Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Maggie
“Stop!” I’m laughing so hard that I’m fearful that I’m going to pee my pants. We’re having Friendsgiving the day after Thanksgiving—the latter we spent with Lachlan’s parents and Grandma Doris.
“I kid you not. They both had shit all over them from head to toe,” Monroe tells us, through her tears from laughing so hard. “Legend took it like a champ. He stripped them both down in the shower and bathed both himself and Kane at the same time, dressed them both and took care of the nasty poop-covered clothes.”
“I’ve known these guys all my life, and it’s cool to get to see them be dads. Forrest was always a father figure to me,” Emerson adds. “But to see him with his daughters, to see all of them, it warms my heart. They were these guys with no attachments outside of me being Forrest’s little sister, and now they’re family men.” She smiles wistfully.
“I’m certain Maddox and Lachlan are going to be the same way,” Briar adds.
“Yeah,” Brogan and I agree, and we all start laughing again.
“Ladies, are you ready to eat?” Lachlan calls out. “The deep-fried bird is ready,” he adds.
“Say less,” Monroe says. She’s been talking about how good it smells since we got here.
We make our way to the kitchen, where the men are handling Friendsgiving dinner and taking care of the kids. We tried to help, but they kicked us out, telling us it was their day to spoil us. We didn’t argue, but they take care of us every day. The girls and I already have a plan to do something special for them as a surprise.
Once the kids are set up at the small table I bought for them, now positioned in the corner of the dining room, well, minus Kane who is still in his high chair, the rest of the adults make their plates, and find a seat around the large dining room table Lachlan and I picked out after he bought this house.
Lachlan is at the head of the table, and I’m to his left. Instead of sitting, he stands, taking a minute to glance over at the kids, who are chatting and eating, to every person at the table. “Friendsgiving,” he says with an easy smile. “Thanksgiving has always been a holiday to eat great food and be with the people I care about most. That’s all of you in case you missed that,” he jokes. “However, this year it’s hitting a little different.” He makes a fist and taps his chest over his heart. Then his gaze turns to me. “This year, I get to celebrate it with the love of my life. And in a few short months, our son will be here.”
“Hold up.” Maddox raises his hand. “What did I miss?”
“Have you not been paying attention?” Brogan asks. “They’re together.”
“I knew he wanted to be, but I didn’t know that we’d reached the ‘love of my life’ confession stage.” Maddox chuckles.
“We?” Lachlan asks.
Maddox shrugs. “Rome, Legend, Forrest, me, and now you. Through it all, we’ve been there for each other. We knew you loved her, but we didn’t know if you knew that you loved her.”
“Trust me, I know.” As if he needs to prove his point, he leans over and kisses me. Just a quick peck, but it still has my heart tripping over in my chest. “Anyway. I love you all. Thank you for allowing me and my girl to host this year.” He sits in his seat, and before we can start to eat, Maddox stands.
“This year has been insane. I got married.” He smiles at Brogan. “And now, we’re having a baby.” He swallows hard. “I wouldn’t want to take this ride with anyone else.” He makes a fist and taps his chest just like Lachlan did, before sitting down and pulling Brogan into a kiss.
Forrest stands and clears his throat. “I think this might be our new thing,” he says with a slight chuckle. He looks at Briar, and his expression softens. “I’m going to be a dad for the third time. Three babies, and a wife who brings so much love and light into my life, I didn’t really know what I was missing until I found them. I’m thankful every single day that you and our daughters came into my life. I can’t wait to have forever with you.” Forrest makes a fist, taps his chest, and bends over to kiss Briar before taking his seat.
“I never could have imagined this is where we would end up,” Legend says as he stands and locks eyes with Monroe. “This beautiful woman who offered to help me out ended up being the one person I can’t live without. Then, she gave me a son, and now, another son or daughter to love. I don’t ever want to imagine what my life would be like without you and our kids.” He, too, makes a fist, taps it over his chest, and then kisses his wife.
My heart is so full, I feel like my chest could burst open as I listen to each declaration.
“Saved the best for last.” Roman laughs as he stands. “First, Legend, Monroe, congrats on the new baby.” Everyone around the table says the same. “Looks like the Everlasting Ink family is going to keep on growing.” He smiles down at Emerson. “Lilly’s getting a little brother or sister next year too.”
“What?” Monroe screeches. “Really?” There are tears in her eyes.
