Chapter 37
37
CARLEE
“ W e’ll turn around on the count of three, okay?” I say to Weston.
Tonight is Easton and Lexi’s very exciting party, and Weston and I decided to surprise each other. While we were in Paris, we ordered our costumes. Tonight is the reveal.
“One. Two. Three,” we count together.
We spin around, and his face lights up.
“Mmm. Marilyn Monroe. Love it.” He bites his lip.
“You know what they say—blondes are Weston Calloway’s favorite.” I pop my hips, lifting my skirt and letting it float down. It’s my best attempt at her iconic pose.
He bursts out laughing, and it sounds so perfect. “Actually, you’re my favorite. But, yeah, they do say blondes have more fun.”
His hand slides up my thigh, and his finger sneaks under my panties.
“By fun, do you mean sex? Because I’m totally down for that.”
“Mmm. I do mean sex.”
The pad of his thumb circles my clit. I sigh, holding on to him for dear life as he slides two digits inside of me. It feels so good that I cry out for more.
“And let’s not forget, Queen Marilyn says diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” I say as he places his fingers in his mouth and tastes me.
Everything about this man is a fantasy, and he’s mine. All mine.
“You’re my diamond, gorgeous,” he mutters against my lips.
I love that he’s dressed as a young Elvis, complete with slicked-back hair. I take a step back, admiring him as I grab my phone.
“You know I’ve always had a thing for twenty-something Elvis.”
He gives me a smirk. “Mawmaw told me.”
I gasp. “Cheater! What other childhood secrets of mine did Mawmaw share?”
“I’ll never tell.” He kisses along my collarbone. “All good stuff, I promise.”
“Keep kissing me like that, and we won’t make it to this party. Then we’ll lose our godparent status! That would be the worst!” My head rolls back as he sucks along my skin.
“Fine,” he whispers, then checks his watch. “Please save me before Easton mansplains the importance of punctuality again.”
I laugh, loving the playfulness between them.
Weston hooks his pinkie with mine, and we take the elevator to the Diamond in the Sky. The penthouse is packed with friends. Even though some faces are unfamiliar, everyone seems to know who I am. Now, I guess I’ll never meet a stranger. Not after my face was plastered on the internet and on the front of magazine covers.
A string quartet begins to play in the corner. The energy is joyful and vibrant, and I couldn’t be more impressed with how beautiful it is in here. Long, flowing pieces of fabric and pretty lights hang from the fifty-foot ceiling that stretches across three stories. the diamond in the sky is gorgeous—a centerpiece for The Park and Billionaires’ Row.
“The newlyweds!” Harper exclaims, pulling us both in for hugs. “How was Paris? Are you even more in love than before? I’ve heard it’s pure magic there. ”
“Spending Valentine’s Day there was a dream. Seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up at night …” I smile, remembering all the times we made love as that iconic structure sparkled just for us.
Weston’s gaze meets mine, and we share a smile, a little secret passing between us. He’s thinking about it too—I can tell by his expression.
Billie grins, moving closer. “Cute. Elvis and Marilyn. Both icons. You two are the main characters.”
“And who are you?” Weston asks. His eyes slide over her black pantsuit and stilettos.
Billie looks like she’s dressed to kill—probably Asher, if what Weston said is true.
“I’m every billionaire’s worst nightmare.” She holds up a card that reads IRS AUDIT TEAM .
Weston howls with laughter. “Your humor is dry as fuck, but hilarious.”
“I’m Cher,” Harper chimes in, swinging her long hair over her shoulder and striking a pose. “This is one of her touring costumes.”
My eyes widen as she spins around, showing off the purple pants. “Oh my God. Now, that’s iconic.”
A server walks around with tiny quiches.
I snag one, glancing back at Billie and Harper. “How’s work been since the mini vacation? Did being in Texas spark any ideas?”
The question freezes them both in place. Weston notices their odd behavior but doesn’t stop smiling. Somehow, I catch the subtle flash in his eyes. I think Billie sees it too.
“How has work been?” Weston repeats, crossing his arms over his chest.
I can feel the big-brother vibes radiating off him, and I know I need to rescue them before he starts digging for information. Since we returned, helping Billie without her knowing has been a priority. I understand. I’d do anything for my family too.
As I scan the room, I find Lexi and Easton dressed like Sandy and Danny from Grease . Seeing Easton’s and Weston’s hair slicked back exactly the same is hilarious. They both look like young Elvis to me. The long-sleeved nightgown totally hides Lexi’s belly. She’s so good at this.
“Excuse us,” I say, pulling Weston with me, not giving him the chance to protest. “We need to say hello.”
