Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Maggie
Lachlan pushes open the front door of Roman and Emerson’s house. “Uncle Lachlan’s here!” he calls out.
A loud squeal and then little feet come racing toward us. Lilly launches herself at Lachlan, and he catches her easily. “I missed you,” he tells the little girl, hugging her tightly.
“Missed you,” Lilly replies back. She eyes me behind Lachlan and reaches for me.
“Hey, sweetie.” I settle her on my hip and kiss her cheek.
“Hey, you.” Emerson comes into the living room, and gives me a one-armed hug, before pulling Lachlan into a hug as well. “Did you get here at the same time?” she asks.
My friend is very intuitive, and she knows something has been up with me lately, but she’s given me the space I’ve needed. They all have, while letting me know they were here for anything and everything that I might need.
“We rode together,” Lachlan explains.
“Really?” Emerson wags her eyebrows, and I chuckle because she has no idea. “Come on in. Forrest, Briar, and the girls are heading over soon. Monroe and Legend had to give Kane a bath. He had a diaper blowout, and Maddox and Brogan are probably working in a quickie before they get here.” She giggles. “Maddox is determined where this baby-making business is concerned. He’s trying to get pregnant before anyone else does. He’s trying to beat us, and Monroe and Legend.”
“You’re all trying?” I ask before I can stop myself. “I knew Maddox and Brogan were trying.”
Emerson smiles. “Yeah, Lilly is over two, so it’s time, and Kane is almost one. I don’t actually think they’re trying as much as practicing.” Emerson laughs. “However, Maddox is still on a mission to have the next baby in the family.”
Lachlan’s eyes widen. I can tell he’s trying really damn hard not to let his smile show. “Are you coming inside?” Emerson asks, backing up. “Rome’s in the kitchen, calling in the pizza and wings.”
We follow her into the kitchen and as soon as Lilly sees her daddy, she’s reaching for him. Roman takes her out of my arms while continuing with his call to order dinner. Lilly lays her head on his shoulder and tucks into his chest.
“She didn’t nap today,” Emerson tells us. “She’s getting at the age where she’s trying to fight naptime.”
“No nap,” Lilly says, and we laugh.
Roman ends the call, tosses his phone on the counter, and rubs Lilly’s back. “Lil, naps are good for you. You know Daddy likes to take naps.”
“Wif Mommy. Mommy take a nap wif me?”
Roman’s eyes heat as he winks at Emerson. “With Mommy,” he agrees.
I can only imagine the naptime schemes you have to do when you have a toddler in the house. Not that I’ll have to worry about sneaking around to hook up being a single mom and all that. I’ll be too busy working and raising a baby. Sure, Lachlan is going to be there too, but we won’t be sneaking around trying to find times to be intimate.
I’ll have the memories of our night together to keep me warm, I suppose.
The door opens again, and this time it’s Forrest, Briar, and the twins. I can tell by the patter of pounding feet and the “don’t run in the house” hollered out by their parents.
“I didn’t think we’d ever get here.” Rayne sighs dramatically.
“Daddy’s a slowpoke.” River giggles.
“Take it easy on your old man,” Forrest says, walking into the room with his hand laced with Briar’s. “It’s not my fault, I had to wash off my makeup.” He smiles down at them and you can see it as clearly as a bright blue sky that these three ladies are his world. The new baby, too, obviously, when he or she gets here.
“Daddy, you looked pretty,” Rayne tells him.
“I know, Dazzle, but Daddy told you he can’t wear makeup outside. That’s just for in the house when we’re playing dress up.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Rome chimes in. “I’d like to see it.”
“Uncle Rome! We can do your makeup too!”River exclaims.
“Yeah, Uncle Rome,” Forrest jabs.
“Who’s doing whose makeup?” Monroe asks.
“Me and sissy are doing Uncle Rome’s,” Rayne tells her.
“Maybe later, double squirts,” Roman says, and the girls fall into a fit of giggles at the bizarre nickname. I get it, we all do, but to the girls, it’s absolutely hilarious.
“Hand her over,” Maddox says, walking into the room and straight for Lilly. She cackles as he takes her into his arms. “When will he wake up?” Maddox nods to where Kane is sleeping against Legend’s chest.
“After the sh—dump he took, he’s probably content for a while,” Legend says, fondly staring down at his sleeping son.
“He’s had some issues today, so we’re letting him sleep. He only napped for about twenty minutes earlier,” Monroe explains.
“Sounds like Lilly.”
“We’re big girls. We don’t nap, right, sissy?” River asks Rayne.
“Nope. No naps for us big kids,” Rayne agrees.
“Can we go play, Mommy?” River asks.
Briar looks up at Emerson. “Of course,” she replies. “Lilly, do you want to go play?”
She nods and wiggles for Maddox to let her down, and the three of them take off to the corner of the living room, where Lilly has a little play area.
