CHAPTER 9
brIDGER
I try not to stomp through the house, but I’m annoyed after we were just interrupted. Fuck, I was about to kiss her. Even though it would have complicated matters. It would have been impossible to stop.
It felt like I was being pulled closer to her, like gravity.
Maybe I should be grateful to Amelia for showing up when she did. Instead of heading straight to the door, I take a small detour and help Avery sit down on the couch. The groan of relief she lets out tells me I should have sped up the tour.
“Thanks,” she says, her voice soft.
“Of course,” I grunt. “I should warn you that Amelia can be a lot.”
She blinks her dark blue eyes up at me, her hands going to her belly. “Okay?” Understandably, she sounds unsure.
“You’ll see,” I grumble under my breath as I head to the door. Just as I reach it, the knock sounds again.
I open the door to find Amelia standing there with a bright smile on her face and books in her arms. “Wyatt didn’t give me a lot of details, but I’m prepared for surprise babies of any age,” she chirps.
I step back and nod toward the living room. There’s no reason for me to stop this from happening and there are worse people to have at your back when everything is turned around and flipped upside down. She also has some pregnancy and baby experience.
She steps into the living room a step ahead of me and freezes.
“Well, this is pretty much what I was expecting for some reason, but I’m still a little surprised,” she says to me out of the corner of her mouth.
When she focuses on Avery completely, she smiles wide and takes a few steps closer to the couch.
Avery looks unsure, but damn if she isn’t beautiful.
Her blonde hair is down and falling around her shoulders in soft waves.
The dress she’s wearing, the same one that outed her bump, is a rich plum color and molds to her curves.
Even though it’s relatively modest, the hint of cleavage she’s showing is a huge turn on.
I find myself licking my lips as I stare at her tits. As I study them, I tilt my head slightly. I’m pretty sure they’ve gotten larger.
Wait. Isn’t breast sensitivity a pregnancy thing? Are hers more sensitive? Do they hurt?
Thinking about how responsive she was when I wrapped my lips around her nipple the night we spent together has my cock throbbing behind the fly of my jeans.
“Hi,” Amelia greets Avery, “I’m Amelia. While I’m sure it hasn’t been all explained to you because it’s a lot, I don’t want to overwhelm you with a lot of details.
I’ll say this, my husband used to work at Vibrant Ink with Wyatt and a lot of the crew.
He left and opened his own shop. A lot of life stuff happened, I met him and we fell in love, then our family got bigger in a lot of ways.
Also, Wyatt is married to Troy’s little sister and Troy works at Banks and is part of my family.
All of this to say that Bridger is part of our family. ”
“I’m Avery?” It comes out as a question more than a statement.
“I’m overloading you.” Amelia scrunches up her face and sighs. “Sorry, you’ll have time to find out all the details. You’re family. You, Bridger, and your baby.”
Avery’s hand slides over her bump, her voice husky, “We’re your family?”
Amelia’s eyes soften. She steps over to the couch and sits next to Avery after putting everything in her arms down on the coffee table.
A coffee table, I realize as I look at it, which will need to be replaced.
Glass isn’t going to work with a baby. I’m more than okay with it; I never really liked the thing.
As Amelia takes one of Avery’s hands, I can see it shaking.
It makes me want to go track down her father and beat the shit out of him. And whoever the prick is that was supposed to marry her. There’s no way in hell I’m allowing that shit to happen. Not now, not ever.
“Yes,” there’s a promise in Amelia’s voice.
“You are family, Avery. You don’t even want to know right now how big your family has become.
We’re loud. We’re fun. We’re difficult at times, but we will stand next to you or behind you whenever you need it.
We’ll be there when the day is long and filled with lows.
We’ll celebrate every win and every high that comes your way.
” Avery squeezes Amelia’s hand like she’s afraid the woman in front of her will become a beautiful mirage.
“For us, family shows up and family does what needs to be done. We do it without judgement and with a lot of love. You are family.”
When tears start to trail down Avery’s face, a feeling of panic like I’ve never known seizes my heart. I’m on my knees in front of her before I realize it. I growl at Amelia as I glare at her and bark, “You made her cry.”
Amelia just chuckles and pats my shoulder like I’m funny and not like I’m trying to figure out a way to get back at her which won’t have Beckett at my door with murder in his eyes. The man is head over heels in love with his wife. I was never envious of it until this very moment.
Avery’s small hands cup my jaw and when I look at her, my shoulders relax. The tears are still there, but there’s a light in her eyes that is new, a light that speaks of hope.
“They’re happy tears,” Avery whispers.
“I’m sure the pregnancy hormones aren’t helping,” Amelia adds with a wave of her hand like the woman carrying my child crying is no big deal.
It’s a big fucking deal and I don’t like it at all.
As I reach up to wipe her tears away, I murmur, “No more tears, Sweetheart.”
“I’ve just never had a family,” Avery whispers like it’s a confession, “not a real one.”
“You do now,” Amelia chirps.
When I glance at her, her hands are clasped together in front of her chest and she’s looking between us with a knowing glint in her eyes that makes me nervous. I narrow my eyes at her, but she just shoots me a look like I’m the slow one in the room. Whatever.
“Now,” Amelia claps her hands together, “on to the important things.”
“Finding out you’ve been inducted into some huge family like it’s a secret society is kind of important,” Avery sasses.
Amelia laughs and wraps an arm around Avery’s shoulders, not bothered that I’m still on my knees in front of her with my hands on her luscious thighs. “That it is,” she agrees, “but I was talking about this bun you’re cooking.”
“Oh,” Avery gasps, her cheeks turning a gorgeous shade of pink.
