We set up appointments for the next few months. Now that we had been at the doctor, our news would be spreading like wildfire. Everyone would assume that our families already knew we were expecting. Except we hadn’t mentioned it yet.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I said once we got into the truck.
“That we should stop at the diner and get one of my mom’s cinnamon rolls? Yes, I was definitely thinking that.”
I grinned. “Well, we can do that, but we should also tell them that we’re having a baby.”
“Right. That would be the smart thing to do. I bet she’ll give me two cinnamon rolls. I’m eating for two, you know.”
“I do know that, my love. You ready for this?” I asked.
Kip gripped my hand. “Yes. So ready. Let’s go tell our families.”
I pulled into the parking lot of the diner, my heart hammering in my chest. The breakfast rush was in full swing, which meant it was likely Kip’s mom working and his dad was with the other enforcers enjoying a meal. Perfect timing to tell them, or possibly the worst timing ever. Hard to say.
“We could wait until after the lunch rush,” I suggested, though I knew it was a cowardly thought even as I said it.
We walked through the door, and the familiar scent of coffee, bacon, and fresh-baked goods enveloped us. The diner was packed, every booth filled with den members enjoying breakfast. Conversations paused as people noticed us, eyes tracking to where Kip’s hand rested protectively over his still-flat stomach.
Shit. So much for breaking the news gently.
Kip’s mom came bustling out of the kitchen with two plates balanced expertly on her arms. She took one look at us standing there and nearly dropped them both.
“Kip? Braxton? What are you two doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“We have a late shift today,” Kip said, which was only partially true. “Mom, is Dad here? We need to talk to both of you.”
Her eyes went wide. She set the plates down at the nearest table with shaking hands.
The entire diner had gone silent now, everyone watching our little family discussion unfold. I wanted to crawl under a table, but Kip seemed completely unbothered by the audience. Then again, he grew up in a household where most of their business was shared here, since his mom owned the diner and his dad had been an enforcer for years.
“Everything’s fine,” Kip assured them when we sat at the booth where Kip’s dad and the two other enforcers were. “Better than fine, actually.” He reached into his jacket and pulled out the ultrasound photos, handing them to his mother. “You’re going to be grandparents.”
His mom stared at the images for a long moment before her eyes filled with tears. “Oh my God. Oh my God! You’re pregnant? You’re really pregnant?”
“We just came from the doctor,” I confirmed, grinning despite my earlier nervousness. “Everything looks good. Due date is in a few months.”
Kip’s dad pulled us both into a bear hug that nearly cracked my ribs. “A grandchild! We’re going to have another grandchild!”
The diner erupted in cheers and congratulations. Den members crowded around to see the ultrasound photos, offering advice and well-wishes. Mrs. Thomas, who had been in the waiting room earlier, just smiled knowingly from her corner booth.
“Is it a boy or a girl?” someone called out.
“A boy,” Kip announced proudly. “We’re having a son.”
More cheers. His mom was openly crying now, clutching the ultrasound photos like they were made of gold. “We’re putting these on the bulletin board!”
“This calls for celebration!” his dad declared. “Breakfast is on the house for everyone!”
That got an even bigger cheer.
I pulled Kip close, wrapping my arm around his waist. Through our bond, I could feel his joy, his relief that his parents were so happy. It eased something in my chest I hadn’t even realized was tight.
“One down,” Kip murmured in my ear. “Your parents next?”
I groaned. “Can we at least eat first? Your mom promised you cinnamon rolls.”
As if summoned, his mom appeared with a plate containing not two, but three enormous cinnamon rolls, still warm from the oven. “For my baby and my grandbaby,” she said, kissing Kip’s forehead. “And one for the best son-in-law I could ask for, tied with Jules, of course.”