“Okay, did I miss someone’s birthday?” Maddox asks. “I know I’ve been a little preoccupied, so if I did, I’m sorry.” He furrows his brow like he’s trying really hard to figure out why we’re all here.
“Can’t we all just get together randomly without a reason?” Roman asks him. His eyes flash to where Lachlan and I are standing.
“There is a reason,” Lachlan speaks up. “And it’s not a birthday.”
“And that reason is?” Legend prompts him.
Lachlan reaches down and laces his fingers through mine. I squeeze his hand, knowing our friends are going to get the wrong idea, but I need his touch to keep me grounded for this.
“Maggie and I are having a baby.” He says the words casually, as if he’s talking about the weather, then lifts our joined hands to his lips, and kisses my knuckles.
“Rewind,” Maddox says. He looks at Brogan. “Did he just say…?” His voice trails off as if he can’t believe the news.
“How?” Monroe asks. “I know how, but how ?” She chuckles.
“When?” Briar asks.
“Where?” Brogan chimes in.
“Are the two of you together?” Emerson adds.
I take in a breath and slowly exhale, preparing to tell them all the things, but Lachlan beats me to it.
“Mo, I think you know how babies are made. Briar, we had a night together at the cabin in Gatlinburg, and in case your question has a double meaning, we’re due at the middle of March. Em, we’re not together, not as a couple, but we are going to raise this baby together.” He answers all of their questions quickly and efficiently.
The room is eerily silent for a few seconds, and then everyone starts talking at once. We’re pulled into hugs and slaps on the back, kisses on the cheek, and congratulations all around.
“You did this to beat me,” Maddox teases.
“I didn’t.” I hear Lachlan tell him. “But I gotta tell ya, man, I wouldn’t change it even if I could.” My heart melts, and the girls must notice because they all offer me watery smiles.
“Why’s everyone being so loud?” Rayne asks.
Lachlan lifts her into his arms. “Well, you’re getting a new baby cousin.”
“Another one?” she gasps.
“Yep.”
“Yay!” she cheers, wiggles to be let down, and races off to the living room. She announces very loudly to her sister and Lilly about their new baby cousin.
Lachlan moves to stand next to me and bends his lips to my ear. “You doing okay, Momma? Need anything?”
I turn to look at him over my shoulder. “I’m good. Thank you.”
“We’ll leave when you’re ready.”
“We just got here.” I furrow my brow. Surely, he doesn’t want to just drop the news and leave.
“I know. I also know you worked today, and we had a pretty emotional appointment, so when you’re ready, say the word.” With that, he walks back to the other side of the island.
“Forrest, come here, man. You’ve got to see this.” His words have all heads turning toward him. “Look, you can actually buy the doppler to listen to the heartbeat anytime you want.”
“What? No way. Why did I not know this?” Forrest turns his eyes to his wife. “Did you know about this?”
Briar chuckles. “No, but that’s cool. I’m sure they’re crazy expensive.”
“No. Look, I bought this one, great reviews, and all that. It was only one hundred and thirty dollars.”
“Only.” Monroe giggles.
“Hey, this is daily listening to my kid. You can’t put a price on that.”
“What he said. Send me the link. I’m in.”
“Forrest.” Briar shakes her head. “I’m already halfway through my pregnancy.”
He shrugs. “We can use it for the next one, or pass it on once our little one is here.”
“Next one?” Brogan asks her sister.
Briar places her hand on her baby bump. “We haven’t discussed anything past this one, but my husband seems to think that he needs to keep me knocked up.”
“Brogan, baby, you think we should get one just to have it when we’re ready?” Maddox asks his wife.
“Kind of what I was thinking,” Legend chimes in.
“I’m going to need one too,” Roman agrees.
“Guys, we’re not even pregnant.” Emerson shakes her head, amusement all over her face.
“Just being prepared, baby girl,” Roman tells his wife, before going to his phone. All of them are tapping at their screens, all of them except for Lachlan. He’s standing tall, proud as a peacock that he brought this world-changing news to his best friends.
“They really are something,” Brogan muses.
“We got lucky,” Briar comments.
“So damn lucky,” Monroe agrees.
“We’d definitely be lost without them,” Emerson adds.
“Lachlan has been great so far. I’m glad it’s him. I mean, if this had to happen, I’m glad it’s with a man who cares and wants to be a part of his child’s life.”
“How are you feeling?” Monroe asks.
“Good. A little morning sickness, nothing out of hand.”
“Fourth of July.” Emerson nods.
“Yeah, I didn’t know then, but the nausea became a regular thing, and then the boob pain, and the missed period. It all just kind of clicked for me and I took five tests at home,” I admit.
“So the two of you aren’t together?” Emerson asks.
I expected this question. “No. Not romantically. I told him I didn’t need his help, and that I didn’t expect anything from him, but he said he wanted this. He wants to be in our child’s life.”
“Of course he would. This is Lachlan we’re talking about. Has he told you about his parents?” Monroe asks.