I glance back at Billie and Harper, who whisper a thank-you.
Time reveals secrets, and apparently, the two of them are keeping some.
When Weston and Easton approach each other, they step off to the side and chat privately. Lexi and I pretend we’re discussing something important while we eavesdrop.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Lexi glances around. “Billie’s company is in trouble.”
“We can’t help her then,” Easton says loud enough that we hear. “She would never.”
“I know.” Weston sighs.
Lexi leans in and whispers in my ear, “Asher Banks plans to destroy her company and make snow angels in the ashes.”
“This is worse than I thought,” I admit.
Easton’s voice lowers, and I can’t catch what else he says.
“This can’t be good,” Lexi explains.
“Do you think we can help?” I ask, glancing over at our husbands.
Easton’s jaw is clenched tight, and so is Weston’s.
“I don’t know,” she whispers.
“What if we played matchmaker?” I ask, and her brow lifts.
“It would never work. They hate each other,” Lexi explains. “They act like they’ve already gone through an awful divorce together.”
I burst into laughter. Weston moves close, hooking his pinkie with mine. I smile at him, and he returns it.
“That looks good on you two,” Easton says, taking a sip of wine .
“What does? Our costumes?” I ask.
“Being in love,” he confirms.
Lexi smiles wide and agrees.
“Looks gorgeous on you,” Weston says, his eyes scanning over me.
“Don’t make me blush,” I say to him.
Easton interlocks his fingers with Lexi’s, turning his attention toward her. “Ready, darling? It’s about that time.”
“Yes.” She takes a deep breath and smiles.
“Do either of you have any final guesses?” Easton asks.
No one in the room knows the gender, not even them. It’ll be a surprise for everyone in attendance.
“A girl,” I whisper, grinning.
“A boy,” Weston says.
I hug Lexi quickly and squeal, “We’ll love whatever you have!”
The two of them move to the center of the room, standing in front of a table full of beautifully decorated cupcakes draped in chocolate and topped with sliced strawberries. They’ve been waiting for this for a few months now.
Weston wraps his arm around me, pulling me close. “You’re so pretty.”
“You are too,” I tell him, loving that smile. The real one.
Servers walk around, handing cupcakes to everyone, and a tiny card on the plate says, Wait to eat .
Weston grabs the card and pops it into his mouth. My eyes widen in surprise.
“It’s white chocolate,” he whispers, smirking.
“Is it?” I ask, amazed, then do the same. It melts instantly, teasing my taste buds. “Bad influence.”
He shrugs. “No regrets, bestie.”
I glance at the friendship bracelet that’s still wrapped around his wrist. Neither of us has taken it off since we decided to get married. He notices me staring at it. BFFs.
Lexi and Easton are given wireless microphones .
“Hey, everyone! You all look so adorable. Thanks for keeping the spirit of the party alive and for following instructions. I know some of you might be wondering why we’re having a costume party in March.” She radiates confidence when she speaks to the crowd.
“It’s because we have a super-special announcement,” Easton says, meeting Lexi’s gaze.
They announce together, “We’re having a baby!”
The room fills with, “Aww,” and I hear Billie scream from behind us.
I turn to see her overcome with emotion.
“And you say she doesn’t have a soul,” I say to Weston, grinning.
“Only when it comes to babies and mimosas.” He laughs.
Our eyes meet, and I lose myself in his gaze.
“We don’t know the gender yet, so we thought it would be fun to share that moment with our closest friends and family. Inside these cute little delicious cupcakes is a surprise filling. We’ll count down, and then everyone will take a bite to reveal the secret together. Pink is for a girl, and blue is for a boy,” Lexi says.
The two of them each grab a cupcake and then face each other while low chatter fills the room.
Weston and I hold our desserts, grinning, and count along with them. “Three, two, one!”
Everyone takes a bite. I look inside mine and see it’s filled with pink. My eyes light up, and then I notice Weston’s is blue. I glance up at Easton and Lexi, and they’re both in tears.
“Twins?” Easton asks, struggling to hold back his emotion.
“Twins?” Weston echoes, eyes wide in disbelief.
“Twins!” I exclaim. “A boy and a girl!”
Someone asks, “What does green mean?”
Lexi and Easton look shocked as a third color is introduced.
“Triplets?” they say at the same time, shocked.
An envelope is propped up beside the dessert table, and they tear it open to read the results aloud .
“Everyone”—Easton clears his throat—“we’re having triplets .”
“I think Easton might faint,” Weston says, bursting into laughter.
He grabs my hand, and we weave through the crowd toward them.
“Triplets,” I whisper in Lexi’s ear, hugging her tightly. “Congratulations! I’m so damn happy for you. You went from having one baby to three.”
