hudson inclined his head. "How are you feeling?"

She cleared her throat. "Great, actually."

His nose wrinkled. "I've heard that morning sickness can be pretty bad."

She smoothed her hands down her skirt. "Thankfully, I'm not having any of that. I'm just tired and hungry all the time."

Elena skipped me and hugged Ivy, murmuring, "It's Cooper's? When were you going to tell me?"

Ivy grimaced. "We decided to do it all at once."

Elena glanced over at me. "You're a team now?"

Before Ivy could say no, I interjected, "Yes."

Mom stepped in front of me with Dad slightly behind her. "I can't believe you're gifting me with another grandchild."

"There's going to be more Kingstons running around the island," Brady said, his arm around his fiancée, Hazel.

"Are you happy?" I asked Mom, blocking out my brothers' banter.

"I'm ecstatic. I can't wait to hold my grand babies." Mom squeezed me tight, and then she turned to Ivy. "Thank you for bringing another Kingston into this world. You've made me so happy."

Mom hugged her without waiting for her response and, when she pulled back, said, "Welcome to the family."

"That's not—" Ivy looked frantically at me.

"Oh, we're not together. We're just having a baby," I filled in quickly.

Mom tipped her head to the side. "Weren't you just holding hands, or do I need to go to the eye doctor again?"

"Now, Joy, if they say they aren't together, then they aren't together," Dad chided.

"I just want to be sure. It wasn't too long ago that Brady and Hazel were pretending to be engaged, and now they're engaged for real.

" She threw her hands up in the air. "I can't keep up with this generation's relationships.

They're together. They're not." Mom moved over to the counter.

"All I have to say is, keep giving me babies. I'm not getting any younger."

Dad rolled his eyes at her antics. "Congratulations, son. We couldn't be happier for you. No matter how you create your family."

I accepted his hug. "Thanks, Dad."

"And, you, welcome to the family," Dad said to Ivy.

Ivy's eyes widened over his shoulder, but she didn't protest. She'd learn that it was best to keep quiet around my family. She wasn't going to change their mind. She'd always be included as the mother of my child.

Shep stood in front of me. "What's the deal with everyone settling down lately? Are you trying to make me look bad?"

"You do that all on your own," I said as he slapped my arm.

Ivy gasped softly at my words.

Shep winked at her. "You'll get used to it. We give each other shit."

"Language," Mom chided.

Shep hugged Ivy, whispering something to her that made her laugh. I wanted to know what he said, but then Brady and Hazel were in front of me, offering their congratulations.

Everyone was genuinely happy for me.

"Where's Dalton?" I asked.

"Oakley wanted him to put the nursery together," Mom said, and I could tell by the looks of disgust on everyone's face, it wasn't news to them.

"At her house?" I asked.

"Yes," Mom said tersely. "You know Dalton, he wants to take care of her. Doesn't want her overexerting herself."

I looked over at Ivy. "I'd do the same for Ivy."

Mom's face softened. "There's nothing wrong with what he's doing. I just don't like her attitude. She knew it was family dinner night, but she refused to come over."

"She loves to mess with him," Shep said, and no one disagreed with him.

"Now, who's ready for dinner?" Mom said.

We all jumped into action grabbing the plates, side dishes, and the main dish, taco casserole.

We always ate on the deck. There was a large table with enough seats for all of us.

When the babies got bigger, she'd need a bigger one, or maybe even a kiddie table.

It was hard to believe that everything was changing.

We were getting older and settling down, some of us getting engaged, and more of us having kids.

"I sure hope Marshall and Hayden can get leave soon to see us. So many things are happening around here. They’re missing out," Mom said.

"Maybe he can come when Dalton's baby is born," I said, knowing his baby was due a few months before ours. I hoped that our babies would grow up together, knowing the love of my large family and the devotion of Ivy's siblings.