Emerson nods, tears also forming. “Really.”
“So, we’re all pregnant at the same time?” Briar asks.
“We are,” all the ladies, including myself, answer.
“They’re all going to be the best of friends,” Emerson says.
“Baby girl,” Roman says, pulling Emerson’s attention back to him. “I’m so thankful for you. You never gave up on me, on us. Now, we have this beautiful little girl and another baby on the way. You’ve given me everything I never knew I wanted. I love you.” He makes a fist, taps it over his heart, and kisses his wife.
“Grown-ups are weird,” River says.
“Yeah,” Rayne agrees.
“Yeah!” Lilly echoes, and the entire room erupts in laughter.
“Happy Thanksgiving.” Lachlan raises his glass of tea, and we all follow suit, raising our drinks.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” echoes around the room.
We dig into our meals while talking, laughing, making plans, and making memories. This is our future. This is what my kids will grow up with. Something I didn’t have. Family isn’t just those you’re born related to. It’s also those you choose to love. Those people who come into your life at just the right time, and they stay for a lifetime. That’s what we are. We’re family. The Everlasting Ink family.
“Twenty-eight weeks and growing strong,” Lachlan says, joining me on the couch.
We just got home from my doctor’s appointment and are taking it easy. It’s cold as hell outside, as it should be the week before Christmas.
“He’ll be here for all of this next year.” I point toward the tree and the presents beneath it.
“I can’t wait,” Lachlan says, leaning over to press his lips to mine. “Speaking of Christmas, I want to give you an early present.”
“I can wait until next week.”
“Yeah, but I can’t.” He chuckles. He stands from the couch and offers me his hand. “Come with me.”
“I have to go somewhere for this gift?” I ask, not really wanting to move off this couch. I worked all day because we were able to get a late appointment and I’m beat.
“Yes, but not far.”
“Okay.” I place my hand in his, and he helps me from the couch.
“I’ll carry you. I know you’re tired.” He lifts me into his arms, bridal style, and I lock my hands behind his neck.
“I could have walked. I’m just being lazy.”
“No, Mags, you’re not lazy. You’re growing a human; that takes a lot out of you. Besides, we’re just going upstairs.”
My heart begins to race, because the only thing upstairs are the two spare bedrooms and a bathroom. The nursery. I bet he bought the furniture we were looking at. I bite down on my cheek to tamp down my excitement.
Once we’re in front of the bedroom that we agreed would be Sean’s, Lachlan places me on my feet.
“I’m going to place my hands over your eyes. Close them, too, and don’t try to peek.” He gives me a stern look.
“Yes, sir.” His blue eyes darken and he licks his lips. “We’ll get back to that,” he muses. “Now, close those beautiful blue eyes,” he tells me.
I do as I’m told, and he places one arm around my waist and the other shields my eyes. “Shit, I need to open the door. Hold on. Keep your eyes closed.” I hear the door open, and then he’s back with his arm around my waist, one hand covering my eyes, and we’re moving. “Almost there,” he tells me. We stop, and he drops the hand over my eyes. “Open.”
I count to three slowly in my head and blink open my eyes. I blink again. Once, twice, three times as I take in what I’m looking at. It’s not just the furniture we looked at. It’s everything. The dark blue and cream contrasting walls, the wood nameplate above the crib, the cream and dark blue rug, the rocking chair, the changing table, and the art on the walls. It’s everything. Every single thing I’ve shown him on my phone or while shopping, he’s incorporated. There’s a small end table and a bookshelf by the rocking chair for late-night feedings. Every little detail is perfect.
“Lachlan.” My voice cracks. “When? How? When?” I can’t seem to form a complete sentence.
“I’ve been working on it here and there since I moved in. Roman helped me paint on a day we both had off at the shop. Legend and Forrest both helped assemble furniture, and Maddox picked up the rocking chair for me while I worked on hanging the art and his name on the walls.”
I stand in the middle of the room and turn in a circle, slowly taking in every detail. “This is better than I ever could have imagined it would be.”
“Are you mad?”
I stop and turn to look at him. “Mad? Why on earth would I be mad?”
“I don’t know. I thought maybe you wanted to do all of this on your own or something?”
“Lachlan, this is perfect. I couldn’t have done better. I wouldn’t change a single thing. You’re his daddy. This is the perfect gift for both of us.”