“I feel like I’m having a litter! Please hurry and get pregnant with me. Please .” She laughs, her excitement infectious.
“We’re trying,” I mutter. “So happy for you.”
“Thank you,” she says as more friends and family quickly surround them, all eager to congratulate them.
Weston and I step back, letting Lexi and Easton enjoy themselves. We’ve been quietly celebrating their journey for months, and I’m excited they don’t have to hide anymore. It will be a night to remember for every person here.
We separate ourselves from the group and face one another.
Weston grabs my hand and twirls the wedding ring around my finger. “One day, that’ll be us, gorgeous.”
I pull him closer, brushing my lips against his. “It could be right now.”
He pulls away, searching my face for any hint of doubt.
“I think I’m late,” I admit. “I was never regular, but I’ve lost track.”
Weston links his pinkie with mine and leads me upstairs to Easton and Lexi’s room. He bursts into their spacious bathroom like he owns the place. Without skipping a beat, he opens the cabinet under the sink and digs through it.
“Aha. I knew Lexi would have one,” he says, revealing a pregnancy test.
Weston locks the door and opens the box. With a sexy smile, he places the stick in my hand. “Neither of us will be able to think about anything else until we know. ”
“You’re right.” I take a deep breath. “But I just got really pee shy.”
He turns on the faucet, wraps me in his arms, and grins. “Think about flowing waterfalls. Gushing tidal waves.”
I close my eyes, trying to imagine it while the sound of running water fills the room. He turns on the shower, and steam fills the space.
“It’s hard for me to take you seriously, dressed as Elvis.”
“All righty, Marilyn.”
I raise an eyebrow. “When we get home, I can’t wait to show you the other costume I ordered.”
He bites his lip, looking excited. “Really? Give me a hint.”
“Meow,” I say, making a claw motion at him.
“Catwoman. I love it,” he replies, then twirls me around. “Think about rushing rivers and trickling streams.”
I give him a kiss. “Read the instructions, and I’ll try.”
Weston tilts the box. “It’s one of the early ones. Over ninety-nine percent accuracy.”
“Numbers, of course.” I chuckle, settling onto the toilet with the stick between my legs, focusing on relaxing.
“Pee on the stick, then wait three minutes. Sounds like a microwave meal. Okay, so two lines mean pregnant, and one line means not.” He grins just as I tinkle.
I set the test on the counter and wash my hands.
“Three minutes?” I ask, starting a timer on my phone.
“Yep,” he confirms, stepping closer to pull me into his arms. He hums as we dance in the bathroom.
“Whatever happens, happens,” I say, looking into his eyes. “I won’t be disappointed either way.”
“Same here, gorgeous. You’re enough for me, even if I can never get enough.”
He spins me around, and our lips almost touch.
“I picked the property near Hudson and Emma,” I say .
Our noses brush together, and excitement floats through the air.
“I can’t wait to start building our home together.”
Before I can speak, my alarm buzzes. Our eyes meet, and Weston laces his fingers with mine.
“We’ll look at it together,” he says with a grin. “Happy either way.”
As we lean over the counter, I spot two faint lines. I blink hard, wondering if I’m imagining things. “Two lines is …”
“Pregnant,” he whispers, his voice full of amazement.
Weston drops to his knees, wraps his arms around me, and kisses my belly. Tears stream down his face, and I can’t hold my emotions in either. I sink to my knees, holding and kissing him as intense feelings wash over me.
“Easton must have super sperm, which means you probably do too,” I whisper, laughing as I snuggle against his chest. “ I’m scared .”
He gently cradles my face, brushing his lips against mine. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world, gorgeous.”
“This is a dream,” I say, laughing and crying at the same time. I can’t stop kissing him, but I somehow pull away. “We should probably keep this on the down-low for a bit. Let Easton and Lexi have the spotlight.”
“You can choose when we share the news,” he says, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and taking me in. “It’s our little secret.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask.
He breathes me in. “Because I don’t know how it’s possible that I fall more in love with you every day.”
“I love you, Weston. You’ve made all my dreams come true.”
“I love you too, gorgeous.” He grins wide, twirling my hair between his fingers, admiring me like artwork. “It’s because you started saying yes.”
I laugh against his lips. “Touch the watch, wear the ring, right?”
“Steal my heart, wear the ring,” he says .
“I didn’t steal anything, Weston. You gave it to me.”
“Because it belonged to you,” he admits, his lips brushing across mine. “You were my missing piece.”
“You know, during our one year anniversary of meeting, how you told me to make a wish?” I ask, meeting his eyes.
He nods.
“You are what I wished for.”