Page 48 of The Grump I Loathe (The Lockhart Brothers #3)
CONNOR
Everything had gone off without a hitch, and now that the reception was in full swing, we were finally able to just kick back and relax.
“Drinks?” Liam asked, glancing around the table. “Who needs a refill?”
Heads nodded, and both of Finn’s arms shot up in the air. “A double for me,” he said.
Sierra leaned into his shoulder, chuckling.
Finn was in an extra good mood this weekend since he’d officially green-lit the Run ’n’ Gun Wild West prequel of his dreams. Seven-month-old CJ gurgled from Mia’s lap, attempting to imitate Finn before slamming his adorably chubby fists down on the table, rattling the dishware and making us laugh.
Liam leaned over and pecked CJ on the cheek. “Atta boy.” He looked up at us. “Maybe I’ll just get a bottle for the table then?”
“Speaking of a bottle,” Mia murmured, reaching down into the diaper bag that held CJ’s dinner.
“Just a ginger ale for me please,” Eddie requested before Liam walked away. June had brought our six-month ultrasound. The baby was healthy and thriving and hitting all of its milestones, and Eddie was positively glowing.
“Can I have a Shirley Temple?” Grace asked, glancing over at me. I nodded.
“Me too?” Alannah said.
“If you come and help me carry everything,” Liam told the girls.
They popped out of their seats, trailing after him as they slipped off toward the bar, dodging merry wedding guests and the occasional glammed-up celebrity X had befriended over the years.
“Oh my God,” Mia hissed, her head snapping around as someone waltzed by in a fancy burgundy tux. “Was that Grant?—”
“Taylor?” Eddie finished. “Yeah. I bumped into him at the dessert table while we were both stuffing our faces with brownies.”
My lips twitched. Eddie’s tastebuds changed by the day with this pregnancy, but she’d yet to go off chocolate. I grabbed her hand and squeezed as she gushed about rubbing elbows with the high-profile singer/songwriter.
“Apparently, X knows his dad or something,” Eddie continued, voice hushed .
Mia made a mind-blown action with her hand. “You think he’s going to sing?”
Eddie laughed and patted her belly. “Aw, baby’s first concert.”
I snorted, shaking my head. “If Grace and Alannah have their way, they’ll be taking the baby to Scarlett Rush’s new tour.”
“What do you think the odds of us getting near that photobooth are?” Sierra asked. “I need some vintage-inspired snaps of my nephew.”
Mia bounced CJ on her lap. “What do you think about that, huh? We’ll get you in a little top hat and you can hold the tiny, plastic Oscar?”
CJ rubbed the back of his head against Mia’s dress, then reached for his bottle.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Sierra said. “Oh, you think we can wrangle him into some suspenders?”
Eddie twisted in her seat, giving me a giddy smile. “Dance with me before I have to pee again?” She held her hand out to me, and I took it, gently pulling her from her seat and into my arms.
“Is the baby sitting on your bladder again?” I asked, chuckling at the look of mock exasperation on her face as I placed my hand on the bump that was our growing child.
“It’s definitely set up camp there with a fortified bunker and snacks,” Eddie said.
“Ha!” Mia laughed, wrestling a fork away from CJ. He was currently in the grab-everything-and-shove-it-in-his-mouth stage. “CJ used to practice his kickboxing moves on mine.”
“Good to know some things never change.” Eddie laughed as CJ kicked his feet, babbling loudly as the current song finished and another track started. “Also, I can’t get over his tiny suit. ”
Mia pecked CJ on the cheek. “I’m just glad it still fits. I swear I just bought it, and he’s already almost outgrown it.”
“At least you’ll have lots of hand-me-downs to hand over to our new…nephew?” Finn said, eyeing me hard across the table. Mia grinned, turning to Eddie and me.
“Or niece,” I said without missing a beat.
Finn grumbled.
“Give it up,” Sierra said, laughing softly as she patted Finn’s shoulder. “You know they’re not going to tell us until they’re ready.”
“It’s not fair.” Mia pouted playfully. “Liam and I purposely waited to find out. You both already know, and you’re choosing to withhold this vital information from CJ. Look at this adorable face.” She turned the full force of baby cuteness on us. “Do you really want him to be left in the dark?”
CJ blinked at us before grabbing the tablecloth and shoving it in his mouth, completely unbothered.
Eddie grinned. “CJ and all concerned parties will be made aware of said gender as soon as we’ve finished planning the most epic gender reveal party ever.”
“Which is what?” Finn asked dryly. “Unveiling a sign on the moon?”
“We’ve come up with everything from setting Grace and Alannah loose on a pinata to a gender reveal obstacle course the family has to complete,” I said. Eddie was so excited I was surprised she hadn’t just blurted it out yet. “But I’ll add the moon idea to the list of potentials.”
Finn rolled his eyes playfully, and Mia sighed.