“He did.”
“Wait, what’s wrong with his parents?” Brogan asks.
“It’s not my story to tell,” I tell her.
Emerson waves her hand in the air. “He doesn’t care if people know. His biological dad bailed when his mom told him she was pregnant. She met his now dad who adopted Lachlan when he was two.”
“The dad he didn’t have to be,” Briar says, tears in her eyes. “I understand that.” Her eyes flash to the kitchen toward where the guys are standing, but we all know she only has eyes for Forrest.
“Yeah,” I agree.
“He’s going to be a great dad,” Monroe tells me. “Maddox too.” She winks at Brogan.
“What if I can’t get pregnant?” Brogan asks, her voice soft and with a hint of despair. “We’ve been trying for a couple of months now, and nothing.”
“These things take time,” Briar tells her sister. “And emotions play a key role. Just enjoy trying, and it will happen when it’s supposed to.”
“He wants this so much,” Brogan says, her voice cracking.
“What about you?” Emerson asks. “Is this what you want?”
Brogan nods. “More than anything.”
“I know it’s hard, but stay positive. It will happen,” Monroe assures her.
“I’m sorry.” I reach over and place my hand on her arm. “You’ve been trying, and here I am, tossing this pregnancy in your face. I didn’t mean to do that.”
“No. No, Maggie, not at all,” Brogan is quick to reassure me. “I’m so happy for you. I know this is probably not how you planned it, but life tends to do that, tossing us curveballs when we least expect them.”
“Like me.” Emerson smiles.
“And me.” Monroe waves her hand in the air.
“And me,” Briar adds.
“All four of you have pregnancies that were not how I’m sure you planned them, and that’s your story. I know I’ll have mine. I guess, for me, I’m just worried that it’s not going to happen because my life is… more than I ever could have imagined it would be. I never thought I’d find a man to love me, scars and all, and now that I have, I want everything with him.”
“It’s going to happen for you,” Briar tells her sister. “I can feel it.”
Brogan smiles. “In the meantime, I get to be Aunt Brogan and get lots of practice.”
“Oh, are you ready to go home and practice?” Maddox asks, stepping up behind us. We all laugh because we didn’t even see him there, and he’s all for devoting time to practice.
“No, we’re spending time with our family,” Brogan tells her husband.
“But going home to practice is making a family,” Maddox counters sweetly, kissing her cheek.
I can see the indecision on Brogan’s face. Not that I blame her. If I had a sexy husband wanting to practice with me, it would definitely be hard to say no.
The doorbell chimes, and the kids start to cheer, chanting, “Pizza.” I guess they’re hungry. Roman gets the door, and we all trail behind him into the kitchen. The kids' plates get made first and then the rest of us dive in to do the same.
“How are you feeling? Need a ginger ale?” Lachlan asks.
“I’m good, thank you. Besides, I don’t think Roman and Emerson keep that on hand.”
“I brought some in a cooler in the back seat of my truck, in case you needed it.”
I turn to look at him, and he shrugs. “I wasn’t sure if baby Noble was going to play nice with Momma tonight, so I wanted to be prepared.”
Not caring that our friends are here to witness this, I turn to him, wrapping my arms around him in a hug. His come around me, instantly holding me tightly. “Thank you, Lachlan. You take such good care of m—us.” I almost said me , but I know it’s the baby he’s worried about.
“I’ll always be here to help take care of both of you, Maggie. Today and twenty years from now. You and this baby, you’re my family.”
His words have tears springing to my eyes. I’d love to say it’s the hormones, and that might be part of it, but the other part is this incredible man. He always knows exactly what to say, and I know he means every word. Lachlan is a “what you see is what you get” kind of guy, and what I’m getting is a man who was told his one-night stand and friend is pregnant with his baby, who steps up in a major way.
Pulling back, I smile up at him. “I’m glad it’s you, Lachlan.”
His blue eyes blaze with something I can’t name. “Me too, Mags, me too. Come on. Let’s get you something to eat.” He releases me, picks up my discarded plate, adds a couple of slices of pizza and a few boneless wings, and carries it to the living room. I follow along behind him, like a puppy, and take a seat. I’m shocked when he bends and presses a kiss to the crown of my head once I’m seated, before heading back to the kitchen to make his own plate.
I don’t dare glance around the table to see the curious looks of our friends, because I’m just as curious. Instead, I pick up a slice of pizza and start to eat. When Lachlan joins us a few minutes later, he places a bottle of water and a small bottle of ginger ale in front of me, before going to join the guys to eat in the living room.
“Maggie?” Monroe says.
I look up to find my friends watching me closely while the twins and Lilly munch away on their dinner. “I don’t know,” I answer her silent question.
“We’re here,” Emerson says.
“Thank you.” I smile at them, and thankfully, the twins start asking us about our favorite pizza and ice cream, and the heat is no longer on me. However, I still feel the warmth of his arms wrapped around me.