Chapter Nineteen
Baker
* * *
Knox and Corie stand in the middle of their kitchen with all of us gathered around. They’re both smiling from ear to ear, and it makes me realize everything I missed with Camden. I didn’t get to feel him move in his mom’s belly. Not because I didn’t want to, but we were just never together outside of doctor’s appointments, and Levi was always there, making things even more awkward.
“Thank you all for being here,” Corie says.
“We didn’t have a choice,” Landry tells her. “You’re holding out on us.” He crosses his arms over his chest and scowls at his sister.
“We wanted to tell everyone at once.” She glances up at Knox, and there’s so much love shining between the two of them with one simple look.
Knox steps behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, resting his hands on her belly, on their unborn child. Envy like I’ve never felt before washes over me. That’s how it should have been, and I’ll be certain it will be next time.
As I shift Camden to my other arm, he leans over and reaches for Sloane, who smiles and takes him from me, kissing his cheek. He rests his head on her shoulder, giving her his complete love and trust.
It’s something to watch the two of them together.
Sliding my arm around her waist, I hold them both, hoping like hell that a moment just like this one is in our future.
“The suspense is killing me!” Reid calls out, and we all laugh, but he’s not wrong.
Knox grins. “Well, since you’re all here, my wife and I would like to announce that our son will be—” He doesn’t get to finish before we’re all shouting our congratulations and passing out hugs.
Camden claps and giggles, as does Coral, even though they don’t understand that our family is growing, which is the reason.
“Core,” Sloane says, her voice cracking.
Knox reaches for Camden, and the two girls hug as if it’s been years since they’ve seen one another. By the time they pull away, they’re both wiping tears from their eyes.
“Swoan, cwy,” Camden says, his lip quivering.
“Oh, no, baby, come here.” She holds her arms out, and he leans out of Knox’s arms for her to take him. “I’m not sad. These are happy tears.” She smiles widely to prove to him, then makes a silly face. “I’m just so happy that I started to cry,” she tries to explain.
“No cwy.” He shakes his head.
“I love you, Camden Sinclair. You have the biggest heart,” she says, her voice cracking as she holds him tightly against her chest.
I’m not gonna lie. Seeing them like this, I swallow back the lump of emotion in my throat.
“Fuck, brother,” Reid says, laying a hand on my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I croak.
“Things are good?”
“Damn good.” I nod.
“Happy for you, Daddy Sin. You deserve her,” he says as he walks away.
I’m maybe three feet away from them, so in a couple of long strides, I have them wrapped in my arms. “I love the way you love him,” I whisper to Sloane.
“He’s everything, Baker,” she says, her eyes misty with tears.
“Cam, wove,” my son says, and kisses her cheek, and a sob falls from her lips.
“Come here, buddy. I think Uncle Foster wants to play trucks.” He’s the closest one to us now, and when I hand him my son, he nods, and they turn toward the living room. Rushing back to Sloane, I take her hand in mine and lead her out of the room. We make our way down the hall and into the half bath, quietly closing the door behind us.