“If I really wanted to be next-level,” Eddie said, “I’d work it into a cut scene at the end of Alterbot 2 and make you play the game to get the reveal.” She laid her hand on her stomach. “But at the rate I’m coding, this little nugget is going to show up before the game is done.”
“There’s no rush,” I reminded her, bussing her temple. The distribution deal was already locked. After the success of the first game, the demand for a follow-up had given Eddie something to focus on other than her horrendous morning sickness.
“You still think it’s going to come out this year?” Sierra asked.
Eddie shook her head. “The storyline has kind of taken on a mind of its own.”
“Totally get that,” Mia said, nodding.
“I think we’re looking at late next year,” Eddie continued. “But I’ve coded some additional content for the first game that’ll add new challenges for players to tackle while I work on the sequel.”
“Dad!” Grace said, racing out of the crowd with Alannah trailing her. They’d obviously ditched Liam with the drinks. “Grandma said we can request songs from the DJ! Alannah and I are going to go ask for Scarlett Rush, okay?”
“Just remember to take turns,” I reminded them.
The girls disappeared, giggling.
“Well,” I muttered. “I guess that’s what we’ll be listening to for the rest of the night.”
Eddie threaded her fingers through mine. “Your mom and X probably could have saved money on the DJ and just used your playlist,” she teased.
I shook my head. “Think you can get down to some Scarlett Rush?”
“You should take advantage of the fact your feet aren’t completely swollen yet and you can still get down,” Mia pointed out to Eddie. She stood. “C’mon, CJ. Want to go dance with Uncle Connor and Auntie Eddie?”
The baby shrieked.
Finn held his hand out for Sierra, and the two of them joined the rest of us on the dance floor.
“I still think we should have done a coordinated dance for the entrance,” Mia said, holding CJ on her hip as we carved out a place for our group near the middle of the floor.
“Mmm, no,” Finn said, “Liam has two left feet. He would have been stepping all over someone.”
“He’s not that bad,” Mia argued.
“Let’s just hope CJ inherits his uncle’s smooth moves,” Finn said, pulling Sierra close, showing off.
I pretended to cover CJ’s eyes. “Keep it PG. There are children here.”
Finn shot us a wicked grin as he tightened his hold on Sierra, spinning her in a slow, sultry circle.
CJ batted at my hand, then reached out, making grabby fists in Liam’s direction as he cut his way back through the crowd.
“Wine is on the table,” he said, sweeping CJ into his arms and blowing a raspberry on his cheek. The baby giggled, and I stared down at Eddie.
I couldn’t wait for that to be us in a few short months. She caught my eye, knowing exactly what I was thinking. We swayed back and forth for a few minutes, just taking it all in. The simple joy of holding each other close. The pleasure of being surrounded by family.
“Should we be concerned that Grace and Alannah have found the fondue station?” Eddie asked, spying around my shoulder .
“I’m trying not to watch that closely,” I joked. “But if the chocolate consumption gets out of control, I’m sending them home with Uncle Finn.”
Eddie chuckled.
“And there’s the happy couple!” Liam announced as Mom and X drew toward us on the dance floor. They’d been busy mingling and greeting their guests in between rounds of dancing.
“Okay,” Mia said, sidling up to X. “What’s the likelihood of getting an autograph from Grant Taylor?”
“You know I met his father on a shark dive in the Maldives when I was getting ready to film Sunset Protocol ? Grant had just gotten his foot into the industry. Wonderful family.”
“Wild,” Mia said, clearly still starstruck.
Mom was flushed but beaming, even as tears filled her eyes. I’d never seen her as content as she was right now, surrounded by all of us.
“What’s wrong?” Liam asked her.
“Nothing,” Mom said quickly, dabbing at her eyes. X hugged her close. “I just love seeing all of my babies together. Happy and thriving.” She reached for Eddie, wrapping her free arm around her shoulders. “Soon to be one more.”
“Connor and Eddie have promised the gender reveal is coming soon,” Finn said.
“Maybe you should have asked for that as your wedding present,” Liam told Mom. “You could have used it as leverage.”
Mom waved that idea off. “Oh, I’ve known for weeks.”
“You already know!” Mia and Finn cried at once. Liam turned an accusing finger on me. CJ reached out and tried to gnaw it .
I shrugged. “You really think I wasn’t going to tell Mom?”
Liam shook his head. “Should have seen that coming.”
“As long as everyone is happy and healthy, that’s all that matters,” Mom said, gathering everyone up for a group hug. She pulled back and poked CJ in the belly. He squealed, reaching for his grandma, and my heart lurched in my chest at the perfection of the moment.
Mom had finally gotten the happily ever after she’d always deserved, and the Lockharts had come a long way.
As I took Eddie’s hand, twirling her around the dance floor, I knew this was just the beginning of our fairy tale.
With her by my side, there’d be more laughter and joy, and most of all, a perfect ending with the perfect family we’d created.