Page 110 of The Loves We Lost

Miles chuckles. “Think my hearing is still off after the way she screamed. If she’d locked the door, it never would have happened. But Bates stuck.”

The timer goes off on his phone, and we look at each other before he reaches to turn it off.

“Ready?” I ask.

“I think my hands are shaking,” he admits.

“Do you want to look first? I found out before you last time. It seems fair. You look and then tell me.”

The smile he gives me is breathtaking. “Fuck, I’m nervous.”

I kiss him gently. “I remember that feeling.”

I hold my breath as Miles studiously looks over all three, his face not giving anything away. But when he looks up, I can see tears pooling in his eyes.

“We’re having another baby, Vi.” And then he squeezes me so tightly, I can barely breathe.

But I’m so happy, I don’t mind.

35

BATES

Four days later, I lie in bed on my side with a hand on Vi’s stomach. She’s wearing those little silky pink shorts and shirt that she wore when I stayed at her house after I was beaten. I’d prefer she were naked, but as little footsteps make the floorboards creak near our bedroom door, I know why she does.

And I’m relieved she talked me into sleeping in shorts when the covers lift and a little person climbs in behind me.

Rolling onto my back, I open my arm and Avery snuggles up against my chest.

No matter how much I love the idea of a naked Viola in my bed, I love the fact I’ve got my girls on either side of me as we start the day.

Perhaps I’ll get an even bigger bed for when there’s four of us, or five, or six, depending on when we decide to stop. We haven’t told Avery that we’re expecting a baby yet. Vi thought that moving here might be enough change for her in the short term. She wants to give her time to adjust in stages.

Plus, she gave me some shocking stats about how many people make it to twelve weeks pregnant, and now I know how Spark feels, wanting to wrap Iris in cotton wool.

I’m taking Vi back home tomorrow so my brothers and I can clean up her house while she sees her doctor. She’s told me she has a crib and stroller in the attic.

Baby shit.

And if that doesn’t make me smile.

I told Niro. Couldn’t help myself. Three hours later, he sent me a drawing for a built-in unit he wants to build in my third bedroom to make it a functioning nursery. Vi replied and told him how much she loved it.

“Hey, Daddy,” Avery whispers. Little puffs of breath hit my chest as she speaks.

“Morning, pumpkin,” I say quietly. “You sleep okay?”

She nods. “Can we go see Uncle Colton today?” Something digs into my side, and I realize she brought her panda backpack with her. I shift it so the zipper isn’t poking me.

“We’re gonna see him tomorrow when he helps you move the rest of your things here.”

“Can I go in his truck? He said we could do road trip club.”

“I’m sure he won’t have a problem with that. What do you and Uncle Colton do in your clubs?”

“Can’t tell you,” she says, deadly serious. “It’s club business.”

I bite back a smile. “I understand.”