Chapter 18 Matthew
MATTHEW
“Wow,” I exclaim, unable to take my eyes off the fresh tattoo on my arm. “It looks so badass.”
Benny rolls his eyes. “It’ll look better if you stay still.”
“Sorry,” I say as he goes back in to fill in the lines he’s drawn. I guess I was bound to end up with a tattoo, working in a tattoo shop. But all things considered, I think the palm tree with the seashells is fitting.
I know Sophie’s been reading my texts even if she doesn’t respond.
I’m not going to give up hope that she’ll come back to us.
I know Elijah has, and Benny won’t talk about it, but I hear the drunk voicemails he leaves sometimes. And I hear him cry after he hangs up.
Which is why I thought a distraction would be good for all of us, so I made an appointment to get this tattoo and then called Sam to see if we could hang out like we used to do at his place. Have some beers, play some video games.
He was more than receptive to the idea, nearly jumping at the chance to host us for something Raegan calls, “Friendsgiving.”
And honestly, I think it’s probably better for all three of us to stay together rather than be apart. It’s been like that ever since we came home.
I love the guys. Really, I couldn’t have asked for better friends. And ever since Sam and Raegan’s wedding, since Sophie, things with us have been different.
Benny’s not as mean to me anymore. In fact, he still grumbles a lot, but he doesn’t make snide comments.
He always makes sure my coconut waters are stocked in the fridge, both at home and at work.
Even Eli has been supportive of my new gig, working at the shop, and has showed up to help Benny with stuff. They don’t fight anymore either.
They don’t talk much, if at all, but they don’t have to. Their actions speak louder than words ever could. Our friendship feels tighter.
Stronger.
Because of her.
I’m not giving up on Sophie. I know it’s been five months, but I refuse to believe what we had—what we all had—is over.
When Sophie left for college, I saw how it devastated Elijah. But I also know it devastated Sophie too. She isn’t heartless. She isn’t someone you can tie down either.
Sophie needs freedom. She’s always needed freedom, and that’s something I respect about her. She goes after what she wants, be it a job across the country or a relationship with three very different men who love her.
One day she will come home, and I’ll be here when she does. I only hope that the guys can heal their hearts enough to be here too.
Benny wipes my tattoo and says, “Done.”
I check it out, grinning ear to ear. My arm feels numb, but otherwise it doesn’t hurt. Not like I thought it would.
“You guys ready to head to Sam’s?” Elijah asks, coming through the door.
“Yeah, just about,” Benny says, cleaning up his equipment. I head over to Eli and show off my first tattoo. “Pretty cool, huh?”
Eli gives me a soft smile. “It suits you.”
I wiggle my arm, making the palm tree dance. “You should get one too. We can have matching bestie tats.”
Elijah chuckles, shaking his head. “I’m good, Matt. But thanks.”
“He’s scared of needles,” Benny drones from behind the counter.
“Really?” I ask, my eyes widening in surprise.
“No.”
Benny laughs and I can’t help but do the same. For the first time in a long time, it feels like things are good. The holidays are always a good time, though.
“Maybe you should get a pineapple to match,” Elijah tells Benny.
“More like an upside-down pineapple,” I note.
Elijah furrows his brows. “What?”
“Don’t ask,” Benny says, coming up to us. “You ready to go?”
Elijah nods and I follow my friends out to Eli’s SUV.
When we get to Sam’s, we’re immediately assaulted by the scent of sweet pumpkin pie.
“Hey!” Raegan greets us, and I wiggle my clear bandage–wrapped arm at her.
“I got a tattoo!” I say with excitement.
Sam turns the bend and his eyes widen. “Wow, that’s…”
And then I hear the door open, and I just…know.
“There you are,” Raegan says as she runs toward the guest behind me.
We all turn, and my eyes widen in shock as I settle my eyes on her.
Sophie.
Her hair is long, highlights grown out, framing her round face. She looks at me and her eyes are full of tears. My gaze roves over her, noticing she looks so much the same but also…different.
“Sophie…” Elijah’s voice is barely a whisper.
Raegan takes her coat, and then I gasp because there’s no hiding the evident bulge of her belly.
I let out a heavy sigh as Benny curses. “You—”
“We’ll give you guys a minute,” Raegan says.
She and Sam don’t look surprised in the least.
“Come on, babe,” Raegan says as she leads Sam through the house, toward the downstairs. When the basement door shuts, I don’t wait.
I run to Sophie and throw my arms around her, and she does the same.
“Sophie.” I hug her. Tight. Her stomach makes it harder to get close, but I don’t care. She’s here. She’s here and she’s in my arms, and that’s all that matters.
