Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Reese and I enter our building with smiles on our faces. “Do you think it’s that rough?”
“Of course not,” Reese says. “People always try to scare expectant parents.”
“Expectant parents,” I repeat. “Okay, I’m scared.”
He leads me into the elevator, folding me against him even as he punches the elevator button. “Don’t stress. I’ll find a way to keep your mind off your fears once we’re alone.”
“That’s a big order.”
“I’ll practice until I get it right,” he promises.
Monday arrives and Reese and I attend my doctor’s appointment together. By the time we leave, we do so feeling more like official parents-to-be than ever. We are also weeks from knowing the sex of the baby and we decide when we are that far along, then we’ll announce. For now, we’re going to Lori and Cole which is exactly what we do. I join Reese at the office, and we call them to the conference room. Once they shut the door, I just can’t wait to get it out. “We have an announcement,” I say, grinning. “We’re pregnant.”
“Oh my God,” Lori says, her eyes going wide. “I knew it. I had a gut feeling.” She hugs me as Cole does the same to Reese, because apparently, the baby thing takes away the macho in them, at least a little.
Telling them feels good. It makes the baby feel real and instead of staying at work, Reese and I take a trip to a baby store and start planning for the nursery. It becomes immediately obvious that Reese wants nothing less than everything for this child and it’s really adorably sexy. When I get home, and he’s forced to return business calls, I write all about his sexy, adorable shopping in the journal I still plan to give him for his birthday.
One week before Reese’s party I have to tell him about that, too. He’s too attentive right now and without a case that has his interest, for me to pull off the surprise. Instead, I let him help me pick the food and plan, but I pick the cake. It’s a surprise. It’s his mother’s recipe that I’ve had the local bakery recreate with her permission.
What’s interesting is that my brothers are both attentive as well, though Reid’s version of attentive is cranky and quick, but there’s something different about him I can’t quite understand. I’m a little weird with Gabe, I decide after several calls over several days. I just can’t get over him being so willing to let Wilson be hurt, even if it was to protect me.
Finally, the night of the party arrives and I’m dressed in jeans and a blouse, ready to receive our guests, only to be surprised when Gabe shows up early to help me setup. Together we force Reese to go downstairs to have a drink in the bar while we ready the house for about thirty friends which means Gabe moves furniture while I watch. “Reid’s coming,” Gabe announces after the catering company arrives and we retreat to the kitchen island with coffee in hand. “And bringing a woman.”
I blanch. “Reid? A woman?” I’m stunned.
“She came in like a hurricane, and I do believe he’s recovering from the storm.”
“Now I know why he seems different.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Is she nice? Pretty? Successful?”
“All of the above and tough as nails. She can handle him and then some.”
“That’s good. Really good. What about you? Any special woman these days?”
“Never. I’m not that guy.”
“Reid said the same thing,” I remind him.
“Reid and I are not as alike as Reid likes to think.”
I’m curious about all that I obviously don’t know about my brother. He’s a funny guy and yet, he’s clearly cold beneath that humor. Reid is Reid. Hard and harder, but Gabe’s not that simple. He’s right. They aren’t so alike. The sound of the front door opening has me standing up as Reese calls out, “I’m here!”
I shove off my stool and race to greet him, finding him positively perfection in faded jeans and a T-shirt. I push to my toes, kiss him and then lower my voice to say, “Your last birthday before you’re a father.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Gabe rounds the corner and greets Reese, and I leave the two men to chat. I have a gift to add a few final touches to. I hurry upstairs, shut the bedroom door, and pull out the bound notebook I had all of my journal entries laminated inside. I then go to the bed and pull out a custom-made box that has “Dad to Be” all over it, insert the notebook and then seal it with a combo of pink and blue ribbons.
I didn’t give him his baby news for his birthday. but I’m going to give him the gift of knowing that nothing he feared was on my mind over Debbie was really on my mind. Everything I was thinking was about us and our growing family.