Memories of how her blush spreads across her skin assault me. It’s a damn good thing I’m already on my knees. It helps to hide the bulge in my jeans. Fuck, the way this woman gets to me.
I’ve never felt anything like it and I’m not entirely sure what to do with these feelings. I was able to reassure Avery earlier, and I meant every word, but a huge part of me still doubts that a relationship and a loving family are in the cards for me.
Maybe I have too much of my father’s blood running through my veins. The last thing in the world I want to do is abandon Avery and my child, but what if it is exactly what happens? What if I become the thing I hate the most—him?
“How far along are you?” Amelia’s question pulls me out of the mental spiral threatening to take me under.
“Five months.”
“Oh, all the fun stuff is about to happen,” Amelia sounds excited.
“Like feeling the baby move around and not just for you, Avery. This bump will keep growing and you’ll get a little more energy back.
” Her eyebrows pull together as she frowns slightly.
“Have you had a lot of issues with morning sickness?”
“Thankfully no,” Avery sighs. “I’ve been nauseous here and there, but it hasn’t been like the horror stories I’ve heard or read about.”
“Good,” Amelia wipes her hand across her forehead like she’s relieved. “I’ve brought the book Wyatt called me about,” she points to the table, “and a pregnant lady welcome to the family packet of sorts.”
“You have a welcome to the family packet for pregnant women already put together?” Avery sounds curious with a side of dubiousness, “Does this kind of thing happen a lot?”
“Well,” Amelia scrunches up her face, “no, but I was able to pull some things together quickly. I grabbed a few more pregnancy and baby books the guys have passed around from one household to the next.” Amelia’s eyes find mine and she leans toward me like she’s about to tell me a secret, “There are lots of highlights already in there and notes in the margins.” She rolls her eyes and huffs out a small laugh, “The men of the family think they’re so slick by putting little notes in there like they’re state secrets or something. ”
I’m intrigued by these notes. If they will help me be a better support person for Avery, I’ll take them. I could use any help I can get.
The fear I’ve been trying to ignore creeps back up but now is not the time to be consumed by it. Not in front of Amelia and definitely not in front of Avery; her day has been long enough and I’m not going to add to it.
Amelia leans forward to grab a folder which she places on Avery’s lap.
“This is all of our numbers.” Avery opens it up and her eyes widen.
“Yeah,” Amelia giggles, “it’s a lot, I know.
Not only do you now have the phone numbers of everyone who will drop what they’re doing to help you, but I also included the number to the OB/GYN we’ve all gone to, as well as the pediatrician we’ve been taking our kids to.
We like and trust them. They’ve also had extensive background checks done on them and the people in their offices. ”
“What? Why were background checks done?” Avery sounds baffled and a little hysterical.
Amelia taps on a name on the list. “This is Blake Higgins, he runs a security company in town. He takes keeping our family safe very seriously which includes background checks on anyone who comes in contact with his wife,” she taps another name, “and kids.”
Avery’s eyes widen even further, “Is this the actress Margot Reynolds?” Before Amelia can answer, Avery gasps, “Holy shit. These names are the same as the members of Suburban Outcasts.”
When Amelia doesn’t respond, Avery snaps her gaze to look at her. Amelia just shrugs. “They’re family.” She points in my direction and adds, oh so helpfully, “Bridger tattoos one of the guys from The Heart Beats.”
Avery’s head whips around so fast I wince for her. “What?” Her gasped one-word question is filled with disbelief, and I recall the conversation that happened in the shop the day I met Avery.
“Falcon is a good dude.”
“Holy shit,” Avery whispers, “I think I need to sit down.”
Amelia giggles and I can’t help but crack half a smile at how damn cute Avery is. “You’re already sitting down,” Amelia points out. Then her face goes serious. “I know this is a lot, but I didn’t want you to feel isolated and in this alone. You’re not.” She looks my way and adds, “Both of you.”
Gratitude swells up inside of me. Even though I’ve tried my hardest to stay on the fray of their giant family, they have embraced me wholeheartedly. Amelia showing up here when called and welcoming Avery with open arms just proves it.
“I’m going to get out of your hair. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about, but now, at least, you’re a little better prepared to face your situation.
I hope. If you ever need anything, please call.
I’ve heard talk of a movie night soon, you’ll be invited and expected to show up.
Then these won’t just be numbers on a page, but people who you can connect with. ”
Avery looks a little shellshocked, but snaps out of it, her eyes turning glassy. “Thank you, Amelia.”
“That’s what family does,” her voice is light and breezy like she hasn’t just made all of this feel possible with one visit.
I stand with her and walk her to the door and open it for her.
Before she steps out, she wraps her arms around my waist and gives a squeeze.
“If you ever need anything, I expect you to call too, Bridger.” I grunt and she pulls back to look up at me, all motherly affection and familial love shining in her eyes.
“I’m serious. Don’t think I haven’t seen how you’ve tried to keep walls up between you and the family.
I was letting it go because it’s what you needed, but it’s not just about you anymore.
We’re here to lean on just like your Vibrant Ink family is. Let us help you.”
“I’ll try,” I grunt.
“That’s all I can ask for,” she chirps.
And then she’s gone.
When I walk back into the living room, Avery is looking through all the papers in the folder with wide eyes. She looks up at me and I run my hand across the underside of my jaw and through my beard.
“Sorry, that was probably a lot, too much maybe.”
“No,” Avery swallows hard and shakes her head, “that was amazing.”
My shoulders sag with relief. Talking about what we like and want to eat for dinner is a lot safer than talking about the elephant, or baby, in the room. So, that is exactly what we do. The big stuff will be there; it’s not going anywhere, and I think we both need a minute to just be.