“Yeah?” He steps behind me and wraps his arms around my waist.
“Definitely. Thank you. I can mark this off my list of things that need to be done before our little man gets here.”
“There’s still so much that we need. I’ll leave that up to you because I can’t even begin to imagine what that list looks like,” he admits.
“We’ll do it together.”
“I like the sound of that. Merry early Christmas, Mags.”
“Merry Christmas.”
“Have you thought about the nursery, any?” Brogan asks me.
We’re sitting in her living room, us girls, the guys’ moms, Monroe’s mom, and Grandma Doris. We’re all here for Briar’s baby shower. She got so many cute things for their baby. The room is full of pink and purple for their baby girl.
“It’s done, actually.”
“What?” Emerson asks. “When did you do that?” She furrows her brow as if she’s trying to remember me saying I was working on the nursery.
“I didn’t. Lachlan did. He showed it to me last night. Your husbands helped him.”
“Those sneaky little rascals.” Briar laughs.
“It’s perfect. Everything I ever could have imagined it would be. I can’t wait for you to see it.”
“Did he at least leave us some things to buy you at your shower?” Monroe asks.
“He did. He just bought the big stuff and the decorations. He said he knew there was so much more we would need, and he had no idea where to start.”
“He did good with the room on his own, though,” Brogan points out.
“He did, but it was everything I’d ever showed him. Either on my phone or when we were shopping. He paid attention to every detail.”
“Yeah, they’re good at that. I think it’s their profession. Tattoo artists are all about the details. At least the good ones are.” Monroe smiles.
“I’m so glad he finally showed you,” Heather, Monroe’s mom, speaks up. “He wouldn’t show me pictures. He said you needed to see it first.”
“Aww, really?” I ask. “I have some pictures I snapped this morning.” Opening my phone, I pull up the pictures and hand them to her. My cell gets passed around as everyone takes their turn.
“That man, he sure does love you,” Grandma Doris comments.
I nod. “I love him too.”
“So, Briar, have you thought about names?” Heather asks.
“We have a few that we like. We want to stay with the outdoor theme. I think we’re leaning toward Willow.”
“I love that,” Emerson says.
“I can’t believe all five of you are pregnant at the same time,” Cassie, Maddox’s mom, comments. “They’re going to all grow up the best of friends, just like their fathers were.”
“More babies to love on.” Sarah, Roman’s mom, smiles. “I, for one, can’t wait.”
“Next Christmas is definitely going to be different,” Brogan says.
“Oh, it’s going to be so much fun,” Grandma Doris tells us. “After you have children and they grow up, Christmas loses a little of its magic. At least it did for me. Little ones make it so special.”
The moms nod their agreement, and excitement bubbles up inside me. I know it’s a full year away, but I’m looking forward to all the moments and all the memories we’ll make as a family. Not just Lachlan, me, and Sean, but our families and our Everlasting Ink family too. There is so much love to give. My heart is bursting with it.
We help Briar gather all of her gifts, carry them up to the baby’s room, and help her get unpacked. The moms leave, and Amanda gives Grandma Doris a ride home. That leaves the five of us ladies. We sit for hours and talk and laugh and make plans for the future.
As I’m getting ready to leave, I take my now-empty glass to the kitchen and find Emerson at the sink, washing hers. “Thank you, Em,” I say, feeling the emotions welling in my throat.
“What for?” She puts her glass away and reaches for mine, and I hand it over.
“For introducing me to your friends.”
“You’re my friend.”
“I know, but we were work friends, and you brought me into the fold of your life. Those relationships have changed my life. So, thank you.”
“I’d like to think that you and Lachlan would have found your way to each other, regardless. The chemistry between you was instant; we could all see it.”
“It’s not just Lachlan. It’s the other girls, the rest of the guys. I only have my grandma, and now it feels like I have this huge extended family, and my heart—” My voice cracks. “It’s bursting with love, and I’m going to be a mom, and it’s just overwhelming in the absolute best of ways.”
“Bring it in.” She dries her hands, opens her arms for me, and I step into her embrace.
“Hold up,” Monroe says from behind us. “Ladies, we got a group-hug situation. Your presence is needed.” The next thing I know, Monroe is wrapping her arms around us, and then Briar and Brogan join in.
“I love you, guys,” I tell them, not bothering to try and mask my emotions.
“Love you,” they echo.