“I knew you’d come back,” I whisper to her, pulling away. The guys flank me as my gaze dips to her belly. “You look—”
“Pregnant as fuck,” Benny says.
Elijah smacks him. “Benny!”
“What? I mean, that’s pretty obvious.”
Sophie starts to cry and I hug her again.
“See, you made her fucking cry!” Eli says, pushing me aside.
He grabs her hand and pulls her, leading her to the couch, and she follows without question.
“You don’t text or call,” Elijah says. “It’s been months, Sophie, and—”
“How far along are you?” I ask, rolling through Elijah’s concerned tone.
“Five months,” she says shakily, meeting my gaze.
The air between us is thick as the unsaid truth hangs in the midst.
Five months. That’s…
“It’s estimated I probably conceived somewhere between June twentieth and the twenty-third.”
We don’t have to ask about the significance of those dates. We all know what we were doing on June twenty-second.
Watching our best friend get married.
“So you’ve been pregnant for five months, and you didn’t think to tell us,” Benny says. “Knowing one of us is the father.”
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she says carefully. “I needed to figure things out first, and then…I needed to get to a point where I knew I was safe.”
“You mean where you were less likely to miscarry,” Elijah says carefully.
Sophie chokes back a sob. “Yeah.”
“And you’re…healthy?” I ask. “Our baby is healthy?”
I mean to say your baby. I really do, but…
She is ours.
She’s always been ours.
And I know this baby is ours too.
I’m well aware that I might be the one who got her pregnant. I know it’s not impossible for it to happen, even if it was the first time I’d ever come inside a woman.
I know it was a small window, but I also know the chances aren’t zero, considering I did come inside her a handful of times in that weekend. Five to be exact. So, the chances are pretty high.
But even if I’m not the one who knocked her up, it doesn’t change how I feel about her. How I’ve always felt about her.
It only magnifies it, because I know there will be more of Sophie to love.
More of my friends to love too.
And a tiny human to love who’s a part of her and us, no matter who the father is.
“Yes, Matthew,” she says, reaching for my face.
I settle my hand on her belly. “That’s great news.” I smile and she sets her hand on mine. “You’re going to have a baby.”
I squeeze her hand and she sniffles, squeezing my hand back. “Yeah, I am.”
Benny has gone quiet.
“I know this is a lot to take in,” she says, looking at him, then at Eli. “And the last thing I deserve is your forgiveness. I’ve caused you all so much pain.”
“Sophie…” Elijah sighs.
Sophie chokes out a sob. “But over these last few months, as I traveled and wrote, and suffered through the worst morning sickness—” She sighs. “I realized that all I wanted was to come home.”
She looks up at Benny, and the tears fall from her eyes.
“All I wanted was my best men. The ones who loved me even when I didn’t deserve it.”
I don’t want to leave her, but I get up because I know Benny needs her right now, just as bad as she needs him.
Benny rushes toward her on the couch, pulling her into his arms as Eli holds her from her behind. His hand rests on her belly as tears roll down his face.
“No,” Benny says, and his choked sob tears at my heart. “I don’t deserve your love, Sophie. I was an asshole, I—”
She kisses him and I feel tears come to my eyes next.
The room is full of sobs of joy, of sadness. And love.
So much love.
I watch as Eli carefully places his hand on her belly too.
“Of course I forgive you,” he whispers. “I love you Sophia. I have always fucking loved you.”
I kneel beside the couch, next to Sophie’s legs. I settle a hand on Sophie’s leg and squeeze as I start to cry.
“Whatever it is you need, we’re here,” Elijah says. “For you and this baby.”
Sophie nods as Benny pulls her close. “Babies,” she says carefully.
“Babies?” Benny asks, furrowing his eyebrows.
“Twins,” Sophie says. “I’m having twins.”
Benny laughs and Eli does too, scooting over to let me in between him and Sophie. And together we wrap our arms around our princess and our babies.
“Double the fun,” I say with a laugh of my own. “What are the odds.”
Sophie smiles through her tears, her laugh like music to my ears as she reaches for me and I go to her without question.
“More like double the trouble,” she says as she takes my hand. I hold it, relishing in the warm as I look at her, my heart so full.
We’re going to have twins! How cool is that?
“I know what I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving,” I say and they laugh.
“Me too,” Eli says.
Benny kisses Sophie, and when he tells her he loves her in a hushed whisper, I know that no matter what happens, we’re going to be okay. All of us.
Sophie, our babies, and my friends, is all I’ll ever need.